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2019-12-03 Handwritten MinutesDECEMBER 3, 2019, REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING HANDWRITTEN MINUTES TAKEN BY LANE GAMIOTEA I. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Watford called the regular session of the City Council for the City of Okeechobee to order on Tuesday, December 3, 2019, at 6:28 P.M. in the City Council Chambers, 55 Southeast 3rd Avenue, Room 200, Okeechobee, Florida. A. The invocation was offered by Pastor Hannah. B. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mayor Watford. II. ATTENDANCE City Clerk Gamiotea called the roll. Mayor Watford, Jr., Council Member Abney, Council Member Clark, Council Member Jarriel Council Member Keefe CITY STAFF: Attorney Cook - absent Administrator MontesDeOca, Police Chief Peterson, Fire Chief Smith, Public Works Director Allen Deputy City Clerk Jenkins City Clerk Lane Gamiotea present III. AGENDA AND PUBLIC COMMENTS A. Requests for the addition, deferral or withdrawal of agenda items. Request to discuss the Fire Department was added by Council Member Jarriel, item D under new business. Keep comments somewhat brief since the public did not know we were going to discuss this matter. We always try to be transparent, would be a disservice to the public. B. There were no Agenda Item Forms or Comment Cards submitted for public participation for any issues not on the agenda. IV. CONSENT AGENDA Motion by Council Member Abney to approve the consent agenda items A through D [approve the November 19, 2019, minutes; approve the appointment of Mrs. Donna Howard to the General Employees' Pension Fund Board of Trustees, City resident 1 of 2, term being January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2023; approve the appointment of Mr. Cody Daigneault to the Police Officers' Pension Fund Board of Trustees, City resident 1 of 2, term being December 4, 2019 to September 30, 2021; approve a Temporary Street Closing for the Christmas Festival and Parade on December 13 and 14, 20191; seconded by Council Member Keefe. Mayor Watford, Council Members Abney, Clark, Jarriel, and Keefe voted: Aye. Nays: none. Motion Carried. Donna is replacing Daryl Roehm and Cody is filling a vacant position from the resignation of Dallon Boyd. December 3, 2019 Regular Meeting Page 1 of 5 V. NEW BUSINESS A. Motion by Council Member Clark to approve foreclosure proceedings on Code Enforcement Case No. 18-024, Teresa Cappetta and Mary Conerly, 502 Southeast 10th Avenue, Legal: Lots 1, 4, and the East half of Alley of Block 5, WRIGHTS 1sT ADDITION, Plat Book 1, Page 13, Okeechobee County Public Records; Case No. 18-043, Gloria Rodriguez, 914 Northwest 2nd Street, Legal: Lots 17 and the East half of Lot 16 of Block 132, CITY OF OKEECHOBEE, Plat Book 2, Page 17, Okeechobee County Public Records, and Case No. 08-173, Marie Fenton, 700 Block of Southeast 12th Avenue, Legal: Lots 9 and 12 of Block 15, WRIGHTS 1ST ADDITION, Plat Book 1, Page 13, Okeechobee County Public Records as presented in Exhibit 4; seconded by Council Member Keefe. NOTE: Case No. 10-024 is actually No. 18-024; Case No. 08-173 included two parcels on the Lien but only referred to one in the legal description of the Lien. The unplatted parcel was not listed, only by Parcel. Peterson, got no response, out of options, recommend foreclosing. Watford — what were the infractions? No sir. Abney — how long? Peterson several years, wont sign for certified letters. Tried every option Mayor Watford, Council Members Abney, Clark, Jarriel, and Keefe voted: Aye. Nays: none. Motion Carried. B. Motion by Council Member Clark to approve the Code Enforcement Special Magistrate recommended fine reductions for Code Enforcement Case No. 18-008, Thomas Corcoran, 302 Northeast 7th Street, Legal: Lots 5 and 6 of Block 79, CITY OF OKEECHOBEE, Plat Books 1/5, Pages 10/5, Okeechobee County Public Records, from $3,555.00 to , Case No. 18-009, Thomas Corcoran, 309 Northeast 6th Street, Legal: Lots 7 and 8 of Block 79, CITY OF OKEECHOBEE, Plat Books 1/5, Pages 10/5, Okeechobee County Public Records, from $3,555.00 to as presented in Exhibit 5; seconded by Council Member Jarriel. Memo distributed with the amounts of the fine amounts and recommendation of the fine, $355.00 each, recommending the reduction to 10%. Mr. Kennedy was present, he is the new owner. Properties are now in compliance, upon Mr. Kennedy taking ownership of them. $140 cost per property. MDO — will be on consent agenda's for the future. Abney how long? May 3, 2018 till Jan 22, 2019 Mayor Watford, Council Members Abney, Clark, Jarriel, and Keefe voted: Aye. Nays: none. Motion Carried. C. Evaluate submittals of Request for