Fort Walton Beach Council minutes — 06-02-09 special minutes — reading text

211 MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING OF THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA JUNE 29 2009 INTRODUCTION A special meeting of the City Council of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, was held on Tuesday, June 2, 2009 at 6: 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 to discuss a lease of property to the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge and the CDBG Action Plan. 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. Garvie seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Nabors, Patterson, and Rynearson in favor. EMERALD COAST WILDLIFE REFUGE Approval of lease for City property located at 55 Hill Avenue, in the Commerce and Technology Park to the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge, Inc. The City Manager recounted that the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge approached the City with an interest in leasing 5 acres on Hill Avenue in the Commerce and Technology Park. He noted the property is partially wetland and suits their purposes but the lease gives the Refuge six months to evaluate the property to determine if the land is really suitable for their purpose and if it is determined the land is unusable the lease becomes null and void. He pointed out the lease is for a five year period with an option to renew for an additional five years at $ 1. 00 per year. He said the lease serves the public purpose of providing land for the establishing of rendering wildlife rehabilitation services. The Mayor opened the floor for public input. As there was none public input was closed. Mr. Reeves moved to approve the lease with the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge for the property located at 55 Hill Avenue for a term of five years with an option to renew for an additional five years at $ 1. 00 per year. Mr. Nabors seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Nabors, Patterson, and Rynearson in favor. 212 Special Council meeting 6 -2 -09 CDBG ACTION PLAN Approval of the CDBG Action Plan to absorb additional funds available for an additional rehab. The Building Official explained stimulus funding has been made available and the Plan has to be 5th. amended, approved and submitted to HUD by June He noted there are three actions needed tonight; first is to amend the CDBG Action Plan to absorb additional funds available for an additional rehab; second is approval of Resolution 2009 -18 waiving the public participation notice requirement; and third is approval of Resolution 2009 -17 amending the CDBG budget to receive the stimulus funds. He further explained because of the manner in which the information was received there was not enough time to take it before the Citizens Advisory Committee ( CAC) for a recommendation. He said it will be brought back before the CAC and again before City Council before the money is actually spent. The City Attorney clarified the CAC will meet to remediate on the meeting that was held in May to do it all again. She explained it is not within the purview of the CAC to accept the process; it is only within their purview to determine the expenditure of the money. The Mayor opened the floor for public input. Lewis Jennings, 605 Mooney Road, member of the CAC, expressed that the whole committee has been fully involved and they are fully aware of what is going on. He said the committee will meet again to make a recommendation on spending the funds. He said they have no control over receiving the money, they only recommend the expenditure. He said with the new City leadership and organization they are moving forward and Council will see more of the CAC present when they make recommendations to answer any questions. As no one else wished to speak public input was closed. Mr. Garvie moved to approve the revised CDBG Annual Action Plan as adopted by the Citizen' s Advisory Committee to accept the $ 38,366.00 from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for the Community Development Block Grant program. Mr. Holmes seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Nabors, Patterson, and Rynearson in favor. RES. 2009 -18: CDBG CITIZEN' S PARTICIPATION PLAN Adoption of Resolution 2009 -18 waiving notice provision of Citizen' s Participation Plan in accordance with direction provided to CDBG under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA, WAIVING CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ( CDBG) PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PLAN IN ORDER TO ACCEPT FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $ 38, 366. 00 FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT ( HUD) AS PART OF THE AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT 2009. Mr. Reeves moved to approve Resolution 2009 -18. Mr. Rynearson seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Nabors, Patterson, and Rynearson in favor. Special Council meeting 6 -2 -09 213 RES. 2009 -17: AMENDING CDBG BUDGET Adoption of Resolution 2009 -17 amending the CDBG Budget to account for additional funds. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR OCTOBER 1, 2008 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2009 BUDGET TO MAKE CERTAIN AMENDMENTS TO APPROPRIATIONS OF CITY FUNDS FOR HOUSING REHABILITATION; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Mr. Reeves moved to approve Resolution 2009 -17. Mr. Patterson seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Nabors, Patterson, and Rynearson in favor. COUNCIL COMMENTS Council received an update on the property in the Kenwood area that has had Code Enforcement action on it and has deteriorated. Mr. Garvie passed out a copy of A Taxpayer Cost Benefit Report from the Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative. Mr. Nabors reported the Fort Walton Beach representative on the Tourist Development Council TDC) will no longer be allowed to sit as chairperson in the future. ADJOURNMENT As there was no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6: 58 pm. APPROVED: MAYOR: ATTE T: 1 CITY CLERK ddm