Loading...
01-24-2022 WS MinutesPm 5 CITY COMMISSION MINUTES 0 I + aOaA JANUARY 24, 2022 WORK SESSION The City Commission of the City of Sanford, Florida, met in Work Session on Monday, January 24, 2022, at 4:00 PM, in the City Commission Chambers, 1" Floor, City Hall, and 300 North Park Avenue, Sanford, Florida. Present: Mayor Art Woodruff Vice Mayor Kerry S. Wiggins, Sr. Commissioner Sheena R. Britton (Arrived 4:14 PM) Commissioner Patrick Austin Commissioner Patty Mahany (Arrived 4:58 PM) 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 4:09 PM. 1. Presentation Impact Fee Waiver by Andrew Thomas, Community Relations and Neighborhood Engagement Director. Mr. Thomas provided an update on the effects of impact fee waivers pertaining to affordable housing. Due to conflicting schedules, the meeting to review the data that was collected from surrounding County's comparing the impact fee waivers had to be rescheduled. Mr. Thomas announced due to personal reasons he would be resigning effective March 10, 2022 and his replacement would attend the next meeting. Commissioner Britton thanked Mr. Thomas for being a good teacher and thanked him for all his hard work. 2. Discussion on the 417 Connector to the Sanford Airport by Mayor Woodruff. CITY COMMISSION MINUTES JANUARY 24, 2022 WORK SESSION Mayor Woodruff said that Seminole County Commissioner Dallari would be speaking to each Commissioner regarding the 417 Connector to the Sanford Airport. He said that Seminole County wrote a letter to the Expressway Authority regarding a direct path from 417 to the Sanford Airport. The Expressway Authority has put this out to bid and would like to know to if the City and the Commission support this plan. Commissioner Austin expressed disappointment in that the Seminole County Commission is asking the City Commission for their support after the fact. He did say that the good news is, Seminole County will be paying for the project. Commissioner Britton said she does not know enough about the project to comment at this time. Mayor Woodruff asked City staff if they are aware of this project. Bilal Iftikhar, Director of Public Works and Utilities, displayed a map of the plans. He said in his opinion, the ramps will devalue the surrounding properties and that this will not be an easy project. Commissioner Britton asked Mayor Woodruff if he supports this project. Mayor Woodruff said yes, he believes that the concept looks good and he feels that it is a good idea. This item will be placed on the February 14, 2022 Work Session for further discussion. 3. Discussion Re: Criteria for the Acceptance of Donated Art to the City of Sanford. Virginia Poe, Public Art Commission (PAC) Chair, and Lisa Holder, Communications Officer and City staff liaison for PAC, discussed the City's criteria for CITY COMMISSION MINUTES JANUARY 24, 2022 WORK SESSION the acceptance of public art. Ms. Poe asked the Commission for their thoughts on donated Public Art. Mayor Woodruff suggested that PAC should come up with the criteria and it should include: who will provide the maintenance of the art, how long would the art last, and would it be removed after a certain amount of time. Commissioner Britton said she does not think PAC needs to come before the Commission to set the criteria. This should be done by PAC. Mr. Bonaparte said that currently the City does not have a policy for the acceptance of public art. Commissioner Austin suggested that legal and risk management be involved regarding the placement of art on City property or potential hazards, such as people climbing on the art. He suggested that PAC be selective when receiving art and not to accept everything. Commissioner Britton said the utility box wraps are amazing, great job! Ms. Poe thanked the Commission and said that they are bright, colorful and should last about five years. She said PAC meets tomorrow and will discuss preparing a policy for the criteria when accepting public art. 4. Update on the Heritage Park Project Mr. Bonaparte said that both attorneys for the Heritage Park Project met with City Attorneys, William Colbert and Lonnie Groot as well as local attorney, Frank Iopollo and Mayor Woodruff. At this time, the City is waiting on an agreement and a proposal from Sanford Waterfront Partners. The City has hired Helen Ford, a local Real CITY COMMISSION MINUTES JANUARY 24, 2022 WORK SESSION Estate Attorney to represent the City in this matter. Commissioner Britton asked how long this will take, as the project is already delayed. After a brief discussion Mr. Bonaparte said this item will be continued on tonight's agenda. 5. Regular Meeting Items — additional information Mr. Bonaparte addressed the proposal on redistricting. Lonnie Groot, Assistant City Attorney said this year Districts 1 and 2 would be up for election and Districts 3, 4, 5 and 6 would be up for election in 2024, after the committee revises the maps for the six districts. After a brief discussion it was determined when the City goes to six districts, the number of the District will be determined by where the current Commissioners live. Commissioner Britton suggested organizing another committee. Mayor Woodruff suggested having maps available so when the committee wants to see what it will look like with the six districts, the City will already have a draft. Commissioner Austin asked the Commission to consider how expensive this will be. Mayor Woodruff said that he would like to keep the current members of the Redistricting Committee and expand the committee to include additional residents. Vice Mayor Wiggins said the majority/minority district would be reduced. Commissioner Austin said each district should be re-evaluated as many people are missing. CITY COMMISSION MINUTES JANUARY 24, 2022 WORK SESSION Mayor Woodruff said the Commission should inform the Committee if the Commission wants to go to six districts. The Commission will continue this discussion at the March Work Session. Mr. Bonaparte said there are a few additional items for discussion. The first one being, Cecil Smith, Police Chief, to provide an update on the noise complaints downtown. Chief Smith provided the Commission with a handout that listed the information on noise complaints since July 1, 2021. There were a total of 46 calls for service on noise complaints; 30 were anonymous callers, 14 were citizens and 2 were employees. 