Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 04-08-08 regular agenda — reading text

has been ongoing since 2001 and has basically been ignored by the property owner. Mr. Hartwell amended the motion to remove the lien under the condition the property owner pay $ 3, 075. 00, or 5 %, to cover costs incurred by the City. Mr. Holmes seconded motion. Council stressed that the amendment is still strong enough to send a message to Mr. Quigley and other property owners that code enforcement must be enforced; and that the lien will remain until it is fully paid. The Mayor called for the vote on the amendment and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Pullen, Hartwell, and Minich in favor. The Mayor called for the vote on the motion, as amended, -to remove the lien under the condition the property owner pay $ 3, 075. 00, or 5 %, to cover costs incurred by the City, and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Pullen, Hartwell, and Minich in favor. RECESS The meeting recessed at 9: 15 p. m. RECONVENE The meeting reconvened at 9: 20 p. m. PRESENTATION OF OVERALL LEGAL SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR THE CITY Consideration of a presentation by the City Attorney regarding overall legal support system for the City.  75 Regular Council 3/ 25/ 08 LEGAL SUPPORT FOR CITY (CONT) The City Attorney discussed her report she was tasked to do by Council that addresses the attorneys retained by the City, their areas of expertise, and the types of engagement of each attorney. She also provided her recommendation that a uniform letter of engagement be drafted for each attorney that states such items as hourly fee, travel time, phone and fax charges, and other incidentals. The City Attorney also included the total cost of attorneys, and noted that in 2007 there was a definite increase in costs of special and other counsel. She also noted that when the need for special or additional counsel is needed, she is in the know of who can be contacted for the particular situation. Discussion included that the attorneys representing the various pension funds are paid for from the individual pension funds; whether local attorneys could be used rather than out of town attorney; that the special counsel the City employs has a vast amount of corporate knowledge that cannot be replaced; and that coordination exists between the City Manager and City Attorney when special counsel is being considered. Dr. Pullen moved to establish the City Attorney as the `gatekeeper' of tasking for special or additional counsel, and to direct the City Attorney to prepare a uniform letter of engagement to the attorneys retained by the City. Mr. Minich seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Pullen, Hartwell, and Minich in favor. APPOINTMENT OF INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR Consideration of appointment of Interim Finance Director. The City Manager advised the Florida League of Cities ( FLOC) and the Government Finance Officers Association ( GFOA) was contacted to see if they have a program that could be accessed to provide an interim finance director. Neither organization has such a program. However, the City Manager advised the FLOC offered two names, but neither individual is within commuting distance and housing expense would likely be involved, so they were not contacted. The City Manager continued that a referral provided by the FLOC led staff to an e- mail exchange with a Government Consulting Service Company, but the individual would only work two days per week at a rate of $125. 00 per hour. For these reasons, the City Manager requests Council' s approval to appoint Brandy Wunker, currently the City Comptroller, as the Interim Finance Director, with an out -of -class pay of 15% of basic pay for the duration. The City Manager advised an interim Finance Director is needed to handle the daily activities of the Finance Department; that Ms. Wunker has the ability to carry out the duties of an interim Finance Director; and that Ms. Wunker is- highly respected among her peers within the Finance Department and the rest of the City Staff. Discussion ensued regarding whether anything has been done locally to locate an interim Finance Director; and the concern that if Ms. Wunker is appointed she not be overworked in that position as was the case in the past. The City Manager advised the Finance Department is fully staffed which it was not previously, and if Ms. Wunker has any problems she will contact the City Manager and address her concerns. Mark Wiltsie, Human Resources Director, advised he received two contacts from the FLOC who may be interested in the position and were qualified, but he did not contact either individual as they were out of town and there would be commuting issues. Mr. Wiltsie stated it was his intention to contact these individuals to see if they would be interested in a full -time position. 76 Regular Council 3/ 25/ 08 INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR APPOINTMENT (CONT) The City Manager stated if Council desired them to be contacted, she would contact them. She kw' stressed the FLOC did not recommend them; that the FLOC merely provided names of individuals they knew who might be interested. Council discussed the possibility of hiring temporary work in the lower accounting levels if the interim Finance Director expressed a heavy workload. Also discussed was the long length of time it took to hire the previous finance director, and that the labor market is tighter now and there will be a better-chance .at finding a qualified individual in a timely manner. Mr. Minich moved to appoint Brandy Wunker as the Interim Finance Director until a new Finance Director is recruited and in place, and to award an out-of -class pay of 15% for the duration. Mr. Holmes seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Pullen, Hartwell, and Minich in favor. APPROVAL OF FINANCE DIRECTOR JOB ANNOUNCEMENT/RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE Consideration of approval of the Job Announcement and Recruitment Schedule to begin the process to fill the Finance Director position. Mr. Wiltsie discussed the proposed recruitment schedule for Finance Director, and stated the salary range begins at $ 90,000 or higher, depending on qualifications. Mr. Wiltsie advised a local and state -wide salary survey was done which support that range, and that ads will be placed in various publications. He also advised a Review Committee, comprised of the City Manager, two department directors, and a member of the Finance staff, to be present at interviews and recommend to Council. Mr. Wiltsie stated that the City plans on having a new finance director by the third week of July. Discussion included the proposed salary range, and Mr. Wiltsie explained that it was taken into consideration that the City has entities that other cities our size does not have, such as four enterprise funds, a museum, library, and golf course; and whether the salary range could be broader with a starting rate of $ 70,000 to $ 100,000; and that a lower starting salary would not bring about many potential candidates. Council questioned whether the search firm used the last time was available and whether there was a guarantee if the individual hired through them did not work out. Mr. Wiltsie stated it was his understanding the search firm would provide services for free only if the individual hired resigned, but he would check into that with the search firm. Mr. Miller proposed that a citizen sit in on the Review Committee, and he would make a motion to that effect. The Mayor asked for public input. There was none. Mr. Minich moved to approve the Job Announcement and Recruitment Schedule to begin the process to fill the Charter Officer Finance Director position, with an estimated start date of a new Finance Director on July 21, 2008. Mr. Garvie seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Pullen, Hartwell, and Minich in favor. Mr. Minich recommended, although not as part of the motion, that the last part of the process be a recommendation from the City Manager that the Finance Director will work under the supervision of the City Manager, and that the City Manager's recommendation carry the most weight.  77 Regular Council 3/ 25/ 08 FINANCE DIRECTOR JOB ANNOUNCEMENT /RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE (CONT) Mr. Miller moved to appoint a citizen, Ms. Sam Kinkaid, to the Review Committee to interview finalists for Finance Director. Dr. Pullen seconded motion and it failed by a vote of 2 to 5 with Miller and Pullen in favor and Holmes, Reeves, Garvie, Hartwell, and Minich opposed. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL APPOINTMENT Consideration of Council appointment to the Economic Development Council ( EDC) from April 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009. Mr. Minich nominated Virgil Miller to serve as representative and Wayne Pullen as alternate to the Economic Development Council ( EDC) from April 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009 and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Pullen, Hartwell, and Minich in favor. OKALOOSA COUNTY LIBRARY COOPERATIVE APPOINTMENT Consideration of Council appointment to the Okaloosa County Library Cooperative from April 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009. Mr. Minich nominated Wayne Pullen to serve as representative and Bill Garvie as alternate to the Okaloosa County Library Cooperative from April 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009 and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Pullen, Hartwell, and Minich in favor. OWTPO APPOINTMENTS Consideration of appointments of Council representatives to the Okaloosa Walton Transportation Planning Organization ( OWTPO) from April 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009. Mr. Minich nominated Mike Holmes as representative and Mike Minich as alternate, Jim Hartwell as representative and Virgil Miller as alternate, and Bill Garvie as representative and Dennis Reeves as alternate, to serve on the Okaloosa Walton Transportation Planning Organization ( OWTPO) from April 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009 and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Pullen, Hartwell, and Minich in favor. OKALOOSA HOUSING PARTNERSHIP APPOINTMENT Consideration of Council appointment to the Okaloosa Housing Partnership (formerly Okaloosa County Development Corporation, OCDC) from April 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009. Mr. Minich nominated Wayne Pullen to serve as representative and Mayor Anderson as alternate to the Okaloosa Housing Partnership ( formerly OCDC) from April 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009 and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Pullen, Hartwell, and Minich in favor. OKALOOSA COUNTY LEAGUE OF CITIES REPRESENTATIVE Consideration of Council representative to the Okaloosa County League of Cities (OCLOC) from April 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009. Mr. Minich nominated Mayor Anderson to serve as representative and Bill Garvie as alternate to the Okaloosa County League of Cities ( OCLOC) from April 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009 and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Reeves,