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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-0122 Special City Commission MeetingSUMMARY MINUTES Special City Commission Meeting Thursday, January 22, 2009, 9:00 a.m. City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida ATTENTION ALL LOBBYISTS: CITY LAW REQUIRES YOUR REGISTRATION PRIOR TO ENGAGING IN LOBBYING ACTIVITIES BEFORE CITY STAFF, BOARDS, COMMITTEES OR THE CITY COMMISSION. PLEASE CONTACT THE CITY CLERK FOR FORMS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. 1. 2. 3. AGENDA CALL TO ORDER / ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS The meeting was called to order by Mayor Edelcup at 9:00 a.m., with the following officials present: Mayor Norman S. Edelcup City Attorney Hans Ottinot Vice Mayor Lewis J. Thaler City Clerk Jane A. Hines, CMC Comm. Roslyn Brezin Assistant City Attorney Fernando Amuchastegui Commissioner Gerry Goodman Commissioner George "Bud" Scholl (via Conference Call) PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Action: Assistant City Manager /Finance Doug Haag led the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. Mayor Edelcup gave opening remarks, and noted two add -on items [listed below] which will be heard first. ORDER OF BUSINESS ( Additions /Deletions /Amendments) 3A. Request to Hear Items: Add -On Item 4A. Accept City Manager's Resignation/Consultant Agreement; Add -On Item 4B. Appoint Acting City Manager, and Hear these items before the Capital Projects Update. Additional Information: Update of Capital Projects. Action: Mayor Edelcup noted the above changes to the agenda. Vice Mayor Thaler moved and Commissioner Goodman seconded a motion to approve the above changes to the agenda. The motion was approved by a voice vote of 5 -0 in favor. 4. RESOLUTIONS 4A. Add -On: A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, Authorizing the City Attorney to Negotiate a Consultant Agreement with A. John Szerlag to Provide the City with Professional Services; Authorizing the Mayor to Execute Said Agreement; Providing the City Attorney with the Authority to Do All Things Necessary to Effectuate the Terms of this Resolution; Providing for an Effective Date. Action: [City Clerk's Note: Added on new item, see action under Item 3A. ] Mayor Edelcup reported that yesterday (January 21, 2009) the Commission received a resignation letter from City Manager A. John Szerlag. The Commission gave City Attorney Ottinot the authority to do whatever is necessary to complete the severance agreement with the City Manager. City Summary Minutes: Special City Commission Meeting January 22, 2009 Sunny Isles Beach, Florida Attorney Ottinot said that the City Manager has agreed to work as a consultant for the City for at least a year, and asked the Commission for a motion to allow the Mayor to execute that agreement without coming back to the Commission. He said he had explained the details of the City Manager's separation on a one -to -one basis with the Commission. Public Speakers: none Vice Mayor Thaler moved and Commissioner Goodman seconded a motion to approve the resolution. Resolution No. 2009 -1374 was adopted by a voice vote of 5 -0 in favor. 4B. Add -On: A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, Appointing Rick Conner as "Acting City Manager" Pending the Appointment of a Permanent City Manager by the City Commission; Providing the Mayor and City Attorney with the Authority to Do All Things Necessary to Effectuate the Terms of this Resolution; Providing for an Effective Date. Action: [City Clerk's Note: Added on new item, see action under Item 3A.] Mayor Edelcup said we now need to appoint an Acting City Manager for the ongoing period until such time as we name a permanent City Manager. He proposed that the Commission appoint Public Works Director Rick Conner as the Acting City Manager until further notice, with a 10% increase in salary adjustment. Public Speakers: none Commissioner Scholl moved and Vice Mayor Thaler seconded a motion to approve the resolution. Resolution No. 2009 -1375 was adopted by a voice vote of 5 -0 in favor. 5. DISCUSSION ON THE STATUS OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS Action: [City Clerk's Note: The Capital Projects Update was distributed prior to the meeting.] Acting City Manager Rick Conner noted that the most recent weekly Capital Projects Update was distributed this morning. They show the week -to -week progress that we are making, where we hope to be, and how close we are to what we had committed to the Commission. As we progress in this, we would like to develop a spread sheet board where you can view the current status of all of the Capital Projects. Mayor Edelcup said as the Commission received the report just prior to the meeting, the Commission would like an opportunity to read through the report, and not go through them line by line unless the Commission has any specific questions. He suggested that this would be a good format, and perhaps have a monthly Workshop on Capital Projects Updates. Commissioner Goodman said that he has had a lot of feedback in reference to the Central Island Drainage Project working around the Park, the length of time it is taking, the amount of people that are working, and the amount of equipment, etc., and he sees that it is 40% complete. Acting City Manager Conner said that 40% complete is the entire project, there is still the street lighting, the landscaping, a lot of finish work, and they hope to be done on North Bay Road from 174th north no later than early next week. The project is wrapping up Summary Minutes: Special City Commission Meeting January 22, 2009 Sunny Isles Beach, Florida and that was the last phase of the underground work, and at this point, it will be all surface work, and so the project is moving quickly, well ahead of schedule. The contractors did run into some utility problems in that area so that did delay the work a little bit, as there were a lot of old lines that were not on the maps or to anyone's knowledge exact locations. There is a driveway south of the Church between that and Marion Towers, that driveway is currently ponding water, and our hope is to get that drainage system in there as quickly as possible, and build a concrete driveway there, and he has relayed that to them. Vice Mayor Thaler asked when the bike path will be usable, and Acting City Manager Conner responded that is part of the surface work, and he does not know when that segment is on the schedule, he will check the flow charts, but it should be relatively soon. They will finish all the concrete work first, and then move on to the asphalt work. Vice Mayor Thaler asked if that project will be done by June 2009, and Assistant Public Works Director Bill Evans said no, but a good portion of the concrete work and the paving work will be done, and the remaining work will be the light poles, etc., and 80 -85% of the surface improvements will be done by June. Acting City Manager Conner said they are finishing the underground work and then they will start the surface work which should be done relatively quickly. After that is done, the lighting and some of that detailed work takes a little time, but the basic project is moving quite quickly and will be done easily by June. Mayor Edelcup said the June date is important because the school kids are out and we would like to make sure that Gwen Margolis Park itself is usable and access to the Park is attainable. Acting City Manager Conner said he and Bill Evans met with the contractors and the consultants two (2) weeks ago on timeframes for certain issues and the Park is critical, and we have given the contractor a tighter leash, that way we have a little flexibility if something goes wrong. Public Works is working with Cultural and Human Services Director Susan Simpson who has given them a workable schedule so we can make it happen. Vice Mayor Thaler said in that area the contractors are closing those streets and there are no signs or anything, and yesterday they were pouring cement on the sidewalk and they had traffic stopped in three (3) directions. Acting City Manager Conner said he spoke with the consultant and the contractor last night about that, and instructed them that it had better be a lot better flow for traffic, we have been pushing them and we will make certain that they take care of those things. Mayor Edelcup asked that the Commission read the report and come back at a later date to discuss it. 6. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Edelcup adjourned the meeting at 9:15 a.m. Respectfully submitted by: Jane A. Hines, CMC, City Clerk Approved by the City Commission on Feb. 19, 2009 No an S. Edelcup, Mayor 3