2020-06-25 Handwritten MinutesCITY OF OKEECHOBEE, FLORIDA
JUNE 25, 2020, JOINT WORKSHOP
CITY COUNCIL & COUNTY COMMISSION
HANDWRITTEN MINUTES BY LANE GAMIOTEA
The joint workshop was called to order by the Okeechobee Board of County Commissioners
Chairperson Burroughs at 6:00 P.M. at the Okeechobee County Historic Court House,
Room 270, 304 Northwest 2nd Street, Okeechobee, Florida 34972.
The invocation was offered by Mayor Watford.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Commissioner Goodbread.
ATTENDANCE
CITY COUNCIL
Mayor Dowling R. Watford, Jr.
Council Member Wes Abney
Council Member Monica Clark
Council Member Bob Jarriel
Council Member Bobby Keefe
Staff:
City Clerk Lane Gamiotea
Attorney John Fumero
City Administrator Marcos MontesDeOca
COUNTY COMMISSION
Chairperson Terry Burroughs
Commissioner Bryant Culpepper
Commissioner Bradley G. Goodbread
Commissioner Kelly Owens
Commissioner David Hazellief
Staff:
County Attorney Wade Vose
County Administrator Robbie Chartier
County Deputy Clerk Jeff Shain
II. COMMENCEMENT
PRESENT ABSENT VIA ZOOM?
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6:06 PM entered chambers
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Yes
III. AGENDA
Burroughs — opening statement and turned over the Watford to give the summary of the
progress by the task force.
Watford — noted Keefe is traveling and listening in by cell phone via MDO.
Goes through the slide presentation.
Slide #1, Flow chart review — first row, 1 box: Interlocal Agreement
Row 1, 4 boxes: Personnel; Miscellaneous; Management of Additional Services to
Agreement; Array of Services to Provided.
Row 3, 4 boxes: under Personnel: Salary, Retirement, Vacation -Sick -Accruals, Rank,
Probationary Periods, Number of Employees, Attrition; under Misc: Length of Agreement,
Payment Model, Vehicles, Equipment, Maintenance Service Reports; under Manag't...:
Fire Inspections, Water Hydrant Inspections, Fees to Conduct Additional Services; under
Array....: Fire Suppression, Rescue Operations, Mass Casualty, Incident Response, Major
Disaster.
Joint Recommendations for Fire Service Agreement:
Agreement will be based on current services provided by County
Watford - the City would pay the county to provide these services within the City:
Fire suppression
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Rescue Operations
Mass Casualty
Incident Response
Major Disaster
Fire Prevention
City desires to use current County fire assessment rate as basis for fee calculation for the
first year
City to agree and pay to be included in County's current fire assessment rate study being
developed to determine the true fire assessment rate for City properties.
Fees (inspections, etc) will go city to offset costs of services rendered.
Revert back to the city to help fund those services.
Equipment (Fire trucks, bunker gear, etc.) will be provided to County at no cost.
County will maintain vehicles at no charge to City.
Watford - many of the issues went away when we agreed to use the fire tax rate.
City will allow County to store fire reserve apparatus at existing City facility.
Joint Recommendations for Fire Service Agreement
City desires to have a 5 year agreement. Watford - there didn't seem to be an issue with
that. BOCC will have to officially agree.
Performance metrics to be determined after software package has been implemented by
County. Watford - This would be how we are given reports on how many calls and time,
staff working on software that would be able to provide.
City would pay for people to attend Paramedic school (current and transferred employees).
County has proposed taking 7 people (6 Paramedics and 1 inspector). Watford - city wants
all employees protected. County take as many personnel as want to come over. County
could take an additional people and use them as attrition presents itself.
City would pay for the additional people until attrition takes place.
City Pension Options:
Employee could stay in city pension plan or
Employee could choose to enroll in County plan
Process to handle salary, vacation -sick accruals/current balances have been agreed to by
both administrators.
Union Discussion Points:
Seniority.
Rank how would this work.
