Next City Council Mtg on Thursday, July 12th

The next City Council meeting will be on Thursday, July 12th at 7pm in City Hall. 

Highlights: setting of the maximum millage rate for 2018/2019 budget; security agreement with the PBC schoolboard; city manager evaluation; gun control resolution; city manager update on capital improvement projects

• RECOGNITION OF THE PALM BEACH GARDENS POLICE EXPLORERS COMPETITION
• GARDENS SPIRIT TEAM “JEANS FOR MEANS” CHECK PRESENTATION- FLORIDA GUARDIAN AD LITEM PROGRAM.

• Purchase award for Irrigation Maintenance Services – openly competed, 5-year contract with no option to renew – $263K

City Manager Report:  

• UPDATE ON CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
• EMERGENCY TEXT MESSAGING TO 911 CALL CENTERS.

Public Hearings and Resolutions: 

• Resolution 36, 2018:  A request by GK, LLC requesting approval to allow the existing gas station canopy to be illuminated and to allow additional signage in order to rebrand the Northlake Sunoco Gas Station to a BP Gas Station. The gas station is located at the northwest corner of Northlake Boulevard and 1-95. 
• Resolution 31, 2018: The City is required to file with the County Property Appraiser and Tax Collector a proposed millage rate that will be sent out on the Notice of Proposed Taxes in August. The proposed operating millage rate is 5.55, and debt service is .0503, for a total millage of 5.6003, which is less than the current year total rate of 5.6678.  Once the tentative millage is filed with the County, these rates can be lowered at the budget hearings, but they cannot be increased.  The detailed proposed line-item budget will be distributed to Council and the Budget Oversight Review Board under separate cover.
• Resolution 39, 2018:   Authorizing payment of per capita member dues to the Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency commencing in fiscal year 2019.
• Resolution 40, 2018:  Approving an lnterlocal Agreement with the Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization, doing business as the Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency (the “TPA”), to provide advance funding to the TPA for the TPA’s access, use, withdrawal, deposit, and reimbursement through federal, state, or local grants during the initial term of this Agreement and any renewal terms. 
• Resolution 42, 2018:   Security Agreement between The School Board of Palm Beach County, Florida, and the City of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, acting under the 2016 Palm Beach County Law Enforcement Agencies Combined Operational Assistance and Voluntary Cooperation Mutual Aid Agreement (“Mutual Aid Agreement”), to provide municipal police officers on non-charter public school campuses. 

Items for Council Action/Discussion:   

• City Manager Evaluation
• Resolution 26, 2018:  Calling on the State of Florida and Federal Government to implement sensible gun control legislation, enhance mental health programs, and increase school security measures in order to help prevent future gun violence and mass casualties. 

Check the agenda to see if any additional items have been added before the meeting here.

Next City Council Mtg on Thursday, May 3rd at 7PM

• State Senator Bobby Powell – Legislative Update
• Fiscal Year 2017 Audit Report by Marcum LLP

• Resolution 22, 2018 – Approving plat for Nuvo Business Center 
• Resolution 23, 2018 – Project Knight – In February Council Meeting Resolution 7, 2018 appproved $70K in economic incentives.  This would provide another $140K ($1400/job for 100 jobs) to the company.
• Resolution 25, 2018 – Request that the SOE conduct the City’s Special Election in August.  Costs are listed as TBD.
• Purchase Award – Piggyback/Access contract for Real Estate Brokerage Services for sale of property at 9290 Park Lane listed to be above $65K
• Purchase Award – Openly competed for Replacement of Irrigation Pump Stations –  $136K
• Purchase Award – Openly competed for School Crossing Guard Services for 5 years – $1.5 Million

City Manager Report  – no details listed

• Resolution 19, 2018 – Request from Frenchman’s Reserve Country Club for approval for installation of 50′ Flag Pole at the Country Club
• Ordinance 6, 2018 –  first reading – Repeal and replace of Chapter 26 (Elections) in the City’s Code of Ordinances – rationale given is SOE request to make qualification dates earlier – however there are other significant changes throughout the document!
• 2nd Reading and Adoption of Ordinances 7-9, 2018  – Referendum Questions 1,2 and 3 which will appear on the August 28, 2018 Primary Election – pertaining to Term Limits, Repeal/Replace of the Charter, City Manager Residence.
• Ordinance 10,2018 – Voluntary Annexation 14+ Acre Seacoast Utility Authority Parcel 
• Resolution 24, 2018 – Supporting the Steeplechase community for the installation of a noise wall for the planned future State Road 710 (Beeline Highway)/ Northlake Boulevard roadway expansion project

Items for Council Action/Discussion:   

• Resolution 26, 2018 – Firearm Control….Calling on the State of Florida and the Federal Government to reduce gun violence in America and help prevent future occurrences by enacting common sense gun control legislation, enhancing mental health programs, and increasing school security measures.

