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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1986-04-08 - City Commission Workshop Meeting Minutes• MAIL REPLY TO: P.O. BOX 25010 TAMARAC. FLORIDA 33320 5811 NORTHWEST 88TH AVENUE TAMARAC, FLORIDA 33321 TELEPHONE (305) 722-5900 April 7, 1986 - REVISED NOTICE OF CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING TAMARAC, FLORIDA Please be advised that there will be a City Council Work- shop meeting on Tuesday, April 8, 1986, at 2:00 P.M., in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 5811 N.W. 88th Avenue, Tamarac Florida. The purpose of this workshop meeting is for discussion of: a) Reorganization of the City Committees b) Confidential/Supervisory and Managerial Pay Plan and Benefit Package for the City Employees. c) Municipal Complex. The public is invited to attend. MB:da Marilyn Bertholf,CMC City Clerk AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER POLICY OF NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF HANDICAPPED STATUS CITY OF TAMARAC CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING APRIL 8, 1986 Tape 1 CALL DE : Mayor Hart called the meeting to order on Tuesday, April 8, 1986 at 2:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers at City Hall. ROLL CALL: ALSO -PRESENT: PRE ENT Mayor Bernard Hart Vice Mayor Sydney Stein Councilman Arthur H. Gottesman Councilman Jack Stelzer Councilwoman Helen Massaro Larry Perretti, City Manager Patricia Marcurio, Secretary Mayor Hart called for the Pledge of Allegiance followed by a moment of silent meditation. 1. Reorganization of the City Committees Mayor Hart said that in an effort to make the City run smoother some of the existing Committees would be eliminated or combined. Mayor Hart said he would like to discuss all the Committees and get feedback from the Council as well as the citizens of Tamarac. V/M Stein said that in surveying other cities several had the Beautification Committee and the Planning Commission combined. He said he had consulted with the City Attorney and since the Beautification Committee was not provided for in the State Statutes nor the Charter that the combining of the two committees would be plausible. Vice Mayor Stein recommended that the committees be merged forming a seven person board with either three or five alternates. C/W Massaro said she was concerned about the cost of lunches for the members if they had as many as five alternates. She said that the Beautification Committee receives a fee for reviewing plans which would cover most expenses connected with that Committee. C/W Massaro said that previously the Planning Commission did have the responsibilities of the Beautification Committee and that it did not work out well. She said that it would be a mistake to combine the two committees as there are other ways to save money such as raising fees commensurate with costs. V/M Stein said that he was not recommending doing away with the Beautification Committee. The proposed Planning Board would still receive fees for signs and plan reviews. He suggested that the new board should consist of four members from the Planning Commission and three from the Beautification Committee. The five alternates could consist of three from the Planning Commission and two from the Beautification Committee. ID V/M Stein noted the City Clerk's memo stated that there were only three secretaries doing work for the numerous Committees and that it was more difficult when the minutes were transcribed from a tape alone. The solution was to consolidate the Committees. TS 4/8/86 1 �; C/M Gottesman said he foresaw that the combination of the two Committees would lead to very long agendas and possibly even double sessions. The minutes would still be as long, with no reduction in transcription time of the minutes. C/M Stelzer said that the combination of the Committees would most likely result in plans being reviewed in a shorter length of time. He said that combining the two committees was a good idea. C/W Massaro said that it may be harmful to have the members of Beautification on the Planning Commission because it is an entirely different field. Bob Jahn, Chief Building Official, said that the Beautification Committee has their own secretary and seventy percent of her time is spent preparing sign applications, and handling all aspects of their meetings including preparation of minutes. C/W Massaro said that if the two committees are combined, the extra burden would fall on Irene Adams, Building Department who is already overloaded. C/M Gottesman that he did not think that time would be saved in the combination of the committees but rather it would just be shifted to another person. Mr. Jahn said that Irene Adams currently prepares the packets for the Planning Commission but not the minutes. If the committees were combined it would not eliminate the job of the Secretary to the Beautification Committee because he could utilize her. Florence Bochenek, Chairwoman, Beautification Committee, noted all the past achievements of the Beautification Committee. Ms. Bochenek said their meeting starts at 9:00 A.M. and usually goes straight through till 1:00 P.M. or longer. She said that she did not think combining the committees would save either time'or money and suggested that instead the two committees meet occasionally. Carl Alper, Planning Commissioner, suggested that there be a liaison between the Beautification Committee and Planning Commission instead of combining the committees. A good deal of legislation passed by the City is a result of the work of the Planning Commission. Vickie Beech, resident, said that she thought the idea of streamlining the committees within the City was one with merit. C/M