Probationary Period how this can be worked in.
If City and County agrees to proposal, Union still needs to agree to proposal to complete
process as an amendment to the current contract.
Watford - those are the major issues we discussed, you may not like all of it. I told CC there
were going to like this. Handles most issues that we had, seems to be fair and reasonable.
One item that came up in our discussions, controversial. Remise in my duty if I did not bring
this up. Dual referendum. Attorneys could be done with or without. Everyone be aware of
this information, each board discuss. Mention since we discussed. Basically, that was pretty
simple, great discussion, probably some in there that individual board members don't agree
with.
Burroughs — opens floor for comments from BOCC & CC:
Cullpepper — first brought up, for the people by the people, thought it should go to a
referendum since its up to the voters to decide this. Had discussion with a resident after a
meeting unhappy with me. Things I want to bring up. Insurance rates will be raised in 4
seasons. How far away from a hydrant and fire station. Move that line puts you in a different
situation. City contract collects more than and endangers fire assessment. Taxable valuable
duplex 216.20, cut the millage by ??? Residential value county taxable value and city
taxable value and fire assessment. Lower income range will be effective greatly. On the
other hand, when you lower the commercial tax rates that helps the commercial property
owners. Want everybody to stop and think about how many effective if we have to pay more
Watford - amount city pays would be based on a fire assessment. The CC will then have to
decide to use millage or adopt a fire assessment to cover that.
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Culpepper - when you say "could, may, might" are what have people nervous. Situations
like water management grove became a city, city longer than the county, that town took
great pride in the fire service, when snagged away it's like a huge loss. Everyone gets a
kick out of the old fire truck. What are the people going to end up with?
Burroughs - why here, got aggravated, city meet, county meet, then social media gets
involved. Numbers have to be brought in from admin and give factual information to each
board. Lots of the assessments are on this side not that side. When sitting a base line get
into what. Don't want to get into who is or is not going to raise what assessments.
Jarriel — problems as Burroughs said, excellent job to hear. Thought here tonight to go
through these items on the agenda. Don't need to get into what people have heard.
Abney - #4 off set cost? County will collect fee and reimburse it to the city, for inspections
and so forth. Burroughs — yes that was the intent.
Jarriel - #7 is there a time limit?
Watford - no we will have to talk about that, some other options, keep personnel there,
citizens have enjoyed that facility and keep it there, same spot there were, might be an
option and they might need the space. Until the county built a new facility that would be my
assumption, they will need some place to house the equipment.
Jarriel — input from fire chief?
Watford - I would think so. Main goals to protect our employees, may have some employees
we want to offer a buyout.
Jarriel - how does the county feel about a 5 year?
Hazellief - didn't think we were going to talk about those specifics just highlights.
Owens — public input and then go back with numbers etc. there are a lot of issues here that
need to be addressed, going to get back into the tennis match. Need to follow up with
another workshop with the numbers and specifics. Needs to be additional conversation
together. People watch the meeting, voice opinions, back in the situation.
Burroughs - ready to go through these issues tonight?
Owens — come back when we have the numbers.
Chartier - we need to discuss some specific issues, numbers wont matter if some of these
can't be ironed out.
Watford — numbers will be easy, were going to have to figure out how many were going to
pay for; city agrees to fund their part of the fire assessment, then accrued leave to pay and
pension and all on our side to figure out.
Burroughs — lot of different numbers, they have decisions to deal with.
Watford — we have things to determine.
Hazellief — good document, ea board decide what they can live with.
Goodbread — kudos to team, 2 main issues, no one in the city got hurt, didn't fall in the
county's lap to fund this service. Both seems to be addressed here. City is going to take
care of their employees it's the union that's going to negotiation for their items. If city
taxpayers save money no downside. City county taxpayers. Heads together. Great job.
Burroughs — good starting point for both side. You take back each side. Then another joint
workshop based on those decisions. At that time we'll have the numbers, what city will take
care of . service can be all day long. Action item based on fact admin together based on fire
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assessment for the 1St year to start with. WhEm we come back with mutual discussion,
feasible. Anything else to discuss before public comment?
