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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-16-96 . . . MINUTES OF THE OCOEE CITY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING HELD JANUARY 16, 1996 CALL TO ORDER The regular meeting was called to order by Mayor Vandergrift at 7:30 p.m. in the Commission Chambers. Commissioner Anderson led in the prayer and Mrs. Frances Watts led the pledge of allegiance. The roll was called and a quorum declared present. PRESENT: Mayor Vandergrift, Commissioners Anderson, Glass, Gleason and Johnson. Also present were City Manager Shapiro, City Attorney Rosenthal, Administrative Services Director Beamer, Planning Director Wagner, Recreation Director Beech, Police Chief Mark, Fire Chief Strosnider, and City Clerk Grafton. ABSENT: None. PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS Mayor Vandergrift presented the State of the City Address, which is attached to these minutes as Exhibit A. CONSENT AGENDA The consent agenda consisted of items A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and 1. Mayor Vandergrift corrected agenda item D to read Cross Creek Phase II instead of Cross Creek; and agenda item I to read $2000 instead of $1500. After brief discussion on items E, G and J, Mayor Vandererift. seconded bv Commissioner Gleason. moved to accept the consent agenda as corrected. Motion carried 5-0. A. Approval and acceptance of Minutes of Canvassine Board Meetine of November 22. 1995 and City Commission Regular meeting of December 5. 1995. Approval and Authorization for Mayor and City Clerk to execute Cross Creek Phase II Amendment to Developer's Ae:reement for Water Service. Approval and Authorization for Mayor and City Clerk to execute Cross Creek Phase II Amendment to Developer's Ae:reement for Sewer Service. Approval and Acceptance of Cross Creek Phase II Final Subdivision Plans. Approval and Authorization to Declare Certain Property Surplus Property and Readv for Sale. Approval and Authorization to Use $2.371.00 from Contineency to replace Withers- Maeuire House Screens. Approval and Authorization to Purchase Vac-Con Series 390 Sewer Cleaner Mounted on Truck at a cost of $151.946.76. Approval and Authorization for Mayor and City Clerk to execute Aereements with Supervisor of Elections for use of Community Center and Fire Station #26 as Polling Places. Approval and Authorization to Use Additional $2.000 from Contine:ency for Volunteer Appreciation Dinner. B. c. D. E. F. G. H. L . . . Ocoee City Commission Regular Meeting January 16, 1996 J. Approval and Authorization for Mayor and City Clerk to execute Desil!n Criteria Professional Al!reement with Gee & Jenson En~ineers. Architects. Planners. Inc.. Work Order #1 for Recreation Center in the amount of $7.800 plus reimbursable expenses not to exceed $200. COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS/PUBLIC Mrs. Peggy Jarrard, 606 Banderas A venue, informed Commission that the sign on Clarke Road and Silver Star Road is spelled Sliver Star Road. She also said the culvert at the sinkhole on Orlando Avenue and White Road is beginning to cave in. Mr. Ben Griffin, 345 S. Lakeshore Drive, distributed a photograph showing the future plan for Silver Star Road and Ocoee-Apopka Road, and said he would be meeting with staff the following week to discuss construction of a building on Bluford Avenue. City Manager Shapiro explained he couldn't put the proposed building on Bluford Avenue because there was no sewer system. Mr. Griffin then informed Commission that the sidewalk along Starke Lake needed repair. Mrs. Martha Lopez-Anderson, 1796 Cassingham Circle, expressed concern about the unfinished screen wall in Phase II of Silver Bend. City Manager Shapiro said he would research the problem and respond in writing. Mrs. Nancy Parker, 6748 Sawmill Boulevard, asked Commission if they would consider having a community wide open forum on construction concerns February 8, 1996, at 7:00 p.m. and invite a high ranking official from DPR to hear citizens' complaints. City Manager Shapiro advised that Bob Sindler, Florida State Representative, would be sympathetic and would attend the meeting. Commissioner Glass, seconded by Commissioner Gleason. moved to take an appropriate amount out of Contingency to advertise the community wide forum at a rate not to exceed $800.00. Motion carried 5-0. Mrs. Frances Watts, 43 Shell Key Court, informed Commission that Mayor Vandergrift did not mention the right crossing guards in the State of the City Address. RECESS 8:40 - 8:50 OTHER BUSINESS CLOSING OF BEXLEY BLVD. AT NATCHEZ TRACE (SILVER BEND). City Manager Shapiro reported to Commission that according to staff, the closure of Bexley 2 . Ocoee City Commission Regular Meeting January 16, 1996 Boulevard would not be advisable at this time. A traffic study was done utilizing tag numbers of vehicles entering and exiting Silver Bend at Silver Star Road and also Magnolia Springs at White Road. Through this study it was determined that at peak hours which would most emulate the traffic when the mall is completed, of the vehicles observed, less than 5% of traffic was cut- through. Police Chief Mark reported that he had spoken