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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_Workshop_11/12/2009MINUTES VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA WORKSHOP MINUTES NOVEMBER 12, 2009 CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order by Mayor Pat Watkins at 5:35 p.m. A roll call was taken by Village Clerk's Assistant Deanna Mayo. Present were: Mayor Pat Watkins, Vice-Mayor Tom Paterno, Council Member Vince Arena, Council Member Jim Humpage, and Council Member Calvin Turnquest. Also in attendance were: Village Manager Michael R. Couzzo Jr., Village Attorney Keith Davis, Village Clerk's Assistant Deanna Mayo, and Department Heads. 1. Discussion on Smoke Signals Council Member Arena offered his idea to bring back Smoke Signals with a map insert showing business locations. The project would go to bid, and the businesses would pay for the insert. Council Member Arena also suggested the maps be placed on busses, and businesses have copies to give to their customers. Mayor Watkins asked Council to first consider whether they wanted to bring back hard copy Smoke Signals, and then consider the map. An option mentioned was to have Smoke Signals hand delivered by high school students performing community service or by the Boy Scouts. Human Resources Director Merlene Reid verified that printing cost approximately $4,000 minimum quarterly plus $800 for mailing; only email cost $350. 25% could be saved annually by only publishing every four months. Consensus was to bring back hard copy Smoke Signals and to discuss ideas at the next workshop. Dottie Campbell cautioned the Village must handle the businesses very carefully to keep it fair for all. Mrs. Campbell was opposed to coupons in a paper placed in a public place, and including business not within Tequesta corporate limits. She suggested a committee to get all the facts together, and volunteered to be on the committee. 2. Discussion on Paradise Park Council Member Arena suggested adding doggie bags, which sponsors could pay for. If picnic tables were added he would like to have them under an open sided structure that could be disassembled and would go back to the Village if the park were ever sold. The Mayor reported a resident wanted to donate a bench. The Village Manager indicated there were currently no rules and regulations against dogs in Paradise Park. Dottie Campbell advised there would be liability with a doggie park. Consensus of Council agreed to place a doggie bag station on the east side that was low profile. Minutes -Workshop 11/12/09 Page 2 3. Discussion on Unincorporated Palm Beach County Adjacent Property Vice Mayor Paterno reported there were two options-one to square off by annexing unincorporated packets; however, the League of Cities would not support that. The second choice would be to pass a law to reduce taxes for residents who belonged to an incorporated city; any duplication of services would be deducted from county taxes. Village Attorney White indicated she would help with the second choice by structuring something to be considered at State level. Consensus of Council was in favor of the second choice. 4. Discussion on Tequesta Park Council Member Arena suggested forming a committee to look at low-cost improvements to Tequesta Park, and gave several examples using community service to implement them. He requested $25,000 annually for improvements, to be approved before spending the money. Community Development Director Catherine Harding reported it would cost approximately $52,000 to bring the buildings at Tequesta Park up to code, and there was currently enough money to do that. Mayor Watkins reported the Girl Scouts and Kiwanis Club were interested in contributing. Jupiter High School Agriculture Department might also be interested in doing something. Residents had complained ticks were very bad. There was a request to resurface the tennis court. Vice Mayor Paterno suggested encouraging Jupiter to allow sports teams to use the park, and to assist in restoring the natural area. Council consensus was to use up the money on hand for the improvements plus resurfacing the basketball courts, to use the fenced area for a doggie park, and to approve the committee to look at low-cost improvements for next budget year. 5. Any Other Matters Village Manager Couzzo announced the date for the reception and pre-construction bridge meeting, and he was still awaiting the additional costs from the engineers incurred when the bridge project went from being a Tequesta project to the State's involvement. That afternoon he received a contract which included additional costs the Village was responsible for totaling $490,000 for construction, engineering and inspection services; however, if the project were finished 3 months early about $200,000 could be saved in contractor incentives. Vice Mayor Paterno indicated he was not happy and did not agree with the $490,000+ figure, which was approximately $140,000 more than originally estimated. The Vice Mayor commented he was livid that the engineering contract was $225,000; adding $490,000 made it up to $725,000, plus another $105,000 the engineers thought they were owed, making the potential total $800,000+ for engineering on a bridge costing $2.4 million. Vice Mayor Paterno commented there might even be additional engineering services. Vice Mayor Paterno advised he had taken it upon himself in a meeting with the contractor to ask them to start November 18 instead of waiting to December 18. Mayor Watkins asked that in the meeting with everyone present they be asked how the $490,000 came about. Upon motion by Vice Mayor Paterno, seconded by Council Member Humpage, and unanimously carried, the meeting was adjourned at 7:00 p.m. Minutes -Workshop 11/12/09 Page 3 Respectfully submitted, Deanna Mayo Assistant to the Village Clerk Note: These summary minutes are prepared in compliance with 286.011 F.S. and are not verbatim transcripts of the meeting. A verbatim audio record is available from the Office of the Village Clerk. All referenced attachments are on file in the Village Clerk's office.