07-22-1975 Supporting DocumentsMINUTES NY 1169
REGULAR MEETING
A Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Clermont was held In the
Council Chambers on Tuesday, July 22, 1975. The meeting was called to order at
7:30 P. M. by Mayor Claude E. Smoak, Jr. with the following members present:
Councilmen Oswalt, Byrd, and Blackburn. Other officials present were: Acting City
Manager Smythe, City Attorney Baird, City Clerk Carroll, City Controller flaming,
and Building Official Nagel. Others present were: Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Reed and
the Messrs. Doub and Hamlin of Teleprompter, Inc.
The invocation was given by Councilman Byrd, followed by repeating of the Pledge
of Allegiance in unison by those present.
The Minutes of the Meeting held on July 15, 1975 were amended as follows:
With regards action taken by Council on the Baker -City Lease Agreement, Councilman
Blackburn voted Naye on the motion because he does not understand the contract.
the Minutes were then approved as amended.
Mr. Smythe reported as follows: That three youths had been employed by the city
in the Division of Youth Services Program; That Richard J. Klaas had submitted
an itemized proposal for painting of the Library with a one year guarantee on
the'old building and a two year guarantee on the new addition; and, That the
city and county will co-sponsor a film program on hurricane protection to be shown
at Jenkins Auditorium on July 29th at 7:30 P. M.
Mayor Smoak reported he had spoken with Mr. Stephens, Lake County Tax Assessor,
and he had advised the preliminary figures compiled for Clermont showed a sub-
stantial increase in new construction with the total ad valorem tax dollars having -
increased by about four million dollars, and that he would submit the final figures
and certification of the millage rate by the end of July. He further advised
his tentative projection for the millage rate was 5.11 as opposed to the existing
5.13.
Mayor Smoak reported briefly on the League of Cities meeting held on July 16th
with Mr. Ray Sittig, Executive Director of the State League of Cities, the speaker
of the evening. It was the hope of Mayor Smoak that citizens of imunicipalIties
would actively pursue many of the suggestions made by Mr. Sittig, and especially
in the area of keeping in closer contact with local municipal officials as well
as with the elected officials to the state legislature.
Messers. Doub and Hamlin, representativesof Teleprompter, Inc. appeared before
Council and requested permission for a rate increase from the existing $5.00 monthly
service charge for primary service to $7.50 and from $1.50 for additional outlets
to $2.00. They reported that since the existing rates were promulgated back in
1969, all their costs had escalated to such an extent they were operating at a loss
which continued to become greater each month, that they experienced a net loss
last year of over $208,000 in the Winter Garden franchise area, of which Clermont
is a part. Council was not aware that Clermont was not a separate entity, that
it was included in the Winter Garden franchise area which takes in St. Cloud, Winter
Garden, Apopka, Minneola, Groveland and Mascotte, and, based on the investment
figure given for metropolitan Clermont area with the number of subscribers in
the city, felt that Clermont was not only "carrying its own weight" but helping
out other areas. Upon inquiry by Council for a cost accounting for just the City
of Clermont, Messrs. Doub and Hamlin advised these figures were not readily available,
but they would attempt to get them and report back to Council. The matter was there-
upon tabled.
Motion was made by Councilman Blackburn seconded by Councilman Oswalt and carried
that the bills be paid.
MINUTES N9 1170
Councilman Oswalt offered _and moved the adoption of AN ORDINANCE UNDER THE CODE OF
ORGIIVI�F(CLSF f OTFL•' fflN OLLItFI( F CFT, LAKE COUNTY, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE WATER AND
SEWER DEPARTMENT BUDGET FOR THE CITY OF CLERMONT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1975-76;
AUTHORIZING RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS CONTAINED THEREIN; REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES
IN CONFLICT HEREWITH: PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY: PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE:
AND PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION and the motion wa;seconded by Councilman Byrd. The
ORDINANCE was read for a second reading, by title only, by City Clerk Carroll, and
upon roll call vote on passage of the motion the result was: Ayes: Oswalt, Byrd,
Blackburn, and Smoak. 'Total Ayes: Four. Nayes: None. Absent: Schroedel. So the
ORDINANCE was adopted and the Number 76-M assigned to it.
Councilman Blackburn offered and moved the adoption of a RESOLUTION OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CLER�tONT, LAKE COUNTY, FLORIDA: DETERMINING THC.STATUS.OF
CERTAIN PARCELS OF REAL PROPERTY FORMERLY DESIGNATED "PARKS": DETERMINING THE
FEASIBILITY OF CONSTRUCTING DRAINAGE BASINS ON SAID PARCELS and the motion was
seconded by Councilman Byrd and unanimously carried. The RESOLUTION was read in
full by Mayor Smoak and the Number 259 assigned to it.
With regards the recommendation of City Manager Hopkins that Council adopt the
rules for the Fire Department as developed by the Fire Chief, it was the opinion of
Mayor Smoak that Council should not set forth rules and regulations for the Fire
Department to follow, that such matters should be developed and adopted internally
inasmuch as Council does not have the proper expertise as would the members
themselves have. It was consensus of Council that the Fire Department members develop
and adopt a set of rules that they feel they can live and work with, and forward a copy
to Council.
Inasmuch as the city has been primarily using federal revenue sharing funds for
capital outlay in lieu of contributing to the Equipment Replacement Fund for such
items, it was the recommendation of Auditor John Greenlee that this fund and its
inter -fund accounts be eliminated and its assets transferred. Motion was made by
Councilman Byrd, seconded by Councilman Oswalt and carried that the outstanding debt
With regards the debt owed the General Fund by the Utility.-Fund':in.the.amount-df
$35,000 obligated during the sewer construction program, motion was made by
Coun
R„rd_ cprnndpd by Councilman Oswalt and carried that _this debt be cancelled and
With regards outstanding tax certificates as purchased by the Equipment Replacement
Fund for the years 1966-67 and 68, motion was made by Councilman Blackburn, seconded
by Councilman Byrd and carried that this matter to referred to City Attorney Baird
With regards a new and increased fee schedule as submitted by Dr. William M. Howard
for actuarial services, it was consensus that the matter be referred to Controller
Fleming and City Manager Hopkins for their recommendations as to an alternative/s.
With regards the communication from Mr. R. L. Carle, Trust Officer of the city
employees pension fund, wherein he suggested a meeting between himself, Dr. Russell
Fogler and Council regarding investments of the pension fund monies, motion was made
by Councilman Byrd, seconded by Councilman Blackburn and carried that City Manager
Hopkins forward Mr. Carle's correspondence to Dr. Fogler and a meeting be arranged
between them,with Dr. Fogler representing the Council as his proposals for investments
had been accepted by Council previously, and, that Mr. Carle make a report to Council at
such time as his annual report is compiled.
The meeting was adjourned by Mayor Smoak at 9:00 P. M. �p
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Claude E. Smoak, Jr., Kayor
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Dolores W. Carroll, City Clerk