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HomeMy Public PortalAbout03- March 03, 2016 Special Commission Meeting Minutes CITY OF OPA-LOCKA "The Great City" CLERK'S ACTION SUMMARY MINUTES SPECIAL COMMISSION MEETING THURSDAY, March 3, 2016 12:00 P.M. SHERBONDY VILLAGE AUDITORIUM 215 President Barack Obama (Perviz) Avenue Opa-locka, FL 33054 1. CALL TO ORDER: Vice Mayor Timothy Holmes called the meeting to order at 12:00p.m. on Thursday, March 3, 2016 at the Sherbondy Village Auditorium, 215 President Barack Obama (Perviz) Avenue, Opa- locka, Florida. 2. ROLL CALL: The following members of the City Commission were present: Vice Mayor Timothy Holmes, Commissioner Joseph L. Kelley, and Commissioner Terence K. Pinder. Also in attendance were: Interim City Manager David Chiverton, Assistant City Attorney Yvette Harrell, and City Clerk Joanna Flores. Vincent T. Brown arrived at 12:05pm. Mayor Myra L. Taylor and Commissioner Luis B. Santiago were not in attendance. 3. INVOCATION: The invocation was delivered by Commissioner Joseph L. Kelley. 4. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: The Pledge of Allegiance was recited in unison. 5. CITIZENS' INPUT: Agenda Items Only Vice Mayor Holmes opened the floor for citizen's input. There was no one to speak on any issues so the floor was closed. 6. DISCUSSION ITEMS: 1) City Manager's Presentation on Current Status Interim City Manager Chiverton started his report by stating that he had presented a draft of the recovery plan to the dais. 1 Special Commission Meeting Minutes-3/3/2016 Vice Mayor Holmes stopped Interim City Manager Chiverton's report to find out why City Attorney Brown is not at the meeting when they have a quorum. City Attorney Brown arrived at 12:05pm. Interim City Manager Chiverton said that the City has passed the draft portion of the recovery plan and moved into a full mode of how the plan will move through the various levels. He said that as before he will highlight some points from the report and is ready and available to take recommendations from the commission. Commissioner Kelley asked if the deficit or overall number has changed. Interim City Manager Chiverton said that it has not moved much overall; the City has paid down about two hundred and twenty thousand dollars ($220,000.00). Commissioner Kelley asked Interim City Manager Chiverton when his final report will be ready to present to the commission. He said that the final report is the meat and potatoes of the whole thing. Interim City Manager Chiverton said that by the end of next week they will have a more refined draft to present. He said that every Tuesday and Thursday management is meeting at 8:00AM to see where the City is and come up with realistic terms of recovery. He said that the staff is fine tuning the budget process and looking into revenue streams for the City to bring in funding. He has prepared documents that he will go over with the commission as soon as he has put together all of the documents. The City will be closing on two (2) surplus properties and will obtain the revenue from the sales. He said that he will be sending a memo with the dates and times for the public hearings on the ordinances that he has been researching, and other best practices that he has researched from other City's. He said that he will be looking into current employees and the possibility of downsizing and layoffs; there may be more separations to come with regards to years of tenure. He said that the RFP for solid waste was approved at the last meeting and it is out and published which gives the City an opportunity to have a revenue source. He said that he is preparing documents that will show additional revenue streams as well as provide information on the outstanding debts. Commissioner Kelley said that the City should be on a dual track for next year and wants to ensure that what is done currently will intertwine with next year's budget. He asked Interim City Manager Chiverton if this was so to which he replied, "Yes". He said that March 17,2016 should be the date when all of the information is researched, complied, and finalized. He said that it should be sufficient time to weigh in and have ample time to be prepared by April. He said that he wants to get whatever the manager's report is by that time. Commissioner Pinder said that he is in support of the date that Commissioner Kelley recommended for completing the preparation of all of the documents and wants to second his request. He asked City Attorney Brown if he would like for them to vote on it to make it official. 