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Home My WebLink AboutMinutes_Miscellaneous_10/06/1993_Public Safety Committee TE v' fs� VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA ; , , Post Office Box 3273 • 357 Tequesta Drive a Tequesta, Florida 33469-0273 •(407) 575-6200 ' " � Q Fax: (407) 575-6203 a o � 4 ��N coUN� V I L L A G E O F T E Q U E S T A P U B L I C S A F E T Y C O M M I T T E E M E E T I N G M I N U T E S O C T O B E R 6, 1 9 9 3 I. The Tequesta Public Safety Committee held a regularly scheduled meeting at the Villac�e Hall at 357 Tequesta Drive, Tequesta, Florida, on Wednesday, October 6, 1993. The meeting was called to order at 9:00 A.M. by Chairman Joseph N. Capretta, with Co-Chairman Ron T. Mackail in attendance. Also in attendance were Village Manager, Thomas G. Bradford; Village Clerk Joann Manganiello; Police Chief Carl Roderick, Code Enforcement Board Chairman Paul Brienza, Code Enforcement Officer Steven Kennedy, and Clerk of the Code Enforcement Board Scott Ladd. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Co-Chairman Mackail asked to add under ANY OTHER MATTERS a discussion on annexation. The Agenda was approved as amended. III. REVIEW OF CODE ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES OF TEQUESTA IN ORDER TO ENHANCE THE SAME. Code Enforcement Board Chairman Paul Brienza stated that though 90% of the violators of Village Codes come into compliance before coming before the Code Enforcement Board (CEB), there is still that small percentage of hard-core and repeat offenders who have fines which continue to accumulate. It is the Code Enforcement Board's recommendation that the Village Council should take steps to go onto the property, do the work that is needed to bring the property into compliance, and placing the charges in a lien against the property. Mr. Brienza also stated that the CEB recommends to the Village Council that the Ordinance 429 process of 15 days be speeded up to better handle the harder cases. Present cases which are problems consist of properties with accumulated dead plant life, uncut grass, and structural problems and pool problems. Recycled Paper Public safety Committee Meeting Minutes October 6, 1993 Page 2 ------------------------------- Chairman Capretta agreed that a presently pending case which has high court costs probably would have been a far less expensive case if the Village had gone onto the property in the early stages of its violation to bring it back into compliance. Discussions took place regarding who should be given the authority to make the decision for the Village to go onto a property which is in violation, in order to bring it into compliance. Co-Chairman Mackail reminded the Committee that a Palm Beach County Judge recently implied that the Village of Tequesta should be enforcing their own Codes, as opposed to bringing before the Court. Mr. Mackail agreed that the Village should enforce its own Codes when it is within the guidelines to do so. The CEO explained that there are two different processes for violations: 1) Ordinance 429, Section 10-19 = This would end up before the CEB only after the property owner has received the Notice of Violation and has requested a Hearing before the CEB in order to appeal the Notice of Violation. If the property owner did not request a Hearing and did not comply within 15 days, according to Ordinance 429, the Village can go onto the property to bring it into compliance. Village Manager Bradford stated that a Code amendment may be necessary since the whole implication of Section 10-19 is a process that begins before going to the CEB. Tf legal action has already started under the CEB process, there may be a potential problem of double jeopardy by then implementing the Section 10-19 process. Chairman Capretta was concerned about the legal ramifications of a property owner not being made clearly aware that his property could be foreclosed upon if liens against it rose to a substantial sum. CEB Chairman Brienza suggested that informing mortgage holders of liens against a property may bring faster resolution of the difficulty. Co-Chairman Mackail felt that amending the Code to cover all legal liability of the Village would be the better solution and that the enforcing bodies of the Village and the Homeowners Associations should unify. Public Safety Committee Meetinq Minutes October 6, 1993 Page 3 ------------------------------- Chairman Capretta stated also that since Tequesta Code Enforcement activity is appearing as editorials in local papers, it would be wise for the Village to submit accurate numbers to be published regarding the number of violations, the number of fines made and collected, etc. The Committee recommended that Village Staff consider changing Section 10-19 adding a provision whereby the Village is required to notify the mo�tgage holder regarding liens against the property. The Code Enforcement Officer will make the determination whether to go onto tha property to bring it into compliance. If the property owner continues to refuse to comply and liens against the property begin to accumulate, the next step would be to come before the Code Enforcement Board. Village Staff will consult with the Village Attorney regarding the legal rami�ications of this route. 