Stelzer said that the purpose in combining the committees was not to take away powers but to save on secretarial time and money. C/M Gottesman said that he did not think that combining the committees would save time. Mayor Hart thanked everyone for their comments and said they would be taken into consideration when a decision is made. Mayor Hart asked if there were any comments on the Board of Adjustment. There were no comments. TS 4/8/86 �J 44 2 74 4 Tape 2 C/M Stelzer said that there were five committees which served the public; the Public Information Committee, the Veterans Affairs Committee, the Consumer Affairs Committee, the Welcoming Committee, and the Social Service Board. He said there were no plans of eliminating these committees. The problem was that all committees met separately and minutes had to be taken for all of the meetings. He recommended that the five committees be combined into one whose purpose would be to serve the public. Nat Cohen, Chairman of the Board of Consumer Affairs, said that their minutes take no longer than five minutes to type that they usually are approximately three quarters of a page. Mr. Cohen said that combining their committee with another would be a disservice to the City. He read an article dated 1977 which said that Tamarac is the only city of 50,000 or less which had a functioning Board of Consumer Affairs to serve it's citizens. C/M Stelzer said that he did not want to comingle the boards but for all the five to have one meeting so that only one set of minutes would have to be taken. Mayor Hart said that the Commissioner of Human Relations should be eliminated and made notation of it. Judy Deutsch, Personnel Director, said that the Insurance Advisory Committee is necessary and recommended that the committee remain. C/W Massaro said that due to the question of insurance costs and availability, it was important that the committee remain. Mayor Hart said that a referendum had been passed regarding the Investment Advisory Committee and that a new committee was being formed. C/M Gottesman said that he felt the Welcoming Committee could be combined with another. He suggested that instead of having new residents come to City Hall, they could instead be sent a letter welcoming them. The letter could mention that if there were any questions regarding how the City is operated, someone would be available to answer them. C/W Massaro said that when she attended the Welcoming Committee lunches and some of the persons coming to the meeting have been residents for several years. Mayor Hart said that he thought welcoming a new resident was important but that during the lunches usually several other persons attended and only six new residents actually were there. He suggested that a member of the Committee send a new resident a letter stating that if they would like a tour of City Hall to please contact them. The Public Information Committee has twelve members, and three of them should be responsible for welcoming new residents. The Mayor suggested that the Welcoming Committee be absorbed by the Public Information Committee. C/M Stelzer suggested that the names of new residents be obtained from the Utilities Department because one of the first things a new resident does is apply for water and electric services. Ed Solomon, Chairman of the Investment Advisory Committee, said that when he was the Chairman of the Welcoming Committee he had attempted to have the Welcoming Committee joined with the Public Information Committee. He said he felt it was a good idea to combine the two. q TS 4/8/86 �J Shirley Blumfield, resident, said as a previous member of the Welcoming Committee she also thought it was a good idea to combine the two committees. Vickie Beech, resident, said she thought the idea of sending letters to new residents was good adding that once a year an open house should be held for old and new residents so that they may meet the persons working at City Hall. Mayor Hart suggested that the Public Information Committee would absorb the tasks of the Welcoming Committee eliminating the members of the Welcoming Committee. C/W Massaro said that regarding the Recreation Board the Recreation Director should give input as to what was needed. Mayor Hart said that the Recreation Director, the Recreatiosaid Board and the Park Commissioner should all give inp ut. He he would speak with Recreation Director, the Parks Commission and Bob Curcio to determine if all sixteen members on Recreation Board were necessary and he would speak to Council after this. Mayor Hart stated that there were several organizations serving veterans in the community and he questioned if the Veterans Affairs Committee was necessary. Al Mallor, member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, stated that they participate in several functions and that he thought it was a plus for Tamarac to have this committee because it encourages residents to join in the functions of the committee. Marilyn Bertholf, City Clerk, said that she was requested by V/M Stein to report the City Clerk's office role concerning committees and minutes. Ms. Bertholf then read a memo which she was preparing concerning the work done with respect to committees in her office. She said that time has not permitted the indexing of the Council minutes; and she would like to have the resolutions indexed by subject but that because of the amount of work involved with h possible. Ms. Bertholf statedwhatmthets duties of not been poher staff were. Ms. Bertholf said that when a tape is received from a committee with no notes attached often a secretary has worked late preparing the minutes which is an additional expense to the City. When proofing the minutes of committee meetings when a tape alone is received there was criticism that persons were not being identified properly. Ms. Bertholf said that many times no roll call is taken and members are not identified when they speak making it very difficult to know who attended the meeting or who was speaking. All the employees in her department were cross trained for a variety of tasks. C/W Massaro said that a memo should be directed ,tt) the chairpersons of the committees to follow proper parliamentary procedures and also stated that minutes were too lengthy. 