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DRAFT 2021-04-20 Minutes DRAFT Minutes, April 20, 2021, Page 1 of 3 CITY OF OKEECHOBEE, FLORIDA APRIL 20, 2021, REGULAR CITY COUNCIL DRAFT MEETING MINUTES I. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Watford called the regular meeting of the City Council for the City of Okeechobee to order on Tuesday, April 20, 2021, at 6:00 P.M. in the City Council Chambers, located at 55 Southeast 3rd Avenue, Room 200, Okeechobee, Florida. The invocation was offered by Mayor Watford, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Council Member Keefe. VII. ATTENDANCE Roll was taken by City Clerk Lane Gamiotea to establish a quorum. Members present: Mayor Dowling R. Watford, Jr., Council Members Monica Clark, Bob Jarriel, and Bobby Keefe. Council Member Wes Abney was absent. VIII. AGENDA AND PUBLIC COMMENTS A. Presentations and Proclamations Item IV.A was withdrawn from the agenda; New Business Item VI.J was deferred to a future meeting. B. Motion by Council Member Jarriel, seconded by Council Member Keefe to approve the agenda as amended. Motion Carried Unanimously. C. There were no comment cards submitted for public participation for any issues not on the agenda. IX. PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS A. The Proclamation declaring the City of Okeechobee a Purple Heart City was withdrawn from the agenda and will be presented privately. B. Ms. Bettye Taylor was presented a $500.00 Longevity Service Award and a framed certificate which read “In recognition of your 25 -years of service, hard work, and dedication to the City, its citizens, and your fellow employees from April 3, 1996 through April 3, 2021.” X. CONSENT AGENDA Motion by Council Member Jarriel, seconded by Council Member Keefe to approve consent agenda item A [April 6, 2021 regular meeting minutes]; item B [March 2021 Warrant Register in the amounts: General Fund $585,758.66, Public Facilities Improvement Fund $35,935.71, Capital Improvement Projects Fund $85,170.62, Appropriations Grant Fund $64,833.33, and Law Enforcement Special Fund $375.00]; and item C [Re-appoint regular members Dawn Hoover and Mac Jonassaint and alternate member James Shaw to the Planning Board, Board of Adjustment and Design Review Board, terms being May 1, 2021 to April 30, 2024 ]. Motion Carried Unanimously. XI. NEW BUSINESS A. Motion by Council Member Keefe, seconded by Council Member Clark to read proposed Ordinance No. 1223 by title only, regarding Land Development Regulation (LDR) Text Amendment Application No. 21-001-TA, and set May 18, 2021 as a Final Public Hearing date. Motion Carried Unanimously. City Attorney Fumero read proposed Ordinance No. 1223 by title only as follows: “AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF OKEECHOBEE, FLORIDA; AMENDING CHAPTER 90 OF THE LDR OF THE CITY OF OKEECHOBEE; AMENDING SECTION 90-483, REVISING THE PROVISIONS FOR PARKING REDUCTION REQUESTS; AMENDING SECTION 90-484, REVISING THE PROVISIONS FOR REQUESTING APPROVAL FOR UNPAVED PARKING; DELETING SECTION 90-485, MOVING LIMITATIONS FOR PARKING REDUCTION APPROVALS TO SECTION 90-483; AMENDING APPENDIX A OF THE LDR ADDING FORM 21, PARKING REDUCTION PETITION; AMENDING APPENDIX C OF THE LDR ADDING AN APPLICATION FEE FOR PARKI NG REDUCTION PETITIONS; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.” DRAFT Minutes, April 20, 2021, Page 2 of 3 VI. NEW BUSINESS CONTINUED ITEM A. CONTINUED: A typographical error was noted to be corrected. Unstrike the words “Sec. 90-483. - Modification of parking and loading space requirements. Modification of parking and loading space requirements shall be as follows:” within Section 2 of proposed Ordinance No. 1223. Motion by Council Member Clark, seconded by Council Member Jarriel to approve the first reading of proposed Ordinance No. 1223. Motion Carried Unanimously. B. Motion by Council Member Jarriel, seconded by Council Member Clark to read proposed Ordinance No. 1224 by title only, regarding LDR Text Amendment Application No. 21-002-TA, and set May 18, 2021 as a Final Public Hearing date. Motion Carried Unanimously. City Attorney Fumero read proposed Ordinance No. 1224 by title only as follows: “AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF OKEECHOBEE, FLORIDA; ADOPTING THE HOLDING REZONING PROGRAM, PROVIDING INCENTIVES FOR OWNERS OF PROPERTIES ZONED HOLDING TO REZONE TO OTHER ZONING DISTRICTS SUPPORTED BY THE LDR, REDUCING THE APPLICATION FEES AND APPLICATION SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS; AMENDING APPENDIX A OF THE LDR ADDING FORM 22, HOLDING ZONING DISTRICT BOUNDARY CHANGE PETITION; AMENDING APPENDIX C OF THE LDR ADDING AN APPLICATION FEE FOR REZONING PROPERTY ZONED HOLDING; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.” Motion by Council Member Clark, seconded