##VIDEO ID:WbHoTpCzymI## okay Welcome to our special city council meeting on this Monday August 26 2024 um sorry Welcome to our council meeting in the interest of time efficiency and ensuring that everyone who wishes to address the council is given the opportunity to do so the following will apply all comments made by the public each speaker shall be allotted 3 minutes to address the council unless such time is extended by the mayor or questions from City Council group shall designate a spokesperson to avoid repetition of comments every effort will be made to avoid interrupting speakers thank you for participating in your city government with that I'll call this meeting to order please stand for a momentary moment of silence and then the pledge of Alle okay of Al to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for it stands one nation indivisible withy and justice for all Madame clerk will you please call the role mayor Blackwell Deputy Mayor Mai council member sorry council member Urban here council member Gilbert here U council member Fletcher here just to uh note if you haven't already uh recognized the deputy mayor is with us via telephone so we do have her with us as well and as for purposes of the record just to make sure there's a physical Quorum of three present in the room which is which is what enables Deputy Mayor methi to appear of telephonically okay and um city manager do we have any agenda updates none at this time okay we have no presentations at this meeting this brings us to the citizens Forum any person who desires to comment on any item not on this agenda has provided this opportunity to address the city council each person is requested to complete a signin form to be provided to the presiding officer prior to or as soon as practical thereafter the person addresses the council would anybody like to speak in the citizens form if not we'll move on to the consent agenda there are no items on the consent agenda for today's special council meeting that'll bring us to the public hearing uh section there are also no public hearings at this time that'll bring us to council action uh m Madam clerk will you please read item one and the record resolution number 2024-the for the purchase of approximately 10.5 Acres of certain improved real property located at 3101 Progress Lane for the purchase price of $6,800 th000 from grh performance stcloud LLC and performance chap Charter School St Cloud LLC for public safety building department and other public purposes and authorizing the mayor and or city manager to perform all acts necessary and appropriate to close on the property as provided herein good afternoon Deputy Mayor and councel Jason Miller fire chief here presenting resolution 2024 148 R for the purchase of 3101 Progress Lane um as you know this is a 10.5 acre property site it's located at NTI and buinger the seller agreed with the city's offer of 6.8 million for the purchase of this building purchasing this problem or this building allows us to resolve some problems um this will allow us to have a new fire administration building relatively quickly as opposed to waiting for the construction time it also allows us to have our own a entity away from the public safety complex um initially the plan was to house fire station 32 in the main big building however after reviewing the site more and looking at some options um in a little bit of a difference from the staff report that was presented to you there's another building on site that would be more cost beneficial um both in the short and long term as far as some remodeling costs we'd save um ultimately we'd move our Logistics building there in addition to fire admin so we would have a all of our support functions Under One Roof which would be nice it' be a first time um some of these cost-saving Ventures would be the remodel um of fire station current fire station 32 into a logistics building we'll be saving that money there um 2027 CIP which was for a new fire administration at 12,000 Square ft at that point we estimated it would be 7.2 million so we're already money ahead there not to mention the logistics building at 3 million um in 20129 now mind you those are based off of today's construction price estimates not what they would be in 2027 or 2029 other costs eliminated would be the mold remediation necessary at fire station 32 um as you know recently we had to do an emergency move of that station not so much because it was a health hazard but more so because the contractor couldn't have our firefighters in the building while he was doing the remediation um in addition for when we were building fire station 32 there would be some um parking issues some crew issues as far as how many personnel we could staff out of fire station 32 and then also we'd have to move the logistics facility alog together because they would lose access to that building during the construction of fire station 32 um this part is courtesy of our finance director because he knows the money side a lot better than I do um it would be a debt using the fgfc loan estimated 400 to 500,000 annual repayment using fire impact fees and 120 funds cost will need will need to include the renovations for the very uses staff recommends approval of the purchase of the property at 3101 Progress Lane for 6.8 million and I'm here if you have any questions thank you um one minute uh Mr miseris did you have a comment just a one quick comment so point out the the agreement that was actually signed by the seller which is an an option agreement that the city council was being asked to accept tonight include was there was one minor change to it the minor change was to include the total amount of square foot of the structures on there which is 62,6 180 Square ft uh and to identify it's the two buildings that the fire chief referred to and