2022-03-01 HandwrittenMinutesMARCH 1, 2022, REGULAR MEETING
LANE GAMIOTEA HANDWRITTEN MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Watford called the regular meeting of the City Council for the City of Okeechobee to
order on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, at . L " P.M. in the City Council Chambers,
located at 55 Southeast 3rd Avenue, Room 200, Okeechobee, Florida.
The inv cation was offered by
-Lih klltk followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by
ATTENDANCE taken by City Clerk Gamiotea to establish a quorum:
PRESENT ABSENT
Mayor Dowling R. Watford, Jr.
Council Member Chandler
Council Member Clark
Council Member Jarriel
Council Member Keefe
Staff present were:
City Attorney John Fumero yr
City Administrator Gary RitterV'
Police Chief Donald Hagan V
Public Works Director David Allen V
City Clerk Lane Gamiotea V
Deputy Clerk Rose Torres V
Fire Chief Herb Smith Acy 4, ,
Finance Director India Riedel i/
General Ser Coord. Patty
Burnette V
Ila. PUBLIC COMMENTS
A. Mayor Watford asked whether there were any agenda items to be added, deferred, or
withdrawn.1�,
B. Motion and second by Council Members �� and �►'� to approve the
agenda a Or sentedlamended,
NOTE: Chan ler , Clark , Jarriel , KeefeA, ° , Watford
Motio "Carrie Faile
C. There were agenda item forms or comment cards submitted for public
participation for any issues not on the agenda.
Handwritten Minutes, 3-1-2022 reg mtg, Page 1 of 9
IV. PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS .....
A. Present a 15-Year Longevity Service Award to Police Sergeant Cesar Romero. Mr. Romero
accompanied by i &V �=LX� , was recognized by Major Watford and Chief of
Police Hagan for his years of service. He was presented with an engraved crystal mantel
clock and a framed certificate, which read "In recognition of your 15 years of service, -
hard work, and dedication to the City, its citizens, and your fellow employees from
March 17, 2007 through March 17, 2022."
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CONSENT AGENDA
.Motion and second by Council Members, and l E_ to:
A. [Dispense with the reading and] approve the Minutes for the January 24, 2022, Town Hall
Meeting, February 1, 2022, and February 15, 2022, Regular Meetings, [as presented].
--- VOTE: Chandler °-' , Clark - , Jarriel _, Keefe Watford
Moti orrCarriedIFailed
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NEW BUSINESS
A. Planner Jim LaRue presented: RF{}General Planning Services AOM-01-32-11'21.
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` Handwritten Minutes, 3'1'2022regmtg,Page 3of9
NEW BUSINESS CONTINUED
C. Update regarding Flagler Park -Architectural Plans and Coordination.
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Handwritten Minutes, 3-1-2022 reg mtg, Page 5 of 9
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V1. —._—NEW BUSHINESSC�EB
D. Consider a recommendation from the Technical Review Committee (TRC) to deviate from
the standa'rdss listed in Secti0 78-36 of the`CT'y's Land Development Regulations (LD'Rs) regarding
the requirements for installation of sidewalks pertaining to the Budget Home, LLC triplex project
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Motion a• second by •Members 9x • approve .
recommended.
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NEW BUSINESS CONTINUED
E. Motion to approve the revised Education Reimbursement Agreement (Exhibit 2).
Motion and second by Council Members M r, and to approve the revised
Education Reimbursement Agreement.
1 VOTE: Cha dler , Clark , Jarriel , Keefe �—, Watford
Motio Ca� J
rr e� Faile .
Handwritten Minutes, 3-1-2022 reg mtg, Page 7 of 9
CITY ATTORNEY UPDATE
VII1. CITY ADMINISTRATOR UPDATE
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Handwritten Minutes, 3-1-2022 reg mtg, Page 8 of 9
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XI. ADJOURN MEETING l,�
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There being no further items on the agenda, Mayor Watford adjourned the meeting at
P.M.
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MARCH 1, 2022, REGULAR MEETING
ROSE TORRES HANDWRITTEN MINUTES
I. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Watford called the regular meeting of the City Council for the City of Okeechobee to
order on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, 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 In followed by the Pledge of
Allegiance led by BK
II. ATTENDANCE taken by City Clerk Gamiotea to establish a quorum:
PRESENT ABSENT
Mayor Dowling R. Watford, Jr. _h
Council Member Chandler _h_
Council Member Clark h
Council Member Jarriel _h_
Council Member Keefe h
Staff present were:
City Attorney John Fumero City Clerk Lane Gamiotea
City Administrator Gary Ritter Deputy Clerk Rose Torres
Police Chief Donald Hagan Giro Chief Herb Smith
Public Works Director David Allen Finance Director India Riedel
General Ser Coord. Patty
Burnette
III. PUBLIC COMMENTS
A. Mayor Watford asked whether there were any agenda items to be added, deferred, or
withdrawn.
