COMMISSION and COMMUNITY
CONNECT WELL!
CITY: “WE’RE AVAILABLE 24/7”
LEVY: LIBRARY IS THE “COMMUNITY JEWEL”
September 20, 2016
Meeting Specifics
The Cedar Key City Commission met on Tuesday, September 20, 2016, at 6:00 pm at the Cedar Key Community Center, not City Hall, because of Hurricane Hermine damage. Present were: Mayor Heath Davis, Vice-Mayor Dale Register, and Commissioners Sue Colson, Royce Nelson, and Diana Topping.
Staff in attendance included: City Attorney Norm Fugate, Police Chief Virgil Sandlin, Fire Chief and Emergency Operations Manager Robert Robinson. City Public Works Director Bill Crandley, City Clerk Nicole Gill, Crystal Sharp, and Donna Risker.
Among those in the audience were: Levy County Commissioner Lilly Rooks, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Robinson, John and Cindy Lock, Jenny Pinto, Linda and Colin Dale, Susan Smith, Michael Smith, Gina Stefani, John Blouse, Chris Topping, Molly Jubitz, Lonna Baer, Lisa Brasher, Mike and Connie O’Dell, Tom Liebert, Cindy Leiner, Denny Voyles, Doug Maple, Joe Catalano, Daniel Smith, Nolan Freeman, Robin Gilles, Lisa Mitchell, Maria Sgambati, John Cartagan, Michael Hancock, Jeri and Bob Treat, and Mandy and Frank Offerle.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
If you were unable to attend or view the meeting online, you missed a marriage of community and we’re sorry you were not there.
Openness, appreciation, and trust in police, emergency operations, and city staff were expressed in abundance. Mayor Davis expressed the city’s fine working relationship with the county.
Where else would a staff of fewer than a dozen say, “We’re available 24/7.”
What other place understands that its library is the “community jewel.”
PUBLIC COMMENT
Many in the room of approximately sixty participants expressed their feelings about living in Cedar Key during and after Hurricane Hermine.
Compliments abounded for Police Chief Virgil Sandlin, Emergency Operations Director/ Fire Chief Robert Robertson, Public Works Director Bill Crandley and his staff Brian Hathcock and Norm Hodge, City Clerk Nicole Gill and her staffers Crystal Sharp and Donna Risker.
Safety, security, accessibility, and presence were the recurring themes articulated by the audience for all city employees.
Some of their comments follow.
- Commissioner Sue Colson said that she “was proud to be here where we all help each other.” She reported that 478 volunteers signed up at the firehouse and logged 3,132 work hours. She reported that these volunteers said that they had been to Cedar Key, liked it, and wanted to give back. One family was scheduled to visit Universal Studios in Orlando but changed their plans to give back to Cedar Key.
- Gina Stefani expressed her many thanks to city staff and “everybody,” saying she had been in Cedar Key since 1985 and had never seen anything quite like the way the town came together.
- Former law enforcement officer, of four decades, Nolan Freeman explained that he had seen many a disaster, including tornados obliterating a town. He said that this is the first event of that kind where he saw “no mistakes.” He further stated that, “I don’t think that I’ve ever seen a situation like this handled better.”
- Linda Dale asked the commissioners to exercise any authority they might have to assist the United States Post Office return to its rented building and halt its operations now based from a truck.
- Jenny Pinto explained that even though she has given the commission a hard time in the past, today she was here to comment that all city staff had “gone well beyond what the job requires.” She added, “I am proud to be part of this community where people work so hard for each other.”
- John Cartagan explained that he worked with Joe Catalano “trying to get things in order” and was everywhere on the island. He said he saw a strong police presence. “Hats off, thank you,” he added.
- Mayor Davis thanked Catalano for his efforts in bringing many volunteer Pirates to Cedar Key, many who arrived with heavy equipment.
- Michael Smith explained that he has been an insurance adjuster and in the field for forty years and had seen many hurricanes, including Andrew in 1992 in South Florida. He said, “Cedar Key did an outstanding” job, “better than anything I’ve seen.”
- Lisa Mitchell reminded the commission that a recreational vehicle camper top in Tyree Creek; Mayor Davis replied that they knew it was there and were trying to figure a way to remove it.
RESOLUTION 391: KISS-ME-QUICK HOME ADDED TO LOCAL HISTORICAL REGISTRY
Commissioners unanimously approved Resolution 391 which adds to the Local Register of Historical Places the Bishop Estate home located at 12531 Live Oak Street on Kiss-Me-Quick. Documents included in the commissioner’s packet included correspondence from the Cedar Key Historical Society President Dr. John Andrews which states: “Although court records in Bronson give the date of the construction as 1930, Bishop family members indicate that it was actually built in 1924 from a combination of old railroad ties, bricks from the old Faber Pencil Company Mill on Atsena Otie, and lumber milled at the Sumner Saw Mill off State Road 24.”
