CITY COMMISSION
MEETS 06 FEBRUARY 2018
February 12, 2018
Meeting Specifics:
The Cedar Key City Commission met on Tuesday, February 6, 2018, at 6 pm, at the newly repaired Cedar Key City Hall. Present were: Mayor Heath Davis, Vice-Mayor Sue Colson, and Commissioners Royce Nelson, Dale Register, and Nickie Rucker.
Staff in attendance included: City of Cedar Key Attorney Norm Fugate, Police Chief Virgil Sandlin, Fire Chief and Emergency Operations Manager Robert Robinson, Public Works Supervisor James Custer, City Clerk Nicole Gill, Assistant City Clerk Crystal Sharp, and Legal Assistant to Mr. Fugate Leslie Landress.
Among those in the audience were: Blair and Mrs. Baylor, Vanessa Edmonds, Andrew Gude, Beth Dieveney, Katherine Frank, Kristin Buckingham, Jennifer Kroucheck, Bill Rucker, Joe Allen, Officer Neil Polilemeni, Allison Nelson, Jeri and Bob Treat, and Mandy and Frank Offerle.
PUBLIC COMMENT
WHITMAN POINT MANGROVE TRIMMING REQUEST:
At the January 16, Cedar Key Commission Meeting, Whitman Point Townhouses Association President Blair Baylor requested that the city allow a certified arborist to trim the mangroves in the pocket park at the end of Sixth and H Streets. He explained that Whitman Point Townhouses would absorb the price for the trimming. At that meeting, Mayor Davis explained that the city’s agreement with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection excludes its pocket parks, thus the commission is unable to grant the request.
Again, Baylor made his request. City Attorney Norm Fugate offered three options, should the city wish to use them: independent of FDEP, deny the request; grant the request, subject to FDEP approval; request FDEP response before the commission decides. Vice-Mayor Colson posed the question, “Who would shepherd the issue through FDEP?” The answer was that it would necessarily be a commissioner or city personnel.
Discussion ensued with commissioners opining of both sides of the issue. Mayor Davis reminded commissioners that much long- and short- range planning, research, thought, time, and energy was expended by the FDEP and city staff to produce the agreed upon Mangrove Management Plan.
Eventually, Baylor’s request was denied.
CKWSD REQUEST:
Commissioners unanimously approved the Cedar Key Water and Sewer District’s request for a letter of support for funding its application to relocate the District’s sewer lines, currently under three Cedar Key bridges, to under water beneath the bridges to lessen the possibility of damage from boating accidents and harsh weather events.
UF PLANNING PROJECT:
University of Florida, College of Design, Construction, and Planning, Associate Professor Kathryn Frank, and students Kristin Buckingham and Jennifer Kroucheck, presented a brief video presentation of their planning project, “Documenting Informal Emergency Preparation and Response Procedures.” The effort is costless as volunteers will labor.
Dr. Frank, in collaboration with Vice-Mayor Sue Colson, Robert Robinson, and others, has produced a website that documents emergency preparedness. The site is currently under construction.
Commissioners unanimously granted Frank and her colleagues permission to continue the project and report to them periodically.
RESTORE ACT SUPPORT:
Commissioner Royce Nelson reminded all that letters of support are needed for the city’s projects to receive RESTORE Act funding. Letters are due on or before February 20, 2018. Full information and sample support letters may be accessed at: http://cedarkeynews.com/index.php/city-news/3648-restore-act-support-letters
FDEP:
Vice-Mayor Sue Colson reported that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection will be in Cedar Key at the Nature Coast Biological Station on February 22, 2018. A flier has been posted on the Cedar Key News.
WASTE PRO UPDATE
Commissioner Dale Register reported meeting with a Waste Pro vice president regarding contract renegotiation, saying it “sounds encouraging.” Items for consideration include: Waste Pro-initiated billing, as opposed to city-imitated billing; glass recycling; and tipping fees. Register said, “Stay tuned; a lot of number-crunching needs to happen.”
CEMETERY TREE REMOVAL
Vice-Mayor Colson presented a scope of work and bid form for the removal of trees damaged by Hurricane Irma. Commissioners approved processing them.
