Town Commission Regular Meeting

Town Commission Regular Meeting Minutes Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at 7:00 PM 706 NE Cholokka BLVD CALL TO ORDER Mayor Jiana Williams called the meeting to order 7:02 pm INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO FLAG ROLL CALL Commissioners present: Mayor Jiana Williams Mayor Pro Tem Kevin Putansu Commissioner Judy Galloway Commissioner David Massey Commissioner Ken Wessberg Staff Present: Attorney A. Derek Folds Town Administrator Sara Samario Deputy Town Clerk Patty Polk CONSENT AGENDA Motion made and seconded (Wessberg/Galloway) to approve the content agenda as submitted; passed 5-0 1. Agenda Approval 2. Regular Commission Meeting Minutes of April 8, 2025 Recognition of Patty Polk's Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) Designation GUESTS 3. Micanopy Branch Library Update Micanopy Librarian Wendy Schneider gave a verbal report 4. Willie Mae Stokes Community Center Bishop Stokes gave a verbal report, detailing the many resources and support to the citizens at the Willie Mae Stokes Community Center. CITIZEN’S FORUM Public Comment (public comments limited to 2 minutes per speaker, please) Sandy Tyson - Thank you for the new gazebo, it looks nice, and the boards around the electrical poles. Bishop Christopher Stokes - We are searching for a CDL driver. Gail Davis - It is her and Mike's 20-year wedding anniversary. Ms. Sheffield, attending this meeting on behalf of Sheriff Chad Scott, loves Micanopy. The food drive has a little bit of everything. Jiana thanked the sheriff's department for their support. Bud DesForges gave Kevin Putansu kudos; The potluck is a great thing. Relaxed atmosphere, meet your neighbors, and discuss town stuff. Sara gave a great presentation. You should join us. Stephanie Bartsch. Congratulations to Patty Polk and the commission for the good work. Linda Van Leer discussed the recent planting project. It was fun; Dede DesForges made lunch. The gazebo landscaping is good. She is proud of our town. TOWN COMMISSION LIAISON REPORTS 5. Alachua County League of Cities Mayor Williams discussed the meeting last month. Working on organizations. At the next meeting, they will elect people. Parenting Playbook. Teen work are seeking towns, cities, and internships. They are looking for places where the teens can work. 6. Alachua County Children’s Trust Mayor Williams discussed the Children's Trust. An advertisement will be done in Newberry this week. Three people shared their stories of opioid problems. Mayor Williams gave a verbal report. 1 in 7 counterfeit pills can kill. Children are exposed to opioids from the 3rd to the 5th grade. $86,896 budget. Billboards, ads, and social media. Ms. Sheffield, Alachua County Sheriffs department - drugs impersonating chips, freeze-dried candy, and such. it is drugs sold in some stores . If you didn't see it come out of the package - it is not for you. 7. Thrasher Warehouse Board Commissioner Judy Galloway met with the Thrasher Warehouse board last night. They have requests, but it will come up later. Galloway has been the liaison for 3 1/2 years; she would like to know if anyone else would be willing to take over this task. They meet on the second Monday of each month. Commissioner Wessberg volunteered to take this over.  Motion made and seconded (Putansu/Massey) to nominate Ken Wessberg to be the liaison for the Thrasher Warehouse Board; passed 5-0 Bud DesForges, President of the Thrasher Warehouse Board, is pleased to have had Commissioner Galloway as their liaison; she provided valuable input. DesForges discussed the Museum Front facade - Tom Thomas is an expert in historic restoration. The board hired him to inspect the building and report back to us about it. DesForges will present the report to the town. DesForges discussed the electrical at the museum and all of the extension cords. Wired in 1983, and more electrical outlets should be added. County Line Electric gave us an estimate. The museum skipped the commission when they started the job. They paid half of the bill, and County Line did half of the work before someone requested that they stop until the commission review. DesForges is asking for forgiveness. Does the town want to pay for this or at least 1/2 since they already paid for 1/2 of the bill of $2300 Motion made and seconded (Galloway/putansu) to provide $2500 to the museum towards electrical upgrades. passed 5-0 CITIZEN BOARD AND COMMITTEE REPORTS 8. Planning and Historic Preservation Board Administrator Samario discussed the meeting. A Certificate of Appropriateness was approved for a gate on the Brisky building. The library requests a replat, and our planning council has assisted with this. Some other communities use a unity of title recorded with the clerk's office. We will review this process and possibly adopt it. 9. Tree Committee Paul Cohen, Tree Committee member, held an Arbor Day celebration on Friday at 1:00 pm. Ken Wessberg delivered the proclamation. Should qualify us for Tree City USA. TOWN ATTORNEY REPORT 10. Final Reading of Ordinance No. 2025-02, Amendment to the Future Land Use Plan of the Comprehensive Plan Attorney A. Derek Folds read Ordinance 2025-02 on short title. Motion made and seconded (Galloway/Wessberg) to approve Ordinance 2025-02 on final reading; passed 5-0 11. Final Reading of Ordinance No. 2025-03, Amending the Official Zoning Map of the Land Development Code Attorney A. Derek Folds read Ordinance 2025-03 on short title.  