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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-23-2025 WS MinutesCITY COMMISSION MINUTES JUNE 239 2025 WORK SESSION The City Commission of the City of Sanford, Florida, met in a Work Session on Monday, June 23, 2025, at 4:00 PM, in the City Commission Chambers, 1" Floor, Sanford City Hall, 300 North Park Avenue, Sanford, Florida. Present: Mayor Art Woodruff Vice Mayor Patrick Austin (Arrived at 4.10 PM) Commissioner Sheena Britton (Arrived at 4:45 PM) Commissioner Kerry S. Wiggins, Sr. Commissioner Claudia Thomas City Manager Norton N. Bonaparte, Jr. City Attorney Lindsay N. Greene Deputy City Clerk Cathy LoTempio Absent: City Clerk Traci Houchin Mayor Woodruff called the meeting to order at 4:02 PM. 1. City Communications Presentation Lisa Holder, Communications and Marketing Manager, and Nico Durham, Digital Media Specialist, provided highlights for the City Hall Communications Office. They covered the mission statement, introductions of staff, and their responsibilities, team member longevity, the departments the office supports, and extended communications. They provided the logo from 2012 to the present, and the importance of the branding of the logo. There are currently 22 Citizen's Academies to date. Mr. Durham provided the social media timelines from 2019 to the present date. YouTube has had over 342K views, most of the viewers are predominately males. There are two other social media sites that promote the City of Sanford: Sanford 327 and I Love Sanford. Ms. Holder is the Social Media Ambassador, the Sanford Says Podcasts CITY COMMISSION MINUTES JUNE 23, 2025 WORK SESSION began in 2019 and have completed 182 episodes, 13,796 downloads, and are going to be doing a Podcast next week on "Sizzlin Summer". Mr. Durham said in the last 30 days over 42K people have visited the City's Website. Ms. Holder promoted the Sanford Connects App and the Clockwork Chronicle, a new newsletter being presented, with the first issue launching on July 1, 2025. The Communications office has developed a new Communications Office Form to track projects and work more effectively with all the departments. Ms. Holder presented all the notable campaigns and awards the Communications Office has received. They presented the Print Media project, the list of future digital projects, and reminded the Commission of their group photo after tonight's Work Session for the new resident's guide. Ms. Holder said the Public Art Commission will be presenting the Bridge to the Future sculpture, the new City Hall sign, and a new Utility Box Wrap located at West Airport Boulevard. Bianca Gillett, Strategic Communications Manager and Public Information Officer for the Sanford Fire and Police Departments, provided a power point presentation. She said media is the most powerful thing on earth. Her communications responsibilities are a separate branch from City Hall. She introduced team members that were present: Officer Michael Hernandez, Public Information Officer (PIO), Officer Ronnie Neal, PIIO/Team Member, and the Officers that were absent, Officer Tammy Townsend, PIO/Team Member, and Officer Nicole Brown, PIO/Team Member. Together this team works 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and always respond in teams of two. The Public Safety PIO Scope work is 95 % with 5% towards the Fire CITY COMMISSION MINUTES JUNE 239 2025 WORK SESSION department. This team provides news media to the City's website, social media, press releases, on camera media briefings and interviews, media reports and information requests, body worn camera requests, press conferences, internal communications, Crisis Communications, managing critical information, on -scene response, emergency operations — incident command, 24 Hour on call response, and on scene or media briefings with a two -person response. Ms. Gillett said the Fire Department social media is maintained by Battalion Chief Greg Boone and has approximately 9K followers. Ms. Gillett played a short video. The Police Department brand strategy is Timely, Transparent and Trustworthy. The department is not only concerned with crimes and arrests. It is about Community Outreach, Crime Prevention, Police Events and Internal Recognition. The Police Department has over 32K followers on Facebook, over 8K viewers on X, 837 on YouTube, over 5.8K on Instagram, over 22K on Next Door, and 1.4K on LinkedIn. One measure of success stories was when an endangered male was missing and was found within approximately five minutes with the help of the community due to social media. All flyers, brochures, videos, editing, and officers' formal pictures are done in house. The Police Department has a green screen studio for these purposes. Ms. Gillett said their work is not all rainbows and butterflies and the department is not able to sensor everything. Ms. Gillett provided photos of the Emergency Operations Center, with a step-by-step action plan from start to finish with Hurricanes or Disasters that can take place. CITY COMMISSION MINUTES JUNE 239 2025 WORK SESSION Commissioner Thomas gave thanks to the department to be able to retain officers in the City of Sanford and told Ms. Gillett this is excellent work. She asked Mr. Durham if Sprout is in the City's Budget. He said Sprout was in place when he was hired. Commissioner Britton gave thanks to SPD on their social media use. Crime is a hard thing to portray for the residents. The photos are clear, and SPD represents the City well. Jennifer Brooks, Special Events Supervisor, said she is the back up Public Information Officer for the City, and assists with the Museum. The museum is connecting the past to the present. There are two Full-time employees at the museum and volunteers. Last year there were 650 visitors to the museum, they maintain the website on their own and have 2.5K followers on Facebook. The Museum has many Community Engagement Partners, which includes the Sanford Historical Society. The big event the Museum sponsors is the Battle at Camp Monroe. Commissioner Britton said the Museum staff does a beautiful job, and she enjoys the throwback, Sanford. 