2016.09.01_TC_Minutes_Workshop TOWN OF HIGHLAND BEACH
MINUTES OF THE TOWN COMMISSION
BUDGET WORKSHOP MEETING
Thursday, September 1, 2016 10:30 AM
Mayor Bernard Featherman called the Budget Workshop Meeting to order in the Town
Commission Chambers at 10:30 AM.
CALL TO ORDER:
Roll Call: Members present: Mayor Bernard Featherman; Vice Mayor William Weitz, Ph.D;
Commissioner Carl Feldman; Commissioner Louis P. Stern; and Commissioner Rhoda
Zelniker. Also present: Town Manager Beverly Brown; Town Clerk Valerie Oakes; Police
Chief Craig Hartmann Finance Director Cale Curtis; Public Works Director Ed Soper; Building
Office Manager Carol Holland; Library Director Lois Albertson and members of the public.
Pledge of Allegiance: The Pledge of Allegiance was given, followed by a minute of silence.
Civility Pledge: The Civility Pledge was recited by the Town Clerk.
1. ADDITIONS,DELETIONS OR ACCEPTANCE OF AGENDA:
Mayor Featherman called for any additions or deletions to the agenda, hearing none the
agenda was accepted as presented.
Item 3B: Commissioner Zelniker asked to have a discussion regarding moving the October
4t'Town Commission Regular Meeting to another date since it is Rosh Hashanah.
Hearing no further additions or deletions, the agenda was accepted as amended.
2. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND REOUESTS:
None were received.
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3. NEW BUSINESS:
A) Discussion on Strategic Plan
High Priority Objectives:
• Public Safety through the license plate recognition:
Town Manager Brown—We are about ready to come to an agreement with the City
of Delray Beach. They will let us install our license plate recognition cameras onto
their server for no cost. That will be done within the next 60 days.
• Water Quality thru replacement of side street water mains:
Town Manager Brown — We have gone out to bid and there will be a pre-bid
meeting next week. We will get the bids in October. It is the same for the Cal Cite
System.
• Emergency Fire Equipment:
Town Manager Brown—We have already signed a contract with the City of Delray
Beach.
• Streetscape:
Town Manager Brown—This item has been put on hold. The Commission removed
the architect from the 2015-2016 budget.
Commissioner Zelniker—I feel the taxpayers of the community would like to have a
Streetscape, and we should go forward with this project. We could have a
referendum with three different projects and have the residents decide.
Commissioner Feldman — Last year we spent over $100,000 to repair our walking
path. I rode with our Utilities Maintenance Superintendent, Bill Moore, and we
found many areas that are in need of repair. It should become a referendum. We
should get three quotes for a concrete walking path, which would last for many years
and could be repaired. If we do have a referendum, it should state what the price
would be. Bill Moore had quotes from last year, and it would cost approximately$1
million to replace the entire walk path. We should also replace the signage at each
end of the town. If necessary, we could use some of the money from the sale of the
Boca Raton property.
Commissioner Stern—This was a project I felt was well deserved years ago. I hope
it is a nice Streetscape, and we might want to consider pavers. We could also open
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Thursday,September 1,2016 Page 3 of 8
up the contest for naming our signs. I am also in favor of putting it on the ballot for
next March.
Vice Mayor Weitz — I do support this. The Town is due for some upgrading. I feel
we should look at other options and not just concrete. There are many issues with
this streetscape, and I feel we are in need of an architect to advise us before we start
looking at contractors.
Mayor Featherman—I am also in support of this.
Town Manager Brown — This is the time that we can add money into the budget to
hire an engineer or an architect to design this. The Commission has to decide if they
want to do a streetscape with lighting or just a walking path. If we want to get a
question on the ballot, we would have to do it by the beginning of December. There
would have to be an ordinance, which would require two hearings. I am asking that
you put in$75,000 to$100,000 in the budget to hire an architect.
Finance Director Curtis —It is obvious that you are all in agreement to do some type
of Streetscape project. My suggestion is that we put some funds in the budget, not
necessarily to hire an architect to design the whole project, but to do a feasibility
analysis of what we can do throughout the Town; what different products and
different lighting we can use. Then we will present you with an alternative and a
menu of options to choose from and a professional opinion on price. At that point
the Commission can then narrow down the different options and present that to
voters on a referendum. If that referendum passes, then we can hire an architect to
design the project.
Public Works Director Soper—Fin. Dir. Curtis is referring to a conceptual plan. The
number in last year's budget was up to $75,000. I would recommend an up to
amount or not to exceed an amount.
Commissioner Feldman—Perhaps the Town Manager or Town Clerk can investigate
what other towns have done. Also, it is important that we find out what the State is
going to do about the drainage, which is a big issue. The criteria for the whole
project is the walkway.