with school bus officials and they informed him that their buses had 12 stops in the Silver Bend Subdivision. Mayor Vandergrift recommended that a temporary barrier be put up for approximately six months to a year, and if it is successful, then keep the barrier permanently. Commissioner Glass said a sign should be put up in advance indicating certain roads would be closed on certain dates. Mayor Vandergrift. seconded bv Commissioner Glass, moved to erect a temporary barricade. by the City. constituting of 55 gallon drums, at a not-to-exceed price of $5000. for one year, and at the end of the year if it doesn't work out, the City will take it down. . After a lengthy discussion, Commissioner Gleason. seconded by Commissioner Anderson, moved to amend the motion to approve a temporary barrier to be put up. only after a City canvass of the residents of the Silver Bend Subdivision. with the canvass coming back to Commission for final approval: and with staff bringing back to Commission a design which addresses safety issues for approval. Motion carried 4-1. (Mayor Vandergrift voted no.) V ote on the motion as amended was 5-0. RECESS 9:40 p.m. - 9:50 p.m. WHITEHILL SUBDIVISION, PHASE Two - RE: BUILDING SETBACK AND BRICK SCREENING. Director of Planning Wagner presented the staff report and explained that Mr. 1. Wallace Henderson had requested an appearance before Commission to appeal two subdivision requirements applied by City staff to the Whitehill Subdivision which is located north of White Road, east of Clarke Road. The two issues identified by Mr. Henderson with which he had concerns were: (1) The requirement to adhere to a 50 foot building setback along Clarke Road. At the time this subdivision was approved, the City Code required a 50 foot residential building setback from arterial streets such as Clarke Road; and (2) The requirement to set the screening wall back a full 5 feet from the right-of-way line of Clarke Road. The City consistently required this setback in recent years to ensure that there was adequate growing space for required . 3 . Ocoee City Commission Regular Meeting January 16, 1996 screening trees and to minimize future root-system conflicts with underground utilities. Staff recommended that Commission uphold the 50 foot building setback requirement from Clarke Road for Phase II of Whitehill Subdivision and further require that the 6 foot high brick screening wall be placed a minimum 5 feet back from the Clarke Road right-of-way line within a 10 foot landscaping and wall easement. . MR. J. Wallace Henderson, Whitehill Group Ltd., for the record, reviewed the procedures to date: (1) Preliminary Subdivision Plan was approved by DRe on April 19, 1990, by Planning and Zoning Commission on June 12, 1990, and by City Commission on June 19, 1990. (2) Subsequent to these approvals, it appeared that Civil Design (Consulting Engineers to the City: re-reviewed the Plan November 9, 1990 and determined that a driveway was placed in the wrong location due to an existing subdivision to the east. This caused the plans which were being submitted to the City to be redone. (3) Final Subdivision Plans with the driveway in place were approved by DRC on May 6, 1991, Planning and Zoning Commission on May 14, 1991, and City Commission on May 21,1991 and approved for construction by City Engineer on July 17, 1991. Mr. Henderson stated that he was unable to determine if a revised Preliminary Subdivision Plan was done which showed the transition to the new location for the driveway. When questioned by Mayor Vandergrift about the economic impact of this issue to Mr. Henderson, he replied that, relying on the approvals he had received from the City, he had a contract for the purchase of the lots and a bank commitment to develop the lots, and that any changes from what was considered the approved plans would have an adverse affect equal to the value of one lot. Planning Director Wagner advised that, as noted in his staff report, lot 65 was a "flag" lot of limited width, and that his department repeatedly had offered to work with Mr. Henderson to make adjustments to adjoining lots (as the zoning permits lots as small as 70 feet). Mr. Henderson would not lose any lots, but still would maintain the required 50 foot setbacks. Mr. Wagner said that he had discussed the possibility of a 25 foot setback for lot 65 only, due to the particular history of this development, even though that was not an option for other sites. Mr. Wagner clarified the situation when questioned by Commissioner Glass, stating that, between the time the Preliminary Subdivision Plan and Final Plan were approved, there was a reorientation of the street entrance in order to line it up with Adriatic. This reorientation reconfigured some of the lots. / Commissioner Gleason said that Mr. Wagner's proposal was a reasonable solution to the problem. Commissioner Gleason, seconded by Commissioner Glass. moved to approve Whitehill Subdivision Phase II with a 25 foot setback involving lot 65. and maintain the 6 foot high brick . 