Loading...
1998-01-06480 p/ {�I'0* OKE r, _ a Zoo kuf Ft ' w � z I. CALL TO ORDER: - Mayor: January 6, 1998, City Council Regular Meeting, 6:00 p.m. II. OPENING CEREMONIES: Invocation offered by Reverend John Paul Ziegler; Pledge of Allegiance led by Mayor. III. MAYOR, COUNCIL AND STAFF ATTENDANCE - City Clerk Mayor James E. Kirk Council Member Noel A. Chandler Council Member Lowry Markham Council Member Robert Oliver Council Member Dowling R, Watford, Jr, City Attorney John R. Cook City Administrator Robert J. Bradshaw City Clerk Bonnie S. Thomas Deputy Clerk S. Lane Gamiotea CITY OF OKEECHOBEE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING SUMMARY OF COUNCIL ACTION Mayor Kirk called the January 6, 1998 Regular City Council Meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Reverend John Paul Ziegler offered the invocation; Mayor Kirk led the Pledge of Allegiance. Clerk Thomas called the roll: Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present PAGE 1 OF 5 IV. MINUTES -City Clerk. A. Motion to dispense with the reading and approve the Council Member Chandler moved to dispense with the reading and approve the Summary of Council Action for the Regular Summary of Council Action for the Regular Meeting of Meeting of December 16,1997; seconded by Council Member Oliver. There being no discussion on this item, vote was as follows: December 16, 1997. KIRK - YES CHANDLER - YES MARKHAM - YES OLIVER - YES WATFORD - YES MOTION CARRIED. JANUARY 6,1998 - REGULAR MEETING - PAGE 2 OF 5 4 81 V. WARRANT REGISTER - City Administrator. A. Motion to approve the November,1997 General Fund Council Member Watford moved to approve the November,1997 Warrant Registers in the amounts: General Fund, two hundred Warrant Register in the amount of $216,839.86 and the sixteen thousand, eight hundred thirty-nine dollars, eighty-six cents ($216,839.86) and the Public Facilities Improvement Fund, Public Facilities Improvement Fund Warrant Register in fifteen thousand, seven hundred thirty-six dollars, eighty-nine cents ($15,736.89); seconded by Council Member Oliver. There the amount of $15,736.89. 11 being no discussion on this item, vote was as follows: KIRK - YES CHANDLER - YES MARKHAM - YES OLIVER - YES WATFORD - YES MOTION CARRIED. VI. AGENDA -Mayor. A. Requests for the addition, deferral or withdrawal of items Mayor Kirk asked whether there were any requests for addition, deferral or withdrawal of items on today's agenda. None were on today's agenda. I stated. VII. UNFINISHED BUSINESS. A. Discuss options regarding street/curb repairs on As Council instructed at the December 2, 1997 meeting, Engineer Chris Kafer presented alternative solutions to the gutter and Southeast 8th Avenue - Engineer Kafer of Lawson, Noble driveway problems along Southeast 8th Avenue through Wilcox Shores as follows: & Webb, City Engineers (Exhibit 1). Alternative No. One is to remove existing valley gutter and install new curb and gutter to match existing asphalt. This requires rework of all driveways five feet and milling one and a quarter inches (average) and replacement of existing pavement to match and new curb and gutter. Preliminary Cost for this alternative is one hundred seventeen thousand, eight hundred eighty-eight dollars ($117,888.00) plus construction plans. Alternative No. Two is to mill the existing asphalt roadway to a depth of one inch below lip of existing valley gutter and put back one and a quarter inch asphaltic concrete. This alternative would put the pavement back to the original construction condition. However, this does not completely solve the problem of the drop in the gutter. The existing valley gutter has a drop of approximately three inches from back lip of gutter to the valley. Preliminary cost for this alternative is thirty-nine thousand dollars ($39,000.00). Alternative No. Three is the same as alternative number two plus remove valley gutter at driveways and replace with valley gutter having one and a half inch drop to gutter and rework driveways five feet. Preliminary cost for this alternative is eighty-five thousand, four hundred eighty-eight dollars ($85,488.00) plus construction plans. • JANUARY 6,1998 - REGULAR MEETING - PAGE 3 0 F 5 VII. UNFINISHED BUSINESS CONTINUED. A. Discuss options regarding street/curb repairs on Southeast 8th Avenue continued. MI. NEW BUSINESS. A. Motion to adopt Resolution No. 98-1 regarding a Landscaping Maintenance Agreement for State Highway 15 (US 441 North) from Florida Department of Transportation - City Administrator (Exhibit 2). B. Motion to adopt Resolution No. 98-2 regarding garbage and trash collection rate increase from L.P. Sanitation - City Administrator (Exhibit 3). Following a lengthy discussion between the Council, Engineer Kafer and 8th Street resident Bill Acheson, Council agreed to address Alternative No. 3 in the 1998/99 budget year. Council Member Oliver moved to adopt Resolution No. 98-1 regarding a Landscaping Maintenance Agreement for State Highway 15 (US 441 North) from Florida Department of Transportation; seconded by Council Member Watford. Attorney Cook read proposed Resolution No. 98-1 by title only as follows: "A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Okeechobee, Florida authorizing the Mayor to enter into a Highway Landscaping Maintenance Memorandum of Agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation for the Maintenance of Landscape Development Improvements located on a portion of State Highway 15 (US "1) from South of CSX Railroad Crossing #628062 to Northwest 14th Street starting at Milepost 3.693 and ending at Milepost 4.305 within the City of Okeechobee, Florida; and providing an Effective Date." KIRK - YES CHANDLER - YES MARKHAM - YES OLIVER - YES WATFORD - YES MOTION CARRIED. Council Member Watford moved to adopt Resolution No. 98-2 regarding garbage and trash collection rate increase from L.P. Sanitation; seconded by Council Member Oliver. Attorney Cook read proposed Resolution 98-2 by title only as follows: "A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Okeechobee, Florida revising the rate schedule for garbage and trash collection within the City of Okeechobee; Providing an Effective Date." KIRK - YES CHANDLER - YES MARKHAM - YES OLIVER - YES WATFORD - YES MOTION CARRIED. JANUARY 6,1998 - REGULAR MEETING - PAGE 4 OF 5 483 VIII. NEW BUSINESS CONTINUED. C. Discuss Assisted Living Facilities and Community Mrs. Anne Hurst appeared before the Council to discuss assisted living facilities and community residential homes. She explained Residential Homes - Ann Hurst (Exhibit 4). that, "there is a need in Okeechobee to promote the availability of appropriate services for elderly and disabled persons in the latest restricted and most homelike environment. There are many assisted living facilities in the "Tri-County" area, however, the majority are located on the coast. People come to Okeechobee to live in retirement villages but Okeechobee does not accommodate their needs between retirement village and nursing home. I am requesting the City Council consider a zoning practice for Okeechobee to facilitate future licensed assisted living facilities in residential areas. Florida Statutes 400.401(2), 400.402(2) and 419.001 all encourage affordable facilities that promote the individuality, privacy and decision making ability of such persons." Mrs. Hurst distributed pictures of examples of licensed assisted living facilities in residential areas on the coast noting that the facilities blend in with the surrounding areas. The purpose of this presentation is only to inform the Council on the need and to keep that in mind when they address any future rezoning requests for these types projects. The City's current regulations do not address these types of facilities in any zoning district regulation. Mayor Kirk thanked Mrs. Hurst for her time in bringing this information to the Council. D. Discuss Florida Department of Transportation closure of highway railroad grad crossing located at Northeast 13th Council Member Markham moved to approve the closure of the Highway Railroad Grade Crossing No. 628063T located on Street as requested by CSX Railroad - Council Member Northeast 13th Street, (Railroad Mile Post Number SX909.45) as requested by the Florida Department of Transportation and CSX Markham (Exhibit 5). 11 Railroad; seconded by Council Member Oliver. There was a brief discussion on this item. The vote was as follows: KIRK - YES CHANDLER - YES MARKHAM - YES OLIVER - YES WATFORD - YES MOTION CARRIED. E. Discuss Community Development Block Grant Downtown Facade Renovation signage issue - Council Member Council Member Chandler advised he has received complaints from the business owners within the downtown grant area. Their Chandler. complaint is that all their signs have been removed and business has slowed since potential customer's cannot find their location nor is it "pulling" potential customer's from State Road 70 without their signs. The tenants of certain buildings have stated they were not informed by their landlord that the all the signs would be coming down at once. Council, staff and various business owners discussed the problems that have occurred since the City started the grant three years ago After lengthy discussions, Council instructed Attorney Cook to set up a meeting between himself, Janice Brown, owner of Village Square Restaurant and her landlord to see if a solution could be worked out between them. Council also instructed Attorney Cook to research any options the Council could take regarding putting the signs back up and completely pulling out of the grant and sending the money back. At this point and time the City has been working on the grant overthree years and has a signed contract with the contractor to complete the work which should finish up in late April or early May. 484 JANUARY 6,1998 - REGULAR MEETING - PAGE 5 OF 5 IX. ADJOURN REGULAR MEETING - Mayor. III There being no further items on the agenda, Mayor Kirk adjourned the January 6, 1998 Regular Meeting at 7:52 p.m. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE AND BE ADVISED that if a person decides to appeal any decision made by the City Council with respect to any matter considered at this meeting, he/she may need to insure that a verbatim record of the proceeding is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. ATTEST: • YOR