Regular City Commission Meeting

City of Hollywood Hollywood City Hall 2600 Hollywood Blvd Hollywood, FL 33020 http://www.hollywoodfl.org Meeting Minutes Wednesday, January 21, 2015 1:00 PM Commission Chambers Room 219 Regular City Commission Meeting CITY COMMISSION Peter Bober, Mayor Kevin Biederman, Vice Mayor - District 5 Patricia Asseff, Commissioner - District 1 Peter Hernandez, Commissioner - District 2 Traci Callari, Commissioner - District 3 Richard Blattner, Commissioner - District 4 Linda Sherwood, Commissioner - District 6 Dr. Wazir Ishmael, City Manager Jeffrey P. Sheffel, City Attorney Patricia A. Cerny, City Clerk Regular City Commission Meeting Meeting Minutes January 21, 2015 . The Regular City Commission Meeting of the City of Hollywood, Florida, was called to order by Mayor Bober on Wednesday, January 21, 2015 at 1:15 PM in the City Commission Room, Room 219, Joseph W. Watson Circle, Hollywood, Florida. 1. Moment of Silence 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Recognition of Veterans, Active Service Personnel & Their Families 4. Roll Call Present: Commissioner Patricia Asseff, Commissioner Peter Hernandez, Commissioner Traci Callari, Commissioner Richard Blattner, Vice Mayor Kevin D. Biederman, Commissioner Linda Sherwood and Mayor Peter Bober Approval of the Consent Agenda ACTION: A motion was made by Commissioner Asseff, seconded by Commissioner Sherwood, to approve the Consent Agenda. The motion passed unanimously (7-0). 5. R-2015-012 A Resolution Of The City Commission Of The City Of Hollywood, Florida, Approving And Authorizing The Appropriate City Officials To Process A Payment For A Not To Exceed Amount Of $55,466.11 To The Florida Department Of Financial Services For Self-Insurer Assessments For Fiscal Year 2015. ACTION: This Resolution was moved by Commissioner Asseff, which was seconded by Commissioner Sherwood, and adopted on the Consent Agenda. The motion passed unanimously (7-0). 6. R-2015-013 A Resolution Of The City Commission Of The City Of Hollywood, Florida, Authorizing The Appropriate City Officials To Execute A Contract Between Viktor Construction Corp And The City Of Hollywood, For Exterior Painting Of the Radius Garage, In The Amount Of $70,700.00. City of Hollywood Page 1 Regular City Commission Meeting Meeting Minutes January 21, 2015 ACTION: This Resolution was moved by Commissioner Asseff, which was seconded by Commissioner Sherwood, and adopted on the Consent Agenda. The motion passed unanimously (7-0). 7. R-2015-014 A Resolution Of The City Commission Of The City Of Hollywood, Florida, Authorizing The Appropriate City Officials To Apply For And If Awarded, Accept The Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (Broward MPO) Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) Reimbursement Award; In The Approximate Amount Of $500,000.00 To Install Sidewalks As A Part Of Their Safe Routes To School Program In FY 2018; Authorizing The Establishment Of Certain Accounts To Recognize And Appropriate The Reimbursement Award Proceeds, If Awarded; And Further Authorizing The Appropriate City Officials To Execute Any And All Applicable Reimbursement Program Documents And Agreement(s). ACTION: This Resolution was moved by Commissioner Asseff, which was seconded by Commissioner Sherwood, and adopted on the Consent Agenda. The motion passed unanimously (7-0). 8. P-2015-003 Presentation Of Awards By Chuck Ellis, Director Of Parks, Recreation And Cultural Arts, To The Winners Of The 2014 Hollywood Beach Candy Cane Parade. Chuck Ellis, Director of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts, introduced the presentation and played a video clip of the candy cane parade. Toni Bridges, Program and Events Mananger, presented awards to the various winners of the parade. 9. PO-2015-01 An Ordinance Of The City Of Hollywood, Florida, Approving A Special Exception For The Allocation Of 61 Affordable Housing Units Within Flexibility Zones 88, 91, 92 And 104 To Allow For A 95 Unit Affordable Senior Housing Development ("Parc View Apartments") Located At 970 N. 66th Terrace. (14-F-92). Vice Mayor Biederman left the meeting at 1:32 PM and returned at 1:34 PM. The City Attorney explained waiving the quasi-judicial procedures and Mayor Bober questioned if there were any objections to waiving them . There were no objections, and the quasi-judicial procedures were waived. The Mayor announced the ordinance was advertised in conformance with Florida Statutes and City Codes. The public hearing was opened; there