03-29-1983 Special Meeting
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CITY OF CLERMONT
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MINUTES
SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING
March 29, 1983
A Special Meeting and Workshop of the City Council of the City of
Clermont was held March 29, 1983 in the City Hall Conference Room.
The Meeting was called to order by Mayor Beals at 6:00 p.m. with
the following Council Members present: Lester Cole, Ann Dupee, and
Hal Turville. Other City Officials present were City Manager Forbes,
City Attorney Baird, and City Engineer John Springstead.
201 WASTEWATER FACILITIES PLAN
City Engineer John Springstead and Bud Sampson were present at this
meeting to explain the proposed 201 Area Map and read the proposed
contract with the City for the preparation of a 201 Wastewater Facil-
ity Plan. It was explained that the contract did contain a clause
recognizing that time is of the essence, and that the City Engineer
would perform the work in the most expeditious, diligent, and effi-
cient manner possible to insure completion of the work by June 30,
1983. The contract also has a clause which states that the City
agrees that the engineer has no control over certain aspects of the
facilities plan approval process, specifically other governmental
agencies. Another clause of the contract stipulates monthly billing
to the City based upon the percentage of work completed.
Council Member Pool entered the meeting at this time.
Council Member Turville asked if the Department of Environmental Reg-
ulation would not accept the City's revised 201 Area, would the 201
Facilities Plan be wasted. Mr. Sampson stated that he would have an
answer to this question in the near future because he would be meeting
with DER Officials on this matter tomorrow morning. John Springstead
stated that he believed that there was a 90% chance that the 201 Area
would be revised, based upon City Manager Forbes' and his discussion
with DER Officials rast month. Council Member Turville asked if a
Public Hearing was needed to ~evise the boundaries, and was advised
that no Public Hearing was necessary. Council Member Dupee asked
questions regarding annexation, and if the Federal Government would
have any control over the City's annexation policies. City Manager
Forbes explained that annexations were covered by State Statutes, not
the 201 Plan. Council Member Turville stated that he still had some
concerns that if a property was in the 201 Planning Area, the City
would be required to either annex the property or provide services for
it. Mr. Springstead pointed out that the DER and EPA have already set
a precedent on this matter, in that they approved 201 areas in North
Lake County where each city has a separate treatment plant facility.
Council Member Turville stated that he did not like the idea of the
Federal and State .Agencies requiring the City to adopt a rate schedule
which meets their approval. He stated that he did not like someone
else telling the City what rates to adopt, based on their standards. He
felt that these agencies had very little understanding of the City's
problems or financial condition. He also stated that he believed the
City should consider different alternatives for financing, and thatth~s
was just one of many ways to finance the project. Council Member Pool
stated that he also had a problem with the State and Federal Agencies!
determining our rate schedule, and asked how long they would have c6n~
trol over the rates. City Manager Forbes explained that it was his
understanding that this would work similar to the Farmers Home proces~
in that once the grant is given, the City must adopt a rate schedule
approved by the State which will insure the City can cover operationa~
and maintenance costs of the expansion. The reason for this requirement
is that in the past some cities have built facilities with grant money
and then could not afford to operate and/or maintain them. As long a~
the City operated and maintained the facility after the initial rate
schedule was set, the Federal Agencies would have no recourse in futuFe
rate decisions. Council Member Pool asked City Manager Forbes if he I
knew what the new rates might be. City Manager Forbes stated that he :
did not know, and this was part of the 201 Study. Many questions beirtg
asked tonight can only be answered if the City proceeds with the 201 Study.
Mr. Forbes emphasized that the City was not required to proceed with ~he
201 Study or to expand its treatment plant facilities. The present plant
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CITY OF CLERMONT
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MINUTES
SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING
March 29, 1983
may be at capacity in 1986 according to current population projections;
and if expansion is desired, something must be done in the very near
83-054 future. After much discussion, A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER POOL,
AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLE THAT THE CITY ACCEPT THE CONTRACT
WITH SPRINGSTEAD AND ASSOCIATES TO COMPLETE THE 201 WASTEWATER TREATMENT
PLANT STUDY.
In discussing the motion, Council Member Cole asked Mr. Springstead how
he arrived at the cost fig~res for the study. Mr. Springstead stated
that the price was based on estimated time and travel costs. He stated
that as an alternative, he would be glad to go by the City's fixed fee
on time and travel if the City wished to do so. Council Member Turville
stated that he believed the contract did not guarantee completion of the
Study on time. There was no penalty clause in the contract; and it was
his understanding that if there was a penalty clause in the contract,
there should also be a bonus clause. Mr. Springstead pointed out that
even if the deadline was not met, the study would not be wasted and could
be utilized toward next year's funding. However, he did emphasize that
he was confident that the study would be completed on time. He also
stated that if the City wanted a penalty/bonus clause in the contract,
he would be willing to enter into such an agreement. City Attorney Baird
stated that this was almost impossible to do, and there is no guarantee
in the contract but a clause that he (City Engineer) will exercise due
diligence in performing his duties.
The Question was called by Council Member Pool AND THE VOTING WAS AS
FOLLOWS: COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, AYE; COUNCIL MEMBER COLE, AYE; COUNCIL
MEMBER DUPEE, AYE; COUNCIL MEMBER TURVILLE, NAY, AND MAYOR BEALS" AYE '~: '
THE MOTION CARRIED BY A FOUR TO ONE VOTE. Council Member Turville
clarified his vote by :~t~tihg: that he believed the City is proceeding
full speed ahead on assumptions, and headed toward a tunnel at full speed
without knowing if the lights work yet.
City Manager Forbes asked if there were any Council objections to the
revised 201 Area Map being submitted to the DER, and there were none.
The Special Meeting portion adjourned into a Workshop Meeting .
at 6:60 p.m.
WORKSHOP MEETING
ELECTIONS
Mayor Beals requested that the Council again consider changing the City's
election date. Council Member Dupee explained the two types of election
procedures that were discussed at the last workshop. She stated that her
idea was to have both the primary and runoff in November. The primary
would be on November 7th and a runoff, if necessary, would be held two
weeks later. Mayor Beals' idea was to have the primary held in October,
only if more than two candidates were running for a seat. If only two
candidates were running for a seat, the General Election would be held on
November 7th. He believed that having the first election on the October
runoff date has an advantage by giving a person four weeks to campaign
rather than two weeks. There was also a discussion on voting. Council
Member Pool stated he was concerned that some people may be confused and
we would have non-residents voting in a City Election. Mayor Beals
explained that a citizen would be required to sign a statement that he
or she lived within the City Limits.
It was the consensus of the Council to have the City Attorney draw up a
Draft Ordinance which would amend the City's Charter to allow the City
to conduct a primary election in October (if more than two candidates
were running for a seat), if there were not more than two candidates,
the election would be held on November 7th. All elected Council Members
would take office during the first Regular Council Meeting in December.
It was also stated that the Code should include, that if the candidate
had a clear majority, no runoff election would be necessary. The Council
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CITY OF CLERMONT
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MINUTES
SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING
March 29, 1983
requested that this; matter be placed on the agenda of the next Regular
Council Meeting for further discussion. *
The Meeting adjourned at 7:45
p.m~f3~
CHARLES B. BEALS, MAYOR
ATTEST:
~C). ~
ORBES, CITY MANAGER
* At the Regular Meeting held April 12, 1983 Council Member Dupee
asked that the Minutes of this Meeting reflect the following:
Council Member Dupee stated that if the City of Clermont obtained
the grant and could not use it, it would commit the City to longer
debt repayment.