City Commission Workshop Meeting

APPROVED:7/6/2017 City Hall City of Eustis, Florida 10 North Grove Street Post Office Drawer 68 Eustis, FL 32727-0068 M'eeting Minutes - Final* City Commission Workshop Thursday, June 8, 2017 5:30PM City Hall CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Morin - 5:30 p.m. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF QUORUM AND PROPER NOTICE Present: 4- Anthony Sabatini; Linda Bob; Carla Gnann-Thompson; and Robert Morin Absent: 1 - Marie Aliberti I. Workshop Item #1 16381 Review of FY2017 -18 Organizational Support Grant Applications Colleen Scott, Finance Director, explained the purpose of the workshop was to provide an overview of the grant applications and obtain direction from the Commission regarding the grant awards. She reviewed the grant notification process, the review committee, eligibility criteria for events and organizations, and those characteristics that would make an application ineligible. She then presented an overview of the 2017 applications and amounts requested with a total requested of $85,838. Ms. Scott then reviewed the committee's recommendations for funding as follows: 1) Amazing Race for Charity- $5,000; 2) Bay Street Players - $8,000; 3) Eustis African-American Heritage- $800 for insurance plus fee waivers for buildings for events; 4) Eustis Historical Museum- $1,000; 5) Lake Cares - $2, 000; 6) LifeStream Behavioral Center - $4, 000; 7) Public Arts & Music for the Folk Festival- $3,200 plus inkind services; B) Trout Lake Nature Center- $5,000; and 9) WI.N. 1 Ministries- $1,000 for a total funding request of $30,000. II. Commission Discussion Ron Neibert, City Manager, explained why some of the grants were declined based on various technical criteria or due to insufficient information. He further explained how the committee assessed the remaining applications and their intent to select those applications that provided the most impact to the City as a whole. The Commission asked if any funds were left over to be able to make awards during the year for special needs with Mr. Neibert indicating there was not; however, additional funds could be considered during the budget process. He stated the $30,000 was what was advertised as being available for the grant program. The Commission questioned why some organizations applied when the applications clearly did not meet the criteria. They also questioned how the criteria were established. Ms. Scott indicated that the City has had the same criteria for approximately ten years. She recommended creating a fill-in form to ease the application process. Mr. Neibert confirmed that the Committee first eliminated those applications that did not meet the criteria and then evaluated the remaining applications for funding. City of Eustis, Florida Page 1 Printed on 611412017 City Commission Workshop Meeting Minutes - Final June 8, 2017 III. Public Input The Commission questioned the EHS Band Boosters regarding their application. Patty Bartels, representing the EHS Band Boosters, explained this was the first time they asked for funding for band instruments. She further explained that in the past they requested support for the Band Review but were not funded. She commented on moving the Jazz Review to Mount Dora due to obtaining the facility for free. She stated they didn't understand the capital expenditure restriction and they thought if they asked for specific items they would more likely be funded. She indicated that with facility rental support they could move the event back to Eustis. Mr. Neibert indicated they can request City facility fee waivers outside of the grant process. Commissioner Sabatini suggested having the band perform during City events to obtain funding for instruments. Ms. Bartels expressed support for doing that noting that there are issues sometimes with transportation which is an added expense. Jolie Fowler, band treasurer, stated they will have 108 students for next year, which is the biggest in years. She cited the need for new instruments and new uniforms. She stated their desire to participate in more City events. Mayor Morin expressed support for the band being part of City events. He suggested holding a pre-grant conference in the future to help applicants meet the criteria. Commissioner Bob noted that Bay Street Players has been helpful in the past with fundraisers and suggested they contact them. Ms. Fowler responded they have done two "buyouts" with them and explained the results of fundraisers. She also reported on why they had to relocate the review to Mount Dora. The Commission further discussed the band, using the City facilities, and the possibility of, in the future, holding a pre-application meeting to help organizations complete the application. IV. Commission Direction Mr. Neibert explained the vote would be to place the grant awards in the draft budget; however, the final vote will be when the budget is approved in September. The Commission discussed having a grant contingency included in the budget; the possibility that the applicants will benefit from the upturn in the economy; the possibility of reducing the annual grant funding; restricting awards to organizations accomplishing goals the City has already established such as job creation; the financial state of students in the local schools and the need to support the food pantries; the need to encourage volunteerism in the schools; and how some of the recommended organizations fit in the criteria. Ms. Scott explained that the Public Arts and Music award is for the Folk Festival and Mr. Neibert explained that the W I.N. 1 Ministries award is for a program to assist young women in the community to improve their self-confidence. The Commission questioned whether or not all recommended awards met the stated criteria and whether or not any awards have previously been challenged. Ms. Scott explained she has only