being no one present who wished to speak, the public hearing City of Hollywood Page 2 Regular City Commission Meeting Meeting Minutes January 21, 2015 was declared closed. The City Clerk read the ordinance title on second and final reading. ACTION: Motion was made by Commissioner Asseff, which was seconded by Commissioner Sherwood, to adopt on second and final reading the Ordinance. The motion on roll call vote carried: Aye: Commissioner Asseff Commissioner Hernandez Commissioner Callari Commissioner Blattner Vice Mayor Biederman Commissioner Sherwood Mayor Bober Enactment No: O-2015-02 10. R-2015-015 A Resolution Of The City Commission Of The City Of Hollywood, Florida, Authorizing The Appropriate City Officials To Complete The Attached Florida Housing Finance Corporation’s Local Government Verification Of Status Of Site Plan Approval For Multifamily Developments. (14-RESO-92). ACTION: Motion was made by Commissioner Asseff, which was seconded by Commissioner Sherwood, to adopt the Resolution. On a voice vote the motion passed unanimously. (7-0) 11. R-2015-016 A Resolution Of The City Commission Of The City Of Hollywood, Florida, Authorizing The Appropriate City Officials To Issue The Attached Blanket Purchase Order Between Biosolids Distribution Services, LLC And The City Of Hollywood For Removal And Disposal Of Biosolids For An Estimated Annual Expenditure Of $1,300,000.00. Commissioner Hernandez declared a conflict of interest on this item. ACTION: Motion was made by Commissioner Sherwood, which was seconded by Commissioner Asseff, to adopt the Resolution. On a voice vote the motion passed 6-0. Commissioner Hernandez abstained. 12. P-2015-004 A Presentation By Sylvia Glazer, Director Of Public Works, And Jonathan Vogt, City Engineer/Deputy Director Of Public Works, Providing An Update On The 13th Avenue And Hollywood Boulevard Traffic Calming And Livability Efforts. Sylvia Glazer, Director of Public Works, and Jonathan Vogt, City Engineer/Deputy Director of Public Works, provided a presentation updating the 13th Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard traffic calming and livability efforts. City of Hollywood Page 3 Regular City Commission Meeting Meeting Minutes January 21, 2015 Discussion ensued among staff and members of the Commission. 13. P-2015-005 Presentation By The Hollywood Beach Civic Association Regarding “State Of The Association”. Davon Barbour, Director of Community and Economic Development, provided an introduction of the presentation and introduced Andrew Zullo, President of Hollywood Beach Civic Association. Andrew Zullo, President of Hollywood Beach Civic Association, provided a presentation on the state of the association for the Hollywood Beach Civic Association. Discussion ensued among members of the Commission. 15. Vice Mayor Biederman, District 5 Hollywood Park Elementary School Vice Mayor Biederman announced he had the pleasure of attending the edible garden ribbon cutting ceremony yesterday at Hollywood Park Elementary School. The students created an herb and butterfly garden in addition to the edible garden. The students presented a bird house in appreciation of the support the City has given to the school mainly the education grants from the City and the Education Advisory Board. Driftwood Civic Association Vice Mayor Biederman announced he attended the Driftwood Civic Association meeting last evening. Residents complained that Waste Pro had missed trash pickup on certain blocks and garbage cans are not being returned to the proper storage place. Homeowners are leaving their trash receptacles on the swales for several days following pickup. He requested Code Enforcement follow up. Crime Prevention Forum Vice Mayor Biederman announced he is looking forward to attending the Crime Prevention Forum tomorrow evening and the initiatives planned for the coming year. He thanked the Police Chief for creating the event. Traffic Calming Vice Mayor Biederman recommended having license plate readers on the speed trailers and sending violators a notice that they were speeding. He stated the letters will alert parents that their children are speeding and other violators that the City is aware of the issue. Mayor Bober and Commissioner Asseff supported the suggestion. Mayor Bober requested the Police Chief research the cost and efficacy. City of Hollywood Page 4 Regular City Commission Meeting Meeting Minutes January 21, 2015 Commissioner Callari explained there is a smart phone app that high schools provide to track the location of student cars and there may be an option where it can be linked for speeding. Mayor Bober requested that the Police Chief evaluate the issue and provide a memo and recommendations to members of the Commission. 