Fort Walton Beach Council minutes — 08-28-07 regular minutes — reading text

111 Regular Council Meeting 8/28/ 07 RES. 07- 18. CREATION OF FWB WATERFRONT COMMITTEE The Mayor read the resolution by title only. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA, CREATING THE FORT WALTON BEACH WATERFRONT COMMITTEE; ESTABLISHING ITS MEMBERSHIP AT FIVE MEMBERS; AND SETTING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Gercak, Chairman of the Waters Karen Edge/Waterf onts Florida Partnership Committee WFPC), discussed the importance of the City' s waterfront and the need for it to be protected. Mrs. Gercak noted the projects the WFPC has completed, including the " Drains to Bay" stencils on outfalls, signage welcoming boaters to the City, secured DCA funding for studies at the Landing for the Visitors Dock, participated in Arbor Day, and worked with a consultant to complete a master plan for Liza Jackson Park. Mrs. Gercak stressed the need for the committee to continue in order to maintain the waterfront for the community. The CDS Director explained that a two- year grant for $ 25, 000 was awarded to the City which required a match but the match was waived the first year. She advised the program funded a part- time employee at 30 hours per week whose primary responsibility was the overseeing of the Waterfronts Florida grant program. The CDS Director advised Staff' s recommendation is that the WFPC be dissolved, and that a new committee, the Fort Walton Beach Waterfront Committee, be established and meet on a quarterly basis to review issues concerning the waterfront area. Discussion included that staff support for the committee would consist primarily of the Environmental Specialist and the CDS Director, and would include agendas, minutes being taken by the City Clerk' s Office, and that staff time from the CDS Division could be no more than 30 hours. Further discussion included that Staff recommended the WFPC become a 501- C3 group, as this is the position other communities have taken, but that the Committee has chosen not to do this, citing lack of time and expertise, and they wanted to continue to have the full support of the City. The CDS Director informed Council that the staff is not readily available to give to the Committee support at the level they have grown accustomed to, and that if they become a 501- C3 the City will still maintain its Waterfront Community status, which is important and shows the City is concerned about the waterfront and water quality. Additional discussion included that the Committee would like to focus on all the waterfront in the City, not just the downtown area from Liza Jackson Park to Brooks Bridge, but that would be at the guidance of Council. Council inquired of the CDS Director as to the benefit of the Committee to the City. The CDS Director stated her feeling the Committee has been a benefit as it relates to the Waters Edge and Waterfront Florida Committee, it encouraged environmental grants as per the Save the Bay stencils, and the importance of the Waterfront Vision Plan, which feeds into both the City' s Comprehensive and CRA Plans. Council questioned the CDS Director if she will be able to juggle all that is going on in the CDS Division with the cutback in staff. She advised it would be a challenge but she will do her best to continue to provide all the boards/ committees she is responsible for with staff support. 112 Regular Council Meeting 8/ 28/ 07 RES. 07- 18 ( CO NT) The City Manager stated that if the workload for the WFPC Committee becomes too demanding for the CDS Division to provide, she will come back to Council and let them know the Committee is requiring more resources than Staff can provide. She would ask that additional resources be provided or the City could not follow through with certain program or initiatives the Committee may bring forward. The City Attorney clarified that the City could indeed force the Committee to become 501- 3C by not continuing the two committees, and it would be up to a citizen or someone to take up that role. Also, the City Manager informed this resolution is narrowly drawn on the purpose, which is to implement and recommend funding for the projects that are already in the two plans that have been created. Therefore, there should not be a lot of initiatives because there are already two plans and they would set out which areas of the City are addressed. Glenda Glover, 115 Wayne II Circle, noted the difficulty of a 501- C3 Committee and understands their reluctance, and does not encourage a committee of the City to become a 501 C3. She was also advised that members would have to be reappointed by Council if a new committee were established. Will Corbin, 200 West and representing the Water' s Edge Ad- Hoc Committee of which he is a member, stressed the importance of the Committee and asked Council to support them and the momentum it represents; that they are pushing for action and are willing to bear the burden of the committee. Dr. Pullen moved to adopt Res. 07- 18 with a change in Section 3 that each member will the Committee for a term of four years, and in Section 5 to delete the words serve on each month' and have the first sentence to end after the word Committee. Mr. Garvie seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Garvie, Pullen, Hartwell, and