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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_Workshop_01/05/2017 MINUTES VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA WORKSHOP January 5, 2017 CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. A roll call was taken by Assistant to the Village Clerk, Mary Ann Grieser. Present were: Mayor Abby Brennan, Vice Mayor Vince Arena, Council Member Steve Okun, Council Member Tom Paterno and Council Member Frank D'Ambra. 1. Discussion on Appointment of an Infrastructure Surtax Citizen Oversight Committee Village Attorney Keith Davis reminded Council that the one percent infrastructure surtax was approved by voters and effective January 1, 2017. As a result, the Village was required to create or join a citizen's oversight committee that would review expenditures to ensure they were made in accordance with Council's wishes. The committee, comprised of Village citizens, would receive no compensation, would meet once per month, report once per year to Council and was subject to the Sunshine and Records laws. Three options were available: assign duties to the existing planning and zoning department, form a new committee, or join the committee that was being formed by the League of Cities. The committee needed formation prior to spending any money. Council Member Paterno asked for specifics on how the money was allowed to be spent. Attorney Davis gave examples of roads, parks, lighting, sidewalks and public areas. He noted that it could not be used towards the water department. Council Member Paterno asked the other council members if they already had ideas on how they wanted to spend the funds. Vice Mayor Arena suggested that they accomplish a few small projects while saving some aside for larger projects later. Village Manager Michael Couzzo advised that staff was putting together a list and culling it down in order to present it to the Council for their decision. Mayor Brennan wished to move on putting plans for spending in place sooner rather than later, and stated that although staff input was appreciated, how the money was spent was ultimately the Council's decision. Council Member Paterno recommended waiting six months prior to spending anything and when it came time to spend, put the money toward things they might not normally have spent it on. Council Member D'Ambra agreed, but added that though a project may be routine in nature, it may be greatly needed. Therefore, he suggested projects should be viewed with their level of urgency in mind. Mayor Brennan agreed that a six-month time frame made sense. Council Member Okun asked that Council not be too rigid with the tax money and put it into a project that taxpayers could visually recognize. Council Member Paterno also suggested that Council not spend the tax money on a project that carried hefty long-term expenses. Village Councii Workshop Minutes , _ � January 5, 2017 � . Page 2 _. . � Mayor�Brennan asked. Manager.Couzzo to put list together so that CounciF was,able to. . . plan. Manager Couzzo offered the suggestion_ that the money simply be placed in#o road improvements. Council Member Patemo asked Attorney Davis if the funds could �be spent . � on. the acquisition: of.parks, Attomey Davis read the� definition within the statute and: . . determined that purchasing a park was within the paramefers. Council Membe� D'Ambra. recommerided. that� .the existing planning antl zoning board take on the .additional . responsibility �of acting as the required Citizens; O.versiglit Committee: - Attorney Davis remindetl �Council �that the committee .would. have to meet, .every month as per .the: requirements. .� ._ . - � - -� - - � - - 2. ��Discussion on the Federal Highway Administration Workshop Mayor. �Brennan revealed that Tequesta :was chosen' by tlie , Federal . Highway �Administration,� as one of thr.ee locations within_ the state .to host a full=day workshop. The workshop would include meetings; lunch_at a local restaurant�and then time in�the feld on � US High:way One .�:The workshop would be paid for �by,. the Treasure Coasf: Regional � Planning Council and it was proposed for February 3�, 2017. Mayor, Brennan .eoncluded that. Council would� be invited to attend as it would be beneficial to :learn about.the "road diet" or narrowing of�roadway, being proposed.� "� - 3: .D.iscussion on Potential Future Annexation Council Member Okun proposed iiiscussion regarding the annexation of several enclaves . located in the area as referenced in a included in the agenda backup. He mentioned .. _ that recent legi.slation had influencedthe`reezamination" of�fhis.topic: Manager ,Couzzo: :. remarked� that he .had spoken to Attorney Davis and Ms. Nilsa Zacarias, Director of � � Community bevelopment, after reviewing the updated legislation. � He.pointed out that the. Anchorage Point enclave. met the definition and parameters of the annexation as outlined . by the legislature: �Manager� Couzzo further explained . that the legislature would like to see enclaves absorbed� into municipalities to avoid some of the problems of service delivery that they have experienced. He explained that the county currently provided a , contract with the Village of Tequesta for f re services. Manager Couzzo observed that this could be an opportunity.to address the inadequacies °within the current system. The . properties within the enclaves would be charged a rate based upon the�property value. Manager.Couzzo 6elieved fhe