16. Commissioner Sherwood, District 6 Well Wishes Commissioner Sherwood thanked everyone for their well wishes, cards, phone calls, prayers and thoughts during her recuperation from recent surgery. District 6 Priorities Commissioner Sherwood explained the improvements she would like for her district. She stated lighting on Washington Street in Beverly Park and Hollywood Gardens is needed. Residents are concerned about being accosted in the evening and the area is dangerous for children to walk. Residents of Hollywood Hills South have requested surveillance cameras be installed to deter crime due to increased burglaries in the neighborhood. Residents of Lawn Acres have requested to have their streets repaved which has not been done in 30 years. Washington Park needs a storage area for their 501(c)(3), which feeds hundreds of families weekly, and the warehouse district is in need of cleanup. She is in agreement with Commissioner Blattner to have State Road 7 rezoned from Hollywood Boulevard to Sheridan Street. 17. Commissioner Asseff, District 1 Broward League of Cities Meeting Commissioner Asseff announced the Broward League of Cities meeting tomorrow night at the Miramar Performing Arts Center commencing at 5:30 PM. Sheriff Scott Israel will be speaking. Homeless Population Commissioner Asseff announced the Continuum of Care Homeless Board will have a point-in-time count from January 26, 2015 through January 28, 2015 beginning at dusk. The purpose is to count the number of homeless living on the streets and encampments throughout the City which will determine how to address the issue and funding that HUD will provide to the City. City of Hollywood Page 5 Regular City Commission Meeting Meeting Minutes January 21, 2015 Commissioner Asseff explained the Homelessness Awareness Campaign initiated by HomelessHungry.org, a non-profit organization founded by Thomas Redman, who is a former Florida middle school teacher. Mr. Redman states there are three common tenets used in the most successful models throughout the country. The first of which is public awareness campaigns to educate citizens and cultivate empathy. Commissioner Asseff stated it is necessary to find various funding sources including corporations. Another tenet is to have a dedicated Homeless Administrator such as Laurie-Anne Walton, Homeless Coordinator. A single point registration process would provide more accurate data than the one-time snapshot “point-in-time” manual count used by HUD. These counts are not inclusive of those receiving services, couch surfing, only using faith-based organizations, and living in hotels or in remote locations. Water Usage Survey Commissioner Asseff stated Joy Cooper, Mayor of Hallandale Beach, has requested the City participate in a survey conducted by the United States Conference of Mayors. It is a credible portability study of the average annual cost per household for all water use categories. She stated 15 Broward County cities must respond in order to receive federal grant funds. She will forward the survey to Steve Joseph, Director of Public Utilities, for completion. Blight Tour Commissioner Asseff announced she participated in a Blight Tour with the New Image Task Force three weeks ago. She stated the situation throughout the neighborhoods has declined significantly with no improvements observed. There are potholes in alleys and discarded furniture and mattresses left for bulk pickup that remain in front of the homes for long periods of time; and trash cans are not removed from swales after pickup. She recommended there be a code enforcement workshop to discuss how to resolve this issue or possibly hire an independent code enforcement company for a minimum of six months. The staff of 22 Code Officers is not sufficient to address all of the infractions throughout the City. Vice Mayor Biederman supported having a sanitation and code enforcement workshop. Broward League of Cities Scholarship Funds Commissioner Asseff announced the Broward League of Cities has scholarship funds available for high school seniors who are planning their college major to be in government or political science. She stated applications must be submitted this month. City of Hollywood Page 6 Regular City Commission Meeting Meeting Minutes January 21, 2015 18. Commissioner