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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-0915 Special City Commission MeetingSUMMARY MINUTES Special City Commission Meeting 1st Budget Hearing Fiscal Year 2015/2016 Tuesday, September 15, 2015, 5:30 p.m. City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida ATTENTION ALL LOBBYISTS: CITI' LAIN' REQUIRES YOUR REGISTRATION PRIOR TO ENGAGING IN LOBBYING ACTIVITIES BEFORE CITY STAFF, BOARDS, COMMITTEES OR THE CITI' CONuNIISSION. PLEASE CONTACT THE CITY CLERK FOR FORMS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. AGENDA 1. CALL TO ORDER / ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS The meeting was called to order by Mayor Scholl at 5:30 p.m., with the following officials present: Mayor George "Bud' Scholl Vice Mayor Jeanette Gatto Commissioner Isaac Aelion Commissioner Dana Goldman Commissioner Jennifer Levin PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE City Manager Christopher J. Russo City Attorney Hans Ottinot City Clerk Jane A. Hines, 1\4MC Deputy City Manager Stan Morris Deputy City Attorney Fernando Amuch6stegui Action: Mayor Scholl gave opening remarks noting that tonight is our first budget hearing for Fiscal Year 2015 /2016. 'Ale had a series of Workshops that took place this summer where we went over the detail of the individual items that make up our budget. Our second and final budget hearing will be held on Thursday; September 24, 2015 at 5:30 p.m. PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE AND TENTATIVE BUDGET 3A. Millage Resolution (Public Hearing) A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Sunny Isles Beach of Miami -Dade. County. Florida. Adopting the City of Sunny Isles Beach Tentative Ad Valorem Tax Millage Levy Rate at 2.5000 Mills per One Thousand Dollars (51.000) of Taxable Assessed Value Which is 10.45% Nlore than the "Rolled Back" Rate of 2.2634 Mills. for Fiscal Year 2015/2016; Providing for an Effective Date. Action: City Clerk Hines read the title, and City Manager Russo reported. Public Speakers: None Commissioner Aelion moved and Commissioner Levin seconded a motion to approve the resolution. Resolution No. 2015 -2450 Nvas adopted by a voice vote of 5 -0 in favor. Summan• Minutes: Special Ciw Commission Meeting September 15, 2015 Sunmv Isles Beach, Florida First Budeet Hearine 3B. Budget Ordinance (Public Hearing) An Ordinance of the City Commission of the City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida; Adopting an Operating and Capital Improvement Budget for the Fiscal Year Commencing October 1, 2015 through September 30, 2016, Pursuant to Section 200.65, Florida Statutes; Authorizing Expenditures of Funds Established by the Budget; Authorizing Encumbrances; Authorizing Issuance of Checks; Providing for Grants and Gifts; Providing for Local and Federal Law Enforcement Trust Funds; Providing for Post Audit; Providing for Severability and Providing for an Effective Date. Action: City Clerk Hines read the title, and City Manager Russo presented a balanced Fiscal Year 201 5/2016 Operating Budget and the five -year Capital Improvement Program. He went over a few highlights and what has changed from the Budget Work Sessions to the Budget that is before us. Our assessed value went up from about $7.56 Billion to about $9 Billion. We took advantage of that increase and lowered our Millage Rate from 2.6 to 2.5, which breaks down to approximately $1 Million given back to the taxpayers. We have added about S700,000 to our Reserves of Fund Balance which will be coupled with what we have left at the end of this fiscal year once it is closed out. The balance remaining was used to balance our operating budget. City Manager Russo said the significant changes from the Workshops we had in July are: we reduced a full time position to part time in Fleet Management; and he had left this in as part time because when you total up that entire budget which he is sure there is some savings in, the budget totals approximately S850,000. It is split between some of our major departments, and he still thinks on a part time basis he will get some value out of that. He thinks this was an oversight that he didn't pick up in the budget but we added $140,000 to the Capital Budget to do a full replacement of our phone system which is antiquated. We had budgeted S60,000 but we really need S200,000 to do a complete upgrade replacement with all the equipment and technology. We have an increase on the revenue side, we have got close to $90.000 in increased revenue sharing, 5200,000 more in sales tax. On the expenditure side we added about S 1 5,000 for a diesel fuel dispensing card reader system that we don't have now on our City diesel pump. Also on the Capital side, we added what is broken down into two areas: one is for general mitigation strategies, and the other is more specific, a more doable project, at least in a shorter term, at the Newport Pier. In the Capital we are going to budget about S750,000 towards planning and hopefully we will move forward on some mitigation strategies with the coming finalization with our report that is being done by our consultants. City Manager Russo read a short summary from his Budget Message to summarize some of the key things that are in the total Capital budget. We continue to make completion of the projects that we have had in the hopper for a number of years, priority for this year. At the same time we are planning for the addition to the Government Center Complex just north of here, which will include a 6 to 8 grade school. a Civic Senior Center, commercial office space, and some expansion for the City Government offices. The most complicated project will be the undergrounding of our utility distribution wires, and he is happy to say he expects by the end of October we will be going out to bid for the installation of all the conduits that have to be put in place prior to the actual wiring contract. That will be a significant step forward on this project, and the total estimated cost will be approximately $15 Million. The Summary Minutes: Special City Commission Meeting September 15, 2015 Sunny Isles Beach, Florida First Budget Hearing project is being done in phases starting with the Collins Avenue corridor. On the construction of the Pedestrian Emergency Bridge from 174' Street to 172 "d Street, we took bids and we have opened the bids, and we will be awarding that bid hopefully at our October 15, 2015 Commission meeting. We are now taking a few other steps to start the commencement process on that project. We opened bids just a few days ago on Samson Oceanfront Park which is going to be going under a total rehabilitation. We also have underway the 174th Street Drainage and total street rehabilitation project. The completion of Gateway Park is expected by the