Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 01-26-2010 Regular — reading text

1717 THIS PAGE IS LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK 18-  CITY COUNCIL MEETING January 26, 2010 Consent Agenda Resolution 2010 -13 Dissolves the Waterfronts Committee Synopsis: Committee requested dissolution and continue as a Chamber of Commerce function Chamber has agreed to sponsor the Committee as a Task Force Agenda Item Number: 3A  CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH MEMORANDUM To: Robert T. Mearns, City Manager From: Samantha D. Abell, Senior Planner Through: Michael D. Beedie, P.E., City Engineer Date: January 15, 2010 Subject: Consideration of Resolution 2010 -03 to Abolish the Waterfront Committee 1. BACKGROUND: 1. 1. The Waterfront Committee was created by City Council via Resolution 2007 -18 to oversee the implementation of the Waterfront Vision Plan. This committee replaced the Waters Edge Ad Hoc Committee that was created by Resolution 2006 -29. 1. 2. At the September 8, 2009, City Council meeting, Council directed Staff to discuss the efficiency and effectiveness of the City' s existing advisory boards in consideration of the City' s 2009 strategies for economic stimulus. 2. DISCUSSION: 2. 1. On January 4, 2010, the Waterfront Committee discussed the possibility of becoming a Chamber of Commerce Task Force in order to become more effective. After consideration of the proposal, the Committee recommended that it is in the best interest of the citizens for City Council to dissolve the Waterfront Committee. 2. 2. The existing Committee is a designated Waterfronts Graduate Community by the Department of Community Affairs' ( DCA) Florida Waterfront Partnership Program. Through this program, funding and technical assistance is available from time to time. The DCA has confirmed both verbally and by email that the Committee will not lose its status in the program by becoming a Chamber of Commerce Task Force. Specifically, the Department of Community Affairs finds that " Under the proposed new structure, it sounds like the Waterfronts Committee will hopefully take on new members, gain new leverage and gain new perspectives on projects ". 3. WATERFRONT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: 3. 1. The Waterfront Committee recommended unanimously ( 3 -0) that City Council abolish the Committee to allow the members to become a Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce Waterfront Committee Task Force to further the mission of encouraging waterfront redevelopment and provide greater benefit to citizens. 19- 4. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: 4. 1. Staff recommends that City Council approve Resolution 2010 -03 to abolish the Waterfront Committee and allow the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce to create a Waterfront Committee Task Force. 5. ATTACHMENTS: 5. 1. Resolution 201.0 -03 5. 2. Waterfront Committee Meeting Minutes, dated January 4, 2010 5. 3. Email from Department of Community Affairs, dated November 6, 2009 5. 4. Resolution 2007 -18 6. SIGNATURE BLOCK: 6. 1. Submitted By: Samantha D. Abell, Senior Planner 6. 2. Reviewed and Concur: oil l, a Michael D. Beedie, P.E., City Engineer 6. 3. Reviewed for Agenda: pqbert T. Mearns ty Manager 20-  1 RESOLUTION 2010 -03 2 3 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA; 4 ABOLISHING THE WATERFRONT COMMITTEE; AND SETTING AN 5 EFFECTIVE DATE. 6 7 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT 8 WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA: 9 10 Section 1. Intent and Purpose 11 City Council finds that supporting the Waterfront Committee' s recommendation 12 to become a Greater Fort Walton Beach Waterfront Committee Taskforce will further 13 the mission of encouraging waterfront redevelopment, and provide greater benefit to 14 citizens.The Florida Department of Community Affairs has stated that the Committee 15 will continue as a partner in the Waterfronts Florida Partnership Program and therefore 16 be eligible for technical and funding assistance. 17 18 Section 2. Committee Abolished 19 Therefore, the Waterfront Committee is hereby abolished as of the effective date 20 set forth below. 21 22 Section 3. Effective Date 23 This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the approval by the City 24 Council. 25 26 27 28 29 Dated Mike Anderson, Mayor 30 31 Attest: Approved for form and legal sufficiency. 32 33 34 Helen Spencer, City Clerk Toni L Craig, City Attorney 35 36 Codification Instructions: Not codified. 21-  Original Message---- - From: Toni Craig [ mailto: toni @tonicraig. info] Sent: Monday, January 18, 2010 10: 48 PM To: Samantha Abell Cc: Michael Beedie Subject: RE: review of reso for legal suffcy See attached. 