Loading...
06/30/1995 CITY COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING Capital Improvement Program May 30, 1995 The City Commission of the City of Clearwater met in special session at City Hall, May 30, 1995 at 3:27 p.m. with the following members present: Rita Garvey Mayor/Commissioner Sue A. Berfield Vice-Mayor/Commissioner Fred A. Thomas Commissioner J. B. Johnson Commissioner Also present: Elizabeth M. Deptula City Manager Tina Wilson Budget Manager Cynthia E. Goudeau City Clerk The City Manager indicated the Capital Improvement Program decision will affect the budget. She emphasized the Capital Improvement Program should be viewed as a planning document. Funding included is for the 1995/96 fiscal year; however, the plan is for five years. She stated, for ongoing programs, funding availability may result in a fiscal year being skipped. Commissioner Thomas questioned the new project for the Beach District substation renovation and questioned whether that was the best thing to do. The City Manager indicated other options were considered. Commission Thomas stated his concern was the substation should be where the problems to be addressed by the police department occur. He stated the current location is not a trouble spot. Police Chief Sid Klein responded, stating there is an urgency at the current site, as the building is deteriorating badly. He did agree a facility closer to Pier 60 would be a better location. Commissioner Thomas suggested a new facility be constructed in a better location. The City Manager suggested leaving the money in the Capital Improvement Program, but it would not be spent until a final decision regarding a final location is made. Consensus was to do so. Commissioner Berfield questioned St. Vincent's homeless shelter. Chief Klein indicated grant funding would be used to build an addition. Commissioner Thomas suggested monies be taken from the proposed city driver training facility Capital Improvement Project for a new police substation. Monies have been included for a Countryside police substation expansion in four years and the old Clearwater Bay substation in the next fiscal year. Regarding the South Greenwood substation, Chief Klein indicated they are currently operating out of two very small rooms in the Ross Norton Recreation Center. Contraband funds will be used for an expansion. It was indicated funding has been realigned for transportation Capital Improvement Projects. Commissioner Berfield questioned why the Landmark Drive extension had been moved forward. Rich Baier, Engineering Director, indicated the environmental permits that have been obtained are running out. The School Board has indicated they will be constructing a school in that area. He stated this will extend Landmark Drive from Enterprise Road to Marlo Drive and will also allow access to the City park property, which needs to be developed. Regarding the adjusted funding and street maintenance, the City Manager indicated the funds are being allocated to make sure the roads are in good condition. Commissioner Thomas questioned the increase in funds to sidewalks. The City Manager and the Engineering Director indicated the funds are needed for improved and additional sidewalks. Commissioner Johnson questioned the funds for the Mandalay sidewalk. Mr. Baier indicated these are the funds needed for one of the options proposed by Scott Shuford, the Central Permitting Director, for beach redevelopment. Commissioner Johnson questioned from where the money was coming. Tina Wilson, Budget Manager indicated it is coming from the infrastructure tax. Commissioner Berfield questioned if there was a way to encourage the County to install sidewalks where there are none, such as at Sunset Point Road west of King's Highway. She stated that area is very dangerous. The Engineering Director will contact the County. Regarding the proposed $23,350,000 for a new Memorial Causeway bridge, it was indicated the final decision regarding this will be made later. Mr. Baier indicated some preliminary information will be presented to the Commission at their meeting on June 15. Commissioner Thomas stated, if the City constructed the bridge, and required no State or Federal funding, a Project Development and Environmental study would not be required. Commissioner Berfield questioned the Hampton Road project. Mr. Baier indicated the City is bound by a development order to make this improvement. He believed the improvement is required by a certain date. He will check. Regarding parking lots in the Capital Improvement Program, the Mayor questioned where the funds were for a parking lot in the North Greenwood area. The City Manager indicated those funds are in the current fiscal year. It was pointed out funding has been added to equip the Countryside Community Center. The opening date is projected for June, 1996. The dates for the Sand Key Park development have been changed, as development will be delayed until the beach renourishment issue is settled. It was pointed out additional repairs are needed at Jack Russell Stadium. It was reported there have been changes in the timing for other parks and recreation projects. Ream Wilson, Parks and Recreation Director, pointed out Lake Chautauqua Park should have been developed years ago. Due to no access, development has been delayed. With the Landmark Drive extension, access will be provided and will allow development. Commissioner Berfield questioned if access could not be gained from Union Street. Mr. Wilson indicated it could not. Commissioner Berfield expressed concerns that residents in Country Park subdivision have been adamant about