Board of Commissioners Workshop Meeting

MINUTES BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WORKSHOP MEETING FEBRUARY 25, 2020 2:00 p.m. A workshop meeting of the City of Madeira Beach Board of Commissioners was held at 2:00 p.m. on February 25, 2020, in the Patricia Shontz Commission Chambers at City Hall, located at 300 Municipal Drive, Madeira Beach, Florida. MEMBERS PRESENT: Deby Weinstein, Commissioner District I Nancy Hodges, Vice Mayor/Commissioner District Doug Andrews, Commissioner District 3 John Douthirt, Commissioner District 4 MEMBERS ABSENT: Maggi Black, Mayor CITY STAFF PRESENT: Robert Daniels, City Manager Clara VanBlargan, City Clerk Ralf Brookes, City Attorney 1. CALL TO ORDER Vice Mayor Hodges called the meeting to order at 2:00 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL City Clerk Clara VanBlargan called the roll. 3. PUBLIC COMMENT Vice Mayor Hodges opened to public comment. Guy Critelli, 13025 Pelican Lane, stressed concern about the snowbirds coming down and taking over all the parking spaces at City Hall. People that come into City Hall to apply for a parking pass or a permit should not have to park far away on the Winn-Dixie parking lot across the street. He suggested that there be at least two I-hour parking spaces at City Hall designated for them. 4. DISCUSSION ITEMS A. Sheriffs Office Report - Pinellas County Sher[ff's O.ffice Michael Leiner, Capt. for Pinellas County Sheriffs Office, presented the Sheriff's Office report February 25, 2020, BOC Workshop Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 9 and responded to questions and comments by the Board. He also gave an update on what the Sheriff's Office is doing to enforce the regulation of live-aboard vessels. City Manager Robert Daniels reported on the Police Unity Tour and its purpose. He said the City will be putting information on its website and will be considering doing some challenges, such as a chili cook-off, within City Hall with the employees to help raise money for the Community Tour teams. B. Presentation on Tampa Bay Regional Resiliency Coalition Seminar - Linda Portal, Community Development Director Linda Portal, Community Development Director, presented a PowerPoint presentation to the Board on a recent Tampa Bay Regional Resiliency Coalition Seminar, "Champions of Change: Creating Resilient Communities." Vice Mayor Hodges opened to Public Comment. Missy Hahn, Treasure Island and Madeira Beach Chamber of Commerce, invited everyone to attend the Candidate Forum they are hosting in the Commission Chambers at 6:00 p.m. that night. C. Updated numbers on the employee salary and compensation study - Karen Paulson, Human Resources Coordinator Karen Paulson, Human Resources Coordinator, reviewed the item. She said she could not speak to the memo written by former city manager Jonathan Evans reporting on the turnover rate in April 2019 (The turnover rate for the last two (2) fiscal years was 59 .4% for April 2017 - April 2018 and down to 30.3% for April 2018 - April 2019.), because she did not help write the memo. Some of the numbers stated in that memo might have been referencing the seasonal employees because they are included in the City's payroll. In preparation for this meeting, she had prepared a three- year turnover analysis. In the analysis, seasonal and temporary staff and Commissioners were excluded. In FY 2017, it shows a total of 10 FTE equivalent staff members who were either terminated or had resigned, which generated a 20% turnover rate. In FY 2018, it shows a total of 7.5 FTE equivalent staff members who were either terminated or resigned, which generated a 14.07% turnover rate. In FY 2019, it shows a total of 8.5 FTE equivalent staff members who were either terminated, resigned or retired, generated a 14.8% turnover rate. Each of these positions was filled with new staff. The analysis demonstrates a decrease in the turnover rate from FY 2017 to FY 2018 and a slight increase from FY 2018 to FY 2019. Commissioner Andrews thanked Ms. Paulson for her work on the item. He said the memo she had prepared and the one prepared by former city manager Jonathan Evans were almost dubiously different. The memo written by Mr. Evans listed Ms. Paulson and Finance Director Walt Pierce as participants in writing the memo. Ms. Paulson said she had no part in writing the memo, and Director Pierce said he helped write part of the memo, but the figures came from Mr. Evans. Commissioner Andrews said Mr. Evans also referenced the consultant that conducted the salary and compensation study a participant in writing the memo. If the memo on page 3 of the agenda packet, prepared by Ms. Paulson, is correct and the memo on page 8 of the agenda packet, prepared February 25, 2020, BOC Workshop Meeting Minutes Page 2 of9 by Mr. Evans, is incorrect, then the consultant paid the $15,000 had done the study wrong. When presenting to the Board, the consultant had answered questions from the Board and said his figures had been verified. It is difficult to compare apples to apples because the analysis for both memos was done on two different time frames. Ms. Paulson confirmed that from April 23, 2019, until today, there had never been any other documentation or memorandums gone to the Board that she was aware of regarding the matter. Commissioner Andrews said he wanted everybody to know that when he was speaking to this at a previous meeting, he had been called out