10-17-2002 Workshop Meeting CITY OF CLERMONT
MINUTES
WORKSHOP MEETING
OCTOBER 17, 2002
Page 1
A Workshop Meeting of the City Council of the City of Clermont was held at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday,
October 17, 2002 at the Police Department Community Services Room. Mayor Turville and Council
Members Caputo, Dupee, Mullins and Renick were present at the meeting. Also present was City Manager
Saunders.
Mayor Turville welcomed those present and referred to the agenda. He explained that this is a workshop
meeting of the City Council and that no votes will be taken on any issues discussed.
City Manager Saunders then introduced Ralph Sickmiller, Director of the Clermont Neighborhood Center.
Mr. Sickmiller gave an overview of the purpose of the Center and the services provided to the community,
including the number of families assisted by them in the past year. Mr. Sickmiller also discussed the 'future
vision formulated by their Board of Directors, which included expanding the types of services provided to
the public. Mr. Sickmiller stated that he and the Board of Directors are very appreciative of the support
provided by the City of Clermont in the past, specifically the building that is provided at no cost. He stated
that, due to the current volume of people being served and their desire to expand services, they are in need
of more space for the future.
Mayor Turville stated that this is not just a Clermont problem but a South Lake County problem, since the
Center serves families from all over South Lake County and not just the City of Clermont.
Mr. Sickmiller agreed that other cities in South Lake County need to participate in solving this problem.
He then asked for the continued support of the City of Clermont and specifically asked that the City
continue to provide a facility for the Neighborhood Center. He explained that he had met with City-
Manager Saunders, who had stated that the City has had discussions regarding the possibility or, restoring
the current building that they operate in to its original state for a museum type facility. He asked that, if the
City decides to do this an alternate facility be provided for their continued operation. Mr. Sickmiller stated
that ideally they would like to have about two acres in order to have the size facility and parking required
in order to implement their future plans. He further stated that they would specifically request to stay in the
current facility as long as possible, at least long enough to acquire another facility. He also asked that a
representative of the City help to form an alliance with the private sector to address the issue and to help
them move toward accomplishing their vision for the future. Mr. Sickmiller asked that the City Council
respond to their requests as soon as possible to allow them to make plans for the future.
Mayor Turville thanked Mr. Sickmiller for the information provided to the City Council and stated that the
City would keep him and the Board of Directors informed as to plans for the facility that they are now
occupying and work with them in the future.
City Manager Saunders then discussed with the City Council a proposal by the Beautification Committee
to establish an Adopt a Park program in which civic groups or businesses would adopt smaller City parks
to provide additional maintenance and upkeep for those areas.
Council Members stated their opinion that this would be a good program. City Manager Saunders stated
that he would report back to the City Council at a later date with the specifics regarding this program.
City Manager Saunders then stated that Council Member Caputo had previously brought to the City
Council an idea of hiring a consultant to assist the City with a strategic plan, and that Neal Sellers of N.J.
Sellers & Company had spoken with Mr. Caputo regarding services he could provide in this area.
CITY OF CLERMONT
MINUTES
WORKSHOP MEETING
OCTOBER 17, 2002
Page 2
After discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council to schedule a date that Mr. Sellers could make a
presentation of the type of services he could provide and what the City could accomplish with a strategic
plan to the City Council. City Manager Saunders stated that he would try to schedule a date with Mr.
Sellers in late November or December.
Council Member Mullins requested an update on joint planning efforts.
City Manager Saunders stated that there has been no progress and his understanding was that Lake County
is concentrating on trying to establish a plan with one or two cities in the north area of the County. He
stated that he had recently spoken to Assistant County Manager Greg Welstead to attempt to set a meeting
to move ahead with a plan for Clermont.
The City Council also discussed the need for a follow up joint meeting with the County Commission. City
Manager Saunders stated that he would contact County Manager Neron to schedule this as soon as
possible.
City Manager Saundeis then discussed with the City Council the opportunity of one of our Police Officers
to be attached to the Drug Enforcement Agency. He explained the program and its benefits to the City. He
stated that this would be a two year attachment and that the City could possibly reap financial benefits from
seizures during this time. He stated that additional help could be provided to our community with drug
related problems as a result as well. City Manager Saunders stated that he would move ahead with
assigning an officer who has worked closely with the DEA in the past to this attachment unless the City
Council had some objection.
The City Council discussed the benefits of the program and offered no objections to it.
City Manager Saunders then discussed the need for 2 hour parking on the east side of West Avenue
between DeSoto Street and Montrose Street. There were no objections to this area being posted for 2 hour
parking.
Mayor Turville then discussed with the City Council the possibility of recruiting volunteers to be trained to
assist in emergency situations.
City Manager Saunders explained that there is a County wide volunteer programs assigned through the
Red Cross specifically for assistance with the operation of shelters that are opened in emergency situations.
He stated he would attempt to gather further information regarding how other volunteers are used in
similar situations and to see if this Program could be established in our City.
Council Member Caputo discussed a recent problem regarding illegal signage associated with the new
church established on U.S. 27 south of Brogden Road. City Manager Saunders stated that our Code
Enforcement Officer has issued a Code Violation Notice on the signs and has been instructed to follow up
on any possible future violations in this area.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:35 p.m.