4 . Ocoee City Commission Regular Meeting January 16, 1996 screening wall placed at a minimum of 5 feet back from the Clarke Road right-of-way line within a 10 foot landscaping and wall easement. Motion carried 5-0. ApPOINT CITY COMMISSIONER TO ARCHITECT SELECTION COMMITTEE FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT. Fire Chief Strosnider presented the staff report and announced that the Five-Year Capitol Improvement Plan for the addition/refurbishing of Fire Station No. I and the design/engineering of temporary Fire Station No.3 on Maguire Road were approved as priority items along with developing a prototype design for permanent fire stations one, two, three and four which will be built in the future. In response to an ad for RFPs for engineering and designing, seven proposals have been received. Chief Strosnider asked that Commission appoint a member to serve on the selection committee along with Administrative Services Director Beamer, City Engineer Shira, Planning Director Wagner and Chief Strosnider. Commissioner Johnson. seconded by Commissioner Anderson. moved to nominate Commissioner Glass to the Selection Committee. Motion carried 4-1. (Commissioner Glass voted no.) . RESOLUTION No. 96-01, RELATING TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR TRANSPORTATION. City Attorney Rosenthal read this Resolution by title only. Administrative Services Director Beamer presented the staff report and explained that in considering the direction given at the December 14, 1995 Work Session - Resolution 96-01 is a reimbursement resolution which allows the City the option to bond the transportation improvement costs for Maguire Road and the intersections of Kissimmee Avenue/Story Road and Marshall Farms Road/Maguire Road subsequent to those certain expenditures. This Resolution in no way binds the City to a bond issue; however, it does meet the current federal tax law requirements for such an event. Staff recommended approval of Resolution 96-0 I and the authorization for the Mayor and City Clerk to execute. Mayor Vanden!rift. seconded by Commissioner Johnson. moved to adopt Resolution 96-01 and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute. Motion carried 5-0. RESOLUTION No. 96-02, RELATING TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR STORMWATER DRAINAGE. City Attorney Rosenthal read this Resolution by title only. Administrative Services Director Beamer presented the staff report and explained that considering the direction given at the December 14, 1995 Work Session - Resolution 96-02 is a reimbursement resolution which allows the City the option to bond the Storm water Improvement costs for numerous Citywide small-scaled drainage projects designed to eliminate local flooding conditions at designated storm-events subsequent to those certain expenditures. This Resolution in no way binds the City . 5 . . . Ocoee City Commission Regular Meeting January 16, 1996 to a bond issue; however, it does meet the current federal tax law requirements for such an event. Staff recommended approval of Resolution 96-02 and the authorization for the Mayor and City Clerk to execute. Mayor Vandererift. seconded by Commissioner Johnson, moved to adopt Resolution 96-02 and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute. Motion carried 5-0. COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT - FISCAL YEAR 1994-95. Administrative Services Director Beamer introduced Eldon McDirmit, of McDirmit, Davis, Lauteria & Company, P.A. Mr. McDirmit presented the staff report and explained that they had completed the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report of the City for fiscal year 1994-95. After brief discussion, Mayor Vandererift, seconded by Commissioner Anderson. moved to accept the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. Motion carried 5-0. TELEVISION EQUIPMENT AND TELEVISING FUTURE MEETINGS. City Manager Shapiro reported that, due to a rearrangement of the Adult Education TV System, temporary arrangements must be made in order to continue televising the Commission meetings until the new facility at West Orange High School is in place. The group that has been televising the meetings, headed up by Kujaatele Kweli (Kooge), has been moved to Orlando Tech and Ms. Kaye Chastain (Principal of Orlando Tech) has advised that she can no longer allow Kooge or his crew to televise the meetings without being reimbursed for the use of the equipment and their time after January 16, 1996. The fee proposed was $538.50. Mr. Shapiro suggested (1) purchasing the full list of equipment at a cost of $10,216.00 (so that at some future date the City could televise meetings independently of the schools), (2) paying the fee proposed by Orlando Tech according to their proposal, and (3) using the 3 Orlando Tech interns until such time as the West Orange High School! Adult Program would be in a position to take over the majority of the televising functions, with all funds coming from Contingency. Commissioner Johnson. seconded by Commissioner Glass, moved to approve staff recommendation (1) to purchase the television broadcasting equipment at a cost of $10.216.00, (2) allocate for 2 months per Orlando Tech proposal to televise the meetings, and (3) to include the 3 interns that would be required from Orlando Tech until such time as the West Orange Adult Program is ready to televise the meetings. with all monies coming from Contingency Fund. Motion carried 5-0. ApPOINTMENTS TO PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION: ROBERT M. McKEY (AL T) AND ROBERT M. WILLIAMS (AL T) - TERMS EXPIRE FEBRUARY 1996. 