City Commission Meeting Summary - May 13, 2009
The City Commission met in regular session and took the following action (with Mayor Marks absent):
Recognized and welcomed Boy Scouts from Troop 251, working on their merit badge, and from Troop 120, working on their citizenship and community badge
Item 1 - Mayor Pro Tem Gillum presented the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award received from the Government Finance Officers Association to the Office of Budget and Policy.
Director of Management and Administrative Services Raoul Lavin appeared before the Commission relative to this item.
Item 2 - Mayor Pro Tem Gillum presented a proclamation proclaiming May 17–23, 2009, as National Public Works Week in the City of Tallahassee and recognizing the contributions of public works personnel to the community’s health, safety, comfort and quality of life.
Director of Public Works Gabriel Menendez appeared before the Commission relative to this item. Mr. Menendez also announced that Public Works had also won an award for excellence from the Big Bend Branch of the American Public Works Association.
Item 3 - Mayor Pro Tem Gillum presented a proclamation acknowledging KC McWilliams and Comcast for providing free access to technology to the homes of R. Frank Nims Middle School students through the Digital Harmony Pilot Program.
Ms. KC McWilliams, Vice President & General Manager; Ms. Stefanie Bowden, Executive Assistant; and Ms. Briana House, Customer Service Coordinator, of Comcast Cablevision, appeared before the Commission relative to this item.
Item 3.1 - Voted 4-0 (Mayor Marks absent) to accept a $3,000 donation from MWH Constructors for the Digital Harmony Project at R. Frank Nims Middle School, and appropriate the funds in Project #0101362.
Mr. Tom Machinski, from MWH Constructors, and Mr. Sean Pittman appeared before the Commission relative to this item.
Item 4 - Mayor Pro Tem Gillum presented a proclamation proclaiming May 2009 as National Preservation Month in the City of Tallahassee.
Mr. Edwardo Robles, Vice Chair, and Mr. Andy McLeod, Board Member, of the Tallahassee Trust for Historic Preservation, appeared before the Commission relative to this item.
Item 5 - Mayor Pro Tem Gillum presented a proclamation proclaiming May 17-23, 2009, as National Safe Boating Week in the City of Tallahassee.
U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Public Affairs Staff Officer Chuck Hickman, on behalf of Vice Flotilla Commander B. T. (Tim) Ashley; Marine Science Staff Officer Bob Asztalos; and Diversity Staff Officer Gloria Sammens appeared before the Commission relative to this item.
Items 6-20 - Voted 4-0 (Mayor Marks absent) to approve the staff's recommendations presented in Consent Agenda Items 6-20, taking the following action:
Item 6 - Approved the reappointment of Angela Poole to serve on the City’s Audit Committee to a term expiring June 2012 (recommended by the Mayor)
Item 7 - Approved the reappointment of Echo Gates and Corey McFarlane to serve on the Municipal Code Enforcement Board to terms expiring June 2012 (recommended by the Mayor)
Item 8 - Approved the reappointment of J. Kimbrough Davis to serve on the Sinking Fund Commission to a term expiring June 2012 (recommended by the Mayor)
Item 9 - Approved the reappointment of Zachary Ward to serve on the Environmental Code Enforcement Board to a term expiring November 2011 (recommended by the Mayor)
Item 10 - Approved the Selection Committee's ranking for Program Management Services for the Tallahassee Regional Airport Runway 9-27 Reconstruction Project (RFP 0071-09-KR-RC), and authorized the City Manager to execute a contract with AECOM, the highest ranked firm, in an amount not to exceed $1.25 million (Option 1 recommended by Aviation/Airport Capital Program)
Item 11 - Approved a budget transfer of $100,000 from Project 07127 (GA Access Road Improvements) to Project 07126, the Airport Landside Directional Signage Project, bringing the project budget to $600,000; and allowing the "Fast Tracking" award of the vendor contract to Bass Construction, Inc., of Tallahassee, through the City bid selection process, in the estimated amount of $565,000 plus contingencies (Option 1 recommended by Aviation/Airport Capital Program)
Item 12 - Approved recommended changes to the 2009 City Commission meeting schedule (recommended by the Assistant to the City Manager)
Item 13 - Approved a change order, in the amount of $121,981, to the current task order with Ampirical Solutions, LLC, for certain design change services related to the design and permitting of Fallschase Substation BP21 (Option 1 recommended by Electric Utility)
Item 14 - Approved acceptance of a grant award from the Department of Homeland Security through the Florida Department of Community Affairs (FDCA), Division of Emergency Management, in the amount of $82,000; and authorized the City Manager to expend the funds utilizing $40,000 to enhance the City-County Incident Tracking System and $42,000 for the development of Continuity of Operations Plans (Option 1 recommended by Emergency Management)
