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09-07-1983 Special Meeting• CITY OF CLERMONT . SPECIAL COUNC ES MEETING September 7, 1983 A Special Meeting of the City Council of the City of Clermont was held Wednesday, September 7, 1983 in the City Council Chambers. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Beals at 7:30 p.m. with the following- Council Members in attendance: Council Member Dupee, Mayor Pro Tem Pool, Council Member Cole, and Council Member Turville. Other City Officials present were City Manager Forbes, City Attorney Baird, Finance Director Saunders, and Deputy City Clerk Brandt. The Invocation was offered by City Manager Forbes, followed by the repeating of the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag by all present. ADOPTION OF TENTATIVE MILEAGE RATE OF 2.595 Mayor Beals explained that the City is not proposing. to increase our millage levy, but to lower the millage from 2.793 to 2.595 mills for Fiscal Year 1983-1984. Due to the increase in assessed value, the lower millage rate will generate the same amount of tax dollars for this fiscal year, and there is. no increase over the roll back rate. Mayor Beals then called for comments from those present in .the audience. It was asked why taxes in Clermont are going up, even with the lower millage rate. It was explained that the increase in assessed value plus a school millage increase had caused the larger tax bill. There ;:83"-.~fieing no further questions, A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER~POOL, 144 SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TURVILLE AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO ADOPT A TENTATIVE MILEAGE RATE OF 2.595 FOR FISCAL YEAR 1983-1984. RESOLUTION NO. 447 - TENTATIVE GENERAL AND REVENUE SHARING FUND BUDGET Mayor Beals explained that this Resolution would adopt. the tentative budgets for the General and Revenue Sharing Funds of the City; and that the General Fund Budget provides for the basic tax supported services and maintenance of existing services of the City, and the Revenue Sharing Budget provides funds for Capital Outlays. It was also explained that the current Revenue Sharing Law expires on September 30, 1983, and if it was not reenacted, the budgeted funds will not be spent. Mayor Beals then opened the floor to public discussion of the proposed budget, and asked for comments or questions from those present in the audience. Shirley Ann Ritch, President of the Chamber of Commerce, asked why the Chamber's requested funds had been cut from $10,000 to~$2,000. Mayor Beals stated that he did not want to become involved in a one on one dialogue with Mrs. Ritch at this time, but would rather allow all those present to speak first; and then he would answer any questions regarding the proposed budget. Mrs. Ritch stated that the $2,.000 would not. even cover the. Chamber's expenses for services rendered to the City, which conservatively come to $11,300; and include: (1) answering 900 letters of inquiry, (2) answering telephone inquiries for information, (3) providing maps, brochures, etc. of the area, (4) sponsoring Orange Blossom Breakfasts, and (5) 'spbnsoring~the annual Labor Day_,Race. Mrs. Ritch further stated that she felt the City was not aware of the extent of the services, and asked who would take them over if' they were not provided by the Chamber, since the City had not budgeted extra money to do so. Chamber Members Betty Kimball, Joe Washuta, Marino Thomas, Dennis Horton, Don Tracy, and others spoke in favor of the Chamber, citing its many positive activities with regards to the business and residential community, and asked the Council to reconsider its proposed funding. Don Smith, Ed Klimas, A.W. Schultz, and others spoke in favor of reducing funds for the Chamber, stating that the Chamber did very little for the City and citizens who are not business owners to justify the $10,000 funding with taxpayer's money. l-v ~~_ .__ .__ __ r_ CITY OF CLERMONT . MINUTES SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING September 7, 1983 Page 2 Council Member Turville reiterated his feelings that the Chamber can be anything it wants to be. However, he expressed his concern for spending taxpayer's money to support an organiaztion which appears to have become politically active in nature. Such a function should not be funded with tax dollars. Much discussion ensued from both sides regarding services provided by the Chamber, the Chamber's proposed budget, the cancellation of the Labor Day Activities, the involvement of the Chamber in politics during the last election, and personality conflicts between Chamber Officials and Council Members. Council Member Dupee stated that she felt the present Chamber was not active enough. In the past, the Chamber had sponsored a Christmas Parade, Little Miss Orange Bud Contest, an All States Picnic, and other activities which were well received by the general public. Mrs. Ritch responded that the Chamber's budget did not allow them to sponsor all of the activities for the general public that they would like to, and the state of the economy with back to back freezes the past two years had made it difficult to raise extra funds for such endeavors. There being no further comments from those present, Mayor Beals stated that he would now like to respond as to why the Chamber's budget request had been cut from $10,000 to $2,000. Mayor Beals stated that Clermont is ideally situated in Central Florida, and like the rest of the State, is growing in spite of the supposed negativism toward the Chamber. He stated that historically it had been questionable to use taxpayer's money to fund a Chamber of Commerce, and he felt they should be a totally self-sustaining organization, and should not be