REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING
APRIL 6, 2010
6:30PM
A. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Randall called the meeting to order at 6:30PM. Mayor Randall gave the Invocation and Commissioner Surrency led the Pledge of Allegiance.
City Commission Present: Mayor Randall, Vice Mayor Carlton, and Commissioners Carter, Roberts and Surrency.
Staff Present: City Manager Smyth, Interim City Attorney Harris, and City Clerk McGruder.
B. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Moved to approve the agenda
Motion- Vice Mayor Carlton Second- Commissioner Surrency
Discussion- None
Commissioner Carter |
Yes |
Vice Mayor Carlton |
Yes |
Commissioner Roberts |
Yes |
Commissioner Surrency |
Yes |
Mayor Randall |
Yes |
Vote- 5-0
C. RECOGNITIONS AND GUESTS
None
Mayor Randall asked to add a proclamation for the Hawthorne Library to the agenda.
Moved to reopen the approval of the agenda.
Motion- Commissioner Roberts Second- Commissioner Surrency
Discussion- None
Commissioner Carter |
Yes |
Vice Mayor Carlton |
Yes |
Commissioner Roberts |
Yes |
Commissioner Surrency |
Yes |
Mayor Randall |
Yes |
Vote- 5-0
Moved to add the proclamation for the Hawthorne Library to the agenda.
Motion- Commissioner Roberts Second- Commissioner Surrency
Discussion- None
Commissioner Carter |
Yes |
Vice Mayor Carlton |
Yes |
Commissioner Roberts |
Yes |
Commissioner Surrency |
Yes |
Mayor Randall |
Yes |
Vote- 5-0
D. COMMITTEE REPORTS/APPOINTMENTS/PRESENTATIONS/PROCLAMATIONS
1. Presentation- Alachua County Sheriff Department
Sheriff Sadie Darnell referenced several handouts passed out by Colonial Huckstaff. She also summarized the 2009 Annual Report for the City of Hawthorne and showed the comparisons of the crime, traffic citations and warrant arrests in Hawthorne compared to other areas in Alachua County.
The City Commission thanked Sheriff Darnell and her staff for a job well done in the City of Hawthorne.
2. Presentation- City of Hawthorne’s Humanitarian Award- Jessica Turner
Mayor Randall presented Jessica Turner with the 2010 City of Hawthorne Humanitarian Award. Jessica Turner thanked the Community of Hawthorne, her family and friends for helping her make her project “Pancakes for Haiti” a success.
3. Presentation- Certificates of Completion
Mayor Randall presented Vice Mayor Carlton, Commissioner Carter and Commissioner Surrency with certificates for completing the Florida Institute for Elected Municipal Officials Training.
4. Proclamation- Kenneth Hilliard
Mayor Randall presented the family of the late Kenneth Hilliard a proclamation declaring April 6, 2010 Kenneth Hilliard day in the City of Hawthorne. Chris Hilliard thanked the City Commission for their presentation and announced Badcock will remain open in the City of Hawthorne.
5. Proclamation- Hawthorne Library
Mayor Randall presented the Hawthorne Library a proclamation declaring the month of April, Library Appreciation Month. Ms. Galen a representative from the Hawthorne Library thanked the City Commission and the City of Hawthorne for the proclamation.
6. Delegation from the City of High Springs
Jim Drumm, City Manager of the City of High Springs- the City of High Springs provided the City of Hawthorne two fire trucks to help the City of Hawthorne fire department. They also worked with the City of Hawthorne’s police department to provide dispatch services at a lower cost to the City when Alachua County refused to help. The previous arrangement made, was the handguns would cover the debt of the communication services not paid for the month of January 2009. He is asking the City of Hawthorne to help their sister city and donate the police vehicles to the City of High Springs.
Commissioner Roberts- Thank you for coming and she was mayor at the time this occurred. There was a meeting with herself, City Manager Drumm and Interim City Manager Chapman and the debt was settled. Is surprised this is coming back, because she thought the issue was resolved after the vote at the last meeting.
Jim Drumm- The three handguns was back payment for communication services that was provided to the City of Hawthorne.
The City Commission continued their discussion with City Manager Jim Drumm.
Moved to place on the next agenda for further discussion to determine what to do with the vehicles.
Motion- Vice Mayor Carlton Second- Commissioner Roberts
Discussion:
Commissioner Surrency- Need to resolve this issue with the City of High Springs and make a decision.
Commissioner Carter |
No |
Vice Mayor Carlton |
Yes |
Commissioner Roberts |
Yes |
Commissioner Surrency |
No |
Mayor Randall |
No |
Vote- 2-3 (motion did not pass)
Moved to enter into a contract and have the City of High Springs sign the contract and give them the three cars and the debt will be settled.
