City Commission Meeting Summary - September 10, 2008
The City Commission met in regular session and took the following action (with Commissioner Katz participating by telephone):
Commissioner Gillum introduced and welcomed a colleague from Gainesville, Mr. Travis Edmunds, now a freshman at FSU.
The Commission recognized and welcomed members of Youth Leadership in Tallahassee who were in attendance, including Keri Cornman, Brandy Diekman, Warda Jaber, Tiffany Kim, Marie Moyle, Jared Romero, Jasmyn Sanders, Reid Scarboro and Chase Watkins.
Item 1 - Mayor Marks presented a proclamation proclaiming the week of October 5 - 11, 2008, to be Fire Prevention Week 2008 in the City of Tallahassee.
Item 2 - Fire-Emergency Management Coordinator Robby Powers gave a Power Point presentation on the City's response to Tropical Storm Fay and an overview of the impacts to City operations and services.
Item 2.1 - Mayor Marks presented proclamations recognizing the following 2008 Distinguished Leadership Award Finalists, and the 2008 Lifetime Leadership Award Recipient:
Finalists for the 2008 Distinguished Leadership Awards,
- Leadership Pacesetter: Jeanne Curtin, Sammie Dixon, Dr. Ken Fowler, Jr., Lucas Hewitt, Kim Moore, and Jaimi Wacksman
- Leader of the Year: Raslean Allen, Dr. James Ammons, Pat Dorsey, Kristin Dozier, and Mike Phillips
- Servant Leadership: Carmen Cummings, Walt McNeil, Dr. Jim Stockwell, Steve Uhlfelder, and Roosevelt Wilson
- The 2008 Lifetime Leadership Award Recipient: The Honorable Marjorie Turnbull
Items 4-10 and 12-19 - Voted 5-0 (Commissioner Katz voting by telephone) to approve the staff's recommendations presented in Consent Agenda Items 4-10 and 12-19, taking the following action:
Item 3 - DELETED FROM THE AGENDA a proposed Conditional Concurrency Development Agreement with WP South Acquisition, LLC for the Stadium West Urban Planned Unit Development (PUD), for the development of a site bordered by Pensacola Street, Lovelace Drive, Lipona Road and Belle Vue Way (brought forward by the City Attorney)
Item 4 - Approved the purchase of "standardized" protective relays for use on transmission and distribution lines in the City's Electric Utility System from Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc. (SEL), sole source provider, on an "as required" basis at the negotiated quantity discounted price in the amount of approximately $572,153.50 per year for FY09 and FY10, for a two-year total price not to exceed $1,144,307 (Option 1 as recommended by the Electric Utility)
Item 5 - Approved the purchase of ten (10) 600-amp breakers for the Hopkins Unit 2 480 Volt Station Service Upgrade Project (Quote #0181-08-RM-QP) from Graybar Electric, low bidder meeting specifications, in the amount of $94,100 (Option 1 as recommended by the Electric Utility)
Item 6 - Ratified the City Manager's emergency purchase of materials for reconductoring Transmission Line 3C from the 3M Company, sole source provider, in the amount of $65,681.57 (Option 1 as recommended by the Electric Utility)
Item 7 - Approved a contract amendment, in the amount of $887,928, to the current contract with C. A. Lindman, Inc. for the Kleman Plaza Garage waterproofing and repairs, including a 5% contingency, for a total revised contract amount of $962,683 (Option 1 as recommended by the City Manager's Office)
Item 8 - Authorized the City Manager to sign a contractual agreement with the State Department of Financial Services/Division of State Fire Marshall for 2007-2010 State Homeland Security Grant Program funding for Florida Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 7, in the amount of $161,315 (Option 1 as recommended by the Tallahassee Fire Department [TFD])
Item 9 - Authorized the establishment of a work order with an appropriation of $9,000 from the Animal Shelter Donations Account #366005 and a work order in the amount of $12,000 from the Forfeited spay/neuter Deposits Account #346410, for a total of $21,000 for the purpose of supporting animal shelter operational needs (Option 1 as recommended by Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Affairs [PRNA])
Item 10 - Authorized the purchase of 25 Panasonic TB-30 laptop computers and other associated equipment (0203-08-JAG-QP) from Insight Public Sector, Inc., low bidder meeting specifications, at a cost of $98,618.75 (Option 1 as recommended by the Tallahassee Police Department [TPD])
