07/28/1998
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CITY COMMISSION SPECIAL WORK SESSION
PENNY FOR PINELLAS
CITY OF CLEARWATER
July 28, 1998
Present:
Rita Garvey
Ed Hooper
J. B. Johnson
Robert Clark
Karen Seel
Mayor/Commissioner
Vice-Mayor/Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner
Also Present:
Michael J. Roberto
Richard L. Hedrick
Bob Keller
Pamela K. Akin
Rich Baier
Tina Wilson
Cynthia E. Goudeau
Gwen Legters
City Manager
Deputy City Manager
Assistant City Manager
City Attorney
Public Works Administrator
Budget Director
, City Clerk
Board Reporter
The Mayor called the meeting to order at 9:30 a.m. for the purpose of discussing
prioritization' of the Penny for Pinellas projects.
City Manager Michael Roberto said the City is reviewing past and future projects
funded from the Capital Improvement Project (CIP) budget and Penny for Pinellas dollars.
Priorities will be reflected in each year's budget and will be subject to change. He
acknowledged staff's hard work in preparing the documentation.
Deputy City Manager Rick Hedrick said today's presentation is a work in progress,
based on staff's understanding of the information required by the City Commission.
Additional guidance and direction will be needed. Commissioners received Proposed
Capital Improvement Budget Fiscal Years (FYJ 1998/99-2003/04; Public Works' revised
synopsis of Penny for pinel/as Capital Projects; a revised Penny for Pinel/as Forecasting
Worksheet, expanded to include old and new projects; and Penny for Pinel/as Annual
Operating Costs, a spreadsheet showing impact of Penny projects on the operating budget,
adjusted to reflect a 4% annual CPI (Consumer Price Index) increase.
Budget Director Tina Wilson reviewed Proposed Capital Improvement Budget Fiscal
Year (FY) 1998/99-2003/04. The total CIP budget for 1999 from all revenue sources is
. $48,679,750. The total CIP program over 6 years will be $325,515,400. A slide
presentation highlighted totals for capital projects reflected in the project summary.
In response to questions, it was indicated numbers for the parking program will
change as the program progresses. The best estimate of the City's allocated share for a
new downtown multimodal facility is $1,500,000. Ms. Wilson provided clarification
regarding bonding for certain projects, the lease-purchase process for vehicles, and revenue
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growth factor calculation. Staff was requested to determine whether the new ISTEA
increased the percentage of gas tax to the City.
Discussion ensued regarding the Penny for Pinellas Forecasting Worksheet, showing
$96,900,000 revenue from new Pennies, as well as $3,669,650 from old Pennies
allocated in the Capital Improvement budget for current projects. Staff was requested to
provide information on which projects were financed from internal borrowing. Ms. Wilson
stated the City Manager has recommended total project funding of approximately
$135,000,000, fronting the money for bridge replacement. Discussion ensued regarding
how staff arrived at the current bridge replacement costs. In response to questions, Public
Works Administrator Rich Baier said a fixed bridge cost can be determined when staff
brings forward all the design options for Commission review. Staff was requested to
prepare a single document showing the bottom line estimate for the bridge, including all
costs that might go into building the bridge. In response to a question, Ms. Wilson said the
recommended $135 million expenditure of Penny for Pinellas revenue includes a $5 million
contingency reserve. These expenditures will be made over a 12-year period.
Mr. Baier gave a slide presentation highlighting the revised Penny for Pinellas
Capital Projects, noting where changes were made from the previous proposal. Mr. Baier
and Mr. Hedrick responded to questions. The Beach Streetscape proposal was amended to
eliminate some streets, and the funds diverted to Gulf to Bay Boulevard improvements.
Discussion ensued regarding incorporation of mast arms and underground wiring into the
State Road 60 Corridor Beautification project, expected to come back for design approval.
The idea for a baseball stadium was deleted from the Harbor Bluff Waterfront Park design,
but inadvertently left on the paperwork. Any construction on the waterfront, including
docks, would require a referendum. The Memorial Civic Center project will depend on
roadway configuration and other decisions not yet made. Mr. Hedrick stressed dollars
allocated for this project are needed to help leverage private dollars to create public-private
partnerships. The visitor information center may be omitted from this location, and a new
1 5 by 15-foot visitor center built on Pier 60. Thf3 State is willing to assume maintenance
costs for the new Memorial Causeway bridge, with the City paying for lighting, irrigation
and landscaping maintenance.