been with the City three years so she was unsure if there have been any challenges. She noted they have had organizations apply one year and been denied and then applied the next year, changed the application, and were awarded the next year. City of Eustis, Florida Page2 Printed on 611412017 City Commission Workshop Meeting Minutes - Final June 8, 2017 The Commission discussed revising the criteria for future awards, allowing some capital expenditures, and providing separate funding for social seNices. Mr. Neibert suggested, after the next organizational meeting, holding a workshop to review the grant criteria. A motion was made by Commissioner Gnann-Thompson, seconded by Commissioner Bob, that the grant recommendation be included in the draft budget. The motion passed on a 3 to 1 vote with Commissioner Sabatini dissenting. V. Workshop Item #2 16380 ISBA (lnterlocal Service Boundary Agreement) update and strategies Mr. Neibert explained the Commission previously requested an update on the ISBA negotiations. He stated they are at a point where they need to discuss negotiation strategies. He presented to the Commission a map showing the proposed ISBA boundaries. He noted that the ISBA is not just about the annexations but also about providing fire service regardless of jurisdictional boundaries so that the closest station responds to a call regardless of jurisdiction. He explained that the County and Mount Dora have made it clear they do not want the City to annex Sorrento Springs and the Redtail subdivisions, even though the City has binding contracts in place that require them to annex as soon as legally able to do so. He stated Chartie Clayton is under contract with the City to purchase 200 acres from the City which includes an agreement for him to provide property for an additional fire/police station for that area. He noted that the City has already been providing quality utility services to the area for the past 13 years and that the ISBA would allow the City to complete that process of providing services to the area. He stated the other issue with Mount Dora is their desire to include in their own planning boundaries property that the City wants. He stated the City has presented a proposal for an adjusted boundary to try and reach an agreement with Mount Dora. He stated the other issue is the former County Manager has stated they no longer want to have fire service contained in ISBA agreements. He noted that Mount Dora already has an auto aid agreement with the County for fire response. He stated that for the fire service response it doesn't matter what form the agreement takes. He then stated that, despite the County Managers statement, he believes there is support at the County to allow the noncontiguous annexations. He indicated he is waiting for a response from Mount Dora regarding the proposed boundaries. Mr. Neibert then stated that the County has said it would consider allowing the ISBA if it didn't include the annexation of those two developments. He then reviewed possible properties in the Britt Road area that straddle both cities' joint planning areas and stated that since they are already in the Mount Dora JPA the City could agree to those being in a Mount Dora ISBA. He concluded stating he would like to have the authority to present those properties as a negotiating tool with Mount Dora. He further indicated that Mount Dora is in the process of completing the engineering for a sewer line near Britt Road which is in their JPA but not currently annexed into the city. VI. Commission Discussion The Commission discussed what prevents Mount Dora from crossing into the white area on the map and previous incursions into Eustis territory by Mount Dora with Mr. Neibert explaining the County would have to give them permission to expand their JPA. He also explained that 13 years ago the County allowed Mount Dora to annex property that was in the Eustis JPA from 441 to Orange Avenue. Mr. Neibert explained that the property owner wanted to be in Mount Dora even though it was located in the Eustis JPA. He stated, at the time, the City challenged the transfer with the state but were advised by the City Attorney that they would probably lose so they decided to drop the challenge. In exchange for dropping the challenge, the cities enacted an agreement that neither city would try to annex property in each others JPA. That agreement is still in effect. He stated that the area on the map in orange is in neither JPA. He indicated that Eustis has utilities already in place in the area while Mount Dora has no utilities in the area. He added Eustis is making an additional investment in the sewer plant to be able to better serve that area while Mount Dora does not have sewer capacity. City of Eustis, Florida Page3 Printed on 611412017 City Commission Workshop Meeting Minutes - Final June 8, 2017 What capacity they have they will need to serve their innovation district and other areas. He added they recently raised their rates which are now higher than Eustis'. He stated the only other thing the City would have to do would be to provide police and fire which would not have to be immediately provided if those subdivisions don't annex. He added the City already has two developers interested in developing in the orange area and that want Eustis services. Mr. Neiberl then explained that it would make strategic sense to agree to the boundary amendment to give Mount Dora the frontage properlies along Britt Road. The Commission discussed not allowing Mount Dora to go past 44 with Mr. Neiberl indicating that when Mount Dora negotiates with the County for their ISBA, Eustis can object. He also explained that there are courl cases that say, if one municipality already provides utilities to a properly, no other city can annex that properly which means that Mount Dora would not be allowed to annex the other properlies. The