Fort Walton Beach Council minutes — 02-13-07 regular minutes — reading text

SESSION. ISSUES INCLUDE RESTORE AND MAINTAIN MUNICIPAL HOME- RULE AUTHORITY; FAIR AND EQUITABLE PROPERTY TAX REFORM; PRESERVATION OF DEDICATED DOCUMENTARY STAMPS FOR THE HOUSING TRUST FUND; WORKER' S COMPENSATION REFORM; PROVIDING DEDICATED AND RECURRING REVENUE SOURCE FOR MUNICIPAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS; REQUIRING LEGISLATIVE AUTHORIZATION PRIOR TO FOOT DELAYING OR REMOVING WORK PROJECTS CONTAINED IN THE FOOT FIVE YEAR PLAN AND PRESERVING MUNICIPAL FRANCHISING AUTHORITY TO FRANCHISE CABLE AND VIDEO SERVICES. Mr. Holmes moved to approve Res. 07- 02. Mr. Campbell seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Patterson, Campbell, Tucker, Pullen, Hartwell, and Minich in favor. LIFE INSURANCE PROGRAM & SELF- INSURED DENTAL PROGRAM Consideration of a request to authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with ING Employee Benefits/ ReliaStar for the City' s Life Insurance Program and authorize the renewal of the ~. City' s Self- Insured Dental Program with Dental Decisions. The Human Resource Director recommended awarding ING the renewal for the Life Insurance Program and reported their rates came down from previous years, and recommended continuation of - the dental program with Dental Decision and reported there is no rate increase. Mr. Campbell moved to authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with ING Employee Benefits/ ReliaStar for the City' s Life Insurance Program at a two ( 2) year rate guarantee of $.325 per $ 1, 000 of coverage, and to authorize the renewal of the City' s Self- Funded Dental Insurance Program through Dental Decisions with no rate increase. Mr. Patterson seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Patterson, Campbell, Tucker, Pullen, Hartwell, and Minich in favor. Regular Council 2- 13- 07 191 MASTER PLAN FOR LlZA JACKSON PARK Consideration of a request to authorize development of a master plan for Liza Jackson Park with the Waterfronts Florida grant funds. The CDS Director explained the Waterfronts grant provides $ 25, 000 per year for two years and the City has to match the second year grant funding. She said that money is in the CRA fund. She reported the Waterfronts Florida Partnership Committee chose as a project a Master Plan for Liza Jackson Park which is outside the CRA, and in order to do the project the funds received for the grant need to be in the General Fund not the CRA Fund. She said it would require a transfer of the revenue from the CRA Fund to the General Fund. Valerie Wenzel, 21 Country Club Road, Shalimar, suggested the possibility of adding to the Master Plan a dog park at Liza Jackson Park. The CDS Director mentioned as the Waterfront Florida Partnership Committee moves forward and works with the consultant to develop a master plan, the public will have an opportunity to give input at the public meetings. Dr. Pullen moved to approve the request to develop a master plan ( e. g. surveying and consultant) for Liza Jackson Park with this year' s $ 25, 000 reimbursable Waterfronts Florida grant funds to be transferred from the CRA Fund to the General Fund. Mr. Tucker seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Patterson, Campbell, Tucker, Pullen, Hartwell, and Minich in favor. RES. 07- 01- STOKES AVENUE IMPROVEMENTS SPECIAL ASSESSMENT The Mayor read the resolution by title. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH RELATING TO STOKES AVENUE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS AND ASSESSMENT; ACCEPTING THE COMPLETED CONSTRUCTION OF WATER, SANITARY SEWER, STREET AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS ON STOKES AVENUE IN THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH; REVISING THE TOTAL SPECIAL ASSESSMENT TO THE ACTUAL COST OF $ 218, 730. 25; APPROVING THTE REVISED FINAL ASSESSMENT ROLL; ALLOWING ASSESSMENT BE PAID WITHOUT INTEREST AT ANY TIME WITHIN 30 DAYS AFTER THE PASSING OF THIS RESOLUTION; DIRECTING THE FINANCE DIRECTOR TO ISSUE APPROPRIATE BILLING; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE HEREOF. The Public Works Director stated the resolution will finalize the assessment district process, and mentioned the revised assessment reflects a lower slightly assessment amount. He explained the resolution will accomplish several things; the City is the work accepting complete, approving as the special assessment, establishing the revised assessment roll, and directing the Finance Director to issue appropriate billing. Vickie Williams, 2112 Calle De Castelar, Navarre, speaking on behalf of Pastors Dr. Stanley and Patina Williams, Lighthouse of Faith Community Church located at 755 Road, stated on the Lovejoy road between Lovejoy and Stokes there is an extreme amount of flooding experience which was not experienced prior to the project, there is some debris left when the mailbox was removed, and there is about a one foot high pile of concrete that has not been removed. She requested someone go out to look at those before the project is considered complete. The Public Works Director stated he will meet with Ms. Williams to look at the issues and get them resolved. Mr. Tucker moved to approve Res. 07- 01. Mr. Patterson seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Patterson, Campbell, Tucker, Pullen, Hartwell, and Minich in favor.  