Town of Shalimar

Town Commission Meeting Minutes

March 13, 2007

 

CALL TO ORDER – Mayor Gary Combs called the meeting to order at 6:02 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 Ricardo Garcia - present

 

Commissioner Jerry McCallister - present

 

Commissioner Ursel Behnken -  present

 

Commissioner Glenn Wagner -  absent

 

Others in attendance:  Town Manager Tom Burns, Deputy Clerk Tina Smith, Police Chief John Cash, P & Z member Johann Behnken, resident and future P & Z member Lynn Dominique, Rory Cassedy with Waste Management, Karem Jadim with Shalimar United Methodist Preschool, residents Kenneth Holt and Russel Arney.

 

PLANNING AND ZONING BUSINESS - There is nothing to approve from the February 28, 2007 Planning and Zoning workshop.

 

TOWN RESIDENTS' TIME

-  See Old Business:  III. 14 Cherokee Road Update

-  A representative from Shalimar United Methodist Preschool presented the Commission with a row of hands that she asked be displayed in town hall.

-  Resident Kenneth Holt asked why the Commission was concerned with 14 Cherokee when the back yard of 16 Cherokee is also being used as storage.  Mayor Combs directed Manager Burns to write a letter to the 3 residences (16, 17, and 18 Cherokee) to address the upcoming mosquito season and ask them to clean up their yards.

 

TOWN ATTORNEY'S REPORT

-  Attorney Chesser briefed that there was another town/city attorney seminar coming up and, if he’s available, he will attend if they would like.  They authorized him to attend the course.

-  Mayor Combs asked Attorney Chesser about the fees the town was charged for drafting up the Shalimar Yacht Basin contract.  Attorney Chesser will look into this.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

I.

 

APPROVE MINUTES FROM THE FEBRUARY 13, 2007 TOWN COMMISSION MEETINGS - Commissioner McCallister moved to approve the minutes from the February 13, 2007 Town Commission Meeting as written.  The motion was seconded by Commissioner Behnken and passed unanimously.

II.

 

SALE OF CADILLAC DISCUSSION - Manager Burns relayed that the motion at the last meeting stated that the Cadillac would be sold by a sealed bid but he would like to put the car for sale on GovDeals.com.  Commissioner McCallister moved to allow Manager Burns to sell the Cadillac on Govdeals.com instead of using the sealed bid process.  The motion was seconded by Commissioner Garcia and passed unanimously.

III.

 

14 CHEROKEE ROAD UPDATE - Mayor Combs moved this agenda item to Town Residents’ Time.  Attorney Chesser asked Russel Arney what his plans were for the property.  Mr. Arney stated that he planned on having a house built there.  Right now the property is in Mr. Arney’s daughter’s name.  Before any plans can be submitted for a new home, Mr. Arney will be required to put the property in his name.  Commissioner Garcia moved to give Russel Arney 7 days to transfer the property from his daughter’s name to his name and to require Mr. Arney to have a county building permit and a town building permit or have the lot cleaned up within 60 days.  The motion was seconded by Commissioner Behnken and passed unanimously.  Manager Burns asked the Commission to specify the penalty for the property owner if he doesn’t clean up the lot.  Commissioner Garcia moved to amend his original motion to authorize Town Manager Tom Burns to charge the property owner of record $500 per day after the 60th day if the property owner did not get the required paperwork or clean up the lot.  The motion was seconded by Commissioner Behnken.  The original motion passed unanimously and the amended motion passed unanimously.

IV.

 

E.A.R. UPDATE - The Planning and Zoning Board had their scoping meeting on February 28.  There are no proposals from the Board to pass on to the Commission.  Manager Burns will formalize a letter to be sent to the DCA.  Also, Manager Burns will have a draft ordinance before the next meeting that should include height requirements, an addition to the zoning classifications, and a Future Land Use Map change.  The entire PDP section will need to be reworked eventually.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

I.

 

WASTE MANAGEMENT CONTRACT - Rory Cassedy with Waste Management briefed the Commission that the current contract is almost up but allows for 2 one year extensions.  Mr. Cassedy doesn’t have the authority to negotiate with the Commission so he will have an update to Manager Burns by Friday and an extension fee increase within 2 weeks.

II.

