Fort Walton Beach Council minutes — 11-09-2010 regular — reading text

265 MINUTES OF THE REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING OF THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA NOVEMBER 9, 2010 INTRODUCTION A regular meeting of the City Council of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, was held on Tuesday, November % 2010, at 6: 00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, with the following members present: Mayor Mike Anderson Councilmen: Mike Holmes, joyce gossom, Dennis Reeves, Bobby Nabors, Bull Rigdon, and Dick Rynearson Absent: Mike Minich Also Present: Robert Mearns, City Manager; Helen Spencer, City Clerk; Lamar Conerly, City Attorney' s Office; Department Directors and Media 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, then state his or her name and address for the record. INVOCATION Pastor John Hester, Grace Tabernacle Church, gave the Invocation. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mr. Rynearson led in the Pledge of Allegiance. PROCLAMATION --COVENANT HOSPICE The Mayor noted he presented a proclamation earlier in the day at Liza Jackson Park to Jeanne Easterling of Covenant Hospice proclaiming the month of November 2010 as National Hospice Month. PROCLAMATION --ACHIEVEMENT WEEK The Mayor presented a proclamation to John Feagin proclaiming November 14 to 21 as Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Achievement Week. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Mr. Holmes moved to approve the agenda as the business of the day. Mr. Nabors seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, gossom, Reeves, Nabors, Rigdon, and Rynearson in favor (Minich absent). CONSENT AGENDA Mr. Reeves moved to approve the following Consent Agenda items. Mr. Nabors seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, gossom, Reeves, Nabors, Rigdon, and Rynearson in favor (Minich absent). MINUTES OF MEETING Approval of the minutes of the October 26, 2010 regular City Council meeting. 266 Regular Council 11/ 9/ 10 AWARD FOR SELF CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS SCBA BID EQUIPMENT Award Bid 10 -023 to the lowest, responsive responsible bidder, Fisher Scientific LLC, in the amount of $ 92, 864.74 for SCBA equipment upgrades utilizing Assistance to Firefighters Grant, with $ 83, 578. 27 provided by federal resources and $ 9, 286. 47 provided by the City. BID AWARD FOR TENNIS COURT RESURFACING Award Bid 11 -002 to the lowest, responsive responsible bidder, McLean Tennis, Inc., in a not to exceed amount of $ 35, 000 for resurfacing of the Ferry Park Tennis Courts, Jet Park Tennis Courts, and Mooney Tennis Courts. LOCAL MITIGATION STRATEGY (LMS) TRANSMISSION To authorizes transmittal of the 2011 Local Mitigation Strategy to the State Division of Emergency Management to initiate the review process. FWB HOUSING AUTHORITY REQUEST FOR PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES REFUND Consideration of request for Payment in Lieu of Taxes ( PILOT) refund to the Fort Walton Beach Housing Authority. PILOT) Brandy Wunker, Finance Director, advised that the City receives Pilot in Lieu of Taxes ( from the Fort Walton Beach Housing Authority on an annual basis, and the amount received this year was $ 16, 106. 46. Ms. Wunker informed the Housing Authority has requested the City refund the entire amount to help offset expenses incurred with the new development of Germany Terrace. Ms. Wunker explained the recent history of the City has been to waive or rei:und all or a portion of the proceeds of the PILOT payments received from the Housing Authority. However, last year Council expressed the desire to place a cap on the refunded amount, and Council has sole discretion to grant a refund. Council requested a status report on the Sound Side project. Gail Sansbury, Executive Director of the Housing Authority, advised that HUD has received the application and is reviewing it. Ms. Sansbury further advised that the last resident of Germany Terrace has signed a lease and is moving into another facility. The Mayor asked for public input. There was none. Mr. Nabors moved to refund the entire PILOT payment in the amount of $16, 106.46 to the Fort Walton Beach Housing Authority. Mr. Rynearson seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, gossom, Reeves, Nabors, Rigdon, and Rynearson in favor J Minich absent). BMX SKATEBOARD TRACK AND CONCESSIONS FACILITY. Consideration of Bid for BMX Skateboard Track and Concessions facility.  