The Cedar Key City Commission met Tuesday evening, February 4, 2014, at approximately 7:30PM after the 6PM CRA meeting in City Hall.   Mayor Gene Hodges, vice mayor Dale Register, and commissioners Tina Ryan and Scott Dennison were in attendance; Sue Colson was absent.

Resident Lannie Cardona asked that the mayor, after consulting with commissioners, sign a letter of support required in a grant request from the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Seafood Marketing to Visit Florida. The grant from Visit Florida is to promote Florida historical commercial waterfront communities.  Twelve communities, of which Cedar Key is one, will be addressed if Visit Florida receives the grant. Promotional material would be provided to the city to be used at the welcome center and at the seafood festival. Letters of support have already been received from the Historical Society, the Lions Club, and the Chamber of Commerce. In concert with commissioners, Mayor Hodges signed the document.

Resident Tom Deverin, believing that continued education of the public on the ecological and economic success of recycling would benefit Cedar Key, offered a letter to be mailed to residents articulating the dollars saved and other pertinent recycling information.  He requested $300 for the mailing of the letters.  City Clerk Teresa George was unable to provide the specific recycling data wanted for the letter, saying that she was working on the issue.  Commissioner Dennison   made the motion to deny the $300 mailing expense until the data were presented by George; his motion passed.  Commissioner Register supported spending the $300 immediately, stating the project worthwhile.

Chamber of Commerce President Bill Heckler publicly recognized Chief Sandlin and Chief Robinson for their constant hard work and visibility all over town and presented each of them with a plaque.  The two chiefs received appreciative applause of the audience.

Cedar Key Water and Sewer District Attorney John McPherson reported that three of seven hydrants are installed and the job should be finished by the end of February.  He further reported that the water tower must be repainted now and during that approximately ten-day time period, the tank must be empty, thereby requiring residents to conserve water.    Commissioner Ryan voiced concern that now is when most visitors come to Cedar Key, they are less likely to conserve, and requested that the painting be done at another time.  McPherson responded that he will review specific water usage data and possibly reconsider the painting date. 

Sandlin also updated commissioners on the FWC boat ramp. 

• Cabot Construction’s Pat Berry will resolve the gravel problem at the foot of the ramp within the next four to six weeks, immediately after the appropriate equipment becomes available. 
• The lack of uniform appearance, different color shades, results from the Corrocoat being patched with a different batch of Corrocoat mixture.
• The spaces between the vertical pickets are too wide to meet the Florida Building Code. 
• The City is now waiting for Mittauer to submit the reimbursement form to FWC so that the City can be reimbursed.
• Drawings submitted by Mittauer, that were represented to be “as-built” drawings, were nothing more than copies of the original permit set with lines drawn through the details that had not been used.
• No new details showing the “value engineering” or other construction changes, required to be part of the as-built drawings, were submitted.

The City announced a request for proposals for engineers to complete eight projects to be funded by RESTORE Act funds.  Three engineers are being considered:  CHW from Gainesville, DRMP, and Burrell.  As the proposals will result in the selection of a firm, and thus are governed by the Sunshine Law, Dennison made a motion to participate in a selection committee consisting of Chair Virgil Sandlin, Building Department Manager Robert Robinson, and himself.  The motion passed with only with Register dissenting.  The first committee meeting to establish criteria will occur at 9AM on February 6, 2014, in City Hall.