6 . . . Ocoee City Commission Regular Meeting January 16, 1996 Commissioner Gleason. seconded by Commissioner Johnson. moved to reappoint Robert M. McKey (Alt) and Robert M. Williams (Aln to the Planning and Zoning Commission. Motion carried 5-0. OCOEE HISTORICAL COMMISSION, SUNSHINE LAW ApPLICABILITY. RESOLUTION No. 96-03, RELATING TO HISTORICAL COMMISSION/SUNSHINE LAW ApPLICABILITY. City Attorney Rosenthal read this Resolution by title only. Administrative Services Director Beamer presented the staff report and explained that the City Attorney opined on December 27, 1995, concerning the Ocoee Historical Commission, Inc. as to its standing and the resulting applicability of the Sunshine Law. This was presented to representatives of the Ocoee Historical Commission, Inc. on December 29, 1995, to be discussed at its January II, 1996 meeting. The following recommendations were voted on unanimously by the Ocoee Historical Commission, Inc. at the January 11, 1996, meeting: 1. To repeal Resolution 85-4 thereby affirming the Ocoee Historical Commission, Inc. as an entity separate and apart from the City of Ocoee and not as an advisory group to the City; 2. To be under the control of the Sunshine Law with regard to actions concerning the Withers- Maguire House Museum until such time as the Attorney General renders an opinion as to its status with regard to the Sunshine Law and a second discussion of the Ocoee Historical Commission, Inc. can occur. Commissioner Glass. seconded by Commissioner Gleason. moved to take the necessary action to: (1) adopt Resolution 96-03 repealing resolution 85-04 and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute: (2) request an Attorney General's opinion as to the applicability of the Sunshine Law by first making the changes outlined in the City Attorney's memo: (3) direct the City Attorney to provide the Ocoee Historical Commission. Inc. the necessary training for acting in the capacity as curator for the Withers-Maguire House Museum and for meeting the letter and intent of the Withers-Maguire House Museum Operation Agreement. Motion carried 5-0. STAFF REPORTS: None COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS Commissioner Gleason: I) Advised that the Diamond Ski Club had requested a public meeting to include all local citizens and staff in order to present the Diamond Ski Club's proposal, and had suggested the meeting be held around February 17. City Clerk was directed to contact Mr. Spell 7 . . . Ocoee City Commission Regular Meeting January 16, 1996 and each Commissioner in order to coordinate the time so that the meeting could be advertised. Commissioner Glass: I) Referring to the Sentinel article on the proposed curfew, he said that there will be public hearings before such curfew goes into effect. He responded to Jim Washington's written query regarding whether the curfew applied to school students being picked up by school buses at 5:45 a.m. by urging Mr. Washington to contact the school board about dealing with the overcrowded school system so that such bussing would not be necessary. 2) Announced that drivers should drive carefully and watch out for Girl Scouts, Brownies and Daisies because it is Girl Scout cookie time again. 3) Asked for manila folders for his office. Commissioner Anderson: No comments at this time. Commissioner Johnson: 1) When the Kaiser Spyder was bought there was a trailer bought for it and it should be used to keep the machinery from driving in traffic. Mr. Shapiro advised that the trailer is being fitted and will be in use soon. 2) Asked Commissioner Gleason to contact the lady about Victoria Place. Mr. Shapiro responded that it had been taken care of. Mavor Vandergrift: I) Reported a compliment on the good job being done with a couple of Menzi Mucks at the Industrial Park and acknowledged that it was not a City crew but rather private enterprise at work. 2) Announced the Work Session scheduled for Thursday, January 18 at 7:00 p.m. in the Commission Chambers. 3) Thanked all for their courtesy during his State of the City address. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at II :30 p.m. Attest: APPROVED: City of Ocoee s 3A-Lt~ S. Scott Vandergrift, Mayor 8 Exhibit "A" . to Minutes of Ocoee City Commission Meeting held on 1-16-96 STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS jfu~1JARY 16,1996 To all ci~izens or Ocoee, Commissioners, and Staff: This State of the City message is designed, per our Chaner, to revisit the past year's accomplishments and failures, as well as to present plans and goals for this year and beyond. It's no easy task putting together a report such as this. First, I would like to thank my wife, Beth, for typing and especially editing this document. Also, I must thank all the staff members, employees, and volunteers who provided input to help me make this _ message accurate and reflective of the true accomplishments of our