 

STORAGE LOT UPDATE - Manager Burns briefed that he met with the Okaloosa County School Board regarding the town’s lot across from Meig’s Middle School.  The Town Commission has agreed with the idea of making that lot a fenced in storage lot.  The School Board asked if it would be possible to trade the land the town owns for another comparable plot down the street from the current lot.  The reason is because Shalimar’s lot cuts the School Board’s lot in half.  Manager Burns reported that the new plot up for consideration is, actually, 4 lots and the town would trade from a 120’ X 80’ lot to a 111’ X 125’ tree-covered lot.  There would be a bit more expense to get the new lot ready for a storage lot but it’s larger.  The school board hasn’t voted on this idea yet.  Attorney Chesser recommended that the Commission authorize a title search for all of the lots.  He also advised everyone to keep the current tree ordinance in mind when clearing the new lot.  Commissioner McCallister moved to authorize Manager Burns to do a title search, not to exceed the cost of $500.  Commission Behnken seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

III.

 

BRENT ACREE UPDATE - Mayor Combs briefed that the current owners of the lot between Snug Harbor Townhomes and the Shalimar Yacht Basin paid a little over $600,000 but would take a little over $300,000 from the town to buy it.  Manager Burns was tasked to get an appraisal done on the lot.

Mayor Combs recommended to the Commission that they reward an incentive bonus to all of the employees of the town.  Manager Burns explained that the money is already budgeted.  Commissioner Garcia moved that the town give bonuses ($300 to Tom Burns, John Cash, Tina Smith, and Kent Beck and $200 to John Spohn, Sam Roberts, Steve Shadwell, and Jeff Adams).  Commissioner Behnken seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.  $1200 will come out of the FA bonus budget, $400 from the LEF bonus budget, and $400 from the PHY bonus budget.

 

 MAYOR COMBS’ REPORT:

I.

 

OCLOC UPDATE - Mayor Combs briefed that there was no quorum at the last Executive Board Meeting.

II.

 

TIDBITS ARTICLES - Tidbits articles need to be e-mailed to Deputy Clerk Tina Smith by March 26.

III.

 

APPOINT NEW PLANNING AND ZONING MEMBER - Manager Burns updated everyone that Sally Henderson resigned from the P & Z board.  Lynn Dominique of 234 Snug Harbor volunteered to replace her.  Mayor Combs appointed Mr. Dominique and he will be sworn in by Chairman Gable at the next Planning and Zoning meeting.

 

COMMISSIONER GARCIA’S REPORT - Commissioner Garcia had nothing to report.

 

COMMISSIONER MCCALLISTER’S REPORT - Commissioner McCallister reported that they would need to shift some money from the full time to the part time because the town will not be adding another new full time police officer after Michael Woll left.

 

COMMISSIONER BEHNKEN’S REPORT - Commissioner Behnken had nothing to report.

 

COMMISSIONER WAGNER’S REPORT - Commissioner Wagner was not present.

 

POLICE REPORT:

-  The ’55 Chevy will be at the March 24 Construction Junction

-  Steve Shadwell recently helped someone change her tire and Chief Cash received a thank you letter from her

-  There is still a little over $7000 in the evidentiary account from the guy that passed away.  The department may need to spend some money for an attorney.

-  The park camera has been moved to capture a little of the fountain and a little of the table.

 

-  Mayor Combs briefed that the fountain should be up and running by the next meeting.

-  If anyone knows of a group that needs community service house, please contact town hall because there is always a list of things to do in the park.  Commissioner McCallister asked Mayor Combs to forward him the list of what needs to be done and he will forward it on to find out if there’s any interest from his group.

-  The Boy Scout project is moving along.  The posts are painted and they painted the yellow stripe last night.  They will be back in a couple of weeks to get the other 2 stripes painted.

-  Mayor Combs asked Manager Burns to talk to Maintenance Supervisor Kent Beck about cleaning up the maintenance area behind town hall.  He would like it to be done before he gets back from England (3/31).  Mayor Combs requested that Manager Burns get proposals for a new maintenance area (slab, building, etc.)

 

TOWN MANAGER UPDATE - The marquee will be up and running tomorrow.

  

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

 

MARCH 28, 2007 - PLANNING AND ZONING MEETING 6:00 P.M.

 

APRIL 10, 2007 - TOWN COMMISSION MEETING  6:00 P.M.

 

Before the meeting adjourned, resident Behnken asked about attaching something to the pictures in the conference room that listed what they are.  He also reported that a lawn company was blowing leaves from a property on Eglin Pkwy. onto the street.  Manager Burns will check with the Department of Transportation about this.

ADJOURNMENT:  Commissioner Behnken moved to adjourn the meeting at 7:59 p.m.  The motion was seconded by Commissioner Garcia and it passed unanimously.