Mayor Julie Ward Bujalski, Vice-Mayor Bruce Livingston, Commissioners Heather Gracy, Deborah Kynes and John Tornga
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DUNEDIN, FLORIDA MINUTES OF THE CITY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING SEPTEMBER 8, 2016 6:30P.M. PRESENT: City Commission: Mayor Julie Ward Bujalski, Vice-Mayor Bruce Livingston, Commissioners Heather Gracy, Deborah Kynes and John Tornga. Also Present: Interim City Manager Doug Hutchens, City Attorney Thomas J. Trask, City Clerk Denise M. Kirkpatrick, Finance Director Joe Ciurro, Budget Manager Allison Broihier, Planning and Development Director Gregory Rice, Housing and Economic Development/CRA Director Bob lronsmith, Economic Development Specialist Danny Craig, Public Works and Utilities Director/City Engineer Jorge Ouintas, Assistant Director of Public Works & Utilities Paul Stanek, Communications Director Courtney King, Communications Senior Technical Assistant Justin Catacchio, Human Resources/Risk Management Director Theresa Smalling, Parks and Recreation Director Vince Gizzi, Fire Chief Jeffrey Parks, Solid Waste & Recycling Sustainability Coordinator Christina Perez, Library Director Phyllis Gorshe, Librarian Elizabeth White and approximately thirty-three people. The press was represented by the Tampa Bay Newspapers Executive Editor Tom Germond. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Bujalski called the meeting to order at 6:30p.m. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE City Attorney Tom Trask gave the invocation, which was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. PRESENTATIONS 1. PATRIOT DAY PROCLAMATION- September 11, 2016 Commissioner Tornga read a proclamation declaring the observance of Patriot Day 2016 on Sunday, September 11, 2016 in Dunedin and invited everyone to attend the dedication ceremony at noon that day for of the 9/11 Memorial at Fire Station 61 located at 903 Michigan Boulevard in Dunedin. Jeff Parks, Fire Chief Parks and PCSO Officer George Smalios each accepted the proclamation and thanked the city commission for the recognition . Mayor Bujalski invited all the officers present to come forward. 2. NATIONAL CONSTITUTION WEEK PROCLAMATION- September 17-23,2016 Vice-Mayor Livingston read a proclamation declaring September 17-23, 2016, as National Constitution Week in Dunedin, and urged citizens to join with the Caladesi Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, along with DAR Chapters across America, in honoring and recalling the importance of our rights under the Constitution by public display of our Nation's flag during National Constitution Week. Jane Turner of the Caladesi Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution accepted the proclamation and thanked the city commission for the recognition. Christa Robinson was also in attendance. 16-459 Regular Meeting Minutes Dunedin City Commission September 8, 2016 Ms. Turner gave a brief review of the creation and signing of the Constitution of the United States on September 17, 1787 and the celebration of the adoption of the Constitution and first display of the Constitution Flag on July 4, 1788. The flag became a tribute to the world's most enduring national constitution. Ms. Turner presented the Constitution Flag to be flown over City Hall on September 17- 23, 2016. 3. WINNERS OF THE ADULT SERVICES SUMMER READING PROGRAM ESSAY CONTEST Mayor Bujalski invited Librarian Elizabeth White to provide this presentation. Ms. White announced the winners of the Adult Services Summer Reading Program Essay Contest which had 110 participants this year with 7 submitting essays. 3rd Place: Sandra Edwards 2nd Place: Rita Chartrand (Her daughter Camille Evans accepting on her behalf.) 1st Place: Carole Harris Barton Each winner read their essay and accepted a gift from Librarian White and a Certificate of Recognition of their accomplishments in the "How has Reading had a Positive Influence on Your Overall Wellbeing" Essay Contest from Mayor Bujalski. 4. DUNEDIN PIPE BAND RECOGNITION Commissioner Gracy read the certificate in recognition of winning in the 2016 Glengarry Grade 2 Championship Highland Games in Maxville, Ontario and presented it to lain Donaldson, City of Dunedin Pipe Band Director. Mr. Donaldson accepted the certificate and thanked the commission for the recognition as well as the Parks & Recreation Department staff and Dunedin residents for their support. He related the experience of 50,000 people in the stands with more than 60 bands participating. 