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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-19-87 SS MINUTES OF THE JOINT COMMISSION MEETING OF OCOEE AND WINTER GARDEN HELD ON FEBRUARY 19, 1987 e Meeting called to order at 7:35 p.m.. Rev. Robert Degges, President of the West Orange Ministerial Association, led everyone in prayer and pledge of allegiance. PRESENT: City of Dabbs, Bateman, Catron. City 0% Jowers, Crabtree, Ocoee: Mayor Ison, Commissioners Johnson, and Hager, City Manager Ryan and City Clerk Winter Garden: Mayor Barber, Commissioners Dixon and Rees, and City Manager Creech. ABSENT: None Mayor lson recognized the xollowing visitors: Lt. Malone Stewart, Orange County Sheriff's Department, Kim Barley, Mayor ox Windermere. Mayor Ison then asked City Manager Creech and City Manager Ryan to introduce the respective members of their staxx that were present. Mayor loon remarked on the historical significance of this meeting and he and the City of Ocoee Commissioners presented Mayor Barber and the City of Winter Garden Commissioners a key to the City ox Ocoee and a xramed agenda of the meeting. e Mayor Barber echoed the same comments and gave credit to the West Orange Chamber ox Commerce, which was formed 15 years ago, xor helping with the cooperation between the two cities. NEW BUSINESS: e REPORT ON CRACK CRIME PROGRAM - MAYOR BARBER Mayor Barber explained that he had contacted Mayor Ison approximately 6 months ago about launching a Joint program between the two cities in order to help combat the "crack cocaine" problem. There will be a three part prograM; education, community awareness and enforcement. A new phone system and reward program are being initiated. Mayor Barber then introduced Officer Buddy Nash of the Winter Garden Police Department (WGPD> and asked him to address the group. Officer Nash reported that 6 months ago when they tried to xind out what they could do to solve the problem, all they found was apathy. Most of their drug related problems are in the black district; therexore, they met with Florida Power in order to get better lighting for that area and met with leaders of the churches in both the black and white community. This is when they came up with the "Crack Crime" Program and have the "Crime Tips" tip line, the phone number is to be 656-2222, and will be installed at the WGPD in the Records Section. People will be able to call with a tip without leaving their name. A 4 person board of review will be established with each Mayor selecting two members each. Bumper stickers, signs and buttons have been ordered with the phone number and name of the program. Det. Sgt. Jon Johnston 1 e Page 2 Join~ Coaai..ion Mee~ing Ocoe. end Win~er Gerden F.bruary 19. 1987 explained the relationship between the robberies and burglaries and the drug problem. Fred Carpenter. liason ox%icer at Lakeview Junior High was also present. Lt. Malone Stewart, Orange County Sheriff's Department, spoke to the group on the problems they face with relationship to the drug/crime problem and stated that out 0% 500 arrests last year, they were predominately related to the crack. He stated that they would be willing to ox%er their assistance to both communities. Chief William Brandt, Ocoee Police Department (OPD), explained that a%ter he came to work for the City 0% Ocoee in May 1985, they had worked out a cooperative agreement between the two cities. He was glad to see the cooperation and it had been working great especially with the drug problem. e Joe Trim, Director of Straight, explained that his organization was xormed in 1976 in St. Petersburg and the program has been in existence in Orlando xor one year. They are basically a nonproxit xamily oriented treatment program for drug using young people and their %amilies. They emphasize and require xamily involvement with 5 different phases being used during the treatment cycle. At this time, they have 92 children in the program. Rev. Robert Degges stated that the churches would be eager to help and would encourage family participation. Commissioner Dabbs stated that this was a national problem and Federal efxorts are needed as well as the local exforts. Mayor Ison summarized and echoed the same sentiments of Commissioner Dabbs that this drug problem needed to be handled at the national level. He then called for a recess. RECESS: 8:50 p.m. CALL TO ORDER: 9:05 p.m. LAKE APOPKA RESTORATION e Mayor Ison reported that one 0% the xirst meetings reference the restoration of Lake Apopka was held in the Tanner Auditorium in the 1960's. He attended another meeting 12 weeks ago and the solution derived from that meeting was to take the maJor source of pollution out of Lake Apopka - move the muck %armers as they are 99% of the problem. Mayor Barber also agreed that the land swap was the only viable solution. 