on it. He wanted everybody to know that he was correct in what he was saying because he was speaking to the only information that had been given to the Board. Commissioner Douthirt asked what department each of the full-time employees terminated, and the full-time employees resigned, shown on pages 5-7, was from, and Ms. Paulson explained. Vice Mayor Hodges opened to public comments. There were no public comments. D. Amendment to Fees Ordinance-Walt Pierce, Finance Director Finance Director Walt Pierce reviewed the items and said he is trying to get the fee schedule changed before starting the budget process. City staff explained the changes they were proposing to the fee schedule and responded to questions and comments by the Board. Vice Mayor Hodges opened to public comments. Robert Preston, 425 S. Bayshore Drive, commented against charging people to take CPR classes. It should be a public service. The more people in the community trained to do CRP, the better the community will be. Charging people to take a CPR class reduces the number of people to save people's lives. Finance Director Pierce and Recreation Director Hatch explained the reasonings for charging a fee for someone to take a CPR class. City Manager Robert Daniels said the item would be on the March regular meeting agenda for approval. He will get with the Fire Chief to determine the costs for someone to participate in a CPR class. The Board can consider that cost or choose to eat that cost. E. FY 2020 Mid-Year Budget Amendment - Walt Pierce, Finance Director Finance Director Pierce explained the reasoning for doing a mid-year budget amendment and the items to be included in the proposed budget amendment. Vice Mayor Hodges opened to public comment. February 25, 2020, BOC Workshop Meeting Minutes Page 3 of9 The City Manager said this item would be on the March regular meeting agenda. F. Tran sfer City Investment Funds from Synovus Bank to Hancock Bank - Walt Pierce, Finance Director Finance Director Pierce explained the item and responded to questions and comments by the Board. Commissioner Andrews asked if the guarantee was in writing. Director Pierce said the fixed rate is for three years at 2.43 percent. That is also within the banking contract the Board approved in May 2019. From an interest standpoint, that is a guarantee. Commissioner Andrews asked that the contract be provided to the Board as part of the item when voting at the next meeting. Commissioner Weinstein said she saw that Hancock Whitney is either government guaranteed, government agency sponsored, or high credit municipals, and that is important to her when making a decision Vice Mayor Hodges opened to public comments. There were no public comments. G. RFP for City Attorney Professional Legal Services- Clara VanBlargan, City Clerk City Clerk Clara VanBlargan explained that on December 10, 2019, the Board of Commissioners approved an extension to the City Attorney's contract and included a 30-day termination clause in the contract. The Board also directed staff to send out for an RFP for city attorney professional legal services. The City Manager had tasked her with preparing the RFP. She said the City Attorney could also submit a proposal in response to the RFP. She and the City Manager went through the RFP together and made revisions. The Board can make changes they would like in the RFP before it gets advertised in the newspaper. Commissioner Andrews said the Board voted and tasked the City Manager to prepare the RFP and questioned why that task was transferred to the City Clerk. The City Manager said the City Clerk could request copies of other city's RFP through the City Clerk's forum. Commissioner Weinstein asked for the following changes to the RFP: 1. Page 59 of 96, SECTION I - INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION, the first sentence in the second paragraph under CITY BACKGROUND AND DEMOGRAPHICS: Commissioner Weinstein suggested identifying the City's police department as the Pinellas County Sheriff's Department in that paragraph. 2. Page 59 of 96, SECTION I - INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION, the last sentence in the second paragraph under CITY BACKGROUND AND DEMOGRAPHICS: Commissioner Weinstein said it states that there are approximately 57 regular full-time employees and about eight part-time employees. She did not think the words approximately and about should be used. The number of employees stated in the RFP is different from the numbers on the information that the Finance Director had provided to her. That information February 25, 2020, BOC Workshop Meeting Minutes Page 4 of9  showed there are 65.35 regular full-time employees and 6.65 part-time employees for a total of 72 employees. The City Clerk said she would send it back to Karen to verify her numbers. 