Item 11 - DELETED FROM THE AGENDA the award of consulting real estate appraisal services contracts (brought forward by the City Manager's Office/Property Management)
Item 12 - Approved an award of bid for the installation of a six-foot ornamental fence and automatic gate at Southside Cemetery on Capital Circle Southwest (IFB #0089-08-TJK-BC) to B & T Fencing, low bidder meeting specifications, in the amount of $73,750; and authorized staff to execute a contract (Option 1 as recommended by the City Manager's Office/Property Management)
Item 13 - Authorized the City Manager, or her designee, to execute a two-year contract extension with Recycled Fibers for the processing and marketing of recyclable materials, based on the projected recycling tonnage of 11,000 for FY2008, which was projected to result in revenues of $650,000 and avoid landfill costs of approximately $400,000 for the current fiscal year (Option 1 as recommended by Solid Waste Services)
Item 14 - Approved a transfer of funds, in the amount of $420,000, from C. K. Steele Plaza Rehabilitation Project #0100757 to a new project for transit planning activities in FY2009 and FY2010, of which $150,000 would be used to fund the 10-Year Transportation Development Plan (TDP) (Option 1 as recommended by StarMetro)
Item 15 - Approved an award of contract for consulting engineering services for the development of the Water Master Plan Update for the years 2010 through 2030 (RFP #0111-08-VA-RC) to Malcom Pirnie, Inc., the selection committee's top-ranked recommendation based on cost and qualifications; authorized the City Manager to negotiate and enter into a contract with Malcom Pirnie, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $350,000; if unable to reach agreement on a satisfactory contract with Malcom Pirnie, Inc., authorized the City Manager to negotiate and enter into a contract with Corollo Engineers, the second-ranked firm; and authorized the City Manager to approve non-scope change orders to the consulting contract in an amount not to exceed $50,000 (Option 1 as recommended by Underground Utilities)
Item 16 - Approved an award of bid to furnish and install an odor control unit at Capital Circle and Blair Stone Road (Bid #0171-08-2008-VA) to Allen's Excavation, Inc., low bidder meeting specifications, in the amount of $57,690 (Option 1 as recommended by Underground Utilities)
Item 17 - Approved an engineering design services task order for the Wastewater Force Main and Reuse Transmission Main Project with PBSJ, pursuant to Engineering Continuing Services Contract #1049, in the amount of $144,842, plus $30,158 for contingency and engineering overhead, for a total of $175,000 (Option 1 as recommended by Underground Utilities)
Item 18 - Ratified emergency purchase orders totaling $550,000 in response to emergency storm activity resulting from Tropical Storm Fay (Option 1 as recommended by Underground Utilities)
Item 19 - Approved the minutes of the following City Commission meetings (as recommended by the City Treasurer-Clerk/Records Management):
- April 10, 2008 Special Meeting (Wakulla Springs Joint Workshop
- May 8, 2008 Special Meeting (Comp Plan Cycle 2008-1 Amendments Joint Public Hearing)
- June 4, 2008 Special Meeting (Comp Plan Cycle 2008-1 Amendments City Commission Workshop)
- August 19, 2008 Budget Workshop
Items 20-21 - By consensus, introduced Ordinances Nos. 08-O-59 and 08-O-62, and set the ordinances for public hearing as recommended:
Item 20 was a staff recommendation to introduce Ordinance No. 08-O-59, which would amend the City Code to utilize the negotiated additional 1% in pension funding to reduce individual firefighter's annual pension contributions beginning in FY2009, and set the ordinance for public hearing on September 24, 2008 (Option 1 as recommended by the City Treasurer-Clerk/Retirement Administration).
Item 21 was a staff recommendation to introduce Ordinance No. 08-O-62, which would adopt the 2008 Annual Capital Improvements Element (CIE) Update to the Comprehensive Plan, and set the ordinance for public hearing on September 24, 2008, at 6:00 p.m., in the City Commission Chambers, City Hall (Option 1 as recommended by the City Attorney).
