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08-09-2021 WS MinutesCITY COMMISSION MINUTES AUGUST 9, 2021 WORK SESSION The City Commission of the City of Sanford, Florida, met in Work Session on Monday, August 9, 2021, at 4:00 PM, in the City Commission Chambers, l' Floor, City Hall, and 300 North Park Avenue, Sanford, Florida. Present: Mayor Art Woodruff Vice Mayor Kerry S. Wiggins, Sr. Commissioner Sheena R. Britton Commissioner Patrick Austin (Via Ring Central) Commissioner Patty Mahany (Arrived 4:40PM) City Manager Norton N. Bonaparte, Jr. Assistant City Attorney Lonnie Groot Deputy City Clerk Cathy LoTempio Absent: City Attorney William L. Colbert City Clerk Traci Houchin Mayor Woodruff called the meeting to order at 4:08 PM 1. Presentation: Sanford Waterfront Partners Mr. Bonaparte introduced Richard Heisenbottle and Venny Torre, Principles of Sanford Waterfront Partners (SFP). Mr. Torre said SFP has secured the funding for the project and is moving forward with the engineering plans. He said the development agreement calls for a few items to be in place before the closing, one is the transferring of land and that should be at the beginning of next year. He said the City and the banks require completed permit drawings in order to close on the land. The drawings will take approximately six to eight months to complete. They are working with the City to try to do an expedited start. He said that SFP could start doing the civil work, which includes earth moving, underground utilities and soil preparation at the beginning of next CITY COMMISSION MINUTES AUGUST 9, 2021 WORK SESSION year, however, the full set of plans (Vertical Plans) will take six to eight months to complete. Mr. Heisenbottle said bid package one will be called underground and while this work begins SFP can work on the vertical drawings. He said bid package two is for the construction of the buildings. He said they have been successful with having the funding in place and requiring the permits needed. Mayor Woodruff asked the gentlemen to clarify the funding. He said it sounds like there are two pieces of funding. One to get through the drawings stage, to get permits is in place and two, the funding for construction, based on getting to that point, is committed. Mr. Torre and Mr. Heisenbottle agreed that was correct. Mayor Woodruff said he knows there have been discussions regarding the expedited process. He said if the City does not agree to the expedited process and goes with the non -expedited process, how long will that process take? Mr. Heisenbottle said a timeline for the non -expedited process would be at least six months to produce the engineering drawings. Then there is 24 months of real construction which would bring the project completion to November of 2024. He said FEMA has already approved the elevation changes and SFP is hoping the City will approve the expedited process so the earthwork and underground utilities can begin. Commissioner Britton said her concern is that the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) funding is tied up in the project. This is her number one concern because this project is in District 1. She recapped what SFP presented, SFP has CITY COMMISSION MINUTES AUGUST % 2021 WORK SESSION funding, a timeline has been set, a groundbreaking of early next year and a possible completion of May 2024, which is earlier that the expected completion date of November 2024. 2. Presentation: Georgetown Historic District Sign Project Mr. Bonaparte introduced the Historic Georgetown Neighborhood District Steering Team. Ms. Julia Wright -Brunson, member of the Historic Georgetown Neighborhood Steering introduced herself and other members of the team. She said the Historic Georgetown Neighborhood was established in 1817, seven years before the City of Sanford was incorporated. In October 2020 the Georgetown Neighborhood was designated by the National Parks Services as a Historic Neighborhood District. Ms. Brunson said the steering team is requesting financial assistance from the City in the amount of $8,000 to purchase 90 Historic Street Sign Toppers and accessories for the Historic Georgetown Neighborhood. She said the Young Men of Excellence are willing to work with the City's Public Works Department on the installation of the signs. After a brief discussion the Commission agreed to provide $8,000 to the Historic Georgetown Neighborhood Steering Team for the purchase of the sign toppers. 3. Discussion: Energy Performance Audit. Tom George, Deputy City Manager, provided an update on the Energy Performance Audit. The City is looking at using a piggyback contract and will have to put this item out to bid. He will update the Commission on the progress. 4. Continued: Discussions on follow-up of Budget Review and Salaries. CITY COMMISSION MINUTES AUGUST 9, 2021 WORK SESSION Cindy Lindsay, Finance Director provided a power point presentation of the City's Personnel costs. There was a brief discussion regarding employees who are working minimum wage and how the City can address increases and competitive pay. Ms. Lindsay and Fred Fosson, Human Resources/Risk Management Director suggested that the City do a pay study. Commissioner Austin and Commissioner Britton are not in favor of the City doing a pay study. Mr. Fosson said the last pay study was done in 2016/2017 and was $57K. He said the next study would have to go out for bid. Commissioner Britton asked Mr. Bonaparte if the employees have been asked how a pay study would affect them. Mr. Bonaparte said the employees have not been asked. Mayor Woodruff said the employees are concerned about compression and competiveness. Commissioner Austin suggested Mr. Bonaparte discuss the pay study with the City's Executive staff. Ms. Lindsay said the study looks at market and compression issues. Commissioner Mahany asked if City staff could do this study. Mr. Fosson said staff has done research, however some entities do not have the same job descriptions. Commissioner Mahany asked Mr. Fosson to contact the last pay study consultant to see if they could give us an estimate on what the City is looking into. Mayor Woodruff asked the Commission if they want to approve moving the amount of $653K into the City's budget to address the minimum wage issues. The Commission agreed to move $653K to the budget to adjust the current pay scale. 5. Discussion: Regarding Quasi-judicial Hearings by Mayor Woodruff CITY COMMISSION MINUTES AUGUST 9, 2021 WORK SESSION Mayor Woodruff asked the Commission if they have reviewed the document regarding the information about quasi-judicial items. He wants to make sure that they are all on the same page. He said according to this information the Commission would have to be more detailed on their responses with regards to quasi-judicial items. Assistant City Attorney Lonnie Groot provided an example of how to respond to a quasi- judicial item. Commission Britton asked how many times an item is allowed to be continued. Mayor Woodruff said as many times as the Commission wants to allow it, within reason. 6. Regular Meeting Items — additional information 7. Briefing Items 8. City Manager Comments Commissioner Britton said that she would like to discuss the American Rescue Plan at the next Commission Work Session. Mr. Bonaparte said he is working with Ms. Lindsay on a plan to show how the funds can be spent. Commissioner Britton expressed her disappointment and said that she felt disrespected by the Commission when she asked for several items to be tabled until the next meeting and the Commission did not honor her request. She said those items were important to her and she wanted to get more information on them before they were approved. CITY COMMISSION MINUTES AUGUST 9, 2021 WORK SESSION Commissioner Mahany said the Commission meant no disrespect to her. She said the Commission felt these were time sensitive items and the next meeting was four weeks away. Commissioner Britton said she met with Mr. Bonaparte when he returned and wanted to express her feelings. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned X� 5:39 FM. Attest: IV W City Clerk m4 r 4 -a .