Check the agenda to see if any additional items have been added before the meeting here.

Martino: Say NO to the ‘Kool-Aid’

In part due to the overwhelming passage in 2014 of Term Limits the City of Palm Beach Gardens elected five new City Council members. Council members’ faces have changed and the dais nameplates have changed. But so far not much else has changed. The “newbies” promises of change have not materialized. The expectations of term limits have not kick-started the change in governmental style and culture as some expected. That’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it.

Ten months into having five new Council voices the “newbies” sound and act like the “oldies”. A sense of arrogance still permeates the singular monthly scheduled Council meeting. The administration is still “stroking and cajoling” and the “newbies’ seem to like the “Kool Aid” being served. The pledge of transparency is still wanting. The promise to hold regularly scheduled workshop meetings on agenda items remains unfulfilled. The 2018 budget expenditures did not decrease as alleged during the Council campaign but actually increased by approximately 7.4%. Even though 16,000 Gardens registered voters approved the new 2014 Term Limit Law, the “newbies” voted to shatter term limits as mandated, as well as, disenfranchising the registered voters from the democratic election process in Palm Beach Gardens under the pretext and ruse of modernizing the City Charter.

Ten meetings and what innovative and fresh initiatives have the “newbies” offered? What of substance to improve the everyday lives of Gardens residents have they accomplished or even discussed? Unfortunately, from my perspective, there is not much of consequence that I can relate too. For what it’s worth, I would suggest that the Council’s agenda would better serve the residents if it attacked some of the real and everyday neighborhood problems facing a sixty year old City. Permit me to list just a few in no particular order…

• neighborhood cut-through traffic on streets, such as, Holly Drive, MacArthur Blvd., and Lighthouse Drive
• Town Hall-Plat 6 Foot Bridge
• upgrading and code enforcement in City areas that contain multi -family Duplex units as found on the east side of Holly Drive between Ironwood and Lighthouse Drive in Plat 1
• median landscaping improvements along Alternate A1A from PBG southern boundary to Hood Road
• influx of sober homes in older neighborhoods
• discussion of management of Brightline train expected problems and status of upgrading of PBG crossings
• discussion assessing needs of older original Plats and neighborhoods of the City

So am I being unfair, or overly negative, opining as I do. I think not. I am just reflecting on the obvious. Yes, Palm Beach Gardens is a great place to live and 94% of residents in a recent survey say so. Yet there are issues and problems that need solutions. I have lived in the Gardens for 53 years and it has always been that way no matter who the Council members are.

My advice to the current City Council members is to resist the “stroking and cajoling” and to say no to the “Kool Aid”. Oppose self-serving tendencies and the temptations of the special interests. Reclaim the prerogative of the City Council to create “policy and direction” for the Administration to implement. Generate policy for innovative and fresh initiatives that serve the needs and pleasures of the residents who gave you their trust.

Next City Council Meeting on Thursday January 4th at 7pm

• Recognition of the Gardens Gators for winning the Pop Warner Super Bowl

• Resolution 1 2018 and 2 2018 concern agreements with the Supervisor of Elections (SOE) to appoint her (Susan Bucher) to be a member of the canvassing board and to conduct the March 13, 2018 Uniform Municipal Election for the City
• Purchase Award for Janitorial Supplies and Chemicals – 3 year piggyback/access contract for $210K
• Purchase Award for Fire/Rescue – Public Education Trailer (a training aid) – $85K

