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11/26/1991 - Town Meeting TOWN MEETING November 26, 1991 The City Commission of the City of Clearwater met at the Martin Luther King Center with the following members present: Rita Garvey Mayor/Commissioner Sue Berfield Vice-Mayor/Commissioner Richard Fitzgerald Commissioner Lee Regulski Commissioner William Nunamaker Commissioner Also present were: Cynthia E. Goudeau City Clerk Colonel Rayborn, President of the Edgewater Drive Homeowners Association, stated there was an ongoing problem regarding a home that is being turned into a rental property. He stated if the person finishes everything for which they have applied for permits, they will have 7 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms. An advertisement has been placed for a mother-in-law apartment. He stated at another structure, a person is enclosing a garage and making it into an additional room. Another structure has a permit for 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. He emphasized they want the area to remain single family. He questioned how these permits are being issued. He requested the Commission investigate these problems and have them resolved once and for all. On another issue, he indicated in other areas of the country laws are enforced regarding driving and jaywalking. He requested enforcement of traffic rules and requested the City correct the driving habits of its employees. Yacub Balil stated there is a pepper bush blocking the right-of-way to Harbor Drive. He also requested consideration of a sidewalk being put in so that youth are not walking in the streets around the Martin Luther King Center. He questioned if the City would pay or if the contractor would have to pay for a seawall which was demolished during the bridge work at Overlea. Lois Martin questioned when the work would be finished on Palmetto Avenue so the detour could be discontinued. It was indicated the contract was to take 120 days from November 1st. Jonathan Wade expressed concerns there were not enough black city employees. He also requested there be training and job placement for the youth in order to prevent crime and reduce the number of arrests. Mayor Garvey reported the youth builders program has lost funding which would provide the training and job placement to which Mr. Wade referred. She stated the City is committed to employing black individuals. Anne Garris expressed concern the Commission does not discuss the East End Project and when questions are asked, staff is always indicating they will get back with answers. She questioned in what way the project would benefit the taxpayers. She questioned how much a new City Hall would cost and whether or not one was really needed. She stated there are many questions about proposals such as developing the Maas Brothers property and developing the bluff. She expressed concern the public has not heard the Commission talk about these issues. She expressed concern regarding the Bilgore property having been off the tax rolls for a long time and looking terrible. She emphasized the public wanted to hear the Commission talk about these issues. Commissioner Regulski stated the East End project was established as a catalyst to start something in the downtown area. He stated the downtown, as a percentage of the tax base, is dwindling to almost nothing. He stated it is a major place where assessments can be built up. He said that although efforts have been ongoing for 20 years, it is not time to give up. He stated they have to look to the future and not just consider today's problems. He stated the East End project and downtown development may be years off and there is no guarantee that anything will happen this year. He stated when the economy starts to improve, the City needs to be ready to move forward with development projects. He stated by proceeding with the East End project, there will be new development and new markets and the City will be ready when that happens. Regarding a new City Hall, he stated consolidating will reduce operating costs. He stated the project is envisioned so that the developer will pay the City so the City Hall could be gotten from the original 14 acres the City owns. He stated he did not think there would be other major purchases of property and what has been accomplished is a corridor to Court Street. One of the reasons for pursuing this is to move the commercial assessment as high as it can be in order not to raise taxes. He stated there will be a profit from the venture. The effort is to create something that will increase assessments, employment, and help the neighborhoods. Commissioner Nunamaker indicated he agreed with most of Commissioner Regulski's comments. He stated the purchase of property is not a surprise to the City of Clearwater and he can go back 10 years and remember the same general discussion regarding the consolidation of the operation. He stated in order to ease the cost of government, it is better to have them under fewer roofs. He stated having the City Manager at City Hall and the Assistant City Managers at the Annex is not the way to run the government. He stated by consolidating, over the long run, savings will offset the cost. He agreed enough property has been purchased to accomplish what is wanted. He stated if City Hall is consolidated at the Annex, he would support selling the current City Hall as it is too expensive to maintain. He stated utilities costs at the Annex are a drain every year and the City Hall is energy inefficient as well. Commissioner Fitzgerald indicated there needed to be a discussion of where the City is going. He stated the decision to assemble land is basically done. The question is what is to be done next. He stated the decision to build a new City Hall has not been finalized and that needs to be looked at again. He agreed he did not feel there would be any more major land purchases. He reported a revised downtown plan is coming out and things are beginning to come into focus. The intention is to finalize these programs internally and then open them up for discussion. He stated there are pieces that are still under major discussion, however, things are coming down on a fairly orderly basis all along. He agreed it was no major surprise to anybody regarding the assembly of land. Mayor Garvey indicated there has been alot of Commission discussion over many months and the Space Needs Study regarding City Hall has not been hidden. She said parcels that have been purchased have been placed on Commission agendas. She stated, unlike St. Petersburg, the City of Clearwater will not be building the buildings but a developer will. She stated there is a need for public discussion once the information is all put together. The Mayor