Commission discussed the possible resident feelings that they may Jose their community identity if annexed into the City, the City's police and fire deparlments, and why the City is providing utilities to the outlying developments. They then questioned whether or not anyone else who builds out there would be required to tap into the City's system with Rick Gierok, Public Works Director, explaining they would have to install a very expensive system if they do not tap into the City The Commission furlher discussed all entities having an opporlunity to benefit from the SR 429 extension, the benefit to the area from the developer agreements, and the number of businesses, etc. that would not have developed if the City had not extended its services to the area. Mr. Neiberl asked if there was a consensus to allow the City Manager to offer the Britt Road properlies in exchange for Mount Dora supporling the City's ISBA agreement. He explained that if the City doesn't make some accommodation they won 't get an agreement. He stated that offering the first tier properlies bordering Britt Road makes sense from a functional standpoint. Following furlher discussion, it was a consensus of the Commission to allow the City Manager to offer the Britt Road properly to Mount Dora in exchange for supporling the agreement. Mr. Neiberl then asked the Commission if there was any interest in totally abandoning the City's ability to annex the two subdivisions in order to ease the County Commission's discomforl with it being a consensus of the Commission to not give up the City's ability to annex the subdivisions. Mr. Neiberl then explained that there are some technical/ega/ issues. He stated that if the City is able to annex other properlies which makes the subdivisions become contiguous, the City may forfeit all its ability to annex them if if leaves them out. The residents could claim the City is in breach of the development contract. If that occurs, the City would have five years to cure the breach. He suggested they include a provision in the ISBA that the County has to grant the City permission to annex the developments in no less than four years but no more than 5 years which would give the City time to annex the subdivisions to cure a breach. Mr. Neiberl then clarified for the Commission that if the City makes some concessions, they can tell the County that now Mount Dora's being unreasonable. The Commission discussed doing whatever is needed to get the agreement in place, changes that will occur in the area due to the SR429 extension, and confirmed that the agreement would be for the City not to annex the subdivisions for five years. Mr. Neiberl explained the County would have to give permission in four years but not more than five to allow time for the annexation process. He stated they can't annex any of the other properlies without creating a breach. He noted there are people in those subdivisions who would receive some financial benefit from annexation and the City would not want them to claim there is a breach. City of Eustis, Florida Page4 Printed on 611412017 City Commission Workshop Meeting Minutes - Final June 8, 2017 The Commission suggested waiting to make a decision until Vice Mayor Aliberti could be present with Mr Neibert indicating he had spoken with the Vice Mayor when he learned she would be absent and she indicated her support for the proposal. VII. Public Input Nan Cobb asked if would there be an option that the City would give up the property to Mount Dora, only if they approve the ISBA. Mr Neibert indicated that was the the basis of the proposal that the City would only agree to give up those properties if Mount Dora supports Eustis' ISBA. The Commission discussed the actions of the Mount Dora and County representatives during the last negotiation meeting. Mr Neibert stated that seven other communities have been granted ISBA's. Those cities will grow; however, Eustis will lose per capita dollars due to their growth if Eustis is not allowed to also grow. Ms. Cobb noted that (former County Manager) David Heath said he "didn't want to create pockets". However, there are already County pockets in the City. She asked about the St. John's funding for the wastewater plant and stated her belief that St. John would not be willing to provide funding to the County to get into the utility business. She stated her opinion that would be a good talking point. The Commission discussed the need for youth services, police and fire to be retained by the City. VIII. Commission Direction CONSENSUS: It was a consensus ofthe Commission for the City Manager to offer to give up those properties fronting Britt Road in exchange for Mount Dora supporting the City's ISBA agreement. Commissioner Sabatini asked about the possibility of the City joining the Lake County Library System. Mr Neibert reported that staff has already begun that process. Commissioners Gnann- Thompson and Bob indicated their reluctance to join the County system. Mr Neibert explained that if the City becomes part of the County system, it will still own the buildings, have its own budget and retain its employees. He emphasized only three things would change: 1) The City's library would have to use the County's computer system; 2) The City would receive $175,000 annually from the County; and 3) The City would have to allow other residents to use the City's library free of charge. IX. Adjournment - 6:59 p.m. Mary Montez ~~ Mayor/Commissioner •These minutes reflect the actions taken and portions of the discussion during the meeting. To review the entire discussion concerning any agenda item, go to www.eustis.org and click on the video for the meeting in question. A DVD of the entire meeting or CD of the entire audio recording or verbatim transcript of the meeting can be obtained from the office of the City Clerk for a fee. City of Eustis, Florida PageS Printed on 611412017