then also there's four mod modal buildings three of which are about 11 a half thousand square feet each and then one of them is about 3,200 square ft so that the the minor chain the agreement that's in front of you includes the reference to those modular buildings in that square footage thank you member Gilbert uh council member together for saying 62,000 Square ft so you're looking at about a buck 10 a foot something close to that yeah that's that's pretty amazing in today's uh Market that's exactly what we said yeah I I I just that that's not including the land or land usage uh fire station 32 would that be eliminated no sir uh we would still move forward with the hard construction starting later this year um once we get a see more on board and awarding that this would be a more temporary home for them until that construction process is complete up to about two years so they move over then they would move into their new facility along with you know the tower truck would move over and everything would move over at that point this is just the St a better stop Gap than their current location because that building actually needs some Renovations where they're at now yeah the u u plug and play in this building where where there's going to be some Renovations needed but it's pretty solid I think you've viewed it we we have viewed it um the bones are great the interior um by and large there you know um according to the building department we'll be able to remove some walls to create some large storage space for our Logistics people um we'll actually have to put some walls in to create some more office space uh but by and large for the price you just you can't beat it I mean um we're talking less than what I would surmise is half the price of what our future fire admin would be and that would take the other two off the board the U uh the 7.2 million and the other so corre 27 to 29 would be off the board at that correct so just looking at at the numbers we originally had planned on about 10 million for these these two projects and we're looking at pulling it off for about 6.8 plus roughly 1.2 for renovations yeah I I think it's a brilliant find so I Yi yield back Mr mener did you have I had one more point I forgot to mention so just want to make sure you clearly understand there's only one in addition to the normal title work that you deal with when you're doing with the closing the only other real contingency on this is that is is the city is going to get an appraisal done uh to see if the property gets appraised is at the value that we're talking we're confident it does uh but that's the only contingency in it so if that appraisal comes back uh make showing that this is a good value we'll move ahead with closing if it doesn't then we're hoping to coordinate it so we would you would see this back at your September 1 meeting in September to decide whether the council wants to move forward with it based on the appraisal so that's the only contingency council member Fletcher um I just want to say outstanding job absolutely outstanding um you know you you recognize that there was an opportunity for the city to save money and All City departments work together to be able to close it in a relatively um fast amount of time um this is obviously the first step but I know with the growth of the city both the you know that puts pressure on both the fire services and police services um and both Chiefs are working um diligently to address those um the the growth that we have and I couldn't be um more happy so thank you very much thank you Deputy Mayor meeni did you have any questions or comments on the film I didn't I I uh just Echo uh the sentiments I think great job yeah I would Echo that as well I I um uh think this is a this is great obviously we we prioritize and and value Public Safety here in the city of St Cloud and I think this is a uh a great step forward for that so so thank you all do I have a uh oh I'm sorry um would anybody in the audience like to speak to this item if not any further discussion or a motion by the council motion to approve second we have a motion from council member Fletcher and a second from council member Gilbert uh Madame clerk will you please call the role council member Gilbert I council member Fletcher hi Deputy Mayor maeni I council member Urban I mayor Blackwell motion carries 4 Z and I thank you very much thank you the next item on the agenda is Council action number two Madame cleric will you please read that into the record resolution number 2024-25 r a resolution of the city council of the city of St Cloud Florida amending resolution number 2024-25 order to increase the authorized borrowing amount to a supplemented the description of project A-1 and providing an effective date Jeff Cooper Finance director uh as mentioned so this uh increases the amount of the previous resolution which was for the 17 street ball fields for 10 million this is to add up to an additional 9 million we don't plan on taking that much um but it will give us the funding not only for the purchase of the land and the buildings but also for any potential renovation cost that we need for that um as of this morning the interest rate on this was less than 4% 3.95 and some change so that's really good um and eventually this will be rolled into the bigger bond which will be coming to you on September the 12th um that includes Public Safety complex Hopkins Park and two fire stations and then so this is interim financing lgfc is Florida government financing commission and basically U their interim financing they're not meant to be long-term financing but the bond will actually be 20 years we're we're not going out Beyond 20 years because that's the extent of our 1% fund until it gets reapproved hopefully down the road but we don't want to um since that's our qualifying