Commission Meeting Draft Minutes

Draft Minutes of the January 22, 2020 6 p.m.
Commission Meeting

The special meeting of the Lady Lake Town Commission was held in the Commission Chambers at Lady Lake Town Hall, 409 Fennell Blvd., Lady Lake, Florida with Mayor Jim Richards presiding. The meeting convened at 6 p.m.

A. Call to Order

Mayor Jim Richards

B. Invocation

By Pastor George Prinzing of the Tri-County Baptist Church

C. Pledge of Allegiance

D. Roll Call

Commissioner (Ward) Present
Hannan (Four) NO
Kussard (One) YES
Holden (Two) YES
Vincent (Three) YES
Richards (Five) YES

STAFF PRESENT

Kris Kollgaard, Town Manager; Derek Schroth, Town Attorney; Thad Carroll, Growth Management Director; C.T. Eagle, Public Works Director; Mike Burske, Parks and Recreation Director; Pam Winegardner, Finance Director; Chief Rob Tempesta and Lt. Nelson Vargas, Lady Lake Police Department; Maureen Gochee, Human Resource Director; and Nancy Slaton, Deputy Town Clerk

E. Public Comment

Mayor Richards asked if anyone had any comments. There were no comments.

1. Minutes — December 16, 2019 — Regular Commission Meeting

2. Consideration of Approval to Host the Annual Easter Egg Hunt on April 4, 2020 (Mike Burske) (The background summary for this agenda item is on file in the Clerk’s Office.)

Mayor Richards asked if any of the Commissioners had any questions regarding the consent items, and hearing none, asked for a motion.

Commissioner Kussard made a motion to approve Consent Items F-1 and F-2. Commissioner Holden seconded the motion. The motion passed by a vote of 4 to 0.

G. Old Business

No old business.

H. New Business

3. Discussion and Direction on How to Invest the $120,000 Budgeted for the Pyramid Park Playground (Mike Burske)

Parks and Recreation Director Mike Burske presented the background summary for this agenda item (on file in the Clerk’s Office).

Commissioner Kussard stated she is opposed to using wood chips and does not like the current ground cover of rubber mulch. She stated she prefers the idea of using poured rubber even though it may be over budget.

Mayor Richards noted that the price of the poured rubber is hefty at $17 per square foot and may cost more than the play equipment.

Mr. Burske stated the play area is approximately 6,500 to 7,000 square feet and would cost at least $140,000, if not more, including the curbing. He stated the poured rubber is very shock absorbent and will stay in place like carpeting. He stated he would like to have a proper border or curbing around it.

Ms. Kollgaard asked if The Villages used poured rubber at Paradise Park for the walking path.

Mayor Richards replied that it was asphalt mixed with rubber used as aggregate.

Commissioner Kussard stated residents have complained about how dirty the children get with the rubber mulch that is there now. She also mentioned that shade covers should be considered for the future.

Mr. Burske stated he could include shade covers in next year’s budget, although the Mayor pointed out there is already a lot of shade provided by the trees in that area.

Commissioner Holden stated the price of poured rubber seems too expensive to consider.

Mayor Richards stated he would like to see actual bids before making a decision.

Commissioner Vincent agreed that he would like to see firmer estimates for this project.

Ms. Kollgaard asked Mr. Burske if the poured rubber would have to be redone in areas where play equipment is replaced in the future.

Mr. Burske replied that it would most likely need to be modified. He stated he will check with the firm that provides the playground equipment to see if they will give him a courtesy estimate of the costs involved with using poured rubber. He will provide this information to the Commission at a future meeting.

4. Consideration of Approval to Host a Mother-Son Dance at the Library on May 9, 2020 (Mike Burske)

Parks and Recreation Director Mike Burske presented the background summary for this agenda item (on file in the Clerk’s Office).

Mayor Richards asked if there were any questions or comments from the Commissioners. There were no questions or comments.

It was the consensus of the Commissioners to move forward with plans for the Town to host a Mother-Son Dance at the library on May 9, 2020.

5. Consideration of Approval to Accept the Proposal from Evergreen Solutions, LLC in Response to RFP 2019-0001 — Compensation Study (Maureen Gochee)

Human Resource Director Maureen Gochee presented the background summary for this agenda item (on file in the Clerk’s Office).