City Manager Report  – no details listed

• Ordinance 24, 2017 – 2nd Reading and Adoption of the Annexation of Bay Hill Estates, The Preserve at Bay Hill Estates and Rustic Lakes – the voters in the affected communities will have this on their ballot in the March 13, 2018 election.  See the Palm Beach Post article here. 
• Ordinance 26, 2017 – 2nd Reading and Adoption – lists all of the March 13, 2018 ballot questions (1-4) related to the proposed replacement for the City Charter;  it includes a subset of the Charter Review Committee report, a list of the 4 questions with modifications shown, and Exhibit A which is the replacement ‘base’ charter.    Ordinances 27A, 2017 and 27B, 2017 is a choice which the Council must make in order to place their choice of language on the ballot for Question 2 regarding Term Limits.  Ordinance 28, 2017 relates to the sit-out provision, and Ordinance 29, 2017 changes elections from Majority Wins (50%+1) to Plurality Wins.  See our summaries of the last two council meetings with respect to the proposed Charter changes: Council Forges Ahead to Change Term Limits and Elections 4:1  and A Workshop at Last!  
• Ordinances 30, 2017 and 31, 2017 – 2nd Reading and Adoption – are regarding the small scale comprehensive map amendment and rezoning from Public to Industrial for city property located on SW corners of Burns and Ironwood – in preparation for the sale of the property when the new Public Works Building is completed.  Resolution 5, 2018 is a related resolution.
• Ordinance 1, 2018 – First Reading: An amendment to the Fiscal Year 2017/18 budget to adjust fund balance carryovers to actual amounts; re-appropriate amounts committed from the FY 2016/2017 budget for outstanding purchase orders and open projects.  This also includes transferring $1.8 Million from the Budget Stablization Account for 1. Tennis Center Clubhouse ($1.3 Million) 2. Police Department and City Hall Generators ($425K) 3. Golf Clubhouse Generator ($124K) – After the above transfers are made, the Budget Stabilization Reserve Account will total $1,801,124 in FY 2018, which is a net decrease of $718,658 from the originally adopted budget. Unassigned General Fund Reserves are unaffected and will remain at $23,066,106. 
• Ordinance 3, 2018 – First Reading:  update the 5-Year Schedule of Capital Improvements (Table 9A) and Summary of Capital Improvements Program for Palm Beach County School Board (Table 98) of the Capital Improvements Element (CIE) of the City’s Comprehensive Plan.  The proposed amendments are primarily housekeeping in nature and will provide for consistency with the current 2017 adopted budgets of the City and School District.
• Resolution 3, 2018 – Alton Artistry Neighborhood – amendments related to perimiter wall and landscape plans
• Resolution 6, 2018 –  Exclusive Franchise Agreement for Solid Waste Collection and Recycling Services – with Waste Management as the selected provider, (and otherwise known to the public as the Waste Management Contract) – which is one of the largest contracts the Council decides.  This is valued at $27 Million over 10 years!  The new agreement is for 10 years with no option to renew.  The summary cites the selection committee ranking and the City’s Resident Opinion Survey for rationale.   Here is also a link to the actual Recommendation to Award with background.  

Check the agenda to see if any additional items have been added before the meeting here.

Two Budget Hearings result in 7.4% Increase in Property Tax Revenue

The City Council voted to hold operational millage flat at 5.55% at both Fiscal Year 2017/2018 Budget Hearings on September 7 and 25, 2017.  Even for those on the Council who would have liked to reduce property taxes somehow they concluded that it looks worse to residents, and is worse to lower the tax rate now and then have to raise it later. Legislative issues, potential passage of the 2018 ballot question on additional homestead exemptions as well as need for reserves due to storm impacts, all weighed into the debate. See Taxes to rise for many in Palm Beach Gardens from the Post, which covers some of the Council’s rationale.

The Council meetings spanned Hurricane Irma. On the 7th, City Manager Ferris gave a detailed update on Storm Preparation  and then on the 25th gave a summary of the actions taken to recover from the storm and bring the City back to full function as soon as possible.

The September 7th council meeting also passed 5:0 first readings on:

• Ban of Medical Marijuana Treatment Facilities and Dispensaries
• Moratorium on Micro Wireless Facilities until December 31, 2017 – allowing regulations to be developed consistent with State statute
• Rearrangement of Floodplain Management Regulations

Also passed were:

• 2nd Reading and Adoption of Operation of Mobile Food Trucks
• Art in Public Places resolution for La Posada
• Approval of FPL Watts Substation on utility parcel at Alton

The September 25th council meeting featured a short presentation by Joseph St. Germain on the 2017 Resident Opinion Survey. The survey can be read in its entirety here  and the Post has a short recap. The survey was quoted in several places in the budget documents to bolster rationale for future action plans.