The meeting recessed from 11 :08 to 11 :23 a.m.
Discussion ensued regarding a new Main Library, including funding, space needs,
features, and the possibility of saving money by tying it in with an existing building.
Inclusion otan art center would be difficult to tie in with existing plans. Expansion of
Countryside Library is not included in funding for branch expansions. The wisdom of
spending a significant amount on major library expansions within two miles of each other
was questioned. Library Director Arlita Hallam explail)ed the Main Library provides support
functions to the branches and serves businesses not served by the branches. A
referendum would be required for both bonding and location. Wisdom of spending one out
of every eight dollars for debt service was questioned. It was questioned whether a
separate meeting is needed to discuss bonding and debt issues.
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Review of capital projects resumed. It was indicated annual operating costs were
inadvertently included on the spread sheet for Ruth Eckerd Hall. Many details regarding
Martin Luther King Recreation Center and a new North Greenwood Branch Library have not
been determined and will come back to the Commission. Kapok Recreation and
Stormwater Retention project is not on the Penny for Pinellas funding list. Grant
applications have been submitted. The project includes purchase of the Kapok Mobile
Home Park, but not relocation of the mobile homes. This issue will come back for in-depth
discussion. The City's contribution to the $1,996,354 Long Center improvements is
$1,000,000. Economic Redevelopment and Environmental Assessment project relates to
the Town Pond because of the needed contamination remediation. Brownfields money can
be used. Regarding Myrtle Avenue/Ft. Harrison widening, Mr. Baler said the City maintains
all traffic signal assemblies, including mast arms. Some of the $2,000,000 for mast arms
could be added to this project. General scope of the North Greenwood Complex and Pool
project indicates Ray Green Field does not have sufficient space for the complex and a
library. Acquisition of more land will increase costs. Interim Parks and Recreation Director
Art Kader said expanding and extending the current east/west recreation trail from the Long
Center to the Safety Harbor Bayshore Trail probably will not use all the allocated funding.
Discussion ensued regarding Druid Road improvements. It was indicated future funding
would be needed for maintenance between Belcher Road and Ft. Harrison Avenue. Missing
stretches of sidewalk will be filled. The project includes replacement of the bridge over
Allen's Creek. Funding the Parks and Recreation 'nfrastructure Facility from the regular CIP
instead of Pennies is an aptian, but environmental concerns exist. The project may be
scaled down, depending on what happens with the County's Keene Road extension project.
Discussion ensued regarding the proposal to construct a new East Branch Library on
the SPJC (St. Petersburg Junior College) campus. Dr. Carl Kuttler, SPJC, has asked the
City to consider doing the project next year instead of in 2008, to enable application for a
state grant that would pay for the entire project. The City would repay SPJC with
proceeds from sale of the current East Library and Pennies funds, when they become
available. Dr. Kuttler needs the City's commitment before August 1998, to proceed with
filing the partnership funding request. Discussion ensued regarding benefits to the City,
what SPJC is bringing to the table, and potential contract details for operation,
maintenance, staffing, and authority of the shared facility.
Concerns were expressed regarding the recommendation to allocate $500,000 for
Countryside Infrastructure Improvements, as no details were given. The City Manager said
no specific project is currently recommended because the neighborhoods have not had time
to reach consensus, but he felt it important to balance Penny spending throughout the
community. He noted many projects cut from the Penny for Pinellas list were in the
Countryside area.
In response to a question, Fire Chief Rowland Herald said the proposed.
Addition/lmprovement Fire Training Facility project, as submitted did not meet the Fire
Department's needs. He felt it was important to build a larger classroom/emergency
operations center to get dual use from the building. He indicated some County funding
may be possible.
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Upon review of the Penny for Pinellas Annual Operating Costs proJections, grave
concerns were expressed the decisions under discussion will create the need for future
millage rate increases. Discussion ensued regarding costs attached to providing what
citizens want. The City Manager pointed out the difficulty of projecting cost of living
. increases, for employees staffing facilities, beyond the first two or three years. He
expressed a need to clear the decks ahead of time to enable future staff reallocation. It
was indicated user fees, adopt-a-road, and xeriscaping could help reduce future operating
expenses.
Mr. Roberto said priority decisions and clear direction from the Commission will be
needed with regard to Penny for Pinelles projects at the meeting of August 18, 199B.
. The meeting adjourned at 12:42 p.m.
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