01-09-1979 Regular Meeting
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CITY OF CLERMONT
MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
A Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Clermont was held in the Council Chambers
on Tuesday, January 9, 1979. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 P.M. by Mayor Claude E.
Smoak, Jr., with the following members present: Councilmen Honey, Byrd, Schroedel, and Cole.
Other officials present were: Acting City Manager and Finance Director Sanchez, City Attorney
Baird, City Clerk Carroll, Public Works Director Smythe, and Chief of Police Tyndal. Others
present were: Master Chris Honey, Mr. & Mrs. Jimmy Lee Jackson, and the Messrs. Czech,
Sargent, Searles, Narehood, and Washuta.
The invocation was offered by Councilman Byrd, followed by repeating of the Pledge of
Allegiance in unison by those present.
The Minutes of the Regular Meeting held December 26, 1978 and of the Special Meeting held
December 27, 1978, were approved as written.
VISITORS WITH BUSINESS
Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Lee Jackson appeared before Council to seek any possible assistance
from the City in their quest to obtain a liquor license for their business known as
"Dot's Cafe", located at 792 East Montrose Street. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson were advised
of the initial procedure for obtaining such licenses, wherein application must be made
to the State Beverage Department.
Mr. Jackson inquired of Council as to more extensive policing of the vacant properties
between his business location and Highway 27 regarding excessive trash and litter being
deposited there which was not being generated from his business. Mr. Jackson was
requested to meet with Acting City Manager Sanchez, in conjunction with Code Enforcement
Official Nagel, regarding the matter.
Mr. Phil Searles, executive secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, appeared before Council
to advise that Chamber officials had been recently alerted to a disparity existing among
the business community wherein some occupations were allowed in certain areas, but like
occupations were denied in the same area, and in order to resolve such a situation,
requested that Council look into how we allow businesses to be licensed to operate within
the City in order to come up with a set regulation, a set zoning requirement, and a set
Code of Ordinance requirement that would apply to one and all businesses equally the
same. Mayor Smoak advised that recommendations had just been presented to Council from
the Planning and Zoning Commission regarding redefined districts, downtown commercial
zoning districts, and a highway commercial district, which would be considered by
Council, but if the Chamber felt there were existing problems due to inconsistent
application of rules and regulations to all businesses equally, and they could be
specifically detailed, he requested that they communicate with the Acting City Manager
for investigation and referral back to Council.
DOT MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT AND RESOLUTION
Acting City Manager Sanchez advised of a communication from DOT wherein they had re-
evaluated previous traffic studies at the SR50/561 intersection and had concluded that
full signalization is warranted, and requested that the City proceed with execution of
the necessary maintenance agreement and resolution. Motion was made by Councilman Honey,
seconded by Councilman Cole and carried that Resolution No. 321 authorizing the execution
of the traffic signal agreement between the DOT and the City of Clermont be adopted, and
its accompanying traffic signal maintenance agreement be accepted and executed by the
proper City officials.
ORDINANCE AMENDMENT
Acting City Manager Sanchez advised of an op~n~on forwarded by the Building Official
wherein he felt provision No. 3 in the recently adopted Ordinance 190-C providing for
certain information to accompany petitions for Conditional Use Permits was an un-
reasonable requirement and unduly expensive to those seeking conditional use permits,
such provision being, "ARCHITECTURAL PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR ALL PROPOSED BUILDINGS,
SIGNS EXTERIOR WALLS AND FENCES". Council concurred with this opinion, and inasmuch
as the effective date of the Ordinance had not been reached, motion was made by Council-
man Byrd. seconded by Councilman Cole and carried that Ordinance No. 190-C be amended to
delete Provision No.3. and that it be adopted as amended.
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CITY OF CLERMONT
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MINUTES
FUTURE MEETINGS
Acting City Manager Sanchez reminded Council of the joint meeting of Minneola and
Clermont Councils to be held in the Council Chambers on Monday, January 15th at 5:00
P.M. to discuss possible consolidation of services, and, of the quarterly Lake County
League of Cities Meeting to be held in the Holiday Inn on Wednesday, January 17th
beginning at 6:00 P.M.
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AUTHORIZATION
City Attorney Baird reported that Bill's Auto Parts located at 1087 Minneola Avenue
continued to be in violation of the City Code requiring that junk yards be fenced, and
inasmuch as repeated negotiations had failed to produce compliance, he inquired of
Council's desire to proceed with necessary legal procedures in order to resolve the
matter. Motion was made by Councilman Honey, seconded by Councilman Cole and carried
that City Attorney Baird be authorized to instigate the necessary legal procedure in
the matter.
City Attorney Baird reported on a request by Building Official Nagel that the necessary
steps be taken to remove the fishing dock constructed on property leased from the City
on Lake Winona by Mr. C. B. Jones because of its hazardous state of disrepair, and he
inquired of Council's desire in pursuing the matter. Motion was made by Mayor Smoak,
seconded by Councilman Honey and carried that City Attorney Baird be authorized to
instigate the necessary legal procedures for removal of the dock.