involved in politics as evidenced by the last City Election. Mayor Beals stated that although Mr. Searles, Executive Director of the Chamber, and he had had their differences, the budget was not being cut because of this. The services being provided by the Chamber simply did not merit $10,000 from the City. Mrs. Ritch asked if the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce removed Mr. Searles from his position as Director, would the City put the requested $10,000 back in the budget. Mayor Beals stated that he felt they would not. Mayor Beals also expressed his consternation for the last minute cancellation of the annual Labor Day Festivities and stated that the money had been pro- vided in last year's budget with the understanding that the program would be presented. Council Member Pool agreed that the Chamber of Commerce should be self- sustaining. However, he felt that this should be done gradually over a period of time. After much discussion, A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLE TO AMEND RESOLUTION NO. 447 TO REFLECT $8,000 TO BE ;BUDGETED FOR THE CLERMONT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR FY 1983-1984 WITH THE CHAMBER'S UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WOULD BE A YEARLY REDUCTION IN THE AMOUNT BUDGETED TO THE CHAMBER UNTIL THE CHAMBER WOULD BECOME TOTALLY SELF-SUSTAINING. THIS MOTION WAS DEFEATED BY A THREE TO TWO ROLL CALL VOTE: VOTING WAS AS FOLLOWS: COUNCIL MEMBERS COLE AND POOL, AYE; AND COUNCIL MEMBERS DUPEE AND TURVILLE, AND MAYOR BEALS, NAY. After some further discussion, A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER TURVILLE AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUPEE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION AS WRITTEN. AT THIS POINT, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESIDENT RITCH DECLINED THE PROPOSED $2,000 AND COUNCIL MEMBER DUPEE WITHDREW HER SECOND TO THE MOTION. THE MOTION DIED FOR A LACK OF A SECOND. g3- A MOTION WAS THEN MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER TURVILLE, SECONDED BY COUNCIL 145 MEMBER DUPEE, AND CARRIED BY A THREE TO TWO ROLL CALL VOTE TO ADOPT R O ION N0. 47 AS AMENDED BY DELETING THE 2,000 BUDGETED FOR THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. THE VOTING WAS AS FOLLOWS: COUNCIL MEMBERS DUPEE, AND TURVILLE, AND MAYOR BEALS, AYE: AND COUNCIL MEMBERS POOL AND COLE, NAY. .; _ - CITY OF CLERMONT . MINUTES SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING September 7, 1983 Page 3 Council Member Cole stated that he felt there had been a lack of communi- cation between the City and Chamber of Commerce, and now that the City had severed its ties with the Chamber, he asked the Council to consider this his official resignation as liaison to the Chamber of Commerce. RESOLUTION NO. 447 - TENTATIVE SANITATION FUND BUDGET Mayor Beals explained that the Tentative Sanitation Fund Budget included $237,059 in expenditures and provides money for garbage and trash col- lection, and the fees for this service will not increase this year. Mayor Beals called for comments regarding the proposed Sanitation Fund Budget, and no one spoke for or against it. After some discussion, g3_ A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLE, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER 146 POOL, AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED BY ROLL CALL VOTE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION N0. 447- TENTATIVE SANITATION FUND BUDGET. VOTING WAS AS FOLLOWS: COUNCIL MEMBER DUPEE, POOL, TURVILLE, AND COLE, AYE; AND MAYOR BEALS, AYE. THE RESOLUTION WAS READ BY TITLE ONLY. RESOLUTION NO. 445 - TENTATIVE UTILITIES FUND BUDGET Mayor Beals explained that the Tentative Utilities Fund Budget includes expenditures of $791,649 for water and sewer services of the City, and that there would be no increase in water or sewer rates to support this budget. Mayor Beals called for comments on the Tentative Utilities Fund Budget from those present, and no one spoke for or against the proposed 83- budget. After some discussion, A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER 147 TURVILLE, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLE , AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED BY ROLL CALL VOTE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 445 - TENTATIVE UTILITIES FUND BUDGET. VOTING WAS AS FOLLOWS: COUNCIL MEMBERS DUPEE, POOL, TURVILLE, AND COLE, AYE; AND MAYOR BEALS , AYE. THE RESOLUTION WAS READ BY TITLE ONLY. RESOLUTION NO. 444 - MATCHING FUNDS FOR COOPER MEMORIAL LIBRARY -Mayor Beals explained that this Resolution, if adopted, would allow the Cooper Memorial Library to obtain matching funds from the Library Services Construction Act to expand the existing building. City Manager Forbes explained that there was a wording error in the second paragraph of the Resolution and the words "City Council of" should be removed to correct 83- the error. After some discussion, A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER 148 COLE, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POOL,AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED BY ROLL CALL VOTE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 444 AS AMENDED BY THE REMOVAL OF THE WORDS "CITY COUNCIL OF" IN THE SECOND PARAGRAPH, WHICH CERTIFIES THAT THE COOPER MEMORIAL LIBRARY HAS THE REQUIRED MATCHING FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE EXISTING BUILDING UNDER THE LIBRARY SERVICES CONSTRUCTION ACT. VOTING WAS AS FOLLOWS: COUNCIL MEMBERS TURVILLE, COLE, DUPEE, AND POOL, AYE; AND MAYOR BEALS, AYE. THE RESOLUTION WAS READ BY TITLE ONLY. There being no further business, the m 'ng adjourned at 10:00 p.m. CHARLE B . BEA S , MpiYOR ATTEST: A E SAUNDERS, CITY CLERK