2021-12-21 Official Minutes197
CITY OF OKEECHOBEE, FLORIDA
DECEMBER 21, 2021, REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
OFFICIAL MEETING MINUTES
I. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Watford called the regular meeting of the City Council for the City of Okeechobee to order on December
21 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 Pastor Don Hannan of the First United Methodist Church,
followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Council Member Clark,
ATTENDANCE
Roll was taken by City Clerk Lane Gamiotea to establish a quorum. Members present: Mayor Dowling R.
Watford, Jr., Council Members Noel Chandler, Monica Clark, Bob Jarriel, and Bobby Keefe.
III. AGENDA AND PUBLIC COMMENTS
A. Mayor Watford asked whether there were any agenda items to be added, deferred, or withdrawn. New
Business Item A, to read by title only proposed Ordinance No. 1246 regarding Petition No. 21-006-R was
withdrawn.
B. Motion by Council Member Keefe, seconded by Council Member Jarriel to approve the agenda as
amended. Motion Carried Unanimously.
C. There were no comment cards submitted for public participation for issues not on the agenda.
IV. CONSENT AGENDA
Motion by Council Member Keefe, seconded by Council Member Clark to:
A. [Dispense with the reading and] approve the Minutes for the November 4, 2021, Citizen Charter Review
Advisory Committee and City Council Workshop, and the December 7, 2021, Regular Meeting;
B. Approve the Warrant Register for November 2021 [in the amounts, General Fund: $616,157.74; Public
Facilities Improvement Fund: $15,054.35; and Capital Improvement Projects Fund $42,125.58 as
presented]; Motion Carried Unanimously.
V. NEW BUSINESS
A. Motion to read by title only, and set January 18, 2022, as the final public hearing date for proposed
Ordinance No. 1246, regarding Rezoning Petition No. 21-006-R submitted by Muhammad Nooruddin,
registered agent for NASSA Management Group, LLC (property owner), to rezone from Residential Multiple
Family to Heavy Commercial, Lots 23-24 of Block 3, OKEECHOBEE, Plat Book 5, Page 5 Okeechobee
County public records, located at 204 Northwest 13th Street, the proposed use is a storage facility [as
presented in Exhibit 1]. Item withdrawn from the agenda and will be resubmitted pending ownership issue
being resolved.
B. A revised Exhibit 2 was distributed at the meeting. Motion by Council Member Jarriel, seconded by Council
Member Clark to read by title only, proposed Ordinance No. 1247 regarding demolition of blighted
structures; amending the City Code of Ordinances at Chapter 30, Article II Nuisance [as presented in
Revised Exhibit 2]. Motion Carried Unanimously,
Attorney Fumero read proposed Ordinance No. 1247 as follows: "AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OKEECHOBEE, FLORIDA RELATING TO THE DEMOLITION OF
BLIGHTED STRUCTURES; AMENDING THE CITY CODE OF ORDINANCES AT CHAPTER 30,
ARTICLE II "NUISANCE" BY SPECIFICALLY AMENDING SECTION 30-31 "DEFINITIONS";
SPECIFICALLY AMENDING SECTION 30-43 "PUBLIC NUISANCES"; SPECIFICALLY AMENDING
SECTION 30-74 "RESERVED"; PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY;
REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Motion by Council Member Jarriel, seconded by Council Member Clark to approve the first reading of
proposed Ordinance No. 1247 and set January 18, 2022, as a final public hearing date. Motion Carried
Unanimously.
C. Council Member Keefe moved to approve a leave of absence without pay for a Public Works Maintenance
Operator [E.G. Whidden] from December 20, 2021 through January 2, 2022 [as presented in Exhibit 3];
seconded by Council Member Jarriel. Motion Carried Unanimously.
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V. NEW BUSINESS CONTINUED
D. Motion and second by Council Members Jarriel and Clark to approve a piggyback agreement between the
City of Okeechobee and Scott's Quality Cleaning for professional custodial and cleaning services [in the
amount of $20,659.92 per year, initial term of three years, beginning January 1, 2022, and ending December
31, 2025, and may be renewed for up to two additional one-year terms, as presented in Exhibit 4]. Motion
Carried Unanimously.
VI. CITY ATTORNEY UPDATE
Attorney Fumero had no new information to provide.
VII. CITY ADMINISTRATOR UPDATE
Administrator Ritter gave an update on the River Run subdivision issue of certain property owners' structures
encroaching over drainage easements, wastewater lines, and within the boundary setbacks. The City is having
surveys completed, encroachment agreements and/or other legal documents will be required to solve these
issues. A representative from the County will be presenting the new Local Mitigation Strategy Plan for adoption
at the next meeting.
IX. COUNCIL COMMENTS
Mayor Watford. Inquired whether the pending issue to consider changing the City Clerk's position to appointed
needed to be resolved before the Town Hall meeting was held. Several responded that in addition to discussing
the proposed Charter revisions at the January 24, 2022, Town Hall meeting, input from the residents will be
collected on the City Clerk position.
Council Member Jarriel. 1) Asked about the status of the Council meetings being televised. Administrator
Ritter responded it is expected to be functioning by February. 2) He commented on the joyous and warm
welcome by the residents while he participated on riding with Santa on the float throughout the residential areas
before Christmas and the City should be proud that they do this for the community. Mayor Watford echoed
similar comments, adding he received messages of appreciation, one from a new resident who was impressed
that the City provided this. The Mayor specifically thanked Chuck Akers, Detective Pickering, and all the
employees who assisted.
Council Member Chandler. Distributed information from the Central Florida Regional Planning Council
comparing interesting and statistical information about Okeechobee.
Council Member Keefe. 1) Asked Attorney Fumero about the structure of using consensus within the minutes.
2) He then inquired about unimproved alleys/streets and if the City is proposing to abandon them, since the City
has a lot of rights -of -way to maintain. Administrator Ritter responded the bigger issue is drainage and the impact
the changes may cause.
Council Member Clark. 1) Asked about the status of addressing the conflicts between the Future Land Use
and Zoning maps. There are funds within the budget to address some of the conflicts. Administrator Ritter
explained the City has not moved forward with this due to the Request for Proposals for Planning Services that
was let in November. Two proposals were received, and Staff is working through the required process. Once
the City has a new contract, a workshop with the Planning Board can be scheduled and the City can move
forward on these issues. 2) Noted her appreciation to Staff on all the efforts during the Christmas season.
X. ADJOURN, Mayor Watford adjourned the meeting at 6:53 P.M.
Sub ' ted 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.
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