CEDAR KEY CITY
COMMISSION MEETS
18 June 2019
Meeting Specifics: The Cedar Key City Commission met on Tuesday, June 18, 2019, at 6 pm, at Cedar Key City Hall. Present were Heath Davis, Sue Colson, Royce Nelson, Susan Rosenthal, and newly seated Jim Wortham.
Staff in attendance included: City of Cedar Key Attorney Norm Fugate, Police Chief Virgil Sandlin, Fire Chief and Emergency Operations Director Robert Robinson, Public Works Director James Custer, Assistant City Clerk Crystal Sharp, Staffer Telicia Winfield, and Legal Assistant to Mr. Fugate Leslie Landress. City Clerk Nicole Gill was not in attendance.
Among those in the audience were: Ronnie Taylor, Peg Hall, Caryn Stephenson, Santa Blouse, David and Galina Binkley, Beth Mizell, John Dozier, Firefly Cottages owners, Jeri and Bob Treat, and Mandy Offerle.
SEATING OF ELECTED COMMISSIONERS
SWEARING IN
Newly reelected Heath Dais and Sue Colson were sworn in to Seats One and Five respectively; newly elected Jim Wortham was sworn in to Seat Three. Not in keeping with past swearings-in, no one read aloud his oath. On the advice of the City Clerk’s Office, all three read the oath silently. The audience only heard the “I do” simultaneously uttered by the three.
MAYOR
Assistant City Clerk Sharp took nominations for the mayoral position. Heath Davis alone was nominated; he accepted the position.
VICE MAYOR
Assistant City Clerk Sharp took nominations for the vice-mayoral position. Sue Colson alone was nominated; she accepted the position.
APPOINTMENTS OF STAFF
Annually staff appointments, reappointments, or/and terminations are traditionally made at the same meeting in which new commissioners are seated. These positions include: City attorney Norm Fugate, Police Chief Virgil Sandlin, Fire Chief and Emergency Operations Director Robert Robinson, City Clerk Nicole Gill, and Public Works Director James Custer.
Altering tradition, Mayor Davis requested that the commission postpone the appointments until the next meeting. Davis cited no time to discuss performance on this evening and suggested a workshop format at the next meeting, thereby allowing a discussion. Commissioners agreed to postpone the issue.
PUBLIC COMMENT
CHAMBER REQUEST
Cedar Key Chamber of Commerce President Caryn Stephenson requested, and was approved, use of the city dock from which to launch the annual fireworks display.
STRAIGHT TALKS / HEALTHY CEDAR KEY WORKSHOPS
Vice-Mayor Colson reminded the audience of the workshops, produced by the city, designed to further the healthy Cedar Key concept. In addition to the recent vaping and memory-loss seminars, Mental Health First Aid will be offered in upcoming weeks.
Colson added that a budget line for refreshments ought be established for these events.
POLICE PRAISE
Commissioner Susan Rosenthal reported that some 600 motorcycles came to town on Saturday, June 15, as part of their tour to raise $10,000 for veterans, a goal at which they succeeded. She thanked the Cedar Key Police Department for its successful community policing.
GRANT
Vice-Mayor Colson reported that the City Park FRDAP Grant is now complete: paperwork is complete, inspections have been made, and money is now due back to the city.
NEW BUSINESS
QUASI-JUDICIAL HEARING, DOZIER
Quasi-Judicial Hearing 2019-01 considered property owner John Dozier’s request to reconfigure and reduce the total number of lots on Block 5, Indiana Avenue and Ingleside Place, from five small lots to three larger lots.
Dozier addressed the commission and the audience claiming his family’s history with Cedar Key since the Civil War.
Problems arose when Attorney Norm Fugate was asked why the Dozier request was submitted as a “minor replat.” By definition, according to the Laws of Cedar Key, a “minor replat” is “the subdivision of a single lot or parcel of land into two (2) lots or parcels or the reconfiguration of two (2) or more lots or parcels to create no more than two (2) lots or parcels.” Unclear answers and more questions ensued.