city in the past year. .As your elected officials and staff, we are charged by you, the public, to lead the city and follow your directions to accomplish the tasks you feel are imp~rt2&t ~e operation of your city. We are responsible for spending /5: sg b ~ .508f yo& t~ ~ dollars. This amount is up li) % from last year. We must b'e ever diligent in the total specnum of government from safety of the citizens, to maintenance of our lifestyle, to growth that "viII enhance our community and keep the image of our city as a safe, . well maintaine~ and comparatively inexpensive place to live and work. "Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink ...." Samuel Taylor Coleridge said that in the Rime of the Ancient Mariner. and in the case of Ocoee and a lot of other regions in central FJorida, it's true. The rain has been phenomenal over the past two years. With tropical storm Gordon in 1994, and hurricane Erin this past year, ihe water table for all of central Florida is the highest it has been in many 'lears. 01 HWTicane Erin brought not only water but also some damage. It took about a month and some $35,000 in emergency funds to get things back to nonnal. A tip of the hat to the sanitation department for all the extra hours put in on removal of fallen trees and other debris. We give thanks. it could have been a lot worse. At least no one was hurt. All of this water is stretching our drainage svstems to the limit. Action has ~ ~ * been started to try to catch up with years of neglect. We have purchased a Kaiser Spyder ditch excavator, which is hard at work dredging ditches all over the city. Starke Lake has been controlled by well and has basically stayed within its banks tt-Js year. We recently held a work session on drainage issues and have an estimated . State of the City Address 1/16/96 . cost of 4 to 6 million dollars to solve 90% of the problems today. The question we will be faced with over the next year is how to pay for i~ or can we survive while we pay as we go? We are going to have to prioritize our resources and money into the most needed areas. But things could be worse-we could be faced with the removal of almost three feet of snow as in the north from the "Blizzard of'961 We have had several "firsts" over the past year tha~ by all reports and comments to me, have our citizens excited about the future. The most exciting event, especially to all the shoppers in the audience, was the ground breaking and ongoing building of the West Oaks Mall in Ocoee. As exciting as the mall is for shoppers, it is equally stimulating to the leaders of the community to see the challenges that this one- million-square-foot shopping Mecca will bring. We are challenged to ensure that the mall will have a positive effect on the city in all aspects from traffic to crime to taxes and all the other impacts that might affect our community. I feel confident that the shopping convenience and positive financial benefits of the mall will outweigh any negatives that come along with any venture this big. . The impact fees being paid by the mall have moved some much needed road work up in schedule, such as Story and Kissimmee Roads, White Road improvements, and other direct road work to help move traffic in and out of the mall area, as well as other areas of town. On a long tenn basis, Silver Star Road will be widened to four or six lanes through our community to intersect with the western beltway, Winter Garden, and Apopka. Ocoee will be the hub of transportation in central Florida. The construction of the mall has employed some 1,500 to 2,000 people. By opening day October 2 of this year, there is the potential of 2,000 to 2,500 employment positions available to our city and community, not to mention the shopping potential. The anchors for the mall are Gayfers, Sears, I.e. Penney, and DilIards department stores. There will be a movie complex, food co~ and many specialty stores to meet the most sophisticated shoppers' needs. I have had several shoppers in the community tell me they just can't wait for the mall to open; one has even reserved a charge card just for the mall. For the children and the young at heart there will be a carousel for entertainment. The real estate tax base offered by the mall will enhance . S tate of the City Address 1/16/96 2 . services and possibly reduce your property taxes. The new city hall and police department buildings are a boon to the employees who work there, and the citizens who use them. There are a few bugs yet to be worked out but the situation is abundantly better than it has been in the past years. We invite you to corne and enjoy the revolving art exhibit in our lobby. There has been provocative art displayed and some r don't understancL but it has been truly interesting over the past year. On display right now is the work oflocal artist Fred Kennedy who has captured some historic ambiance of our past. In addition there is a student art display that is presented by our local schools and is constantly being changed to keep your city hall a pleasant place to visit. Through the efforts of our maintenance department, some very nice benches have been added to our porches for you to sit and have