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03-07-1974 - Workshop w -....I SPECIAL WORKSHOP MEETING OF THE CITY OF EDGEWATER SPECIAL MEETING HELD MARCH 7~ 1974 Mayor David C. Severance called the Special meeting of the Workshop to order on Thursday~ March 7~ 1974 at 7:00 P.M. Mayor Severance explained that the reason for this Special Workshop Meeting was to become familiar with the people that are interested in the Zone III Council seat and attempt to find out their personal views or objective views of what they would like to see happen in the City as far as growth goes. Where they think the weak points are~ what they can do to contribute to the Council and to the City. There is going to be nine people that are not selected~ and they will have their opinions as to why because of this and because of that. The only thing that I can say to those nine that aren't selected is November 1975, if they take out a petition maybe they can get elected then. We are not asking those people here to criticize them or to put them on the spot or to pressure them into thinking the way that we individually or as a group think that's lot the case~ we just want to hear each persons own personal convictions as to why their interested in the seat and what they would like to do if they became a member. Then we will take on the task of voting for the City and select that individual. Give each person the floor and let them say what they want to say in regards to their position. City Attorney Weaver stated that he thinks that Mayor Severance has layed out the floor mat very well~ only one thing that he wants to caution him on, and that is that it would be improper to ask these people any questions that might be irrelavant to any issues now before the City~ they simply do not have the knowledge or background that we have as working with this~ it would put them in a very unplesant position. Mayor Severance said that that was right. We will just give each one the opportunity to express their views of why their interested in the seat and I think maybe that will answer just about every question we can come up with other that the regulars. Councilman Bevelstated that Mr. Brown called and withdrew his name. Mayor Severance stated that Mrs Woodard called him, and she is in bed with larangitus and the flue. She wanted to express that she is still interested and sorry that she couldn't be here. Mayor Severance gave the fioor to Mrs. Casey stating that she say anything that she wants to the Council as to why she is interested in the Zone III seat what her ideas are. Mrs. Casey stated that she has never been active in any Civic type of work, she said that she just wants to get into it now. She stated that she has the best interest in Edgewater in her heart. There are a lot of things that she thinks could be improved on. There are a lot of things that she thinks should be done. It's not the faults that she wants to talk about, it is the things that she thinks would beautify the City~ and would ma.ke the City a nice place to live in. Would make it a better City and also would make it a City CZsroW. -1- W' ""'" When you do things for the City now, you shouldn't do them with the thought that it is going to last just 5 or 10 years, you should be thinking of this is going to last for 100 years. She feels that any building that is not op to par should be condemed and that the condemed buildings should be torn down and trash taken away. She thinks that we should get together with the State and have them put palm trees down the middle of Route #1 so that it would make a more beautiful place. She thinks that a person that works for the City should make an effort to contact each and every person that lives in Edgewater so that the people of Edgewater know what their doing in City Hall and not in the dark. There should be more active interest from these people that live in Edgewater in whats happening here, but theees not enough publicity about that these meetings are open to the public. Things like this are things that are important. Just talking to people in Edgewater, they say that children in the north of Edgewater, near the New Smyrna line do not have buses to take their small 1st and 2nd grade children down to the Edgewater school, yet the people down on the other end, they have buses to take them to school. There are a lot of things that the people in Edgewater are talking about that they will tell her but won't tell the Council. There- fore the Council doesn't know what is going on with the people, and this is what she means when she says they should have better relationship with the actula\ residence of Edgewater. She stated that she has approximately 42 things written down on paper, but that's enough. Mayor Severance asked how long Mrs. Casey has been living in Edgewater now. Mrs. Casey stated that she has been in Edgewater for one year. [ ~,dt ~~ Mayor Severance stated we have the two Workshop$ both of them ~'st mondays and the 3rd mondays of the months, which are regular meetings. These are not publicized ona weekly basis because it's not required to be publicized. It is a set 'ime and a set day. It is published one time at the first il of the year. Any Special Workshops or special meetings have to be publicized. Councilman Bevel stated that ther are two Workshop meetings and two Council meetings in a month, there are usually more than that in one week. He asked her if she had the time for them. Mrs. Casey