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City Commission Minutes 08-17-2010
REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING
MINUTES
AUGUST 17, 2010

A.  CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Randall called the Commission Meeting to order at 6:30PM

City Commission Present: Commissioners Roberts, Carlton, and Carter, Vice Mayor Surrency and Mayor Randall.

Staff Present: City Manager Smyth, City Attorney Harris, City Clerk McGruder and City Planner Dawson.

B.  APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Moved to approve the agenda with amendments adding Home rule Alachua County Amendment Litigation as item F7.
Motion- Commissioner Roberts            Second- Commissioner Carlton
Discussion – None

Commissioner Carter
Yes
Commissioner Carlton
Yes
Commissioner Roberts
Yes
Vice Mayor Surrency
Yes
Mayor Randall
Yes

Vote- 5-0

C.  RECOGNITIONS & GUESTS- None

D.  COMMITTEE REPORTS/PRESENTATIONS/PROCLAMATIONS- None

E.  CITIZEN COMMENTS
1.  Melissa Daugherty, Daughter and Campaign Manager for Mr. Gunner Paulson- Mr. Paulson is running for a seat on the Alachua County School Board.  He has 40 years of experience with the Alachua County School system.  He started his career at Bucholz High School and is very passionate about saving public education.

City Commission asked questions regarding Mr. Paulson’s views on Hawthorne schools and keeping them open.

2.  Vivian Wagner- Thank you to everyone for supporting her while she was recovering from the accidents.
F.  ROUTINE ITEMS
1.  City Commission Minutes
Moved to approve July 27-29 Budget Workshop Minutes, July 30 Special Commission Minutes, and August 3 Regular Commission Minutes.
Motion- Commissioner Surrency           Second- Commissioner Carter
Discussion – None

Commissioner Carter
Yes
Commissioner Carlton
Yes
Commissioner Roberts
Yes
Vice Mayor Surrency
Yes
Mayor Randall
Yes

Vote- 5-0

2.  A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF HAWTHORNE, FLORIDA AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS CONSULTING SERVICES RELATED TO BILLING.

City Clerk McGruder read the Resolution by title only.

City Manager Smyth- We provided a copy of the TIBS contract.  They will find savings on our telephone bill and suggest changes.  

Moved to approve the Resolution.
Motion- Commissioner Carter                     Second- Vice Mayor Surrency
Discussion:
Commissioner Carlton- Does she get paid if she don’t find savings?

City Manager Smyth- No

Mayor Randall- How far back will she go to get rebates?

City Manager Smyth- 2 years

Commissioner Roberts- Did we seek any other companies and did we do a background check on this business?

City Manager Smyth- No, she solicited the City of Hawthorne and no background check was done.

Commissioner Roberts- Suggest doing background check on company and ask the motion be amended to add pending background check on company.

Moved to approve the Resolution pending the background check of the company.
Motion- Commissioner Carter                     Second- Vice Mayor Surrency

Commissioner Carter
Yes
Commissioner Carlton
Yes
Commissioner Roberts
Yes
Vice Mayor Surrency
Yes
Mayor Randall
Yes

Vote- 5-0

3.  A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF HAWTHORNE, FLORIDA AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE ALACHUA COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR INSTALLATION, MONITORING AND MAINTENANCE OF A SENTINEL CHICKEN COOP AT THE CITY OF HAWTHORNE WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY.

City Clerk McGruder read the Resolution by title only.

Mr. Paul Myers, Assist. Director of Alachua Co. Health Dept- This is help keep track of mosquito invested animals.  The Health Dept will come once a week and do blood samples on the chickens to see if they are infested with a mosquito infested disease.  There is no cost to the City of Hawthorne.  They will provide all the feed for the chickens.

Commissioner Roberts- If this is passed will our citizens be allowed to have chickens in their yard?

City Manager Smyth- No, the wastewater facility is far enough out this want be a nuisance to anyone else.