source is the 1% fund um we are going to repay these with Parks impact fees fire impact fees and police impact fees where they're available and we determine that you know that's the best move at the time so it may vary from year to year um staff recommendation is approval and we're requ requesting that city council action also be approval thank you Council Gilbert uh this bridge loan how long is the existence does it um we we have it set up as fiveyear it's got a up to fiveyear balloon payment but again the bond um resolution actually says in it that as soon as we take the bond we repay this as part of that so we're going to be asking you for approval of the bond resolution but we're not actually going to take the funding until the need presents itself the longer we wait we've actually benefited by that already the rates have come down so the the initial estimate for our bond payment was somewhere in the neighborhood of $5 million per year for um what was 77.7 million now bounce up to 90 million and the total payment has not changed because the interest rate is less approximate of course I'm sorry I forgot this part would anybody in the audience like to speak to council action item number two if not do I have any further discussion or a motion by the council motion to approve I have a motion from council member Fletcher do I have a second I guess I will second uh motion from council member Fletcher second from myself Madam clerk will you please call the role council member Fletcher hi Deputy Mayor maeni I council member Urban hi council member Gilbert I mayor Blackwell motion carries 4 Z thank you very much thank you thank you scoop Mr M menzer do you have anything for us I do not sir M Miller do you have anything for us I do not thank you Mr Fletcher do you have anything for us Mr Gilbert nope I have a a couple of quick items um first uh the paddle boat that's uh by the lakeef front I've um spoken to the the captain over there I've always looked at this item as a Economic Development matter I think this brings uh a lot of potential to our city um he um most if not all the boats I I believe at the marina they they have power um the the boat requires power he's been running off of a generator and he's working on wanting to get power uh over to that boat it's a pretty significant cost to him um I just wanted to know if there's any um appetite or any discussion that could be had on the council on how we can work with him to help provide Power to that area at the lakefront I think it um Not only would would benefit uh this gentleman for economic development matters to our city but uh for anything and U any future endeavors that our city has um have a city manager do you have any comments thank you I just wanted to clarify the cost um that um um to install the breaker run conduit and wiring install a new panel in the new rack um install the outlets and submetering material labor permitting and inspection we got two quotes um from our uh vendors that we have on continuing Services um one was for 20 sorry 20 more expensive one was for 2,280 um the lower was $7,810 um separately the city is moving forward with also um doing some electrical work out there um we want to install 10 new LED ballards with lights um that are controlled by a photo cell on a dedicated circuit so we're going to be installing a breaker rening conduit and wiring for that at the same time and that is $950 just wanted to clarify the work that's going to be done and that second work is um we're doing it regardless in order to uh for the safety of the pedestrians that are getting on on and off the boat council member Gilbert yeah uh city manager with with that being said did if we combine both of those would we have a a discount more of a discount that we could uh pass on to the uh U paddle boo folks if we had all that work done combined by the same contractor we could ask um they were expecting to do the work at the same time I think they just broke out the proposal into two separate proposals so that we could invoice um the Captain i' would like to ask uh if you could give we could give direction to some kind of payment plan for for this uh for this work for the U Captain uh and the reason why is we are putting lights we are investing our own time it is uh becoming uh quite the uh attraction for the city of St Cloud um I know that they had a bus load of folks come in to utilize that boat but they're dropped off at downtown St Cloud and got to spend the money with the vendors uh in Main Street so that's a good U I think Business Partnership so if I could give direction to figure out how we can make it less uh painful and more palatable for it for this vendor that has the boat I you back council member feter um yeah I agree with everything that's that's been said um I did want to add so so when we put the bards in will it include a paved walkway to the boat no um are we able to do that as well so I'm not sure what the path is to the ballards but I do believe that currently he's operating kind of on our storm water pond so that's why instead we had previously stabilized the pathway using Limestone Lim Rock okay um yeah that's AIO do we need to give direction to staff on I think we were going to ask for Direction so Mr uran are you is the ask from the from the paddleboat operator for the city to contribute towards the cost of the electricity well um so I because I think the city's already worked towards providing information about how it can get done and has agreed to pay for a portion of it but I guess I guess R you need to know what they what what the ask is Right sort of to council member uh Gilbert's Point um I would just like to see the city work with uh the operator to um see one if we can combine everything together maybe that uh do it all at once and see if that reduces some of the cost