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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07.15.2025 - City Council Meeting City of Clermont MINUTES CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORKSHOP July 15,2025 CALL TO ORDER The City Council met in a budget workshop session on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in the Clermont City Council Chambers. Mayor Muny called the workshop to order at 9:00 am with the following Council Members present: Council Members Howard, Strange, Myers and Petersen. Other City officials present were Interim City Manager Van Wagner, Deputy City Manager Matthys, and Deputy City Clerk Wisniewski. Council Member Myers gave the invocation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. AGENDA ITEMS Proposed Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Budget Discussion Parks and Recreation Mayor Murry announced that the workshop would begin with Parks and Recreation. Parks and Recreation Director Forman informed the Council that he, along with Council Member Strange, recently conducted a tour of the city with Shane Fernandez, President and Chairman of the American Bicycle Association. He introduced Mr. Fernandez to the Council and invited him to share his impressions of the city. Shane Fernandez, President and Chairman of the American Bicycle Association introduced himself and provided insight into his background which includes architecture and urban design. He explained that the American Bicycle Association is the governing body for the sport of BMX, and they are the largest cycling organization in North America. Mr. Fernandez pointed out that Clermont is a unique place experiencing growth, which brings plenty of opportunities.He talked about Hancock Road,mentioning that it is anchored on the north end by Sugarloaf Mountain and on the south by the shores of Lake Louisa. With a designated cycling corridor, the area offers great potential. Another opportunity he saw was McKinney Park, Lakefront corridor and the String of Pearls. Mr. Fernandez recommended developing an activation plan that begins with identifying and evaluating the city's existing assets to understand their full potential. The next step would be to create a coordinated strategy for activating those assets through events, sports tourism, and other community-focused initiatives. Once established, this activation plan would serve as a valuable component feeding into the city's broader comprehensive plan. In closing, he stated the bigger picture for Clermont is amazing. Council Member Strange asked how Clermont ranks among the nation and his recommendation on what investments the city should be anticipating. 1 City of Clermont MINUTES CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORKSHOP July 15,2025 Mr. Fernandez stated that accessibility is major in Parks and Recreation and Clermont is in the higher percentage. Purposeful intention is looked at when ranking a city's Parks and Recreation, where you are going and your vision.The lakes put Clermont in the top tier. He reiterated to start with an activation plan and move forward from there. Mr. Fernandez informed Council that the American Bicycle Association wants to put a National Center in Florida,and he feels that Clermont could potentially be a perfect fit. Mayor Murry stated that a National Center would be a perfect addition to the Wellness Way area. Council discussed purchasing land for a skate park. Mr. Fernandez stated that McKinney Park would be a great activation site for youth to mix sports with an education center. Discussion ensued on what the American Bicycle Association could bring to the city, such as their foundation, school programs and local, regional and national events on the weekends. They host corporate team-building events as well as festivals. They also discussed developing pump tracks across the city along with parts of the city that do not have any parks. Council Member Howard asked Mr. Fernandez for an estimate to have his organization come in and provide the city with a broad overview from a planning and development perspective. The idea is to help the city plan for an annual investment, knowing that it will take future councils to carry this work forward. Mr. Fernandez stated that the first phase of the process, focused on documentation and visioning, typically ranges from $75,000 to $100,000, depending on the size and needs of the city. Council Member Howard stated that he would be comfortable allocating no more than $150,000 in the budget to get the effort started, expressing that now is the time to start looking ahead to the city's future. Mr.Fernandez explained his company assesses cities along with the different specialty groups they have that hyper focus on specific areas. Council Member Strange suggested increasing the total to not exceed $200,000, which Council Member Howard agreed. Mayor Murry requested Interim City Manager Van Wagner add these funds to the budget. Parks and Recreation Director Forman gave a PowerPoint presentation that highlighted the department's focus on improving quality of life for residents.The presentation also covered recent staff reorganization and included an overview of all park locations, and the programs offered. Council discussed trails in the south end of the city and the possibility of tying them into Lake Lousia which could then have trails that connect to the north end of the city. Council Member Strange shared that she has been having conversations with the state about pedestrian crossings on State Road 50 and U.S. Highway 27. 