Fort Walton Beach Council minutes — 02-14-1966 Special — reading text

39 MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL OF FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA February 14, 1966 I A special meeting Florida, with the was of the City Council, City of Fort Walton Beach, held at City Hall on February 14, 1966, at 3: 30 p. m. following members present: H. H. Carnathan, Mayor Pro Tern C. H. Long James M. Ready C. H. Rigdon, Jr. Fred E. Tolbert, Jr., and City Attorney, City Clerk- Finance Director, and City Manager. Mayor Pro Tern Carnathan stated the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the Ocean City School emergency. City Manager reported that the school was unable to get water through the lines, only sand, and had requested water from the City if they should not be able to clear this up. Mr. Long moved that in the event the City is called upon by the Okaloosa County School Board to furnish water to the Ocean City School that we do so at the earliest possible date. Motion seconded by Mr. Ready. Manager said the engineer estimated the cost to be $ 475. 00 to provide the water - a 4" water tap, and a $ 25. 00 meter deposit. He said the $ 25. 00 would be refundable. He said this would be on a temporary basis until such time as the County gets the sand out of the well they are buying from a private concern. Mr. Ready commented that the school was in operation and the water was needed, and he didn' t see why the City couldn' t continue furnishing water. The vote to the motion was aye unanimously. Mr. Rogers arrived at 4: 15 p. m. I Mr. and and Walker said he had talked with the architects for the school they had reported that a different size line was being run, it was hoped that this would alleviate the sand problem. 40 Mayor Pro Tern announced that Gordon Gibson, Mayor of Cinco Bayou was present and gave him the floor. Mr. Gibson said he had discussed the water franchise with the Cinco Council and wished to discuss two points of the agreement with the Fort Walton Beach Council, those being two that his Council had some objections to. He he had in fairness to the citizens of Cinco Bayou said, sought other proposals after the Fort Walton Beach proposal had been presented to get the best possible arrangement for the citizens. He said by doing this, the Cinco Council had something to compare and weigh, one against another; he said in that way they could come up with something the Council and the people felt they could use. He said he was in favor of working out a solution with Fort Walton Beach because, number 1: the City had been serving the people; and number 2: because we are neighbors and there are a certain number of things the two need to work together on. He said these two reasons were his personal opinion. He said one of the points for discussion was the mandatory clause - that Cinco require everyone to hook onto the system. He said he felt there would be a very few who would not want to, and that this was a minor point but he had been asked to bring this forward by the Cinco Council. He said he realized that the time in which they were supposed to accept the agreement was past, but he was asked by the Council to see if the Fort Walton Beach Council would consider this. He said the other point was the charge for trailers in the trailer parks. He said under the agreement, trailers would be considered as if they were multiple units. The City Attorney was questioned as to whether the Council of Fort Walton Beach could legally leave out the mandatory clause. He said it would not be unless the City' s bond ordinances prohibited it; and if so it would violate those previous bond ordinances to leave the requirement out. lf~. was outside the City Tolbert asked if the fact that this had bearing on the mandatory portion of the bond ordinances any prohibited it; and if so it would violate those previous bond ordinances to leave the requirement out. Mr. Gibson' said theCounty ordinance is not mandatory for water, however, the County going to ask at the next session of the was legislature that it be made mandatory since when they were in a position to make sewage collection available to the people; the cost would make it necessary that connection be mandatory.  