1980-04-03 Recessed Meeting Chairman Douglas stated the Council must decide in the near future the next steps to
be taken regarding the 201 Facility Plan.
B. DONALD BURK --~
Councilman Burk requested research be done for an Ordinance prohibiting livestock
within the City limits. Burk requested this due to the recent vote to lease the City's one
hundred fifty-one (151) acres.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, the meeting was Recessed at 9:30 P.M. by Chairman
Douglas until April 3, 1980, Workshop.
Edward W. Douglas ~j
Chairman City Council
City of Okeechobee
ATTEST:
Bonn~e'S~ Th6mas
City Clerk
City of Okee~hobee
RECESSED SESSION - WORKSHOP THURSDAY, APRIL 3~ 1980
The City Council of the City of Okeechobee, Florida, met in Recessed Session, April 3, --~
1980, at 7:00 P.M. Chairman Edward W. Douglas presided with the following members present:
Councilman Oakland Chapman, Councilman Donald Burk and Councilman Lytle Raulerson. Council-
man Jim Knight was absent.
Also present were Bonnie S. Thomas, City Clerk; David Conlon, City Attorney; L.C.
Fortner, Jr., Director of Public Works; and Richard B. Spray, Building Inspector.
80-35 PLANNING BOARD
1) ORDINANCE AMENDMENT
Chairman Douglas presented Planning Board members Jerry Walker, Robert Joiner and
Frank Altobello to the Council and began discussion of plans to improve communications
between the two groups.
Acting Planning Board Chairman Jerry Walker asked to have City Attorney David Conlon
explain the proposed amendment to Zoning Ordinance #402. Attorney Conlon related some of
the problems the Council was having with the implementation of the new Zoning Ordinance
#402. He stated that the proposed amendment simply reinstates certain powers to the
Council that were inadvertently taken away from them when the new zoning ordinance was
being established. However, the amendment will not take away from the Planning Board it's
right to propose amendments to this ordinance or to zoning classifications.
2) LEGAL ADVISOR
Councilman Chapman recommended to the group that the City Attorney attend Planning
2627
Board meetings because of the need of a legal advisor in many instances at the meetings.
Attorney Conlon explained to the Planning Board members his availability to them during the
day. He stated that he could be reached through his office by them anytime, the same as City
Department Heads, for answers to legal questions on City business. The City Attorney asked
the board to feel free to contact him on the City's legal matters and expressed his willing-
ness to assist them in this area when needed.
After further discussion, which included the financial aspects thereof, it was determined
by those present that it would be beneficial to all concerned to have the City Attorney attend
certain Planning Board meetings. Therefore, upon motion of Councilman Burk, Attorney Conlon
was instructed to attend Planning Board meetings for the next six (6) months; at the end of
this period it will be decided whether or not this time should be extended, motion seconded
by Councilman Raulerson, vote carried.
3) PLANNING BOARD INSURED
The question was asked by Planning Board member Altobello whether or not the Planning
Board was protected by the City's liability insurance program pertinent to action taken by
the Planning Board members at their regular meetings. The City Clerk stated that this had
been checked into previously and there is a letter on file in the City Clerk's office
assuring this coverage. A copy of this letter will be distributed to the Planning Board
members at their next regular meeting.
q) WORKSHOPS
Discussion was entered into concerning the need for periodic joint workshops of the
City Council and Planning Board and whether they should be set for specific times. It was
decided there would be times when workshops will be necessary but the Council and board
members present felt these meetings could be called as the need arises. All agreed it would
not be feasible at this time to set a schedule for joint workshop meetings.
5) ACTION REPORTS TO PLANNING BOARD
Board member Altobello asked the City Clerk for written replys from the Council to the
Planning Board as to action taken on it's requests. The City Clerk assured Board Member
Altobello this will be done in the future after each Council meeting where such business is
transacted by Council.
After determining there were no more questions from either board at this time Chairman
Douglas expressed appreciation to the Planning Board for their assistance and thanked them
for coming to the Workshop.
80-q6 PAY PLAN
Chairman Douglas presented Mr. Robert Keesee of the Department of Community Affairs,
~. Tallahassee to the Council. Mr. Keesee has worked with the City for the past several months
in its persuit of establishing a workable pay plan structUre for its employees.
Councilman and Finance Chairman Raulerson related to the Council the progress made on
· 2fi28
the proposed pay plan schedule since its introduction during budget sessions.
He explained the proceedures for its implementation and discussed with the Council
the schedules' minimum and maximum ranges. He explained the various ways the plan can be --~
used concerning "pay steps" and "pay grades" in their relationship to the job classification
of the employee. Also discussed was the budget impact of the pay plan at the present time.
Mr. Keesee explained that in order to get into the plan completely at the present time,
if the Council so desired, a decision should be made on one of two ways. First would be the
original plan as presented in August. Second would be to raise the minimum and maximum by
going up the scale vertically and increasing the pay grades.
The salary increase that came with the new budget year caused an adjustment to have
to be made throughout the original schedule. It was explained by Councilman Raulerson that
this change could be made either by going horizontally by steps and keeping the orginal
minimum and maximum salaries or by moving vertically by pay grades and increasing the
minimum and maximum salaries. But this must be arrived at through a decision of the Council.
Councilman Burk stated that he liked the proposed pay plan as presented by Mr. Keesee
with pay grades and steps as set out in that plan.
The Council asked Mr. Keesee for assistance in writing a job description for classifica-
tion of one new position, Assistant to Director of Public Works. He is to do this in the next
few days. It was discussed by Council to leave the steps as they were to twelve (12).
There are two positions that have exceeded the steps of the proposed plan. However, '-~
the job description and classification as relates to the qualifications of those involved
does not justify a pay grade increase. Therefore, these two positions will remain the same,
stepped out, at the present. The position for the City's mechanic was discussed at length
and it was felt that it should remain as is for the present.
Flexibility of the plan with administrative overview in relationship to minimum starting
salary was discussed by Finance Chairman Raulerson and Councilman Burk. It was stated that
caution must be used in flexible areas. Also the use of employee evaluation by Department
Heads and Personnel Director was stressed. Councilman Raulerson suggested evaluations be
made by the Department Heads and Personnel Director before the budget sessions to get their
employees salaries adjusted according to merit, etc. then present to Council for decisions
during budget sessions.
ADJOURNMENT
Councilman Raulerson made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Councilman Burk at 9:30 P.M,
until the next Regular Meeting, Tuesday April 9, 1980, at 7:00 P.M.
Edward W. Douglas f --~
Chairman City Council
ATTEST: City of Okeechobee
Bonnie S. Thomas
City Clerk
City of Okeechobee