CRA, CITY COMMISSION
DISCUSS TRANSMISSION TOWER &
STAFF POSITIONS
December 2, 2014
The Cedar Key Community Development Agency met in the Cedar Key City Hall on Tuesday, December 2, 2014. All members were in attendance: Chair Royce Nelson, Vice Chair Tine Ryan, and Dale Register, Sue Colson, and Nettie Hodges.
The Cedar Key City Commission met immediately after the CRA meeting, convening at 6:08pm. All commissioners were in attendance: 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, City Clerk Teresa George, and Staffer Lisa Fine.
Though they came and went, in the audience were approximately forty-five individuals.
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CRA MEETING
This eight-minute meeting enjoyed no public comment and members approved minutes from the September 2 and October 7, 2014, meetings.
Police Chief / Public Works Director Virgil Sandlin reported that he had met with Chairman Royce Nelson and they had discussed the storm water sewer maintenance project. They decided to dig out around each of the discharge areas and place Jersey Barriers around them to keep the mud from filling back in to the area. Sandlin is in he is in the process of getting prices and then present a proposal to the commission.
Chair Royce Nelson reported that a meeting with SunTrust Bank is upcoming, stating that most likely the city will have to renegotiate its loan as it is unable to make the full payment which is due in April, 2015. The city is approximately $60,000 short. Prior Chair Dale Register and member Sue Colson further reminded the audience that the loan payment can be made only from TIF (Tax Incremental Financing), revenue funds paid to the city from our county property taxes, not from any city taxes, and that the inability to pay stems not from mismanagement but from less real estate tax being collected.
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CITY COMMISSION MEETING
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- The next meeting, December 16, will include a discussion on the C Street Bridge project.
- Thesecond reading of the ordinance creating the Land Planning Agency is postponed until the December 16, 2014, commission meeting.
- The Holiday Boat Parade and Santa Clam’s arrival in Cedar key is scheduled for December 13; Vice Mayor Sue Colson urged all to attend. A pot-luck dinner will follow at the City Park. The event functions also as a charity night when residents will have a chance to give to various charities.
- The Holiday Christmas Party featuring Santa Claus and gifts for all the children is scheduled for Monday, December 15, 2014, at the Cedar Key Community Center.
- Vice Mayor Sue Colson announced the need for dollars to purchase gifts for the children, citing the fact that Santa’s elves were having a difficult year.
- Librarian Molly Jubitz announced that flu shots were available in the Library from 2 to 4 pm on Wednesday, December 3.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Resident Jeri Treat applauded the recent Holiday Tree Lighting event in City Park, thanking the Chamber of Commerce and Andrea and Scott Dennison for making the event happen. The park was filled, said she. Also participating in the evening festivities was Cedar Key Historical Society President Ken Young reading The Night Before Christmas. The Christmas cedar tree in the park was rededicated with many thanks to the late Don Joyce, the Cedar Key resident who, with the help of his family and Cedar Key Fire Chief Robinson, created and hung the decorations in the park every year. Vice Mayor Sue Colson further thanked Robinson and the Public Works staff for making construct the event and keeping it safe.
BUILDING OFFICIAL MEETING
Mayor Dale Register announced meeting with Building Official Walt Brown and informing him that when it came to interpretation of any differences among FEMA, state laws, and laws of the city, City Attorney Norm Fugate was the official interpreter and Brown is to follow the laws as interpreted by Fugate.
AMERICAN TOWER
American Tower Corporation’s Senior Project Manager for Florida Jeff Pilgrim spoke to the commission and the large audience summarizing the company’s attempt to partner with the community to construct a tower to provide needed wireless services to the area. Pilgrim, though the eighth manager assigned to this project, declared his commitment to finding a workable solution; he lives in North Florida and understands the need. He is looking for a solution that is mutually beneficial to Cedar Key and American Tower.
ATC presented one tower placement site on Park Street between Bayshore Avenue and State Road 24. The proposed tower facility’s footprint is approximately 40 feet by 40 feet. ATC’s average tower facility footprint is 100 feet by 100 feet. The proposed mono-tower will be approximately 135 feet high.