Discussion ensued regarding whether or not the Town should hire an architect and
how much money should be allocated. There was also a discussion as to the type of
streetscape the residents should have and want. PWD Soper — We had obtained
several quotes when this project was first discussed two years ago with many
different ideas. At your request, I can present them to you.
Town Manager Brown — We could issue a task order for the current engineers that
we have on record to tell us what we need and give us the criteria for us to go out to
bid to hire a consultant to come in and actually do it. We do not know specifically
what we want. You can decide what it is you want to put into this streetscape. If we
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issue a task order, we can get a price sometime this month, and we can take it out of
contingency this year and get it rolling in the month of September rather than wait
until October. We have a Special Budget Meeting on September 14`h, and we will
include that on the agenda.
• Enclose Library Terraces:
Town Manager Brown — This project was put on hold. The current staff at the
Library does not feel it is necessary at this time.
Consensus was to remove this item from the Strategic Plan.
• Smart Metering System:
Consensus was to remove this item from the Strategic Plan.
Commission Discussion regarding abovementioned items:
Water Main Project: Commissioner Feldman — Regarding the water main project,
it is my understanding that Utilities Maintenance Supervisor Bill Moore will be
retiring from the Public Works Department, and we will be losing one of our lead
mechanics to facilitate this project.
PWD Soper—We have two other employees, Pat Roman and Geoff Small who are
very familiar with the water system and very capable of doing the job. In addition,
we have Mathews Consulting who is very familiar with our system. They will have
a full time Project Manager on site as well as myself. I am confident the project will
be very successful and go smoothly.
License Plate Recognition Cameras: Commissioner Feldman—Will we be paying
more money to Delray if we are using their server? Police Chief Hartmann—We are
working on that at this time. As far as an ongoing monthly cost, we do not see any
with them. Comm. Feldman — In the evenings we have three officers on duty.
Would this impede us if they are going to be called away constantly to investigate
cars from Delray and cars going through Highland Beach? Will we need more
people on duty in the evening? Chief Hartmann —No, we will not. The concept of
the cameras is to identify vehicles that are coming into your community that are
potential threats to you. You want to be notified when that happens in your
community. Chief Hartmann explained how the cameras would work in order to
alert the Highland Beach police if any vehicles were passing through Town that
could be a potential threat. Comm. Feldman —What is the cost? Chief Hartmann —
When this was first approved, we were around the $70,000 mark. The variables on
that is whether or not cameras are shared and the cost on the installation of poles.
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Lower Priority Objectives:
• Investigate establishing a joint effort with other municipalities to oversee water
way concerns:
This item was removed from the Strategic Plan.
• Purchase property for beach access:
Still ongoing. Possible beach access for police buggy at property across the street
from Town Hall when townhome project is completed.
• Establish Operating Reserve for Water& Sewer Fund:
Fin. Dir. Curtis — The recent rate study we had done recommended we start setting
aside a percentage of the revenues received into a renewal and replacement type of
fund for the water system and the sewer system. They also recommended that we
make an immediate transfer from the Unassigned Fund Balance in each of those
funds to start it off, since we haven't been doing that over the last few years.
• Electronic formatting of records:
Town Manager Brown — This is under the proposed budget. Town Clerk Oakes
explained the scanning project of the Building Department's permit jacket files and
plans, and the amount of time they must be retained in our system.
B) Discussion regarding October 01 Town Commission Regular Meeting
Commissioner Zelniker—The October 4'h Commission meeting falls on the second day
of Rosh Hashanah, and I would ask that we change the date to Wednesday, October 5`h.
Consensus was to change the meeting date to Wednesday,October 5'.
4. UPDATES TO THE PROPOSED 2016-2017 BUDGET:
Finance Director Curtis referred to the Updates to Proposed Budget attached as Exhibit"A".
Fin. Dir. Curtis — In addition to this, I have added some changes to the revenues. The
agreement with Sprint will get us about $40,000 in arrears payments for electricity usage.
This is a one-time payment and will come out next year. The small change in revenues is a
small change due to a law recently passed that the Town can no longer charge a fee to
register contractors. That takes about $2,000 out of the General Fund Budget. The net
effect to the General Fund Budget is that we will have to take $85,000 less from our
Unassigned Fund Balance to balance the budget.
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Commissioner Feldman — I know the stipend has been voted on, but I am going to bring it
up at the next meeting because I found something in the Personnel Rules & Regulations that
we are not complied with. If that is put back in again, would that effect the 3.28? Fin. Dir.
Curtis—No it will not.
5. REVIEW OF 2016-2017 BUDGET BY DEPARTMENT:
A) Protective Inspection(Building Department)—524.000
Finance Director Curtis — In the worksheets I have provided, you will see there is no
funding for training. However, for the full-time Code Enforcement Officer, we have
added$700 for training.