2. Discussion RE: Waste Pro Contract Renewal by Brynt Johnson, Director of Public Works and Utilities. Mr. Johnson said the waste Pro Renewal is in June of 2026. He asked the Commission if the City would like to continue with Waste Pro or seek other contractors as this year was the last allowable extension. He introduced Tim Dolan, Vice President of Government Affairs for Waste Pro. CITY COMMISSION MINUTES JUNE 239 2025 WORK SESSION Mr. Dolan said the City can amend the agreement. Waste Pro is based in Sanford off St. John's Parkway with 240 employees who mainly reside in Sanford. Eric Saxton, Waste Pro Division Manager, is in attendance if the Commission should have any questions for him. Mr. Dolan said Waste Pro is very interested in renewing the contract with the City of Sanford. Mayor Woodruff asked where the City is with rates. Mr. Dolan said 20 — 25% to get to market prices. Mr. Johnson asked if the Commission would like Mr. Dolan to bring back a proposal and discuss, or would they like to proceed with a new bid. After a brief discussion on the satisfaction of the performance of Waste Pro, the consensus is to move forward with a proposal from Waste Pro. 3. Continued: Discussion regarding Charter Review Mayor Woodruff said the Charter Review would take place during the 2026 Election. Ms. Greene said the process would start in August, the Commission would appoint members, and the committee would take 120 days to report back to the Commission. She said this process could take place by an Ordinance or a petition and would take approximately six to eight months. Commissioner Thomas asked if the Ordinance process would exclude the public. Ms. Greene said no it would not exclude the public. Ms. Greene said the City may not have to perform a charter review, depending on what changes the Commission is looking to make. Ms. Green will send the Commission a simple version of the Charter Review process. 4. Discussion RE: City Manager Evaluation Form CITY COMMISSION MINUTES JUNE 239 2025 WORK SESSION Mayor Woodruff said the Commission revised the City Manager's Evaluation Form two years ago. He handed out a revised form with the suggested changes of Commissioner Thomas and Commissioner Britton. Commissioner Britton suggested that the ratings of one or five should require an explanation. Commissioner Thomas suggested if an evaluation form is returned with all one's or five's that evaluation should be thrown out. Vice Mayor Austin said that this process is a waste of time, as the Commission votes as a collective body regardless of the rating the City Manager receives. Commissioner Britton said a vote of non -confidence, setting goals, and record of performance are very important. Commissioner Thomas asked if goals are a part of the review process and suggested a separate work session to discuss this. Mayor Woodruff would like to start the City Manager review on September 22, 2025, Work Session. Mayor Woodruff reminded everyone that the Budget Meeting Work Session will be held on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at 4:00 PM, in the Commission Chambers. A follow- up meeting has been scheduled for July 17, 2025, is necessary. 5. Regular Meeting Items — additional information • First reading of Ordinance No. 2025-4827, amending the City's Land Development Regulations (LDR 's) related to Article I through Article X. [Commission Memo 25-152] — Legislature matter. This is an action item on tonight's agenda. 6. Briefing Items CITY COMMISSION MINUTES JUNE 239 2025 WORK SESSION Mr. Bonaparte said there is an add -on item on tonight's agenda relating to the Commission Chambers door. Mayor Woodruff said the City needs to send a delegate for the Florida League of Cities Annual Business Session. Mayor Woodruff said he would have to decline, because he would not be able to attend all the classes. After a brief discussion, Mayor Woodruff suggested Commissioner Thomas attend as the City's delegate. 7. City Manager Comments Mayor Woodruff handed out a copy of the Senate Bill 180 for the Commission to review. Commission Thomas said she is tracking Bill 180 and will keep the Commission informed. Vice Mayor Austin said the Fire Fighters are not progressing along with salaries like the Police Department. Ronnie McNeil, Fire Chief, said he met with the union today and he declined their offer. He will keep the Commission updated. Commissioner Britton said District 1 has many new businesses and is having issues with Site Development Requirement Regulations. She said there is a new golf cart business trying to go on 13t' Street and Park Avenue. She said she is not trying to show favoritism; she is just trying to help with new developments and being business friendly. Mayor Woodruff said the Commission can change the rules, not sure how to proceed. Vice Mayor Austin said, the City has so many vacant businesses and the City needs to be more business friendly. We have new businesses that want to be in the City of Sanford and end up leaving because the process is too difficult. Commissioner Thomas CITY COMMISSION MINUTES JUNE 239 2025 WORK SESSION asked if the City has Matrix of all the businesses who tried coming into Sanford to start a business, who ended up leaving the City to start a business. Mayor Woodruff stated he is not in favor of changing the rules for just one business. Ms. Greene said the Commission should not give businesses false hope. Legally the Commission should not change anything for one business. Eileen Hinson, Director of Planning, provided a few examples of projects with ideas on how the businesses could scale back. Ms. Hinson provided the steps businesses do with the Planning and Zoning Commission under Urban Infill Redevelopment and Conditional Use. There being no further business, the meeting was adjoumed at 6:40 PM. Attest: l� �l . Atu'*_ Q City Clerk (CL)