CITY OF FORT MEADE REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING TUESDAY JUNE 8, 2010

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1 CITY OF FORT MEADE REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING TUESDAY JUNE 8, 2010 A Regular Meeting of the For Meade City Commission was held on Tuesday, at the City Hall Commission Chambers, 8 West Broadway, Fort Meade, Florida. 1. CALL TO ORDER: The Meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM by Mayor Nelson. 2. ROLL CALL: Mayor Maurice Nelson Present Vice Mayor Jim Watts Present Commissioner Rick Cochrane Present Commissioner Bob Elliott Present Commissioner Barbara Manley Present Staff Present City Manager Fred Hilliard Present Assistant to City Manager Deena Ware Present City Attorney Tom Cloud Present Finance Director James (Mel) Parker Present Public Works Director Frankie Curlee Present Leisure Services Director Dennis Guenther Present Deputy City Clerk Phyllis Kirk Present Also present were: Polk County Sheriff s Deputy, Sergeant Casey Riley, Priscilla Perry, Chamber Director and Code Enforcement Officer, Mary Jo Russell. 3. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE TO THE FLAG: Mayor Nelson requested a moment of silence in memory of former Commissioner Walter Bryant. Travis Risner, Pastor First Church of God, Fort Meade led the invocation and Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. 4. ADDITIONS AND/OR DELETIONS None

2 Page 2 5. APPROVAL OF AGENDA/MINUTES: A. Minutes: Motion by Commissioner Cochrane, seconded by Commissioner Watts to adopt the minutes of the Regular Commission Meeting May 11, PRESENTATIONS/AWARDS/REPORTS: A. Fort Meade Chamber Director Report Priscilla Perry, Chamber Director reported the following events: June 26, 2010 Saturday night downtown called Summertime Blues July 4, 2010 celebration is currently being planned and will be announced shortly. B. Proclamation Declaring June 15, 2010 as Elder Abuse Awareness Day Mayor Nelson read a proclamation recognizing Fort Meade s seniors as valued members of society and declaring June 15, 2010 as Elder Awareness Day. The proclamation was accepted by Deena Ware on behalf of the Communities for a Lifetime Committee via Florida Department of Elder Affairs. 7. PUBLIC FORUM: Citizen comments for items not on the agenda (3 minute maximum length). No one desired to address the Commission. 8. ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS AND PUBLIC HEARINGS: A. Resolution Supporting the 2010 Polk TPO Multi-Use Trail Program Attorney Cloud read the title for Resolution RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF FORT MEADE CITY COMMISSION SUPPORTING THE 2010 POLK TPO MULTI-USE TRAIL PROGRAM. Motion Cochrane, Second Elliott to adopt Resolution OLD BUSINESS: A. Florida Retirement System for City Employees

3 Page 3 City Manager, Fred Hilliard recommended to the Commission that the City should join the Florida Retirement System effective October 1, The employees that would like to remain in the Fort Meade Employees Retirement System may do so. Employees who choose to become members of the Florida Retirement System and are not vested in the Fort Meade Employees Retirement System will forfeit the City s contribution and will be placed into the Florida Retirement System. Employees who are vested in the City s plan and choose to move to the Florida Retirement System will retain their benefits with the City s plan and start over with the Florida Retirement System. All new hires as of October 1, 2010 will be required to become members of the Florida Retirement System. Motion Cochrane, Second Watts that the City of Fort Meade join the Florida Retirement System effective October 1, 2010 and accept the City Managers stipulations on new hires, vested and unvested employees. B. Fire & Rescue Fee Assessment City Manager, Fred Hilliard stated that while he supports the concept of this assessment fee, time constraints to place the fee on real estate taxes, independent assessments and public hearings that have to be done are rushing the implementation. It is Mr. Hilliard s suggestion that the Commission postpone implementing the assessment until next year. Motion Watts, Second Elliott to defer the Fire & Rescue Fee Assessment until C. Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Deena Ware, Assistant to City Manager, explained that several months ago the City received notice that we did not get the $250, grant from the state for energy efficiency. There was a miscalculation in the original award and the mistake has been corrected giving the City the $250, The first meeting to organize and work out the details will be June 9, The City has two years to use the money. The City has also agreed to match $400, The initials phase plans are to upgrade the City s buildings first to save the City money. The second phase will be to individual citizens. Motion Elliott, Second Cochrane to accept the energy efficiency and conservation block grant monies and terms.