and um uh you know whatever the obviously whatever the council thinks but um uh I think uh you know maybe we can look at um any Economic Development incentives that that the city has or any way that we can um help make that c a little more palatable to to the operator since he does bring a lot of lot of visitors to our city but uh of course I'm just just one person so sorry um so what you're you're asking so because I believe the I asked for the city manager to send me um over um options and the the work for the electrical and the work for the ballards is done by the same company and I think we'll be done at the same time right um so if the overall cost is 17 plus plus the nine 9,000 the the city's making um that contribution um to the site so so you're asking if there's anything that we can can do and then we kind of gave direction for maybe payments added to the franchise agreement and you're asking if there's something that we could add so that that that cost comes down um you know I I think if it's added to his agreement I I the the the Ballard installation that the $9,000 I think that's a significant contribution from the city but it does beautify our our Lakefront area um I just think um regardless of um whatever is worked out I think um he needs to move forward with getting power to that area sooner than later so I don't know if we can go ahead and direct staff to move forward with that and and negotiate uh with him on I'm so sorry to inter so I had previously spoke before his immediate crisis that happened with the generator this weekend we had previously discussed um adding adding a monthly payment to the franchise agreement to cover the electrical costs and at the time he was okay with that and I had spoken with Mr maneras about making that future Amendment to the to the franchise agreement but but I do think right now time is the bigger issue for him so I think there's two different items here you know first does the council want to direct we have the money available right now in the Parks and Recreation budget I don't have an economic incentive budget um for something like this so we could move forward this and and authorize them to move forward with the work as soon as possible and then work on an agreement that's at a risk to the city um or we wait and and try to get an agreement on the September meeting and he'll have to find a generator in the meantime um or the if the city council wants to to reduce the amount that he has to pay I think that was one of the items that um Mr Urban spoke with me about earlier today so I just need direction uh Mr Miser so I just generally speaking there's enough safeguards in that agreement so if you were to direct the city manager to proceed with the electricity get the contract out there and start and if we couldn't ultimately enter into an agreement with the operator with regard to Future monthly payments then I think there's enough safeguards in that agreement that uh the city could you know negotiate to get that 10 G I don't think I don't think the city's going to be at risk remember even for as best as I can tell you even for a $177,000 out of pocket the investment by the operator is so much that and he's so reliant on the city for that agreement to do what he does he eventually is going to have to work with the city otherwise he's going to lose a lot more than 177,000 is if that makes sense to you what I'm saying so so I don't think I think you could direct the city manager to start forward and let us negotiate with the operator on something that would be in payments just to get the power up and running as quickly as possible and remember the issue with the ballards and the lights was more of a safety issue and a risk management issue for that that reduces the city's liability so there is a there is a significant amount of um uh of a need for that especially as we we get into when the Sun starts going down a little sooner you want to make sure that that's in place okay and this electrical will be permanent anyway so we'll have it from now to the Future till the next riverbat comes in the third and fourth so it'll be a permit fixture correct yes is it it's got to be 220 is that's what I'm thinking uh 3 a 120 really okay wow I'd be happy to pass I I just I thought with that big of a generator and that big of a boat you that use three phas 220 but you if it's if it's only 20 that's great that's plug in 120/240 V service with a 2in directional bore and two SL o big old acronym conductors from the OU utility Transformer um installing a 125 amp singlephase 12 circuit panel with bypass meter at a ticket booth to be mounted on 6 in concrete pole rack per s sidewalk install 50 amp 30 amp RV outlets and two 120 20 amp GFI outlets to be mounted on electrical rack gotcha thank you um my recommendation would be to move forward with this in direct staff to negotiate uh this into his agreement um as far as um his contribution um I don't know if there's any more specific recommendation you need but um yeah I I agree with that so so he would be responsible for the 17,000 split into payments on the franchise agreement the city will absorb the 9,000 for the for the lighted um Ballers or whatever bolsters um and then of course time is of the essence so if if parks and R could kind of priority on that so he can operate I second that that's three thank you um one more item I'm so sorry to to to keep this going but we don't get to uh get get together as often anymore so um I I know we've got um a big item coming up on the mobility fees The Joint Mobility fees with uh with aola County um I still have some pretty significant concerns particularly on the commercial end of things as a city that is so bedroom heavy uh I I think one of the the the the issues that I have with this study is that it doesn't account the fact that we