indicated there is a task force looking at the Maas Brothers property. She was looking forward to their recommendation. She strongly disagreed with selling the current City Hall. She stated an issues that needed to be looked at is that as conservation occurs, rates increase. Commissioner Regulski referred to the risk of a downtown project. He stated to buy property in downtown is personally risky, however, if the City is involved, the risk is not as great. The greatest risk will come when the City starts to make a deal with a developer and the developer does not have the ability to perform as promised. He stated at this point in time, there is not much risk, but investment. Commissioner Berfield pointed out the Maas Brothers Task Force has been formed and there is representation from the entire City. The purpose is to get ideas and for the citizens to give input to the task force. Regarding the Annex project, she said she agreed with the majority of the Commission. She stated the property off the tax roll is not that much as the value has declined. She stated the value will come when it is redeveloped. She stated all the projects have to be tied in together. This would include the development of the Maas Brothers property, the East End project, the beach, Sunshine Mall, etc. She stated the Commission does not have the answers tonight, however, it appears there will not be additional major land purchases. She agreed the citizens need to be involved. In response to a question, Commissioner Berfield indicated the topic will probably be agendaed for discussion in the beginning of January. Ms. Garris questioned whether or not the East End project would be under the tax increment financing of the CRA. Commissioner Regulski indicated the CRA is a long time project and it will exist as long as it has debt. Once the debts have been retired, it can be sunseted. He said at this point, the time period is not known. Mayor Garvey stated the return is not necessarily from tax revenue but from jobs and a strong economy. She stated a development project would be a benefit to all. Commissioner Nunamaker likened the purchasing of property to a diamond stating a little diamond has little value while a large one has more value. Joan Bancroft indicated she shared the concerns expressed at the beginning of the meeting regarding the properties on Sunnydale Drive. Colonel Rayborn expressed concerns regarding bicyclists riding facing traffic. He requested there be a public education effort regarding bicycle safety. Yacub Balil questioned if it was correct that the budget has 20 positions that are being cut. The Mayor indicated the Manager is looking at that possibility. Commissioner Nunamaker stated most of the deleted positions would be through attrition and not lay offs. In response to a question, he indicated they were mostly from the mid-management level. Mr. Balil indicated he had been told his position may be cut. The Mayor indicated that during the summer there was a projected $1.6 million shortfall. The City Manager is looking at options. Commissioner Berfield indicated some of the positions targeted for elimination are already vacant. The Mayor indicated the administration is trying to be sensitive to the employees. Tal Rutledge spoke regarding a proposed utility rate increase and asked it be thoroughly investigated. The Mayor indicated this will be done when the proposed rate comes forward. Mr. Rutledge asked how empty stores affect the tax base. Commissioner Nunamaker indicated it lowers the appraised value of the property. Mr. Rutledge wondered how people are to survive in today's economy with the City continuing to increase its fees and people continuing to be laid off. He recommended a full time Commission. Mayor Garvey indicated one of the frustrations of the Commission is how to produce the revenue needed in order to provide the services being requested. Commissioner Regulski indicated the sewer rates are going up due to the $40 million needed to rebuild the plants as required by the federal government. He stated mandates from other governments impact the City's ability to keep costs down. Lois Martin questioned why the County had to have meetings in the morning when all the people are working. She felt with the amount of County salaries, they could afford to have one night meeting. Commissioner Berfield, in response to Mr. Rutledge, stated the utilities department is already being reviewed. Ms. Martin questioned whether or not properties have already been bought for the East End project. The Mayor indicated certain parcels had been purchased. Ms. Martin also questioned why it was not decided what to do with the Maas Brothers property prior to purchasing it. It was indicated time was of the essence and the City wanted to have the property in their hands. Ms. Martin asked that city employees be reminded that the monies being spent by the City is not their money. She stated one employee in Community Development was particularly rude. She stated the City has asked Clearwater Neighborhood Housing Services to service the program with Infill Housing and yet they have not given any money to hire a clerical personnel. She stated two individuals can not handle all the work. Willa Carson recommended a committee be appointed with a representative from each area of the City to study the East End project. She stated there was no representation of the North Greenwood area on the Maas Brothers Task Force. The Mayor indicated that in appointing members to the Maas Brothers Task Force, business representatives and city representatives were considered. Commissioner Berfield pointed out there was city wide representation on the task force. Ms. Martin questioned if there were any minorities on the Planning and Zoning Board. She stated she has been trying to get on that board for a long time. Muhammad Abdur-Rahim stated that as the City is reducing the number of employees, minority hiring is down. He stated with the budget crunch, he can not see minorities moving up in the organizational structure. He requested the Commission address this. The Mayor indicated she has talked to the City Manager regarding this and the Deputy City Manager is working on this issue. Mr. Rahim indicated even with the reduction in employees, 12 people were hired for the stormwater division and not one of them was a minority. Mr. Wade raised the issue of the barricades on certain streets and reported there was a vote to keep them. He indicated a new light should be changed to give green priority to Greenwood and Palmetto and Greenwood and Cleveland. He stated it is taking too long to long to get down Greenwood Avenue now, especially when there is no left hand turn. The meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m.