Pilgrim reiterated that he was ready to consider other options. He explained FAA requirements regulating tower heights and “shadows” caused by the previously-considered water tower structure. Register and Colson noted that keeping the tower away from residences would be helpful. Residents voiced their opinions. Previous commissioner Scott Dennison provided much rich information as he directed the project for the city in the past.
Concerns about the ownership of the land were discussed. Previously and currently, the city wishes control of the tower, therefore requiring it to be located on city-owned land. Though the Cedar Key State Museum might be an appropriate location, the placement was problementative because the land owner is the State of Florida. The land at the end of Sandra Street was disregarded as well as it is deeded “conservation” and has restrictions upon it.
By the end of the discussion, suggestions for alternate tower location included:
- Anchor Hole parking lot area,
- The privately owned lot immediately south of the Low Key Hideaway Motel on State Road 24
- Cedar Key Museum State Park at the end of Hodges Avenue
- The parking lot area near City Hall close to the maintenance shed;
- Park Street
- Cemetery Point Park
Register directed City Clerk Teresa George to prepare an email to Pilgrim listing the potential sites. In response, Pilgrim will visit the sites, consider their “constructability” and leasing potential to carriers, and report back to the commission on January 20, 2015.
CLERK’S OFFICE
Commissioners unanimously approved minutes from the Tentative Budget Hearing of September 4, 2014, and the Final Budget Hearing of September 15, 2014.
Commissioners unanimously approved minutes from City Commission Meetings of September 16 and October 7, 2014.
PUBLIC WORKS POSITION
Asked at the last City Commission meeting to construct a schema detailing responsibilities of a Public Works Director, City Clerk Teresa George, Police Chief / Public Works Director Virgil Sandlin, and Fire Chief / Building Department Manager Robert Robinson, presented their proposal.
Spokesperson Robinson attempted to explain why two positions were created instead of the one position originally suggested. Robinson prefaced the recommendations by stating that when the commission assigned the task, the staff was asked how they felt about the positions and this report reflected how they feel.
Staff's proposal is for a full-time Building Tech and a part-time Public Works Director to be overseen temporarily by Vice-Mayor Sue Colson.
Attorney Norm Fugate submitted a copy of Section 11.05.02 from Chapter 4, Laws of Cedar Key, which establishes the position of Planning and Development Administrator and lists the job duties. Many of these duties are included in the duties of the proposed Building Tech position. The Building Tech position was then morphed into a Planning and Development Administrator position.
After Robinson explained that clear direction is needed by the commission, and before he had spoken four minutes, Mayor Register interrupted him asking him about the Fugate description. Staff’s proposal was not orally articulated in its whole or its intent.
In part the recommendation stated:
The Building Tech will be responsible for the day-to-day operation; of the building department and code enforcement. It is recommended the Commission decide on pro-active or re-active code enforcement before implementing this new position.
The Public Works Director position will become part-time with most of the duties focusing on directly supervising the maintenance crew.
Subsequent discussion centered on commissioners overseeing different departments. Vice-Mayor Sue Colson explained that in the past, in an effort to diminish expenses and possibly involve commissioners more in the operations of the city, each commissioner did oversee a department; in fact, Vanessa Edmonds, in the audience, used to oversee the city’s Fire Department. Colson said that the schema worked well.
Colson further explained that the suggestion that she oversee the Public Works crew was unknown to her until the day before the meeting, Monday, December 1, 2014. She further explained that she would be willing to temporarily oversee the Public Works Department until March, emphasizing “temporary,” and citing that her full-time job in Gainesville occupied her weekends instead of her weekdays. Colson thinks that by the next budget workshop, the part-time Public Works position will probably need to become a full-time position.
Adding some of the newly proposed Planning and Development duties to Building Official Walt Brown’s responsibilities was negated because he is paid by the hour and his office hours, being limited, do not allow him to be as accessible as the duties require.
Commissioners unanimously approved combining the job responsibilities from staff’s Building Tech and Fugate’s Planning and Development Administrator and advertising for the position. They tabled the Public Works Director position until the next meeting.