end of the calendar year, and hopefully a green opening early into next year. Other smaller projects of public interest include drainage improvements that are budgeted for 172 "d Street and North Bay Road on the west side of Margolis Park. City Manager Russo said from an operating standpoint, we are raising the level of services provided throughout the organization with new and improved services. We continue to enhance our highly regarded existing parks, together in the way of amenities, maintenance, safety, security, programming, and we are taking an increased look at technology in its application for the general public. Public Speakers: None Mayor Scholl said this meeting is usually perfunctory because we do detailed budget workshops over the summer where we actually spend several hours meeting with staff and going through the budget, department by department, on almost a line -item basis in some cases. The fact is that all the difficult work has been done. We have a great staff, we have a great Finance Department, and we typically win accolades for our budget and he hopes that this year will be no different. Commissioner Goldman asked if there was a line -item or some ability for a Condominium Advocate, whether or not we are going to be able to fund that this fiscal year if we find the right candidate for it. Mayor Scholl said it is more of a mechanism that we have been looking at, and he thinks we have got the cost covered if we want to cover it. He doesn't believe there is a line -item for it but we know where we want to put it when we get it. But it has been more the mechanism which we will have a workshop on in the next month or two. Commissioner Aelion said this is something he spoke to staff about at agenda review that has to do with the rebuild of Samson Oceanfront Park and the big wall that separates the Chateau with the Park. Like the Doubletree, it is extremely close to 2'h feet with the borderline of the Park and he had suggested to staff to approach the developer to allow that big white wall to be covered in green or something. Of course it will be at our cost, it is something he does not know if it has to be inserted as part of the projected expense. Mayor Scholl said he doesn't think this is the place to stick something in the budget that we haven't cost it out yet but he thinks staff can take a look at it. He thought it was supposed to be a green wall, as he recalls he had actually voted against that project. Maybe if we can go back and look in the minutes and report back to Commissioner Aelion. Commissioner Levin said from the staff level, from the City Manager on down that we are a great team and a well -oiled machine. Everyone does an exceptional job. We are lucky to have the budget that we have, and we are lucky to live in the kind of City that we live in so we can provide all the services that we provide. The Police Department does an exceptional job, Summary Minutes: special Ciq' Commission Meeting September 15, 2015 Sunny Isles Beach, Florida First Budeet Hearing and we set emails from the Chief of what is going on and some of it is easy and some of it is not so easy but we always get through with flying colors. She sees that there is money still in the Capital budget for drainage corrections in Golden Shores and at Heritage Park; and there is money for the Fishing Tournament that she had proposed. She has one question in the budget with regard to the garage that was proposed to be put behind Walgreen's, there is a note that the Commission should reconsider it, what is that about? City Manager Russo said that is a project that is obviously not on the back burner but from his look at the plans as preliminary and conceptual as it was when he came back here, the economic feasibility of building a garage on that small lot is questionable; and it is just a matter of priority that we haven't gotten any further than that with it. It is really something off to the future, we haven't budgeted for it, or put money aside for it. Commissioner Levin noted it says $7 Million, and City Manager Russo said that is a cost estimate but we haven't budgeted for that project vet. It hasjust been a place holder, we own the lot; we may have wanted to at some point consider what we may want to do with it in the long term but it is at low priority right now. Vice Mayor Gatto said Nye had a discussion about renting chairs out on the beach and that is still built into this budget; is that correct? City Manager Russo said yes, it was discussed at the budget workshops and it was proposed to be budgeted. We are going to have temporary bathrooms there, and chairs and umbrellas available. Vice Mayor Gatto said the reason she brings it up is that it is kind of interesting for the public to know that. There were two residents that came to see her because they wanted a better delineation of chairs out on the beach relative to some of the hotels that seem to be expanding their space. One of the residents came up with this idea for us to put some chairs out there to rent for our residents to use. This was an idea that came from the residents who come up and speak to us, who come to meetings, who are concerned and aware, and that they have a voice. If they continue to do that we will listen and we will do our best to make it happen. Commissioner Aelion moved and Vice Mayor Gatto seconded a motion to approve the proposed ordinance on first reading. The motion was approved by a roll call vote of 5-0 in favor. Second reading, public hearing will be held on Thursday, September 24, 2015, at 5:30 p.m. Vote: Commissioner Aelion yes Commissioner Goldman yes Commissioner Levin yes Vice Mayor Gatto yes Mayor Scholl yes 4. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Aelion moved and Commissioner Levin seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting.-and-Mayor Scholl adjourned it at 5:48 Respectfully submitted b0:,',% Approv by th City Commission on Oct. 15, 2015 Jane A. Hines; MMC; City Clerk GeOC °_e . Scholl, Mayor _ 4 Item Coversheet ��° ""�<. City of Sunny Isles Beach •� Christopher J. Russo, City Manager ((�` 18070 Collins Avenue �1:�. 10/1512015 Sunny Isles Beach, Florida 33160 <<o P+a: (305) 947-0506 City Hall o. ,+ (305) 949-3113 Fax MEMORANDUM TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Commission VIA: Christopher J. Russo, City Manager FROM: Jane A. Hines, MMC, City Clerk DATE: 10/1512015 RE: Summary Minutes for the September 15, 2015 Special City Commission Meeting RECOMMENDATION: Attached for your consideration are the Summary Minutes for the September 15, 2015 Special City Commission Meeting pertaining to Fiscal Year 2015 -2016 First Budget Hearing. REASONS: N/A Description Summary Minutes Page 1 of 1 Item Number: 3.A. http: / /sunnv isles. novusagenda. com/ AgendaN N'eb /Co\,erSheet.aspx ?ltemI D =1746 10/7/2015