Ms. Kollgaard noted that the bids ranged from $14,000 to $43,000. She stated the selection committee met and selected Evergreen Solutions, LLC as qualified and at their bid price. She stated references were checked as well and they were good.

Commissioner Holden commented that these bids were much better than the $50,000 estimated in the budget.

Mayor Richards asked if there were any questions or comments from the Commissioners. There were no questions or comments.

Commissioner Vincent made a motion to approve the proposal from Evergreen Solutions, LLC in response to RFP 2019-0001 — Compensation Study. Commissioner Holden seconded the motion. The motion passed by a vote of 4 to 0.

I. Town Attorney's Report

6. Ordinance 2019-23 (First Reading) — An Ordinance Amending Chapter 10.5 — Police Pension Benefits (Pam Winegardner)

Town Attorney Derek Schroth read the ordinance by title only.

Finance Director Pam Winegardner presented the background summary for this agenda item (on file in the Clerk’s Office).

Ms. Kollgaard noted that this amendment specifies that anyone who returns to work part-time will not receive benefits such as PTO and insurance.

Commissioner Vincent asked how many hours were considered part-time.

Ms. Winegardner replied that part-time normally consists of 30 hours or less, although an employee could sporadically exceed that, but their hours are monitored. If a part-time employee was to consistently average close to 40 hours, that would not be permitted.

Commissioner Holden confirmed with Ms. Winegardner that part-time employees receive no benefits. He stated he is still not in favor of this as he considers it double-dipping.

Mayor Richards stated he is in favor of it because it is sometimes hard to fill a particular position, and this will benefit the Town.

Mayor Richards asked if there were any further questions or comments from the Commissioners or the public. Hearing none, he asked for a motion.

Upon a motion by Commissioner Kussard and a second by Commissioner Vincent, the Commission approved the first reading of Ordinance 2019-23 by the following roll call vote:

Commissioner Vote
Kussard YES
Holden NO
Vincent YES
Richards YES

J. Town Manager's Report

Ms. Kollgaard stated the owner of the Taylor property is asking $10,000 for the strip of land which measures 40 feet wide by 185 feet long, and wants a fence and gate installed estimated to cost $3,000, and for the Town to pay all attorney’s fees and closing costs. She stated that Mr. Eagle researched this through the property appraiser’s office, and it is valued at $6,188.

Ms. Kollgaard recommended countering at $7,000 or $8,000 without a fence or gate, and not paying any closing costs or attorney’s fees for the seller.

The Commissioners agreed with the suggestion of a counter offer at $8,000 with no gate or fence, and with the seller paying her own closing costs and attorney’s fees.

Ms. Kollgaard stated she received an email from Mr. Brandt of Recreation Plantation, who requested to utilize the Town’s event bleachers and risers in late March for a pickleball tournament.

The Commissioners were in agreement with this as long as they absolved the Town of any liability and returned the equipment in good shape.

Ms. Kollgaard agreed that they would have to sign a waiver to use the Town’s equipment.

K. Mayor and Commissioner's Report

Mayor Richards asked if any of the Commissioners had anything to report.

Commissioner Holden commented that he really liked the earlier presentation for development of the Bailey Property near Lake Ella Road.

Mayor Richard asked Mr. Eagle about the repair of a pot hole on West Boone Court where a utility cut had been done. He stated it looked like it had been filled in, but that it should have had caution cones, or something posted as a warning prior to that.

Public Works Director C.T. Eagle replied that The Villages was supposed to have it repaired by today, although Public Works staff patched the pot hole with dirt in the interim as it was bad. He stated that The Villages has agreed to have the Town go back to doing the utility cut repairs in the future instead of utilizing a contractor as they have been doing for the past few months.

Mayor Richards stated he thought the Town did all the utility cut repairs and was unaware The Villages had contracted that to someone else. He stated that they need to notify the Town when they are doing anything to the roads, and Mr. Eagle stated they have agreed to do so.

L. Public Comments

Mayor Richards asked if there were any comments from the audience. There were no comments.

M. Adjourn

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:27 p.m.

___________________________

Kristen Kollgaard, Town Clerk

___________________________

Jim Richards, Mayor

Minutes transcribed by Nancy Slaton, Deputy Town Clerk