said that yeas she did have the time. Mayor Severance gave the floor to Mr. Fisher. Mr. Fisher stated that he has been here nine years, and of those nine years he has spent seven of them working for the City. First with the Zoning Board, he was the chairman of that. THen he was secretary of the Zoning & Planning Board. He stated that he is not a po11itition, he is a citizen. A lot of times politice~ enter into these things, feelings. He feels that he can keep MJ hlS personal feelings to himself and let the City come fi~st. He said that he is his own man, he doesn't let anybody sway hlm one way or the other. He stated that he was the only one that voted yea on the Shopping Center and the rest of the board voted NO. He stated that that was his feelings and he voted that way. He feels that he can do the City some good otherwise he said that he wouldn't be trying to get in it. Councilman Bevel asked Mr. Fisher if he had the time. That this is a time consuming job. Mr. Fisher stated that he has plenty of time. He stated that R the City needs good fire protection, good police protection and good water system those three things to him are the most important for a City. -2- w ....., Mayor Severance turned the floor over to Mr. Sikes. Mr. Sikes ttated that he is not a politition either, he said that he has been in Edgewater 27 years and in the New Smyrna area 47 years. He moved here when he was two years old and has seen many things happen, even in Edgewater. He stated that he wouldn't even consider serving at all if we had had Councilman like we have had several years back. I do feel that my family will be staying in this area a while. He stated that he served as the Vice President of the Chamber, and is a director now and has been for two years. I understand that if i was elected Councilman have to resign that job. He said that he thinks that there should be a closer working together of the Council in the City and the Chamber of Commerce and as far as that goes, any other department such as the Fire Department that are all working for the betterment of Edgewater. Edgewater does have a future ahead of it. You can't buy a reasonable lot anywhere now except in Edgewater, so we are getting a lot of the younger folks with children that ate moving into our area. With that in mind, he thinks we need to think along the idea of providing a better recreation facilities for the younger age. By saying this, I don't mean to cut out altogether the recreation for the older people. There is nothing in this area that would even attract a teenager, so I think we should consider that. There are many ways that you can get Federal Funds in certain areas for recreation. He stated that he owns a home and is a democrat. If the Council elects me to serve this posttion, I am free Monday, Tuesday and Thursday Nights. Any other nights, his time is consumed. If he is elected, he will do the best he can, if not elected all these other people are friends of his and he stated that they would make good Councilmen too. Mayor Severance turned the floor over to Mr. Pruitt. Mr. Pruitt stated that he is a long time resident of Edgewater for 15 years. He has been in the area for 23 years. He is familiar with the problems here in the City and the problems with its people. He has two years of college and 11 years experience at Kenn~dy Space Center, in ground support matience planning and scheduling repatrment, property control prochdure writing, government contract, payroll, recordsand a little of everything. He beleives in sound responsible government, He beleives in Edgewater, he thinks that it is a great place to live. He would like to see a controlled planned growth. This is his first experience and doesn't really know that much about it, but would like to get into it for the experience. As far as evenings, they are free. During the day time he can get time off if necessary. If necessary th" can call him an the job. Mayor Severance turned the floor over to Mr. Vogel. Mr. Vogel stated that he has been in the area for 10 years in Edgewater 3 years. As to serving on a Civic activities, yes he was chairman of the youth center activities in New Smyrna Beach. As to serving on any body, being a politition, publicly, no. Charitably yes. He stated that he has had the opportunity of serving over SpOCpeop1e in Central Florida in 1972. This was with the Shriners. He stated that he ahs three boys ranging in age from 14 to 4, so obviously those of you that have kids knows what goes on at our house. At the present time he is helping with the Babe Ruth Team which Edgewater has Little League. He is a little bit involved with kids, like every day 24 hours a day. He fei1s that our City, he says this sincerely, having lived in Florida since 1946, that we probably have one 0' the finest communities in the area. We do have a beautiful city here. We have many services and opportunities that are not afforded communities of comperable size and age. He says this because planned communities have these things. But take this area as a group, it has things. -3- '-' ...", We have a Water & Sewer System, we have a Police Department, a Volunteer Fire Department that should be a paid fire department in that respect. We have a Public Library, a Public Pier, Garbage and Trash collections think about this. Sure we need beautification we need bicycle paths, he agrees with this. We need tennis courts and a baseball and football field. These are