Loading...
10/30/2006 CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION MINUTES CITY OF CLEARWATER October 30, 2006 Present: Frank Hibbard Mayor Carlen Petersen Vice-Mayor Hoyt P. Hamilton Councilmember William C. Jonson Councilmember John Doran Councilmember Also present: William B. Horne II City Manager Garry Brumback Assistant City Manager Rod Irwin Assistant City Manager Pamela K. Akin City Attorney Cynthia E. Goudeau City Clerk Rosemarie Call Management Analyst The Mayor called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. at City Hall. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. Presentations Interim Councilmember Applicant Introductions Interim Councilmember applicants Mark N. Abdo, Gloria E. Bailey, Robert K. (Bob) Clark, Frank L. Dame, and J. B. Johnson introduced themselves to the City Council and answered questions. Police Accept a FY 2006 Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (DOJ/BJA) grant in the amount of $450,000 for a three-year period to fund the Clearwater Area Task Force on Human Trafficking and approve an agreement with the YWCA of Tampa Bay for provision of victim advocacy services to Human Trafficking victims, and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. (Consent) Councilmember Petersen declared a conflict of interest. On April 6, 2006, the City Council approved the submission of the Police Department’s grant application for federal grant funding for a Law Enforcement Task Forces and Services for Human Trafficking Victims Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. On September 29, 2006, the Clearwater Police Department (CPD) received notification that it had been awarded DOJ/BJA funds in the amount of $450,000 for the implementation and operation of a Clearwater Area Task Force on Human Trafficking (CATFHT). The grant is for a three-year period, beginning on October 1, 2006 and ending on September 30, 2009. Council Work Session 2006-10-30 1 CPD is now seeking City Council approval to accept the grant, which will provide funding for two Human Trafficking Detectives (one to be hired immediately, the second to be hired during the second year of the grant); two vehicles; travel/training expenses; contractual victim services provided by the YWCA; necessary supplies, including digital tape recorders, guns, tasers, computers, work stations, digital cameras, radios, standard uniforms; and cell phone service. The two Human Trafficking Detectives will be assigned from within the Department and the grant-funded positions will be “back-filled” by new recruits. Two new police officer positions will be created and funded by the grant; there are no retention requirements for these positions. Through its Hispanic Liaison Officer and Operation Apoyo Hispano, CPD has used its wide network of service providers and community contacts – including informants – within the Hispanic community to identify and locate Human Trafficking (HT) victims and operations. Currently, in conjunction with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, CPD is investigating several suspected HT cases on a part-time basis with personnel from the Patrol Division and CPD Intelligence Unit. However, because CPD does not have full-time personnel to follow up on these cases, these efforts must be coordinated and prioritized with other law enforcement functions. With the acceptance of this grant, CPD will proceed with the creation of CATFHT, which will include CPD; the YWCA of Tampa Bay; Regional Community Policing Institute; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida; World Relief Corporation; The Haven Spouse Abuse Shelter; Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Office of the State Attorney for the Sixth Judicial Circuit; Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office; Gulf Coast Legal Services, Inc.; Florida Department of Law Enforcement; and Regional Domestic Security Task Force. Through this Task Force, CPD will develop a proactive victim-centered strategy to increase the identification and rescue of trafficking victims. CPD will work very closely with World Relief Corporation, which has also received a DOJ grant to fund HT victim services associated with CATFHT. World Relief will focus on the delivery of victim services such as housing, clothing, counseling, etc., while CPD focuses primarily on the enforcement and education side of the project. Education of CPD’s officers and the general public is essential to raise awareness of the problem of Human Trafficking and will be an integral part of CATFHT’s mission. The Regional Community Policing Institute will assist CPD in training all of its police officers on HT issues so that they can be alert to this often hidden problem. Public education sessions will also be scheduled to make Clearwater area residents aware of the existence of HT victims within their community. There is a 25% in-kind match required for this grant; CPD is providing well in excess of the in-kind match with the $477,389 in salaries/benefits of the existing staff who will be working on this project along with the two HT Detectives. A contractual agreement between the City of Clearwater and the YWCA of Tampa Bay has been prepared. In response to a question, the City Manager said staff will assess the extent of the problem and determine if further support is needed when the grant expires. Deputy Chief Dewey Williams said the education component is extensive and important, as community is not aware of problem. Council Work Session 2006-10-30 2 Engineering Award a Contract for $945,308.10 to Grosz & Stamper Construction Co., Inc. of Tarpon Springs, Florida, for the construction of an addition to Fleet Maintenance to accommodate Fire Maintenance and Police Vehicle Storage; approve the purchase of three vehicle lifts from Heavy Duty Lift & Equipment Inc. of Buford, GA for $157,657.10; approve $40,000 expenditure for in- house services by Building and Maintenance; approve $29,559.24 for in-house engineering and project management expenditures; approve $11,725.24 per the Public Art Ordinance 7489-05; establish a capital improvement project for the Fleet Maintenance Facility Expansion in the amount of $1,184,249.68, and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. (Consent) The Fire Department Truck Maintenance garage and supply storage is located on Range Road. This facility provides service for all apparatus type trucks while Fleet maintains all smaller vehicles. The supply section handles the everyday logistic needs of the Department. The mechanics are CWA (Communications Workers of America) employees and are classified the same as Fleet's mechanics. In effort to consolidate all Fleet activities and place this property on the market, it was decided to move the Fleet operation to the General Services building and build a new building at the Fire Complex 48 on Belcher to accommodate the storage area. The Police Department has several specialty vehicles that need