Item D NEW BUSINESS to item A
B. Motion and second by Council Members BK and BJ to approve
the agenda as presented/amended.
VOTE: Chandler, Clark �, Jarriel, Keefe , Watford�i _.
Motion Carried/ail d.
C. There were 0 agenda item forms or comment cards submitted for public
participation for any issues not on the agenda.
IV. PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS
A. PrE;sent a 15-Year Longevity Service Award to Police Sergeant Cesar Romero. Mr. Romero
accompanied by , was recognized by Major Watford and Chief of
Police Hagan for his years of service. He was presented with an engraved crystal mantel
clock and a framed certificate, which read "In recognition of your 15 years of service,
hard work, and dedication to the City, its citizens, and your fellow employees from
March 12, 2007 through March 12, 2022."
V. CONSENT AGENDA
Motion and second by Council Members _bk and _mc to:
A. [Dispense with the reading and] approve the Minutes for the January 24, 2022, Town Hall
Meeting, February 1, 2022, and February 15, 2022, Regular Meetings, [as presented].
VOTE: Chandler_/, Clark X/ , Jarriel_?�, Keefe_, Watford 'jP .
Motion Carried/Fai ed I� J
Handwritten Minutes, 3-1-2022 reg mtg, Page 1 of
•
VI. NEW BUSINESS
A. Planner Jim LaRue presented: RFQ General Planning Services ADM-01-32-11-21.
B> new business
GR request on presentations so the council can see what they are doing.
JIM LaRue> have 1 year experience 25 times with the history with the city, Future planning, only
serve public governments, what's best for the community, private property rights. Team member
expertise annexation studies, complete streets, lots of projects, but must see what is the most
important, Mainstreet program, review process is important, Gloria is here she over sees sight
plans reviews, bob Franke, from urban visions
JIM Okeechobee experience, volunteer in annexation study, land development regulations, Gloria
Pelito, Okeechobee Experience, Bob Franke: director of site plan review committee, Susan
O'Rourke: traffic management plan
Project projects: update comprehensive, commercial plan, PUD rewrite, parking analysis,
environmental studies, landscaping, water resources planning, revise sign ordinance.
Planners not a code enforcement or signing ordinances.
Team: advisors rather than planner, half a dozen projects with bob, mobility walkability from
commercial to residential, thank you council member.
DW> have read about a new theory about it, what is it?
JIM form base code, zone another term, size of lots, urban base is more intense and as it progress
to residential where the roads get wider and the sidewalks get larger as well. Parking's in the back
NC the villages did that,
JIM fort Meyers form -based code, owners should see the incentive to do this, to follow the codes
VI. NEW BUSINESS CONTINUED
B. Morris Depew presented: RFQ General Planning Services ADM-01-32-11-21
Bill Morris president Cindy smith and bill, First project in Orlando, in 14 train> founded in 1989,
development work, over the years have added, have offices in the pan handle Tallahassee, fort
Myers, commercial work, government work (municipal work) water districts, small mom and pops
businesses. 32 professional employees offer as planning> engineering> Landscape architecture>
surveying, not in hierarchy. Has a sensitivity to the goals in what their clients are looking for, Intune
with? Conner stones in operations, rezoning special exemptions, monitoring, land surveying
always working with the water district and understands the land laws and planning and
engineering Landscape > graphics done provides how the plans will look once completed, amenity
and lifestyle design, bulling parks, gardens in hospitals, visualizations for the clients to see their
visions come to life. Which makes it easier to visualize, facility design to, no project too small or
big for us. MS4> municipal water supply
Bill> started in October understands what a multi firm can offer to businesses, has broaden the
understanding of building, planning department collabs with one another and engineers, daily
meetings in the beginning of the day, investment with one another. Cindy Leal, 5 years of
experience, director of school planning,
Ben> 14 years of serving local government,
Mapping, creating an existing land use map and zoning map, has two GIS certified personnel, will
like to help the city, code updates landscaping code revisions, well suited to look at different codes
that will be work for the city, Comprehensive site review zoning codes, surveys are correct,
engineering and permitting reviews, Upholding community "old values and new visions"
DW> RFQ for planning services and you have touched what you offer, but what does that offer our
city?
BM> reflects a collaboration of many different areas, the issues that come up, can give options on
policies,
DW>if ben works on a project for land development, and needs expertise from an engineer do we
get billed for their time?
