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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_Workshop_02/06/1991VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA BUILDING DEPARTMENT Post Office Box 3273 • 357 Tequesta Drive Tequesta, Florida 33469-0273 • (407) 575-6220 FAX: (407) 575-6203 V I L L A G E O F T E Q II E S T A V I L LAG E C O U N C I L W O R K S H O P M E E T I N G M I N U T E S F E B R U A R Y 6, 1 9 9 1 I. The Tequesta Village Council held a Village Council Workshop meeting at the Village Hall, 357 Tequesta Drive, Tequesta, Florida, on Wednesday, February 6, 1991. The meeting was called to order at 5:30 P.M. by Mayor Joseph N. Capretta. A roll call was taken by the Recording Secretary, Fran Bitters. Councilmembers present were: Mayor Joseph N. Capretta, Vice Mayor Ron T. Mackail, Earl L. Collings, William E. Burckart and Edward Howell. Village Officials present were: Village Manager, Thomas G. Bradford; and Wendy Harrison, Assistant to Village Manager. II. REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF NORTH COUNTY (TEQUESTA) LIBRARY SITE OPTIONS Dr. Stanley Jacobs suggested that Council not give away Village property (i.e., the land adjacent to the Village Hall). He felt if that site was chosen for the proposed Library, it might give the impression that the Village is abandoning the Master Plan. He reminded Council that the Library would not be for the use of Tequesta citizens only, but also for the use of Jupiter, Martin County, etc. and should be placed at a site that would serve all users well. Bill Sharpless, Vice President and Director of the Tequesta Country Club Community Association. He reported the Board voted in favor of the Old Dixie site for the Library for the following reasons: 1) the availability of the property of the Dorner Estate against the express, possible alternate uses of the Village property and the wisdom of the Village to reserve their own property for other future uses and needs of the Village; 2) the traffic use which the Library would have to the Tequesta Drive property and the Village Hall complex. Many parents expressed a refusal to let their children ride their bikes from the Country Club to the Library, no matter which location was chosen. village Council Workshop Meeting Minutes February 6, 1991 Page 2 ------------------------------- Village Manager Bradford gave an update of the status of the proposed Library. Palm Beach County has a $70M estimated budget shortfall. Because of this estimated shortfall, Jerry Brownlee, Director of the Palm Beach County Library System, has been instructed to review and provide ways and means of altering the Library Building Expansion Program so the future operational costs to the Library System would be reduced. One of those options would be the merger of the Tequesta and Jupiter Branches to save future operation expenses. There may be a chance that Tequesta might lose the Library. There will, however, be a workshop meeting of the County Commission on March 5, 1991 at 3:00 p.m. at the Government Center in West Palm Beach, to discuss the Library proposals. Mr. Bradford urged all citizens interested in expressing their concerns relative to the Library to attend that meeting and voice those concerns. Jerry Brownlee stated there were other factors considered in the alternatives that were presented to the Board of County Commissioners: 1) the question has been raised several times as to whether the community would better be served by a single larger facility that would have a broader range of programs and more diverse collection as opposed to two smaller facilities; 2) the proposed Jupiter Branch would be three times the size of the Jupiter and Tequesta facilities combined. Mayor Capretta asked Mr. Brownlee where the monies came from for the proposed Libraries. Mr. Brownlee answered the monies were received as a result of a Referendum passed in 1986. Mayor Capretta asked if the County Commissioners feel they can now ignore the results of that Referendum since there is presently a Budget "squeeze". Mr. Brownlee explained a five- year period of time has passed since then, this is now a different situation, and it is the Commission's decision, and the appropriate thing for the Village to do would be to present their input at the Workshop to take place on March 5. Village Manager Bradford suggested the Village take the message to the County Commission that i) Tequesta wants the Library on its side of the River; and 2) Tequesta is willing to do whatever it takes to stabilize operating expenses. Village Council Workshop Meeting Minutes February 6, 1991 Page 3 Stuart sandow, President of the Library Foundation, and serves on the Budget Oversight Task Force for Palm Beach County. The oldest Branch in the 20-year old Library System is in Tequesta. In its entire history it has only registered 9100 different cardholders, with over 380,000 cardholders in the entire County. Tequesta's claims to get 1/10 of all the Branches is tough to defend when they are less than 2$ of all the cardholders. Circulation from the Tequesta Branch is less than 10, 000 books per year, compared with 2.8 million per year being circulated system wide, making it .3$ of the action throughout the County. Mayor Capretta pointed out there is a very poor supply of books at the Tequesta Branch to take out, thereby limiting action, and that one would have to be desperate for knowledge to go there. Mayor Capretta suggested that concerned citizens get organized and arrange for a bus to go from Tequesta to the Commissioner's Workshop Meeting, with speakers prepared to present Tequesta's position regarding the Library, and he would be willing to donate the first $100 to rent the bus and get the thing started. Marsha Neilson, Tequesta Representative to the Library Board, reminded those in attendance that if Tequesta considered opting out of the County Library System, they would lose a lot of nice "perks". Vice Mayor Mackail pointed out that the shortfall the County is experiencing is only the tip of the iceberg - the same will happen in local governments and at the federal government level. Harold Hutchinson suggested that the Village be certain of which site will be chosen for the Library before the Commissioner's Workshop takes place so that the people will not only have direction but will be speaking with one voice. Richard Berube suggested solving long-range problems: 1) the Master Plan is only on paper - not really a legitimate plan, so there is really no promise that anything will ever be built there; 2) there is enough room next to the Village Hall for the Library, plus anything else the Village could want to put there; 3) the land is paid for already; 4) Old Dixie Highway will be a multiple-lane highway with a 17-lane intersection; 5) how many citizens were involved in creating the Master Plan - is it truly a reflection of the citizens' views? village Council Workshop Meeting Minutes February 6, 1991 Page 4 ------------------------------- Mayor Capretta explained that the Village is very close to completing Step 1 of the Master Plan, which is to get the landowners to join with Northern Palm Beach County Water Control District to complete the infrastructure (i.e., solve a drainage problem, put a main road down the middle and one across, sewers, drainage ponds, etc.) in the Master Plan area. He also pointed out that Gary Van Brock has proposed to put in over 300 residential units behind the new K-Mart Plaza, and that that area will be residential. XI. ADJOURNMENT Councilmember Collings moved to adjourn the meeting. Vice Mayor Mackail seconded the motion. The vote was: Mayor Capretta - for vice Mayor Mackail - for Earl Collings - for William Burokart - for Edward Howell - for the motion was therefore passed and adopted and the meeting was adjourned at 7:10 P.M. Respectfully submitted, /~L~ Fran Bitters Recording Secretary ATT • , Bill C. ascavelis Finance Director/Village Clerk DATE APPROVED: