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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_Workshop_01/29/2018 MINUTES VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA WORKSHOP January 29, 2018 i�� "-s � 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 Frank D'Ambra, Council Member Vince Arena, Council Member Steve Okun, and Council Member Tom Paterno. 2. Discuss the Police Department Pension Plan Mayor Brennan asked Council to move item number two, Discuss the Police Department Pension Plan, to an Executive Session, immediately following tonight's Workshop. Council Member Paterno was opposed to having an Executive Session and felt the matter should be discussed at the Workshop and not behind closed doors. Vice Mayor D'Ambra suggested the discussion take place in two parts, to satisfy all of Council. Village Attorney Keith Davis explained that State Statute indicated discussions "relative to collective bargaining" were able to be closed and exempt. It was agreed that item number two would be moved to item number one on the Workshop Meeting agenda. Vice Mayor D'Ambra felt it was time to address the issue of defined benefits for police as he felt it was an equity issue. Council Member Okun revealed that he believed that retention within the Police Department was an issue due to the lack of a pension. Council Member Arena felt that he would like to bring up the topic after the Council elections in March, in order to have a set Council in place for discussions. Council Member Paterno added that he would like to discuss the subject in an open forum and that he had never heard of a recruitment problem in the Police Department before today. He reminded Council of several budget considerations coming up and felt the facts and actuaries should be presented before going behind closed doors. Actuaries were then discussed and explained in depth. It was a Consensus of Council to continue the discussion in an Executive Session, after the meeting. 3. Update on Code Compliance Mayor Brennan asked Council if they would move item number three to the next item so that staff would be able to be present. Council agreed to discussing code compliance next. Mr. Jose Rodriguez, Building Director and Mr. Joe Petrick, Code Enforcement officer were invited to speak to Council. Mr. Rodriguez informed Council that this month there had been 17 "courtesy notices" issued and 21 new code cases, in addition to the nine cases slated for the Special Magistrate. Council Member Paterno asked what the definition of "screened" was as it applied to boat storage. Mr. Rodriguez stated that the Village Council Workshop Minutes January 29, 2018 house next door was not a viable screen, nor was a chain link fence. Mr. Petrick revealed that there were different requirements for boats, depending on how long the boat had been there. According to the latest ordinance, the entire hull of any boat must be screened. Council Member Paterno stated that he had sent pictures to Mr. Rodriguez and Mr. Petrick and there were still many boats that were in violation. Mr. Petrick explained that every time a code enforcement case was opened the property appraisers page was used as verification. Council Member Paterno felt that there were many violations within the Village that were not being addressed. Attorney Davis revealed that an order finding violation was needed in order to be considered a "repeat violator". The Village issued a courtesy notice but was not required to do so. Another issue was that if the owners resided out of state, the Village had to allow ample time for them to receive the notification. Council Member Arena explained to Council that residents needed to know how the process worked. He asked that Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. Petrick and Attorney Davis create a written solution to present to Council at the next Workshop Meeting. 1. Discuss Revisions to Proposed Tree Removal Ordinance (Ordinance 3-18) following First Reading. Attorney Davis reminded Council of the Banyan Tree issue from last year and recalled that Council had asked for a revision of the broad language reflected in the first draft of the ordinance. He asked Council for direction and offered some suggestions after speaking with Ms. Nilsa Zacarias, Community Development Director. He suggested requiring a survey only when the property line was unclear, and asked Council for clarification on tree size. Council Member Arena had concerns regarding possible requirements on survey, historical trees, tree sales, number of trees required by code, trimming trees, etc. Manager Couzzo agreed that the ordinance could be worded less rigorously. Ms. Nilsa Zacarias, felt the Village should promote the addition of trees in certain areas to protect the character of the area. Council directed Attorney Davis to develop language that would require a permit(no charge) and would also give Community Development the option of requiring a survey, if boundary lines were unclear. 4. Discuss Extending the Allowable Area for Golf Carts to the RR Tracks on Tequesta Drive Council Member Arena asked for clarification on the reason golf carts were not allowed east of the Tequesta Drive Bridge. It was determined that many years ago golf carts were allowed due to the convenience of residents traveling to and from the Tequesta Country Club. Acting Chief McGrew advised that the current minimum age for operating a golf cart was 16 years old. Attorney Davis informed Council that an analysis was required by law as a first step in the process of allowing golf carts east of the bridge. Council asked Manager Couzzo to research the topic further. Village Council Workshop Minutes January 29, 2018 5. Discuss Department Heads/Senior Managers —Vacation Leave Adjustment Ms. Merlene Reid, Assistant Village Manager/Human Resources Director asked Council to consider changing the vacation policy for Department Heads whereas an extra week would be added between employment years finro and four. Currently the Village vacation policy stated that personnel that have been with the Village under five years receive two weeks of vacation time. Council Member Paterno pointed out that Department Heads currently receive six personal days in addition to vacation time. It was a Consensus of Council to bring the item forward to a Regular Council Meeting. 6. Discuss Appointment of Canvassing Board Member for the March 2018 Municipal Elections as per Resolution 53-17 Attorney Davis revealed that in the case of a run off, one of three eligible Council Members would need to be present at the Supervisor of Elections office to participate in the process. Council Member Paterno volunteered to fill the position. 7. Discuss Futures Request to Change Section 78-4(2) — Definition of Rehabilitation Facility Mayor Brennan invited Mr. Michael Halloway, President of GMH Ventures, owner of Futures of Palm Beach, to introduce his colleagues. Mr. Halloway introduced: Ms. Valerie Jackson, CEO of Futures, Mr. Drew D'Alessandro, Director of Operations, and Mr. Eloy Beck, of Infinity Billing Systems. Mr. Halloway reminded Council that Futures had opened its doors in 2012 as a cash only business and had come back to Council in 2014 for permission to accept"out of network" benefits for health insurance. He relayed to Council that the industry had seen a shift towards insurance companies forcing providers to become "in network", thus causing a huge stress on his business. Currently, the language in the Village ordinance did not allow Futures to accept HMO or PPO policies that were considered in nefinrork. Council Member Paterno and Council Member D'Ambra both acknowledged that they had spoken to Mr. Halloway earlier in the week. Council expressed their concern upon learning that "detoxification" was occurring at Futures, as the Village had been clear in prior communications, that detoxification using prescription drugs was not permissible at the facility, per the original agreement. Mayor Brennan recalled that in earlier meetings Dr. Warden had promised Council that the only form of "detox" to be used was to be cognitive and behavioral therapies. She was concerned that the original business model would no longer be accurate, because insurance would ultimately dictate the clientele, pricing, length of stay, and type of treatment. Mayor Brennan felt that the original plan would be abandoned if the Village changed the protections that residents had asked for years ago. Village Council Workshop Minutes January 29, 2018 Mr. Halloway reaffirmed that the changes Futures was asking for were based upon the facility surviving, and that he wanted to preserve the high standards that they always had maintained. Council Member Paterno cited his surprise at the fact that "detoxification" was occurring at the facility presently. He believed the agreement did not allow the detoxification process to occur on site, now or ever. Mayor Brennan added that DCF (Department of Children and Families) Guidelines were different from the Village agreement, which she was obligated to uphold. She understood the environment had changed, however the residents were clear on what they were willing to accept. Council Member D'Ambra explained that his concern was the possibility that patients would be signed up as in nefinrork and as such would change the caliber of clientele. He wondered if they would still be able to deliver better outcomes as compared to other facilities, as previously claimed. A major concern was the likelihood of relapse and/or behavioral issues that could follow a change from the original model. Mr. Halloway revealed that there was no interest in selling the facility, but instead in keeping the 120 employees working as well as helping people recover from addiction. Attorney Davis reminded Council that there was not an agreement on the line, but rather an ordinance which changed the mixed use zoning use. Mayor Brennan asked for some time so that Council could discuss and work on the issue. Mr. Halloway asked for a decision sooner rather than later so that he could make some important business decisions. ADJOURNMENT: Council Member Okun moved to adjourn the meeting; seconded by Vice Mayor D'Ambra. The motion to adjourn carried unanimously 5-0; therefore, the meeting was adjourned at 8:47 p.m. PENDING TASKS: Boat violation language that will assist in enforcement. Asked Joe, Jose, ttorney Davis Dennis and Attorne Davis to et to ether on this Less a ressive wordin , no char e ermit, etc. for tree ordinance ttorne Davis Golf Cart streets and sidewalk anal sis ana er Couzzo Vacation olic chan e brou ht to Council erlene Reid Respectfully submitted, Village Council Workshop Minutes January 29, 2018 ��: ���.�.�.a,-- 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.