22-  MINUTES OF THE FORT WALTON BEACH WATERFRONT COMMITTEE JANUARY 4, 2010 A meeting of the Fort Walton Beach Waterfront Committee was held on Monday, January 4, 2010, at 5: 30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall with the following members present: Capt. John Johnston, Vice -Chairman; Joseph Bochanski III; and Martha Garvie Absent: Phil Gallmeier Also Present: Samantha Abell, Senior Planner; and Michael Beedie, City Engineer CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order. MINUTES Mrs. Garvie moved to approve the July 6, 2009 minutes. Mr. Bochanski seconded motion and it carried unanimously with, Bochanski, Garvie and Johnston in favor ( Gallmeier absent). PROPOSED TRANSIENT DOCKING Update on proposed transient docking facility at the Fort Walton Landing. Captain Johnston reported since the last meeting staff determined that in 2007 City Council had already approved the concept of the transient docking facility and directed the committee to seek grants for a feasibility study. Ms. Abell mentioned since the issue of transient docking has gone before City Council the City Attorney opined that because the committee is not asking for funding that the request to be authorized to seek and apply for grant funds to conduct a feasibility study for a transient marine facility did not need to go before Council. Mr. Beedie noted the feasibility study will look at permitting requirements, whether it is allowed to go in that location, what type of work would need to be done to make it compatible, etc., then if it is feasible the next step would be to get someone to design it. He said the committee is on the right track going forward with the feasibility study and staff will provide what assistance they can. COMMITTEE EFFECTIVENESS Ms. Abell mentioned staff heard from the committee members they would be receptive in talking with the Chamber on how the committee could be more effective. Ted Corcoran, Director of the Chamber of Commerce, offered, as an option, forming a task force within the Chamber' s umbrella. He mentioned as a task force of the Chamber it would allow the meetings to be held at the Chamber and the committee would no longer be restricted by the Sunshine law, plus the Chamber can offer promotional tools, power in numbers, the resources of the businesses; and it would follow their mission to do what is best for the community. He added that the Chamber would not be a funding source, the Chamber is offering a gathering area and it would be listed as a task force within the realm of their organization. 23- Waterfront Committee 1 - 4 -10 COMMITTEE EFFECTIVENESS Cont. The members agreed that the Sunshine laws tie their hands in communicating with each other; expressed interest in going under the umbrella of the Chamber; and expressed concern over losing the participation and support of the City. Ms. Abell stated that the Waterfront Vision Plan has been incorporated into the Plans of the City which means it is now the mission of the City and they must follow through with the objectives of the Plan. Mr. Bochanskimoved that the Waterfront Committee is in support of becoming a Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce task force committee and recommend to City Council that the Fort Walton Beach Waterfront Committee be dissolved. Mrs. Garvie seconded motion. During discussion support of the idea was expressed by the members with the hope that the committee would not be totally severed from the City. Ms. Abell reassured the members that they would not lose status as a waterfront community. The Vice -Chairman called for the vote on the motion and it carried unanimously with Bochanski, Garvie, and Johnston in favor (Gallmeier absent). Ms. Abell advised staff will prepare a resolution for Council consideration on January 26th to disband the committee:. Mr. Corcoran advised if it is approved by City Council to dissolve the committee, he would like to meet with the four members first to discuss the direction they would like to take. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN Election of Officers was continued from October 5, 2009 meeting. Mr. Bochanski moved to table election of Officers. Captain Johnston seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Bochanski, Garvie, and Johnston in favor (Gallmeier absent). ADJOURN Being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6: 30 p.m. ddm 24-  Original Message---- - From: Elisabeth .Salinas@dca. state.fl. us [ ma i Ito: Elisabeth. Salinas @dca. state.fl. us] Sent: Friday, November 06, 2009 10: 51 AM To: Christy Johnson Subject: Re: FWB Waterfront Florida Committee Christy, I think the idea to make the Waterfronts Committee a subcommittee of the chamber is a good one. Under the proposed new structure, it sounds like the Waterfronts Committee will hopefully take on new members, gain new leverage and gain new perspectives on projects. To inform the new group's discussions, it may be a good idea to prepare some sort of new member orientation packet to familiarize new folks with the Waterfronts Program and to remind your group about the history of the FWB Waterfront Partnership and about some of the special opportunities that are available to the city as a Waterfronts " graduate" community. I recently sent you all several copies of our new Community Case Studies guidebook and would be happy to send you more if you think it would be helpful ( I would also be happy to send brochures, the best practices guidebook, and could possibly even visit with the new committee). I am also glad to hear that you will continue