Hernandez, District 2 Royal Poinciana Civic Association Commissioner Hernandez stated the Royal Poinciana Civic Association may be dismantling as a result of the activities at the sober house on Sherman Street which are not being resolved. Police Ride-Along Commissioner Hernandez explained his experience during a recent ride-along with Police Officers. They drove by the Sherman Street sober house where there was a gathering of people outside in the middle of the night and trucks on the streets. Code Enforcement Commissioner Hernandez agreed with Commissioner Asseff regarding the ongoing code enforcement infractions that have not been resolved. He stated he does not have the solution on how to resolve the problem. He stated the existing ordinances need to be more stringent in order to stop the code violations. He cited a code violation where a wall was constructed without a permit and is accruing fines . He stated an injunction from Broward County would be required for the wall to be taken down. Police Officers Commissioner Hernandez stated he heard that 11 to 12 Police Officers with minimal tenure are ready to resign. He stated the City should consider implementing a contract for new Police Officers effective from hire date for the duration of several years to prevent the City from being a training ground for other municipalities. District 6 Code Violations Commissioner Hernandez agreed with Commissioner Sherwood in regard to the warehouse code violations that must be resolved in District 6 on State Road 7 and South 56th Avenue. Business owners have placed railroad ties on swales to prevent parking which results in cars being parked in the street. The warehouse establishments need more space to park their cars. Code Enforcement Commissioner Hernandez suggested Code Enforcement establish a phone number for residents to report code violations after normal business hours and weekends. Property Values Commissioner Hernandez stated property values would increase if residents water their lawns and keep up with painting their homes. City of Hollywood Page 7 Regular City Commission Meeting Meeting Minutes January 21, 2015 Code Violations Commissioner Hernandez questioned whether there is a way to identify the highest code violators of non-homestead properties. He would like to create a threshold for fines to proceed with foreclosure of properties that exceed the limit. Commissioner Asseff, Commissioner Callari and Commissioner Sherwood supported the request. 19. Commissioner Callari, District 3 Code Enforcement Commissioner Callari stated she supports having a Code Enforcement workshop. She stated David McCloud, a resident, attended the Commission meeting on January 7, 2015 and spoke during citizens’ comments. He suggested members of the Commission conduct a walk-through. He stated new business owners will never consider moving into the City when they see mattresses and sofas left on the streets. Commissioner Callari stated she has taken photos of code violations and sent them to staff and thanked them for their response . She stated there are people who have been accruing fines of $ 100 per day since 2011 and no action is being taken. People do not take pride in the condition of the properties and it is a matter of renters versus ownership. She recommended that the standards be raised and residents should be educated in order for them to feel pride in their community. Police Officer Contract Commissioner Callari stated she supports implementing a contract for new Police Officers. She stated contracts can be bought out. Officer Billy Ferguson is leaving the Police Department and moving to Arizona. Park East Civic Association Meeting Commissioner Callari stated she attended the Park East Civic Association meeting last night. She stated it was disappointing that only 5-6 people attended and their entire focus was to complain about crime. A woman coming home from a holiday party with her children at 1:30 AM had a gun put to her head. There is a fear in the City about the crime rate. Residents gave high praise to Police Officer Hazel, who is not their NTL any longer and they are unaware of who the new NTL is. She thanked the Police Chief for increasing police presence in Hollywood Hills. Thank You Commissioner Callari conveyed special thanks to Sylvia Glazer, Director of Public Works, for continuously addressing her e -mails with City of Hollywood Page 8 Regular City Commission Meeting Meeting Minutes January 21, 2015 detailed information in a timely manner. Commissioner Callari