Minutes

Town of Shalimar

Commission Meeting

April 13, 2004

 

CALL TO ORDER:  Mayor Gary Combs called the meeting to order at 6:04 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:  present           

         

Others in attendance:  Town Manager Tom Burns, Police Chief Charles Self, Deputy Town Clerk Tina Smith, Town Attorney Mike Chesser, Rory Cassedy with Waste Management, Ray Boyd with BFI, Mack Kirkland (resident), Pat McLain (resident), Gail Murray, Jim Murray, and James Murray with SunQuest, and Planning and Zoning member Sandra Dove-McLain.

 

PLANNING AND ZONING BUSINESS:  Review of the Planning and Zoning Meeting minutes and SunQuest Recommendation – Mayor Combs briefed the commission on the discussions of the Planning and Zoning Board.  Attorney Chesser stated that, because the business is being designated as a Public Transportation Terminal, he feels the issue should be treated as a Special Exception and will require advertisement, certified letters, and a special meeting.  The code book doesn’t address businesses associated with marinas so there are no guidelines for the town to go by.  The parking plans for a restaurant were used because they are the most stringent.  The Planning and Zoning Board will make a decision on this Special Exception at the next Planning and Zoning Board meeting on April 28 and there will be a Special Meeting of the Town Commission the following day (April 29) at 5:30 p.m.

The Town Commission agreed to a fee schedule for the Occupational Licenses being issued to charter-type boats and will be written into a Resolution to be reviewed at the next Commission Meeting.  The fees are:

Vessel Length

0 – 60 feet

 

$50

61 – 80 feet

 

$150

81 – 100 feet

 

$250

101 – 150 feet

 

$350

Commissioner McCallister moved to accept the new occupational license fee schedule.  The motion was seconded by Commissioner Larson and passed unanimously.

 

TOWN RESIDENTS' TIME:  There were no issues mentioned during this time.

 

TOWN ATTORNEY'S REPORT:  Attorney Chesser reported that a mediation session has been scheduled and it can take place in either Pensacola or Shalimar.  Whatever takes place at the mediation session will have to be brought before the Town Commission.  Town Manager Tom Burns stated that the meeting is scheduled for May 25 in Pensacola but Attorney Chesser informed him that the meeting place can still be changed.  Attorney Chesser suggested advertising the mediation and holding it as a public meeting.  The Commission agreed with public involvement in this meeting.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

I.

 

APPROVE MINUTES OF THE MARCH 9, 2004 COMMISSION MEETING – Commissioner Larson moved to accept the minutes of the March 9, 2004 meeting as written.  Commissioner Behnken seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

II.

 

GARBAGE CONTRACT – Manager Burns briefed that the two previous garbage contracts the town signed were only done as agreements not as an ordinance or resolution.  He stated that in order to renew the current contract The Commission would also need to decide what method they would like to go through; agreement only, agreement now with a resolution later or motion now and 2 readings of an ordinance at 2 special meetings before the end of April. 

Mayor Combs asked Mr. Cassedy if it was possible to renegotiate the CPI.  Mr. Cassedy explained that a CPI of 2.5% is in the current proposal.  If Waste Management’s costs are less than 2.5% (for example, last year they were only 1.6%), the residents would only get charged an additional 1.6% but if it was more than 2.5%, Waste Management would have to come to the Commission to explain that their costs exceeded 2.5% and ask for a comparable adjustment to be made.  If the contract was only for 1 year, Waste Management would not be required to ask the Commission for an adjustment, it would just be figured in the new contract.  Mr. Cassedy stated that he could bump the 2.5% CPI down to 2%.  Commissioner Larson moved to accept the Waste Management proposal and run a contract for 3 years with a rate change of no more than 2% CPI with an option of 2 additional 1 year renewals.  The motion was approved by all except Commissioner Behnken voting nay citing that she is happy with the current service.

The Commission decided that an agreement between Waste Management and the Town of Shalimar would be the method.  Commissioner McCallister moved to give Mayor Combs the authority to sign the contract after it is approved by Manager Burns and Attorney Chesser.  Commissioner Reeves seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

Mayor Combs asked Mr. Cassedy if he would mail out letters to the commercial customers informing them of the change and that the dumpsters would be changed out.  Mr. Cassedy stated that he would get with Manager Burns and get those letters out.

         

NEW BUSINESS:

I.

 

COMP PLAN – The Town of Shalimar Comp Plan is old and needs to be updated.  The Institute of Senior Professionals has offered free help rewrite the Comp Plan with the Planning and Zoning Board.  Commissioner Behnken moved that the Town of Shalimar supports the Planning and Zoning Board’s update of the current Comp Plan.  Commissioner Larson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

II.

 

CIRCLE K GAS WELL REQUEST – As part of an on-going environmental assessment of the property, under the authority of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Escambia County Health Department, ATC Associates, Inc. has requested monitoring wells be installed along Richbourg Avenue on the town’s right-of-way.  Manager Burns spoke with Vince Bruner (owner of the property just off the right-of-way) and Mr. Bruner informed Manager Burns that he is looking at changing the Hampton Inn plans to coincide with a possible property purchase adjacent to the existing lot.  He doesn’t have any issue with the wells going in.  ATC Associates, Inc. can either hold off on the installation until Mr. Bruner’s new plans have been finalized or install them now but take the chance that they will have to be capped off and reinstalled in another location.  Commissioner Larson moved to accept the installation of the wells that will be put in according to the attached map.  Commissioner McCallister seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.  The Shalimar Commission authorized Manager Burns to draft up a letter to ATC Associates, Inc. informing them that the Commission has approved the installation of the wells but if the hotel plans change, the wells may need to be moved.  Mayor Combs informed Manager Burns that he wanted to see the letter before it went out. 

                     

MAYOR COMBS’ REPORT:

I.

 

OKALOOSA COUNTY LEAGUE OF CITIES REPORT – Nothing new happened at the April Executive Board lunch.  Mayor Combs reminded everyone that April 16 is the big Community Service Project and everyone is invited to come out and help finish up the park.

 

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 went through the park today and has noticed that it is being used a lot.

 

COMMISSIONER McCALLISTER’S REPORT:  

I.

 

BUDGET REPORT - 6 MONTH LINE ITEM REVIEW – Commissioner McCallister went over the line item changes with the Commission.  Commissioner Larson moved to accept the 6 Month Line Item Review as presented.  Commissioner Behnken seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

 

POLICE REPORT:  Chief Self stated that everyone should have the monthly reports.  Commissioner Larson briefed that he and Chief Self have had discussions about offering part-time officer Sam Roberts full-time employment.  Commissioner Larson moved to move Sam Roberts from part-time status to full-time status effective June 1.  Commissioner Behnken seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

 

TOWN MANAGER UPDATE:  

·        Manager Burns spoke with the Cherokee Park exercise equipment company today and, according to them, it will be shipped out on April 16. 

·        Also on April 16 is the big Cherokee Park Project.

·        Attorney Chesser has made contact with the insurance company concerning the Action Outdoor lawsuit but we still don’t know how much of the attorney’s fees they are going to pay.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

 

APRIL 28, 2004 -- PLANNING AND ZONING MEETING, 6:00 P.M.

 

MAY 11, 2004 -- NEXT TOWN COMMISSION MEETING, 6:00 P.M.

 

ADJOURNMENT:  Commissioner Larson moved to adjourn at 7:48 p.m.  The motion was seconded by Commissioner Behnken and passed unanimously.