6. Briefing Items Lonnie Groot, Assistant City Attorney, said there is an add-on item for tonight's agenda that he has placed at the Commission seats. He said that this item is regarding an Opioid Litigation settlement for $14,000 and delegates authority to the Mayor to execute documents for the Opioid Litigation. Mr. Bonaparte said it is staff's recommendation that the Commission approve to take legal action against the current Marina Lessee. Mr. Groot provided a brief background of the current lessee, the right of first refusal and the search for a management company. This will be an action item on tonight's agenda. Mr. Thomas gave an update on the status of the property behind Westside Community Center. The City has spoken with attorneys and is going to get a second opinion on an appraisal. CITY COMMISSION MINUTES JANIIARY 245 2022 WORK SESSION Commissioner Britton expressed the importance of a field for the community. She asked who would be taking Mr. Thomas's responsibilities, as he had many. She does not want to see these items fall behind. She would like to continue receiving updates at the meetings. Vice Mayor Wiggins assured Commissioner Britton he has been in communication with City staff over the past two years regarding this property. He promised he would make sure he stays on top of this. He knows the children need a place to play. Commissioner Austin said the City has invested over a million dollars in our youth at the Eastside Center. This is something that all of us Commissioners have been fighting for, for years. As we all know, these things take time. He said the City does not currently own four, five or six acres for fields. Mr. Thomas provided an update on the Henderson property. There is an interested party on the property, however, this property has not been advertised and is not officially on the market to be sold. Mr. Groot said the Henderson property was donated to the City years ago for a particular purpose. This property was to be used for parks and recreation for the Goldsboro area. The price cannot be negotiated in the sale of the property because of the conditions on the donation. Commissioner Mahany asked how big the Henderson Property is. Mr. Thomas said 2.4 acres. CITY COMMISSION MINUTES JANUARY 24, 2022 WORK SESSION Commissioner Austin asked if there was discussion regarding a swap. Mr. Thomas said yes, there was, but the City does not have seven acres to swap. There was also an option for a long term lease. 7. City Manager Comments Mr. Bonaparte said he would be getting with each of the Commission members to set up one on one meetings for the next year. Mayor Woodruff asked if the Commission has come up with any boards they would like to be taken off of. Commissioner Mahany said she has a big problem with Community Services Block Grant Board. She said the board continues to change the meeting times and she is not able to get there at 4 PM. Commissioner Britton said she has had a difficult time getting there, as well. Mayor Woodruff asked the Deputy City Clerk if there is a link to Municode on the new website. Cathy LoTempio, Deputy City Clerk, said yes but it says Charter. If you click on Charter it takes you to the Municode site. The Clerk's Office will revise this on the website. Mayor Woodruff said the furniture has been removed from the alley between 11th and 12th Street. Mayor Woodruff asked Mr. Bonaparte the status of the Goldsboro rezoning. Eileen Hinson, Director of Planning and Zoning, said the City is still working with the Consultant, but because of COVID the Community Meetings stopped. The City is working on getting Community meetings scheduled. The project has not been CITY COMMISSION MINUTES JANUARY 249 2022 WORK SESSION abandoned, just slowed down. Mayor Woodruff asked Ms. Hinson if Commissioner Wiggins's Community Meetings would be a good place to start meetings back. Commissioner Wiggins said it could be a part of the 30 minute break out. Ms. Hinson said she would work on that. Commissioner Britton asked when the Commission is going to have a conversation about events. The event planners are tired, the residents are tired and she is tired of the conversation. Many of the residents do not understand the Commission cannot have a conversation with each other about things, except in a meeting. Mayor Woodruff asked Jennifer Brooks, Special Events Coordinator if this would be ready for discussion at the next meeting. She said yes. Commissioner Britton asked staff to have a round Sanford bike rack installed out front of the Sanford Pizza Company. Vice Mayor Wiggins thanked Lisa Jones, Parks & Grounds Director, Jerry Sullivan, Leisure Services Manager and Mr. Thomas for everything they do to help the children. the playoffs. Vice Mayor Wiggins said last night one of his sons made NFL History in Commissioner Britton asked if the MLK Committee ever received a Proclamation for all the hard work the committee does on preparing the events. She would like to make sure the Committee is recognized. CITY COMMISSION MINUTES JANUARY 24, 2022 WORK SESSION Commissioner Austin acknowledged Gabe Davis for breaking an all-time NFL Record in the playoff games last night and would like the City to recognize him. Mayor Woodruff agreed and said he would like to present him with a key to the City and a proclamation. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:16 PM.