2024-01-16 Approved Minutes372
S�`,`�•OF•U�FF(ymM CITY OF OKEECHOBEE, FLORIDA
om JANUARY 16, 2024, REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
'6 MEETING MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Watford called the regular meeting of the City Council for the City of Okeechobee to order on January
16, 2024, at 6:00 P.M. in the City Council Chambers, located at 55 Southeast (SE) 3rd Avenue (AVE), Room
200, Okeechobee, Florida, The invocation was offered by Pastor Don Hanna, First United Methodist Church;
followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Mayor Watford.
ATTENDANCE
City Clerk Lane Gamiotea called the roll. Members present to establish a quorum: Mayor Dowling R. Watford,
Jr., Vice Mayor Monica M. Clark, and Council Members Noel A. Chandler, and David R. McAuley. Council
Member Robert "Bob" Jarriel was absent with consent.
III. AGENDA AND PUBLIC COMMENTS
A. There were no requests for items to be added, deferred, or withdrawn from the agenda. However, the
motion provided for New Business Item "C." was modified due to not receiving a written response from
the bidder.
B. Motion and second by Council Members Chandler and McAuley to approve the agenda as published.
Motion Carried.
C. The were no comment cards submitted for public participation for issues not on the agenda.
IV. CONSENT AGENDA
Motion by Council Member Chandler, second by Vice Mayor Clark to:
A. Dispense with the reading and approve the Minutes for January 2, 2024, [as presented in Exhibit 1]; and
B. Approve the December 2023 Warrant Register [in the amounts: General Fund, $477,220.53; Public
Facilities Improvement Fund, $43,555.33; Community Development Block Grant Fund, $10,324.97;
Industrial Development Grant Fund, $7,725.00; Capital Improvement Projects Fund, $3,757.49; and
Appropriations Grant Fund, $675.00; as presented in Exhibit 21.
Motion Carried.
V. NEW BUSINESS
A. Motion by Vice Mayor Clark, second by Council Member McAuley to read by title only, proposed
Ordinance No. 1283, regarding Rezoning Petition No. 23-002-R submitted by Jay Patel on behalf of the
property owner, Jitendra Living Trust, to rezone 0.65+/- acres located at 201 South (S) Parrott AVE, from
Central Business District (CBD) to Heavy Commercial (CHV) for the purpose of expanding the existing
Budget Inn Motel [as presented in Exhibit 3].
Motion Carried.
City Attorney John Fumero read into the record the title of proposed Ordinance No. 1283 as follows: "AN
ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF OKEECHOBEE, FLORIDA; AMENDING THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP
OF THE CITY OF OKEECHOBEE BY REZONING A CERTAIN TRACT OF LAND MORE
PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED HEREIN, FROM CBD TO CHV PETITION NO. 23-002-R; AMENDING
THE ZONING MAP ACCORDINGLY; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT; PROVIDING FOR
SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE."
Motion by Vice Mayor Clark, second by Council Member McAuley to approve the first reading and set
February 20, 2024, as the final Public Hearing date for proposed Ordinance No. 1283. Planner Ben Smith,
of Morris-Depew Associates, Inc., 2914 Cleveland AVE, Fort Myers, FL 33901, attending electronically
via Zoom, presented the Planning Staff Report which finds the request is reasonably compatible with
adjacent uses, even with the non -conforming use and structure; and is consistent with the
Comprehensive Plan. Planning Staff and Planning Board recommend approval. Mayor Watford advised
the applicant's representative to convey the complexity of correcting the non -conforming issues,
especially the existing structures and parking, before the Technical Review Committee could approve
any expansion of the motel. Roll Call Vote: Chandler -Yea, Clark -Yea, Jarriel-Absent, McAuley -
Yea, Watford -Yea.
Motion Carried.
1
JANUARY 16, 2024, CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING, PAGE 1 OF 2
373
1
V. NEW BUSINESS CONTINUED
B. Motion and second by Council Members Chandler and McAuley to approve a [second] extension of a
Lease Agreement with the Chamber of Commerce [for the premises and structures located at 55 S Parrott
AVE, the West half of Block R of FLAGLER PARK, OKEECHOBEE, Plat Book 5, Page 5, Okeechobee
County public record] until September 30,2028 [as presented in Exhibit 4].
Motion Carried.
C. Motion and second by Council Members Chandler and McAuley to award a contract [in the amount of
$880,825.96, and not to exceed $905,825.96 to include potential material overages] contingent upon the
bidder responding within 45-days of January 3, 2024, to extend the bid offer beyond the original 90-days
for Bid No. PW 06-10-08-23 Southwest 5th AVE Improvements to Ranger Construction Industries [as
presented in Exhibit 5] the City was awarded $334,951.00 from a Florida Department of Transportation
(FDOT) Small County Outreach Program Grant No. G1A84 for this project.
Motion Carried.
VI. CITY ATTORNEY UPDATE
• Continuing to work with City Administrator on the hardening grant for City Hall.
• Responding to issues regarding the Commerce Center.
• Finalized the lease extension for the Chamber of Commerce.
• Research for the Firefighters' Pension Fund and Police Officers' Pension Trust Fund merger.
• The Memorandum of Understanding with Freedom Baptist Church to address maintenance and insurance
issues related to their use of City property for overflow parking is progressing.
VII. CITY ADMINISTRATOR UPDATE
• FDOT road resurfacing and curb work will begin this month along North Park Street from Parrott AVE past
the City Limits (East 13th AVE), to SE 17th AVE.
• Working with the Economic Development Corporation to publish a six to eight -page article featuring the
City in Business View Magazine, and an interview with the Mayor.
Vill. COUNCIL COMMENTS
Council Members Chandler and McAuley advised they will be absent from the next meeting, February 6,
2024.
Mayor Watford noted the reason for Council Member Jarriel's absence tonight may be because he was
performing his South Florida Fair Board Member duties by attending the Fair in Palm Beach County.
IX. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further items of discussion, Mayor Watford adjourned the meeting at 6:41 P.M.
Submitted By:
f
ane Gdmiotea, CIVIC, 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.
JANUARY 16, 2024, CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING, PAGE 2 OF 2