2 City of Clermont MINUTES CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORKSHOP July 15,2025 She spoke about a grant opportunity through the Community Planning Technical Assistance program, which offers between $75,000 and $125,000 to help cover the cost of a small-scale planning project. The application deadline is August 1, and she stated that the city should apply. Council discussed resources for grant writing as well as trails and roads and transportation throughout the city. Parks and Recreation Director Forman presented a list of events, including the number of patrons who attended each. A discussion followed regarding residents versus non-residents who rent city facilities and participate in the programs offered. Council discussed the expense of maintaining facilities that are being utilized by people who are not paying city taxes. Council Member Strange said that the city will always play a role in subsidizing recreation and asked if Council was comfortable with that approach. This led to a discussion about potentially revising the current fee schedule and exploring other revenue-generating options within the department,including the possibility of requesting financial contributions from neighboring cities whose residents utilize the city's amenities. Parks and Recreation Director Forman informed Council that staff are currently reviewing all rates and that some adjustments are expected for the upcoming year. Council discussed the operational costs associated with the Performing Arts Center, along with ideas for increasing the revenue generated from the space. The conversation moved to the types of events being marketed for the venue, as well as the fee structure for residents compared to non- residents. Parks and Recreation Director Forman spoke about Council's direction to host a Jazz Festival and noted that the event is not included in the current budget. He requested direction from Council on how they would like to move forward and the funding. Council directed him to be creative and return with a proposed plan, at which time funding options will be discussed. Council discussed the time of year the festival would take place as well as needing to have a bigger discussion regarding all festivals and the way the city handles them.Parks and Recreation Director Forman provided Council a calendar of scheduled events for next year. Parks and Recreation Director Forman informed Council that he doubled the budget for Professional Services to include the $200,000 for the visioning and activation plan that was discussed earlier. The total budget would be $250,000 for consulting services and operational analysis. Council directed Parks and Recreation Director Forman to revise the budget to include all events for the year and return to Council. Discussion ensued on the funds allocated for athletic field maintenance contracts. 3 City of Clermont MINUTES CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORKSHOP July 15,2025 Mayor Murry recessed the workshop at 11:20am; Mayor Murry reconvened the workshop at 11:30am. Parks and Recreation Director Forman presented the budget for the Meet Us in the Middle project. Finance Director Borror explained that the overall project was divided into three smaller projects. The amphitheater will be funded through the LiveWell Grant,which is accounted for in the General Fund. The dock and plaza portions will be funded using Parks and Recreation Impact Fees. The decision to separate the project was made, in part, to allow for potential FEMA funding for the dock portion. Mayor Murry suggested increasing the funding for the dock portion of the project. Council Member Howard suggested some changes to the design of the docks and stated he was comfortable with the$750,000 that is currently allocated in the budget. Interim City Manager Van Wagner informed Council that there are additional grants that the city can apply for once Council provides clear direction on the project moving forward. Discussion ensued on what council would like to see in the space for the Meet Us in the Middle project. Council Member Strange suggested that the Veterans Memorial designed in this space may be better suited at Victory Point. Council Member Myers stated her preference to keep the Veterans Memorial in its current planned location, that location is centrally located where it will be visible to the public. Council Member Strange spoke about the role of the Community Redevelopment Agency in the funding of this project. Mayor Murry stated that Meet Us in the Middle is an economic draw, this will bring people to Clermont. Discussion ensued regarding the downtown area and revenue for a parking garage as well as funding sources for the Meet Us in the Middle projects and when the funding is needed. Council Member Strange stated she was comfortable with moving forward with$1.5 million for Parks and Recreation for the docks, amphitheater and restrooms. Council Member Strange said that Finance could move $1.5 million from General Fund Reserve into a Capital Reserve account for this project to use when needed. Mayor Murry recessed the workshop at 12:00pm; Mayor Murry reconvened the workshop at 1:00pm. Parks and Recreation Director Forman requested direction from Council regarding the proposed rebuild of Bishop Field,estimated at$1.6 million over two years. He asked whether Council would prefer to reconstruct the field as it currently exists or consider changes. Council discussed potential changes, including adding a press box, reducing the amount of seating, and creating a designated area for food trucks to serve as concessions. 4 City of Clermont MINUTES CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORKSHOP July 15,2025 Finance Director Borror stated that the funds were proposed to come from the infrastructure funds, staff has moved this to come from the capital projects fund.He also stated this project is not eligible for Impact Fee funds because the city is replacing it,not building new. The consensus from Council was that they are comfortable allocating up to $1 million toward the Bishop Field project; however, they want to explore potential grant opportunities before taking a final vote. Parks and Recreation Director Forman moved on to the park/stage at City Hall Park for$500,000 from the Capital Projects fund. Council Member Strange expressed her support for the project but stated that she would prefer to see the funding come from the Community Redevelopment Agency. Consensus from Council was to move forward as proposed. Parks and Recreation Director Forman spoke about the possibility of building a skate park in the northwest quadrant of the State Road 50 and U.S. Highway 27 intersection. Council Member Stange stated that she would support funding $1 million in that region with the understanding that it is pending final review. Mayor Murry suggested waiting for the activation and visioning report and creating a space for skating/biking as well as pickleball. The next capital project is artificial turf at Lake Felter