Item 22 - Voted 5-0 (Commissioner Katz voting by telephone) to approve a proposed 0% interest loan from the Housing Trust Fund to Rainbow Rehab, in the amount of $78,000, for the acquisition and rehabilitation of 303 Putnam Drive as a single family affordable housing unit, with a loan maturity date that was the earlier of (1) the sale of the unit or (2) one year from the date of the note (Option 1 as recommended by Economic & Community Development/Housing Division)
Item 23 - Voted 5-0 (Commissioner Katz voting by telephone to approve supplemental appropriations to the fuel and purchased power operation expense accounts for Electric and Gas Utilities, in the amounts of $31.8 million in the Electric Fund and $1 million in the Gas Fund, enabling the City to meet projected shortfalls in the energy and fuel cost budgetary requirements of the City's retail and wholesale customers for the remainder of the current fiscal year (also reflected as a total increase of $32.8 million in Energy Services Department's Fund) (Option 1 as recommended by Energy Services)
Item 24 - Voted 5-0 (Commissioner Katz voting by telephone) to approve funding in the amount of $307,420 and authorize Hatch Mott MacDonald to proceed with Phase II of the Sewer Master Plan, to prepare a Future Conditions Model and recommend collection systems improvements, including a $12,500 allowance for workshops and presentations, and exceeding the fee negotiated in 2004 by $61,680 for scope changes (Option 1 as recommended by Underground Utilities)
Item 25 - Voted 5-0 (Commissioner Katz voting by telephone) to approve the award of bid for the Northeast Drainage Ditch at Lonnbladh Road Stormwater Improvements (IFB #0184-08-ER-BC) to Allen's Excavation, Inc. of Tallahassee, Florida, low bidder meeting specifications, in the amount of $492,636 (Option 1 as recommended by Underground Utilities)
Item 26 - Voted 5-0 (Commissioner Katz voting by telephone) to authorize the implementation of the proposed 2009 Health Care Rate Structure for the 2009 Plan Year, reflecting an increase in the co-payment from $50 to $100 for outpatient surgery for CHP Plan participants, and a total increase in rate of 5.03% of which 68% would be picked up by the City and 32% by employees (Option 1 as recommended by Human Services)
The Commission concurred to give further consideration to this issue in connection with the employees' salary package and requested that the staff provide a profile on the impacts of the proposed health insurance costs to employees.
Item 27 - Voted 5-0 (Commissioner Katz voting by telephone) to rescind the current "No Layoff Policy", dated April 1996, and approve a proposed "Layoff Policy", effective September 11, 2008, as presented (Option 1 as recommended by Human Resources)
Item 28 - Voted 5-0 (Commissioner Katz voting by telephone) to approve a supplementation appropriation in the amount of $50,000 from the Sales Tax 1989 funds, and fund the opening of a litigation construction capital project, which will be used to cover all litigation expenses incurred in FY2008 from the City Attorney's Office's general fund budget and all future litigation expenses to prepare for and try through the trial's conclusion on a breach of contract suit filed against the City by Peavy and Sons Construction Co., Inc. on this litigation matter relating to the Caliark Street and California Street Road Improvement Construction Project (Option 1 as recommended by the City Attorney)
Target Issue Updates:
Commissioner Gillum reported on activities of the Health and Human Services Target Issue Committee, comprised of himself and Commissioner Katz, including the Community Human Services Program (CHSP) needs assessment and evaluation process.
Mayor Marks commended the personnel and operations of the Trauma Center.
Item 29 - Received a brief overview of proposed adjustments to the Proposed FY2009 Budget, as presented in the agenda item; announced this was the first of two required budget public hearings, the next public hearing being scheduled for September 24, 2008, at 6:00 p.m.
- City Attorney English read into the record: "The proposed millage rate for Fiscal Year 2009 is 3.2115 for the City of Tallahassee and 1.000 for the Downtown Improvement Authority, which is less than the aggregate rolled back rate of 3.3395 by 3.2%. This decrease will result in the reduction of general government services throughout the City." (Resolution No. 08-R-41 was provided to state the percentage that the tentative millage rate is below the rolled-back rate.]
- Allowed public input on the City's proposed millage rate (In compliance with Florida Statute 200.065, this hearing was advertised per the TRIM notice, which was mailed to all property owners by the County Property Appraiser.)