some storage area that has security. Last year, the location selected was the old electrical shop occupied by Parks & Recreation on Madison Street. This team is moving to the National Guard Armory. The northern half of the building expansion at fleet will accommodate these vehicles and provide better security. The electrical building can be sold. The proceeds from the sale of the Range Road property and electrical building will cover the cost of construction for both buildings. The lowest responsible bid was $945,308.10 submitted by Grosz & Stamper Construction Co., Inc. of Tarpon Springs, Florida, which includes a 10% contingency. The construction period is 180 days estimated to start in January 2007 and finish in June 2007. Included costs are 3% for Internal Engineering and Project Management Services ($29,559.24), and 1% for Public Art ($11,725.24). The three vehicle lifts include one 99,000 lb ($95,545) parallelogram style for large vehicle, lighting and air kit for large vehicle lift ($9789), and two 20,000 lb ($26,161.55 ea.) lifts for mid-size vehicles. The in-house work ($40,000) done by Building and Maintenance will cover the electrical connections between the existing and new buildings and transfer switch for generator operation. Proceeds from the sale of the Range Road and old electrical shop properties noted above will be returned to retained earnings upon sale. The existing Fire Service property located on Range Road was appraised at $1-million, and the estimated current market value for the Electrical Building property on Madison Avenue was $200,000 - $225,000. In response to questions, Solid Waste/General Services Assistant Director Rick Carnley said the proposed structure will meet Category 3 standards. He estimated the City had invested approximately $704,300 in the Range Road property. Assistant City Manager Garry Brumback said City departments have no use for that property, which will return to the tax rolls. It was noted that property sale revenues will cover construction costs and additional downtown parking spaces will become available. Council Work Session 2006-10-30 3 Planning Approve amendments to the Community Development Code Establishing a Proportionate Fair Share Program within the City's Concurrency Management System and Pass Ordinance 7718- 06 on first reading. Senate Bill 360, passed by the Legislature in 2005, introduced some important changes to the State’s growth management law. One significant change requires local governments to implement a “Proportionate Fair-Share Program” within their transportation concurrency management systems. The Program creates a method whereby the impact of development on transportation facilities can be mitigated by the cooperative efforts of the public and private sectors. The Program allows developments that negatively impact the adopted level of service to proceed under certain conditions by contributing their fair-share cost of improving the impacted transportation facility. Proposed Ordinance 7718-06 implements this new requirement of Florida Statutes 163.3180(16) by establishing the option of proportionate fair-share, as well as the process to assess and obtain the proportionate fair-share contributions from the developer and to incorporate such projects into the City’s Capital Improvement Element of the Clearwater Comprehensive Plan. The proposed ordinance was based on the model ordinance developed by FDOT. The Community Development Board (CDB) reviewed the proposed amendment at its regularly scheduled meeting on October 17, 2006, and recommended approval to the City Council. In response to questions, Engineering Specialist Himanshu Patni said proposed Countywide standards will affect projects that exceed 5% of the peak load on roadways operating at low LOS (Levels of Service). Roadways must meet capacity criteria. Concern was expressed that multiple projects in an area could have a significant impact on LOS. Assistant City Attorney Leslie Dougall-Sides said agreements will remain with properties when sold. Staff will determine LOS thresholds. Staff will review whether the 10 day timeframe for responding to submittals is reasonable. Official Records and Legislative Services Appoint Mr. Kip Corriveau (only applicant) to the Neighborhood and Affordable Housing Advisory Board in the City resident category with the term expiring on April 30, 2010. (Consent) Consensus was to appoint Kip Corriveau. Appoint a Councilmember to fill the remainder of Hoyt Hamilton's term on the Pinellas Planning Council (PPC) expiring on December 31, 2006 and to a new two-year term on the PPC expiring on December 31, 2008. (Consent) Consensus was to appoint Councilmember Doran. Legal Adopt Ordinance 7631-06 on second reading, making numerous amendments to the Community Development Code by amending Articles 2,3, 4, and 8. Council Work Session 2006-10-30 4 The Planning Department is recommending a total of 22 amendments to the Community Development Code. The amendments present a change in current policy or a new policy issue and are outlined here: 1) Parking Requirements - The parking formula is revised to more appropriately reflect parking requirements for certain uses, so that adequate parking is provided; 2) Off-street Loading and Vehicle Stacking Distances - This amendment provides for comprehensive and detailed loading requirements, improving the assignment of requirements per use; 3) Comprehensive Sign Program - This amendment enables certain monument sign proposals to be eligible for comprehensive sign program review; and 4) Annexations - This amendment will reduce the time required to annex property. Other amendments do not have major policy implications. Support for the comprehensive sign program amendment was expressed, with a recommendation that the City Manager accelerate the process to add examples and guidelines to encourage monument signage. It was requested that additional discussion on the sign code be agendaed. Council Discussion Items Nominate a replacement for Councilmember Hoyt Hamilton to serve on the American Public Gas Association (APGA) Public Gas Policy Council (PGPC) to represent the City of Clearwater and the Clearwater Gas System. Consensus was to appoint Mayor Hibbard. Other Council Action Councilmembers reported on events in which they recently participated and reviewed upcoming events. Councilmember Jonson reviewed PSTA (Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority) board decisions: 1) Declined to participate in joint facility feasibility study with the County and City, and 2) Approved considering the Ice House property for a PSTA downtown transfer station site. It was suggested that PSTA’s open-ended contract with Triangle will allow its consideration of other relocation opportunities should the Ice House site be unfeasible. Councilmember Doran recommended reading a Tampa Tribune editorial on property taxes. Adjourn The meeting adjourned at 3:40 p.m. Council Work Session 2006-10-30 5