3. Page 63 of 96, SECTION III -TERMS AND CONDITIONS, under GENERAL SCOPE OF WORK AND CONDITIONS: Commissioner Weinstein said in the Board of Commissioners Handbook, passed in May 2019, specifies that the City Attorney should be their parliamentarian. It states, "The City Attorney shall act as a parliamentarian to the Board of Commissioners by advising the Mayor regarding matters of procedure." The City Attorney doesn't necessarily do that. There have been meetings where the Board was confused as to what the parliamentarian procedure is. They should consider in their RFP having a City Attorney that will make that part of the scope of legal services to provide to the Board of Commissioners because they need something. The City Attorney said that language can be added at the end of the second sentence of the second paragraph under GENERAL SCOPE OF WORK AND CONDITIONS. Vice Mayor Hodges opened to public comments. There were no public comments. The Board consented to the changes suggested by Commissioner Weinstein and asked that the revised RFP come back to the Board, under the Consent Agenda, at the regular meeting in March for final review and approval. H. Gray Robinson Attorney Agreement - Ralf Brookes, City Attorney The City Attorney said if no discussion, they could put the Gray Robinson Attorney Agreement under the Consent Agenda at the March regular meeting for approval. Commissioner Andrews suggested looking for another labor attorney. The City Clerk asked if the Board would like for her to add the labor attorney services to the RFP. Commissioner Andrews said that would be great. They should explore their options on that. The Board consented to the City Clerk, adding the labor attorney services to the RFP. Vice Mayor Hodges opened to public comments. Helen Price, 13319 Boca Ciega Avenue, commented on why the City needed a new labor attorney. Robert Preston, 425 S. Bayshore Drive, commented in favor of having a firm to provide the professional legal services and said it would be one point of contact vs. having a point of contact for each type of legal service provided. I. Banners on Johns Pass Bridge- Jamie Ahrens, Public Works Director Jamie Ahrens, Public Works Director, explained why the banners last no longer than 6-months and the $1,600 cost for each order of banners. He responded to questions and comments by the February 25, 2020, BOC Workshop Meeting Minutes Page 5 of9 Board. Commissioner Andrews suggested getting a permanent sign to place at the gateway of the City and said the City had talked about doing that at the Tom Stuart Causeway Bridge. Director Ahrens said they would look into doing that. Director Ahrens said the cost in the staff memo is a typo. The total cost will be $1,600 per order and not per sign. Vice Mayor Hodges opened to public comments. There were no public comments. Vice Mayor Hodges asked that the item be placed on the March regular meeting agenda for approval. The Board consented. The City Manager said they would get a proposal for the total cost. J. Update on John's Pass Village Design -Jamie Ahrens, Public Works Director Jamie Ahrens, Public Works Director, commented that staff agreed that John's Pass Village needed beautification, and it is a focal part of the City. Public safety is a priority. There are a couple of projects that are a higher priority right now instead of the sit-walls and benches discussed. Ifthere is money remaining from at least two projects they have, which are addressing the boardwalk and some tripping hazard issues within the village, they could look into revitalizing the image of the village. They would have to budget for that in a future year. Commissioner Weinstein said the pilings were discrediting John's Pass Village. The rusted benches and the trash cans are falling apart, and they had previously decided to replace them. Her main objective is to provide a better experience for people that come to John's Pass Village. They need a better plan to move forward instead of waiting to put it in a Capital Improvement Plan and waiting to do the pilings. For the Village to strive and attract more tourism, it is the responsibility of the Commissioners to get the program started. Commissioner Andrews said when he was working at the City, they were working with the Village Merchants Association to form a real partnership for the Seafood Festival. The City was going to take what proceeds left after taking out the costs for the event and put it toward the beautification of John's Pass Village. There is a provision in this year's agreement that a percentage of the money that comes back from John's Pass must go into that fund. Although that should be done there have been hangups with the deal with the Merchants Association for a while. The pilings are not in good shape, and that should be priority #1 for the safety of the people in John's Pass Village. This item needs to be put on a workshop for them to review thoroughly and to figure out a way to find money to make the replacements that Commissioner Weinstein mentioned. They should not be taking money from a project that is mission-critical at this point. Commissioner Weinstein said she thought the funds for the pilings were in last year's budget, and it was for only $27,000. Director Pierce said the funds rolled over last year, which was $31,600. A payment against that $31,600 has been made already for the initial inspections. That project is February 25, 2020, BOC Workshop Meeting Minutes Page 6 of9 moving forward. Commissioner Weinstein said she would like to address the benches and trash cans now. The City Manager asked Director ·Ahrens to get a quote for the pilings, so they know exactly what the costs are. Then they can work on the trip hazards and that, and ifthere is money left over, they could at least start the sit-wall and trash can project. Director Ahrens said part of the RFQ they currently have out, he is planning for full inspections of the entire system, and part of that will be developing repair plans that will have a cost estimate associated with