Minutes

Town of Shalimar

Commission Meeting

June 10, 2003

 

CALL TO ORDER:  Mayor Gary Combs called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m. in Town Hall chambers.  He led the “Pledge of Allegiance” to the Flag.

 

ROLL CALL FOR THE RECORD:  

 

Mayor Gary Combs :  present

 

Mayor Pro-Tem Rik Larson:  present

 

Commissioner Ursel Behnken:  present

 

Commissioner Kevin Reeves :  present 

 

Commissioner Jerry McCallister:  absent

         

Others in attendance:  Town Manager Tom Burns , Deputy Town Clerk Tina Smith, Chuck Ingram, and residents Rocky Bates, Earl Gottschalk, Steven Wood and Johann Behnken.  Planning and Zoning Board Member and Secretary Sandra Dove-McLain and her husband Pat McLain arrived at 6:12 p.m.

 

PLANNING AND ZONING BUSINESS -- The unapproved minutes from the May 28, 2003 Planning and Zoning Meeting are attached - After some discussion, Commissioner Larson moved to accept the Planning and Zoning Board’s recommendation and approve a special exception use application for a mini-storage facility on Erwin Fleet.  Commissioner Behnken seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

 

OLD BUSINESS:  

I.

 

APPROVE MINUTES OF MAY 13, 2003 SPECIAL TOWN COMMISSION MEETING - Commissioner Behnken moved to accept the minutes from the May 13, 2003 Special Commission Meeting as written.  Commissioner Larson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

II.

 

APPROVE MINUTES OF MAY 13, 2003 TOWN COMMISSION MEETING - Commissioner Larson moved to accept the minutes from the May 13, 2003 Town Commission Meeting as written.  Commissioner Reeves seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

III.

 

APPROVE MINUTES OF MAY 22, 2003 EMERGENCY TOWN COMMISSION MEETING - Commissioner Larson moved to accept the minutes of the May 22, 2003 Emergency Meeting as written.  Commissioner Behnken seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

IV.

 

ADMINISTRATIVE AND PERSONNEL POLICY MANUALS - Mayor Combs stated that he received the final draft of the Administrative Policy Manual just a couple of hours ago and he had a few changes.  It was decided that if there was some time at the end of the meeting the board would go over the changes and possibly pass the resolution.  The Personnel Policy Manual was complete.  Commissioner Larson moved to accept the Personnel Policy Manual as written.  Commissioner Reeves seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

V.

 

BOND ISSUE UPDATE - Mayor Combs briefed that he met with Mike Kent Progressive Management, Town Attorney Mike Chesser and Town Manager Tom Burns.  Mayor Combs is attempting a negotiated with Mr. Kent to raise the percentage of the bond issue due to the town, from 4.3% to 7%.  Mr. Kent established the tentative timeline.  There will be an interlocal agreement between the Town of Shalimar and Escambia County that Escambia County will need to approve before it is introduced to the Shalimar Commission for approval.  Other than that the deal is on track.

 

NEW BUSINESS:  

I.

 

TOWN RESIDENTS' TIME – MAYOR COMBS - Mr. Steve Wood from Mande Court declared his desire to purchase part of the Brande Court park lot.  He attempted this endeavor approximately 2 years ago and ceased when some of his neighbors expressed their disapproval.  He is now readdressing the situation and has asked the Shalimar Commission what his next step should be.  Mayor Combs stated that Mr. Wood and the resident of lot 22 (who is also interested in buying part of this lot) should go to their Homeowner’s Association and get a vote from them.   Mayor Combs would also like something from the adjacent homeowners.  When he has completed these steps he can get it on the record with the Town Commission what his intentions are.  Someone from the Town will then ask Attorney Chesser if this is legal and proceed from there.

Earl Gottschalk and Rocky Bates reported that many of their neighbors are allowing their dogs to go the bathroom on other people’s property and no one is enforcing the law that requires pet owners to clean up after their animals.  Mayor Combs asked that there always be a police representative at the meetings.  The Commission agreed on asking all of the police officers to start carrying baggies in their cars and hand them out when they see someone without a bag.  Mr. Bates also mentioned that Mr. Fritz is still parking vehicles in their street.  Johann Behnken suggested including pet information in the next episode of the Tidbits newsletter.

