HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-01-1983
MINUTES OF OCOEE CITY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING HELD NOVEMBER 1, 1983
PRESENT: Mayor Goff, Commissioners Cook, Hager, Lyle, Rodgers; City
Manager Burgess; City Attorney; and Deputy Clerk Grafton.
ABSENT: None
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Goff called the regular meeting to order at 7:34 pm in the
Commission Chambers and then led those present in the Pledge of
Allegiance. Mayor Goff then asked for a moment of silent prayer to
honor the boys in Beirut, Lebanon.
City Manager Burgess announced that Mr. George Wood, City Finance
Director had been admitted to Lucerne Hospital this morning as a result
of a heart attack.
MINUTES APPROVED
After hearing the reading of the minutes of the regular meeting
held October 18, 1983, Commissioner Lyle objected to the report that
the Commission had moved to charge an additional $750.00 tap on fee for
any second water meter installed at the same address; basically an
irrigation meter. Commissioner Lyle stated that he thought it was un-
fair to charge the same fee for the second meter that was charged for
the first. Commissioner Hager moved to accept the Minutes as read.
Comm. Cook seconded the motion, and the vote was unanimous in favor.
OLD BUSINESS
Drainage Problem at 614 Kissimmee Ave
'City Manager Burgess reported that he had taken the city engineer
to look at the drainage problem on Kissimmee Avenue (area of house of
Mrs. Carrie Lindsey). He estimated the cost to clear up the problem
at $40,000; $10,000for surveying and other preliminary work, and
$30,000 for leveling, pipes, etc. Comm. Lyle stated that he was not
willing to spend that much of the Cityts money to solve a problem that
only effected approximately eight families. Comm. Rodgers asked
if there wasntt something the City could do. City Manager Burgess
offered to take the City crew into the area and alleviate the problem
to the best of the Cityts ability with the City's limited capability.
Repair of Pumper #3, Fire Dept.
City Manager Burgess reported that the City had received apprai-
sals on the amount of work that had already been performed on Fire
Dept Pumper #3 by Jackson Metals. These estimates ranged from
$3250 to $3500. The City Manager also reported that the City n~diree~
et~ed a bid from the Gator Company, of Clearwater, to complete the
rebuild of the pumper; this bid was $33,943, He also stated that the
City anticipated receiving a second bid for the work from the Dowling
Fire Equipment Co within the next few days. Comm. Lyle recommended
to take the lowest of the two bids and get the truck repaired as soon
as possible. The City Attorney recommended to proceed with the repairs,
and deal with the Probate Court situation, if it occurs. Comm. Rodgers
moved to take the lowest bid, and Comm. Cook seconded. The motion was
unanimous.
Purchase o~ Christmas Decorations
OCOEE CITY COMMISSION MEETING
NOVEMBER 1, 1983.
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City Manager reported that a firm in Ocala had offered to sell us
Street Christmas Deoorations at $135 @. He also stated that Clark
Sales Display Co in Longwood would sell us decorations this year, and
25 next year, and so on until the City had 75 new decorations. Comm.
Lyle moved to buy all 75 decorations this year. Comm. Hager seconded
the motion; Comm. Cook also voted in favor, Comm. Rodgers was opposed.
The motion carried. Comm. Rodgers was concerned as to where the money
would come from. The Commission decided the $9,472 would be taken out
of the Contingency Fund of the General Fund.
Police Radar Unit
City Manager Burgess reported the City had received three bids
on Radar Units to aid in controlling automobile speed within the City
Limits. The bids were:
MPH Corp.......... $1,285 Kustom Corp......... $1,395
Decatur......... $1,595
Comm. Rodgers moved to buy the Kustom Unit for $1,395. Comm. Cook
seconded the motion. Comm. Hager also voted in favor, Comm. Lyle
was opposed to the motion. The motion carried, three to one. Chief
Turner pointed out that no tickets were issued unless an automobile
was exceeding the speed limit by at least ten miles per hour. The
only exception being in a school zone with children present. Comm.
Rodgers pointed out that even one mile over the speed limit was
speeding.
Communications Equipment
City Manager listed components of a "package" of radios and
communications equipment the City had invited bids on. This
"package" was a set of several radios going to several different
departments but bid as a package in order to achieve a better price.
Johnson Co. bid $13,330, General Electric bid $14,958, and Motorola
bid $16,130. City Manager Burgess stated that he felt the Johnson
bid was nonresponsive as Johnson had substituted General Electric
radios in some cases, and sub-standard equipment in other cases.