Item 15 - Approved a settlement agreement with Sprint/Nextel to accept the cost of rebanding the 800 MHz System to operate on replacement frequencies, in the amount of $2,941,165; and authorize payments to the technical consultant, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC); special legal consultant Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy, and Ecker, PA (SGRPE); and to Motorola for equipment and services that will directly benefit the digital upgrade project; and divide the net amount of approximately $1,437,016 between the owners -- $574,806 to the County and $964,209 to the City; and authorize the City Manager, or her designee, to execute all agreements and documents required to effect that settlement and to close the rebanding process (Option 1 recommended by the Chief Information Systems Officer [CISO])
Item 16 - Approved in-kind matching authorization for the Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) Grant, in the amount of $469,795, using the newly-installed 800 MHz P25 Digital Upgrade Project Master Site Zone Controller, currently valued to exceed $1 million; and authorized the City Manager to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with the State of Florida outlining the agreed upon use of the grant funds (Option 1 recommended by CISO)
Item 17 - Approved a Maintenance Memorandum of Agreement with FDOT for the City Public Works Department, Streets & Drainage Division to perform rights-of-way maintenance along the State’s streets within the City limits during the period July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010, at a reimbursement cost of $775,031.20 to be paid on a quarterly basis ($193,757.80 each quarter); and authorized the City Manager to execute this Agreement (Option 1 recommended by Public Works/Streets & Drainage)
Item 18 - Approved the replacement of two high capacity printers and authorized Utility Business & Customer Services (UBCS) to enter into a new five-year lease with Xerox Corp. for two Xerox 4127 printers including hardware, software, training and other support services, utilizing Marion County Contract #3029JD, for a 60-month lease rate of $75,471 per year ($377,356.80 for the term of the contract) (Option 1 recommended by UBCS)
Item 19 - Adopted Resolution No. 09-R-12, establishing intent for the City to reimburse itself from the State Revolving Fund (SRF) low-interest loan proceeds up to an amount of $3 million to partially fund the preconstruction of an advanced wastewater treatment facility because it is reasonably expected that some or all of the total project costs will be incurred prior to the financing (Option 1 recommended by the City Treasurer-Clerk and Underground Utilities)
Item 20 - Approved the minutes of the following City Commission meetings (recommended by the City Treasurer-Clerk/Records Management):
February 18, 2009 / Regular Target Issues Meeting
February 25, 2009 / Regular Meeting
April 15, 2009 / Special Budget Workshop
Item 21 - Received a Power Point presentation on a proposed Litter Control Program, and received feedback from the Commission for a final program plan to be brought back for adoption in July (presented by Environmental Policy & Energy Resources [EPER])
Item 22 - Voted 4-0 (Mayor Marks absent) to approve a proposed negotiated settlement agreement with G & A Enterprises, LLC, whose principals are Thomas Asbury and members of the Ghazvini family, and associated developer entities for the acquisition of Parcels 104 and 804, consisting of 6.5939 acres, which had been necessary for right-of-way and a stormwater easement to complete the Orange Avenue Extension Project (Option 1 recommended by the City Attorney)
Item 23 - Voted 4-0 (Mayor Marks absent) to approve the Public Safety Communication Board (PSCB) and its Selection Committee’s recommendation of Clemons Rutherford and Associations (CRA)/Morris Allen Joint Venture, the top-ranked vendor candidate, to provide architectural and engineering design services for the Public Safety Complex; and direct staff to proceed with contract negotiations (Option 1 recommended by Public Works)
Item 24 - Received a staff update on the Building Inspection Fund and the projected FY2009 deficit of ($824,000) adjusted for non-Florida Building Code costs such as code enforcement; discussed the need for an additional loan to the Building Inspection Fund from the Deficiencies Fund, in the amount of $609,200, and the following options presented for consideration (brought forward by Budget & Policy):
- Authorize staff to work with representatives of the construction industry to develop a proposal for modifying the current fee structure, to include automatic annual adjustments, to fully recover costs for implementation by July 15, 2009.
