Board of Commissioners Regular Workshop Meeting

MINUTES BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS REGULAR WORKSHOP MEETING MARCH 26, 2025 6:00 P.M. The City of Madeira Beach Board of Commissioners held a regular workshop meeting at 6:00 p.m. on March 26, 2025 in the Patricia Shontz Commission Chambers at City Hall, located at 300 Municipal Drive, Madeira Beach, Florida. MEMBERS PRESENT: Anne-Marie Brooks, Mayor Ray Kerr, Vice Mayor/Commissioner District 2 David Tagliarini, Commissioner District 1 Eddie McGeehen, Commissioner District 3 Housh Ghovaee, Commissioner District 4 MEMBERS ABSENT: None CHARTER OFFICERS PRESENT: Robin Gomez, City Manager Clara VanBlargan, City Clerk Thomas Trask, City Attorney 1. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Brooks called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL City Clerk Clara VanBlargan called the roll. All were present. 3. PUBLIC COMMENT There were no public comments. There were no public comments. 4. BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS A. 2025 BOC Policy Handbook The Board of Commissioners had no changes and consented to moving it forward to the April 2, 2025, BOC Regular Meeting for a vote. A policy for presenting a Key to the City was discussed. The Board decided to take the time to read through the information provided by the City Attorney, discuss it at a future meeting, and adopt it by a separate resolution from their handbook. Mayor Brooks opened to public comments. There were no public comments. March 26, 2025, BOC Regular Workshop Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 7 5. CITY MANAGER A. Captain Melvin Jackson, Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office The City Manager introduced Melvin Jackson from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, who took Captain Mike Leiner’s place following his retirement. Captain Melvin Jackson introduced himself to the Board and said he was grateful to be back serving the citizens of Madeira Beach. Mayor Brooks opened to public comment. There were no public comments. B. John’s Pass Dredging The City Manager gave an update and responded to questions and comments from the Board. Mayor Brooks expressed concern that there seemed to be no sense of urgency and commitment on the single largest project the City has been working on for over two and a half years. She had asked that Aptim be at the meeting so she could ask them those questions. It is easy for them to write back their responses. It just does not add up. There is no sense of urgency there. The City Manager said he will make sure it happens. He had already expressed that to them. C. Gulf Beaches Public Library – FY 26 Budget Request The Board consented to the July 15th extension and did not think it needed a vote at the next meeting. They are at the beginning of budget season and did not feel it was an issue. The Library has plenty of time by July 15th to submit its budget. Mayor Brooks opened to public comment. There were no public comments. D. City Information Dissemination - Texts The City Manager explained the new text program and responded to questions and comments from the Board. The Mayor said she did not want people to opt out because they are overwhelmed with marketing information. She does not want them to go in and choose what to get text messages on because if they do not text the emergency information, people will not get it, such as post-hurricane information on what to do or what to do with the trash, etc. The information was posted on Facebook and the City’s webpage, but if you do not see it right away, you can miss it if it is not at the top and the last thing posted. It should be a tool for important things and not fun things. The City Manager said they would not use it for special events or marketing information. He will make March 26, 2025, BOC Regular Workshop Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 7 it for emergency information when there is an urgency and immediacy to get information out. Vice Mayor Kerr said what is being distributed could always be improved upon. Mayor Brooks opened to public comment. There were no public comments. 6. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT A. Post-Hurricane Update – Recovery, Rebuild, Permitting, FEMA, FDEM The City Manager, Community Development Engineer Marci Forbes, and Mayor Brooks gave an update. She told about a meeting with Representative Luna’s Office that she and Marci attended. They learned about a new software FEMA would use following storms and hurricanes. She looked forward to getting it. They would train locally. She sees it as software that would help the residents, and it could also trickle down to the City, and the future of the City to help the residents get through the process. Representative Luna has been great to them as a community. She looks forward to getting information from a follow-up to that meeting to share. Mayor Brooks opened to public comment. There were no public comments. 7. FINANCE A. Financial Overview Presentation – Through February 2025 The City Manager presented the financial overview: • Revenue & Expense Analysis – through February 2025 • YTD Hurricane Related Expenses • Damage Assessment – Current Status Mayor Brooks opened to public comment. There were no public comments. The City Manager gave the overview. They have received over $700,000 in insurance proceeds for damages to city property and contents that need or have been replaced. Yesterday, their insurance company brought another engineering firm to examine the structure. They are waiting for the report, which should be received next week. They will discuss the report at the April workshop. The goal is to put the snack shack building back together. The insurance company stated the repairs will be covered. He responded to questions and comments from the Board. Vice Mayor Kerr asked when they could get a ballpark summary of the revenue loss. They are applying for the 10-year no-interest loan and know what expenditures would be helpful. Many of the expenses will be covered by FEMA. The City Manager said it would be provided at the April budget workshop. The Mayor said they have seen the financial overview a couple of times at their meetings, and some of it does not look to be updated. They will know the dollars better if the updates are available. 8. MARINA March 26, 2025, BOC Regular Workshop Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 7  A. City Marina The City Manager gave an overview. It is an enterprise fund, meaning the expenses are covered by revenue related to the marina's uses. There have been discussions concerning the uses there. Could a restaurant be there, for example, or a high and dry? The land was given to the City to remain open to the public and for public use only, mainly for marina activities. Marina Manager Brian Crabbtree said that to make any changes or get the restrictions removed from the deed, they would have to write to the Florida Governor and Cabinet for approval. If they could get that done, the better. More traffic would be at the marina, and more people would stop there. Commissioner McGeehen said writing the governor to release the restrictions would be great. Mayor Brooks opened to public comment. There were no public comments. 