Watford — ask Keefe any comments?
Keefe — no I don't.
Burroughs we'll more forward.
Owens — reserve the right to negotiate any changes —just to be clear.
Burroughs - right is reserved by the union no matter what.
IV. PUBLIC COMMENT
Herb Smith — app & equip, county has 7 yr turnover, city has 20 yr; will all this be going
back to the city when it needs to be replaced?
Watford — don't think so with using fire tax takes all those issues off the table, or
responsibility off the table for the city.
Smith - fire tax in the city?
Watford up to the council to decide either millage or adopt a fire tax, if millage have to be
the same amt that would equal the fire tax.
Smith area not really discussed and needs to look at. Then 5 yr contract, prepared as a
city to start another fire dept? several millions compared to a huge increase to the county
at the end of the 5 yrs.
Watford — understand, but using fire tax gives the city some protection. I am not for this,
want all to understand. Fire tax gives city come protection, have to update so many years.
Ex of the 1St agreement all those things that could increase. Same protection that the
county residents have basically.
Culpepper — what happens if 2 yrs into this contract, new BOCC/CC what happens then?
Wade Vose — locked in for that period of time, if both parties want to change it then they
can.
Cullpepper — whole new board 5 yrs can come into play.
Burroughs — commentary, not here to go back and forth, not here and address questions
on the fly. You have comments put them out there, not going to address questions.
Smith — drop the millage by 2 mills heard that the savings for getting rid of us is to provide
money for other projects, confusion by that information.
Lalo Rodriguez — agree with Owens, numbers to review as well, fire tax to city why not
keep at city and give back to them to do our own services, then transports, that would be
less than these are some of the questions that people are now asking. Want money back
in my pocket.
Wes Williamson — appreciate your work on this, this is a tough decision, rep the EC
tonight, mission statement "...." We really appreciate allowed public comment each time.
brings us to freedom of speech, senator ?? your entitled to your own opinion but not your
own facts, SM provides great platform to express information but not all information are
facts. EC dug to get facts and put out, verified with the count and city, went over them, 10
of them. Save the city $600,000/yr use it to reduce taxes. Reduce redundancy not good
use of taxpayers money. Fair price, why pay more or less fair price, urge to more fwd with
this contract, as far a referendum you are elected to make these decisions.
Josh Borgstrum County Union Rep — thank you for doing this, protection for our members
need protection, numbers and year stations don't care about, willing to negotiate to help
the city FF.
Noel Chandler — good team, concern every one of our FF, employee advocate. It was
stated none of this would effect our FF, you take care of our employees. Rest of my
comments will be at the city council meeting.
Karyne Brass — each time its said someone new hears them, most certainly the city FD
part of its identify to lose that would be a shame. Can't help wonder, are you aware that
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you will be known as the board that began dissembling of the city. Revenue will be lost
forever, there's no going back. Go back to the original goal to reduce millage, boils down
to on a 25,000 tax prop annual savings of $50, can't fathom taking away that valuable a
service for that savings. If actually used as a savings. EC wants them utilized for other
services not a savings. What the savings the city will be is unknown. Switched gears to
new methodology. The redundancy brought up sounds like the City's at fault, its not, we
can fix it w/o giving up the Dept. Protects the Central Commercial Business District that is
a special needs district. Having the FD location best thing to do for this district. Not taking
anything away others. Strongly urge you to keep these services at the City. EC major
component makes sense. They have very few City residents on their membership. This
change is to benefit the businesses not the residents. At the end of the day it comes back
to having something precious and they are. Ponder what they are come into our area,
unique and serviced by City FD; revamp by allowing our City to preserve and fiscally
responsible. Thank you for allowing me to talk.
Wes W —Solution vehicles to ownership?