Comm. Lyle said that he felt, for the money involved, the Motorola
radios were a better product. Chief Turner stated that the majority
of his equipment was General Electric and that if we bought other
than GE radios we would have to buy new multiple chargers and similar
extra equipment. Federal evenue Sharing Funds are to be used to
purchase this equipment, and those funds are due in about Dec. 31.
Comm. Rodgers asked what would happen if we got the communications
equipment (6-8 weeks delivery after the order) and we did not have
the Revenue Sharing Funds yet, for some reason. City Manager Burgess
and Chief Turner assured the Commission that they both felt the
manufacturer would be willing to come to some kind of terms, in lieu
of immediate payment, if the need arose. Comm. Hager moved to buy the
General Electric equipment at $14,958. Comm. Cook seconded the motion
and the vote was unanimous in favor.
Budget Review
City Manager Burgess went over the Oct 1, 1982 to Sep 30, 1983
Fiscal Year Budget in summary. He reported a $265,288 carryover in
the General Fund, and a $56,114 carryover in the Water Revenue Fund
for a total carryover of $321,000. Mayor Goff asked if the Manager
had considered granting the employees of the City a Christmas Bonus as
OCOEE CITY COMMISSION MEETING
NOVEMBER 1, 1983
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Thqnk You for a job well done and saving the City a lot of money in
their daily business transactions. Comm. Hager stated that some of his
constituents felt last year's Christmas Bonus was not fair. Comm. Lyle
stated that he felt a plan similar to last year's could be utilized,
whereby employees received a certain bonus for their year's employ-
ment, or if they were hired some time during the year that said bonus
would be pro-rated. Comm. Rodgers said he had no objection to the
bonus concept, but he was not sure the City had their priorities in
perspective. Comm. Lyle moved that each City employee be given a
$500 bonus for their past year of employment with the city, or such
bonus should be pro-rated as previously stated. Comm. Cook seconded
the motion. The Commission voted in favor of said motion, unanimously.
Said bonus is to be paid on December 1, 1983.
NEW BUSINESS
Request to Support Elk's Charity Bowl
Mr. Stan Roper was not present to speak on the Charity Bowl, City
Manager Burgess spoke in his behalf. City Manager Burgess stated that
Mr. Roper would like $60 from the City in order for the City to appear
in the Charity Bowl Program. Comm. Hager so moved. Comm. Rodgers
seconded the motion and the Commission passed the motion unanimously.
Money is to be appropiated from the Donations Acct in the Recreation
Fund.
Ramada Inn Request for Operating Hours Waiver
The Ramada Inn is requesting the mandatory closing hours be
waived on a one time basis for Dec 31, 1983, New Year's Eve; which
will fall on a Saturday night this year making the actual closing of
the bar to occur on Sunday morning. Ms. Correia was not present to
present her petition, but she had asked City Manager Burgess to explain
her situation to the Commission. Chief Turner said that in the past the
Police had taken drunks home in Police Cruisers. Comm. Rodgers stated
that he felt that was not a good practice for the City to get into
because of insurance reasons. Comm. Cook moved to have the City Man-
ager draw up a Resolution to allow the extension of Operating hours
until 2:00 am New Year's Eve, on a one time basis. Comm. Lyle
seconded the motion. Comm. Hager was also in favor, Comm. Rodgers
was opposed. The motion carried, 3-1.
Holiday Inn Guest Directory
City Manger Burgess asked the Commission if they were interested
in having the City of Ocoee place an advertisement in this Guest
Directory that would be placed in each of the Holiday Inn Rooms, for
$295. Not considered.
City Employee Wage and Salary Plan Proposal
City Manager Burgess gave a copy of a proposed Wage and Salary
Plan to each of the members of the Commission for th~r consideration.
He pointed out that such a plan is usually written by a consultant
with a charge to the city of approximately $6000 - $10,000. Comm.
Rodgers asked a few questions about the details of the Plan, and City
Manager Burgess answered and explained the same. The Commission
decided to consider this matter at their next regular session.
OCOEE CITY COMMISSION MEETING
NQYl:M~~J:~l, 1~H$j , --
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REPORTS AND INFORMATION
Progess Report: Drainage of Peach and Moxie Lakes
Mr. Don Graham, engineer, is awaiting a survey report from Mr.
Bill Hart. Mr. Graham has advised Mr. Koslov, in D.E.R. of this status
and is staying in touch with the D.E.R. office to limit their anxiety.
Consumptive Use Water Permits
City Manager Burgess reported to the Commission that the City was
processing these permits, but ~at the work was tedious and therefore
slow.