Moved to approve the Resolution.
Motion- Vice Mayor Surrency                     Second- Commissioner Roberts
Discussion – None

Commissioner Carter
Yes
Commissioner Carlton
Yes
Commissioner Roberts
Yes
Vice Mayor Surrency
Yes
Mayor Randall
Yes

Vote- 5-0

4.  A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF HAWTHORNE, FLORIDA AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER TO ACCEPT THE SCOPE OF SERVICES AND EXPENSE PROPOSAL FROM ALACHUA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF GROWTH MANAGEMENT.

City Clerk McGruder read the Resolution by title only.
City Manager Smyth- This will not go in effect until October 1, 2010.  Proposed $27,500 for the entire year, which is a savings of $13K.

City Planner Dawson- Cost for the year is $27,500 at a lump sum fee.  Additional work is $50/hour.  Everything listed in the proposal is included in the $27,500.  Before any additional work is done the City Manager and City Commission will be notified before the work is done.

City Commission and Staff continued this discussion.

Moved to adopt the proposed Resolution with Alachua Co. Growth Management with intension to eventually hire our own city planner.
Motion- Vice Mayor Surrency                     Second- N/A
Motions dies from lack of second.

Heather Surrency- would like to encourage the City Manager and City Commission to actively look for a City Planner to go after the enterprise zone that Kelly was working on.  We need someone full time.  College students are very energetic and outgoing.

Eddie Higginbotham- Have been to several meetings at Alachua Co. Growth Management.  They are against growth.  I know Chris must follow our rules but don’t like the idea of Alachua County dealing with growth in the City of Hawthorne.  Having our own planner fulltime was great, there was no waiting period.

Danielle Cantonese- Have dealt with Kelly and Chris.  Kelly was available at anytime.  Had an incident recently with Alachua Co. that was very frustrating.  It was not Chris fault but the type of service she received was very different from what she got from Kelly.

Moved to adopt the Resolution for the agreement with Alachua County Growth Management as is.
Motion- Commissioner Carter                     Second- Vice Mayor Surrency

Commissioner Carter
Yes
Commissioner Carlton
No
Commissioner Roberts
No
Vice Mayor Surrency
Yes
Mayor Randall
Yes

Vote- 3-2

5.  A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF HAWTHORNE, FLORIDA AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER TO ESTABLISH THE AGENDAS FOR THE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ADVERTISEMENT FOR ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET AND MILLAGE RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2010-2011.

City Clerk McGruder read the Resolution by title only.

Vice Mayor Surrency- Suggest changing the September 9 to September 8, 2010.  September 9 is the day of the Chamber of Commerce Business expo.

Moved to adopt the Resolution with the amended changes to the dates.
Motion- Commissioner Roberts            Second- Vice Mayor Surrency
Discussion – None

Commissioner Carter
Yes
Commissioner Carlton
Yes
Commissioner Roberts
Yes
Vice Mayor Surrency
Yes
Mayor Randall
Yes

Vote- 5-0

6.  A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF HAWTHORNE, FLORIDA, APPROVING THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR FISCAL YEARS 2010-20 PROVIDING THAT PROJECTS SHALL BE EVALUATED FOR FISCAL FEASIBILITY AND DULY AUTHORIZED BY THE COMMISSION PRIOR TO COMMENCEMENT.

City Clerk McGruder read the Resolution by title only.

Moved to approve the Resolution approving the CIP for fiscal year 2010-20.
Vice Mayor Surrency                             Second- Commissioner Carter
Discussion – None

Commissioner Carter
Yes
Commissioner Carlton
Yes
Commissioner Roberts
Yes
Vice Mayor Surrency
Yes
Mayor Randall
Yes

Vote- 5-0

7.  HOME RULE ALACHUA COUNTY CHARTER AMENDMENT LITIGATION

City Attorney Harris- the City of Hawthorne is asked to join the City of Gainesville and other cities to help defend against the attack on the proposed Home Rule Charter Amendment which is being litigated in court.  5 cities have agreed to help in the cost.  (Archer, LaCrosse, Micanopy, Waldo and High Springs).  The City of Hawthorne is not being sued but if you agree the City of Hawthorne can expect to pay approximately $696.00.  It could be more or less.