5. VISIT DUNEDIN Housing &Economic Development/CRA Director Bob lronsmith introduced Chair of Visit Dunedin Dan Zucker who shared a PowerPoint presentation on the history and accomplishments of the organization which helps in marketing and tourism and stimulating activity within the City. Mr. Zucker advised: They were established in 2008 with the purpose of creating a marketing arm to treat Dunedin as a destination for tourism. The organization looks for funds, organizes them and puts them together to market and campaign for tourism as the main focus. In 2010 they adopted the name Visit Dunedin and began tying into all the other Visit concepts coming up around that time. The next focus was to bring in financial partners and volunteers to keep the organization funded and running and they designed a logo and became more organized. The early founding partners were Visit St. Pete/Clearwater, Blue Jays, Ad Sharp, City of Dunedin, Downtown Merchants Association, Chamber of Commerce, Advantus Corporation which includes Bon Appetit, Cafe Alfresco and Cafe Honeymoon, the Dunedin Fine Art Center and the Dunedin Country Club. Visit Dunedin produced various items and commercials running through the summer months; however, the problem with the summer months is becoming less and less. 16-460 Regular Meeting Minutes Dunedin City Commission September 8, 2016 Mr. Zucker reviewed the PowerPoint which discussed the marketing achievements of past the years: Over the past 8Y2 years almost a half million dollars this group has raised, put together and invested into marketing Dunedin; there are no salaries. This equates to the measurable increases known at Honeymoon Island that continue to climb. The increases in numbers to the various websites, including Honeymoon Island and the Chamber of Commerce, Visit Dunedin is an integral part. The volunteer hours of the experts sitting on this committee is greatly appreciated. Over Y2 million brochures were distributed; however, the program has ceased as it has become rather antiquated with the digital capabilities. Mr. Zucker expressed appreciation to their current partners and presented a list of those invested financially and/or with their time in the committee and to their board members. Commissioner Tornga expressed appreciation for the outstanding work, their commitment and continued success for the City of Dunedin. He specifically thanked Mr. Zucker for his leadership and the volunteers with their expertise. Mr. lronsmith noted Visit Dunedin does very well with receiving grant funds and advised the City contributes $7,500 in partnership funding through the Economic Development Budget. Mayor Bujalski reiterated from the discussion at the Agenda Review Session that the City is not renewing its contract with Aqua Marketing and recalled at the last Strategic Planning Session of this commission their top three priorities in Economic Development included increasing the marketing efforts for tourism, sports, arts, culture and eco-tourism. She called out her concern about not contributing enough and moving away from a plan agreed to by the commission and suggested with no longer using Aqua and going down the road of public relations to continue the conversation of how to cost efficiently get a bigger bang for the buck by pooling it with other businesses and that staff could work with Mr. Zucker and the Chamber in that effort. Interim City Manager Hutchens recalled from the budget workshops of the $25,000 from Aqua, $20,000 was put into the City's Communications Budget which allows for more flexibility and ability to do more things with outreach and marketing. Vice-Mayor Livingston commented regarding leveraging grants and the possibility of the city assisting in a matching grant type scenario. Mr. Zucker noted grants are often limited because of the requirement of 100% up front funds in order to get the 50% match back and the list gets shorter because projects get more expensive. 6. QUARTERLY SHERIFF'S UPDATE PCSO Patrol Operations-NOS, Captain Jack Peterson provided handouts: Top Ten Dunedin Crash Intersections and Type- January 1, 2016- June 30, 2016 Dunedin Citations by Intersection- January 1, 2016- September 6, 2016 Unofficial Statistics for 62 Causeway Boulevard- March 1 - September 8, 2016 North District Station phone numbers Directed Sector Activities Captain Peterson introduced the city's new community policing officers and noted they are beginning their bike patrols. 16-461 Regular Meeting Minutes Dunedin City Commission September 8, 2016 Commissioner Gracy inquired regarding activity on the Causeway in particular involving trucks on the north side and Captain Peterson advised his understanding of some problems which are being monitored and referred to the handout indicating the 185 Area Checks, 417 Directed Patrols and 122 Ordinance Violations issued March 1 - September 8, 2016. He noted the officers are being highly visible on the Causeway. Corporal Trump explained the directed patrols address particular problems and there is one for Dunedin Causeway where deputies patrol when there is time and in this case it specifically states to watch the 4X4 crew as well as speeding problems. Vice-Mayor Livingston commented on the citations helping the situation by showing the sheriff's office is