- Allowed public input on the City's Proposed Budget
The following persons appeared before the Commission:
- Mr. Miguel Jimenez, representing the Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Advisory Committee (opponent of MBE budget cut)
- Mr. Travis Oaks, representing the Tallahassee Professional Firefighters (opponent of Fire Department budget cut)
- Mr. Jason Roth, 1547 Spruce Wood Trail (opponent of Fire Department budget cut)
- Mr. Mike Bellamy, 9301 Buck Haven Trail (opponent of Fire Department budget cut)
- Mr. Jarvis Bedford, 2035 Owenby Drive (opponent of Fire Department budget cut)
- Ms. Movia Miller, 1060 Longstreet Drive (discussed need for regular maintenance of a holding pond on Idlewild Drive or a holding wall to prevent flooding of her home)
- Ms. Gayle Muenchow, 1209 Camellia Drive (discussed ideas for cost savings)
- Mr. Tom Morgan, 2996 Fenwick Court East, President of the Foxcroft Neighborhood Association (opponent of Neighborhood Affairs budget cut)
- Mr. Stephen Hogge, 410 East 9th Avenue, President of the Council of Neighborhood Associations (CONA), and resident member of Mid-Town Neighborhood Association (opponent of Neighborhood Affairs budget cut)
- Mr. Sandler Dickson, 729 Kenilworth Road, representing the Waverly Hills Neighborhood Association (opponent of Neighborhood Affairs budget cut)
- Ms. Jennifer Naff, 10389 Belgrand Drive, representing Springtime Tallahassee, Inc. (opponent of proposed cost sharing charge of $22,000 for City services for the Springtime Tallahassee Festival)
- Mr. Erwin Jackson, 5002 Glen Rose (opponent of taxing differential between homestead property owners and commercial/rental properties)
The City Manager directed staff to meet with Ms. Miller regarding her concern.
Mayor Marks requested that Ms. Muenchow discuss her ideas with Mr. Reginald Ofuani, the City's Director of Solid Waste.
Mayor Marks requested that Ms. Naff provide him with a copy of a study that she had referenced on the economic impacts of the Springtime Tallahassee Festival to the Tallahassee community.
- Allowed public input on the DIA's proposed millage rate (In compliance with Florida Statute 200.065, this hearing was advertised per the TRIM notice, which was mailed to all property owners by the County Property Appraiser.)
- Allowed public input on the DIA's proposed budget
- Voted 4-0 (Commissioner Katz absent) to approve adjustments to the City's proposed budget as recommended by staff and outlined in the agenda item
Commissioner Mustian left the meeting at 6:43 p.m.
- Voted 3-0 (Commissioners Katz and Mustian absent) to approve the City's tentative millage rate of 3.2115 mills, Resolution No. 08-R-41 (Attachment 1 to the agenda item)
City Attorney English publicly announced: "The proposed aggregate millage rate is less than the rolled back rate by 3.2%. This decrease will result in the reduction of general government services throughout the organization." (If the Commission should decide to amend and recomputed the tentative millage rate, Florida Statute 200.065(2)c requires that the Commission publicly state the City's amended tentative millage rate and the percentage increase above the rolled-back rate, and offset the cost of notifying property owners of the change.) - Voted 3-0 (Commissioners Katz and Mustian absent) to approve the City's tentative budget, as amended
By consensus, the Commission directed staff to bring back a modified proposed severance package for laying off employees in filled positions that were cut from the budget, as discussed.
Clarified the Commission's hope that the Fire Department budget cut was temporary.
Commissioner Gillum requested an individual briefing from the Fire Chief on the impacts of the Fire Department budget cut on the service level.
Commissioner Gillum confirmed with the City Manager that a committee was working on incentives for vehicle parking alternatives, which would be brought to the Commission.
Mayor Marks expressed hope that some alternative could be found to charging a $10 after school program fee at the community centers. He also suggested that based on a positive impact of $5 million to the community, the downtown merchants and businesses would benefit from finding a way to provide the $22,000 cost sharing for the Springtime Festival.
- Voted 3-0 (Commissioners Katz and Mustian absent) to approve the DIA's tentative millage rate of 1.000 mill, Resolution No. 08-R-41 (Attachment 1 to the agenda item)
- Voted 3-0 (Commissioners Katz and Mustian absent) to approve the DIA's tentative budget (Attachment 21 to the agenda item)
- City Attorney English read the title of Ordinance No. 08-O-60 into the record.
By consensus, the Commission introduced Appropriations Ordinance No. 08-O-60 (Attachment 2 to the agenda item). (Contingent upon Commission action, the ordinance and required budget summary advertisement will be adjusted accordingly for all issues resolved as part of this item, as well as items approved during the September 10, 2008, Commission meeting that may affect the FY 2009 Budget.)
(The proposed Appropriation Ordinance No. 08-O-60 reflects all changes to the proposed budget that were approved by the Commission at the budget workshop on August 19, 2008, and subsequent adjustments for changes in State revenues, updating of employee salary and benefits, and similar items recommended by staff. Further actions taken by the Commission will be adjusted for the final public hearing on September 24, 2008.)
Unagendaed Speakers - None
City Commission Information and Sharing of Ideas
Mayor Marks advised that he would be meeting with the Governor and his staff relative to providing some assistance with bringing more airline service to Tallahassee.
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