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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_Special Meeting_12/15/1994VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA Post Office Box 3273 357 Tequesta Drive Tequesta, Florida 33469-0273 (407) 575-6200 Fax: (407) 575-6203 VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA VILLAGE COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES DECEMBER 15, 1994 I. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL The Tequesta Village Council held a Workshop Meeting at the Village Hall, 357 Tequesta Drive, Tequesta, Florida, on Thursday, December 15, 1994. The meeting was called to order at 4:30 P.M. by Mayor Ron T. Mackail. A roll call was taken by Betty Laur, Recording Secretary. Councilmembers present were: Mayor Ron T. Mackail, Vice Mayor William E. Burckart, Elizabeth A. Schauer, Earl L. Collings and Joseph N. Capretta. Also in attendance were: Village Manager Thomas G. Bradford, Village Clerk Joann Manganiello, Attorney Tracey Biagiotti sitting in for village Attorney John C. Randolph, and Department Heads. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Councilmember Collings requested Agenda Item III, Consideration of Financing Plan for Proposed Annexation Areas A - E Capital Improvements and Equipment, be changed to Agenda Item VI. Vice 1Kayor Burckart moved to approve the Agenda as amended. Councilmember Schauer seconded the motion. The vote on the motion was: Ron T. Mackail - for William E. Burckart - for Elizabeth A. Schauer - for 8ar1 L. Collings - for Joseph N. Capretta - for The motion was therefore passed and adopted and the Agenda was approved as amended. IV. REVIEW OF COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS FOR PROPOSED ANNEXATION AREAS A - E, INCLIISIVE, AND VARIATIONS THEREOF. (Steven A. Kennedy, Deputy Building Official) Kvnirlni! Pnnnr Village Council Meeting Minutes December 15, 1994 Page 2 Deputy Building Official Kennedy reviewed a spreadsheet which showed projected millage rates under 32 different combinations of annexed areas; explained that the current 6.128 millage rate would drop to 4.1259 if all five areas were annexed; and that in all cases except two there would be a positive impact with decreased millage rates; however, if only area D or if only areas D and B were annexed the millage rate would increase. Deputy Building Official Kennedy identified the proposed annexation areas as follows: Area A Scrimshaw on the Bay Broadview Condominium Sandpointe Bay Jupiter Heights Seawatch at Jupiter Island The Passages Condominium Landfall Condominium Ocean Sound Condominium Beach Sound Condominium Claridge Jupiter Island Unplatted lands Area B Waterway Village County Park Area C Anchorage Point Jupiter Manors Area D North River Plantation Jupiter Ridge Windmere Height River Crest Windswept Pines River Pines Riverside on the Loxahatchee Riverside Pines Jupiter Manors Bermuda Terrace Unplatted lands Area E Jupiter Cresta Jupiter Cresta Unit Two Tequesta Village Condominium _.:~. Tequesta Hills Condominium Village Council Meeting Minutes December 15, 1994 Page 3 Cypress Manor Unplatted lots Village Manager Bradford responded to a request by Councilmember Collings by explaining that the concept of annexation allowed under Florida Statutes consisted of two options whereby municipalities could bring areas external to their boundaries within their jurisdictions. One option was voluntary and the other involuntary. The involuntary option was the one being considered at this meeting, whereby both the people in the area proposed for annexation and the people within the current boundaries of the municipality were allowed to vote whether to annex or not to annex into the corporate limits. The theory of annexation was that economies of scale could be arrived at, squaring off boundaries and have a unified whole for a community as opposed to a hodgepodge boundary system with resulting enclaves and inefficiencies in delivery of urban services. In response to questions regarding services and benefits, Village Manager Bradford responded that current property taxes paid by Tequesta residents were approximately $600 per $100,000 assessed value for which they receive full municipal services, including fire rescue, police, and all ancillary municipal services. The unincorporated areas proposed for annexation receive law enforcement services from Palm Beach County Sheriff's Department with a response time of 5 to 45 minutes depending upon the case load of the Sheriff's Department at the time, and fire rescue services provided by Palm Beach County Fire Rescue which has a millage rate of approximately 2.55 mills. The County's targeted fire rescue emergency response time was given as 5 minutes, compared to the Tequesta Police emergency response average or 1.5 minutes, and the emergency response average of 3.5 n areas chose to annex, Tequesta resi would decrease by approximately one-t] the newly annexed areas would beg services at a rate of only approxima $100,000 of assessed value, since the to pay the 2.55 mills for Palm Bear services. Tequesta's Fire Rescue advanced equipment for emergency n currently used by Palm Beach County. questioned whether Palm Beach County a ladder high enough to reach the top Pequesta Fire Rescue inutes. If all five 3ents' property taxes gird, and the people in Ln to pay for urban tely $155 to $160 per would no longer have :h County Fire Rescue services include more edical services than Councilmember Schauer lire Rescue would have floor of condominiums Village Council Meeting Minutes December 15, 1994 Page 4 in Areas A and B in case of fire and was told that equipment would have to be sent by the County from Juno Beach. Councilmember Capretta discussed response times on an individual basis by explaining that for approximately 45 cents per .day Tequesta EMS services could be provided with advanced medical equipment and response times that would save lives as opposed to the possibility of a response time so long that death could occur before a County EMS unit could respond. He suggested that the annexation idea be sold by how the individual would be affected rather than discussing millage rates which were hard to understand. Mayor Mackail proposed that the target area to be marketed should be all five areas, and marketing should be able to demonstrate to a resident all of the services provided by the Village as well as the Village track record of being very financially responsible. Councilmember Capretta gave the reasons that Tequesta was able to provide such good response times and better service as efficiency, equipment, training of employees, and a small geographical area to cover, while the County Sheriff's department has a larger area to cover. Mayor Mackail explained that since Tequesta's police department had set up two coverage zones that response times could be kept low no matter where the call originated. Councilmember Capretta stated that only annexing part of the five areas needed to be discussed. Deputy Building Official Kennedy responded that annexing only Area D would cause an increase in taxes because the additional personnel and police cars which would be needed to serve that area would be equivalent to the amount of personnel and equipment that could serve all five areas. Councilmember Capretta suggested that in order to make money that the other four areas should be annexed without Area D, however Area D was desirable since it was the heart of the city. Helen Kaufter, Bermuda Terrace, stated she lived in Area D, and questioned whether the millage rates quoted included the increased manpower for police and firemen, to which councilmembers responded that those amounts had been factored into the millage rates. Ms. Kaufter responded to Mayor Mackail that a recent Palm Beach County response time had been 30 minutes, however that was not an emergency call. Village Council 14eeting Minutes December 15, 1994 Page 5 ------------------------------- Police Chief Roderick explained that the Tequesta emergency response of 1-1/2 minutes and non-emergency response of 3- 1/2 minutes was achieved by dividing the Village into two zones and if the five areas were annexed it would probably be divided into three zones. He commented that the bike patrol was to begin the next day with a single officer and that pairs of officers would be used in the bike patrol as soon as possible. Councilmember Capretta commented Tequesta had always employed more police than necessary in order to keep response times low so that lives could be saved, and in the face of growing crime would continue to do so in order to keep Tequesta a safe place to live. James Phelps, Sandpoint Bay Condominium, Area A, stated the Council would have to sell unincorporated area residents to voluntarily come into the Village by telling them what the Village would give them, since from what he had heard it appeared Tequesta would benefit more than the unincorporated areas. Mayor Mackail assured Mr. Phelps that all additional manpower and equipment had already been included in the estimated 45~ per day, and that the improvements that would be needed to some roads and drainage would be borne by the Village. Mr. Phelps commented that information should be spelled out in writing. In response to Mr. Phelps concern regarding water rates, Village Manager Bradford explained that an ordinance now under consideration would raise unincorporated area rate surcharges to 25~; however, if those areas became annexed their rates would drop 25$. Vice Mayor Burckart reported an incident in Anchorage Point where people had approached a home via water, and the County's response to the 911 call took 45 minutes. In the meantime he called the Tequesta police who responded in less than a minute and apprehended the people. The Vice Mayor also pointed out that not only did the Tequesta Fire Department have a ladder truck to respond to condominium emergencies within minutes as opposed to 15 or 20 minutes from Juno Beach; but that Tequesta's response would also include a 12-wire defibulator which would allow transmission of a patient's condition directly to the hospital so that medication would be waiting upon arrival. Mr. Phelps agreed that those services were worth more than 45G per day and urged the Village Council to put that information,•with a time limit, into writing in their marketing efforts. Village Council Meeting Minutes December 15, 1994 Page 6 ----------------- Roland Rainville, Jupiter Heights, questioned how regulations regarding boats, etc., would be handled in the annexed areas. Village Manager Bradford responded that according to the law, an annexed area would continue to operate under County regulations until Tequesta's Village Council chose to change the land use which applied to that area, and that zoning