lunch or just while away an afternoon. Come on down! Maybe this year we can achieve my goal of adding rocking chairs. . The Lynx bus system is now covering 60 percent of our community. That is to say that a bus stop with an hourly route is within one mile of most residents. The system has been up and running since last February, and is well used by the public. The plan for the future is to serve the other 40 percent of the city within one or two years. I have proposed to Lynx the establishment of a route that will connect Apopka and Ocoee that will not require a trip to downtown Orlando and a bus change. This proposed route will go up Apopka- Vineland Road to Apopka, and will service the mall, Sawmill, Forest Oaks, and subdivisions along the Clarke Road corridor. The mall will be a Lynx hub that will have a terminal from which you can catch a bus to anywhere in central Florida as well as a park and ride express facility to downtown Orlando. The city, through the sanitation department., has moved to a new level of services with the new garbage container system. About two thirds of our community have received the new 96-gallon containers, which are automatically picked up by the trucks rather than the workers. Some 3,500 containers were distributed throughout the city. Before mid year, the other third will be on line and efficiency will go up and costs will be held down. In the beginning of this program, we received some complaints about the size of the containers, which have three to four times the . State of the City Address 1/16/96 3 . volume of a standard garbage can. It took a while for people to realize that they can put the containers out once a week instead of twice, thereby improving their efficiency. Now the complaints are along the line of "when am I going to get mine?" . In our Building and Inspection Department, 323 single-family home building permits were issued in 1995. This is a 20% decrease over the previous year. Although we had a reduction in these permits, the commercial permits were up, including the mall which more than makes up for lost revenue. The single-family homes represent 35 million dollars in construction added to those of the commercial sector of over 280 million dollars. That's over a quarter billion dollars worth of construction in Ocoee in 1995 - an impressive record that probably won't be surpassed in a long time. It is second to none in Orange county. The permits alone will represent nearly 1,000 new residents for our community. Welcome, all! This department also conducted over 10,000 inspections of all kinds, from roofs to electrical, on new homes, resale homes, and additions to homes. Every home and business is now reinspected based on our new code, which requires such inspection if the water is turned off in one name and then turned on in another. This sometimes may be a nuisance to the home owner or business owner, but we are looking for several things when we perform these inspections, not the least of which is your safety. Another reason for the inspections is to maintain or enhance the appearance of our city by bringing the outside of all homes up to code. This department under the direction of Don Flippen is one of the busiest and most conscientious departments within the city. Keep up the good work; it's showing! The Planning Department, under the direction of Russ Wagner, has been busy with development plans either approved or in various stages of review. One subdivision, representing 54 homes, was finalized and is ready for building to start. Weare growing at a rate of 1,200 to 1,800 new citizens per year, with a current population at over 18,500. Our current inventory of building lots is between 1,500 to 2,000, which could result in an increase of up to 6,000 residents within the next few years. By the turn of the century, Ocoee will be the second largest city in Orange County. This department masterminded changes to our comprehensive plan that were needed to keep up with growth and account for planning of the new mall. Other subdivisions are under review for corning years. . State of the City Address 1/16/96 4 . While doing all this, we are participating in a joint planning agreement within Orange County to help prevent the duplication of services and taxes, as well as protecting our borders from any unwanted growth. Two major shopping areas have opened in the city-the Publix shopping center on Maguire Road and the Winn Dixie Marketplace on Silver Star and Clarke Roads. These two projects will provide additional services to our citizens. The Fire Department has had an active year with adding a new assistant fire chief, Richard Firstner. Welcome! This department responded to 2,375 calls in 1995, an increase of almost 9 percent over 1994. The fire department has placed out for bid the building of a temporary station #3 and addition to station # 1 is expected later this year. Inspections and updated equipment should bring down insurance ratings this year. . The Recreation Department, under the direction of Jim Beech, has continued to offer a wide variety of recreation programs. Approximately 4,000 citizens have participated in activities such as the following: Adult softball