Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 06-09-09 regular — reading text

APRIL 6, 2009 A meeting of the Fort V1/ alton Beach Waterfront Committee was held on Monday, April 6, 2009, at 5: 30 p. m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall with the following members present: Capt. John Johnston, Vice -Chairman; Phil Gallmeier; Martha Garvie; and Joseph Bochanski III Also Present: Christy Johnson, Principal Planner; Missy McKim, Development Services Director; and Samantha Abell, Senior Planner CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order. The Vice -Chairman welcomed new member Joseph Bochanski. MINUTES Mr. Gallmeier moved to approve the 1 - 5 -09 minutes. Mrs. Garvie seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Bochanski, Gallmeier, Garvie, and Johnston in favor. BOARDWALK PROJECT Discussion of NOAA Grant Application for the Habitat Restoration and Boardwalk Project. Ms. Abell went over the Feasibility Study & Project Report on the Brooks Landing Habitat Restoration and Boardwalk project. She mentioned this is the first grant applied for to receive federal stimulus dollars for a project that has to be tied to economic stimulus and did not expect it will be the last. She pointed out the application describes the economic stimulus the project would provide for this area and other areas through a ripple effect. She went over the scope of the entire $ 5. 7 million project from Brooks Bridge to Liza Jackson Park with phase I from Brooks Bridge to the Sound Park. She briefly touched on the functions, primary market area, market orientation, demographic perspective, taxable sales, and the site location of the project. She asked the members to individually email her any comments they have so staff can incorporate 7th them into the document. She mentioned they should receive word May whether or not they will receive the funding. SURVEY REPORT Discussion of "Planning for Prosperity: A Survey Report ". Ms. Abell explained the survey was originated by the Vision Plan Stewardship Committee and the Municipal Planning Board in conjunction with the 2020 Comprehensive Plan and the 2004 Vision Plan. She said the survey report is being taken to all the boards and committees to see if this is a tool they would find useful and to ask for any comments they would like to include in the analysis of some of the questions in the report. She then went through the questions asked in the survey and the results of the answers. She asked the committee members to email her any comments they wish to insert in the report. She said the report will be brought back to the committee with the comments from the other boards and committees. ANNUAL REPORT Discussion of Annual Report and designate spokesperson. Mrs. Johnson noted with the resignation of the Chairman Mark Hillman a volunteer is needed to give the annual report to City Council on June 9, 2009. She pointed out the report she prepared for the Waterfronts Florida Program Managers' meeting and said she will add a few items listing what the committee accomplished last year in addition to a request to Council to allow the committee to apply for grants for transient boater. 3- Waterfront Committee 4 -6 -09 ANNUAL REPORT cont. Mrs. Garvie moved to appoint Joseph Bochanski as the spokesperson to give the annual report to City Council. Mr. Gallmeier seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Bochanski, Gallmeier, Garvie, and Johnston in favor. UPDATE —CHARTING THE COURSE Update Charting the Course —Goals and Objectives. Mrs. Johnson mentioned her goal is to have the Environmental Specialist Stella Jones at future meetings to give the committee information on water quality issues and the on -going and upcoming programs. She said the Liza Jackson Park project is underway and she will invite the Stormwater Superintendent Sam Wilson to the next meeting to brief the committee. STATUS OF WELCOME SIGNS Mrs. Johnson reported the Florida Wildlife Commission has just changed the rules on the type of sign allowed in the waterway. She said if the committee wishes to still pursue putting a sign in the waterway then engineering drawings will be needed to comply with the regulations and the committee will also need to ask City Council for the funding. Mrs. Garvie moved that the committee move forward with the regulation welcome signs for the waterways. Mr. Bochanski seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Bochanski, Gallmeier, Garvie, and Johnston in favor. DERELICT VESSELS Status of Removal of Derelict Vessels. Mrs. Johnson mentioned there was State Funding for the removal of derelict vessels and Lt. Hollinhead with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported he submitted his report to the State for the removal of vessels in this area by July. NEW MEMBER Mrs. Johnson noted there is a vacancy on the committee if anyone knows of anyone interested in the at -large position. GARVI E PROJECT Mrs. Garvie spoke about a project she and her sisters are pursuing Florida Forever grants to turn property they own back to its original condition for educational purposes. Martha Garvie left the meeting at 7: 02 p. m. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN This item will be continued to the next meeting. NEXT MEETING AND TOPICS The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 6, 2009 at 5: 30 p. m. Topics for the next meeting: Election of Chairman; Environmental Specialist Stella Jones; Stormwater Superintendent Sam Wilson. ADJOURN Being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7: 15 p. m. ddm 4-  CITY COUNCIL MEETING June 9, 2009 Consent Agenda Approval of Minutes: Special Council Meeting of May 19, 2009 Special Council Meeting of May 26, 2009 Regular Council Meeting of May 26, 2009 Agenda Item Number: 4. 