Qualifications (RFQ) No. ADM 01-00-10-19 and Request for Proposals (RFP) No. ADM 02-00-10-19. MDO received one RFP, disqualified also submitted RFQ, go with the RFQ's. Recommended by City of lake Placid Harris firm. Time is of essence. Both qualified and could cover the city's needs. Abney — is that what they are charging lake placid? MDO copies of their detail billings to each of the municipalities. Clark — want to look at both, one is more qualified. Don't know the process. Keefe — agree with clark, can we have a special meeting to interview the two, if were not going to decide tonight then see if a special meeting would be accomplished. Jarriel briefly looked through both, favor Harris firm for a number of reasons. Ask admin to work up a contract, the other firm would be disappointed if they wouldn't come down. Compared to buying a car. Think Harris is in line, go on the recommendation and hope references were checked out by the administrator, don't see purpose of interviewing them. Ready to vote but if you want to wait I'll wait. Watford, if we decided to one firms. MDO go back to that firm negotiate a contract and bround back to next meeting. Yes. If we dedcdied to putit off, then wed still have to do up a contract. MDO — copies of billings to show their rates. Attorneys don't have CCNA, explained what the process is. Could have both provide a contract and see what they would be willing to do. Could present both at next meeting. Abmney and both would fit in the approved budget? December 3, 2019 Regular Meeting Page 2 of 5 MDO depend on usage, lowest firm most likely could. Clark totals monthly billing all within our budget. Have some concerns with not being specific of areas of experience, if you have them and water management, feel you're spinning wheels. Looked at billing per month for different cities and they were reasonable. Watford both firms are very good firms. Don't know any of these perfonally only repretation. Like harris because of the cities they represent are more like us. Apparently we're not ready to choose. Will they give you a contract if they aren't the firm chosen. MDO don't know. Keefe — absence any other motion move to direct staff to find out between two firms soliect contact from them bring to next meeting to make a more informed decision. Vote at that meeting; second by Jarriel. Where would they come from? Fud .... Out of palm beach gardens. Harris is out of Lake Placid. Jarriel paying travel will impact the fee as well. Mayor Watford, Council Members Abney, Clark, Jarriel, and Keefe voted: Aye. Nays: none. Motion Carried. D. Discuss Fire Services. Jarriel at the BOCC meeting disappointed by the way they discussed it. Whole reason was to look to save money. I thought we were asking them how much would it cost to take the fire department. Too many things they were questioning. Watford agree a lot of unknowns. Questions they need us to answer to maek that decision or give amount. An engine, buy ours? Big question they need answered do we want to do it on a contract basis or turn it over to them and they would have to levy the fire assessment in the incorporated area. Whether they are going to do a contract or fire tax that amount is interesting, would show how much money it will save. IE 1.3 million. Concern with a contract is the first year might be real good, the later years weve lost all control of. See no advantage to do that for the city. I would think, my thought process, tell the county here you go its yours, and we're out of it. They still need to know if we would sell them our equipment. If sitting in their position would need to know those. Jarriel hard time voting to sale them a fire engine tax payers already paid for it once before. Would give it to them. Keefe ask Smith. Legal reasons you have the obligation to provide that to the citizens, check legislation even city ordinance provide that information. Check state level, don't think you can just walk away from it. Keefe agree with Jarriel on equipment. If bottom line is saving money then complete merger if its legal. Bought by city tax payer dollars who will be provided a servie by the county fire department. We don't have a fire assessment. Have had the discussion. Fire study was done. Weve got to pay for fire services or supplemented by something other than ad valorem. If we keep fire services in the city we need to implement a fire assessment. If the merger is the way we go, severance pay in favor of paying for training, BOCC said they only use parametic . next class is in January, IRSC is in August. January class said they would give our employees favor to get in that class. Clark — I don't know I could make a decision independent consultant to say