2. CQnfidential/SuPervisOXY And Managerial P d Benefit P ck fgr Cit emPlovegs Mayor Hart said that Council would like all the information concerning the Confidential/supervisory and Managerial Pay Plan and Benefit Package for the City Employees so that Council can make a decision at its next meeting. TS 4/ 8/,86 /i 4 l/ Ms. Deutsch said that the City Manager had proposed a 5% increase effective April 1, 1986 adding that it was a continuation of the resolution passed last year which has been Mo continued on a month to month basiseolutelzer said that all they had to do was to revise the r id that there were four policemen who had reached C/M Stelzer sa salary grade. C/w Massaro asked if these e a 58 increase. Ms. Deutsch sa individuals would receivid they their maximum would not. Mr. Perretti said when the resolutiberwas 1985passed itnwas8agreed 4/1985 it had an expiration date of Septem salary would be eliminated and upon by Council that the maximuManager's salary. Mr. Perretti the criteria would be the City m to ees are at the "H" level said that approximately wentbe eon for one year then they would of salary which they aVeto be eligible for longevity. V/M Stein asked what the inCesaid ethat the was if longevity omeone is at he longevity plan maximum level. Mr. Perretti provides for increases. V/M Stein said that the entire pay package needs to be reviewed to make it more equitable. the ies of C/M Stelzer asked how Tamarac slamthatdTamaracwith hwasainrthe upper other cities. Mr. Perretti said ranks in comparing salaries. Mr. Perretti said that once yearsen Octobers sThe City hasll the number of salary grades do receive an compensate employees who have been here for years. He said tgrdan these employees who ackahave ereached a ma edxatulittlesalarcost to the excellent benef a.t p g City but a great benefit to the employees. Mayor Hart asked if the 1esetion beingwas discussed.would Mr. Perretti alleviate some of the problem said it would not. V/M Stein there are two separatutlo uatV/MsSteinpart of said hewhe as solution was to adopt the resol ap could not be under the impression that the maximum salary cwhen the caps changed. The problem lesthat exceededring the them and now they have to were removed many Po P ees to catch up to receive an wait for the other employ increase. Ms. Deutsch said survey data is used from other cities to assist in determining increasese s said the incomparisonwithother City was now in the middle rang cities. C/W Massaro asked if anything has been decided regarding the accumulation of sick time and vacation employees /with eanlot lof that work is needed on this, that ould either take it or cap on it. hours accumulated sh d that if an employee does not use sick Mayor Hart suggesteMr. leave by the end of the year that it should be forfeited. Perretti said that the uniotbkPleavestimecontract away from union1987 and if they o union employees a morale problem would be created. TS 4/ 8/ 86 V/M Stein said that there should be a maximum amount of time that an employee can take. Mr. Perretti said that Ms. Deutsch and he had examined both private and public industry to survey various policies on sick leave. They had come up with a plan whereby an employee would have a cap on the number of sick days and if there was a long term illness then a long term disability plan would take effect. 3. Municipal Complex C/M Gottesman said a workshop meeting regarding the Tamarac Municipal Complex had been held in July, 1985, and that Council had decided that the plans were aesthetically pleasing but not functional. In September, 1985, C/M Gottesman said that it was decided that Council would not proceed with the plans because of the cost and because certain details failed to appear on the plans. C/M Gottesman said at a meeting held between Mr. Perretti, Alan Ruf, Consulting Attorney, Mr. Jordan Miller, of Miller & Meier Architects, it was decided that the building should be redesigned at a cost not to exceed $ 125,000. Mr. Miller said that plans were ninety-nine percent complete. However, when finishing the plans a problem with the site arose and Council had allocated $ 10,000 to him to redesign the site now known as scheme "C". Mr. Miller said that if the Council approved the plans they could go out for bid and have the complex built. V/M Stein said that the contract with Miller & Meier had been signed by a previous Council and called for estimated advances, with the City purchasing the furnishings and carpeting for the new complex. V/M Stein said that Mr. Miller receives 7% of the actual project cost. Payment made to Miller & Meier were authorized and that the previous minutes would reflect that. He said that he did not object to the design of the building, only the placement of the departments within the building. Tape 4 A discussion regarding the plans ensued between V/M Stein, C/M Stelzer, C/W Massaro, C/M Gottesman, Mayor Hart, and Mr. Miller. Mayor Hart adjourned the meeting at 3:30 P.M. This public document was promulgated at a cost of $105.60 or $28.55 per copy to inform the general public and officers and employees about recent public opinions and considerations by the City Council of the City of Tamarac. TS 4/8/86 11