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CC02-19-2018MinLONGWOOD CITY COMMISSION Longwood City Commission Chambers 175 West Warren Avenue Longwood, Florida MINUTES February 19, 2018 6:00 P.M. Present: Mayor Ben Paris Deputy Mayor Richard Drummond Commissioner Abby Shoemaker Commissioner Matt Morgan Commissioner Brian D. Sackett Dan Langley, City Attorney David P. Dowda, Acting City Manager Michelle Longo, City Clerk Clint Gioielli, Acting Police Chief Lee Ricci, Human Resources Director Chris Kintner, Community Development Director Chris Capizzi, Leisure Services Director Lisa Snead, Financial Services Director Richard Kornbluh, Division Manager Utilities Tom Smith, Division Manager Streets CALL TO ORDER. Mayor Paris called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 2. MOMENT OF SILENT MEDITATION 3. THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 4. COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS. Ms. Longo read the following announcements. A. Senior Matinee Movie will be held on Wednesday, February 21, 2018 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Longwood Community Building, 200 West Warren Avenue. This month's feature is American Assassin. B. The Mid -Florida Mustang Club's 31' Annual Mustang and Ford Roundup will be held on Saturday, February, 24, 2018 from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. in the Historic District of Longwood located off of Church Avenue. 5. PROCLAMATIONS / RECOGNITIONS A. District #4 Nomination of the Business Person of the Month Award for March 2018. Commissioner Morgan nominated Mr. Michael Towers for the Business Person of the Month for March 2018. Nomination carried by a unanimous voice vote. 6. BOARD APPOINTMENTS. None. 7. PUBLIC INPUT A. Public Participation. Susan Taylor, 134 Glendale Drive, Longwood. She said she has written to each Commissioner regarding the decision to ban the opening prayer at this meeting and that she disagrees with them. She said she is grateful to live in a country where a government can be in the open, and a grandmother can come and have a word to say. I appreciate that, but friends, I am veryjealous for liberty. She said freedom is difficult to gain and easy to lose. We know that eternal vigilance is necessary, and sometimes we let it go without thinking, but the end will bring us back to those who had to cry out, "Give me liberty, or give me death." She said freedom of religion is foundational for our way of life. Freedom is not just internal, mental assent. It is not freedom if we are not allowed to express it, including public prayer. She stated, I have a message, so please don't shoot the messenger. But, God is, he just is. I didn't make him, he made me. Our Declaration of Independence says, "We hold these truths to be self-evident", and "our rights are inalienable." She said they can't be given by government, and they can't be taken away by government. It is kind of like the law of gravity. The scientists don't understand it, and we may not like it or agree with it, but it is just like, there, and we will obey it. She said all government is religious, and all education is religious, as all of life is. They are just the forms that our beliefs take. Alexis de Tocqueville came to America to find the secret of our greatness in the 1830s. America was already sought after and envied at that time. He said, on my arrival in the United States, the religious aspect of the country was the first thing that struck my attention. The longer I stayed, the more I perceived the great political consequences resulting from this new state of things. She stated, he also said, I saw it everywhere for her greatness, but not until I went to the churches of America, did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because she is good, and if America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great. She said, there is a God. He works in the affairs of men, and he answers prayers. So, I pray expecting God to hear me. She said this community and this Commission should do the same even if it just comes down to that token invocation. As to the fear that some profane person may wish to speak, I say, let him speak. I believe the truth wins. A truthful person recognizes truth and falsehood. Vain words fall to the ground. The United States CC 02-19-18/2 Constitution and the laws of Florida have granted you the opportunity to have prayer in this meeting, and I ask you, please stand for freedom. 8. MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS' REPORT District #2. Deputy Mayor Drummond said he wanted to thank Chief Dowda, the Police Department, and the Longwood Street Department for the new traffic control devices on Grant Street. He said there is a flashing stop sign, and a speed indicator that is permanent for both north and southbound traffic. Hopefully, that takes care of some issues that have been going on over there. He has talked with some citizens that live in that area, and we will give it a couple of weeks and see if that seems to be taking care of it. District #3. Mayor Paris said he has been contacted by several citizens about the Taco Bell coming to the City of Longwood. He would like to get a quick update from Mr. Kintner. Mr. Kintner said we did receive a site plan application from them, and staff has been reviewing the application. He said the issue they have run into is with getting access to Ronald Reagan Boulevard. There is an existing access point there that goes into the site. He said Seminole County has rejected their use of that access point. Taco Bell came back with a plan. The concern is that there is not enough room for people to slow down safely and turn in there. Taco Bell responded to the County with a deceleration lane going in one way, and all people going out do that onto State Road 434 to reduce the impact on the intersection. The County also turned down that solution, so they are kind of stuck right now because they need to have some access off Ronald Reagan Boulevard and have not been able to get any traction with the County's engineering department. Mayor Paris said it is safe to say if anybody contacts us and wants to know what is going on with Taco Bell, we can direct them to the County. Mr. Kintner said that is the status right now. Commissioner Sackett said that property used to be a gas station and they did not have one entrance, it had two and asked how come the change. Mr. Kintner said that is a great question, and our support is with the Taco Bell team. He said we think the solution they provided is safe and they also have had that access the whole time. They bought it with that expectation that they would have that access, so that has been our stand on it. He stated, it is a County road. District #4. Commissioner Morgan said he, along with Commissioner Sackett, went to the Focus on Safety Graduation, celebrating Officer Gabriella Tucks, very first graduating class of fifth graders. He said it was an amazing event. At one of his first Commission meetings he had CC 02-19-18/3 mentioned how he wanted to bring DARE in and commingling the two. His idea behind that was to utilize DARE's brand awareness and finances so we could get other celebrities brought into our City to help get through to our youth. He said because like it or not, that is a big way to get through to our youth. It is not necessarily the message,it is the person behind the message that gets through to a lot of our kids I have found over the years. He said if I wasn't the Matt Morgan Pro Wrestler, those kids wouldn't listen to two words I had to say. He was really impressed with Officer Gabriella Tuck and her resolve and how she has gotten through to these kids. After we were done, these kids were lined up wanting an autograph, and one by one I would ask these kids before I would sign their stuff, I would give them a bullying situation, the first time they were offered pot situation, and not one of them wavered. He said they all had an answer ready and he is proud of Officer Tuck and her work with safety. Our kids are in amazing hands at Longwood Elementary. Commissioner Morgan said he had a meeting with the Longwood Hills neighborhood. He did a Hearts for Autism Walk on Saturday, February 17th at Paul J. Hagerty High School in Oviedo. He said, as you all know, my son, Jackson, is diagnosed as non-verbal autistic. He said he also attended the Health Fair here in Longwood and thought it was very well done. You could get all your levels checked and he was introduced to a new technique called wet cupping to help his back. Commissioner Morgan said most of us attended the Annual State of the County Luncheon for the Seminole Chamber of Commerce this past week. He had a private meeting with Longwood Elementary about the possibility of removing trees covering Lake Gem. He sent his condolences for Commissioner Pam Carroll of Winter Springs. Commissioner Morgan said regarding the Oxford Street situation, our Police Department put a recording device there to see just how many people are really speeding up and down that street, and what kind of traffic flow they have. He said every test that was done scored low, and he is very proud of Chief Dowda for stepping up here and guaranteeing safety here. Conflicting signs were taken down, and speed signs were added, and increased the size of all signs from 18 x 24 to 24 x 30. He said pedestrian signs were added as well. He wanted to invite everybody to a candlelight vigil tonight in honor of the victims of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School to be held at the Winter Park Masonic Lodge at 7:00 pm. District #5. Commissioner Sackett said as a fifth grade teacher, he has been doing DARE and Focus on Safety for the past 28 years. He said it is a valuable program, and it was wonderful to see the