Summaries by the council during Items of Resident Interest raised issues with recent (and expected) actions by the State Legislature that severely impact Home Rule.

Besides the adoption of the Tax Levy and Millage rate and the adoption of the FY 2017/2018 Budget, the council passed 2nd reading on the two ordinances related to the Floodplain Management Regulations 5:0.

The October 12th City Council meeting will feature the recommendations and report of the Charter Review Committee.

Final Fiscal Year 2017/2018 Budget Hearing and Council Mtg – Monday 9/25/17

• Second Reading and Approval of the 2017/2018 Budget and setting property tax rate
• Second Reading of Ordinances regarding Floodplain Management Regulations

• Ordinance 63, 2017 – A request to allow the shopping center at Downtown at the Gardens (DTAG) within Regional Center Planned Community Development to have a total of 36 special events per calendar year that is 24 more than the maximum permitted by Section 78-187 of the City's Code

City Manager Report  – no details listed

• Resolution 58, 2017/Ordinance 19, 2017 – the proposed operating millage rate for Fiscal Year 2017/2018 is 5.5500 mills and a debt service millage rate of .1178. The proposed operating millage rate of 5.5500 is 5.37% above the roll-back of 5.2671 . When combined, the total operating and debt service millage rate proposed for Fiscal Year 2017/2018 is 5.6678 mills, which is .18% below the current year combined rate of 5.6781 mills.  (Note: PBG Watch comment: This millage will raise $59M in taxes, an increase of $4.1M over last year’s $55M, up 7.4%. (Note that we compare the budget figures, not the calculated “rollback rate” which overstates last year’s budget.) The sales surtax provides another $3M windfall each year.)
• Ordinances 15 and 18, 2017 – 2nd Reading and adoption.  A City-initiated request to amend Chapter 78, Land Development, in order to repeal the previously adopted and now outdated Floodplain Regulations from Chapter 78 and to amend Chapter 86, Buildings and Building Regulations to add the revised Floodplain Regulations. The proposed amendments will provide consistency with the Florida Division of Emergency Management's Model Ordinance.

Check the agenda to see if any additional items have been added before the meeting here.

We get the government we deserve – and it’s up to us to watch what they do.  Hope you can make it. If you can’t make the meeting try and watch live-streaming or on-demand.

First Budget Hearing and Sept City Council Mtg on Thurs 9/7

• First Hearing 2017/2018 Budget and setting property tax rate
• New Ordinance prohibiting Medical Marijuana facilities in the City
• Final Approval of Ordinance on the Operation of Mobile Food Trucks 

• Resolution 59, 2017 – Ratifying the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the SEIU/FLORIDA PUBLIC SERVICES UNION (FPSU) for fiscal years 2017-2020;   Employees' base salaries were increased as a result of being placed in a new, updated salary plan, effective October 1, 2017.  In addition, all employees will receive a 3 percent increase to base salary effective October 1st each year of the contract: 2017, 2018, and 2019. 
• Purchase Award for Renewal of Microsoft Enterprise License for 3 years – Piggyback/Access Contract for $417K
• Purchase Award for Landscaping for the New Golf Clubhouse – Landscape contract is for 1 time $175K – using an existing vendor with the City

