Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 02-13-2007 regular agenda — reading text

Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce Historic Downtown Fort Walton Beach Businesses to approve the use of CRArepresenting the funds to hire a professional firm to develop the design and construction plans for the Main Street project. Streetscape CHAMBER REQUEST - MAIN STREET STREETSCAPE PROJECT' Ted Corcoran, representing the Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Merchant Association, gave a power- point presentation of Main Street as he explained the use of CRA funds for the development of a streetscape requesffor the project for both sides of Miracle Strip lJ ." Parkwa.y SE from Brooks Stre~~.on the west to the. B~ooks Bridg~ on th~ east. The project would Include underground utilities; replace the eXisting street lights with decorative lights compatible with the lights on Brooks Street; replace the Bradford Pears with Sabal Palms' provide lighting and irrigation to the palm~; decorative sidewalks between the palms; furniture; and landscape around the palms. ~ itreet I Missy McKim, CDS Director, explained that the proposed Brooks Bridge Parking Lot project has funds set aside in the amount of -$83, 000 which could be used for the design and construction drawings for the Main Street Streetscape project should Council decide not to move forward with the parking lot project. Council questioned whether another study was necessary. The City Manager advised that drawings and landscape designs are needed, that Gulf Power would need to do an estimate for the undergrounding of the utilities, and these are things that cannot be done in- house. The City Manager further explained that after the study was done, Staff would return to Council with a cost estimate for their consideration. The CDS Director informed this is not so much a study, but developing the design plans which would then go through a public input process so the design does have the elements desired by the public. She explained the design part would determine what the project would look like, and she. has grouped the design with the construction drawings so the project could be moved ahead in a quicker manner. Discussion included that property owners oQ Main Street can now go forward with replacing the Bradford Pear trees with Sable Palms i~ t~ y so desire; that the final aw~rd of the projelt will come back to the CRA and to Council; and that the cost for the design and constriction drawings would not be above. the $ 83, 000 in the current CRA fund. Mr. Minich moved to consider an RFP for the design and construction drawings for the Main Street Streetscape project, to include the following: 1) undergrounding utilities; 2) replacing the existing street lights with decorative .lights compatible with the lights on Brooks Street; 3) replacing the Bradford Pears with Sabal Palms; 4) providing lighting and irrigation to the palms; 5) decorative sidewalks between the .palms; street I~ furniture. and landscape around the palms. Mr. Campbell seconded motion. ' The City Manager clarified that Council is approving the authorization of an RFP and that when the RFP comes to Council, that is when the decision will be made on funding the project. Also, the proposal will go to the CRA Board before it goes to Council. The Mayor called for the vote on the motion and it carried by a vote of 6 to 1 with Holmes, Patterson, Campbell, Tucker, Hartwell, and Minich in favor and Pullen Opposed. .,.,  171 01- 23- 07 ACCEPTANCE OF .CRA ANNUAL REPORT Consideration" of acceptance of the Annual Report of the CRA for 2006. Dr. Joyce Gillie Gossom, cRA Chairman, presented a summary of activities of the Community Redevelopment Agency Board of Commissioners ( CRA) during 2006, with recommendations made by the CRA Board on each activity. The activities included several site plans and site plan extensions, as well recommending approval of the 2006/ 07 CRA budget, the Beal Parkway Implementation Plan, and the Eglin decorative lighting project. . Mr. moved to accept the Annual Report of the 2006 CRA Board of Holmes Commissioners. . Mr. Campbell seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Patterson, Campbell, Tucker, Pullen, Hartwell, and Minich in favor. BLUE CROSS/ BLUE SHIELD RENEWAL Consideration of a request to authorize the City Manager to execute a renewal of the City of Fort Walton Beach Medical Insurance Program with Blue Cross/ Blue Shield of Florida. Mr. Tucker , moved to authorize the City Manager to execute a renewal agreement with Blue . Cross/ Blue. .Shield of Florida to provide medical insurance coverage to City employees, retirees and COBRA participants for the claim year February 1, 2007, through Jimuary 31,: 2008, as.fpilows: .'. " ,~, . 1)" The 1.752 Blue' Options' (Base' Plan). Single Coverage, $ 344.37 per month; Family CoVerage, $ 94t~16 per month., . . . 2)' T~e' 702 :Biu9: G,hoice ( Buy~Up. pbm).' Single .Coverage, $ 415.71 per month; Family, boverage, $ 1136. 95' per month. ,... . . . . 3} ; d'$ Tbe: 1' 3.52 Buy Down' Plan:; 'Single Coverage, $ 303. 73 per month; Family Coverage, ' . a30~ 1.0' per'morith." '.' . .... " ..' ." . - . '..'.. .'. . aUer~6n:':secQn.ded' motion and.::it carried unanimously with Holmes; Mr~'P. Patterson,' Catripberr~':fucker,:Pulh:~ H'artWen, 'ancfMinich" in favor.' . "".' . n; eRA ApPQINTMENTS . . Co.nsi~~ ration.of appointments to the CRA Board of C~ mri1issioners. The Mpyor' lnformed: that four of the seven. seats on' the' GRA Board will becQme vacant on January 27oft- hi. s, Yf3ar, and that 14 app~ications have been received for the four vacancies. He noted. that-savercilapplicants are present this evening to introduce themselves to Council and disGusthei'r interests in the GRA. The Mayor ussed the voting procedure, explaining that when nominations are made they do disc;: not require ' 8 second and that there can be as many nominations for a seat as the Council nominates, although' only one nomination per seat is permitted by a Council member. He advised that each nomination will be voted on per' seat; with vacant seats being voted on first, then the incumbents' seats, and the first candidate who receives a majority vote offour will be the CRA appointee. Council asked whether they, would have a chance to question the applicants. The Mayor deferred to the City Attorney; who suggested that questions be made of the individuals who are nominated. . The Mayor announced the 14 applicants: Lyndon Clifton, Bill Dillman, Adam Ehrlich, Christianne Gibson, Joyce Gillie Gossom ( incumbent), Charlene Greenwald, Robert Hudgens, Paul Kieszek incumbent), Ms. Sam Kinkaid, Ms. Daike Klement, James Mattern, Doug Murphy, Emil R. Pagliari, Douglas Reed, and Robert Rettie. It was noted that applicant Adam Ehrlich had withdrawn his application. 72 01- 23- 07 CRA APPOINTMENTS ( CONTI , , Th,e Mayor adviseq he would call the appl! cantsin alphabetical order, and commented he hopes the app~icants not appoint~d to these positions wiU stay engaged in what is happening throughout the city and consider being involved with other City boards and committees. The applicants were invited to approach the podium and introduce themselves. Lyndon Clifton, 1115 White Point Hoad, Niceville, is a property owner in Fort Walton Beach and expressed concern over ~he proposed traffic changes to the downtown area. Bill Dillman was not present. Christianne Gibson was not present. Joyce Gillie Gossom, 25 Bay Drive SE, and current Board member, advised she has enjoyed working on the, CRA the past three years and will serve for a four-year term if appointed by Council. Charlene Greenwald was not present. Robert Hudgens was not present. Paul Kiesze,k, 45 Audrey Drive NWand current Board member, stated his year on the Board has given him' insight as to the function and the vision of the CRA, and would like to serve a full term to be a part of the growth of the City the next four years. Ms. Sam Kincaid, 240 Brooks Street, stated her desire that the City continue to move in a forward direction, and advised she has the time and energy to devote to the Board. Ms. Daike Klement, 120 Miracle Strip Parkway, advised she is a new shop owner downtown and there is a lot of potential for growth downtown and she would like to be a