Commissioner Feldman — Under the software for the Building Department, is the
$7,500 a reoccurring cost? Fin. Dir. Curtis—Yes.
B) Sewer Systems Operations—535.000
Finance Director Curtis — The revenue side is a flat rate per residential unit. In our
rate study, we have implemented uniform rate adjustments each year that is based on
the municipal cost index that has a floor of 2.4% and a ceiling of 5%. In October I
will be bringing you a change to our rate fee resolution that will increase the sewer
rates and water system rates by 2.4%. This budget reflects that increase. The largest
portion of the expense side is the contract we have with the City of Delray Beach to
process our waste water. That budget is about$750,000.
C) Contractual Budgets:
a. Fire Rescue—522.000
Finance Director Curtis — This is an at cost contract which we have estimated at
the beginning of the year. We will have an annual true-up by the end of September
of the following year. The budget amount includes the cost of a rescue vehicle and
a fire vehicle. We will not start incurring those costs until the trucks are actually
delivered. Town Manager Brown — The rescue vehicle is going to take nine
months, and the fire truck will take one year.
Commissioner Stern — Have we made a decision as to what we are going to do
with our current vehicle? Fin. Dir. Curtis — We will most likely declare it as
surplus. I will come back to you when the time is right to dispose of it.
Vice Mayor Weitz — If this Town is not in a situation where we are cash strapped,
as an option, I would suggest we donate it to one of the cities or towns that cannot
afford that level of vehicle.
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Thursday,September 1.2016 Page 7 of 8
b. Garbage/Solid Waste—534.000
Finance Director Curtis —This is based on a fee per unit and is increased based on
that contract price, which is about 3% per year and comes each January 151. This
agreement is until 2020.
Finance Director Curtis —At our first Budget Public Hearing on September 14th, I
will have two resolutions. The first resolution will be on the millage rate that you
have tentatively adopted for 3.2816, which is the rolled back rate.
Commissioner Zelniker— Do we have a line item that would cover tuition cost to
an employee who wishes to further their education that would benefit the Town?
Fin. Dir. Curtis —We have an education reimbursement program. The Town has a
program where we would pay up to 50% of the State approved tuition rate.
Commissioner Stern — On the potential full-time Code Enforcement Officer of
$95,000, does that include all benefits, and what about the use of a car? Fin. Dir.
Curtis—I included$4,200 for the lease of a car.
6. COMMISSION BUDGET MEETINGS:
• September 14`h at 5:01 p.m. — 1S1 Budget Public Hearing
• September 27th at 5:01 p.m.—2nd Budget Public Hearing—Set Millage Rate and Adopt
the Budget
7. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND REQUESTS RELATED TO AGENDA ITEMS
DISCUSSED AT MEETING ONLY:
Carl Gehman, 1123 Highland Beach Drive — I think replacing the walking path is a great
idea. I feel the police access to the beach should be for everyone. Town Manager Brown—
It is not a public access. It is private and for the use of the police only. Carl Gehman—Will
the cameras be used for speeding tickets? Town Manager Brown—No they are not.
Edward Neidich, 4740 S. Ocean Blvd. — I am a big supporter of the license recognition
cameras because it would be for the safety and wellbeing of our residents. Are these images
preserved for a certain period of time? Town Manager Brown — The State of Florida has a
requirement. They have to go onto a server for a couple of years. Edward Neidich — I am
also in favor of donating the fire rescue equipment, but I would ask that we make sure we
can lawfully do it since it is taxpayer's money.
Town Manager Brown —We recently hung some pictures in the hallway, and most of them
were pictures taken on the beach from one of the turtle volunteers. I want to thank Eric
Aronowitz from the Police Department for helping me with this display.
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Vice Mayor Weitz - I want to wish our residents, staff and fellow Commissioners a very
safe and enjoyable Labor Day weekend. I would like to extend an invitation to the
Supervisor of Elections, Susan Bucher to visit our Town during an election and see how
many cars are parked in the lot, since she feels parking would be a problem if we have
alternative polling places.
8. ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business to come before the Commission, Mayor Featherman called
for a motion to adjourn the Budget Workshop Meeting at 12:20 PM.
MOTION: Commissioner Zelniker moved to adjourn the Budget Workshop meeting at
12:20 PM. Motion was seconded by Commissioner Stern, which passed unanimously.
APPROVED:
Bernard Featherman, Mayor
William Weitz, Vice Mayor
rLle"-J 0.-.0 --
arl Feld an, ommissioner
Louis tern, "ssioner
oda Zelniker, Co ssioner
ATTEST: e-`t`n. -r?,f
Valerie Oakes, CMC, Town Clerk Date