enclaves existed today because of an oversite made many years- ago. .He further emphasized that -Anchorage Point would be -phase one, in �the process of moving towards annexation. He cemarked that the Village could square off the fragmented bountlaries and offer services thaf the enclave needed. In turn, the enclave would provide the re�enue to offset those additional costs. Council Member Arena asked if the fire contract would be affected. Manager Couzzo revealed that the contract would be reduced because the number of homes serviced would have decreased.. He further informed Council; that the process as set up by the legislature, could be expedited through an inter-local agreement with fhe counfy. This would eliminate a.referendum .or vote. However, in an effort #o be fair and transparent, � Village Council Workshop Minutes . January 5, 2017� � Page 3 � - Manager Couzzo�.proposed ha�ing� informal meetings and workshops to educate the residents that would be. affected. He further suggested that Council seek support from � the people who had.written fhe legislation, both at the state. and local level. Council Member.Paterno inquired�as to. how the fire contract was configured: _ Manager Couzzo statetl. that he would have to go back antl look at the contract, but felt it.was not - based upon property.value: Vice Mayor Arena it was important to be aware of�the. monetary component involved with bringing some of. the_ enclaves_ up to� Village of Tequesta standards, in relation to drainage and roads. � Manager Couzzo recommended a. staff assessment to determine the costs. He reiterated that Anchorage Point was the most'logical example that.fit the intent of the legislation. . Council Member D'Ambra.suggested the revenue :from the annexed a�eas be set aside -to , �be implemented .for any improvements for those areas. He reminded Council that Anchorage�Point was an area that had been examined previously and, it was understood. that the residents in .this area .had.the capacity to strongly. challenge the annexation.. He wondered. if it would be advisable to.begin the process with an enclave where the tax increase would be:minimal .to tlie affected� residents, prompting them to be more. receptive to the annexafion: He felf a more. strategic approach might�bring a successful outcome. Attorney�Davis agreed that Anchorage Point was a textbook example and needed to be addressed at some .point in .the process: Council � Member D'Ambra maintained that the only question he.-had.was the order in which. the enclaves would be proposetl for annexa#ion and understood_that Anchorage Point was indubitably part of the process: Ms. Zacarias.pointed out fhat there were only three areas on the map handout that could be de�ned as true enclaves. She continued to reveaf that an enclave�was defined as an area having access� only through the use of roads belonging to another municipality. Manager Couzzo reaffirmed that it was the right thing to do based upon the intent. of the. recent legislation. � Council Member. D'Ambra asked if Council was confident that the.County Commissioners � would be supportive of the annexation... Council Member Paterno wondered if Commissioner Valache would be �available to have a conve�sation regarding the issue of . annexation. Manager Couzzo �felt that it-was a county wide issue-and there would not be much reason to deny the application. � Council Member_ Paterno opined�that there were potentially 1�0 areas on the map which � � could. be considered enclaves. Ms. Zacarias reiterated the point that there were many pocket areas but` there were only three areas that fully met the definition of "enclave�, � because .the.y could only be accessed through the utilization of the Village of Tequesta �oads. Council Member Paterno suggested taking over the portion of County Line Road that was governed by Palm Beach County. Village Council Workshop Minutes January 5, 2017 Page 4 Ms. Zacarias informed Council that the Palm Beach County planning staff asked that the Village send a letter to each property owner indicating the date of the Village Council Hearing to approve a resolution. Manager Couzzo advised Council to think about how they would like to proceed before meeting again. Mayor Brennan felt that it would be difFcult for the County Commissioners to deny the application, based on the recent legislation. She did recommend reaching out to local and state representatives to discuss the topic before action was taken. Council discussed the northern boundary of County Line Road in relation to where the Village of Tequesta boundary was located. It was decided that more research was warranted. Council Member D'Ambra reiterated that meeting with county representatives was a good first step. Mayor Brennan suggested bringing the topic back to another workshop before it proceeded to a Council Meeting. She felt that there was a lot going on with the US One project and was not sure this was an imminent project. Manager Couzzo questioned Council as to who would be the representative when meeting with Commissioner Valache. It was decided that Council Member D'Ambra would be the Council representative, when the time was right. ADJOURNMENT: Council Member Okun moved to adjourn the meeting; seconded by Vice Mayor Arena. The motion to adjourn carried unanimously 5-0; therefore, the meeting was adjourned at 7:35 p.m. Respectfully submitted, � �. � 1 c�.J�� Lori McWilliams, MMC 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.