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07-06-94 v MINUTES OF THE BUDGET WORKSHOP OF ATLANTIC BEACH CITY COMMISSION HELD IN CITY HALL AT 7:30 PM ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 1994 Present: Lyman T. Fletcher, Mayor Steven M. Rosenbloom, Commissioner Suzanne Shaughnessy, Commissioner J. Dezmond Waters, III, Commissioner Robert G. Weiss, Commissioner Also: Kim D. Leinbach, City Manager James R. Jarboe, Deputy City Manager Ann Meuse, Finance Director Maureen King, City Clerk Mayor Fletcher called the meeting to order and invited Finance Director, Ann Meuse, to report. Ms. Meuse reviewed the tentative budget calendar. She indicated the city had received the final taxable value from the Property Appraiser on July 1, indicating a property tax base of $451, 944, 495. She noted the current operating millage was 3. 1721 and debt service millage was . 1055, for a total millage of 3. 2776 for the current year. Based on the current millage rate she felt the city would receive an additional $26, 000. in property tax revenues over the next year. She indicated she expected to receive the estimates of State Revenue allocations on July 15. Ms. Meuse reported department heads had submitted their budgets and she and the City Manager would meet with department heads the following week to discuss their budgets. She would then compile all the information into the budget document for submittal to the City Commission on August 3. Budget workshops would then be held. The City Manager noted that usually three workshops were held, the first for discussions on the general fund, the second for enterprise funds, and the third for personnel and any miscellaneous matters which remained to be completed. He suggested the City Commission may wish to have a workshop which would be dedicated to personnel matters only. Ms. Meuse indicated public hearings had been scheduled but explained the dates were tentative since the public hearings could not be held on the same night as the School Board or City of Jacksonville public hearings. In further discussion the following areas were identified as matters which needed to be considered by the City Commission: privatization of solid waste collection and motor pool, betterments, capital improvement plan, utilization of gas tax revenues, stormwater, computer, and touch pad meters. The question was raised as to whether funds which had been budgeted but not expended, would be returned to the departments and it was explained the city code required that any remaining funds be Page Two Minutes - Budget Workshop July 6, 1994 returned to the general fund. However, the City Manager indicated in an attempt to encourage department heads to conserve funds, he was working on a policy which would allow departments to receive a portion of any funds remaining in their department budgets at the end of the fiscal year. Discussion ensued regarding the extent to which the City Commission should be involved in the details of the various departmental budgets and it was agreed the City Commission should stay out of the details as much as possible. In further discussion the Mayor suggested maintaining the current millage for operations but was in favor of a millage increase, with additional revenues being reserved for the purchase of additional park land. Commissioner Waters noted that Parks & Recreation Director Blanchard had submitted a letter indicating that she would retire on September 30, 1994. He hoped the city could find a replacement who would be involved in a practical manner in providing programs in the parks for children. Commissioner Shaughnessy referred to goals which had been set at earlier goal setting sessions and requested that the old lists be revisited and priorities reassessed. There being no further discussion, the Mayor declared the meeting adjourned at 9:10 PM. C/vLJ Maureen King City Clerk CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH SPECIAL CALLED MEETING 6:00 PM - WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 1994 ADELE GRAGE COMMUNITY CENTER 716 OCEAN BLVD. , ATLANTIC BEACH Call to order 1. Discussion and related action relative to request of Atlantic Beach Experimental Theater (ABET) to renovate the Adele Grage Community Center a. Possible deletion of tiers b. Possible redesign of restrooms to eliminate the portion which protrudes into main room c. Possible redesign to provide that the front portion of the stage could be removed d. Stage lighting e. Possible removal of the old commission dais f. Fire Exits g. Capacity limits established by Fire Marshall 2. Any other business Adjournment MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF ATLANTIC BEACH CITY COMMISSION HELD IN ADELE GRAGE COMMUNITY CENTER, 716 OCEAN BOULEVARD, AT 6:00 PM ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 1994 Present: Lyman T. Fletcher, Mayor Steven M. Rosenbloom, Commissioner Suzanne Shaughnessy, Commissioner J. Dezmond Waters, III, Commissioner Robert G. Weiss, Jr. , Commissioner Also: Kim D. Leinbach, City Manager James R. Jarboe, Deputy City Manager Alan C. Jensen, City Attorney Maureen King, City Clerk Don C. Ford, Building Official Walter Rew, Fire Marshal The meeting was called to order by Mayor Fletcher. 