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1980-06-12 Recessed 2659 so doing would save time and money. B. DONALD BURK Councilman Burk requested discontinuing the use of the tape recorder. Clerk Thomas stated that the taking of the minutes came under her jurisdiction and prefers to use the tape recorder. Attorney Conlon advised that Clerk Thomas is an elected official in charge of the minutes and if she so desires, may use a tape recorder. DISBURSEMENTS Vouchers on the following funds were approved: Water ~ Sewer Operation & Maintenance $62,329.13 Water & Sewer Revenue Fund $217,933.98 General Fund $71,081.06 Anti-Recession $489.03 Cigarette Tax Fund $100,000.00 I & S Refunding Bonds $45,400.00 Payroll Account $22,198.69 ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Chairman Douglas recessed the meeting at 10:25 P.M. until Thursday, June 12, 1980. Edward W. Douglas Chairman/Mayor City of 0keechobee ATTEST: Bonnie S. Thomas City Clerk City of 0keechobee RECESSED SESSION THURSDAY~ JUNE 127 1~80 The City Council of the City of 0keechobee, Florida, met in recessed session in the City Hall Council Chambers on Thursday, June 12, 1980, at 7:00 P.M. Chairman Douglas presided with the following members present: Councilman Lytle Raulerson, Councilman Donald BUrk, Councilman Jim Knight and Councilman Oakland Chapman. Others present were: Bonnie S. Thomas, City Clerk; L.C. Portner, Jr., Director of Public Works, Larry Mobley, Police Chief; Keith Tomey, Fire Chief; Don Sheppard, City Engineer; David Conlon, City Attorney and his assistant Dean Tooker. 80-65 PUBLIC HEARING SECOND AND FINAL HEARING - BUDGET AMENDMENTS ' l- T" I I I'll! 2660 Chairman Douglas read for second and final hearings by title only the following Budget amendments: General Budget AN ORDINANCE TRANSFERRING FUNDS FROM AND TO VARIOUS ACCOUNTS FOR --~ EXPENDITURES PERMITTED BY THE ACCOUNTS TRANSFERRED TO, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 1979, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 50, 1980, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE THEREOF. Water and Sewer Budget AN ORDER TRANSFERRING FUNDS WITHIN THE WATER AND SEWER BUDGET, ANTICIPATED OPERATING EXPENSE ACCOUNT, OF THE BUDGET OF THE CITY OF 0KEECHOBEE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 1979, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1980, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Councilman Raulerson moved to accept the amendments as read by title only, motion seconded by Councilman Burk, vote carried. 80-15 FIRE MERGER Fire Chief Keith Tomey presented a report to the Council on the cost of a possible City-County Fire Department merger. Chief Tomey also discussed the proceedures involved in requesting a new Fire rating from the state. Considering cost factors involved in the merger report it was decided by Council not to persue it any further at this time. Councilman Knight suggested, however, that the Council allow Chief Tomey to continue his efforts regarding a new City Fire rating. It was the consensus of opinion of the Council that this should be continued. BUDGET CALENDAR --~ Motion was made by Councilman Raulerson seconded by Councilman Chapman to accept the 1980-81 Budget Calendar of work sessions as presented by Clerk Thomas, vote carried. Calendar as listed: General and Police Department - July 10, 1980 Fire Department - July 17, 1980 Water & Sewer Departments - July 24, 1980 Attorney & City Clerk - July 31, 1980 Street & Building Departments - August 5, 1980 Salaries - All departments - August 28, 1980 80-7 CLEARWELL City Engineer Don Sheppard appeared before Council to report the status . of the Clearwell at present. Engineer Sheppard explained the cracks were still in the clearwell and had not sealed themselves off as he had hoped they would. Weekly stress tests are continuing by the drawing in and out of water in the new clearwell to determine its structural strength according to Director of Public Works Fortner. After discussion in efforts to determine the respomsibility of the apparent structural errors Councilman Raulerson made a motion to have Council ~ hire the engineering Firm of Sverdrup and Associates of Vero Beach to do test- ing on the clearwell to discover why it leaks, and submit its findings in a 2661, report to City Attorney David Conlon. Councilman Burk seconded the motion, vote carried. Engineer Sheppard was instructed by Council to contact Contractor LaGrow by letter as to his responsibilities with the clearwell problem. 80-17 ORDINANCE 402 Council agreed to wait until after Budget sessions to continue the work on this ordinance and its interpretations. The City Attorney explained this would also give him time to study it more thoroughly so that he could assist the Council to a better advantage. 80-8 201 FACILITY Chairman Douglas discussed a latter he had received from County Commission Attorney Kyle Van Landingham in regards to continuing the 201 Facility project. Councilman Knight suggested the Council meet with the County Commissioners in an attempt to determine what it should do concerning the future of the project. Chairman Douglas will contact Chairman Lashley concerning the Commissioners financial stand on the matter and report back to the Council. Attorney Conlon will contact a consultant in regards to the project before the next meeting and report his findings back to the Council. Councilman Raulerson suggested the Council researc-h grant possibilities for continuing the sewer facility project. 