BM> no we offer is what we offer, we do not look for ways to make an invoice for the city
GR> if they didn't have the expertise, we would have to call one of the four firms we have.
DW, will we have to enter a contract
JF > we are paying 40 hours of your time from the firm; can we accrue hours?
Handwritten Minutes, 3-1-2022 reg mtg, Page 2 of 4
VI. NEW BUSINESS CONTINUED
C. Update regarding Flagler Park Architectural Plans and Coordination.
GR> meeting with main street, to move forward they want a budget direction, on what can be put for
the con plan, per park less than $300,000 cattleman park was more that, they need something to
on, must start at a figure. Looked are check list and will be sent back to us.
MC> I thought we already accepted a conceptual plan?
GR> what's not what you pay for, what will go in the park. Veterans square will be less because less
work in it,
VI. NEW BUSINESS CONTINUED
D. NEW ITEM A Consider a recommendation from the Technical Review Committee (TRC) to
deviate from the standards listed in Section 78-36 of the City's Land Development Regulations
(LDRs) regarding the requirements for installation of sidewalks pertaining to the Budget Home, LLC
triplex project located at NE 3rd Avenue and 5th Street (Exhibit 1).
Motion and second by Council Members NC and MC to approve as
recommended.
DW. asked clerk if there was as motion in the first meeting.
GR council member brought up the concern on the side walks
DW. the side on 5th street is thicker
DA did not see that much of a difference
DW. how many feet do you need to make a sidewalk
DA. 7 ft wide
DW. seems to be enough for a sidewalk,
DW. do you have the map? Center of swell is 15 ft
NC. What is the slope?
DA. The elevation of sidewalk will be 2'/z ft
DW. Flat land and swells start, center is 15ft what is the edge of the swell? In your option theres not
enough room to add a sidewalk?
DA shakes head no
DW
GR. Also a sidewalk to nowhere because there's nowhere else to go. No development coming in,
sidewalk will not connect. Unless the city adds sidewalks to each side
BJ what is the
GR the most ideal would be like the side on 5th Ave
BJ and 7th are 2 ft
NC, wide swell to tie that in is the drainage,
DW sidewalk on one side to add it
MC. sidewalks requirements are front and sides the one in front is extremely deep.
NC spoke to fire chief, and they would want a sidewalk
NC.
DW all we can do is add piping which causes problems, percolation, quality issues
OWNER COMMENT:
Mike Jimenez, property owner contract there's nothing that states with a sidewalk, he doesn't have
a problem with sidewalks, this is subcontractors, and everything is bought local, willing to add
sidewalks.
MC, will you do a sidewalk on 5th Ave?
MJ> we need to add fill and add piping and needs to add rails if not it will be a safety precaution.
Steele and everything have costs going up. Appreciate a deviation
VOTE: Chandler_1-1 , Clark_, Jarrieli_, Keefe�v_, Watfordi_.
Motion Car ied/Failed
Handwritten Minutes, 3-1-2022 reg mtg, Page 3 of
VI. NEW BUSINESS CONTINUED
E. Motion to approve the revised Education Reimbursement Agreement (Exhibit 2).
Motion and second by Council Members BJ and BK to approve the
revised Education Reimbursement Agreement.
Agreement approved serval years ago, police chief brought up some issues, wanted to keep
everyone at 2 years and police will be at 3 years, another year to recoup the money since the city
training is less than the police
VOTE: Chandler_4_, Clark , Jarriel_ , Keefe4-1
i Watford
—/—i
Motion Carried/Failbd
VII. CITY ATTORNEY UPDATE
Fumero working with Ritter, on contracts
Vill. CITY ADMINISTRATOR UPDATE
Upcoming next meeting will be the charter review, directory reports, cables presentations with the
primitive church gave the required documents to send to the grant coordinator, work shop on
APRIL 21 Should have enough information to give out, has a grant with them,
Planning and zoning night
Bob Jarriel> two bills in Tallahassee, requested by leg to write a few emails to reps, thanking they
are there,
BTR march the first, delinquent 130 pay $250 will be receiving a bill for not paying their taxes,
IX. COUNIL COMMENTS
NC, match funds is a waste of money,
BJ, seen things on FB that are negative and so many volunteers that have helped with the city,
parade coming up in less than two weeks, an honor to ride in and sees the happy faces, and is very
thankful for all the volunteers and their time spent on everything.
XI. ADJOURN MEETING
There being no further items on the agenda, Mayor Watford adjourned the meeting at 7:25
P.M.
Handwritten Minutes, 3-1-2022 reg mtg, Page 4 of 4