City Manager Report  – no details listed

• Ordinance 17, 2017 – First Reading and First Public Hearing Adopting the Fiscal Year 2017/2018 Budget..  The proposed budget holds Operating Millage flat at 5.55 mills.  The total operating and debt service millage rate proposed for Fiscal Year 2017/2018 is 5.6678 mills, which is less than the current year combined rate of 5.6781 mills. See our post on the growth of the proposed budget along with a link to the Proposed Budget page.  The second and final public hearing on the budget is scheduled for September 25, 2017. 
• Ordinance 22, 2017 – First Reading of Ban of Medical Marijuana Treatment Facilities and Dispensaries  – amending Chapter 78 Land Development Regulations to prohibit such facilities in the city.  The staff analysis outlines the rationale for the proposed ordinance.
• Ordinance 23, 2017 – First Reading of Temporary Moratorium through December 31, 2017 on Micro Wireless Facilities:  on the submittal and processing of applications and the issuance of any permits pertaining to the collocation on existing or the creation of new utility poles in the City-owned rights-of-way to support small or micro wireless facilities for a period ending December 31, 2017. 
• Resolution 55, 2017 – Art in Public Places for La Posada
• Resolution 60, 2017 – Approving a FPL Watts Substation site-plan on 5-acre utility parcel in the NE corner of Alton PCD.
• Ordinances 15 and 18, 2017 – A City-initiated request to amend Chapter 78, Land Development, in order to repeal the previously adopted and now outdated Floodplain Regulations from Chapter 78 and to amend Chapter 86, Buildings and Building Regulations to add the revised Floodplain Regulations. The proposed amendments will provide consistency with the Florida Division of Emergency Management's Model Ordinance.
• Ordinance 17, 2017 – Mobile Food Trucks – second reading and adoption of the new permit requirements approved on first reading in August

Check the agenda to see if any additional items have been added before the meeting here.

The PBG Budget and the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR)

The 2018 PBG Budget raises $4.1M in new taxes, up 7.4% over last year. See the Proposed Budget here.

Prior to the passage of the sales tax surcharge last year, PBG staff had said they didn’t need the money, and if passed, would return some to the taxpayers in a millage reduction. That all changed of course when the full 10 year revenue stream was captured in a bond and allocated to projects starting immediately, including $11M for a new park.

As the new budget is considered, so far only Vice Mayor Mark Marciano, following in the Bert Premuroso tradition, has suggested they consider a millage decrease. The rest, along with staff, plan to proceed for the third year with the millage rate set in 2016 at 5.55.

This millage will raise $59M in taxes, an increase of $4.1M over last year’s $55M, up 7.4%. (Note that we compare the budget figures, not the calculated “rollback rate” which overstates last year’s budget.) The sales surtax provides another $3M windfall each year.

Is this growth in taxes (and expenditures) justified by the growth of Palm Beach Gardens? How much taxation is enough?

In 1992, the state of Colorado amended their constitution to restrict the growth of taxation. Under the “Taxpayer Bill of Rights” (TABOR), state and local governments could not raise tax rates without voter approval and could not spend revenues collected under existing tax rates without voter approval if revenues grow faster than the rate of inflation and population growth. The results of this Colorado experiment are mixed, and TABOR has its pros and cons. (For background on TABOR, see: Taxpayer Bill of Rights ) Population growth and inflation though, would seem to be a way of assessing the appropriateness of the growth of a city budget, at least as an initial benchmark.

Since 2005, the population of Palm Beach Gardens has grown by about 14% to its current 55,637 (est.) Inflation, measured by the consumer price index, was 26%. Taken together, TABOR would suggest a growth in city spending and taxation of about 45%. (see graph below).

Over the same period, ad-valorem taxes grew 69% and total expenditures (budget less debt payment, capital and transfers) grew 54%. Both are above the TABOR line, but note that in 2013, reductions in tax collection had actually returned to the trendline. It is only since then that we seem to be off to the races.

It should be noted that ad-valorem taxes fund only a part of city expenditures, the rest made up from impact fees, fees for services, other taxes, intergovernmental grants, etc. and have varied from 66% of the total in 2005 to about 73% now. That is why taxes and expenses do not track each other on the chart.

So if you trust TABOR as a measuring stick, is this growth in taxation excessive? You be the judge.

Next City Council Mtg on July 13 at 7pm

The next City Council Meeting will be on Thursday July 13th at 7pm in City Hall.