2 Special Commission Meeting Minutes-3/3/2016 Vice Mayor Holmes asked the dais if they would like to solidify the date in the form of a resolution. Commissioner Pinder said that the City Manager, Attorney, or Clerk's Office should chime in as they maintain the calendar's for meetings and can make the correct recommendations without costing the City money for advertising. City Clerk Flores asked if the dais meant advertising for an ordinance and a public hearing to which Commissioner Pinder replied, "Yes". She said that she had a meeting with the manager and the attorney and informed them that it would require three (3) meetings. The first reading at one meeting, and then due to the advertising requirements unless there is an advertising in the local section which would be at triple the cost, then it can probably be done within two meetings. To cut costs, it will take three (3) meetings. Commissioner Kelley asked City Attorney Brown if the ordinances are the same and they are not changing the wording, then why can't they just change the title to cut the costs. City Attorney Brown said that the process that Commissioner Kelley is speaking of is in line with what City Clerk Flores is saying. As long as there is a time period between the first and second reading, then it should not be a problem. Commissioner Kelley said that he does not want to incur any extra costs for the advertisement so they will have to stay within the agreed upon time frame. He said he wanted to give the dais a two (2) week breather and not be so pressed for time. A motion was made to have all of the information available to the commission. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF OPA-LOCKA, FLORIDA, DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO HAVE ITS RECOVERY RECOMMENDATIONS DUE BACK TO THE CITY COMMISSION BY MARCH 17, 2016; PROVIDING FOR INCORPORATION OF RECITALS; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Sponsored by J.K. The above resolution was read by title by Attorney Brown. It was moved by Commissioner Kelley, seconded by Commissioner Pinder to pass the resolution. Commissioner Kelley told Interim City Manager Chiverton that he wanted to make sure that everyone was clear that March 17, 2016 was the date that all of the information was to be submitted for review and approval by the commission. He referenced page sixteen (16) of the manager's report to support the date that was agreed upon for submittal. Interim City Manager Chiverton agreed with Commissioner Kelley regarding the submittal date for the information. 3 Special Commission Meeting Minutes—3/3/2016 Vice Mayor Holmes asked Interim City Manager Chiverton where the City was with paying its bills and what was in the bank accounts. Interim City Manager Chiverton said that the bills are being paid, there are some extensions being made, but vendors are being paid. Vice Mayor Holmes asked Interim City Manager Chiverton if there was any savings in the bank. Interim City Manager Chiverton said that there was no savings; there is money, but no savings or reserves. Vice Mayor Holmes said that there was about three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000.00) in the bank when former City Manager Kelvin Baker was with the City; he wants to know if the money is still there or has been spent. Interim City Manager Chiverton said that some of the money was used to modify the building before the City moved back into the municipal complex but there is money left over. He said that he will provide the dais with a balance along with any other information the dais may need. Vice Mayor Holmes said that he wants Interim City Manager Chiverton to start the renovations on the second (2nd) floor so that it can be reverted into the chambers for the commission to have official city meetings. Commissioner Pinder said that his job is to see what he can do to save employees jobs, not to have layoffs and furloughs. He said that he wants to make sure the City gets all of the monies that are owed to them. He asked for the Finance Director or Budget Administrator come to the podium. Commissioner Kelley asked that they vote on the resolution before moving on to other business. There being no further discussion, the motion on the resolution passed by a 3-0 vote. Commissioner Kelley Yes Commissioner Santiago Not Present Commissioner Pinder Yes Vice Mayor Holmes Yes Mayor Taylor Not Present Vice Mayor Holmes said that he had recommended from last year that the work hours be changed to a four day work week. He said that he is still pushing this and would like for the work days to be from Tuesday to Friday and have Saturday, Sunday, and Monday off He directed his recommendation at Interim City Manager Chiverton Interim City Manager Chiverton acknowledged Vice Mayor Holmes. 4 Special Commission Meeting Minutes—3/3/2016 Commissioner Pinder said that the City was three hundred and forty one thousand dollars ($341,000.00) short from the projections that were read. He asked Interim City Manager Chiverton if that was correct. Interim City Manager Chiverton said yes, it is a close number. Commissioner Pinder said that with regard to solid waste, he wants to hear if the franchise fees have been paid and asked for Finance Director Charmaine Parchment to come to the podium. Finance Director Charmaine Parchment said that the last time franchise fees were paid for solid waste was June 6, 2015. Commissioner Pinder asked Finance Director Parchment what was the average franchise fees paid per month prior to that. Finance Director Parchment said that prior to that there was an average of about twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00) paid for fees. Commissioner Pinder called Police Chief Dobson to the podium. He asked Police Chief Dobson what were the fees collected for towing fees and false burglar alarm fees. Police Chief Dobson said (inaudible). Commissioner Pinder asked Police Chief Dobson how much money was received from the red light camera program. Police Chief Dobson said(inaudible). Vice Mayor Holmes said that the microphones for the commission meetings are an issue and need to be updated. He wants this to be done by the next commission meeting. Interim City Manager Chiverton acknowledged Vice Mayor Holmes. Police Chief Dobson said that the red light camera hearings have been on hold for the last couple of weeks and will start back soon. He said that he will have numbers to report at that time. Commissioner Pinder said that before he was commissioner, then Commissioner Holmes sponsored having code enforcement under the police department. He said that even though the City wants people to comply, it is also a revenue generating portion of the police department. He asked Police Chief Dobson how much money was generated from code enforcement in the past two (2) months. Police Chief Dobson asked if Code Enforcement Officer Wilma Wilcox can come up to the podium and speak on behalf of code enforcement. He said that he has formed a task force with two code enforcement Officers and his traffic unit. They will go around through the manager's 5 Special Commission Meeting Minutes—3/3/2016 guidance and fine all of the businesses that are not in compliance with parking, curbside parking, illegal parking, etc.... This is revenue that he wants to bring into the City by these initiatives. Commissioner Pinder asked if there was a mechanism that money from the police department goes into that specific account and not become entangled into the general funding account. Police Chief Dobson says he is working with the Finance Department to make sure that the funds will be maintained within the police department and code enforcement so that the department will become self-sufficient. Commissioner Pinder asked how much is the towing and franchise fees that have been collected. Police Chief Dobson said that he does not have numbers at this time. Commissioner Pinder acknowledged that Code Enforcement Supervisor Wilcox handed Police Chief Dobson the numbers. Police Chief Dobson said that from October to the current, the revenue amount is eighty seven thousand one hundred and thirty four dollars and seventy eight cents ($87,134.78). Commissioner Pinder said that he will not take too much time, but one eighty (180) plus eighty seven (87) is about two hundred and sixty thousand dollars ($260,000.00) between the franchise fees and what was brought in. He said that at this time he would like for the manager to give the City it's just due. He said that before Interim City Manager Chiverton talks about layoffs and cuts, he collects the money that is owed. He said that people are always talking about what the City owes, but no one is talking about the money that is owed to the City. He told Interim City Manager that before he comes before them on March 17, 2016 with his recommendation, that he collects the money that is owed to the City. Commissioner Kelley said that he echoes the comments from Commissioner Pinder but was reluctant to speak. He said that it is no secret that he has a breakdown on his wall of monies that are owed. He agrees that the funds need to be collected. He said that any talks to get rid of employees are off the table as far as he is concerned. He wants to be fair with the numbers. He also said that the last downsizing was supposed to be the cure all, but here they are now talking about it again. He said that he does not want to go through that without exhausting all of their options. Vice Mayor Holmes said that he has been seeing a lot of young people walking around with their pants sagging down off of their waists. He said that there was a time that he did not see that and now they are back to doing it again. He told Police Chief Dobson that he wants the police department to enforce this legislation. It can help to reduce crime and also be a revenue stream for recovery. He told Interim City Manager Chiverton that the Building and License Department is to sell the NO "Ifs, Ands, or Butts" signs to the businesses so that the rule can be enforced when the young people enter their businesses. He said that it makes no sense to have these different revenues and the City is not making any money. 6 Special Commission Meeting Minutes—3/3/2016 Commissioner Kelley has requested lunch for the meeting on March 17, 2016 since it will be a long meeting/workshop. City Attorney Brown apologized for being late for the meeting. 7. OTHER BUSINESS: 8. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the Commission, it was moved by Commissioner Kelley, seconded by Commissioner Pinder to adjourn the meetin. . 12:44p.m. � A Mil OR S ATTEST: it! e CITY CLERK 7 Special Commission Meeting Minutes—3/3/2016