West Orlando Utilities Sewage Treatment Plant Permit
City Manager Burgess reported that this permit has expired, and he
is now in the process of reapplying in order to continue the operation
of the plant. Mr. Burgess also reported the plant is in poor condi-
tion but that he is trying to keep it in an operational state of repair.
Assistant City Manager
City Manager Burgess introduced his new assistant, Kenton Griffin.
Comm. Lyle stated that he felt the City should pay Mr. Griffin's
moving expenses from his home in Kentucky to Ocoee. Comm. Hager
said he thought Mr. Griffin should pay his own expenses, if he wanted
the job. Mr. Griffin reported that he had received estimates from
U-Haul and Budget Truck Rental; $964 and $952 respectively. Comm.
Rodgers moved that the City appropriate $1,200 from the General Fund
Contingency Acct to pay for Mr. Griffin's moving expenses. Comm. Cook
seconded, and Comm. Lyle was also is favor. Comm. Hager voted against
the motion. The motion was carried three to one.
Prima Vista Utilities: Force Main Preliminary Plans
City Manager Busrgess reported that he had received plans for the
proposed force main from the Prima Vista engineer and that he had noted
several discrepencies in the plan. Mr. Burgess stated that he was set-
ting up a meeting with the Prima Vista engineers to discuss their
proposal.
CITY ATTORNEY
Mr. Rhodes stated that he had been trying to contact the six
remaining customers in the Industrial Park area regarding their
failure to pay a re-connect fee on the sewer. He reported that he had
been able to contact and discuss the situation with five of the six
corporations involved. Equipment Marketing had not been reached, as
of this meeting. The Kindle Trucking property is owned by an
organization in Montreal which has just initiated a bankruptcy pro-
ceeding under Chapter 11. Another company advised Mr. Rhodes they would
either send a check or remove their company from Ocoee within two
weeks. The rest of the companies advised they do not have the money
at this time but are willing to pay same, if the City would grant them
some time. Mr. Rhodes stated that he felt the City should work with
these companies and recommended givi[lQ them a year to repay. Due to
Fiscal Constraints, the Commission fW~t a year was a little too long
and that said payment should be made by Sept 30, 1984, the end of the
Ctty's Piscal Year. Comm. Lyle suggested a note signed by the parties
OCOEE CITY COMMISSION MEETING
NOVEMBER 1, 1983
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involved with 10% simple interest as the terms of said agreement.
The Comm. queried the Attorney if the City could get a judgement
lien against the company's land for those who do not complete the
payment within the specified period. Mr. Rhodes stated he would
prefer a lien of consenses stated in the written agreement. City
Manager Burgess reminded the Commission that the City had
previously refused to grant installment terms to the organizations
that have already paid. The Commission directed the attorney to
draft an agreement.
COMMENTS FROM THE FLOOR (public-citizens)
Mr. Bruce Beatty, Citizen of Ocoee, stated that the residents
of the Sleepy Harbor Condominiums want to know if the lift station for
the sewer at the Condominium belongs to the Condominium or to Prima
Vista Utilities. He stated Prima Vista has advised the Condominium
Owners' Association that they will not accept it until the Association
brings the lift station up to the Utility Company.s standards.
Mr. Beatty asked several questions about the 1981 Agreement
between the City of Ocoee and Prima Vista Utilities, and the answers
were the ones given previously given.
Comm. Rodgers moved to notify Prima Vista Utilities that the
April 1981 Agreement between them and the City, is void. City
Attorney asked Comm. Rodgers on whose legal advice he was making such
a motion, Comm. Rodgers stated on his own. No second.
Mr. Rhodes stated he did not want this agreement to be a
political issue as it has been in past elections. He stated that he
had withheld a draft of a new agreement, purposely, to avoid such a
problem until after the election.
Comm. Rodgers stated that he felt Mr. Rhodes had overstepped
his authority by withholding such a document from the Commission.
Comm. Rodgers commended Florida Power Co. for the work they have
been doing on the street lights in Ocoee and wants a letter sent to
them from the City stating same.
Comm. Rodgers also annouced that on Wednesday, November 1, at
8:00 pm, at the High School Auditorium the movie "The Chemical People"
would be shown followed by a group discussion.
Comm. Rodgers noted that on the Budget Review, the telephone
bills exceeded the appropriated amounts. He asked City Manager Burgess
to look into ways of improving our phone service and reducing the costs.
He also suggested the possibility of adding a in-state Florida Watts
line. Mr. Burgess stated that long distance calls were not the problem.
He said that rate increases were more to blame than anything. He did
say, however, that he felt we needed some additional telephone lines
in some key places. Comm. Rodgers directed Mr. Burgess to bring some
figures to the next Commission Meeting.
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