9. PUBLIC WORKS A. Public Works / Satellite Building Change Order Public Works Director Megan Wepfer explained that an error occurred. The architectural and structural engineering services were not included in the original approval. After the staff discussion with Pennoni, they provided a breakdown for Tasks 3 and 4, which includes both services, for an additional $88,610.00. Funds are available in the budget to cover the change order costs. The total amount, including the $62,050 already approved for the engineering services, is $150,660.00. Mayor Brooks opened to public comment. There were no public comments. Director Wepfer responded to the Board's questions and comments. The consensus was to move forward with the changes for approval. Commissioners Tagliarini, McGeehen, and Mayor Brooks supported the change order. Vice Mayor Kerr was undecided, and Commissioner Ghovaee opposed it. B. Boca Ciega Street End Project Update 3-26-2025 Director Wepfer said due to Hurricane Helene, the project scope has changed by eliminating the driveway for the adjacent property at 134th and Boca Ciega Avenue and the parking spaces at 134th and Boca Ciega Drive. She is ready to send it out for bids and should have it out by April 4. She will have a pre-bid meeting in a couple of weeks. The FY 2024 budget had a $150,000.00 budget. The Finance Department will add it as a budget amendment for FY2025. Mayor Brooks opened to public comment. There were no public comments. The Board’s consensus was to move forward. C. Automated Side Load Garbage Truck Lease Agreement March 26, 2025, BOC Regular Workshop Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 7 Director Wepfer said the Board’s consensus on November 22, 2023, was to move forward with the lease with RDK Truck Sales rather than purchasing. The original 13-month lease agreement expires on May 1, 2025, and staff requests an additional 13-month extension. The agreement with RDK Truck Sales promised no downtime when the truck needed repairs. The lease is $110,500 at $8,500 per month, which is budgeted in the FY 2025 sanitation and rentals and leases account. It is a piggyback off the Polk County Contract 2024-030. Mayor Brooks opened to public comment. There were no public comments. Director Wepfer responded to questions and comments from the Board. The City Manager said the side loader's advantage is that it only requires one employee to operate it. By leasing another one, a truck will always be available if one is being maintained or repaired. The consensus was to move forward with the 13-month lease for approval. D. Tom & Kitty Stuart Park Hurricane Update Director Wepfer explained the item. They are waiting on engineering services before they can put the park plan out to bid. It would probably take about four months from bid to contract issuance. Mayor Brooks opened to public comment. Marcus Winters, representing Caddy’s, requested permission to temporarily move a section of the fence so cars could safely enter his property. Bill Karns, William Karns Enterprises, Inc., said he built the development. It is very challenging to enter and exit the property. The fence location eliminates the ingress through Tom and Kitty Stuart Park, and it is a liability. He asked the Board to help create a safe environment for them. Commissioner Ghovaee asked if there was an existing private easement between Caddy’s and the City property. The development agreement provided for a 5-foot easement to the City to allow for additional parking on the north side of the lot. Commissioner Ghovaee said the development agreement facilitated access from Gulf Boulevard through the park into Caddy’s. The City Attorney said the development agreement has expired. The easement runs with the property. There was no cross-easement access agreement. The City Manager said there is no written document giving them access. The City Attorney said they are only asking for temporary access and do not need to provide anything long-term. Commissioner McGeehen said they are only asking for temporary access. They work for the residents, and this is part of it. He did not have a problem moving the fence. March 26, 2025, BOC Regular Workshop Meeting Minutes Page 5 of 7 Commissioner Tagliarini suggested that Caddy’s take responsibility for the liability if they move the fence. The City Attorney said he could draft an indemnification agreement if Caddy’s take the responsibility. Mr. Winters said it was acceptable to him. Mayor Brooks said Mr. Winters is a great partner to the City, and she does not understand why they would not sit with him and try to come up with a compromise. She was in favor of moving the fence. Vice Mayor Kerr asked if opening it up would impede the seawall construction when it begins. Director Wepfer said she could not say yes or no. The seawall would go in first, and then they would build back the south side of the parking lot. But they still do not know if the underground utilities were affected. Vice Mayor Kerr favored moving the fence as long as the right agreement was drawn up. The City Attorney said he would draft the indemnification agreement and get them to sign it. It did not need to come back to the Board for approval. E. Court of Honor Update Director Wepfer explained that the proposed project will consist of an octagon shape in the center of Patriot Park, where the middle pavilion is currently located. The materials for the project will consist of decorative concrete, a decorative construction circular ring around the point of the stars, and a five-point star consisting of stained concrete. The five-point star will have one military branch at each point, an American Flag at the center, and four benches along the exterior for patrons to sit and enjoy the space. The project is ready to be placed out to bid with the consensus to proceed as designed. There is a $250,000 budget in FY 2025 for the project's construction. The staff recommends approval. She is open to any changes the Board would like to make. Mayor Brooks opened to public comment. There were no public comments. Commissioners Tagliarini and McGeehan were fine with taking it out to bid. Vice Mayor Kerr asked if there was a way to elevate it because that area is often underwater. Director Wepfer said the park was designed with retention ponds, but the area of the Court of Honor rarely goes underwater unless there is a very high tide, and the water goes over the seawall. Director Wepfer responded to questions and comments from the Board. The consensus of the Board was to move forward for approval. Commissioner Ghovaee asked what the width of the sidewalk at Cambria on 150th Avenue is. Director Wepfer said she thinks it is either eight or ten feet and an FDOT sidewalk. He proposed continuing the sidewalk's width into the park to make it wider to the west. The City Manager said the City does not own the sidewalk, but they could ask if the City could do it. Commissioner Ghovaee said they are improving the site and should widen the sidewalk. March 26, 2025, BOC Regular Workshop Meeting Minutes Page 6 of 7