Agenda Highlights:

• State Senator Bobby Powell – Legislative Session Wrap-Up
• Set Maximum Millage Rate for FY 2017/2018 Budget
• Establishing the 2017 Charter Review Committee targeting March 2018 Municipal Elections
• Annual Evaluation of City Manager
• Inter-local agreement with Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council for Palm Beach Gardens Station Area – transit oriented development (TOD) Master Plan (on Consent Agenda)

• Resolution 45, 2017 – Interlocal Agreement between Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council and Palm Beach Gardens for Palm Beach Gardens Station Area Transit Oriented Development Master Plan. Funding for the grant includes $30K from Palm Beach Gardens.   Public Input will be collected from Sept-Dec. 2017, with a draft plan in 2017 and a Final Master Plan and Report by March 2018
• Purchase  Award – Operate On-Site Employee Health Clinic – $3.3 Million 5 year contract with option to renew for an additional 5 years – openly competed.  Awarded to Carehome LLC – current operator.
• Purchase Award – Renewal of Agreement for Dental Insurance – $80K – City exercised option to renew for 3 years.
• Purchase Award – Construct Prefabricated and Pre-Engineered Metal Building Shell for Golf Cart Storage Barn – openly competed $171K
• Purchase Award – Mowing and Landscape Services for PGA Flyover and Canal Long-Line Mowing – openly competed, 5 year contract for $1.5 million with option to renew for another 5 years.
• Purchase Award – Alert and Communications System for Fire Rescue Stations 1,3,4,5 – sole source $250K – to match system installed in Station 2.
• Purchase Award – Modifications to Johnson Dairy Rd – piggyback/access contract for $303K
• Purchase Award –  Bleachers Shade Structure for Gardens Park piggyback/access contract for $131K
• Purchase Award – Emergency Food Catering Services – City exercised option to renew $200K contract
• Purchase Award – New Tennis Center Clubhouse  Architectural Services – openly competed $220K
• Purchase Award – Dispatch Consoles for Northcom – piggyback/access contract for $79.7K

City Manager Report  – no details listed

• Resolution 46, 2017 – City Initiated Major Conditional Use approval for constructing a 180′ public safety communications monopole at the northern boundary of Lake Catherine Sportsplex  
• Resolution 41, 2017 – Setting a Maximum Millage Rate of 5.6678 which holds operating millage at 5.5 and with lower .1178 debt service, is less than current year 5.6781.  Also sets first Public Hearing on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017 . (Note – there is no budget detail and the backup material states “The detailed proposed line-item budget will be distributed to Council and the Budget Oversight Review Board under separate cover.”)
• Resolution 49, 2017 – Establishes the 2017 Charter Review Committee and associated duties and timeline, with the assumption of final report to the Council on Oct. 12, 2017, for Council approval of the Referendum Ordinance on Nov. 2, 2017 and Dec. 7, 2017 for placement on the ballot on the March 13, 2017 Uniform Municipal Elections.  (Note – the last two Charter related votes took place on November ballots in 2012 and 2014!)

Council Discussion: 

• City Manager Evaluation

Check the agenda to see if any additional items have been added before the meeting here.

 

Council Eliminates Liaison Role to City Committees and Boards

Following is a summary of the June 1st meeting.   The key policy change that was made was the elimination of council member liaisons to various City boards and committees in Ordinance 14, 2017 described below.

Announcement and Presentations:

• State Representative Rick Roth spoke on several bills – the most discussion with the Council related to the impact on local or home rule by “WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY: Limits local governments from regulating types of equipment known as “small wireless facilities” in public rights of ways that are used for new 5G wireless technology. (HB 687)” which could over-ride local zoning in placement of towers/devices.
• Marcum LLP, the City’s external auditor, gave the 2016 budget documents rave reviews with a ‘clean opinion’ and ‘no findings’.

Items of Resident Interest and Board/Committee Reports:

Council Member Woods asked the Council (who agreed) to ask that the City Manager have a Workshop by FDOT on the three I-95 interchanges (Northlake, PGA and Central) to inform the public on proposed traffic movement and right-of-way issues in August. Most of the FDOT workshops have been interchange specific which doesn’t get at City-wide issues and traffic movement.

Comments from the Public:

• John Channing – of the PGA Corridor Association, took over from his brother Joel Channing. He mentioned the 4th Annual Mid-Year Economic Update, given by Dr. Weiss and mentioned a 9/13/17 event to be held at the Embassy Suites on Mobility Around the Gardens
• Don Mathis – discussed the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) stating an issue with all projects scheduled for the same construction year and referred the Council to WPB or Boca for ideas on how to change this.
• 3 Employees of Gander Mountain spoke on the imminent closing of Gander Mountain (Travis Holmes, Jon Bagley and Lance B (sorry – he didn’t give address)), the potential loss of 70 to 100 plus (in season) jobs, if the new owner, Camping World is prohibited from displaying RVs outside dues to zoning. They and fellow employees who did not speak, were asked to wait until later in the meeting so the item could be addressed by Council and staff.