it. Before committing to another project, he wants to be sure they have the money available for the Boardwalk. Once they get a quote from the RFQ, they could start the preliminary designs. The submittals for the RFQ are due March 10th , so they are looking at doing it summertime. Commissioner Douthirt said he agrees with Doug. Safety must be a priority. They would be getting the pilings and the trip hazards on the Boardwalk fixed. Commissioner Weinstein asked if all the pilings they would be repairing are City pilings. Director Ahrens said they would only be repairing City pilings. Vice Mayor Hodges opened to public comment. Guy Critelli, 13025 Pelican Lane, said he has lived in John's Pass Village for 41 years, and he is one of them that helped pay for the Boardwalk and the parking lot there. He stressed concern that money earmarked for the repair of John's Pass Village is going into the General Fund, and now they are looking for ways to pay for the pilings. Robert Preston, 425 S. Bayshore Drive, commented that the safety items are a priority and needs doing. The City's maintenance department is supposed to maintain the benches and garbage cans. It is their responsibility. Someone else should not be the one to do it. K. Update on SWFWMD Funding - Jamie Ahrens, Public Works Director Jamie Ahrens, Public Works Director, gave an update on the SWFWMD funding. He said that the application was ranked, and it will be going to final approval on April 8th. The final deadline for withdrawing the application from SWFWMD is mid-March. Staff would like direction from the Board of Commissioners to either continue pursuing cooperative funding for pervious pavement or withdraw the application and continue with a design using the conventional pavement. If they get co-op funding for pervious pavement, they are looking at an estimated $4.6 million, and a conventional pavement without funding would be an estimated $4.5 million. It would be roughly a $170,000 difference. SWFWMD would be paying half the cost. The City would be responsible for about $1.1 million, and SWFWMD would be reimbursing the City $1.1 million. The City needs to decide if it wants to spend the extra money and get pervious pavement or go with conventional payment for a savings of about $170,000 to $180,000. February 25, 2020, BOC Workshop Meeting Minutes Page 7 of9 Commissioner Andrews commented he was in favor ofpervious pavement if the City is willing to maintain it. They have the street sweeper to do that. Commissioner Weinstein questioned the warranty of pervious pavement. Director Ahrens said he thinks it is a 10-year warranty by the contractor, and the warranty only covered the pavement. Commissioner Weinstein said they needed more information to make an educated decision. Director Ahrens said April 8th is the final approval by the committee. The Board will need to decide before then. Vice Mayor Hodges opened to public comment. Doreen Moore, 13019 Boca Ciega Avenue, said she observed the Boca Ciega area and the drainage issues, etc. that have been underway. A lot of people have been disappointed with the roadway being extremely noisy, it has required a lot of maintenance, there have been problem areas, and she is glad the City has been on top of it and getting them back out to make corrections. She cautioned the Board to get all that information to make a decision. Guy Critelli, 13025 Pelican Lane, commented against the pervious pavement. Robert Preston, 425 S. Bayshore Drive, commented if the City decided to do the pervious pavement, it needed to do it with a holistic approach. Chuck Dillon, 529 Lilian Drive, said he would look into it and let the City know what he would recommend. Helen Price, 13319 Boca Ciega Avenue, commented in favor of pervious concrete if it is maintained. The City Manager said he would work with Jamie and Chuck to come up with a recommendation for the Board to consider. L. Employee involvement in political activities - Commissioner Andrews Commissioner Andrews said he brought this up in the last meeting. There was an incident that happened last year and then again this year. This year a Charter Officer had made an unsolicited phone call to a candidate to clear up something he had heard on the campaign trail. He does not make the rules, it is a state rule, and it is in the City's Charter. There has been some misinformation given out to the employees, especially the resident employees. When they are off the clock, they can help a campaign but not do that on the job. If they have people that are getting involved and making unsolicited phone calls to different area people, they can affect an election. Both times the offense happened, there was not even a slap on the wrist. Something must be done about it to keep it from happening again. It being two elections in a row, does not sit well with him. The City Manager said he did some preliminary investigation on it and will be meeting with Commissioner Andrews about it. February 25, 2020, BOC Workshop Meeting Minutes Page 8 of9 Vice Mayor Hodges opened to public comment. There were no comments made. The City Clerk received a consensus from the Board to have the special meeting on March 31, 2020, at 6:00 p.m. to swear-in the new Commissioners. The Board also consented to keeping its March meeting schedule. 5. ADJOURNMENT Vice Mayor Hodges adjourned the meeting at 4: 14 p.m. ATTEST: February 25, 2020, BOC Workshop Meeting Minutes Page 9 of9