things that the younger people need. . Our City is a City ofvarious age groups and backgrounds. You have got young middle age and Genior Citizens. This is a benifit to the community. We're just a community that has every one.As far as he is concerned all of the citizens in Edgewater are first class unless they are proven otherwise. WE have a problem which the chief of Police knows about where a lady was murdered down on South Riverside. But on a whole these are good people. They deserve first class service, this is what he feels that this Council should do is to give them first class sefvice. If you award me the opportunity, this will be the upper- most in my mind on any decesions or actions. There will be no pre judice. Mr. Sikes mentioned that he was not a polition or a democrat and we work together and are pretty good friends. He stated that he is not a pollition because he is a registered independent, he stated that he guesses that he is one of the Thousand in volusia County. He said that he ahs the available time all of the time. He could be at City Hall just as much. He thanked tha Council for considering him and god bless you in your decesion. Mayor Severance gave the floor to Mr. Walls. Mr. Walls stated that there are a few good applicants here and he couldn't be wrong with any of them, as for myself, He stated that he has quite a record with the City. He said that he is currently serving as the Chief of the Volunteer Fire Department he has served two years on the Countil, helpdd in getting our Library, helped get Florida Power & light into the City. He has been President of the Recreation Assoc., Chairman of the Library Board. In the ten years that he has been here he has attended almost all of the Council Meetings in the Community Center. He tries to attend the Workshop Meetings if he possibly can. He stated that he is not a politician, although my whole career has been devoted to the betterment of the City. He said that he would give freely of his time and divorce his home in many instances for the benifit of Edgewater. He stated that he shows great interest in the City of Edgewater, but is not really interested in being a politician but if he can better serve the City as a Councilman them he will. He asked Mr. Weaver if he had to give up being Fire Chief legally, if he became a Councilman. City Attorney Weaver stated that this was a position that he was appointed to, elected by the Firemen. He would have to research the question more. There is a conflict of interest. Mr. Walls stated that he would like to maintain the position of Fire Chief because it would disrupt the Fire Dept. to a little degre~ howe.er if he was choesen and if is illegal for me to be the Fire Chief and a Council man then he would resign as a Councilman, I will not resign as a Fireman. Some people may say that the Council may be loaded with Firemen, but there will only be 3 Fire- men on the Council if he is elected. He feels that the Firemen that are on the Council are of individual minds and would not throw anything towards the Fire Department, if it wasn't for the betterment of the Community. He said that he Bas the time, he is retired, even though he was a college boy. He said that he will graduate in June, to I will be completely retired at that time. Mayor Severance asked if there were any questions. -4- w """" Mayor Severance stated that Mr. Alanis was going to be here but couldn't make, but he is still interested. He manages the Blue and Gold Theater l1r So. Daytona. He is semi-retired. Mayor Severance stated that Mr. John Andre was interested but he hasn't shown up. He called me and I told him the time and where this meeting was to be held. Mr. Andres sonl was the one that got hit by a car, he just got out of the hospital. Mayor Severance opened to the Council to discuss their feelings about what was said tonight. They are all qualified and registered voters. If the Council would like to wait untill Monday evening to vote on these people we can or we anc do it now. Mayor Severance stated that he liked what Mr. Vogel said and his ideas, thoughts, he liked what Mr. Sikes sai.. In fact, Mayor Severance stated that he liked what everyone said. Every thing that they said was of importance, and it put light on the subject. Councilman Bevel stated that he didn't think that Mrs. Casey had been in Edgewater to really know our problems. He would like someone that has been here just a little bit longer. Ther is nothing personal about it. Councilman Bevel asked Mr. Walls if he did have the time, as he had heard him say that he did not due to his going to school. Mr. Walls stated that yea, he did have the time. It's just a matter of where I direct my energies towards. Mayor Severance stated that we will go ahead and dispence with the discussion on it and just wait until Monday night, to give the Council more time to think over what each person said. There were a lot of things that were said that need to be wiighed. He stated that he Bas to look at it as a voter of the City, Mayor Severance thanKed everybody that has shown an interest. Councilman Bevel stated that we can oily pick one person out of these people, but these people have shown enough interest, he suggested that bhey serve in one of our other possitions in the City. Some of them are very qualified to serve in other places that would help the City accomplish some of the tasks that they want the City to do. The City Clerk asked that