Fort Walton Beach Council minutes — 06-30-09 special minutes — reading text

235 MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING OF THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA JUNE 309 2009 INTRODUCTION A special meeting of the City Council of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, was held on Tuesday, June 30, 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; Toni Craig, City Attorney; and Department Directors. Absent: Helen Spencer, City Clerk PURPOSE The purpose of this meeting is to set the tentative ad valorem millage rate for FY 2009 -10. 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. Garvie moved to approve the agenda as the business of the day. Mr. Reeves seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Nabors, Patterson, and Rynearson in favor. TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE The City Manager advised the City has not yet received the DR420, the document that establishes the taxable value for the City upon which the millage rate is based. The City Manager advised it is due from the Property Appraiser by July 1, and suggested a special meeting on Thursday, July 2, during the day or early evening to set the millage rage. He advised that from a staff perspective, the tentative millage rate of 4. 1986 mills has not varied from last year and it is not contemplated on being changed, and he asked for an agreeable time on Thursday to meet. Mr.Holmes moved to continue the meeting to Thursday, July 2, 2009, at 2: 30 pm. Mr. Rynearson seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Nabors, Patterson, and Rynearson in favor. APPROVAL OF RENEWAL OF LAW ENFORCEMENT MUTUAL AID Police Chief Ted Litschauer requested Council' s approval of the Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Agreement which involves the law enforcement agencies in Okaloosa County. Chief Litschauer advised it is a verbatim replacement for a previously signed agreement. The Mayor asked for public input. There was none. Mr. Reeves moved to approve the Combined Operational Assistance and Voluntary Cooperation Mutual Aid Agreement. Mr. Miller seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Nabors, Patterson, and Rynearson in favor. 236 Special Council meeting 6 -30 -09 BUSINESS RETENTION PANEL APPOINTMENTS The City Manager informed that at the June 23, 2009 meeting, Council established the formation of a Business Retention Panel to include nine key stakeholders who represent a cross -section of the Fort Walton Beach business community to serve at the request of Council. The mission of the Panel is to identify obstacles and opportunities the City may consider to ultimately improve and stabilize the local economy, and provide an action report in January 2010 on said measures to the City Council. The City Manager advised the following individuals have confirmed they wish to participate on the Panel:Andy Corbin, President, Technical Services Laboratory; Robbie Epstein, Vice President of Range Control, DRA Training and Control Systems; Tom Rice, Magnolia Grill; Mark Siner, Choctaw Engineering; Barry Stafford, Emerald Coast Association of Realtors; Pravin Chauhan, Hotel Owner; ' Brian Rosales, Banker; Jane Briere, Director, UWF Small Business Development Center; and John McGee, President, First City Bank. Discussion ensued regarding Ted Corcoran of the Chamber of Commerce and Larry Sassano of the EDC serving in an advisory capacity to the Panel. The City Manager expressed the feeling that these individuals can speak their positions on issues, and having members of the private sector would give a better picture of what the City can do to change how it conducts its business to help them. Clarification was given that the Chamber and EDC representative would not be voting members of the panel; that the Panel would operate under the Sunshine; and that the City Manager along with the Senior Planner would attend the meetings; and the City Clerk's office would take minutes. It was noted that Res. 2009 -24 states there will be six members of the panel and that there are nine volunteers. The City Attorney suggested that if Council decides to include all nine persons the motion would need to include revising the resolution to include nine members. The Mayor asked for public input. There was none. Mr. Reeves moved appoint the following nine volunteers to the Business Retention Ad Hoc Panel as a cross section of the local business community: Andy Corbin, President, Technical Services Laboratory; Robbie Epstein, Vice President of Range Control, DRA Training and Control Systems; Tom Rice, Magnolia Grill; Mark Siner, Choctaw Engineering; Barry Stafford, Emerald Coast Association of Realtors; Pravin Chauhan, Hotel Owner; Brian Rosales, Banker; Jane Briere, Director, UWF Small Business Development Center; and John McGee, President, First City Bank, and to exclude having members of the Chamber of Commerce and the EDC act as an advisory to the Panel. Also, to amend Res. 09 -24 to include nine members. Mr. Patterson seconded motion. Council discussion included the pros and cons of having the two individuals act in an advisory capacity to the Panel, including they have a wealth of experience and resources to share but that the intent of the Panel was to reach into the business community and that the nine individuals who volunteered are stellar in the business community. Discussion ensued regarding the section of the Res. 2009 -24 that states " a designee of the City Manager shall serve as the City staff liaison to the Panel" and that a member of City staff supports all City boards and committees; therefore, the resolution does not need to be changed. The City Attorney agreed, stating it was not anticipated that the City Manager or his designee would be a voting member of the panel. The Mayor stressed that what was being discussed and voted on was the makeup of the Panel and not the Staff support to the Panel. The Mayor called for the vote on the motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Nabors, Patterson, and Rynearson in favor. Special Council meeting 6 -30 -09 237 CITY COUNCIL BUDGET The Mayor mentioned the Council budget that was provided to them by the City Manager and asked they review it and provide any feedback to the City Manager. ADJOURNMENT As there was no further business, the meeting adjourned at 5:55 pm. eG el APPROVED: MAYOR: ATT ST: i CITY CLERK i Ive