HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-08-23 - City Commission Workshop Meeting MinutesCITY OF TAMARAC
CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP MEETING
AUGUST 23, 1999
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Schreiber called the workshop to order on Monday, Aug9ust
23, 1999, at 9:30 a.m. in Conference Room #1 of Tamarac City Hall, 7525 NW 88
Avenue, Tamarac, Florida.
PRESENT: Mayor Joe Schreiber, Vice Mayor Larry Mishkin, Commissioner Edward C.
Portner, Commissioner Karen L. Roberts and Commissioner Marc L. Sultanof.
ALSO PRESENT: Robert S. Noe, Jr., City Manager, Mitchell S. Kraft, City
Attorney, Tim Hemstreet, Assistant City Manager and Carol Gold, City Clerk
1. 8/25/99 Agenda Items
a) Temporary Resolution #8691, accepting the Redistricting
Committee Report dated June 30, 1999, and authorizing the City Clerk to forward
the Redistricting Committee Report to the Broward County Supervisor of
Elections Office.
Redistricting Committee Chairperson, Diane Glasser, gave a presentation. Also
present were Redistricting Committee members John Farley and Susan
McCampbell. Vice Mayor Mishkin discussed future redistricting.
b) Temporary Resolution #8651, authorizing the appropriate City
Officials to execute a fifth amendment to the Interlocal Agreement with Broward
County for solid waste disposal services.
Assistant City Manager Hemstreet introduced Joe Moss, Executive Director of
the Broward Solid Waste Disposal District. Mr. Moss gave a presentation and
responded to questions. City Attorney Kraft suggested giving items 10 and 14 on
the agenda, due consideration
Vice Mayor Mishkin asked for clarification of Item #8(k), Temporary Resolution
#8720, accepting a right of way deed for certain private roads within the Landings
of Cypress Greens Subdivision, authorizing the reclassification of said private
roads to public roads and including said roads as part of the seven year
Comprehensive Street Improvement Program. Public Works Director Verma and
Public Works Coordinator Berkman responded.
Vice Mayor Mishkin asked for clarification of item #12, Temporary Ordinance
#1850, first reading, amending Chapter 18, "Signs and Advertising," Article II,
"Signs", Division 5, "Temporary Signs," Section 18-86, "Political Signs," limiting
removal of or interference with political signs in the vicinity of polling places on
election day. City Attorney Kraft said Temporary Ordinance #1850 came out of a
Commission discussion to relax requirements for political signs on Election Day.
Commissioner Portner questioned Item #8(I), Temporary Resolution #8721,
accepting the Florida Department of Transportation, Highway Beautification
Grant in the amount of $75,958.79 and authorizing a match from the City in the
amount of $75,996.25 for a total project cost of $151,955.04 to provide
landscape and irrigation improvements along Commercial Boulevard between
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Rock Island Road and Prospect Road; authorizing the appropriate City Officials
to execute an agreement between the City of Tamarac and the Florida
Department of Transportation for the Highway Beautification Grant Funds;
approving a transfer from the grants matching account in the amount of
$75,996.25; amending the Annual Grants Fund Budget of estimated revenues
and expenditures in the amount of $75,958.79. Public works Director Verma,
Public Works Operations Manager Greenspan and Public Works Coordinator
Berkman responded. There was discussion about the length of time the project
would take to complete, and the fact that there were going to be several projects
worked on simultaneously.
Mayor Schreiber questioned Item #80), Temporary Resolution #8683, authorizing
the purchase of "Gradall" Hydraulic Excavator in an amount not to exceed
$178,616.00; authorizing the use of a State of Florida Cooperative Purchasing
Contract; authorizing a budget transfer in the Stormwater Management Fund.
Mayor Schreiber felt this item should not be on the consent agenda because of
the amount of money involved and he questioned how often this equipment is
going to be used, whether it would be wiser to rent than purchase it. Public
works Director Verma and Public Works Operations Manager Greenspan
responded. Commissioner Sultanof added that the weather and availability have
a lot to do with the feasibility of purchasing over renting the equipment.
Mayor Schreiber called for a short recess at 10:40 A.M. At 10:50 A.M. the
Workshop Meeting reconvened with all present.
Commissioner Portner questioned Item #13, Temporary Ordinance #1863, first
reading, authorizing the appropriate City Officials to execute an agreement for
commercial solid waste disposal services by and between the City of Tamarac
and Delta Waste Corporation, a Florida Corporation. Mayor Schreiber
responded.