need more commercial we need more jobs in our city and and so I'm I'm very concerned about that I've been having discussions with our city manager and with our Deputy city manager about um different ways that we can can can help out help incentivize commercial in our our our city but I just I know that um time is of the essence I don't know if this is even possible but I would love to call for a joint meeting with Oola County since this is a decision we're making together um I think we need to have this discussion and go through this study together because sometimes what's good for USA county is different from uh what what is good for our city and and and the city of St Cloud I I definitely understand the need uh for for uh Transportation um updates and and and improvements uh in our city it's very urgent and significant but the commercial end of things is really what concerns me and I I just if we can have that discussion with the county or work together with them I I I would like to call for a joint meeting with them if at all possible uh council member Fletcher um I think it's a great idea um I've uh mentioned this in the pass as well um one of the other things U during um our Mobility fee one of those workshops um I believe we asked for a menu of options of economic incentives um for the the mobility fee update um so absolutely I would 100% support a joint meeting with o County and in talking to our city manager I know that our schedules are are kind of all over the place in the next couple of weeks um and the county has this schedu to be voted on uh within that time frame so I don't know how possible that is but I do think that with this being such a significant decision that we need to have that discussion together and I would I if I can have any support from this city council I would love to formerly request that meeting to Ula County OB okay I was waiting for the third I got the third um so I I just want to clarify um scheduling um the mayor is out of town until Thursday the 5th um councilwoman maeni is out of town beginning the 29th and I think she returns on the 9th which is the votes so um from the which is when the county has it scheduled I'm sorry um so I will ask the the county manager's office if they can try to schedule something I think we really need our mayor May um is that something that we could the like I know we can have a meeting like this without without the mayor and the deputy mayor is can you have a joint workshop with without sure you can have it with not a full Council there I just I think the intent was to have a full discussion so I think if you can have the full counsil it's going to be much better right so I I'll try I'll push for the fourth or the fifth we would not have Deputy Mayor meeni at that of at that meeting because she's on vacation council member refet um is there a deadline for the adoption of the new new Mobility fees is there like it has to be adopted it has to be adopted before October 1st or they have to redo the study so we have it scheduled um well we're planning on bringing it Forward on the 19th um we had either the 12th or the 19th but we we we picked the 19th since they were going on the 9th didn't want to have it the same week um so um so if the county could push it back a week is that even possible to so that we can have this discussion I just feel like it's very important that we uh for such a significant decision that we need to be we need to all be at the table for this and and have this discussion but of course I I know it's uh we're sort of um you know working around their schedule so um Can the city can we notify the the county as a can the city council notify the county um of our concerns and formally request for them to push it back so that we could have the joint meeting like uh council member Urban is saying I mean we can ask we can ask anything we want so the typical protocol with that direction the city manager will reach out to the county manager and ask if there's a way to do that there's nothing in that protocol protocol that prohibits any one of the council members from contacting any members of the board of County Commissioners commission say hey we really would like this to be pushed off is there a way we can do that so that there's no sunshine laot issues there any of that stuff and and frankly typically that helps get some of those things moving forward a little quicker if you do that so um EI any of you can contact any of them and say hey we would really ask you to push it a little bit so we can have a have a joint meeting um if I could I I don't I'm not familiar with the county um meeting schedule do and I know they've they they do things a little differently now so are they still meeting once once a week well the problem I'm talking to the county attorney the problem is they did not want to do this at the time they're doing their budget meetings and so that's why they were they first it was scheduled for lastek last week I think and then they pushed it to the 9th because they didn't want to go any further into September because it wouldn't run into their budget and they didn't want to do that so that's what you're probably going to hear back I agree with with council member Urban it is a a very serious um item especially with the the commercial we really got to come up with a solution and um to respond to the comment you made earlier we already have our Economic Development menu that we were asked to create um and it was going to be part of our package it it's not going to be to the city council for approval until the plan was after the future land use map was adopted but we you know we we're including it as part of the backup because that's what you asked for fantastic thank you uh that's all I have with that um there are no new announcements and we will adjourn this meeting