1980-12-11 Workshop 2753
the City with a written guarantee.
2) HOUSE FIRES
Chief Tomey reported on two separate house fires which occurred Monday.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 8:20 P.M.
Chairman/Mayor J
City of Okeechobee
ATTEST:
B~Sn~5~ S. Thomas
City Clerk
City of Okeechobee
WORKSHOP SESSION THURSDAY, DECEMBER ll, 1980
The City Council of the City of Okeechobee met in a Workshop session to discuss duties
of the Administrative Assistant and for processing the November disbursements. The meeting
was held on Thursday, December 11, 1980, at 7:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers.
Chairman/Mayor Edward W. Douglas presided with the following present: Councilman Lytle
Raulerson, Councilman Donald Burk, Councilman Jim Knight, and Councilman Oakland Chapman.
Also present were: City Attorney David Conlon, City Clerk Bonnie S. Thomas, Administra-
tive Assistant Richard Fellows and Director of Public Works L.C. Fortner, Jr.
8D-Yl ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT'S DUTIES
Chairman/Mayor Douglas opened discussion for determining the Administrative Assistant's
duties and authority. He asked for Council's input concerning ~. Fellows' responsibilities
relative to assuming the basic administrative responsibilities of the City as the Mayor's
assistant.
Items discussed were: 1) General coordinator of all departments with the exception of the
City Clerk's office, 2) Eliminate Council heading of departments, 3) Coordinate entity that
department heads would go to. (These supervisors will work directly with Mr. Fellows - not
with individual Councilmen as in the past.), 4) The Administrative Assistant will prepare
all data for major department decisions and policies for presentation by him to the Council
at Council meetings, 5) Contacts and consultations concerning grants and funding thereof for
the City, 6) Property record management, 7) Purchasing, 8) Work as liaison for the Mayor
in discussing department head problem~ and take care of certain situations for the department
heads unless it is of a nature that requires the Department Head to discuss the problem at a
Council meeting. In such case, the Council would expect the Department Head to make such
presentation directly to them, 9) Thus, reports of Department Heads would be coordinated and
presented to the Council through the Administrative Assistant. Chairman/Mayor Douglas,
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2754
Councilman Burk and Councilman Chapman concurred on the items discussed. Councilman
Raulerson made no comments.
Councilman Knight stressed bis opinion that the Department Heads must still feel free
to attend any or all Council meetings. Council concurred.
Administrative Assistant Fellows explained to the Council he has set up monthly
meetings with Department Heads prior to Council's regular meetings and their business would
be detailed on the Agendas. He also stated the possibility of ~etting the Agenda packets
out to the Council on Thursday instead of the Friday before a Tuesday meeting. He also
stated monthly financial reports would be starting soon, for Council's information.
Councilman Burk stated he would like to see Council being relieved of studying numerous
City employment applications except in extreme cases.
Citizen Doug Cassels asked what authority the Administrative Assistant ~ould have as
far as hiring and firing City employees was concerned. Councilman Raulerson explained
this authority was that of the Mayor himself only by Charter law.
DISBURSEMENTS
Disbursements were then approved and signed for November financial business.
Water & Sewer Operation & Maintanence $62,749.09
Water & Sewer Revenue Fund $602,483.64
Water & Sewer System Bond & Interest Sinking Fund $23,800.00
Federal Revenue Sharing Trust Fund $2,000.00
November Payroll Account $20,367.22
December Payroll Account $21,889.40 --~
Cigarette Tax Fund $510,000.00
I & S Refunding Bonds $135,199.85
General Fund $73,395.05
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
Other items discussed by Director Fortner, for Council's information were, that D.O.T.
will let bids for four-laning Highway 70 in March. Council agreed the Director of Public
Works should go ahead with paper work and also contact the City engineer for any changes
that should be made.
Director Fortner stated the need for a street light at South West 5th Avenue and 18th
Street.
Fortner also informed Council the County was to pave a street by Dr. Tenniswood's
office (N.E. 3rd Avenue ) and all trees on the City right-of-way might have to be removed
except one. Council agreed.
Fortner informed the Council that Frederick Bell, engineer, would be back in January
to work on the 201 Facility project.
Councilman Knight suggested Council discuss and clarify its policy of requiring
developers, etc., to purchase their own culverts. His question was should the City help
commercial owners or not. Councilman Burk and Councilman Chapman stated they perferred to
let the policy remain as is. That being the owner would pay for his own.
The Council also agreed to having the policy concerning contractor and developers
paying for their own roads and culverts published in the news media with copies sent to
realtors.
2755
80-103 RECREATION PROGRAM GRANTS
Administrative Assistant Fellows advised the Council of certain data he received at a
recent seminar. The State now has three recreation assistance programs active, 1) Land
and Water Conservation Fund Program (Federal thru State), 2) Florida Recreation Development
Assistance Program (State) and B) Florida Urban & Recreation Recovery Program (Federal).