TREE MANAGEMENT PLAN
Vice-Mayor Sue Colson also presented the City of Cedar Key Tree Planting and Management Plan, the Tree Trimming Priority List, and the Public Works Department’s Yearly Tree Inspection and Maintenance sheet.
Colson reported that some 258 trees were cut; many Bays died because of disease. The plan included replacing trees on city properties that have died and/or been removed. Also, some trees were proposed to be planted along 2nd Street as a revitalization project.
Confusion was apparent regarding how the Tree fund could be used. The funds came from the fees collected through tree cutting permits. (Instead of requiring owners to replace trees requiring removal permits, as had been the process in the past, the fees are now put into a fund that is designated for replacement of the tree by the city, and a portion may also be used for maintenance of the Heritage trees.) It was discussed to use up to 25% of the tree fund for Heritage tree maintenance.
Commissioners voted 4 to 1 to approve with commissioner Nickie Rucker voting no.
ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTION
CITY GALA:
Through the years, nearly 70 cited Mayor Davis, children’s programs (summer, Christmas, others) have occurred in Cedar Key and been funded in a variety of ways; churches, the school, the city, the county, or a combination of these sources have been used. This year the city will host its Gala at the Cedar Key Community Center on March 6 at 6 pm, in hopes of garnering the needed funding.
Click here for more specifics: http://cedarkeynews.com/index.php/city-news/3670-city-of-cedar-key-2018-city-gala
LOCAL PLANNING AGENCY APPLICATION:
Commissioners unanimously approved resident Joe Allen’s application to the City of Cedar Key Local Planning Agency. The LPA is a five-seat agency; two of the seats were empty; this application will leave one seat open.
90-DAY EMPLOYEE REVIEWS:
Commissioners unanimously approved satisfactory ninety-day reviews for Public Works Supervisor James Custer and Police Chief Virgil Sandlin.
FDOT C STREET EASEMENT UPDATE:
The Florida Department of Transportation project to replace the Dock Street, C Street, bridge, requires an easement from which workers will stage equipment. Commissioners were concerned that the easement would not be returned to its original condition without clear language articulated in the “Temporary Agreement” between the city and the FDOT. After Colson’s visual inspections of the easement and expressed confidence, commissioners unanimously approved the newly worded “Temporary Agreement.”
CITY OF CEDAR KEY ELECTION NOTICE:
Two city commission and three Cedar Key Water Sewer District Board seats are open. Click here for the detailed notice: http://cedarkeynews.com/index.php/city-news/15-announcements/3617-city-and-ckwsd-notice-of-election-2018
GENERAL PARKING DISCUSSION:
Mayor Davis reminded commissioners that: Florida Statutes regulate parking; the Laws of Cedar Key regulate parking; parking problems exist in Cedar Key. Elaborating on the extant parking problems, Davis showed a typical example: a golf cart parked on the wrong side of State Road 24, illegally as it is not outfitted with street-legal equipment, within a short distance from the corner therefore obscuring vision, and in front of a fire hydrant. Though the photograph evoked chuckles, Davis made the point that such parking has become the norm.
Davis further reminded all that side streets are particularly difficult when cars are parked on both sides; traffic is completely blocked. Parking on sidewalks occurs on G Street. He further reminded commissioners that at their last meeting, three commissioners approved a minor replat that would most probably add three or more vehicles to be parked daily on the street instead of the property owner’s yard which is dictated by the Laws of Cedar Key.
He posed the question to commissioners: do you want to do something about this, and, if so, what do you want to do? Everyone in the room had an opinion and most readily commented accordingly. Answers ranged from “It’s dangerous,” to “It’s Cedar Key,” in other words, leave the situation as it is, to “I once saw ……” and so on.
After quite some time of opining, the discussion was brought to a halt by Commissioner Royce Nelson motioning that the commission ought to “stick to what we have” and no one seconding the motion, other commissioners seemingly stymied.
Davis suggested that commissioners approve for him (Davis) to return to them with a proposed parking plan; commissioners exhaled and unanimously approved.
POLICE VEHICLE DISCUSSION:
Police Chief Virgil Sandlin requested approval to acquire two newer free government surplus automobiles to replace the two Crown Victoria automobiles now in his department. Commissioners approved the request, furthering it by directing him to look for a newer auto for the Public Works Department, as well.
MEETING ADJOURNED
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 8 pm.
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