Regular Council 2- 13- 07 192 REQUEST TO RAISE REHAB LIMITS Consideration of a request to raise the limit on the amount which can be spent on the rehabilitation of homes using CDBG and CRA funds from $ 25, 000 to $ 35, 000, plus 10% for change orders. The CDS Director mentioned the purpose of the CDBG Rehab Program is to bring substandard homes up to a safe condition in meeting the Building Code, and with the increase in cost of building construction and labor they are finding that the $ 25, 000 limit is not sufficient. She stated with an increase in the limit, the number of rehabs completed each year will be reduced from 4 to 6 to 3 to 5 A!I\ rehabs; however, hopefully more contractors will bid and they should see an improvement in the quality of work. Mr. Campbell moved to raise the limit on the amount which can be spent on the rehabilitation 1 0' of homes using CDBG and CRA funds from $ 25,000 to $ 35, 000, plus 10% for change orders. Mr. Holmes seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Patterson, Campbell, Tucker, Pullen, Hartwell, and Minich in favor. COLA ADJUSTMENT FOR CITY MANAGER Consideration of cost- of-living salary adjustment for the City Manager. The City Manager mentioned her contract provides for a cost of living adjustment in the same manner provided to other employees. She said this year the adjustment was 2. 99% for general employees sl and she is asking for Council consideration to provide that retroactive to October 1 as provided for in her employment agreement. Discussion followed on the contract language that states the City Manager shall receive an amount equal to the COLA increase given to the other employees, and that the general employees also receive an additional increase that the City Manager is not requesting. A Point of Order was raised that Council is in the questioning phase and has started debate. The City Attorney was asked if the COLA increase is in the contract then what needs to be discussed. The Attorney commented the contract language reads that the City Manager is entitled to everything the employees receive and she is not asking for that. The City Manager commented during discussion at the Strategic Planning meeting Council made it clear they felt strongly about salaries and benefits and she is coming forward to ask for less because she believes leadership starts at the top. She explained when the budget was prepared it provided the Charter Officers with the same adjustments the other employees received with a 2. 99% COLA and a 3% performance increase, and she is asking for the 2. 99% COLA only. The question was asked on the amount the City also pays for a Special Disability Insurance for the City Manager, which is not reflected in the benefits package. The Human Resource Director replied approximately $ 3, 000. 00. It was also clarified the general employees do not receive that benefit. The Mayor asked if there was any public input. As there was none, public input was closed. Mr. Holmes moved to approve a 2. 99% cost-of-living salary adjustment to the City Manager retroactive to October 1, 2006. Mr. Minich seconded motion. Discussion included comments that Council is contract obligated and the City Manager is asking for less and is taking a leadership role; that the City Manager also acted as Finance Director for most of 2006. During discussion the question was raised regarding the collection of fees in accordance with the fee schedule for Okaloosa on Ice and Villa di Mare. The City offered to research those Manager issues and provide the answers. The question was raised whether the City Manager has turned over all financial responsibilities and authority to the new Finance Director. The City Manager stated she has transferred all the day to day operations to the Finance Director. Regular Council 2- 13- 07 193 COLA ADJUSTMENT FOR CITY MANAGER The Mayor called for the vote on the motion to approve a 2.99% cost-of-living salary adjustment to the City Manager retroactive to October 1, 2006 and it carried by a vote of 6 to 1 with Holmes, Patterson, Campbell, Tucker, Hartwell, and Minich in favor and Pullen opposed. The City Manager thanked Council and expressed she continues to enjoy her job with the City. BOA