Suggestion was made for the Council to present names to set up a Recreation Advisory Board
for grant item #2, Council agreed and certain names were disoussed but no Board was created
at this time. The Council expressed its wishes to have a little more time for establishing
a plan before appointing a Board, The question will be discussed at the January 13, 198!,
meeting, and the Board possibly appointed at that time.
Administrative Assistant Fellows informed the Council March l, 1981, was the deadline
for the grant program Item #2.
Other discussion for possible uses of the City's 151 acre parcel of land were discussed,
this included an industrial park. Also the fact that the City is eligible to apply for
more than one pant at a time, and that other citizen committees would need to be appointed
for future projeots.
BOOKKEEPING DEPARTMENT - CLERK'S OFFICE
Counoilman Burk asked City Clerk Thomas to explain her statement made at the last
meeting concerning the filling of the vacancy in her bookkeeping department. He mentioned
the qualifications the Clerk expressed she was looking for. Clerk Thomas informed the
Council she had advertised for a person with a high proficiency in bookkeeping. Ad as
follows: High proficiency in bookkeeping required. Statements of
fund balances prepared on a monthly basis. Budget preparation
assistance. Maintains subsidiary and control ledgers of
revenues and expenditures, using hand or computer system.
Assists in maintaining investment records. Experience in
complex financial work preferred. High School diploma or
GED required. Higher education in accounting preferred.
Good fringe benefits. Applications to be submitted to
Bonnie Thomas, City Clerk, 55 S.E. 3rd Avenue, Okeechobee,
Florida. Salary open. AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.
Clerk Thomas further stated she had received one such application with education and
background in accounting, and had considered it seriously and could hire the individual
January 5, 1981. However, with some reservations, the Clerk stated she feels she would
prefer to not fill the vacancy but purchase a new computer instead, and have her present
personnel trained to perform the City's finance programs on it.
The slow performance of the present computer was discussed briefly. Clerk Thomas
concluded by stating a new computerization of all City accounts would be of great value to
the City government's efficiency. Council agreed for the City Clerk to proceed with her plans
for a computer system.
CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY
Chairman/Mayor Douglas stated the State had declared Friday, December 26th, a holiday.
The County offices would be closed as Well as other government agencies. Therefore, suggestion
l ....
I I I I1 ..... I'I I
2756
was made by the Mayor to grant not only December 25th but December 26th also, as a holiday
this year for all City employees. Council concurred.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further discussion to come before the Council the Workshop was
adjourned by Chairman Douglas at 9:20 P.M.
-E~wgFd W. Douglas J ' '
Chairman/Mayor ~
City of Okeechobee
ATTEST:
Bonnie S. Thomas
City Clerk
City of Okeechobee
FIRST REGULAR MEETING TUESDAY~ JANUARY 13, 1981
The City Council of the City of Okeechobee, Florida, convened in a Regular Session in
Council Chambers at City Hall, Okeechobee, on Tuesday, January 13, 1981, at 7:00 P.M.
Chairman/Mayor Edward W. Douglas presided with the following Councilmen present:
Oakland Chapman and Donald Burk. Also present were, newly elected but not sworn in Jim Knight
and Dowling Watford, Jr.
Others present were: City Clerk Bonnie S. Thomas, Administrative Assistant Richard C.
Fellows, City Attorney David Conlon, Fire Chief Keith Tomey, Police Chief Larry Mobley,
Building Official Mallette Westbrook, Director of Public Works L.C. Fortner, Jr., and Janice
M. Mann, Deputy Clerk.
The Invocation was offered by Councilman Oakland Chapman.
$1-1 CANVASSING BOARD
With Council acting as Election Canvassing Board, Councilman Chapman moved to adopt
the Resolution certifying the election of Jim Knight and Dowling Watford, Jr. as new
Councilmen, read at the December 2, 1980, meeting, seconded by Councilman Burk. Councilmen
Chapman, Burk and Douglas voted yes, motion passed .
81-1 ELECTION RECOUNT
Attorney Conlon read the Resolution regarding the election recount as follows:
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Okeech~bee, Florida, sitting as a board of
canvassers, has canvassed the recount returns of the General City Election held December 3,
1980, and
WHEREAS, Dowling R. Watford, Jr. and J.H. Knight received the highest number of votes
for Councilmen.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Dowling R. Watford, Jr. and J.H. Knight be, and
they are hereby declared elected for four (4) years as City Councilmen.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Clerk be, and she is hereby instructed to issue
and deliver certificates of election to each of the above named persons.
I :' I II .....1I T'
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ber 11, 1900
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2. C0 1UN1CAT1ORS Et G L tIX x§
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Other Couuci1 n
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4 Adjournment