07.25.2023 - City Council MinutesCity of Clermont
MINUTES
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
July 25, 2023
CALL TO ORDER
The City Council met in a regular meeting on Tuesday, July 25, 2023 in the Clermont City Council
Chambers. Mayor Murry called the meeting to order at 6:30pm with the following Council Members
present: Council Members Entsuah and Purvis.
Council Member Gonzalez and Council Member Pines were available via conference call.
Other City officials present were City Manager Bulthuis, City Attorney Mantzaris, and City Clerk Howe.
INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Reverend Dawn Carter of Living Hope Church gave the invocation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
OPENING COMMENTS
City Manager Bulthuis informed the Council that Agenda Item 7 would be moved up on the agenda. Mr.
Bulthuis clarified that consent agenda item 6 is Resolution No. 2023-024R, the item was published as an
easement vacation. All documents along with the resolution were in the agenda packet provided to Council.
Item No. 7 — Fiscal Year 2024 Proposed As Valorem Millaee Rate
City Manager Bulthuis introduced City Attorney Mantzaris to inform Council on the legality of allowing
two Council members to be present by telephone.
City Attorney Mantzaris explained that it is the opinion of the Attorney General that members of Council
can appear by telephone as long as there is an in person quorum and a good faith reason. A quorum for this
council is three members. The good faith issue is this item ha time limits associated to meet the
requirements, the city has received the initial notice from the Property Appraiser regarding the projected
tax revenue for next year related to ad valorem taxes. Without objection from Council, the meeting will
move forward with Council Members Pines and Gonzalez appearing telephonically.
There were no objections from the Council and both Council Member Pines and Council Member Gonzalez
confirmed they were on the line.
City Manager Bulthuis stated the item is for the proposed ad valorem millage rate. Each year the city adopts
the millage rate. The adoption will be done at the final budget public hearing on September 20 at 6:30 PM.
The first budget public hearing is scheduled for September 6 at 6:30 PM. There were two budget workshops
held on July 12 and July 20 that were open to the public. During those workshops, Council directed staff to
propose that the highest millage rate the city will set is 5.06, the same millage rate as last year. Council can
adopt a lower millage rate but cannot go higher than what they set today.
Mayor Murry questioned the budget public hearings on Wednesday nights. Mr. Bulthuis explained that the
city budget hearings cannot be at the same time as Lake County or Lake County School Board meetings.
Lake County's meetings are on Tuesdays so we have moved our hearings to Wednesdays.
Mayor Murry opened the public hearing.
Arthur Pedone, Legends of Clermont — commented on Council Members' salaries. Mayor Murry asked him
to speak under public comments.
Charlene Forth, 939 W. Desoto Street — taxes should be rolled back.
Nessie Brown Lewis, Summit Greens — taxes should be higher.
Mayor Murry closed public hearing.
City of Clermont
MINUTES
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
July 25, 2023
Council Member Purvis said setting a millage rate is an intricate involved process where council learns
about the departments. There was a lot of consensus and discussion between council during the two budget
workshops.
Council Member Purvis moved to advertise the millage rate at 5.06: Seconded by
Council Member Pines. The motion passed by roll call vote 5-0.
Council Member Pines and Council Member Gonzalez left the meeting.
PRESENTATIONS
Chris Carmody, Gray Robinson spoke about our local delegators, reviewed the number of bills and
amendments filed this year. Mr. Carmody reviewed the leadership priorities which included the
Immigration Bill, Disney/Reedy Creek Improvement District and Data Privacy/Big Tech. Some other bills
that were presented were Affordable Housing, School Choice and Constitutional Carry. Mr. Carmody spoke
about the state's budget, how that will be divided and tax cuts.
Local projects to Clermont were presented including funding for the Wastewater Treatment Plant and the
two vetoed projects, Meet Us in the Middle Plaza project and Hartwood Marsh Road Fire Station. There
is still discussion regarding funding for the Meet Us in the Middle project this year or if they come back
with the project next year.
Mr. Carmody reviewed some of the bills that passed this year such as building construction, municipal
boundaries and financial disclosures for elected officers.