41 Attorney asked Mr. Gibson if he referred to a provlslon for just those who do not desire water at this time. I~r. Gibson said no, he referred to any time, that no one be made to connect at any time if they did not desire, but would be able to do so, if at any time, they changed their mind. Longasked if the County Commissioners could prohibit the I drilling of wells. Mr. Gibson said he understood that at this time in the County, that it is necessary for any individual get approval and permit from the County Commissioners to drill a well. Manager said bond ordinance stated that the individuals living contiguous to City water be required to connect. r1r.Long said he didn' t see that the City could change that particular requirement. Manager read water rates for trailers infue City. Mr. Long felt it was Council' s intention to charge Cinco Bayou in the same manner as the City of Fort Walton Beach with the addition of a 37~% premium. He said this was his understanding of Council intBnt. Manager said trailers now use as much water as multiple units, or apartments. rfunager explainedthat he and Mr. Evans, the City Clerk- Finance Director had been researching and had talked with Council some about the need to raise Fort Walton Beach rates and what was in the agreement was in line with what it actually should be in Fort Walton Beach. Mr. Rigdon commented that ten years ago this was probably a good price. He said with trailers having the facilities and appliances they do these days that $ 1. 00 a month is low. Under the agreement the charge would be the total consumption on the meter divided by the number of trailers to get the average water consumption. 11r. Rigdon said that a trailer park meter in Cinco recorded one million gallons and they paid 13t. He asked how trailers parks are in Cinco Bayou. I Mayor Gibson said they have two of any size and besides that, few others with only seven or eight trailers. He said the Town Council was trying to discourage trailer par~. a 42 Mr. Tolbert said since the City needed to make adjustments in its rates, why couldn' t the Cinco agreement be the same as ours is now and at such time as the City makes adjustments theirs would automatically be adjusted. Manager said a utility rating company had been contacted' to see how much the cost would be for a rate study in detail. I Mr. Tolbert said whatever is charged to Fort Walton Beach citizens would be passed on to Cinco Citizens with the 37~% premium attached to it. Mr. Rigdon said his only comment was he felt like it was dangerous to have so many customers on one meter and water could be contaminated from tapping into the system, as it was now done and this was a bad situation. He said if the City were going to make adjustments for trailer two weeks from park then, then ought to go through with it right then. He said he felt City should stick to its guns. Mr. Tolbert said the ordinance makes provision for any increase City makes to be applicable to City customers. Mr. Tolbert said the City set forth workable idea so water can be furnished and not have situation in which one individual is getting City water and supplying to other individuals; that the City is trying to correct that situation by putting it on a basis where City can provide sufficient water facilities in Cinco. Mr. Rigdon asked about multiple units that Mr. Gibson said he had reference to trailers; that there was no question on multiple units themselves. Mr. Gibson said he was the first to agree that there is a need for a franchise. He said he was trying to sell one side, and work for them at the same time. Tolbert said the City had one formula for arriving at the cost to trailers and was presenting different formula to Cinco Bayou plus a premium. Mr. Rogers said he didn' t agree. Mr. Rigdon said they were talking about one million gallons. V~. Gibson said there were other houses and units on the same line. He said some were larger houses and used more water. I He said in most cases a trailer didn' t have as much area to serve as a house. Rigdon asked for clarification if they were discussing that the City give Cinco same rates for trailers as Fort Walton Beach except for the addition of the 37~% premium. He moved that the trailer rates for Cinco Bayou be the same as the rates for Fort Walton Beach with the addition of the 37~% premium, i. e., using the same formula for arriving at the bill plus premium. Motion seconded by Mr. Rogers, and carried unanimously.  43 Council returned to the discussion of the mandatory provision. Mr. Long said he believed the Attorney had said the City couldn' t do that. The attorney said he would have to research it. Er. Rigdon said the City was spending ~ 37, 000. 00 glvlng adequate I water system, and he thought it should be made mandatory. Mr.Rigdon moved that the request that water connection not be mandatory be denied. Motion seconded by Mr. Long. l',: r. Long cornmented that legally the City didn' t have a choice. 11r. Tolbert asked lIr. Gibson when he carried this back to the people of Cino that this is a legal requirement the City has no control over. lclr. Gibson said he believed the press would bear him out that he had pointed this out - that he felt it was only a matter of time until no one could borrow money to construct a water or sewer system unless connection is mandatory. He said he merely brought what he was asked to bring to the