- Authorize staff to work with representatives of the construction industry to develop a fee increase consistent with County fees that will fully cover all costs, to be implemented by July 15, 2009.
- Direct staff to eliminate a minimum of three (3) additional positions by either relocation, if available, or by separation prior to the new budget year.
- Authorize staff to discuss with the County the potential for combining the City and County building and permit functions.
- Consider outsourcing services as an option for the future.
Voted 4-0 (Mayor Marks absent) to move forward on a joint building inspection operation and graduate the fee structure to bring it closer to the County's Designated Commissioner Lightsey to work with the County Commission on consolidating the City and County Building Inspection Operations and bringing the fees together
Item 25 - Held a public hearing and voted 4-0 (Mayor Marks absent) to approve the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP) and the Community Development Block Grant - Recovery (CDBG-R) Program, for submission to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) before May 18, 2009 (Option 1 recommended by Economic & Community Development).
There were no speakers on this item.
Target Issue Committee Updates
Health and Human Services. Commissioner Katz reported on activities of the Health and Human Services Target Issue Committee, including receiving an update and progress report on MGT activities on a Human Services Needs Analysis and CHSP Needs Assessment Work Plan, with the results of the assessment process anticipated to be available in July 2009.
Long Range Planning. Commissioner Gillum gave a report on activities of the Long Range Planning Target Issue Committee, including:
- received an update on the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) Study, and discussed marketing strategies and recommendations to generate more public involvement;
- received an update on the Downtown Overlay, and directing staff to give further review to height, setback and floor area ratio (FAR) changes, and the preservation of neighborhoods within the Downtown Overlay, particularly the Call Street Neighborhood; agreed with the step back approach to neighborhood transition areas and reducing height limitations; agreed with the need to replace the old Downtown Plan with the current Downtown Overlay; and clarified with staff that the South Monroe Street section was part of the Downtown Overlay to allow implementation of the South Monroe Sector Plan
- received an update on Quadrant Maps and accepted Map #4 that reflected the townships and range; directed staff to add the Downtown Boundary to the townships and range map, add the population within each quadrant, and find a simple way to identify township and range within each quadrant (A Power Point presentation of Map #4 was displayed and has been placed on file in the Office of the City Treasurer-Clerk.)
Commissioner Gillum also reported on progress made on the Tennessee Street mass transit lane initiative.
Commissioner Lightsey advised that the sector plans were being reviewed for any major recommendations.
City Commission Information and Sharing of Ideas - Commissioner Lightsey requested clarification of the process for consideration of the Charter Review Committee (CRC) recommendations and the Commission concurred with directing staff to schedule a workshop, with all members of the CRC invited, for some discussion to learn more about the rationale for some of the recommendations, at which time the staff would be given direction on when to schedule the next formal discussion on the CRC recommendations.
Unagendaed - The City Manager advised that the public hearing on Ordinance No. 09-O-22, which would create a Red Light Camera Safety Program (automated camera enforcement program) in the City of Tallahassee, would be scheduled for the May 27, 2009 Commission meeting.
CTC:RM:ecg:05-14-09