Park for $700,000 which has been moved to be funded from the capital projects fund. Consensus from Council was to allocate $700,000 towards any project at Lake Felter Park. Parks and Recreation Director Forman spoke about the lights at Hancock Park. There is an opportunity to engage in a ten-year contract to convert the lights at all parks to LED, which saves on repairs. Council Member Howard inquired about building restrooms at Hancock Park costing $500,000. Parks and Recreation Director Forman stated that he is expecting the project to come in at a lower cost but wants to be safe. Council Member Howard stated that staff are coming in high on bids and the city needs to work with contractors to facilitate better deals. Discussion ensued on poles and nets for batting cages as well as lights and resurfacing the shuffleboard courts at Kehlor. Council discussed the possible addition of a city library. Parks and Recreation Director Forman presented the remainder of the capital projects which included resurfacing the basketball courts at Palatlakaha Park, Waterfront Park, vehicle replacements and fitness equipment at Victory Point. Council Member Strange suggested updating the policy to establish a$30,000 limit for Parks and Recreation department projects,beyond which Council approval would be required. 5 City of Clermont MINUTES CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORKSHOP July 15,2025 The council discussed the possibility of pursuing a better project for Victory Point, rather than moving forward with the proposed outdoor fitness circuit. They spoke about allocating funds to a reserve account for a certain project and having the department come before Council for final approval before funds are disbursed. Discussion ensued on resurfacing the pool and sunshades for the pickleball courts at the Arts and Recreation Center,park rangers, the boat ramp fees and LED signs in the downtown area. Development Services Development Services Director Henschel presented the department's budget, noting that the overall amount is lower than last year due to funding that was allocated in the previous year for the comprehensive plan. Discussion ensued regarding the comprehensive plan including when they will present the findings and completion date. Interim City Manager Van Wagner requested directions from the Council on proceeding with the Comprehensive Plan. The council reached a consensus to discontinue working with the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council, allocating $500,000 towards the downtown form- based code and $1.25 million towards the comprehensive plan. Mayor Murry questioned the sign ordinance regarding electronic signs. Development Services Director Henschel stated that the ordinance was recently updated to allow electronic signs, they can only be 25 percent of the total sign. Council Member Howard stated that there is a need to install an electronic sign along State Road • 50.and expressed the importance of adding informational kiosks in the downtown area. Council discussed potential funding sources, suggesting that the electronic sign be funded through the General Fund and the kiosks through the Community Redevelopment Agency. Human Resources Human Resources Director Ohlinger presented the department budget which includes a seven percent increase over last year's budget. Council discussed the cost of insurance for the employees being self-funded and suggested a workshop on the topic. Procurement Procurement Director Suarez presented the budget that included informing Council of the restructuring of the department. Discussion ensued regarding the platform used to announce open bids, as well as the ability for individuals to sign up for notifications from the city when new bid opportunities are released as well as the scoring process. 6 City of Clermont MINUTES CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORKSHOP July 15,2025 Finance Director Borror requested direction from Council on setting a maximum millage rate in preparation for the next Council meeting. He said that the current budget has been drafted at 4.73 mills with the rollback rate being 4.88 mills. Once the maximum millage rate is set, it can be lowered during the budget process but cannot be increased beyond that rate. Council Member Strange said that she wants to see the millage rate at 4.2, she was willing to set the maximum rate at 4.57 mills. Building Services Building Services Director Widican informed Council that her department operates as an enterprise fund, which means that they are self-supporting. The only capital request for the department is the replacement of a vehicle. Council Member Howard suggested spacing out the replacement of vehicles to one per year. Finance Director Borror reviewed the following list of projects that were not included in the current proposed budget and are not funded. 1. Downtown Land Acquisition$3,000,000 2. Downtown Form Based Code$500,000 3. CRA portion of the Citywide Comprehensive Plan $25,000 4. Citywide Comprehensive Plan/Form Based Code $1,250,000 5. Mobile Fore Building$600,000 6. Additional Police Officers $853,914 7. Additional Police Vehicles $540,000 Finance Director Borror stated that items two through four will be included in the updated budget proposal and inquired on how Council wanted to move forward with the other requested items. Consensus was to move forward with the first item from General Fund instead of the Community Redevelopment Agency fund. Council discussed setting the maximum millage rate. The maximum rate they can set with a majority vote would be 4.8291, anything higher would need a super majority. Mayor Murry suggested using the rollback rate of 4.88 mills; however, the consensus was to set the maximum millage rate at 4.7 mills. Council talked about the Clermont Historical Village and the desire to have it open more often. They discussed looking into grant funding,better advertising, and finding more staff or volunteers to help make that happen. 7 City of Clermont MINUTES CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORKSHOP July 15,2025 ADJOURN: With no further comments, this budget workshop adjourned at 4:21 pm. APPROVED: Tim urry, Mayor ATTEST: Tracy Ackroyd Ho e, M C City Clerk ::..1.-1.,,'4,4174:7' f { 7 , , ., .. ‘.. ip,- • 1 ill .� • 8