The 2024 Legislative session will begin earlier than usual on January 9 and end March 13.
Discussion ensued regarding the Sadowski funds, constitutional carry and special taxing districts.
Mayor Murry inquired on the documentation needed to qualify for the live local bill that passed. Mr.
Carmody stated that is done through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, Department of Commerce
and the local level. City Manager Bulthuis clarified that if someone meets the density requirements they
would be approved by city staff and there would not be a public hearing.
Financial Disclosures, Form 6 were discussed. The form requires detail on income, assets and liabilities.
Council asked for a sample of the form which City Attorney Mantzaris will provide.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Arthur Pedone, Legends of Clermont — increase salary of Council to attract and retain high caliber members.
Charlene Forth, 939 W. Desoto — spoke regarding public comments at Council meetings.
Kim Grogan, Flo Dash events — thanked Council and staff for their part with the Freedom 5K.
Sharon Keys, 644 W. Osceola Street — thanked the city for the Juneteenth event.
REPORTS
CITY MANAGER REPORT
• CRA meeting on August 8 at 6pm.
• August 4 First Friday food trucks are downtown.
• Police Chief Broadway will be inducted as the President of the Florida Police Chiefs Association
on August 1.
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City of Clermont
MINUTES
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
July 25, 2023
• The City received a grant for the Clermont Preforming Arts Center general program support from
the state. It is a matching grant and we received $92,910.
CITY ATTORNEY REPORT
No report.
CITY COUNCIL REPORT
Council Member Entsuah — No report.
Council Member Purvis —
• Encouraged residents to remember all the history of our country.
Mayor Murry —
• Inquired on the recommendation from the traffic study on Lakeshore Drive.
• Thanked staff for the budget workshop, it was an outstanding process.
• Attended the basketball game between the kids and Police Department last Friday and invited Otis
Taylor to come forward and speak about the game.
Mr. Taylor stated that it is more than a game. The community has come together over the years and the
city is showing surrounding cities what a community should be. Police officers are getting a bad rap
throughout the country and this is a way to show they are good people and friendly.
There was discussion about Champions Circle program through the Give a Day Foundation and that
the summer time is great and allows them to make an imprint in young men's lives. This program goes
on throughout the school year and changes lives.
• Will be in Bonita Springs on Tuesday for the swearing in ceremony for Chief Broadway.
CONSENT AGENDA
Mayor Murry advised the next item on the Agenda for consideration was the Consent Agenda and requested
anyone wishing to have any item pulled for discussion to please come forward at this time.
Item No. 1 — Meeting Minutes
Item No. 2 — Change Order Approval
Item No. 3 — Professional Services Proposal
Item No. 4 — Bid Award
Consider approval of the minutes of the July
11, 2023 Council Meeting.
Consider approval to the Construction Manager
contract with A.D. Morgan Corporation for the
new Public Services Facility in the amount of
$26,000.
Consider proposal approval for the
modification of existing Consumptive Use
Permit #2478.
Consider bid award to Helping Hand Lawn
Care, LLC. to acquire mowing services for the
annual budgeted amount of $176,750.
City of Clermont
MINUTES
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
July 25, 2023
Item No. 5 — Lake Co. Schools Proportionate
Share Mitigation Agreement
Chicone PUD
Item No. 6 — Utility Easement Vacation Request
Gobindram AK 2665866
Consider the school concurrency agreement
with Pulte Home Company and the Lake Co.
School Board with the City as a party to the
agreement.
Consider a request to vacate a utility easement
dedicated to the City to allow future
development of the property.
Council Member Entsuah moved to avvrove Consent Asenda Items 1-6; Seconded by
Council Member Purvis. Passed unanimously 3-0 with all members vresent voicine ave.
NEW BUSINESS
Item No. 7 — This item was heard earlier in the meeting.
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City of Clermont
MINUTES
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
July 25, 2023
ADJOURN: With no further comments, this meeting adjourned at 7:50pm.
Tracy tyd Ho , MMC
City Clerk
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APPROVED:
Tim Murry, yor V