Motion- Commissioner Surrency Second- Commissioner Carter
Discussion:
Interim City Attorney Harris- Need to resend the previous motion from the last meeting.
Commissioner Carter withdrew his second and Commissioner Surrency withdrew his motion.
Moved to reconsider the motion that was made previously at the last meeting to not give the City of High Springs the vehicles.
Motion- Commissioner Surrency Second- Commissioner Carter
Discussion- None
Commissioner Carter |
Yes |
Vice Mayor Carlton |
No |
Commissioner Roberts |
No |
Commissioner Surrency |
Yes |
Mayor Randall |
Yes |
Vote- 3-2 (motion passed)
Moved to give three vehicles to the City of High Springs with the agreement that we would not owe them anymore money for the past communication debt.
Motion- Commissioner Carter Second- Commissioner Surrency
Discussion:
Commissioner Roberts- will continue to be sister city with High Springs but the City of Hawthorne is still in a deficit and she is looking at the revenue for the City of Hawthorne.
Vice Mayor Carlton- We had to borrow $50K to make payroll and we still have not received information on where our finances are today.
Interim City Attorney Harris- Is there any other debt owed to the City of High Springs, since the motion was for the communication debt? Will this clear up all the debt owed to your city?
Jim Drumm- Yes, this will clear up all debt owed to the City of High Springs.
Commissioner Carter |
Yes |
Vice Mayor Carlton |
No |
Commissioner Roberts |
No |
Commissioner Surrency |
Yes |
Mayor Randall |
Yes |
Vote- 3-2 (Motion Passed)
E. CITIZEN COMMENT
None
F. CONSENT AGENDA
Moved to approve the Consent Agenda and pull item 2.
Motion- Commissioner Surrency Second- Roberts
Commissioner Carter |
Yes |
Vice Mayor Carlton |
Yes |
Commissioner Roberts |
Yes |
Commissioner Surrency |
Yes |
Mayor Randall |
Yes |
Vote- 5-0
2. Resolution approving the qualifying period, election date and qualification fees for the June 2010 City Election.
Commissioner Surrency- Pulled the resolution to announce that candidate qualifying period begins April 16 and runs through April 26 at noon.
Interim City Attorney Harris- Resolution was changed since it was put in your packet. The wording changed from “Calling Election” to “Open Seats” in section 1 of the resolution and we removed the City Clerks name and added the City Manager’s name to comply with the City Charter.
Vice Mayor Carlton asked to pull item 3.
Moved to reconsider the motion of the consent agenda for Vice Mayor Carlton.
Motion- Commissioner Surrency Second- Vice Mayor Carlton
Discussion- None
Commissioner Carter |
Yes |
Vice Mayor Carlton |
Yes |
Commissioner Roberts |
Yes |
Commissioner Surrency |
Yes |
Mayor Randall |
Yes |
Vote- 5-0
Moved to approve the Consent Agenda pulling items 2 & 3.
Motion- Commissioner Surrency Second- Commissioner Carter
Discussion- None
Commissioner Carter |
Yes |
Vice Mayor Carlton |
Yes |
Commissioner Roberts |
Yes |
Commissioner Surrency |
Yes |
Mayor Randall |
Yes |
Vote- 5-0
Moved to adopt the Resolution setting the qualifying period and fees for the June 2010 city election
Motion- Commissioner Surrency Second- Commissioner Carter
Discussion- None
Commissioner Carter |
Yes |
Vice Mayor Carlton |
Yes |
Commissioner Roberts |
Yes |
Commissioner Surrency |
Yes |
Mayor Randall |
Yes |
Vote- 5-0
3. Resolution authorizing permission to submit an application to DEP for a grant through the Land & Water Conservation Fund to upgrade Lindsey-Phillips Park.
Vice Mayor Carlton- Three months ago we had a discussion to do upgrades at Lindsey-Phillips Park and now it’s not on the five year plan, and we have a boat ramp down there in need of major repairs.
City Manager Smyth- The resolution is for permission to apply for a grant to upgrade Lindsey Phillips Park. Item 4 on the agenda is to place it on the comp plan. The resolution must be submitted with the application showing this was added to the capital improvement plan. The grant is due April 15.
Vice Mayor Carlton- How long will it take before we get the money for the grant?
City Manager Smyth- It depends on how much money the state has and when they will release the funds.
The City Commission and Staff continued this discussion.
Moved to adopt the resolution to apply for the grant for Lindsey Phillips Park.
Motion- Commissioner Carter Second- Commissioner Surrency
Discussion:
Commissioner Roberts- Couldn’t we use wild spaces public places money?