City Manager Smyth- This was not budgeted for the in the upcoming budget.  The decision is up to the City Commission.

Moved to adopt the Home Rule Alachua County Amendment Litigation.
Motion- Vice Mayor Surrency                     Second- Commissioner Carter
Discussion – None

Commissioner Carter
Yes
Commissioner Carlton
No
Commissioner Roberts
Yes
Vice Mayor Surrency
Yes
Mayor Randall
Yes

Vote- 4-1

G.  PUBLIC HEARING

SECOND READING
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HAWTHORNE, ALACHUA COUNTY FLORIDA, VACATING AND ABANDONING AN ALLEY WAY BETWEEN SE 218TH STREET AND SE 216TH TERRRACE., AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED HEREIN; PROVIDING FOR LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS; PROVIDING FOR RECORDATION AND RESPONSIBILITIES; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR NON-CODIFICATION.

City Attorney Harris- Commissioner Carter has left the room due to conflict of interest.

Commissioner Carlton- Not against this but, the City Commission voted hastily at the last meeting and it was additional cost to the City of Hawthorne.  In the future we need better rules.

City Attorney Harris- There has been no additional cost to the City of Hawthorne for this.

Danielle Cantonese- She has incurred all the additional cost and none of the neighbors have helped with that cost.

Moved to adopt this Ordinance on 2nd reading.
Motion- Vice Mayor Surrency                     Second- Commissioner Roberts

Commissioner Carter
No Vote- Conflict of interest
Commissioner Carlton
Yes
Commissioner Roberts
Yes
Vice Mayor Surrency
Yes
Mayor Randall
Yes

Vote- 4-0

I.  CITIZEN COMMENTS
Elizabeth Martin-Gideon- Don’t vote for any group that want to mix elementary students with high school students.  

Eddie Lee Martin- Want to comment on something said earlier.  The sewer plant is inside the City limits of Hawthorne.  It was annexed through the back side of the Reservation.

Heather Surrency- Thanked volunteers for helping with the clean up.  Know the city employees are very busy, but it’s still a lot of things that need to be done.

J.  REPORTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS/INFORMATION
City Manager Smyth- Still battling the contractor about the well pump.  FPL will have electricity to the pump house on September 3.  HHS is asking for help and asking the City Commission to become a football sponsor.

City Attorney Harris- No Report

Commissioner Roberts- Hats off to Vice Mayor Surrency for cleaning 301.  Notice City of Gainesville and City of Alachua have gone to a4 day work week and have saved thousands of dollars.  Would like the City Commission to consider this.  Would like to see if we could look into using a different cable company inside the City of Hawthorne.

Commissioner Carlton- Thank you to the City Manager for having old trees removed off the City right away.  

Commissioner Carter- Mother n Law 95th birthday party is at the Baptist Church at 2PM.  Everyone is welcome to attend.

Vice Mayor Surrency- Several dogs in the Reservation subdivision are killing other small dogs in the area.  Ben Campen property has had people dump trash out there, and is asking staff to keep a watch.  Had a successful clean up day.  Former Commissioner Michael Rutledge son is in the Marines and he took a leave of absence to come and assist in the clean up.  School begins next Monday.  Leaving tomorrow night to attend the League of Cities.  Chamber Bowling Tournament Saturday.

Mayor Randall- Thank you to Vice Mayor Surrency for chairing the clean up.  Received a letter from DEP Community Affairs approving the 6 month extension.  We have until February 12, 2011 to complete this.  We have had this grant since 2007.

K.  ADJOURN
Moved to adjourn the Regular Commission Meeting
Motion- Commissioner Roberts            Second- Vice Mayor Surrency
Discussion – None






Commissioner Carter
Yes
Commissioner Carlton
Yes
Commissioner Roberts
Yes
Vice Mayor Surrency
Yes
Mayor Randall
Yes

Vote- 5-0

These minutes are submitted for approval.


                                                                                                
LaKesha H. McGruder, City Clerk                 Eleanor Randall, Mayor