4 Page NEW BUSINESS A. Consider Change to Solid Waste Contract Mr. Curtis Agius of Advanced Disposal explained the City has been requesting new trash containers and door-to-door recycling for quite some time. He stated that after discussing it with management that they could offer the City new trash containers and go to recycling without a price increase. It would be once a week trash pickup, once a week recycling and once week vegetation. The cost of providing new containers to the City would be approximately $160, which Advanced is willing to invest but would like to see the original contract extended from expiring in three years to seven years. Mr. Agius reminded the Commission that since the inception of the waste contract in 2007 no rate hikes have been implemented even though the contract calls for a CPI and landfill rate hike. Discussion by the Commission followed with questions on the length of a seven year contract and concerns over any rate increases during that time. Motion Elliott, Seconded Watts authorizing staff to proceed to prepare the necessary documents implementing this change and to set and call the necessary public hearings and public advertisements. B. Engineering Services for Electrical Services City Manager, Fred Hilliard recommended awarding a contract with Jones Edmunds to assist staff with the evaluation and development of a capital improvements program. Jones Edmunds was one of two RFPs received; the other was from Power Services. The first phase of the contract would be the modeling of the entire distribution system at a cost of $10, to $15, which is in this year s budget. Discussion by the Commission concerning the time frame for the modeling and the cost of $10, to $15, City Manager explained that the cost difference of $5, was due to his request for a GIS system in conjunction with the modeling which would be completed with 90 days.

5 Page 5 Motion Elliott, Seconded Watts to award the engineering services RFP to Jones Edmunds Engineering Services. 11. CITY ATTORNEY COMMENTS: None 11. CITY MANAGER COMMENTS: The City s current five cent road tax improvement ordinance expires July 1, 2011 but the agreement with Polk County and the City does not expire until The Street Department has identified a list of streets for repaving. The list is under review with the Water and Sewer Department to identify streets that will not be destroyed if the utility stems need to be replaced. The list will be refined and presented to the Commission with staff recommendation at the July meeting. Once the streets have been identified for repaving a professional engineer will to be hired to prepare plans and specifications for the project. A cost estimate will also need to be prepared to secure funding for the project. I am currently evaluating what the City can do to revise their electric billing. Presently the City uses an established power cost in addition to a power cost adjustment factor to invoice our customers. My objective is to present the Commission with a billing approach that will identify the City s operational costs independent of the FMPA/ARP monthly cost. CITY FINANCE DIRECTOR COMMENTS City Finance Director, Mel Parker, reported that a total of 45 qualified customers have returned the budget billing inserts expressing interest in the program. At the time of implementing the program, there probably will be even less than 45 still interested. 250 customers would be a better percentage for implementation of this program. We are currently working on a new phone system which will eliminate Polk County dispatching our City emergency calls. We are waiting on the new phones which are expected the third week in June. The backup to the calls will be Frankie Curlee. 13. CITY COMMISSION COMMENTS:

6 Page 6 Mayor Nelson noted that former Commissioner Walter Bryant s viewing would be held on Friday, June 11, 2010 at 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Gause Funeral Home in Bartow. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, June 6, 2010 at St. Paul s AME Church at 2:00 PM. Reserved seats will be set aside for the Commission. There is going to be an accident at 3 rd and Charleston South. Trucks are constantly parked there and people can t see. Please have someone look into this matter before someone is hurt. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, a motion was made by Commissioner Watts, seconded by Commissioner Elliott, to adjourn the Regular Commissioner s meeting of at 8:02 PM. Approved this day of, Maurice Nelson, Mayor ATTEST: Phyllis Kirk, Deputy City Clerk