Hoot Worley — EC Director no other motivation than make it more econ for all. Devin
Maxwell as a City Councilman made a pitch to annex the rodeo arena, brought a map and
showed businesses that located outside the limits because of franchise fees, and other
love FD its about competition. Every City resident is a member of the County as well.
Propose if you don't want to get rid of the FD you see what the numbers are, tell what the
cost will be, budget the same amount to the FD and see if that will work. Don't think it can.
Don't think you can put your FD back together with the savings you'll have at the end of 3
to 5 yrs.
Lalo Rodriguez — are you going to charge the churches like the county does? Making a
committee for rewriting the charter. Rewrite the charter FD doesn't have to be abolished.
PD can be changed. They are larger than we. Where does this stop. You're picking on us,
PD next, street dept, its not going to stop. Let everyone pay 8 mills. Then let us all keep
our jobs.
Sandra Pearce — love the FD like all of us do, thank them for what they do, the way I see
this is you got all these groups all sitting in here together making decisions. I live in the city
for 51 years in the same place and I pay 2 taxes for 51 years. He's right we got a city pd
and county SO. When I call they say call the City. I refused to pay taxes one year, why am
I paying double taxes because I use county roads. Tally called but no one could give a
specific reason why I had to pay both taxes. North side is the city and south side is the
county. They paved both sides. Paid for culverts in front of my house, 2 weeks later the
county brought in and paid for the culverts. All of you are intelligent and work hard. Need
you to get together and have just 1 board. All this SM group meet, and I pay taxes for both
of y'all I pay taxes for the county and when I call they need to come. Everyone in the city
is double taxed. People in the county don't realize we pay double and don't care. Don't
want a full governing board, we can put the 2 groups together. When you have a
business. What they paid in is there, people don't go out and find jobs for employees, jobs
go away, that happens. Don't want to see anyone lose their jobs. I'm really tired of paying
double taxes and told to call the city. Everybody has the good of Okee in their hearts, work
together to make decisions for the whole county. You have to drive in the city road to go
through town. Taxes when paid of course they want to do their business outside the City. I
was told I use county roads. Everybody in the county has to use city road to go to the
Courthouse. County offices inside the city. Been on my mind a long time.
Owens — advocating position loose ability to advocate position, because in a position to
move forward with a decision the best it can be even when you don't support the concept.
Complexity in this issue that all of us can fulling get a grasp of its unlikely there is going to
be a savings in this. More and more apparently majority to move forward in doing that, as
a gov board member, in a position like mayor don't agree with the concept don't see the
savings, history of going through a similar situation, much to polite to say I told you so,
incumbent on me to have the best conclusion. Reached out to a Fire chief, if not a win-win
for both parties it's not worth moving forward. Don't see it as that yet. For the taxpayers,
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employees, City and County. That's a large accomplishment if going to more forward hope
that's where we are at in the end.
Abney — I have never been for or against this, I want to see what it could bring, if it ends
up being a win-win for everyone, then yes I will be for it. It has to be clear that it is best for
everyone, staff, FF, tax payers.
Jarriel - thank County meeting with us again and time spent, we just need to get the
figures on this and go to the next step.
Goodbread - good to have citizens out, don't normally have here.
Burroughs - close with told Admin the objective is to do something right for tax payers, and
for the employees both city and county. Appreciate come out tonight. Make sure people
kept ??? objective from day 1. If Hazellief hadn't: talked me into giving this another shot I
was done with it. Need to think about this, Hazellief pressing me to give 1 more shot.
Team effort to get done. We're here for our businesses and trying to figure this thing out,
pretty good input from everyone.
Culpepper — ponder before decision, agree with it or not president in the white house, 13
colonies, now nation, central govt can't control the federal gov ... difficult times, county
has a difficult time covering the county; forming amore municipalities to have them cover
their areas; city has ability to put their own infrastructure in through grants they can apply
for. Pole love this county, trying to tear it down and put in a new order it won't be good —
let the city stand on their own 2 feet and make own decision.
V. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further items on the agenda, the Workshop was adjourned at 7:30
P.M.
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