leagues Adult flag football Golf Karate Tennis Dance classes in tap, ballet, j~ and country line Youth basketball Youth volleyball Hershey track and field Easter egg hunt Chrisnnas outdoor lighting contest Community Christmas caroling Big Orange Games West Orange senior citizens Grandmothers Club Founders Day celebration W~ericaprognun Ocoee Christmas parade . S tate of the City Address 1/16/96 5 . . . Pop Warner football Little League baseball The recreation department can always use additional volWlteers, so call the department for more infonnation. The recreation department also runs weekly day camps for each off track group from Ocoee schools. The park near Pioneer Key II is now open. We have added new equipment and benches to other parks and we now have 6 neighborhood parks and 3 commWlity parks to serve our citizens. Rest rooms will be built this year along Starke Lake. And it is with great anticipation that the recreation department awaits the fimding and building of the new recreation center so they may offer even more programs to our citizens. The recreation department's bus, purchased last year for field trips, is also used by the West Orange Senior Citizens for their numerous outings. It is almost impossible to keep up with this group - they are one active bunch of folks. The Public Works department has overseen numerous projects including a lake watch program. In 1994, this department received a tree grant resulting in the planting of more than 400 trees in parks throughout the city. These trees are thriving. This past year with our arbor ordinance, which requires 3 trees per each new home built, and the new trees included in the new commercial centers, we have planted over 1,500 trees. This department is continuing to provide a citywide spring and faIl cleanup at no additional cost to the citizens. The Christmas tree recycling program is also continuing. The trees are collected and mulched and the mulch is used in city parks. Once again I am encouraging the use of live trees that can be replanted by property owners or donated to the city for planting. Public Works, along with the Sanitation department removed approximately 532 tons of debris after Hurricane Erin. This is in addition to 20 tons of recyclables, 50 tons of yard waste, and 114 tons of garbage per week. Good job everybody! The Police Department has experienced many personnel changes and has begun to implement new programs. Seven officers left our city, and nine new officers were hired. With the help of a Federal grant, our department was able to start a Community Oriented Policing Program (COPS). Six officers are attending the COPS school and it is hoped that a three-officer bicycle unit will be in effect by March. Members of the Ocoee Police Department, both civilian and sworn, . State of the City Address 1/16/96 6 . . . participate in many public relations programs with the citizens. These programs included DARE~ School Resource Officer, S.A.L.T., police explorers, Toys for Tots, Neighborhood Watch, and the Police Citizens Advisory Board. Chief Mark and all members of the Ocoee Police department want to thank the citizens for their continued support and assistance in these programs. The Criminal Investigation Division (C.I.D) handled 973 criminal cases. The officers of the patrol division were dispatched to 15,151 calls for service. Chief Mark estimates that, with the influx of the West Oaks Mall and additional homes being built, calls will increase 20 to 30 percent in the corning year. But we still maintain the second lowest crime rate in Orange County. Two of our patrol cars were equipped with camcorders for recording actions of officers and the public for the safety of both. r d like to emphasize once again the importance of Crime Watch in our community. The idea of Crime Watch is for you and your neighbors to watch out for each other and to call the police if you suspect something is amiss. If your neighborhood already has Crime Watch, the police department can tell you how you can get involved. If you don't have Crime Watch,. the police department can help you get one started. My goal is still 100 percent participation in our city. Please get involved. The police department, together with the fire department and a team of volunteers, had its annual Toys for Tots program. More than $12,000 in toys and cash,. including $1,479 from the fire fighters boot drive, was raised for this effort. This is $2,000 more than last year. More than 750 children benefits from this program,. without which they might not have received any Christmas gifts. Thanks to all who participated or donated to this cause, It shows our community has a heart and that you care for each other. The Personnel Department has established the RSVP hotline. This program provides a 24-hour hotline for citizens to call to report problems or just to voice opinions about events or workings within the city. This hotline is a service to you,. our citizens, and so far there have been more than 1,400 calls to this hotline. The Finance Department continues to do a superlative job in all aspects of record keeping. Once again Wanda Horton and her staff have received an award for