Mayor Combs asked Manager Burns to put some sort of temporary fence or crime scene tape around the park so that children and dogs could not get in and ruin the freshly poured concrete.  Manager Burns stated that he would get right on that.

 

II.

 

FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES CONFERENCE – The Florida League of Cities Conference will be held August 14-16 in Orlando if anyone is interested.  Manager Burns stated that he would like to go and there are no Commissioners that are able to attend.

 

MAYOR COMBS’ REPORT:

I.

 

OKALOOSA COUNTY LEAGUE OF CITIES REPORT -- Deputy Clerk Tina Smith reminded everyone of the Okaloosa County League of Cities Dinner that will be on Thursday, June 19.  She will be responding to the RSVP tomorrow if anyone, in addition to those that already told her, would like to attend.

 

TOWN ATTORNEY'S REPORT:

Town Attorney, Mike Chesser, was not present

 

COMMISSIONER LARSON'S REPORT:

Commissioner Larson had nothing to report

 

COMMISSIONER REEVES’ REPORT:

Commissioner Reeves had nothing to report 

 

COMMISSIONER BEHNKEN’S REPORT:

Commissioner Behnken stated that she was phoned by a resident regarding the barking dogs at 13 Cherokee.  Manager Burns briefed the Commission that the resident at 13 Cherokee Road had already been approached and was fully cooperating with the town to resolve this problem.  He stated that they will be adding a wood privacy fence to the side of their house that is adjacent to the park so that the dogs will no longer be able to see any of the commotion.

 

COMMISSIONER McCALLISTER’S REPORT:  

I.

 

FY03 BUDGET REPORT – Mayor Combs stated that he would like all of the budget information e-mailed to him before the budget workshop on June 17.  Manager Burns stated that he would work on it and get it to Commissioner McCallister and Mayor Combs this week.  Mayor Combs mentioned that he would like to see as much information as Manager Burns can gather up and get to him.

 

POLICE REPORT:  

I.

 

MONTHLY ACTIVITY REPORT – Last month’s Monthly Activity Report is in the binders.  No one had any questions.

 

For the next couple minutes, the commission went over Mayor Combs’ Administrative Policy Manual changes.  It was decided that the Commission would go through it one more time and try to pass the resolution at next month’s Commission Meeting.

 

TOWN MANAGER UPDATE:

Manager Burns stated that there is a list of inoperable items that Mr. Hugh Parker would like to dispose of.  They are a John Deere lawn mower, Filing Cabinet that won’t open, Poulan Chain Saw and a weed eater.  The Commission would like him to break open the filing cabinet before he disposes of it.  Commissioner Behnken moved that Mr. Parker could dispose of the inoperable items.  Commissioner Larson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.  Johann Behnken stated that if they were going to be thrown away, he would take them to the recycling center on Eglin Air Force Base.  Mayor Combs suggested opening it up to all Shalimar residents.  There will be an article in the next Tidbits stating that the town has these items that will be given to the first person that comes in and hauls them away.  If no one comes in they will then be given to Mr. Behnken.

 

Mr. Behnken stated that he felt that APAC was in default of their contract.  Manager Burns iterated the terms of the contract and confirmed that they were not in default.  Manager Burns also affirmed that the Ferdons are happy that the tree is coming out. 

Commissioner Behnken asked about the status on Dewrell’s property.  Mayor Combs notified the Commission that at the meeting with Mike Chesser on Wednesday, it was decided that Attorney Chesser would personally contact Mr. Dewrell and get back with Manager Burns.  The Commission asked Manager Burns if he would ask Attorney Chesser if it would be legal for the town to hook up to the trailers and move them to town hall property.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:  

Budget Workshop I -- JUNE 17, 2003 at 5:30 p.m.

Budget Workshop II -- JUNE 24, 2003 at 5:30 p.m.

Next Commission Meeting – JULY 8, 2003 at 6:00 p.m.  

 

ADJOURNMENT:  Commissioner Larson moved to adjourn at 7:50 .  Commissioner Reeves seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.