this looks to be in favor of the city. The amounts we have are ..... don't feel comfortable with making a decision with what ive been given. Been involved in two business mergers, took two years. You have to take care of your employees, pensions, buildings, equipment. Don't want to make a decision on the 17th transition over a period of two to three years, don't feel we have the guidance to help make these decision. There are too many variables involved in it. Abney feel like Clark. Always been in favor of hiring a consultant. Don't know if they sent the information over to us? Don't want to get too deep tonight to give everyone an opportunity to be here when we discuss it. December 3, 2019 Regular Meeting Page 3 of 5 Watford their chief and department spent considereable time coming up with the information. Based on BOCC questions they didn't include somethings. Inspections, vehicle, staff. The amount rose and think it will continue to be raised. The big question you could tell they're looking at this from a contractorial standpoint. I don't see anyway that is advantageous to the city. Animal controld contract. You have no control. Each year the amount will go up. Only adventagious to city is to ask the county to take the fire service. Maybe you think they will come up with a figure $500,000. That's not realistic. No advantage unless to take it over. I had not thought about what chief smith said. Need to find out the answer. Abney — so where are we? Clark and whose going to negotiate? Called and asked whose obligated to provide fire service, called insurance and got that answer. In the workshop not one BOCC questioned that. County said ..... Numbers don't add up for me, 88% of our calls are medical. They are providing that service. 12% of our calls can be handled. Im not a negotiator. Talked with city residents who have called me. City $460 per year for fire assessment. Pay anther $3500. In my business don't think its fair to business, spinning our wheels. No one onstaff that can negotiate a contract. Watford you're in favor in a contract? Clark don't know need more peo9ple to tell me. Keefe — fire tax. Jarriel — too many indecisions, not getting clear information. Today I'd say fire tax. Abney — not clear. Watford — put on future meeting, not sure if want to wait. If you want specific information, if you have specifici questions if theres something you feel like you need geet that to the administrator. If you want to look at getting a consultant we can get that. Future agenda if that's what you want to do. County certain things they asked us. We know what sserveral are. Equipment. Tax or contract. Clark how do we know what they are going to do with the pension. Watford — they answered the employees. Clark — they said 3 medics and 3 parametics. They have 5 to 6 years before all them would be parametic. ALS engine. MDO only going to hire medic, Abney have they sent these questions to us in writing? No all verebal. Watford its our decision to make. They've spent a lot of time on this already. We're spinning our wheels put it on for the next agenda. Ask what they county wants to know from the city. List of items they want us to answer. Abney and costs for a consultant. Clark we owe it to our firefighters to keep from dragging this out. Jarriel agree don't need to leave our people in limbo. They said they cant hire anymore EMT's, only paramedics. Keefe — employed at least one year? no. We could send employees. Watford one said they work around the shift. They are shift friendly. Appreciate conversation. VI. COUNCIL COMMENTS Council Member Jarriel — remind everyone the parade is the 14, dedication is the 12th two important things. December 3, 2019 Regular Meeting Page 4 of 5 Council Member Keefe — great job on Christmas tree lighting. True meaning of the holiday thanks to the mayor for the reminder. Council Member Clark — street paving schedule? Add to the monthly report to keep updated. In between the flag and parade, Jim is doing a Christmas special proceeds going to the community theatre. Council Member Abney — last meeting capital improvements, get a status report once a month on the parks, improve the city. Update on all the CIP. MDO okay tell David. Mayor Watford VII. There being no further items on the agenda, Mayor Watford adjourned the meeting at 7:29 P.M. The next regular meeting is scheduled for December 17, 2019, at 6:00 P.M. Dowling R. Watford, Jr., Mayor ATTEST: Lane Gamiotea, CMC, City Clerk Please take notice and be advised that when 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 ensure that a verbatim record of the proceeding 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. December 3, 2019 Regular Meeting Page 5 of 5