During the discussion, Fugate responded, “it is neither a minor replat, and just because it is not a minor replat, it doesn’t automatically move it to a subdivision. It is simply a replat and our code has provisions that allow for that. The difference being a minor replat doesn’t have to go, again, doesn’t have to go through the FS Chapter 177 requirements which a replat that is not a minor replat does have to go through.” “what a replat is, is just an amendment to an existing subdivision.”
Resident Peg Hall, as an affected property owner, questioned commissioners, stating that, “it doesn’t look like a minor replat to me” and explaining why. Davis responded positively to her concern.
Mayor Davis requested that Dozier consider two lots instead of three; Dozier refused.
Fugate stated that despite the division of the parcel into three lots, not two, as per the definition of a “minor replat” in the Laws of Cedar Key, that City Staff and he “think” the Dozier request “conforms” to Cedar Key Laws. “The Commission may vote against it if they do not agree,” he said.
Eventually, the approval vote was unanimous.
QUASI-JUDICIAL HEARING, CHURCH OF CHRIST
Quasi-Judicial Hearing 2019-02 considered the Church of Christ’s request for a 490-foot addition to its fellowship hall and renovate a space for a new bathroom. Resident and contractor Ronnie Taylor submitted the request. No affected persons spoke. Davis asked if the requested changes would necessitate additional parking spaces; Taylor replied no.
Commissioners unanimously approved the request.
FEATHER FLAG ORDINANCE
Commissioners unanimously approved on its second reading of Ordinance 533 which allows feather flags on Dock Street and State Road 24. The ordinance limits the flags to 30-inches wide ad 120-inches tall.
The ordinance distributed to the audience also cited a “limit 1 per 20 feet of street frontage.” At the April 16 Cedar Key City Commission Meeting, commissioners agreed to allow one flag per business, not one every 20 feet. Fugate will rewrite the ordinance to reflect the April 16 decision.
Caryn Stephenson, speaking as a resident and not as Cedar Key Chamber of Commerce president, questioned why the commission would add distracting clutter to the town making it look tackier. She further questioned why this ordinance did not require feather flag owners to remove the flags each evening, as is required of every other temporary sign owner. Davis responded with an earnest request to have Stephenson and other chamber members at each meeting, stating that the commission needs their voices to be heard when such decisions are made, as opposed to after the fact.
OPEN FORUM WITH MAYOR
Davis welcomed the audience to his Tuesday, June 25, Open Forum at the Cedar Key Community Center at 6 pm. Click here for announcement: https://cedarkeynews.com/index.php/city-news/4767-cedar-key-city-forum
UF RIGHT OF ACCESS
The Laws of Cedar Key, Chapter 2, 2.18.00, allows the mayor to act when the lack of a quorum occurs. Because the Cedar Key City Commission had no quorum, it did not meet in May 2019. Consequently, the mayor took action on the following three measures. Each action was brought to the commission tonight for full approval.
Mayor Davis’s action gave the University of Florida right of access to continue its Shoreline Restoration and Habitat Enhancement Projects along Airport Road and G Street. Commissioners approved the action unanimously.
ENVISION CEDAR KEY GRANT
Also, because no May meeting occurred, the mayor authorized a grant application for Envision Cedar Key. This Phase Two grant works in concert with the University of Florida’s Historic Preservation Program and Urban and Regional Planning Department to envision adaption strategies to climate change demands. Commissioners unanimously approved the action.
GRUBBS CONTRACT
Also, because no May meeting occurred, the mayor authorized the 90-day extension of the Grubbs Emergency Services, LLC, Disaster Recovery Services Agreement which was to expire June 10, 2019. Commissioners unanimously approved the action.
FEMA PROCUREMENT POLICY
In addition to the 90 day extension of the Grubbs contract the commission instructed the city attorney to prepare a Request for Proposal so that they could use other companies is necessary.