267 Regular Council 11/ 9/ 10 BMX SKATEBOARD FACILITY (CONT) Jeff Peters, Recreation and Cultural Services Director, informed the City issued an RFP for the management of the BMX facility in Sept 2010 and that one bid was received from the current contractor. Mr. Peters informed the bid included responsibilities to provide insurance, utilities, a monthly lease and maintenance of the park. Mr. Peters explained Staff is recommending City Council reject all bids for lease of BMX Skateboard Track and Concessions Facility and allow time to research all recreational opportunities for the property. Mr. Peters advised the facility will remain open on a month to month basis by the current contractor, Emerald Coast Dirt and Vert. Ms. gossom disclosed she was contacted by the proposal respondent via voice mail, but that she did not return the call. Discussion ensued regarding contact and disclosure between members of Council and bidders during the RFP process. Lamar Conerly from the City Attorney' s Office advised he would return to Council with parameters for Council to follow. The Mayor asked for public input. Bill Madden of Emerald Coast Dirt and Vert, the current contractor at the BMX facility, stated he was available to answer any questions that Council might have. Ken Belcher, City resident, spoke in favor of the BMX facility. Johnny Lee Riddle, 1936 Bishop Road, also spoke in favor of the facility. Katherine Weitzell, 145 Jet Drive, discussed the safe environment the facility has for the youth of the area. John Cleveland, Navarre, stated he brings his children to the facility and feels they are in good hands when they are there. Erin Terrin, 239 Beachview, stated she and her young son visit the facility and it helps to bring them together. David Beal, 111 Memorial Parkway, spoke in favor of the facility. Greg Hoover, Niceville resident, stated his daughter enjoys the BMX facility. Mike Hatfield, 3063 Auburn Road, Crestview, stated his two young sons use the park, and they are interested in this kind of sport. Brian Prescott, 602 Camborne Avenue NE, stated the management of the facility has core values they share with the youth that use park. As there was no one further who wished to speak, public input was closed. Roza • Regular Council 11/ 9/ 10 BMX SKATEBOARD FACILITY (CONT) Mr. Holmes moved to reject all bids for the Lease for the BMX Skateboard Track and Concessions Facility and allow Staff time to research all recreational opportunities for the property; that Staff will bring back a recommendation to the City Council in March 2011 that will benefits the most citizens; and that the Skatepark will continue to be open to the public, as the contractor is operating on a month to month contract.. Mr. Rynearson seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, gossom,, Reeves, Nabors, Rigdon, and Rynearson in favor (Minich absent). CRA REQUEST FOR EXPENDITURE Consideration of a request for $20, 000 to replace holiday lights in the CRA District. Tim Bolduc, Building Official, informed Council has before them a request to purchase holiday decorations for the CRA District in an amount up to $ 20, 000 from the CRA' s promotional budget account. Mr. Bolduc stated the CRA reviewed options and made the recommendation to replace the snowflakes and install holiday lighting in the downtown area up -to $ 20,000. 00. Mr. Bolduc explained using CRA funds for the decorations will help promote the downtown area, and that the themes and concepts provided in the proposal are consistent with those of the Downtown Merchants Group. Discussion ensued decorating the Uptown area along Eglin Parkway as well as the downtown area, and that has been discussed and will be looked at in the future. Valerie Wenzel, 29 County Club, Shalimar, discussed the importance of having holiday decorations in the downtown/ CRA district. Mr. Nabors moved to approve funding up to the amount of $ 25, 800, the higher option provided by Staff, to replace the holiday lights in the CRA District. Mr„ Rigdon seconded motion. Mr. Holmes suggested since there is $ 40,000 in the CRA promotional account, now might be the time to continue moving up Eglin Parkway to the Uptown District with the holiday decorations, and that the CRA Board be given the latitude to invest the funds. Mr. Holmes amended the motion to increase the funding to not to exceed $ 40, 000. 00 to be used at the discretion of the CRA Board of Commissioners. Ms. gossom seconded motion. The Mayor called for the vote on the amendment and it carried by a vote of 4 to 2 with Holmes, gossom, Nabors, and Rynearson in favor and Reeves and Rigdon opposed ( Minich absent). The Mayor called for the vote on the motion, as amended, and it carried by a vote of 4 to 2 with Holmes, gossom, Nabors, and Rynearson in favor and Reeves and Rigdon opposed Minich absent). CITY MANAGER REPORTS --COUNTRY CLUB AVENUE RESIDENTS' MEETING The City Manager advised he will be conducting an informational meeting with the residents of Country Club Avenue on Monday, November 15 at 6 pm at the Golf Course meeting room to discuss findings of the traffic study.  269 Regular Council 11/ 9/ 10 MAYOR/COUNCIL COMMENTS Mr. Holmes stated the importance of promoting the City and that the holiday decorations are a way to do that. Ms. gossom advised she spent several days during the past two weeks with different City departments and employees and was very impressed with the thoroughness and ideas of the employees. Mr. Rigdon discussed the idea of consolidating services with the County in the future. Mr. Rynearson stated he was pleased with the attendance at the various soccer fields on Saturday mornings. The Mayor discussed the Military Sustainability Partnership that the City is involved in; the presence of the Police Department at several activities this past weekend; the ceremony for the swearing -in of