COMMISSION RESCINDS
PREVIOUS BRIDGE VOTE…
ALTERNATIVES NINE AND TEN
MAY BE COMING
March 18, 2015
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MEETING SPECIFICS
The Cedar Key City Commission met at 6pm at City Hall on Tuesday, March 17, 2015. Commissioners in attendance were: Mayor Dale Register, Vice-Mayor Sue Colson, and Commissioners Tina Ryan, Royce Nelson and Nettie Hodges.
Staff in attendance included: City Attorney Norm Fugate, Police Chief/Public Works Director Virgil Sandlin, Fire Chief/Building Department Manager Robert Robinson, and Staffer Lisa Fine and City Clerk Teresa George.
The audience consisted of some approximately twenty individuals. Included were: Artist Russ Weaver, Sea Breeze owner Jamie Griffin, Harbor Master owner Brent Brooks, and Carlin’s Steakhouse owner Mike Carlin.
The meeting adjourned at 7:30pm.
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FINE RESIGNS
Staffer Lisa Fine read her letter of resignation to the commissioners in the Public Comment portion of the agenda at the meeting’s commencement. She cited that she was so busy performing multiple additional jobs that she, consequently, was unable to do the job for which she was hired, to function as the assistant city clerk. She further said that “the amount of disrespect that the departments receive from our Commission is not appropriate and causes a hostile work environment and disarray.”
Initially, no comment was made to Fine’s reading. At the evening’s end, resident Mandy Offerle commented upon Fine’s competent, responsible dealings with her as a resident and as a member of the press; she further noted Fine’s efficient problem-solving skills and helpful attitude. Offerle’s response was heartily agreed to by several members of the Commission and Staff.
Some commissioners expressed dismay with Fine's announcement and Mayor Dale Register asked Fine if the situation was negotiable. Fine answered “no, sir.”
Fine’s last day will be March 26, 2015.
COMMISSIONERS PRIORITIZE ISSUES… PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT UNSAFE AND MAY TO REMAIN SO
At prior meetings, Mayor Dale Register requested that commissioners prioritize three issues of importance to them, some that may need research, for consideration in the upcoming budget workshops.
Register himself listed Waste Pro, as the city’s contract with the company is upcoming. Commissioner Royce Nelson listed the dredging of the City Marina and capital outlay projects. Vice-Mayor Sue Colson added the need for a schedule of all city contracts including who they are with, costs, and due dates. Commissioner Tina Ryan reinforced the Marina dredging concern, but advised looking carefully at the whole problem, improving the marina and the flow issue, not simply dredging and returning to the same situation that existed before the dredging. Ryan also urged the need to give staff clear direction as to what the commissioners want them to do.
Commissioner Nettie Hodges agreed with the capital outlay list, citing the specific concern that “someone’s going to get hurt” on the City Park’s playground equipment. Commissioner Royce Nelson, who at the September 2, 2014, Cedar Key Community Redevelopment Agency meeting, offered to repair the park playground equipment that needed immediate repair, declared that he now will not do so unless the Delaino dredging project goes through. He will not move his sandblasting equipment to this area and will not sandblast the playground equipment until after the Delaino project is finished. See Cedar Key News, September 2, 2014, “CRA, Commission Meet” article.
The Delaino project, what Delaino has titled a “Shoreline Restoration Project,” is an attempt to reestablish the original wider mouth and breadth of Tyre Creek at Goose Cove. The project also includes planting sea grasses along the properties, some of which belong to the city, along the G Street shoreline. See Cedar Key News April 15, 2014 “City Commission Meet” article.
The playground safety concern was not responded to by Nelson. Colson offered to bring back to the commissioners her “Band-Aid” solution that would temporarily answer the “someone is going to get hurt” concern.
Mayor Register will report back to the commission with a priority list for their approval.
CITY FILLS TWO FULL-TIME CITY POSITIONS
Cedar Key’s Bill Crandley will begin his Public Works Director position on March 21, 2015. Ohio’s Nick Bellas will be on site soon for his Planning and Development Administrator position. Register gave him a three-month period to begin; Bellas assured Register that his start would be much sooner.
COMMISSIONERS RESCIND DOCK STREET BRIDGE VOTE
In lieu of the Levy County Commission making a decision for them, on February 17, 2015, commissioners voted on the Florida Department of Transportation’s Alternative One to replace The Dock Street Bridge in a four-1 vote with Commissioner Royce Nelson dissenting.