LAKE FRONT PROPERTIES
City Attorney Baird advised of existing problems, and probable future like problems
in the construction of docks and boat houses on the city owned lakefront property of
Lake Minnehaha along Lake Shore Drive by property owners immediately adjacent across
the street, and inasmuch as the existing street right-of-way cannot be accurately
described without benefit of an extreme costly survey, he proposed that Council designate
a required street right-of-way from the existing paved portion, and then negotiate
Quit Claim Deeds between the City and adjacent owners for property on both sides of the
street in an exchange, thereby adding to the ad valorem tax roll and relieving the City
from possible encroachment on private property by the existing street. Inasmuch as
certain parcels of this lake front property is privately owned, it was the suggestion of
Mayor Smoak and Council was in agreement, that the matter of obtaining unanimous
participation from all the property owners along Lake Shore Drive be investigated by
City Attorney Baird for report back to Council before any further action is taken.
FLORIDA MUNICIPAL SELF INSURORS FUND
Mayor Smoak reported on his recent attendance in Tallahassee regarding the Florida
Municipal Self Insurors Fund, and though he reiterated his opinion that Clermont not
participate in the fund this fiscal year, he was happy to report that the fund had shown
a profit in its first year of operation, which is must unusual in view of the soaring
workman compensation costs, and he would recommend that Council seriously consider the
matter in the future as projections show that the potential for Clermont's participation
in the fund, based on past experience and estimating a current experience rating, would
double the net return over a two year period.
STATE SENATE WORKMANS COMPENSATION HEARING
Mayor Smoak reported on his attendance of the Workmans Compensation hearing in the Senate,
such matter being of great concern to municipalities, advising that Clermont's cost over
the past eight years had increased from $3,000 to $22,000 with only half of that cost
attributable to an increased payroll with the remaining increase attributable to rate
increases, and inasmuch as a further rate increase of 10.4% had been requested, he urged
that Council members keep in touch with the local legislators regarding the matter.
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CITY OF CLERMONT
MINUTES
COOPER MEMORIAL LIBRARY
Councilman Schroedel, liaison representative to the Library Board, reported on his
recent attendance at their meeting at which time the local insurance agent had been
invited to apprise the board of coverage of the Library. It was reported that the
City carries liability insurance in the amount of $55,000 on the building, and $34,000
on the contents, and inasmuch as the Board feels the content coverage to be too low,
the agent was requested to investigate possible further coverage to be carried by the
Library Board.
EFFLUENT DISPOSAL STUDY
Mayor Smoak advised that the City's effluent disposal study is drawing a considerable bit
of interest on a state-wide basis; That representatives from the Department of Natural
Resources had viewed the site on Friday; That he had spoken with representatives of DER
while in Tallahassee, who were very much interested in the study, and; That he had
spoken with Senator Fechtel and Representative Brantley, in conjunction with the City
Attorney, to determine if a law change is necessary in the Upper Oklawaha Basin improve-
ment regulations to allow disposal in wetlands under our conditions, and they both agreed
to review the matter for report to the City Attorney.
CITY HALL FURNISHINGS
Inasmuch as firm bids had not been received for furnishings at City Hall it was the
suggestion of Mayor Smoak and Council was in agreement, that an interior decorator be
engaged to prepare set specifications and they be placed for public bid.
PUBLIC WORKS CAPITAL OUTLAY
Authorization was requested to purchase a 6' Mower and Ice Machine for the Public Works
Department as submitted by low bid as follows:
Bush Hog 6' Mower from Shelfer @ $1120.00
Whirlpool Ice Machine from F. W. Vaden @ 1121.00
Motion was made by Councilman Cole, seconded by Councilman Byrd and carried that the
aforementioned low bids be accepted.
ELECTION OF MAYOR PRO-TEM
Motion was made by Councilman Schroedel, seconded by Councilman Honey and carried that
Councilman Byrd be elected to serve as Mayor Pro-Tem.
BOARD AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS
The following Board and Commission appointments were made by Council action by written
ballot and attested to by the City Clerk:
Planning and Zoning Commission: Two year terms
Ruth Alice Ray
Nick Jones
Laura Cook
Louise Relyea
Rufus Sullivan
Planning and Zoning Commission: One year term
Alfred L. Wilcox
Lake Apopka Natural Gas District: Two year term
John Sargent
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CITY OF CLERMONT
MINUTES
BOARD AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS (cont.)
Building Code Board of Appeals: Three year term
Donald St. John
Lawson Wolfe
Robert Allison
Nick Jones
Liaison Representative to the Cooper Memorial Library
Councilman George Schroedel
Liaison Representative to the Chamber of Commerce
Councilman Lester Cole
Lake County Pollution Control Board Representative
Councilman Carlisle Byrd
Zoning Board of Adjustment
City Council
Housing Board of Appeals and Adjustments
City Council
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There being no further business to be brought before the Council at this time, the
meeting was adjourned by Mayor Smoak at 9:40 P.M.
CLAt1~ayor
C~it...,) L/ CtJL
DOLORES W. CARROLL - City Clerk