Motion made and seconded (Galloway/Massey) to approve Ordinance 2025-03 on final reading; passed 5-0 REVIEW AND ACCEPTANCE OF FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS AND REPORTS 12. Financial Reporting for Period Ending April 30, 2025 Administrator Samario presented a verbal and written report. Motion made and seconded (Galloway/Massey) to accept the financial reports as submitted; passed 5-0 TOWN ADMINISTRATOR REPORT 13. Proposed Budget for Annex Administrator Samario presented a verbal and written report. We are defining the boundaries, putting up a fence, and making repairs to the house on the property. We will put up a continuous wooden fence. Our staff will install. About $6000 for materials. Commission Wessberg stated that David Holton has checked the building numerous times, and he has faith in David's opinion and this venture. 14. Proposal for the disposal of property through a sealed bidding process. Administrator Samario discussed the Town sign on NW Seminary Ave and Co. Rd 234, and it looks great. We will put out sealed bids for the previous Town of Micanopy sign and the columns from the previous gazebo. The highest bid wins. We will list on our website and on our town email list and ask people to share. Motion made and seconded (Galloway/Wessberg) to accept the process and move forward with bids; passed 5-0 15. Proposed Pay Increase for Town Staff Members Administrator Samario presented a possible pay raise for Patty Polk and David Holton to the next pay grade step increase, which is 3% Discussion ensued. Motion made and seconded (Galloway/Wessberg) to approve the next step raise for Patty Polk and David Holton; passed 5-0 NEW BUSINESS 16. Electrical Upgrades at Micanopy Historical Society Museum Discussed earlier in the meeting under Thrasher Warehouse Board. 17. Joint Project Proposals for Alachua County Partnership Matching Funds Administrator Samario presented the matching funds. Discussion ensued. Motion made and seconded (Galloway/Massey) to approve the fire station bay doors, annex building, and the filtration to approve; passed 5-0 UNFINISHED BUSINESS Mike New, Woodard, and Curran are our new engineers. vulnerability assessment. He is here to answer any questions. August will offer more funding opportunities for our water system. TOWN COMMISSIONER REPORTS 18. Commissioner (Seat 1) Judy Galloway Commissioner Galloway thanked everyone for beign here. we are getting stronger everyday and thank you for all the thoughes and prayers. thank you all for allowing us to do the work of the town. she is honored 19. Commissioner (Seat 3) David Massey Commissioner Massey discussed the Micanopy Garden Exchange, 3rd Saturday, 11 am to 2:00 pm. Join us. 20. Commissioner (Seat 4) Kevin Putansu Mayor Pro Tem thanked Bud DesForges for acknowledging the potluck. It was a great time. July 28 or August 4th for the next time. Maybe a theme; give him your opinions 21. Commissioner (Seat 5) Ken Wessberg Ken Wessberg discussed the upcoming May 24th Veterans Day celebration. Thank you all. Thank you to Commissiner Galloway; she deserves a standing ovation for all the work on the Thrasher Warehouse Board. The Gazebo lookds great; Thank you to franklin daughter gave the donation. we should have a ceremoney to dedicate the gazebo. MAYOR (SEAT 2) JIANA WILLIAMS REPORT Mayor Williams gave her quote of the day. May is National Mental Health Day. Thank you all for sticking with us. Thank you to everyone who supported the Easter Community Day in the Park. It was a success. The dj was great. The garden exchange was there. The library was there. The pollinator club joined as well. May 23 and 24, Administrator Samario and Jiana Williams will be attending a presentation at UF. Are we interested in having a case study done to revitalize our historic district? Wish us well. ADJOURN PLEASE NOTE: PURSUANT TO SECTION 286.015, FLORIDA STATUTES, IF A PERSON DECIDES TO APPEAL ANY DECISION MADE BY THE COMMISSION WITH RESPECT TO ANY MATTER CONSIDERED DURING THIS MEETING, HE OR SHE WILL NEED TO ENSURE THAT A VERBATIM RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS IS MADE, WHICH RECORD INCLUDES THE TESTIMONY AND EVIDENCE UPON WHICH THE APPEAL IS TO BE BASED. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT, A PERSON WITH DISABILITIES NEEDING ANY SPECIAL ACCOMODATIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN TOWN MEETINGS SHOULD CONTACT THE TOWN ADMINISTRATOR, 706 NE CHOLOKKA BLVD., MICANOPY, FLORIDA 32667-0137, TELEPHONE (352) 466-3121. adjourn. 9:15 pm