Commissioner Nettie Hodges apologized on several occasions throughout the discussion saying that she had not realized what her vote meant.
Since then, and before then, according to Mayor Register, FDOT staff continues to work hard to provide options. “They’re really trying,” reported Register. FDOT plans to be here for its March 30 Public Meeting at 4:30 pm at the Cedar Key Community Center; there they plan to offer three alternatives and “listen to us,” reported Register. After that meeting, FDOT will conduct one more public meeting to present their decision.
Commissioners unanimously voted to rescind their February 17 approval of Alternative One.
COMMISSIONERS APPROVE RESOLUTION ON PUBLIC COMMENT RULES OF PROCEDURE
City Clerk Teresa George explained that the purpose of this resolution, previously misunderstood by the commissioners, was to provide for materials and agenda items to be placed on the City Commission meetings in an appropriate time scheme. The original Resolution 363, has added an item that requires any person desiring to address the commission for more than 4 minutes to submit a written request form. Commissioners approved the resolution unanimously.
PUBLIC SPEAKERS IDENTIFY THEMSELVES
Commissioner Nettie Hodges proffered her concern that the public identifying themselves as “taxpayers” or not was “demeaning” and “offensive.” Commissioner Tina Ryan reminded the group that her original suggestion, adopted by the commission, was that the speakers merely identify themselves by name and that her suggestion never included a “taxpayer” declaration. How Ryan’s initial suggestion morphed into the “taxpayer” declaration was unclear.
Commissioners readily agreed to ask speakers to identify themselves by name and “resident” or not a resident only.
CRA WILL RENEGOTIATE LOAN
Attorney Norm Fugate and Cedar Key Community Redevelopment Agency Chair Royce Nelson met on March 10, 2015, with two SunTrust Bank representatives to discuss the restructuring of the CRA’s loan payments. Attorney Fugate is awaiting draft documentation to present to the CRA.
LEVY COUNTY SCHOOL BOARDS REQUESTS PROPERTY
The LCSB has requested that the commission donate a parcel of land that is located on the Cedar Key School campus but is owned by the City of Cedar Key. The request does not include why the school board wants the parcel nor what it intends to do with it.
Discussion ensued and included everything from donating the property to not doing so. Most important in the discussion was the offering of former mayor and commissioner Heath Davis who reminded the commission that the school board now owns much of Whiddon Avenue. Davis advised not donating the parcel as it is the only bargaining tool the city has should the school board wish to alter Whiddon Avenue.
The suggestion was made to allow the Levy Count School Board complete a title search and a survey. Commissioner Tina Ryan and Police Chief Virgil Sandlin commented that the costs to be incurred in a title search and survey are unfair, not to mention that they would necessarily have to use tax funds, if commissioners already know that we wish not to donate the property.
The motion was made to ask the LCSB to complete a title search and survey. The motion did not pass: Commissioners Tina Ryan and Nettie Hodges and Vice-Mayor Sue Colson voted nay; Mayor Dale Register and Commissioner Royce Nelson voted yea.
LIBRARY ROOF AND SIDING
Police Chief/Public Works Director Virgil Sandllin advised that commissioners enter into the $29,000 contract with Delta Coast Construction to repair the Library roof and the east side of the building. Currently $24,500 is budgeted for repairs.
Commissioners unanimously passed the motion to accept the $29,500 Delta Coast contract pending a revision to the budget of $5,000.
FIREWORKS
Fire Chief/Building Department Manager Robert Robinson advised all that July 4 will arrive in a flash. Cedar Key Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Leslie Valen advised the group that she or a chamber representative would report at the next commission meeting the chamber’s plans.
MANGROVES
The Department of Environmental Protection will hold a Mangrove Seminar on March 24, 2015, at 10 am at the Community Center. The DEP will demonstrate the correct way to trim and maintain mangroves and explain how to determine if the mangroves to be trimmed require a Professional Mangrove Trimmer (PMT). Commissioners unanimously approved Vice-Mayor Sue Colson’s request for $50 for refreshments.
The next Commission meeting will April 7, 2015
The link below will connect you with the
video of the March 17, 2015 meeting
Video provided by the
Cedar Key Chamber of Commerce
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