excellence in financial reporting, continuing a seven year record. State of the City Address 1/16/96 7 . . . Thanks to the Historic Commission and city staff headed by Montye Beamer, the ivfaguire House has been completely restored. It is expected to open to the public later this year. TIlis past year we were mandated by the State legislature that our occupational license policies be overhauled within strict guidelines. An Equity Study Commission was termed, made up of business people within the city who looked carefully at occupational licenses in attempts to make them as equitable as possible for all businesses small and large. There were some unusual comments from the business community regarding the study commissions findings to the extent that some of the City Commissioners have requested a reevaluation of the fees during the coming year. Due to the dictates of the Orange County Supervisor of Elections we have been forced to reestablish the dates of our city elections. The elections originally scheduled for November, 1996, will be held in February, 1997. These elections affect the Mayor and Commissioner elections from Districts 1 and 3. The February date corresponds to those of other cities in West Orange County and hopefully will be well received by our citizens. Although one of my goals-the holding of periodic town meetings-was not realized this year, the holding of work sessions has been an instrument of understanding and action by the Commission. In addition there was a training session for all volunteers, board members, and staff on the Sunshine Law and ethics within government presented by our city attorney and his staff. Much was learned and many areas of confusion were cleared up. The Ocoee Lions Club once again represented the city at the Central Florida Fair by overseeing our city's exhibit. The Lions won first prize for the second year in a row for "Best of Community Displays." The Lions also sponsored the annual Christmas parade, and once again it was a huge success. Congratulations to all! I would like to recognize a special citizen this year for her involvement in our community, and I don't mean just Ocoee. She has been immersed in one of our construction problems here, and her work has influenced actions across the countIy. State of the City Address 1/16/96 8 . . . I salute Ms. Nancy Parker, President of Sawmill Homeowners' Association. Nancy has played a major role in the establishing of a procedure for our citizens to recover financial losses from deteriorating siding on their homes. Some 300 to 500 homes in our city alone have had this problem. Nancy spearheaded a movement first within her subdivision and in our city and then statewide. This movement resulted in a class action suit that lays the framework for the manufacturer of the siding to reimburse property owners for repair or replacement of the siding. Believe me when I tell you of her tremendous efforts, for my wife and I are among the beneficiaries. Nancy has also volunteered to guide a Task Force to review our building practices in the coming months and I know, based on past perfonnance, she will get the job done. The Commission and I look forward to working with her because she cares and so do we. Thanks, Nancy! Finally, I would be remiss not to congratulate Jim Gleason on his reelection as Commissioner for District 4 and Scott Anderson on his election as Commissioner for District 2. Gentlemen, I hope we will be able to work together in the coming year for the bettennent of our city. I also thank Commissioner Paul Foster for his six years of service on this Commission, and wish him a happy and rewarding retirement. This Commission is commited to making our government more user friendly. To this end we have embarked on a strengthening of our government style by empowering employees to be a part of the direction we might take. We as your elected officials welcome constructive criticism and ideas from employees and from our bosses - the public. As you can see, it has been another busy year in our growing city. If I have left out any major event or any key individuals who had an impact on our city this year, please accept my apology. For the past three years, I have been encouraging interested volunteers to get involved in their local government. Some of you have gotten involved through the various commissions within the city. Many of you may not have the time to devote to a commission, but are still interested in improving conditions in the city. There are things you can do that don't take a long-term commitment such as lake cleanup, State of the City Address 1/16/96 9 . . . civic organizations, crime watch, and school volunteers. Please contact me at City Hall for more infonnation. With the burgeoning growth of our city, individuals and their concerns should not get lost in the bureaucracy. In order to maintain the closeness of a small town within a growing city, we must tap all our resources. So r continue to ask for your help and involvement in order to keep our city "The Center of Good Living." Thank you. Have a happy and prosperous new year. Respectfully Submitted, S. Scott Vandergrift Mayor of Ocoee State of the City Address 1116/96 10