The property owners plan to restore the home to as near its original condition as possible.
FINAL ORDER: MOFUN APPROVED
Commissioners unanimously approved Final Order 2016-09 Petition for Development Review: MoFun Inc., 122070 State Road 24. This order allows Maureen Dragonetti, the new owner of the Low-Key Hideaway Motel, to add seven additional recreational vehicle parking places, with water, sewer, and electricity, on the property adjoining the motel.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR PLANNING APPROVED
Mayor Heath Davis explained that, according to Florida law, Cedar Key, as a Florida State Municipality, must assure the state that its comprehensive plan and land development regulations are in concert with the state’s comprehensive plan and land development regulations. The Florida Community Planning Act, as set forth in Chapter 163 of the Florida Statutes, requires this compliance and regularly calendars it.
Deemed too technical a job for the Cedar Key Land Planning Agency, the commission seeks personnel experienced with this kind of work. Hence, commissioners unanimously directed City Clerk Nicole Gill and City Attorney Norm Fugate to “move forward” on requesting proposals for these services.
OUTSIDE MARINE KIOSKS INITIALLY DISCUSSED
Mayor Davis explained that the soon the RBEG grant will take effect and the leases to the four outside kiosks at the Cedar Key Marina will be up for renewal. He carefully explained to an audience, many of whom had little background on the issue, that: the docks are owned by the city; rented by lessees, many whom have been there for years; at the lease’s termination, all reverts to the city; that the RBEG grant will pay for decking but not the stringers underneath them; when finished, the kiosks will have water and electricity. He wanted all concerned to study the contract and to take initial concerns now.
Commissioner Toping asked how the city would appoint the next tenant if a current tenant opted not to renew his lease. Davis added that to the things that need to be clarified. The current lessees expressed they wish to renew their leases.
Commissioner Nelson suggested that there be a “universal template” for construction to assure proper building specifications. Cedar Cove and Island Room Hotel owner Gina Stefani lauded the suggestion saying that she had most of the boards loosened by Hurricane Hermine do fatal damage to her restaurant.
Davis invited feedback and expressed the desire to work with the lessees and the community.
VEHICLE SURPLUSED
Police Chief Virgil Sandlin requested surplussing and reassigning three police vehicles. The net result will be cars with less mileage and a monetary savings for the city. Commissioners unanimously approved the request.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS CONSIDERED, ACTED UPON:
CITY EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIIONAL RESTRUCTURED
City Public Works Director Bill Crandley has been reassigned to the title Public Works Supervisor. His responsibilities will remain the same except that the processing of grants and such paperwork will reside in the City Clerk’s office.
CITY HALL, CHAMBER STATUS
Because of Hurricane Hermine, City workers now work out of the Welcome Center, the building that the city owns and currently rent to the Chamber of Commerce.
Now the city will operate out of the Welcome center Monday through Thursday from 8 am to 5 pm. The Chamber will operate on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Most noteworthy is City Clerk Nicole Gill’s comment, “We are open 24/7.” She went on to say that email will alert her and her staff to needs at any time and assured the audience that the city would indeed respond.
CITY HALL AND LIBRARY STATUS
Mayor Davis, again, provided necessary historical information to the full audience before him, by explaining that the city owns the Cedar Key Library building; Levy County owns the contents of the library with the exception of some furniture pieces and other such items. City Clerk Gill explained that the library sustained, among other things, electrical damage and City Hall experienced 8 to 10 inches of water from Hurricane Hermine.
City officials, articulated Gill, opted to put City Hall on hold while they focused on the library’s return to operation.
Gill reported that air quality experts would be in the library tomorrow, Wednesday, September 21. County staffers were at the library on Wednesday inspecting the damage. The Levy County Library administrator, Lisa Brasher, was present and explained that white and black mold exists in the library now.
Levy County Commissioner Lilly Rooks, a daily person in Cedar Key, explained to Cedar Key News Staff toddy that the plan was to have the library operative in two weeks.
CITY ACCOUNTING SERVICES LESSENED
COmmissioners unanimously agreed to allow Clerk Nicole Gill to discuss new parameters to the Beauchamp and Edwards CPA engagement letter dated June 28, 2016. According to staff, fewer services are now needed from Beauchamp as the city’s staff expertise and technology has progressed.
MEETING ADJOURNED
The meeting adjourned at approximately 7:25 pm.
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