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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-23-98 MINUTES OF THE OCOEE CITY COMMISSION SPECIAL SESSION FINAL BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING HELD SEPTEMBER 23, 1998 Mayor Vandergrift called the Special Session to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Commission Chambers. The roll was called and a quorum declared present. Mayor Vandergrift announced that this was an advertised public hearing to finalize the budget and adopt a final millage rate for the City of Ocoee. The City Commission has previously approved a tentative millage rate of 4.0 mills which represents a 1.755% increase in millage over the rolled-back rate of 3.931 mills. PRESENT: Mayor Vandergrift, Commissioners Anderson, Glass, Howell and Parker. Also present: City Attorney Rosenthal, City Manager Shapiro, Finance Director Horton, Personnel/Employee Relations Director Psaledakis, Director of Community Relations/Projects Shira, Public Works Director Smith, Information Systems Manager Tartar, Finance Supervisor Carter, Budget Analyst Strickland and City Clerk Grafton. ABSENT: None PUBLIC HEARING Finance Director Horton announced that the purpose of the 4.00 mill tax rate for Fiscal Year 1998-99 was to generate revenues to be used for: . the implementation of the modified Indianapolis Plan for the Police Department . continued upgrading of the computer system . additional personnel and reclassification city-wide . leasing vehicles to continue upgrading the rolling stock throughout the City, and . new equipment The public hearing was opened and Mayor Vandergrift asked for citizen comments. Ms. Bruni Massa, 611 E. Lakeshore Drive, said she understands the needs of the City, but asked if they should budget more wisely rather than increase the millage rate. She cited seeing an employee using a city vehicle while shopping with a child on a Saturday and other waste. Ms. Massa said maybe too much money was given in grants and could be better used for the operation of the City. COMMISSIONERS COMMENTS Mayor Vandergrift said he gave Commissioner Howell papers concerning past City tax information that he did not have a chance to duplicate for everyone. Mayor Vandergrift proposed taking what was left in the contingency fund (approximately $70,000) in order to go to the roll-back rate. Finance Director Horton and City Manager Shapiro advised they had put $23,000 aside for possible hurricane expenses such as public services for the residents. OCOEE CITY COMMISSION SPECIAL SESSION September 23,1998 Mayor Vandergrift addressed the advisability of having an in-house attorney. Commissioner Anderson said he liked the way things were running now, as he thought the City was well represented. He said Foley and Lardner have given a good detailed breakdown of their monthly charges. Mayor Vandergrift asked them to just look at the options. He asked what the deductible on the City's insurance was. Human Resources Director Psaledakis responded that it was $1,000 deductible. Ms. Psaledakis and Mr. Shapiro explained that some of the attorney fees were for the labor attorney, code enforcement attorney, the attorney for the City Hall building, etc. Mr. Shapiro said that the City had been very successful in litigation with Foley and Lardner representing them and thought it was "too late in the game" to look at this now. Mayor Vandergrift said he thought maybe the City could use the attorney services less than they do. He suggested using model ordinances to write new ones rather than pay Foley and Lardner to write them. Mayor Vandergrift asked if the COLA affected the contract employees, such as the City Manager. Ms. Psaledakis responded that it did not and that several department directors would earn more than the City Manager after October 1, 1998. Commissioner Howell had a long discussion with City Manager Shapiro concerning salaries of City employees, especially in the Engineering Department. Commissioner Howell said he thought that the City of Ocoee had the best staff of any of the surrounding cities. Mayor Vandergrift said he would like the City Manager to keep his car a few more years. Mr. Shapiro advised he left the new car in the budget this year in case the Police Department would be needing another car and that he would rather keep his existing car. Mayor Vandergrift, addressing the issue of road paving, said Winter Park had been the only other city doing their own paving and they had only been doing it for a year. Mayor Vandergrift suggested piggy backing on an Orange County standard bid for paving. Mayor Vandergrift said he wanted the statistics presented concerning the cost effectiveness when the paving starts, and would