2024 09 24 Official Minutes of.,,,4 CITY OF OKEECHOBEE, FLORIDA
m SEPTEMBER 24, 2024
..• ;or PUBLIC MEETING ON INTENT TO FILE GRANT APPLICATION
--- 0; " OFFICIAL MINUTES
I. CALL TO ORDER
City Administrator Ritter called the meeting to order on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, at 3:04 P.M. in the
City Council Chambers, located at City Hall, 55 Southeast 3rd Avenue, Room 200, Okeechobee, Florida. The
Pledge of Allegiance was led by City Administrator Ritter.
II. ATTENDANCE
A. Staff Members in attendance were City Administrator Gary Ritter, City Contracts Manager Andres
Rodriguez, and City Clerk Lane Gamiotea. Two members of the public in attendance were Cayetana
Ortega and Jacqueline Boer and completed their information on the Public Meeting Sign In Sheet, a copy
of which has been included in the Official Minute file.
III. PUBLIC INPUT
A. City Administrator Ritter opened the floor for discussion regarding the 2025 Florida Recreational
Development Assistance Program Grant Application in the amount of$200,000.00 for improvements to
Centennial Park.
Ms. Cayetana Ortega,who lives across the street from the Park, asked whether there are already specific
plans for the improvements, how the funds would be spent, whether the labor to install/construct the
improvements would be outsourced or completed by Public Works staff,would the City consider installing
gates at the kayak ramp or gates at the Park entrance, and will there be more improvements in the future.
City Administrator Ritter and City Contracts Manager Rodriguez responded, there are detailed
plans/drawings for the improvements, but they still needed to be reviewed by the Project Engineer,
construction plans drawn up, and bid out. Those plans include constructing a 300-foot-long boardwalk
with a railing along the water for a fishing area, improve the kayak ramp concrete area to tie in the
boardwalk, designated walking paths, as well as adding landscaping and shade trees around the
playground area. If the City is successful in being awarded the Grant, it would be sometime in July 2025
that the project could be bid out, at that time, they will know whether Public Works staff will be utilized to
off-set costs. The City intends to continue to apply for future grants to expand, improve, and maintain the
amenities within the Park. Staff thanked Ms. Ortega for coming;they would consider her suggestions and
encouraged her to continue providing the City input so they can better serve the citizens.
IV. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further comments or questions offered; City Administrator Ritter adjourned the meeting at
3:13 P.M. _..
Submitted By: ,/
(1 (Li AULC �"0v-
Lane miotea, CMC, ity Clerk
Please take notice and be-advised that when a person decides to appeal any decision made by City Staff 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.
OFFICIAL MINUTES, SEPTEMBER 24,2024, PUBLIC MEETING, PAGE 1 OF 1