Minich in favor ( Reeves absent). Council expressed support for the Committee continuing, but also had concerns about the workload on Staff and the need to maintain the Neighborhood Program, and encouraged the Committee to do as much as possible on their own. IMPACT FEE RECONNAISSANCE STUDY- TISCHLER- BISE INC. Request authorization to negotiate with the top- ranked firm, Tischler- Bise Incorporated of Bethesda, Maryland to evaluate and implement an Impact Fee Reconnaissance Study ( RFP 07- 120) and to update Water and Sewer Impact fees, for a total cost not to exceed $ 38, 200. If approved, a budget amendment will be prepared and submitted for Council approval. The Utilities Director informed this is an ongoing directive from Council to explore additional I> impact fees in addition to the present water/ sewer impact fees, and that the RFP process has been completed and the firm of Tischler- Bise is Staff' s recommendation. He advised this firm offered the recommendation of an Initial Phase Impact Fee Reconnaissance, or feasibility study, be performed to evaluate the need for additional impact fees, which would cost $ 8, 500. 00, and that Staff recommended doing the study. The Utilities Director advised Staff further recommends proceeding with updating the current impact fees for water and sewer at a cost of $ 27, 700. 00, at a not to exceed cost of $ 38, 200. 00 for both the study and the updating of current impact fees. Discussion ensued regarding the reason for choosing a firm out of Bethesda, Maryland, was that this firm had the best qualifications and they offered the reconnaissance study.  113 Regular Council Meeting 8/28/ 07 IMPACT FEE STUDY ( CONT) Discussion included that impact fees are evaluated on the appropriateness of the City' s current state of development and future development, and the study will help determine if it is feasible to implement additional impact fees, and that an outside expert can establish the fees and be prepared to defend them legally for the City if the need ever arose. Glenda Glover, 115 Waynell Circle, asked how long it would take to recoup almost $ 40, 000 for another study in impact fees and was advised it would depend on the rates and how much development there is. Dr. Pullen moved to negotiate with the top- ranked firm, Tischler-Bise Incorporated of Bethesda, Maryland, to evaluate and implement Option 1, to perform an Impact Fee Reconnaissance Study ( RFP 07- 120) at a cost of $ 8, 500; and Option 2, to update Water and Sewer Impact Fees at a cost of $29,700; not to exceed the total quoted amount of 38, 200. 00. Mr. Hartwell seconded motion. Council discussed the pros and cons of impact fees and the need for a feasibility study to evaluate these fees. The Mayor called for the vote on the motion and it carried by a vote of 4 to 3 with Holmes, Anderson, Pullen, and Hartwell in favor and Miller, Garvie, and Minich opposed ( Reeves absent). RECESS The meeting recessed at 9: 45 p. m. RECONVENE The meeting reconvened at 9: 55 p. m. GOLF CLUB FEES Consideration of implementing Golf Club Fees effective immediately. Mr. Miller moved to suspend Roberts Rules of Order for discussion on this item. Mr. Hartwell seconded motion and it carried by a vote of 5 to 1 with Holmes, Miller, Garvie, Pullen, and Hartwell in favor and Minich opposed ( Reeves absent). Mr. Miller stated he was under the impression that the new fee structure at the golf course, as recommended by the Golf Club Administrator at the August 13 Council meeting on the budget, was to take effect immediately to take advantage of the rest of the summer. Mr. Miller stated he sees no reason why the new fees should not be implemented to test them out the last month of the current fiscal year. Mr. Miller was advised the fee structure was voted on as part of the budget which is effective October 1, and that the rate change at the golf course is not effective until June 1, 2008. Mr. Garvie stated he was under the same impression that the fees would be implemented immediately. The City Manager explained these fees are part of a comprehensive fee schedule, and in order to change the schedule immediately, a resolution would need to be done and it cannot be done just by a motion. She further informed that Council could direct Staff to bring them forward, but it would have to be done during the Budget Hearing of September 5 when the Comprehensive Schedule will be brought forward and voted on, and a separate resolution would have to be done whereby these particular fees could be made effective immediately upon adoption. 114 Regular Council Meeting 8/ 28/ 07 GOLF CLUB FEES ( CONTI She stressed however, that it would take Staff some time to make the changes in the City' s computer system, and any kind of effect for the golf course itself would be only 15 or 20 days. The City Attorney reported that the information provided by the Golf Club Administrator at the August 13 meeting is additional rates, and not changes to the current rates, and that is an entirely different issue than looking at an increase in current rates. She noted these rates are a significant change as to what has been presented and that the fee resolution will be complex. She advised a resolution to implement fees has to be done, and cannot be