1  MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING OF THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA MAY 19, 2009 INTRODUCTION A special meeting of the City Council of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, was held on Tuesday, May 19, 2009 at 5: 30 p. m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, with the following members present: Mayor Mike Anderson Councilmen: Mike Holmes; Virgil Miller; Dennis Reeves; Bill Garvie, Bobby Nabors; Bill Patterson; and Dick Rynearson Also Present: Robert Mearns, City Manager; Helen Spencer, City Clerk; Toni Craig, City Attorney; and Department Directors. PURPOSE The purpose of this meeting is for Staff to provide Council with an analysis of projected revenues for FY 2010, and request policy direction to complete the budget process. CALL TO ORDER The Mayor called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone. He requested anyone who wished to address Council to approach the podium after being recognized, and then state his or her name and address for the record. PLEDGE The Mayor led in the Pledge of Allegiance. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Mr. Reeves moved to approve the agenda as presented. Mr. Patterson seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Nabors, Patterson, and Rynearson in favor: BUDGET POLICY ISSUES The City Manager gave an overview of the process that was followed in the budget preparation, and advised that Council members were interviewed individually by the Budget Committee to determine what they wanted to see or not see included in the budget and to identify any ideas they might have. He informed that as a result of the individual interviews, it became apparent that public safety, quality of life, and retaining levels of service were of importance, and it became clear that there was no interest to prime increase ad valorem taxes or fees. He said these factors became the goal of Staff to preserve existing levels of service and to ensure the taxpayers would not be affected by any shortfalls. The City Manager continued that each City department was asked to provide an 8% reduction in expenditures, but it became clear that levels of service would be reduced in some departments and the City's organizational chart was analyzed to examine efficiencies and identify redundancies, duplication of services, and unnecessary programs. 5- Special Council meeting 5 -19 -09 BUDGET POLICY ISSUES cont. The City Manager continued that in the past, to achieve a reduction in force the City has relied on the elimination of positions that were unfilled, buyouts of employees for early retirement, or early retirement incentive programs, and a number of unfilled positions eliminated were field positions in which the labor used to sustain established levels of service was let go, but in this budget cycle, this is not the case. Charlotte Dunworth, Budget/Grants Manager, discussed the objectives of this evening' s meeting, including assisting the City Council in understanding the City's available revenue sources and plan of operation and allow revisions as desired; establishing service levels and funding mechanisms in accordance with the priorities of City Council; ascertaining Council' s position on policy issues critical to developing the fiscal year 09/ 10 budget given the fiscal constraints; and preparing a balanced budget that matches ongoing expenditures with ongoing revenues, provides maintenance of current infrastructure, and maintains prudent cash reserves. Ms. Dunworth discussed economic indicators, revenues through ad valorem taxes and user fees; expenses to include personnel and wages, benefits to include medical and the three pension plans; operations and maintenance, capital outlay, and capital improvements. Also discussed were the fiscal year 09/ 10 budget goals to align operations with current economic conditions; streamline personnel and operations to improve efficiency; maintain current service levels, especially in public safety; use excess fund balance for non -recurring expenses; and use salary and /or benefit reductions as a last resort to balancing the budget. Ms. Dunworth concluded the presentation with the policy decisions needed to assist staff in developing a budget. Council' s guidance on the following policy decisions is needed to assist staff in developing a FY 09/ 10 budget: Severance/ Termination Pay; Reorganization Position Eliminations; General Fund Reserves; Outside Agency Funding; Legislative Support; Interfund Transfers; Water Meter Replacement; GIS Mapping; Tipping Fees; Compensation Alternative; Medical Insurance Contribution; and Salary Reductions. It was noted the clearer the guidance by City Council the more effective the City provided Manager can be in developing a budget that will be acceptable to Council. The Mayor opened the floor for questions from Council and the public on the presentation so far. As there was none discussion began on the policy decisions. Severence/Termination Pay Policy Decision: Should the City offer severance pay to employees whose positions are eliminated? The presentation included information that the labor attorney has opined the City Manager is authorized to provide severance pay to employees who are terminated as a result of lay off, reduction in force, or elimination of their position; the public purpose of severance pay is to provide a smooth