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2019-11-05 Ex 08SEPTEMBER 24,2019 ·REGULAR MEETING & FINAL BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING· PAGE 9 OF 10 AGENDA COUNCIL ACTION • DISCUSSION ·VOTE VII. NEW BUSINESS CONTINUED D. Clarification of legal summary for the Matt property and the Primitive Baptist Church property continued. Council Member Abney then made a motion to continue with the foreclosure process by running the required advertisements and to provide a deadline of October 31, 2019, for Mr. Chandler to complete the probate process. If the probate process is completed by the deadline, the City will withdraw the foreclosure; seconded by Council Member Jarriel. E. Agreement for attorney services (Exhibit 7). CORRECTED MOTION The Council directed an update be provided at the October 15, 2019, meeting on the status of the probate process and foreclosure proceedings. WATFORD-YEA JARRIEL-YEA VOTE: ABNEY-YEA KEEFE-YEA CLARK-YEA MOTION CARRIED. The discussion then turned to the Primitive Baptist Church property located at 1003 Southwest 3rd Avenue, legal description: Lots 9 to 12 of Block 8, SOUTH OKEECHOBEE, Plat Book 1, Page 12 , Okeechobee County public records. The City purchased the 2018 tax certificate on June 3, 2019 in the amount of $2,246.43. The 2016 and 2017 Certificates are still owned by Capital One Bank as Assignee for TLGF. To date, no response has been received regarding the offer of $15,000.00 to purchase these Certificates. Mr. Noel Chandler has agreed to be the appointed Trustee to the Estate of Peter and Louisiana Raulerson, as he is a descendant, but does not have the funding to go through the process of appointment. It was suggested that funding assistance could possibly be obtained from the Historical Society. Discussion continued. The Council directed Finance Director Riedel to obtain information on foreclosing on the Tax Certificate, and for Administrator MontesDeOca to contact the City of Pahokee regarding the process used on the property they obtained and sold through Tax Certificate foreclosure . Mayor Watford explained the Contract with Attorney Cook expires on September 30, 2019, and he will not be submitting for renewal, causing a Request For Qualifications (RFQ) and/or Request for Proposal (RFP) to be created and let. With the expiration of the Contract , a decision will need to be made to continue services on a monthly basis or extend the current Contract for a specified amount of time. Administrator MontesDeOca explained he is recommending the Council extend Mr. Cook's Contract to December 31, 2019. Attorney Cook requested he be paid at the current budgeted rate effective October 1,2019, which is $185.00 per hour. Council Member Keefe stated the unnecessary delay of generating a job description for Attorney services has put needless expedience in hiring a new Attorney. He would support extending the current Contract at the existing rate of pay as this is not a re-negotiation. --~ A motion was made by Council Member Jarriel to extend Mr. Cook's current October 1, 2005 [legal Services) Contract to December 31, 2019, at the current rate of $2,100.00 [$2,616.84 per month for basic services with em additional service.§. me of $100.00 per hour for litigation work1 and a Per Diem of $150.00 per half-day work at the City MaU); seconded by Council Member Clark. AGENDA VII. NEW BUSINESS CONTINUED E. Agreement for attorney services continued. VIII. COUNCIL COMMENTS SEPTEMBER 24,2019 ·REGULAR MEETING & FINAL BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING· PAGE 10 OF 10 COUNCIL ACTION • DISCUSSION ·VOTE The Council directed the Administrator to have a RFQ ready for consideration at the October 1, 2019, meeting. Questions or recommendations on items to be included in the RFQ are to be provided to the Administrator . WATFORD-YEA JARRIEL-YEA VOTE: ABNEY-YEA KEEFE-YEA CLARK-YEA MOTION CARRIED. Mayor Watford and Council Member Clark offered no comments . Council Member Abney requested a section be added to the agenda where items that are pending Council review are placed until approved, citing items get overlooked and are only placed on the agenda for action when there is an issue . Mayor Watford reminded Council Member Abney that the Administrator was directed to send out a monthly status report from each Department with this information being included. Council Member Jarriel recognized Staff for the efforts of installing the new "Veterans Only" parking space at City Hall. He also provided an update on the meeting between the City and County Fire Departments, which will be held Wednesday, October 2, 2019; no time was given. He reminded all citizens of the upcoming Town Hall Meeting scheduled for October 22, 2019 at 2:00P .M. in the Council Chambers and asked that the advertisements be posted as soon as possible. Lastly, he addressed a situation that occurred with a citizen that has him questioning the procedures of handling incoming mail for the Council. Administrator MontesDeOca responded letters received at City hall for the Council are provided to his office and he responds when needed. Legal matters are only responded to by the City Attorney. Mayor Watford explained the letter was addressed to him and he read the letter and felt that the accusations within the letter warranted a response from the Attorney, which Attorney Cook responded on September 19, 2019, via a letter. Council Member Keefe asked for a status update on the Strategic Plan that was to be approved prior to the budget being adopted. Administrator MontesDeOca explained the Plan has been sent back to be refined. He intends on submitting the Plan to Council for approval in December or January. Council Member Keefe requested the Plan be placed on the next agenda for official approval. IX. ADJOURNMENT • Mayor Please take notice and be advised that when a person decides to appeal any decision made by the City Council with There being no further discussion, nor items on the agenda, Mayor Watford adjourned the meeting at 7:05 p.M. The respect to any matter considered at this meeting, he/she may need to ensure that a verbatim record ot the proceeding next regular meeting will be held on October 1, 2019. is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. City Clerk media are for the sole purpose of backup for official records of the Clerk. ATTEST: Lane Gamiotea, CMC, City Clerk Dowling R. Watford, Jr., Mayor • Form 88 Memorandum of Voting Conflict for County, Municipal, and other Local Public Officers was filed by Council Member Abney on September 24, 2019, in the Office of the City Clerk and made a part of the official record filed in the permanent minute file for this meeting .