like to start with Prima Vista and Foxfire. He also spoke about the sidewalks. Commissioner Anderson expressed his concern regarding the amount budgeted for computers, as he felt that the City would be paying too much for their computers with all the prices going down. Information Systems Manager Tartar responded that the City goes for State contracts 2 OCOEE CITY COMMISSION SPECIAL SESSION September 23,1998 that are for name brand equipment and these usually had 12 month caps on the prices but they did get new quotes monthly. Mr. Tartar said the prices in the budget included software and other equipment needed with the computers, and he did watch the market all the time for new products and prices. Mayor Vandere:rift. seconded by Commissioner Anderson. moved to amend the budget to use the rolled-back rate using the proceeds from the contingency fund. Motion failed 2-3. with Commissioners Howell. Glass and Parker voting no. City Attorney Rosenthal announced that, based upon the action, the proposed final Millage rate is 4.00 which represents a 1.755% increase in millage rate over the rolled-back rate of 3.931 mills. This is the proposed percentage in property taxes. Commissioner Glass. seconded by Commissioner Parker. moved to approve Ordinance No. 98-21 setting final millage rate of 4.0 mills for Fiscal Year 1998-1999. City Attorney Rosenthal read the title of Ordinance No. 98-21 setting a final millage rate of 4.0 mills. He then announced that the name of the taxing authority is the City of Ocoee, the rolled- back millage rate is 3.931 mills, that the percentage by which the proposed millage rate exceeds the rolled-back rate is 1.755%, and that the millage rate proposed by the Ordinance is 4.0 mills. Mayor Vandergrift asked for comments/questions from the citizens present and no one wished to speak. He then asked for comments/questions from the Commission and there were none. When the vote was called for the above motion on the millage rate the motion carried 3-2 with Mayor Vandergrift and Commissioner Anderson voting no. Commissioner Glass. seconded by Commissioner Parker. moved to approve Ordinance No. 98-22 adopting a final budget for the Fiscal Year beginning October 1. 1998 and ending September 30. 1999. City Attorney Rosenthal read the title of Ordinance No. 98-22. Mayor Vandergrift asked for comments and no one wished to speak. When the vote was called for the above motion on the final budget the motion carried 4-1 with Mayor Vandergrift voting no. City Manager Shapiro said he had asked Commissioner Glass and the rest of the Commissioners if they wished to continue with the Road Show as planned and Mayor Vandergrift said he was concerned with tying up the Fire Department's equipment in light of the storm warnings. Consensus was to continue with the Road Show as planned. 3 OCOEE CITY COMMISSION SPECIAL SESSION September 23,1998 Mr. Shapiro spoke concerning a memo sent to the residents of Johio Shores Road Area. Mr. Shapiro said they had drilled holes into the well cap to begin to reduce down the lake due to the potentially hazardous weather that had been predicted. He said there would be a meeting with DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) and others to discuss removing the cap, and that Orange County had agreed to provide water for these residents if needed. Mr. Shapiro said for the record Assistant County Administrator, Warren Gelch, had been very patient and cooperative since he had taken over the position and complimented him. Mr. Shapiro said that they had not heard anything from the plaintiffs so far and he hoped the DEP would allow uncapping of the well. Mayor Vandergrift said he appreciated the action taken to get the pumps in and wanted the residents there contacted advising them of the City's immediate plans for the lake. Mayor Vandergrift stated that the Governor had declared Central and South Florida emergency areas and read a section of the City's Charter stating that the Mayor is in charge of the City in such cases. Commissioner Glass announced the birthday of Commissioner Howell on September 22, 1998. In turn, Commissioner Howell said that Commissioner Glass had a birthday on September 21, 1998. All wished the Commissioners a Happy Birthday. Mayor Vandergrift talked about the Democracy Forum at Borders book store scheduled for Saturday afternoon. Mr. Shapiro said he had discussions with the Staff and Community Relations and advised that the open forum to discuss events that happened in history is a citizen's right. Mr. Shapiro said that it may be Pro-Ocoee because some of the seniors are willing to discuss the issues and the history. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 7:49 p.m. APPROVED Attest: City of Ocoee 4