Commissioner Portner questioned Item #15, Temporary Resolution #8717,
relating to the construction of and funding of water distribution facilities and
wastewater collection facilities; creating the North Section 7 Assessment Area;
amending and confirming the initial Assessment Resolution; establishing the
maximum amount of the annual assessment for each tax parcel; imposing
assessments against property within the North Section 7 assessment Area;
approving the Assessment Roll; providing for collection of the assessments; and
providing an effective date. City Manager Noe and Utilities Director Woika
responded.
Mayor Schreiber questioned Item #8(h), Temporary Resolution #8690,
authorizing the award of Bid #99-2013 entitled "Tamarac Resident Newsletter"
(Tam -a -Gram) to A -Plus Printing for an initial period of one (1) year with two
additional two year options to renew, in an amount not to exceed $31,368.00.
Purchasing/Contracts Manager Flurry responded and answered questions.
Mayor Schreiber questioned Item #8(m), Temporary Resolution #8653, approving
the purchase of PVC Pipe and Fittings utilizing the Broward County's Co -Op
Contract #682-7861 "PVC Pipe and Fittings" in an amount not to exceed $12,000,
approving the purchase of Brass Water Service Fittings utilizing the Broward County
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Co -Op Bid #1998-99/07 "Brass Water Service Fittings Bid" in an amount not to
exceed $35,000. Utilities Director Woika responded to questions.
With regard to Item #11, Temporary Resolution #8719, authorizing the
appropriate officials to execute an agreement between the City of Tamarac and
Rachlin, Cohen & Holtz LLP Certified Public Accountants and Consultants, as the
City's External Auditor, City Manager Noe asked Finance Director McGarrity to
introduce Jerry Ciocca, Director of Public Services for Rachlin and Cohen. City
Manager Noe asked Mr. Ciocca to leave no stone unturned in the spirit of the
external audit, and to keep the Commission informed.
City Manager Noe discussed Item #18, Motion for Reconsideration of Temporary
Resolution #8671. At the Commission meeting of July 14, 1999, Temporary
Resolution #8671 was defeated. City Manager Noe said a request to reconsider
was received by Commissioner Sultanof who voted on the prevailing side.
City Manager Noe asked Utilities Director Woika to explain the assessment
schedule for Item #15, Temporary Resolution #8717, relating to the construction
of and funding of water distribution facilities and wastewater collection facilities;
creating the North Section 7 Assessment Area; amending and confirming the
initial Assessment Resolution; establishing the maximum amount of the annual
assessment for each tax parcel; imposing assessments against property within
the North Section 7 assessment Area; approving the Assessment Roll; providing
for collection of the assessments; and providing an effective date. Utilities
Director Woika gave a presentation and responded to questions.
2. Presentation — Results of Revenue Bond Issue, Finance Director
McGarrity gave a presentation.
3. Bus Transportation Service. Mayor Schreiber asked City Manager Noe
the status of the bus transportation service. There was discussion about keeping
the Commission informed, and about the "taxi service" vs. the impending bus
routes. Commissioner Roberts questioned changes in the new positions in the
Social Services Department, and Assistant City Manager Hemstreet explained
the benefit of using part time bus drivers. Vice Mayor Mishkin said the
Transportation Committee will meet this afternoon and he report to the
Commission. No one will be unfairly inconvenienced, and we will provide what is
necessary for the welfare of the citizens in this bus project. Commissioner
Sultanof said he received many telephone calls and he is concerned about
people having to walk from the clubhouse to their apartments with bags of
groceries, and accommodations need to be made for these people.
Commissioner Roberts agreed with Commissioner Sultanof, and asked if the
Commission has to accept Broward County's route systems. Mayor Schreiber
said he believes they can be modified. City Manager Noe said the prime
emphasis of the Commission was the speed with which this program could be
implemented, and if there was an error in advertising for the part time positions,
this can be changed. Commissioner Portner said it was his wish that the City not
give up the taxi service.
4. North Broward Hospital District Medical Clinic for Tamarac. Mayor
Schreiber said he has been working for 2 years to get the North Broward Hospital
District (NBHD) to do something for Tamarac, and as Assistant City Manager
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Hemstreet is the liaison, he wanted to know if he had any information yet.
Assistant City Manager Hemstreet responded that he did not. Mayor Schreiber
said the people of Tamarac pay $4 million per year in taxes to the NBHD, which
only caters to certain areas. Tamarac needs better medical facilities and a heart
hospital. Commissioner Sultanof said as a member of the Committee, he
brought this up and was not happy with the response. He asked Assistant City
Manager Hemstreet to find out why Sunrise and Margate are being considered
and not Tamarac.