1. The Village Manager will consult with the Village Attorney regarding implementing the procedure of notification (preferably by the Village Attorney) to be sent to the mortgage holder; 2. Get Village Attorney's opinion on reducing the time period of Section 10-19 to ten days or less; and whether Section 10-19 is intended for cases that first come before the Code Enforcement Board; 3. A rebuttal Letter to the Editor regarding Tequesta Code Enforcement activity; 4. Recommend to the Village Council to take a different approach to violations whereby the Code Enforcement Officer uses, in applicable cases, the provisions of Section 10-19 first before going before the Code Enforcement Board. Tf this Section 10-19 procedure does not work, the case will then come before the Code Enforcement Board for processing. 5. Review the Rita Walters case with the Village Attorney. Chairman Capretta stated that it is important to relate to the Village Council that today's meeting is a discussion regarding a change in process, which is a serious matter. He also suggested that the Walters property be video-taped in its present violation condition. Public Safety Committee Meetinq Minutes October 6, 1993 Paqe 4 ------------------------------- IV. REVIEW OF PLAN FOR ADDRESSING PATROL OFFICER MANPOWER NEEDS OF THE VILLAGE Police Chief Carl Roderick informed the Committee that the Police force is down three officers who are out on Workmen's Compensation. One officer was in a traffic accident, hit by a drunk driver, is in need of surgery, and may return to work in 3-4 weeks; another officer has been out since February, 1993; and another has been out since March, 1993. One of these officers has had four back operations and is readying for a fifth from an on-the-job injury. The other officer has had a neck operation (bone fusion). It is possible that these last two officers may not be able to return to work at all. One officer who resigned from the force has been replaced with a part-time reserve officer. There is one more reserve officer who is well qualified, and it is desired to bring that officer on full-time to alleviate the under-manned police force, with the understanding that if the other two officers do return to work, the inducted reserve officer would be laid off. The present understaffed force is suffering morale problems and fatigue because of the double shifts everyone must work. Bringing a reserve officer on full-time would help to alleviate the problem for the present time. The Committee recommended that the reserve officer be placed as full-time staff, and that the Police Chief search for three or four more reserve officers. V. ANY OTHER MATTERS o Annexation: Co-Chairman Mackail suggested that since Tequesta is now a full-service municipality, it is imperative to address annexation. Chairman Capretta agreed, stating that a pert chart of all potential areas be created, selecting pockets of 200 residents or less, showing the advantages and disadvantages of annexing specific areas. Village Manager Bradford stated that marketing the annexation program will be a very important factor. Village Manager Bradford gave a'thumbnail' sketch of those areas which are pro-annexation and those which are con-annexation. Public Safety Committee Meeting Minutes October 6, 1993 Page 5 ------------------------------- The Committee recommended that, by assuming there will be a Referendum in March 1994, collect all data for developing an annexation strategy, annexation strategy be assessed, representatives to promote annexation be appointed, a marketing program developed, and meetings held with all those to be annexed. o Village Manager Bradford mentioned that Martin County plans to rebuild Island Way Bridge, increasing the size, which will direct more traffic down Country Club Drive. VI. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Committee, the meeting was adjourned at 11:15 A.M. Respectfully submitted, �_� �� Fran Bitters , Recording Secretary -'` °'+.,? �J`� �Y>.' v S � '' o' � °S7 �.. L i,� �:� � •:3,: '��' .��._; . 'Z� — � �' ��, J �,�,�' _ �`° ,� .; . � � ATTEST: �l _ J ann Manganie o Village Clerk DATE APPROVED: ��-�,�,,,,�,�e� / � , / 9 9 3