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Commissioners unanimously approved Virgil Sandlin’s purchase of the new Marina launch meter as the current one is working improperly. As directed at the last meeting, Sandlin requested three bids, only one of which responded and is in the mail. Commissioner Nelson reported that he also solicited and received three bids, none of which was competitive with the initial quote to Sandlin of $10,800.
Mayor Register reported on the recent RBEG grant meeting with engineers Mittauer, saying all went well and the plans were being revised and sent to the city for final approval.
Commissioners unanimously postponed the discussion regarding delivery truck parking on Dock Street.
COMMISSIONER ITEMS
Purchasing:
Commissioners approved tabling Commissioner Nelson’s concern about the city’s purchasing policy.
ANOTHER WAY REQUEST:
Another Way, Inc. Domestic violence and rape crisis center whose mission it is “to offer counseling, support, and safe shelter to survivors of domestic and sexual violence….” Another Way, supported by audience members Eileen Senecal, Kimberly Henderson, Starr Pope, and Vice Mayor Colson, requested the use of a room a few times a month, at the Chamber of Commerce, for counseling victims. Currently using inappropriate, non-private, but available space in the Library, the group sought a smaller, more private enclosed space. They require no files, no phones, nothing but a space. The room at the rear of the Welcome Center has a private entrance, can be closed off from the rest of the building and can be accessed even when the Welcome Center is closed.
The conference room at the Welcome Center is to be available for the City’s use and the city attorney suggested that there be a licensing agreement between the City and Another Way with the Chamber signing off, consenting to the agreement.
Chamber President Karen Stephenson spoke in support of the organization and said that the Chamber would certainly like to support it in any way they can. She then questioned the privacy issue of both the Chamber and the Another Way group, because of the ‘paper-thin’ walls, and the office availability.
The back room is used as a resource center for businesses that do not have access to fax machines, computer printing, etc. She was concerned that the services provided to members be continued and not interrupted.
Henderson said that the room would only be used during certain hours on a set day during the week. This way anyone in the area needing services would know that she would be there.
Stephenson was concerned with visitors in the Welcome Center getting brochures from the connecting hallway and being able to hear counseling discussions in the rear office,
Henderson said she would come to the Chamber meeting to make her presentation if the City approved her request. Commissioners also suggested local Churches and the Community Center.
Eileen Senecal spoke to the commission asking that if the Chamber is not available they still consider it a good option for our city to have an Another Way councilor come and council people. We have a lot more domestic violent in our city than most people realize considering what our population is.
Stephenson offered that maybe the Chamber could be used as a back-up if the churches are not always available and if they could use the Chamber during non-business hours it wouldn’t matter to her either way.
It was left that Kimberly Henderson would take her proposal to the Chamber Board Meeting and if it was approved then the City would work out the licensing arrangement with the Chamber.
It was stated that the Chamber was not completely opposed to it.
In the meantime Eileen will pursue the availability of the churches.
Cedar Key School Ad:
Commissioners approved $200, requested by Vice Mayor Sue Colson, for a yearbook ad for Cedar Key School.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:57 pm
Next meeting is16 December 2014
TABLED ISSUES
11/18/14 Meeting:
- Aquaculture decision regarding pervious / impervious surfaces. Scheduled to return to the December 2 agenda. Not on Dec 2, agenda.
- Public Works job description. Scheduled to return to the December 2 agenda. On December 2, postponed again until 16 December.
- Launch Meter decision. Police Chief / Public Works Director Virgil Sandlin. Resolved on December 2 allowing Sandlin, after research and bids, to purchase the meter.
12/2/14 Meeting:
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The Land Planning Agency second reading is postponed until the December 16, 2014, commission meeting.
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Aquaculture decision regarding pervious / impervious surfaces. Scheduled to return to the December 2 agenda. Not on Dec 2, agenda.
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Commissioners unanimously postponed the discussion regarding delivery truck parking on Dock Street.
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Commissioners approved tabling Commissioner Nelson’s concern about the city’s purchasing policy.
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