2020-09-03 Agenda
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CITY OF OKEECHOBEE
55 SE THIRD AVENUE
OKEECHOBEE, FL 34974
SEPTEMBER 3, 2020
6:00 PM
FIRST BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING AND
REGULAR MEETING
OFFICIAL AGENDA
Mayor
Dowling R. Watford, Jr.
Council Members
Wes Abney
Monica Clark
Bob Jarriel
Bobby Keefe
Pursuant to Executive Order No. 20-69, issued by the Office of Governor Ron DeSantis on March 20, 2020, and extended by
Executive Order No. 20-193, effective August 7, 2020, municipalities may conduct meetings of their governing boards without
having a quorum of its members present physically or at any specific location, and utilizing communications media technology
(CMT) such as telephonic or video conferencing, as provided by Section 120.54(5)(b)2, Florida Statutes.
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. ATTENDANCE
III. AGENDA AND PUBLIC COMMENTS
A. Requests for the addition, deferral, or withdrawal of agenda items.
B. Motion to adopt agenda.
C. Public participation for any issues not on the agenda requires an Agenda Item Form or a Comment Card.
Citizen comments are limited to 3 minutes per speaker unless otherwise approved by the Mayor.
IV. PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS
A. Proclaim the month of September 2020 as “Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.”
B. Proclaim the month of September 2020 as “Hunger Action Month.”
V. CONSENT AGENDA
A. Approval of Minutes – August 12, 2020 First Budget Workshop and August 18, 2020 Regular Meeting and
Final Budget Workshop
B. Reappoint John Koepke as City resident 1 of 2 appointees to the Firefighters Pension Fund Board of
Trustees, term being October 1, 2020 – September 30, 2024.
VI. FIRST READING – PUBLIC HEARING OF BUDGET ORDINANCES
A. Mayor announces that the purpose of this public hearing is t o consider the first reading of ordinances for
the proposed millage rate levy and proposed budget for fiscal year 2020 -2021.
B. Mayor announces that the proposed millage rate levy represents 6.03% more than the roll back rate
computed pursuant to F.S.200.065 (1).
C. Read proposed Ordinance No.1216 by title only and set September 21, 2020 at 6:00 P.M. as a final public
hearing date, levying a millage rate of 7.6018 on all real and tangible personal property for proposed Fiscal
Year October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021 (Exhibit 1).
D. Read proposed Ordinance No. 1217 by title only and set the final Public Hearing for September 21, 2020,
at 6:00 P.M., setting the annual budget for proposed Fiscal Year October 1, 2020 through September 30,
2021 (Exhibit 2).
CLOSE BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING
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VII. PUBLIC HEARING
A. Read by title only and adopt proposed Ordinance No. 1215 regarding Abandonment of Right -of-Way
Petition No. 20-001-AC-SC (Exhibit 3).
VIII. NEW BUSINESS
A. Adopt proposed Resolution No. 2020-12, extending the Local Public Health State of Emergency to
October 1, 2020, due to the Coronavirus (Exhibit 4).
B. Adopt proposed Resolution No. 2020-13, authorizing the execution and acceptance of a lighting
maintenance agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation (Exhibit 5).
C. Approve Special Magistrate fine reduction requests (Exhibit 6).
D. Approve Release of Reservations for Lots 10, 11, and 12 in the Commerce Center (Exhibit 7).
E. Approve the purchase of bunker gear for the Fire Department in the amount of $17,351.04 to Municipal
Equipment Services, Inc. (Exhibit 8).
IX. COUNCIL COMMENTS
X. ADJOURN MEETING
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE AND BE ADVISED that if any person desires to appeal any decision made by the City Council with
respect to any matter considered at this proceeding, such interested person will need a record of the proceeding, and for suc h
purpose may need to ensure 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 recordings are for the sole purpose of backup for official records of the Clerk. In
accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), any person with a disability as defined by the ADA, that needs special
accommodation to participate in this proceeding, contact the City Clerk’s Office no later than two business days prior t o
proceeding, 863-763-3372. BE ADVISED that should you intend to show any document, picture, video, or item to the Council in
support or opposition to any item on the agenda; a copy of the document, picture, video, or item must be provided to the City
Clerk for the City’s records.