by Council Member Keefe to approve the first reading of proposed Ordinance No. 1224. Mr. David Feltenberger asked whether rezoning from Holding would cause an increase in property taxes. City Planning Consultant Mr. Ben Smith responded on vacant land it should not be substantial. Motion Carried Unanimously. C. Motion by Council Member Jarriel, seconded by Council Member Keefe to approve Proposal No. 20-4018.1 in the amount of $93,180.00 for the design of the Flagler Park Project by Calvin, Giordano & Associates. The PowerPoint presentation by Tammy Cook-Weedon has been incorporated into the minute file. Okeechobee Main Street Arts and Cultural Alliance representatives Bridgette Waldau and Kathy Scott addressed the Council. Motion Carried three to one. D. Motion by Council Member Clark, seconded by Council Member Jarriel to approve a Settlement of Final Judgement entered in City of Okeechobee v. Marvin W. Brantley, Case No. 2004 CA 309 related to real property [7.50 unplatted acres] located at 1905 South Parrott Avenue, Okeechobee. Motion Carried Unanimously. E. Motion by Council Member Clark, seconded by Council Member Jarriel to approve a Settlement Proposal in the amount of $9,922.00, 75-percent of lien plus attorney fees] in the case of City of Okeechobee v. Okeechobee Park Street, LLC [Walgreens, legal description: Lots 1 through 12 of Block 155, OKEECHOBEE, Plat Book 5, Page 5, public records of Okeechobee County, Florida], Code Enforcement Case No. 17-404. Motion Carried Unanimously. F. Motion by Council Member Clark, seconded by Council Member Jarriel to approve the Code Enforcement Special Magistrate recommended fine reduction [to 50-percent of the accumulated fines of $14,600.00 together with applicable administrative fees] for Code Enforcement Case No. 200312003, Bella Rose Day Spa, 311 Northeast 2nd Street [legal description: Lots 11 and 12 of Block 143, CITY OF OKEECHOBEE, Plat Book 5, Page 5, public records of Okeechobee County, Florida]. Attorney Don Dunton addressed the Council on behalf of Mr. and Mrs. Bill and Darla Rose. Motion Carried three to one. MAYOR WATFORD RECESSED THE MEETING AT 7:53 P.M. AND RECONVENED AT 8:00 P.M. DRAFT Minutes, April 20, 2021, Page 3 of 3 VI. NEW BUSINESS CONTINUED G. Motion by Council Member Clark, seconded by Council Member Keefe to approve the [mid-year] Fiscal Year 2020-21 budget amendment [as presented]. Motion Carried Unanimously. H. Fire Chief Smith provided a brief update on the transition of the City Fire Department to County Fire and Rescue. The Council agreed with the request to contact the Okeechobee Board of County Commissioners and ask that any City firefighter who fails the paramedic certification test and has time to retake it before June 1, 2021 be considered and given that time. I. The consensus of the Council was to change the date of the May 4, 2021 regular meeting to May 5, 2021 at 6:00 P.M. due to the Special City Election. J. The review and direction on proposed changes to the annual performance evaluations was deferred to a future meeting. K. Motion by Council Member Keefe, seconded by Council Member Jarriel to accept Police Chief Robert Peterson’s retirement, with regret. Chief Peterson’s last day will be August 31, 2021. Motion Carried Unanimously. Motion by Council Member Jarriel, seconded by Council Member Keefe to appoint Police Major Donald Hagan to Assistant Police Chief [and not advertise the Police Chief position]. Chief Peterson highly recommended Mr. Hagan be promoted to Police Chief on September 1, 2021, as he has been groomed for the last five years to fill the role. The salary is to be addressed at a future meeting. Motion Carried Unanimously. VII. CITY ATTORNEY UPDATE No updates to provide at this time. VIII. CITY ADMINISTRATOR UPDATE Administrator MontesDeOca provided status updates on the following projects: maintenance is being performed on ditches and culverts in the Southwest section from 5th Avenue to 21st Street; the Southwest 2nd Avenue (next to the District School Board office) and Southeast 8th Avenue projects are nearing completion. The closed captioning hardware was delivered and is scheduled to be installed soon. The handicap ramps project will resume once the rain ceases. The landscape incentive program approved at the last meeting has been distributed through social media and the Okeechobee News has written an article to assist with citizen engagement. IX. COUNCIL COMMENTS Council Member Clark requested pet waste stations be installed in all City parks. Council Member Keefe requested the Planning Board revisit a recommendation to create a historic district or historic sites. X. Mayor Watford adjourned the meeting at 8:49 P.M. Submitted By: 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, s/he 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.