The coming week in City government

Below is the breakdown of what the Pensacola City Council will consider in the coming week. As always, expenditures are highlighted. Links to the full agendas are included at the bottom of the page. Included in the full agendas are copies of any contracts, agreements, ordinances, or resolutions.

Note: This meeting will take place on Monday, February 8. The meeting begins at 3:15 PM in the Hagler/Mason Conference Room, second floor, City Hall.

Committee of the Whole

Board appointment. Council is asked to ratify the appointment of Rodney Randle to the Police Pension Board of Trustees. Mr. Randle was elected by that board to finish the unexpired term of Stephen Bartlett.

Mayoral salary discussion. The issue of setting the salary for the executive mayor under the City’s new Mayor-Council government is back up for discussion. Council previously settled on a figure of $100,000, but some in the community feel that number is too high, while others, like Charter Review Commission chair Crystal Spencer, feel it is too low. The Charter Review Commission had recommended a salary of $145,000.

Legislative delegation letter. Included as an information item is the City’s recent letter to the Northwest Florida legislative delegation communicating the City Council’s decision not to approve the proposed consolidation plan.

Unite Escambia.The Unite Escambia organisation will give a presentation to Council.

Enterprise Operations

Maxwell Street project. Staff is asking Council to approve the Maxwell Street Stormwater Enhancement Project. The total cost is $509,500; the low bidder was Starfish, Inc. of Brewton, Alabama. The project would install an underground stormwater treatment system in the Maxwell Street right-of-way near Bayou Texar, which would treat stormwater from an estimated 165 acres as it runs into Bayou Texar. The project would also alleviate flooding conditions in the area.

ESP article. An information item informs Council of a recent article featuring Energy Services of Pensacola (ESP), the City-owned gas utility, in Energy Today magazine. A copy of the article is included in the agenda material.

Neighbourhood Services

Airport police sedans. Council will consider the purchase of two Chevrolet Impala police pursuit sedans for Airport Police. The purchase price would be $47,908; the vendor is Garber Chevrolet of Green Cove Springs, Florida.

Playground equipment. Also up for consideration is the purchase of playground equipment for Alabama Square Park. The equipment would replace existing playground structures which suffer from severe wood rot. The cost of the playground structure is $36,711.68; the vendor is Columbia Cascade Company of Portland, Oregon.

Capital parks projects update. An information item details the status of Parks & Recreation’s current capital projects.

Economic & Community Development

PCIP program amendment. Staff is asking Council to amend the Pensacola Community Initiatives Program (PCIP) to waive the $500 fee for licenses to use City rights-of-way. Many PCIP grant applicants use rights-of-way for neighbourhood signage or other improvements, and the $500 application fee the City charges for right-of-way licenses takes away money from their projects.

2010 PCIP grants. This year, there were seven applications for the PCIP grant program, and all seven were deemed to meet the necessary criteria. Staff is recommending awards to all seven, for a total of $25,161. For details on the seven projects, see the full agenda. Most of the projects deal with neighbourhood entry signage, landscaping, and lighting.

Finance Committee

Updated City investments list. Provided as an information item is an updated list of the City’s investments. After several Council members raised questions, the $28 million which the City had deposited with poorly-rated Coastal Bank and Trust was moved to Wachovia/Wells Fargo.

Community Redevelopment Agency

Reimbursement for streetscape improvements. George Overby, who owns buildings at 15 East Intendencia Street and 201 South Jefferson Street, wants to make improvements, at his expense, to the first block of East Intendencia Street, including sidewalk widening, installation of brick pavers and tree grates, and wiring for streetlights. These improvements would be made within City right-of-way and would become City property. The City and CRA have designed and bid out the project; Mr. Overby will fund the full cost of the improvements, and will reimburse the CRA up to $43,600 for design and engineering costs. The CRA will spend $10,000 on decorative streetlights for the area.

Façade improvement loan. Staff is recommending the award of a $50,000 forgiveable loan to Masonic Lodge, LLC, under the CRA’s Storefront Façade Improvement Program. Masonic Lodge, LLC is extensively renovating the former Masonic Temple at the corner of Garden and Palafox Streets, the bottom floor of which will become the Vinyl Music Hall.

Info on 2009 façade grants. An information item provides an update on Storefront Façade Improvement Program awards from FY2009.

Links

• Committee of the Whole agenda
• Enterprise Operations agenda
• Neighbourhood Services agenda
• Economic & Community Development agenda
• Finance Committee agenda
• Community Redevelopment Agency agenda