City Manager Smyth- It’s better if we do it all together instead of doing it in pieces.
Ellen Vause- Just for clarification to the City Commission any project Florida Septic does we would be bidding on the project as a vendor along with several other vendors.
Commissioner Surrency- Would like for the City Manager to check into if we start spending money could that money be put towards the matching funds for the grant and bring the results to the next commission meeting?
City Manger Smyth- Yes, I can do that.
Commissioner Carter |
Yes |
Vice Mayor Carlton |
Yes |
Commissioner Roberts |
Yes |
Commissioner Surrency |
Yes |
Mayor Randall |
Yes |
Vote- 5-0
G. PUBLIC HEARING
2ND READINGS
1. Ordinance establishing Finance Policies
City Clerk McGruder read the ordinance by title only.
Moved to adopt the Ordinance establishing finance policies for the City of Hawthorne.
Motion- Commissioner Carter Second- Commissioner Surrency
Discussion- None
Commissioner Carter |
Yes |
Vice Mayor Carlton |
Yes |
Commissioner Roberts |
Yes |
Commissioner Surrency |
Yes |
Mayor Randall |
Yes |
Vote- 5-0
2. Ordinance creating a Parks & Recreation Advisory Board.
City Clerk McGruder read the ordinance by title only.
Mayor Randall- City Commissioners was previously asked to submit their appointee to staff.
Commissioner Roberts- Would like to submit her name to the City Clerk.
Commissioner Carter submitted his appointee name as well.
Moved to adopt the Ordinance creating a Parks & Recreation Advisory Board.
Motion- Commissioner Surrency Second- Commissioner Carter
Discussion- None
Commissioner Carter |
Yes |
Vice Mayor Carlton |
No |
Commissioner Roberts |
Yes |
Commissioner Surrency |
Yes |
Mayor Randall |
Yes |
Vote- 4-1 (Motion passed)
3. Ordinance amending article VIII of the city code relating to flood damage.
City Clerk McGruder read the ordinance by title only.
Moved to adopt the Ordinance amending article VIII of the city code relating to flood damage.
Motion- Commissioner Carter Second- Vice Mayor Carlton
Discussion- None
Commissioner Carter |
Yes |
Vice Mayor Carlton |
Yes |
Commissioner Roberts |
Yes |
Commissioner Surrency |
Yes |
Mayor Randall |
Yes |
Vote- 5-0
H. CITIZEN COMMENTS
None
I. REPORTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS/INFORMATION
City Manager- Gave a report on road repairs completed through out the City; received engineer report on the Senior Center and it would cost the City $35K in material alone to bring it up to code. We would also have to get someone to remove the entire mold in the building; must decide on the paint color for the new water tower so he can notify Mittauer; Ask the City Commission if they desire him to pay a bill we received from Florida Economic Development Council? Mayor Randall suggested contacting Florida League of Cities and asking them if they are familiar with the program and what the program provides; introduced the new Parks & Recreation Director John Cywinski.
Interim City Attorney Harris- No report
Commissioner Roberts- Senior Center kickoff was a great success at the Hawthorne Library. Started laptop classes on Monday from 3:00-5:00PM, Chair Exercise on Wednesday’s from 3:00-5:00PM, and Crochet classes will begin April 14 at 3:00PM.
Commissioner Surrency- MTPO Ms. Marlene Sanderson announced at the Florida League meeting their updating their long range transportation plan; started a page on face book for the City of Hawthorne to keep citizens updated on things going on throughout the City.
Vice Mayor Carlton- What is the cost to bring the Fire Station up to code?
City Manager Smyth- The reports are forth coming, we have not received those reports.
Commissioner Carter- Question for the City Manager: A month ago you told me about the sewer plant from the City of Leesburg we could purchase at a low cost. City Manager Smyth- Yes, they are willing to give it to us if we can take it down, get it to Hawthorne and put it back together. Spoke with the Engineer from Mittauer and was told a designed-build permit would be around $1.75 million.
The City Commission continued their discussion on this issue.
Mayor Randall- Encourage everyone to fill out their census forms. Hawthorne is at 52% for completing and returning our census forms. City Manager Smyth- The U.S. Census is using the fire department for Census Training this week and the last week in this month. A local church donated tables and chairs and he may come back and ask for a small donation for the church’s courtesy.
J. ADJOURN
Moved to adjourn the Regular Commission Meeting
Motion- Commissioner Surrency Second- Commissioner Roberts
Commissioner Carter |
Yes |
Vice Mayor Carlton |
Yes |
Commissioner Roberts |
Yes |
Commissioner Surrency |
Yes |
Mayor Randall |
Yes |
Vote- 5-0
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