not wanting the road to be developed past their property. Mr. Wilson indicated any way access could be provided would be acceptable to the Parks and Recreation Department. Mr. Baier pointed out, if the Landmark Drive extension is not built within a reasonable time, the dredge and fill permit will be lost. Mr. Wilson stated the $65,000 that had been included for the shelter for the Martin Luther King Center, would actually be on School Board property and the City will not be able to construct that facility. He suggested the facility be constructed on Phillip Jones Park. He indicated Parks and Recreation will work out the details. Regarding Memorial Civic Center and any improvements to that facility, it was stated these cannot be determined until decisions concerning beach redevelopment have been made. A question was raised regarding the deletion of the Pier 60 pool. Ms. Deptula indicated a new project for a Clearwater Beach pool is included on page 51, with funds yet to be determined. Regarding concrete sidewalks and pad repair, a question was raised regarding what pads are. Mr. Wilson indicated these are the slabs placed under picnic tables, etc. Regarding renovation to the Carpenter Field Clubhouse, Mr. Wilson indicated it was originally built in 1966. He stated it is in need of renovation and estimated the cost to be $600,000. He stated, if the money is unavailable until 1996, it would actually be the next year before renovations are ready. He hopes to have funds for design, with the actual construction in 1997. He stated the Phillies would like the work done as soon as possible. He stated, if the funds for design are included, design work would begin in fiscal year 1995/96 and these would be presented to the Phillies organization in the Spring of 1996. Construction would be bid with a start date of October 1, 1996. The City Manager stated there is a need to start the planning process. Commissioner Thomas requested information regarding how much has been spent the last two years for upgrades to the Phillies facilities. He also requested information on revenues generated from the Phillies. Regarding renovations to the Martin Luther King Center restrooms and lobby, Mr. Wilson indicated this a heavily used building which is becoming old and dingy. Commissioner Berfield questioned when the School Board would retake the land. Mr. Wilson indicated he did not think they would; however, they do not want more constructed on the property. Commissioner Thomas stated, if a request that has been submitted for a brand new facility is serious, the $80,000 should not be spent on renovations to the existing facility. The City Manager indicated the funds could be put in the next fiscal year. By then, a decision regarding a new center would be made. If the decision is to construct a new facility, the $80,000 would be seed money for that project. It was pointed out there was $300,000 in fiscal year 1995/96 for the Pier 60 park. Regarding the new project for the Clearwater Beach pool, Mr. Wilson indicated there have been conceptual drawings of where it might be placed. He stated consensus was to locate it at the far end of the recreation center property. Staff is leaning toward an alternate which would provide a pool that lends itself to competitive swimming, with a shallow end for swimming lessons. He stated there are other options. In response to a question, Mr. Wilson indicated it would cost approximately $75,000 a year to operate the pool. The Mayor questioned the number of pools in Clearwater that are for lap swimming. Mr. Wilson indicated all pools are at least 25 yards long. Regarding marine facilities projects, Commissioner Berfield questioned if permitting had started for Seminole Dock dredging. Bill Held, Harbormaster, indicated it had not; however, obtaining the permits should not take a long time. As this is maintenance dredging, permits should not be difficult to get. He pointed out the Island Estates Marina project has been eliminated for this time. Regarding the Main Library expansion, Commissioner Thomas stated he does not support a new main library unless the downtown lake, or revenue from the old site could be generated. Ms. Wilson indicated most Computer Capital Improvement projects have been deleted and tied into the new enterprise network. Commissioner Johnson questioned the need for furniture for the Harborview Center. Ms. Deptula indicated the funds needed for this would depend on the leases that are negotiated. She stated there will be some need for furniture and equipment, but this will come out of the operating budget. Commissioner Thomas returned to the subject of the enterprise network and questioned why all the network upgrades were being deleted. Ms. Wilson responded all the computer projects are being consolidated into the enterprise network project. She stated this was all discussed during the Technology Day meeting. Regarding funding proposed for new telephone systems, it was indicated no bids have been obtained and this was just an estimate. Again, regarding the combined computer projects, it was indicated Phase 1 will be the Municipal Services Complex and City Hall. Phase 2 will be the outlying buildings. Jeff Harper, Information Management Director, indicated there will be video conferencing available and fiber will connect the buildings. He stated there is no standard hardware as of yet. Commissioner Thomas questioned why a studio was being constructed in the Municipal Services building when the one available at Vision Cable could be used. Mr. Harper indicated there is limited use of that facility. The meeting adjourned at 4:38 p.m.