all of these people be at the Council Meeting Monday night, if a decision is made she will be ready to sware them in. If they would like to come to Workshop they can to vote. City Attorney Weaver stated that he was going to explain to the people what was said about yea and nea voting. He stated that he instructed that City Clerk to call the Sectetary of States Office to make sure that the particualr referendom that we are operating under tonight as far as selecting a Councilman for Zone III had been filed at the State. The referendom that has to do with the yea-nea voting being changed to the yea- novoting has not bee~filed at the State. There have been over 500 Ordinances passed and adopted by the City since the Code of Ordinances were updated. City Attorney Weaver witl update the Code of Ordinances with a fee of around $11,000.00. There was much discussion on this situation of the Code of Ordinances. City Attorney Weaver stated that he has to go through the Charter, we are going to take our old ordinances and rewor~ them. Set up something that is first class and workable at the time that we adopt it. He stated that he would enter into a co.tract with the City to protect us. Mayor Severance stated that if we need to discuss this any further we will discuss this at the next workshop. -5- w """" City Attorney Weaver asked the public if they had any questions at this time that they would like him to answer about this Code of Ordinances. One man asked what the cost wbu1d be to keep this up hereafter. City Attorney WEaver stated that a normal year would probably bring only about 50 pages that would have to be changed, or maybe less that that. Mayor Severance stated that Alan Thomas of the Water Department wants to explain the water situation to us. Mr. Thomas stated that we are using approximately 460,000 gallons of water per day. It takes an hour and a half for a full cycle. He stated that he wants to keep about 40 or 50,000 gallons of water in this tank on Park Ave. in case of a Fire and you need detention time to make the chlorine work the way it should. Thats two reasons why you need at least a half a tank of water here. The tank down below is just a storage tank. Mayor Severance stated that Mr. Fernandez from Briley, Wild and Assoc. wil1be at the Workshop the 14th of March to answer some of the questions that we have about the WAter Plant. Mayor Severance stated that it would be wise to talk to New Smyrna about putting a me~er up between the two cities in case we should need water from them or they need w*ter from us. Councilman Clinton stated that behind Meiner's there are quite a few homes being built, and there is only a 2"inch line running up there to supply all of these house s and getting ready to put more homes in. Mr. Thomas stated that they measured to extend a 6 inch line we came up wilh 16,040 feet and it ends at Edgewater Drive. From there back to Industrial Rd. it is 16,040 ft. There is a space in there for Fire hydrants. Mayor Severance stated that it might be good for us to think about putting Sewer Plant in Florida Shores. founcilman Bevel stated that there are three men presently in the Water Department on full time. He would like to take the old truck from the Sewer Dept. and move it to the Water Dept. and then he will have two in the Water Dept. to do the work with. But it will take at least 3 to 4 months to get the new Sewer Truck in and until such time he would like to lease rent or borrow a truck to put in the Water Dept. and put these men in two crews. This is his suggestion to the Council to do something on Monday night. Councilman Bevel stated that Florida Power & bight did send us a map down, he will have the 36 lights that we put in last year put on the map, and make it available to each Councilman. He aslso stated that he specifications on the new Sewer truck are out. Councilman Clinton asked if City Attorney Weaver ~ checked into the new Police Car. City Attorney Weaver stated that he didn't think that it would be proper to handle this on an emergency basis. Mayor Severance stated that we have a new car on the way, we get that, and take the Plymouth that the Chief is using and trade it in on a new one. Rebuild this Torino, and then nest year the Torion will moveover to the Chiefs car. He stated that he would ,:::'Like to take the money for the new Pol i ce car and use for the new Police Station. - {y- " . . . ~ ~ Councilman Clinton stated that the City should do something about the recreation facilities in Edgewater. Mayor Severance I instructed the City Attorney to write that letter to the internal Trust Fund, BIIIHIIX if they want to have one of the Marine Patrols come down here on the 13th, that we are going to have a drag-line in the water. Councilman Clinton stated that we are ready for that te1tphone jack to be put out at the ball field. The leagues statt April the 1st. ~cvcran~ ~at~d that we ~11 hav~ to ~w up som~ Mayor Severance stated that having the architect new Police Station will have to be a bid item. to come up with some kind of specifications and We will have to decide on some night to meet on go look at property. Mayor Severance stated that we have to find out about how to contact the various people involved on these properties. We can leave that to the Attorney to contact and find out what the requirements are and what we need to do. work on the We will have drafts on this. this, and to Mayor Severance adjourned the meeting.