thanked Eric Brown, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Manager, and the department staff for the improvements to the Rotary Park softball fields. She stated residents are very pleased with the outcome. Commissioner Callari thanked Walter Wernecke, Architect, and Dale Bryant, Landscape Architect, for their presentation of the Stan Goldman Dog Park. Commissioner Callari stated a resident wrote several letters to express the concerns of North Central residents regarding prostitution in the area. She thanked Police Officer Aldo Blanco, Police Officer Charles Burros and Code Enforcement Officer Christina Torres for resolving this issue. The residents are extremely pleased and are planning a block party to celebrate. New Hotel Commissioner Callari stated she is very excited about the new hotel which will be located at 590 North Federal Highway. Johnson Street Commissioner Callari stated she observed flags that were installed by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) on Johnson Street which could be in preparation of road construction. ArtsPark Event Commissioner Callari stated she attended the event organized by the CRA this past weekend at ArtsPark. She met the winner of Americas Got Talent, who performed. Downtown Ambassadors Commissioner Callari stated her disappointment with the lack of presence of Ambassadors when she walked from Hollywood Boulevard to the parking garage that evening, which was scary on 19th Street. She requested increasing the number of Ambassadors in the area. 20. Commissioner Blattner, District 4 Police Officer Contract Commissioner Blattner stated he is opposed to implementing a contract for new Police Officers. He requested the City Attorney address the issue. City of Hollywood Page 9 Regular City Commission Meeting Meeting Minutes January 21, 2015 Commission Meetings Commissioner Blattner stated the information conveyed by members of the Commission during meetings affects staff, including the mixed messages. He stated the message today was very clear. The problem of code enforcement violations needs to be a priority and the staff level of Code Enforcement Officers must be increased. He suggested the City Manager plan a workshop where staff will have recommendations on how to address the code enforcement issues or a presentation during a Commission meeting. 21. Mayor Bober Traffic Calming Mayor Bober stated he is in favor of the option to install flashing speed indicators to calm traffic. He stated speed trailers are not very effective and need to remain in the same location rather than be moved as they have been. Speeding is probably the number one issue throughout the City and complaints are received from all areas. He stated flashing speed signs should be installed throughout the City and speed trailers should be deployed all over the City in a methodical way. Code Enforcement Mayor Bober stated a workshop is not necessary to address the Code Enforcement issues and what is needed is to hire additional Code Enforcement Officers by mid-year. He stated at the FY2015 budget hearing he advocated to include additional Code Enforcement resources and voted reluctantly to approve the budget in order to have additional Code Enforcement staff hired by mid-year. He stated the focus should be what the City needs and things that are having a positive impact before there is discussion on eliminating programs. 22. City Attorney Jeffrey P. Sheffel, City Attorney, had no further comments. 23. City Manager Dr. Wazir Ishmael, City Manager, had no further comments. The Commission recessed at 3:00 PM and reconvened at 5:03 PM with Commissioner Sherwood absent. 14. CITIZENS’ COMMENTS The following individuals expressed personal opinions/concerns: City of Hollywood Page 10 Regular City Commission Meeting Meeting Minutes January 21, 2015 1. Real Forget, 1000 Hillcrest Court 2. James Nolan, 1625 Monroe Street 3. Eugene Maclaughlin, 6970 Raleigh Street 4. Pete Brewer, 2704 Cleveland Street 5. Cliff Germano,1627 N 28th Court 6. Maria Jackson, 2305 Fletcher Street 7. Matthew Gouthro, 2330 NW 66th Terrace 8. Melissa Gouthro, 2330 NW 66th Terrace 9. Norman Berube, 1919 Sherman Street 10. Dawn Hanna, 2542 Whale Harbor Lane, Fort Lauderdale 11. Helen Chervin, 2470 Adams Street 12. Patricia Antrican, 2534 Fillmore Street 13. Randa Kunde, 1535 Fletcher Street 24. The meeting adjourned at 5:43 PM. ______________________________ Patricia A. Cerny, MMC City Clerk Hollywood, Florida Approved on: ______________________ City of Hollywood Page 11