regulations could be adopted that would be what the majority of the people in that area would want. Mr. Rainville expressed his satisfaction with the County's ambulance response. Ms. Kaufter questioned whether a mutual aid agreement existed with Palm Beach County Sheriff's department and Chief Roderick responded that mutual aid agreements had been formed with other municipalities but the County had not participated. Vice Mayor Burckart left the meeting at 5:22 P.M. ~~ ~~~ Deputy Building Official Kennedy addressed improvements that would be made to annexed areas, stating that the Village would be required to bring any existing infrastructure up to Village current standards. Water service would need to be made available to approximately 40 of the homes in Jupiter Heights Subdivision in Area A at an estimated cost of $45,000, and along Pine Tree Drive in Area D at a cost of $26,000; as well as improving Pine Tree Drive from dirt to asphalt and adding drainage, for a cost of $205,000. The private roads and drainage infrastructure in Waterway Village could be dedicated to the Village, which would necessitate a $20,000 cost for drainage improvements. Councilmember Capretta suggested a marketing strategy for Waterway Village to compare private road assessment costs against the 45~ per day cost which would be paid for services should they annex. Councilmember Schauer requested backup information for the water system. A) DIRECTION REGARDING SIMULTANEOUS ANNEXATION OF ALL FIVE (5) AREAS A-B-C-D-E Village Manager Bradford explained that if all five areas were placed on the ballot, passed on first reading, and then went to referendum, and that fewer than all five voted to come into the Village that the Village could not change its position. Village Manager Bradford pointed out that growth coming to Northern Palm Beach County Village Council Meeting Minutes December 15, 1994 Page 7 -------------------------- would mean more calls for service by the Police Department, so that Tequesta should consider expansion of its Police Department in the future whether these areas annexed or not; and that it would cost less to expand the Police Department if only Area D annexed than to do it without any annexation. Councilmember Collings complimented staff on their examination of the 32 different possible combinations and the costs involved; and suggested that their next step should be to determine specifically what each of those areas are paying in different kinds of casts and what benefits Tequesta could provide for them on a specific basis. Village Manager Bradford explained that staff had access to any costs that were a matter of public record, and could try to find out costs such as assessments being paid to an association. Councilmember Collings pointed out that insurance costs might be reduced by becoming a part of a full-service municipality. Mayor Mackail summarized what residents of the proposed areas would want to know and what staff should be prepared to answer in informational meetings prior to the referendum: 1) What are they paying today 2) What are the benefits they are paying for today 3) What is their average response time 4) What are the future benefits 5) What will their costs be if they are within the Village the next day Councilmember Capretta suggested that five different programs would need to be developed, localized for each area. A gentleman from the audience asked how the 45~ per day figure had been arrived at, to which Mr. Capretta responded he had only estimated it; the exact figure was then calculated based on $133.33 per year per $100,000 property valuation and found to be 44~ per day. Roland Rainville, Jupiter Heights, questioned whether annexed areas now on wells would be required to connect to the Village water system. Water Department Director Tom Hall explained that the service would be available but residents would not be required to connect to it. III. Councilmember Collings stated he felt this would be an Village Council Meeting Minutes December 15, 1994 Page 8 appropriate time to consider Item III, which had been wooed to Itew VI on the agenda. CONSIDERATION OF FINANCING PLAN FOR PROPOSED ANNEXATION AREAS A - E CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND EQUIPMENT. Bill C. Kascavelis, Director of Finance (Staff recommends approval) Finance Director Kascavelis reported that with all five areas annexed, a net loss of approximately $48,000 would be experienced during the first year since property taxes would not yet have been collected, however, the chart he had provided showed that in general annexation would be profitable and favorable for the Village. Mr. Kascavelis expressed his opinion that all five areas should be annexed into the Village. In response to a question by Village Manager Bradford, Mr. Kascavelis explained that he was suggesting that when annexed residents desired to hook up to the Tequesta water system that they be able to pay the approximately $1250.00 connection fee in a series of installment payments. In response to Ms. Kaufter, councilmembers responded that expansion of the police and fire-rescue departments were a necessity whether annexation took place or not. V. CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSAL FOR MARKETING AND CREATIVE SERVICES (PUBLIC INFORMATION PLAN) FOR THE PROPOSED VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA ANNEXATION BY JACK LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, INC., PALM CITY, FLORIDA, IN THE AMOUNT OF $15,000, EXCLUSIVE OF OUT-OF-POCKET SERVICES, AS NOTED HEREIN, TO BE PAID FOR WITH FUNDS FROM THE UNDESIGNATED FUND BALANCE OF THE GENERAL FUND. Joann Manganiello, Assistant to the Village Manager/Village Clerk (Staff recommends approval) Village Clerk Manganiello explained that one of the major elements of the annexation effort for the Village would be development and execution of a public information plan to communicate the benefits of annexation to the Tequesta residents and to the residents of the unincorporated areas with the perception that it would be a win/win situation. Village Clerk Manganiello commented that Mr. Lewis was very well qualified in strategic planning and creative marketing skills, with an impressive list of clients; and that he would be able to start work immediately since time was of the essence. Total out-of-pocket costs were estimated at ' approximately $5,000. Village Clerk Manganiello responded Village Council rieeting Minutes December 15, 1994 Page 9 to Councilmember Capretta that a corporate marketing consultant had been chosen over a political consultant since a public information program was desired; and that Jupiter had annexed areas and handled the marketing in-house, however they had had time to educate the people, which Tequesta did not have. Ms. Manganiello expressed her opinion that if approval to proceed was not granted at tonight's meeting that she believed there would not be sufficient time to sell the concept of annexation properly and effectively to be successful at the March 14 referendum. Further discussion encompassed some of the marketing ideas presented by Mr. Lewis; proposed nine to twelve public information meetings during the month of February grouped by needs and interests of particular people; and suggested briefings for local newspaper reporters. Councilmember Schauer moved to approve the proposal for marketing and creative services (Public Information Plan) for the proposed Village of Tequesta annexation by Jack Lewis & Associates, Inc., in the amount of $15,000 plus additional out-of-pocket funds for printing and marketing. Councilmember Capretta seconded the motion. The vote on the motion was: Ron T. Mackail - for Elizabeth A. Schauer - for Earl L. Collings - for Joseph N. Capretta - for The motion was therefore passed and adopted. VI. RESOLUTION NO. 6-94/95 - A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA URBAN SERVICES REPORT, REFERENCED HEREIN, WHICH REPORT SETS FORTH PLANS TO PROVIDE URBAN SERVICES TO AREAS PROPOSED TO BE ANNEXED TO THE VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA, AND AUTHORIZING THE TRANSlYIITTAL OF A COPY OF THE REPORT TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA. Attorney Tracey Biagiotti read Resolution No. 6-94/95 by title only. In response to Councilmember Collings, Village Manager Bradford responded that this would begin the formal process of notifying the Board of County Commissioners. Village Clerk Manganiello clarified that the urban services report ~" as written included all five of the proposed areas, A - E, Village Council Meeting Minutes December 15, 1994 Page 10 and was assured that it was Council's intent to include all five areas in a simultaneous annexation. Councilmember Capretta stressed that it was up to Council and staff to explain the product to Mr. Lewis and that it must be localized to each area, explaining that early on both Council and staff must make contacts in each of the five areas to obtain information, to be aware of issues and to be able to formulate answers. Mayor Mackail stated that department heads should attend all of the public information meetings to answer any questions that Council could not answer. Councilmember Collings moved approval of Resolution 6-94/95. Councilmember Schauer seconded the motion. The vote on the motion was: Ron T. Mackail - for Elizabeth A. Schauer - for Earl L. Collings - for Joseph N. Capretta - for The motion was therefore passed and adopted. VII. ANY OTHER MATTERS VIII. COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS Mr. John Cunningham, Shay Place, asked what the procedure would be for the annexed areas after they had voted to be annexed and Tequesta had voted to accept them. Village Manager Bradford responded that they were then in the Village. Mr. Cunningham questioned why property would not be surveyed, since people within Shay Place had been required to have surveys to change from a private road to public roads. Village Manager Bradford explained that the circumstances were different for annexation. Mayor Mackail suggested Mr. Cunningham contact the Village Manager for further explanation. Councilmembers responded to Ms. Kaufter that the millage rates quoted earlier did include all costs involved including capital improvements. VI. ADJOURNMENT Councilmember Collings moved that the meeting be adjourned. Village Council Meeting irlinutes ~.- December 15, 1994 Page 11 ------------------------------- Councilmember Schauer seconded the motion. The vote on the motion was: Ron T. Iriackail - for Elizabeth A. Schauer - for Earl L. Collings - for Joseph N. Capretta - for The motion was therefore passed and adopted and the meeting was adjourned at 6:17 P.M. Respectfully submit ed, Betty La r Recording Secretary ATTEST: Joann Manganiello Village Clerk DATE APPROVED: ~,i~9s_ ~~