5. Broward County Property Appraiser's Office — Request for Adoption of
additional $25,000.00 Homestead Exemption. Mayor Schreiber said the
legislature passed a law that allows municipalities to pass a law providing
additional homestead exemptions. Finance Director McGarrity gave a
presentation, and said the impact to Tamarac will be about $775,000.00. City
Attorney Kraft said for Tamarac to implement the tax abatement, we must pass
an ordinance. Mayor Schreiber said the law specifies the tax abatement can be
up to $25,000.00, but does not need to be the entire $25,000.00. Commissioner
Roberts suggested more research be done. City Manager Noe said he has great
respect for Finance Director McGarrity's ability to forecast things like this, with
the information that is available. At this time, the $775,000.00 may be more or
less, depending on the integrity of the information available at the time of her
analysis, and Finance Director McGarrity agreed that based on the limited
information available, the best efforts are not always precise.
6. Discussion on Strategic Planning Session. Mayor Schreiber asked about
the status of the Strategic Planning Session, and City Manager Noe responded.
Staff committees prepared theme documents, and Utilities Director Woika has
prepared a draft and should have a final document prepared within a few days.
City Manager Noe asked the Commission when they want to meet to do the
budget mark-up, and it was decided to set the date at the Commission Meeting
on Wednesday, August 25, 1999.
Commissioner Portner asked Community Development Director Miller about a
letter he received from an attorney for Mr. Behren about the golf course at the
Mainlands. Community Development Director Miller responded that this was a
code enforcement issue, and the letter indicated that Behren was trying to sell
the golf course and asked for relief before being brought before the Code
Enforcement Board. They were given 90 days. Commissioner Portner said he
thought the City was inquiring about purchasing the golf course, and City
Manager Noe explained the steps that needed to be taken. Commissioner
Portner said he spoke to Parks and Recreation Director Margoles and gave her
the name of a contact person, and City Manager Noe responded that there must
be direction of the Commission to pursue the process if the numbers are
attractive. To date that has not been done. Mayor Schreiber said there are
many things going on in the City at this time, and they all cost a lot of money.
Purchasing and operating a golf course is very costly, and the Commission
needs to know the numbers they will be working with. Commissioner Portner
said he has received calls from residents who use the golf course and are
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disturbed about the situation, and he would like the City to look into it. City
Manager Noe said the proper place to look at this would be the budget mark-up.
City Manager Noe said the Commission is meeting with the Charter Board
tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. Vice Mayor Mishkin questioned why none of the items to
be discussed have gone to public hearing, and City Attorney Kraft responded.
Commissioner Portner said City Manager Noe has tendered his resignation
effective September 10, 1999, and the Commission needs to appoint an Interim
Manager. Vice Mayor Mishkin distributed a letter to the Commission, and read it
into the record. The letter asked City Attorney Kraft to prepare a Resolution for
the August 25, 1999 Commission Meeting, appointing Jeffrey Miller as City
Manager, setting an evaluation date, remuneration and benefits. City Manager
Noe said it is inappropriate to raise this issue without proper notice, and
discussed qualifications necessary for a City Manager. Commissioner Sultanof
said he has always felt it best to promote from within, and it is at the discretion of
the Commission. Vice Mayor Mishkin responded to City Manager Noe's
statement. Commissioner Portner said his experience is that a corporation of
this size does not appoint a CEO on such short notice. More discussion is
needed and Commissioner Roberts agreed. Mayor Schreiber said he completely
agrees with Vice Mayor Mishkin. Mr. Miller is capable, and if a person is a
capable administrator, they can be a capable City Manager. Taking someone
from inside the system is a key component for a smooth transition. Mayor
Schreiber suggested doing it in 2 stages, a resolution on August 25, 1999,
appointing Jeffrey Miller as City Manager subject to terms, and a Resolution on
September 8, 1999, setting and finalizing the terms of appointment.
Commissioner Roberts and Commissioner Sultanof said they agreed with Vice
Mayor Mishkin's letter except for item #3, setting the terms. There was an
expression of interest from Mayor Schreiber, Vice Mayor Mishkin and
Commissioner Sultanof to proceed with placing a Resolution appointing Mr. Miller
City Manager on the August 25t" agenda. Commissioner Portner asked who
would set the terms, and City Attorney Kraft responded that the Commission
would.
Commissioner Portner asked whether the Annexation Committee was going to
be formed or not. There was discussion about a deadline for applications. Vice
Mayor Mishkin said there is also a vacancy on the Code Enforcement Board, and
a workshop is needed to discuss the quarterly report. Commissioner Sultanof
suggested notifying the people who served on the Annexation Committee
previously to see if they want to serve again.
There being no further business, Mayor Schreiber adjourned the Workshop
Meeting at 12:45 P.M.
Carol Gold, CM /AAE
City Clerk
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