kids at Longwood Elementary so engaged. CC 02-19-18/4 Commissioner Sackett said the State of the County is a luncheon with different Seminole County cities and businesses attending, and it was good to fmd out that the County is strong. He said we will be losing two Seminole County Commissioners, Commissioner John Horan and Carlton Henley and wished them well. It is sad Pam Carroll, Commissioner from Winter Springs has passed. She was someone he enjoyed talking to at the Florida League of Cities meetings. He said, Danbury Mill Subdivision had their meeting and is getting ready to stand in opposition to the Publix. He gave the Acting City Manager a list of eleven things to do and he is fmishing up on all those things right away. District #1. Commissioner Shoemaker said her heart and prayers go out to the families, friends, students, and all deeply touched by the senseless, tragic event in Parkland, Florida. I extend my condolences to the many lives touched by the loss of Winter Springs Commissioner, Pam Carroll, Chuck Kordon, and Deputy Kevin Stanton of the Brevard County Sheriff's Office. She said with a higher than usual recent tragic events count, I apologize if I have left anyone out. I feel for anyone who has experienced a loss. Commissioner Shoemaker said she had the pleasure of meeting with Tiberon Cove's Neighborhood Assessment Committee. I am pleased to see staff is working with them to resolve issues related to the construction and keeping them up-to-date quarterly. She said I also attended the State of the County Luncheon and I was very happy to see much progress by the County and their accomplishments. Commissioner Shoemaker said Longwood is growing. Currently, we are seeing new developments, street paving, new business, and a masterpiece of a park to be completed this year. She said I would like a consensus from my fellow Commissioners to authorize me to work with the Acting City Manager and Finance Director, who I briefed on what I would like to undertake. She said I would like to research the feasibility of the implementation of a voluntary "Roundup Program" where residents could roundup their utility bill payments to fund parks and recreation. She said I don't believe there will be much money raised, however, even $200 per year net could offset the cost of rental lights for the car show, or chemicals to treat the new splash pad at Reiter Park. Additionally, we could offer roundup for other areas, such as support for our police canine expenses, event supplies, etc. It was the consensus of the Commission to allow Commissioner Shoemaker to work with the Acting City Manager and Finance Director on a program for rounding up payments on utility bills. Commissioner Shoemaker said to Ms. Taylor, who was in the audience, you sent an email to all Commissioners. We have made this decision, and I do not see it being overturned. She said there are many factors and CC 02-19-18/5 �� 10. reasons the decision was made, none of which are being in any way disrespectful or unconstitutional. I always pray during a moment of silence, and no one can stop me from doing that. She said I do hope you understand for me, a moment of silence is the same thing as prayer. ANY ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA. None. CONSENT AGENDA A. Approve Minutes of the February 5, 2018 Regular Meeting. B. Approve the Monthly Expenditures for January and February 2018. C. Approve the Monthly Financial Report of January 2018. D. Approve a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Longwood and the International Union of Operating Engineers (AFL-CIO) Local 673- to establish the positon of Utilities Maintenance Specialist III. E. Approve the reclassification of the Senior Administrative Assistant in the Public Works Department to Public Works Coordinator. Commissioner Sackett requested that Items 10D and IOE be pulled for separate discussion. Commissioner Sackett moved to approve Items I OA through 1 OC as presented. Seconded by Commissioner Shoemaker and carried by a unanimous roll call vote. Discussion ensued on Item 1 OD and 1 OE, both Mr. Kornbluh and Ms. Ricci explained the positions and answered questions from the Commission. Commissioner Sackett moved to approve Items 1 OD and 10E as presented. Seconded by Commissioner Shoemaker and carried by a unanimous roll call vote. PUBLIC HEARINGS. None. REGULAR BUSINESS. None. ACTING CITY MANAGER'S REPORT. No report. CITY ATTORNEY'S REPORT. No report. CITY CLERK'S REPORT CC 02-19-18/6 1 1 Ms. Longo gave an update on Facebook Live. She stated the camera has been installed and there a couple of things that need to be put in place. Testing will be done, and it will be ready to go at the March 5 h meeting. 16. ADJOURN. Mayor Paris adjourned the meeting at 6:27 p.m. Ben Paris, ayor ATTEST - Michelle Longo, CM , FCRM, City Clerk CC 02-19-18/7 F This Page Left Blank Intentionally. L� 1 CC 02-1.9-18/8