1 . Discussion and related action relative to request of Atlantic Beach Experimental Theater (ABET) to renovate the Adele Grage Community Center The Mayor indicated the decision had already been made to undertake the renovation of the building. He explained this meeting was being held at the Community Center in order to get a more practical view of the various aspects of the work to be undertaken. He confirmed the scheduling of the children' s workshops and ABET performances and requested that the work be scheduled to conflict as little as possible with activities which have already been planned. Discussion then ensued regarding the old Commission dais and it was explained the proposal was to install two risers around the three outside walls and the old dais could be cut down to become part of the risers. Building Official explained that the Southern Building Code required each tier to be 41" wide and along with the required 44" clearance between the stage and the front row of seats, this configuration would eliminate one row of seats and would reduce the capacity of the room to approximately 60 seats. Mayor Fletcher felt the room had historical significance and he wanted to make sure that the renovations would not preclude the use of the room by other groups. Commissioner Weiss felt the seating needed to be at least eighty to make the renovation worth while. Commissioner Weiss moved to approve a fixed stage, no risers for the seating, and aim for approximately 80 seats, and remove old commission dais. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Shaughnessy. Further discussion ensued regarding the risers with various opinions being expressed regarding the importance of the risers to the overall project. The Mayor preferred to preserve the Page Two Minutes - Special Called Meeting July 6, 1994 historical character of the room and indicated his preference would be to undertake the project without the risers but if in a year or so, it was felt the risers were really needed, they could be added at a later time. William I . Gulliford, President of ABET, suggested that in view of the fact that ABET was going to pay for the project, he felt the risers should be included in the project with the provision that if the risers became a problem to the use of the room by other groups, the City Commission could request their removal. Commissioner Rosenbloom supported Mr. Gulliford' s proposal. • Pete Dowling, the contractor working on the project, indicated the risers had been designed in such a way so as to allow the lower riser to be stored under the higher riser when they were not in use. This would provide for the optimum use of floor space by other groups who did not need the risers for seating purposes. Commissioner Shaughnessy indicated she was in favor of the theater and suggested softer lighting and would like the possibility of restoring the old ceiling. However, she expressed some concerns about the risers. Following further discussion, Commissioner Weiss amended his motion to approve installation one row of risers on the three outer walls, and the installation of a fixed stage, provided the room can accommodate eighty seats. In further discussion Cindy Corey pointed out the Recreation Advisory Committee had recommended the installation of one riser. Beth Robertson felt the risers could be used as seating for some of the children' s workshops. In further discussion regarding the second riser, Carson Merry Baillie indicated she had discussed the design of the second riser with Pete Dowling and she felt the city would be happy with the appearance. The Mayor then appointed a committee of Commissioners Shaughnessy, Weiss, and Rosenbloom and delegated to them the authority and responsibility of making decisions as the work progressed. The Mayor then called for the vote and the motion carried unanimously. Discussion then ensued relative to the restrooms and the Mayor moved to reconfigure the restrooms to eliminate any protrusion into the main room. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Rosenbloom and following brief discussion, the motion carried unanimously. The Mayor indicated he would like the lighting control box to be such that it could be removed after performances and Pete Dowling indicated that if lights were of a plug-in variety, removal after Page Three Minutes - Special Called Meeting July 6, 1994 performances would not be a problem. The Commission agreed with this concept and the committee will monitor this aspect of construction. Brief discussion ensued regarding the new exit and it was agreed it would be necessary to construct a sidewalk to connect to the street or the existing sidewalk. The committee was also asked to look further into the possibility of removing the drop ceiling and restoring the original ceiling in the main room. There being no further business to come before the City Commission, the Mayor declared the meeting adjourned. / Lyman T. Fletcher Mayor/Presiding Officer ATTES T: Maur en King City Clerk