CONCRETE FLOATING DOCK
Commissioners unanimously approved the sale of its concrete floating docks: one 12 by 25-foot dock and nine 44 inches by 5-foot piece of dock. Sealed bids are due to the city clerk’s office by August 8, 2019.
BUDGET CALENDAR
Click here for the city’s 2019 budget schedule. https://cedarkeynews.com/index.php/city-news/4766-cedar-key-city-commission-budget-schedule
LEVY TAXES
Levy County’s Property Appraiser’s Office has informed Cedar Key that its “2018 taxable value is $142,804, 721” and its “2019 estimated taxable value is $151,000,000.
TRASH SERVICES EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE
Mayor Heath Davis, Commissioner Susan Rosenthal, a City Clerk’s Office representative, and Attorney Norm Fugate will serve on the committee to discuss the current trash services contract, possible changes and its continuance.
AUDITOR ENGAGEMENT APPROVAL
Commissioners unanimously approved City of Cedar Key auditors Purvis and Gray’s Audit Engagement, or extension of services, letter until the 2021 fiscal year. The 2019 fee is $15,360; the 2020 fee is $15,730; the 2021 fee is $16,112.
BEAUCHAMP ENGAGEMENT APPROVAL
Commissioners unanimously approved a $10,500 contract with Beauchamp and Edwards, CPAs for their assistance to the City Clerk’s Office to prepare for the city’s next annual audit.
SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS
In a June 5, 2019, correspondence, Levy Supervisor of Elections Tammy Jones requested the use of City Hall for the following election dates: Presidential Primary March 17, 2020, Primary Election, August 25, 2020, and the General Election November 3, 2020.
ETHICS TRAINING
Ethics training for commissioners and other interested persons will occur on Monday, July 8, 2019. Breakfast will occur at 8:30 am; the session will occur from 9 am until 1 pm.
BUILDING OFFICIAL
Cedar Key’s building official contract with Safebuilt expires July 1, 2019, The temporary solution is to use Levy County’s qualified personnel and fee structure.
RESOLUTION TO AMEND BUUILDING PERMIT RATES
Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution to change the building permit rates as set forth in Chapter Five of the Laws of Cedar Key to reflect the amounts required by Levy County. The fees collected will be paid to the county.
CEMETERY MAPPING QUOTES
Cedar Key has put out a request for proposals for the surveying and mapping of the Cedar Key Cemetery.
ISO NOTIFICATION
Fire Chief Robert Robinson reported that the city’s ISO rating is, as of August, a 4; it was a 7 in the past. The lower the rating, the better. Insurance companies consult hem and increase or decrease rates depending upon them. Robinson urges residents to look for the rating on their fire insurance bills.
MINUTES APPROVED
Minutes from the April 16, 2019, Cedar Key City Commission Meeting were unanimously approved.
ONGOING BUSINESS
CITY ATTORNEY, NORM FUGATE
DEEDED STREETS:
Attorney Fugate reported that the deeded street information will come soon to the commission.
LAWS OF CEDAR KEY:
The 2019 Laws of Cedar Key have not been updated since it was expected in January 2019 due to computer files complications. Attorney Fugate is still working to resolve the problem.
PUBLIC WORKS, JAMES CUSTER
DREDGING:
Dredging in the Marina has been officially permitted and now awaits a response from the Army Corps of Engineers, reported Director Custer.
RESTORE ACT UPDATE:
Custer reported that the Restore Act funding is “moving forward.”
Mayor Davis said that the DOT has chosen a contractor for the Dock Street bridge and he expect that they will contact the city and set up some public meetings. Commissioner Colson said that she was concerned with the Dock Street bridge project because of what the DOT promised on the new airport road bridge and what was delivered.
POLICE DEPARTMENT, VIRGIL SANDLIN
STORAGE SHEDS:
Chief Sandlin reported that about eight of the shed owners in question have come in and filed. Half of those are now in compliance with the code and he expects that more will come in and sign up.
MEETING ADJOURNED
The meeting adjourned at 7:45 pm.
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