80-68 COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE Chairman Douglas requested input from the Council as to their idea for such a committee as described by Reverand Kilgore in a letter from 0keechobee Ministerial Association. Council agreed i~ was a good suggestion and would hold it under advisement to be considered again after the Association had contacted the other governmental bodies as it had indicated. 80-71 ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Chairman Douglas presented the problem of increasing workloads in the area of administration and finance. Also that no time was available at present for him or others to study Federal grants. Councilman Raulerson agreed to the need for such an administrative assistant but felt the Federal Grant projects consultant job should be a separate one. 80-46 PAY PLAN Councilman Raulerson, Finance Chairman recommended the Council put the remaining departments on t~e Pay Plan during the Budget meeting of August 28. Councilman Raulerson asked for suggestions from Council members and Depart- ment heads concerned. All agreed to the recmmmendation with no further comment. 2662 POLICE CHIEF Councilman Chapman brought to the attention of the Council certain difficulties he was having with Police Chief Larry Mobley. He commented that he felt the Police Chief to be insubordinate toward him and that since he (Chapman) was the Councilman in charge of the Police Department he should have authority in that area. Councilman Chapman expressed regret at having to bring the problems up but felt he had no other alternative in light of the situation. He listed numerous complaints he had pertaining to poor service from the Police Department. Councilman Chapman explained that he had tried to no avail to have what he felt to be bad public relations problems corrected. Therefore, Councilman Chapman made a motion to relieve Police Chief Larry Mobley of his duties immediately with severence pay through August. Councilman Raulerson seconded the motion. Councilman Knight voted no. Councilman Burk voted no. Chairman Douglas stated that before he voted to break the tie he wanted to direct some questions to Police Chief Mobley. Chaimman Douglas informed the Council that he had talked to the Chief prior to tonight's meeting regarding some of the charges against him. He said he had also asked for the Chief's resignation. Chairman Douglas ex- plained to the Council that when Larry Mobley became Police Chief he was asked to attend seminars and workshops to better equip himself educat~on- ally in the field of law enforcement. So far this has not been done. Also, the Chairman expressed concern about the Chief's attitude of holding back things from the Council that he felt they should know about. Chairman Douglas further stated that he asked the Chief during the discussion whether he would work to better himself in these areas. He asked the Chief how sincere and seriously he considered these elements? Chief Mobley replied that he had already begun in some ways to improve. He explained that if the Council felt him to be only concerned about his department and nothing else in the City he wanted to apologize to them. It was unintentional. As far as the schooling was concerned he will work toward this. Chief Mobley further stated that he was willing to work with the Council. Councilman Burk asked Chairman for permission to state that he too had talked to the Chief prior to this meeting and wanted the Council to know he had. He said he told the Chief he did not think he was running a strong department. That he was weak in some areas and if the Chief turned in a resignation he would make the motion to accept it. However, · 1 T I : I II! = I'I 2663 Councilman Burk wanted to hear both sides. He felt Councilman Chapman had the right to make the investigation that he had. Councilman Burk was not pleased with the present situation and he expressed the need for the Chief to shape up the weak areas in his department. Chairman Douglas stated the fact that this one and a half (1½) hours spent airing these problems was well spent. That the Chief had admitted some of the accuaations with a statement of trying to improve in his ad- ministrative position. That he would become a more active Chief. Therefore Chairman Douglas voted no to the motion making it a vote of confidence for the City Police Chief. The Chairman stated, however, that if the Chief does not improve it will be his responsibility as Mayor to have a hearing and/or ask for a resignation. But that if the Chief was willing to work to improve the Police Department he was willing to give him the opportunity. Councilman Knight stated that he had less to do with the Chief's department than any other in the City. He said he was not fully satisfied with the present Police Department but had always been one to give a person another chance. He felt there was a certain personality conflict between the Chief and Councilman Chapman and stressed to the Chief that if he intended to stay he needed to try harder to get along with his Councilman. ADJOURNMENT Upon motion of Councilman Burk seconded by Councilman Raulerson, the meeting was adjourned at ll:30 P.M. by Chairman Douglas. Edward W. Douglas Ch ai rman/Mayor City of Okeechobee ATTEST: gonn±e S. Thomas City Clerk City of Okeechobee SECOND REGULAR MEETING TUESDAY~ JUNE 24~ 1980 The City Council of the City of 0keechobee, Florida, convened in a Regular Session in Council Chambers at City Hall On Tuesday, June 24, 1980, at 7:00 P.M. Chairman Edward W. Douglas presiding with the following Councilmen present: Oakland Chapman, Donald Burk and Lytle Raulerson. Councilman Jim Knight was absent.