City Manager Report:

City Manager Ferris highlighted several recent awards, gave a brief presentation on before/after pictures of the impacts of Code Enforcement and mentoned a city-held event on Weather The Storm (hurricane preparedness) this Thursday, June 8 from 6-8.

Consent Agenda:

Council Member Lane asked that Item D on Consent be pulled for a presentation by Purchasing Manager Km! Ra on Municipal Complex Renovations ($668K). The rest of the Consent Agenda passed 5:0 as did Item D.

Ordinances and Resolutions:

• Ordinance 11, 2017 second reading and adoption of Specialty Pet Boarding passed 4:1 with Council Member Lane objecting. He pointed out that while the facilities themselves would have to be entirely enclosed, the animals would have to be brought in and out of the facilities and at some point ‘neighbors’ would object.
• Ordinance 14, 2017 Second Reading and Adoption regarding Procedures to fill board/committee vacancies, modify how absences are handled, and (most importantly,) alter the policy of having Council Liaisons to various Boards and Committees. County Attorney Lohman’s primary position was that the County Ordinance regarding the Sales Tax called for independent boards, and by expanding the City’s Budget Oversight Committee’s role to oversee the handling of the ‘penny’ sales tax, that committee was precluded from having a Council liaison. Don Mathis made public comment declaring the Council Liaison, especially on the Budget Oversight Committee, invaluable. The Council briefly explored having the Budget Oversight Committee divide their meetings into Budget and Sales Tax, with the Liaison only participating in the former. Vice-Mayor Marciano rightly pointed out that the voters, who the Council  represents, would be left out by the lack of liaison. Both Marciano and Council Member Lane reiterated their transparency and value issues from the prior Council meeting. To Mayor Marino and Council Member Woods, the issue seemed clear cut, and the value of liaisons to other boards seemed of lesser import. Mayor Marino compared the City policy to that of Jupiter, who didn’t have liaisons. Council Member Litt was torn, opining that all the input she got favored the continuance of liaisons, but she couldn’t see treating the Budget Oversight Committee exceptionally. With the vote of 3:2 (Lane, Marciano opposing), the Council ‘threw out the baby with the bathwater’ by eliminating board and committee transparency and interaction with our elected representatives while not modifying the Ordinance in any way to allow for interaction with the boards .
• In passing 5:0 both Resolution 42, 2017 – Opposing Conversion Therapies and Resolution 43, 2017 – Opposing Use of Exotic Animals in Circuses, our new council veered into Social and potentially Religious issues – passing non-binding, opinion resolutions.  Here is the Palm Beach Post’s coverage of Resolution 42, 2017./

Items for Council Action/Discussion:

• Gander Mountain – Mayor Marino thanked the Gander Mountain employees for staying. Natalie Crowley, Director of Planning and Zoning, gave a recap on the original Gander Mountain zoning (which would not have allowed for outside RV display). She had not yet been formally contacted by Camping World and was willing to work with them through issues, eg with such a display would there be adequate parking. Director Crowley needs to see a plan from the owner before discussions can proceed.  See Palm Beach Post coverage here.
• Charter Review Committee – Vice-Mayor Marciano had requested a time-line and proposal.  Staff suggested that any proposed Charter changes be on the March 2018 ballot. The Council did not dispute staff’s opinion that the changes could not be on the November ballot, and accepted staff’s comments that August 2018 would be too busy a ballot reiterating the ‘voter fatigue’ meme that was used by staff in 2012 and with term limits in 2014 – not mentioning that both proposals were on the November ballots in 2012 and 2014 respectively, and voter turn-out is largest. 
• Lastly, Finance Administrator Allan Owens discussed the impacts should the expanded Homestead Exemption to $75K be approved by voters in November 2018. He and the City Manager made the case that had this not passed to be placed on the ballot, perhaps a small decrease in ad valorem tax rate could have been entertained, but now, not so much, by threatening the budget stabilization reserve fund which the prior Council spent down earlier in the year.

Reminder – the July City Council Meeting will be held on Thursday, July 13 at 7pm.

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