2 ---~ tit Page 3 Join~ Co..i..ion M.e~ing Oco.e end Winter Gerden February 19. 1987 1987 CHRISTMAS PARADE There was such a good response to the way the Christmas Parade was handled last year with the Ocoee and Winter Garden parades on the same day that they would like to repeat again next year. City Managers Ryan and Creech will get together, get a date set xor the parade and send the invitations out to the various organizations. MUTUAL AID AGREEMENTS e Polic. D.p.r~..n~ Chiex Brandt (OPD) explained that the mutual aid agreement between Ocoee and Winter Garden had been initiated by Chie% Yawn (WGPD> and was the most comprehensive as it was taken from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. He stated it was fantastic especially in the terms ox drug en%orcement and crime investigations. O%ficer Buddy Nash (WGPD) echoed the same comments. Fir. D.per~..n~ Chiex Strosnider (OFD) stated that he had worked with the City ox Ocoee since 1957 and although they had never had a formal mutual aid agreement with the Winter Garden Fire Department, he and Chie% LaBossiere had always worked together. Mayors Barber and Ison suggested that we xormalize an agreement and requested that City Attorneys Blair and Kruppenbacher work towards that end. RADIO COMMUNICATION SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS Mayors Ison and Barber recognized the need and were aware of the problems with the current radio system. They felt the process xor a new/improved system should be started now. Mayor Ison asked that this item be placed on the next Ocoee City Commission Agenda. INTER-GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS: City/County Mayor Ison reported that, from Ocoee's aspect, our dealings with other governmental agencies had improved greatly. He had also proposed a bill that would provide that bodies of elected officials would have to sit down and negotiate be%ore they could sue. Sen. George Stuart and Rep. Daniel Webster will sponsor the bill through the legislative process. COMMENTS/ITEMS NOT ON AGENDA Ci~iz.n. - No Comments . 3 . Pege 4 Ocoee end Winter Gerden Februery 19. 1987 Co..ia.ionera/Mayor: City of Winter Garden Commissioners Jowers, Crabtree, Dixon and Rees all commented that they were delighted to see this meeting and glad the two communities were able to sit down together. Commissioner Dixon reported that a meeting was to be held at Maxey Elementary on next Tuesday rexerence to the moving of the Food Stamp Office from Winter Garden to Apopka and stated that something needed to be done in reference to mass transportation. Mayor Ison stated that he had met with the Orlando/Orange County Tri-County Transit Authority reference public transportation for the West Orange County area. A Public Hearing will be held on March 12, 1987 at the Ocoee Community Center in re%erence to this matter and a questionnaire will be distributed prior to the hearing so the level of service/need can be determined. Commissioner Rees requested that Ocoee and Winter Garden meet with Orange County and discuss their respective boundaries in relation to the growth plan. Mayor Barber stated that this was a good beginning and not the end as they work for the people who elected them and cooperation is the name of the game. e Co..issioners/Mayor: City of Ocoee Mayor Ison and all of the Commissioners of Ocoee were pleased with the meeting and wanted to meet again. They also agreed that the supposed bad feelings between Ocoee and Winter Garden never existed on a personal basis. Commissioner Dabbs stated that he is on the Florida League 0% Cities Intergovernmental Committee and would serve as their liason. He also suggested quarterly meetings. Commissioner Johnson echoed the previous commments about meeting with the county. Commissioner Bateman echoed the concern with transportation xor West Orange County. DATE AND PLACE OF NEXT MEETING The next meeting will be held in Winter Garden with a date to be selected for sometime in September. Mayor Barber will notixy us xor the place and time. Meeting adJourned at 9:40 p.m.. ___~_L-- MAYOR ATTEST: CITY CLERK . 4