Today’s special hours of operation will be from 1:00-4:00 PM and 4:30-7:30 PM. Normal hours of operation are three sessions — 9:00 AM-12:00 PM, 12:30-3:30 PM, and 4:00-7:00 PM — daily. Cost per session is $4.00 for adults and $3.00 for children, with the exception of children under 4, who are admitted free.

Note: These meetings will take place on Monday, June 21. The meetings will begin at 9:00 AM in the Hagler/Mason Conference Room, second floor, City Hall. The Community Redevelopment Agency will not meet. Please note the earlier-than-normal start time.

Committee of the Whole

Board appointments. City Council will make three appointments to the Zoning Board of Adjustments. There are four nominees: Dean Dalrymple, David Del Gallo, and Fred Gunther, who are incumbents; and Drucilla Thomas. Council is also asked to ratify Mayor Wiggins’ reappointment of Ed Carson and Burney Merrill to the Downtown Improvement Board.

BP indemnification agreement. City staff will bring forward a much-discussed proposal to hold BP accountable for any environmental damage at their Bayou Chico staging ground.

Charter changes. A series of ordinances amending the City Code to comply with the new City Charter are being brought forward. Most of the changes are simply swapping references to the City Manager to Mayor, but various changes implement provisions of the new Charter and some of the new processes that come with it.

FOP agreement. City staff and representatives of the Fraternal Order of Police, the union representing Pensacola Police officers and sergeants, negotiated a new collective bargaining agreement last month. The agreement eliminates longevity pay, reinstates senior officer pay, and resolves outstanding unfair labour practice charges filed by the union.

Red light cameras. The City Attorney has prepared an ordinance that would allow the City to begin the process of utilising the recently-passed state law providing for red light cameras. Several members of Council have expressed an interest. An information item lays out the requirements and framework of the state program, as well as a copy of the new statute.

Noise ordinance. Rumour has it complaints about noise in the historic district may surface Monday. Staff has prepared a presentation on the City’s noise ordinance.

Enterprise Operations

More expenses for Downtown Library. Staff is asking Council to approve a $180,473 increase to the existing contract with Townes + Architects for architectural and engineering design services on the Downtown Library project. The increase is necessary due to construction modifications, additional expenses toward LEED certification, and the addition of an exterior landscaped ampitheatre.

Airport parking garage. Also up for consideration is a work order with Hatch Mott MacDonald for an in-depth investigation of the Airport’s parking garage structure, where leaking has been observed. Funding comes from the Airport’s maintenance budget. The work order amount is $21,559; Hatch Mott MacDonald is a national company that does maintain a local office.

Other Airport expenditures. Council will also consider the purchase of furniture to be installed in the Airport’s public areas. The cost is $98,068; the vendor, WESNIC Furniture, is based in Jacksonville. Also on the agenda is the purchase of casegoods and other office furnishings. Purchase price is $100,000; vendors are AMCASE, Inc. of North Carolina and Tab Professional Business Designs of Escambia County.

Airport GSA/TSA lease. It’s also time for renewal of the lease between the Airport and the General Services Administration for space occupied by the Transportation Security Administration. The lease nets the Airport $157.005.84 annually.

Economic & Community Development

Sidewalks. Staff is asking Council to approve Penny for Progress funding for 2010 sidewalk construction. Cost are estimated at $230,000.

ROW license. Lawfirm Taylor Martino Zarzaur is occupying space on the second floor at Palafox and Romana streets and is requesting a license to use right-of-way on both streets for overhead signage.

Comp Plan amendment. An information item announces that a public hearing will be held at Council’s regular meeting this Thursday, June 24 to consider amending the City’s Comprehensive Plan to include an historic preservation element.

Neighbourhood Services

Street rehab. First on the agenda is the award of the contract for the City’s FY2010 Street Rehabilitation Project. The project involves resurfacing and otherwise repairing 305 blocks of City streets and construction of handicap-accessible sidewalk ramps. The $1,210,291.91 contract is set to be awarded to Panhandle Grading & Paving of unincorporated Escambia County. For a list and map of the streets in question see the full agenda.

Sediment tank cleaning. Staff is asking Council to approve a contract for removal of sediment from the City’s stormwater treatment units. Public Works is no longer able to provide this function. The contract amount is $149,600; the low bidder is Gator Dredging of Pinellas Park, Florida.

State roads contract. Staff is also looking to execute a contract with Transfield Services Inc. for sweeping and mowing of certain state roads within the City. Funding is provided by the Florida Department of Transportation.

Surplus vehicles. Council will decide whether or not to donate surplus vehicles to organisations which have requested them. George Stone has requested two retired police cruisers; United Way/UniteEscambia is seeking two vehicles as well.

Appeal franchise termination. Tri Star Waste Services/Pot-O-Gold has appealed to the City Council to reverse the City Manager’s decision to terminate its commercial solid waste franchise. The City Manager terminated the franchise after the company failed to submit a required independent audit and failed to respond to repeated notifications from City staff that a termination of franchise was imminent.

Finance Committee

City health insurance. Staff is asking Council to approve renewal of the City’s group health insurance coverage with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida. The budgeted amount for this expenditure is $5,117,000.

Stormwater assessments. Council must make a decision on whether to change the methodology the City uses for billing stormwater assessments and whether or not to increase the rate. Leaving the rate as is means stormwater operating expenses would exceed revenue.

Taxi ordinance changes. Staff is proposing various changes to the City’s ordinances concerning vehicles for hire. The changes were developed in coordination with the Chamber of Commerce’s Military Affairs Committee, and are intended to address the problem of inconsistent billing to military personnel traveling from area bases into the City.

Lease with Habitat. Also on the agenda is a proposed renewed lease of City property at 1040 North Guillemard Street to Pensacola Habitat for Humanity, for the rate of $1 per year. Habitat uses the property for administrative offices.

Limiting use of parks revenues. Also proposed is a resolution which would specify that revenue brought in by Parks & Recreation facilities such as Osceola Golf Course or Roger Scott Tennis Centre would only be used toward related expenditures.

Supplemental budget resolution. A supplemental budget resolution is being offered by staff to balance the FY2010 budget. This resolution addresses the City’s PTO payouts, the Port FEMA grant, the Maritime Park bonds and New Market Tax Credits, and other various items.

Links

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

Note: These meetings will take place on Monday, May 10. The meetings begin at 3:15 PM in the Hagler/Mason Conference Room, second floor, City Hall. The Economic & Community Development Committee and Community Redevelopment Agency will not meet.

Committee of the Whole

Board appointments. The City Council will make an appointment to the Human Services Appropriations Committee, which reviews funding requests from service organisations and provides the City Council with recommendations. There are two nominees for the appointment: Audra Carter, nominated by Councilman Townsend, and Danny Lewis, nominated by Councilman Jerralds.

New sister city. Also on Council’s agenda is a resolution to establish a “sister city” relationship with the town of Macharaviaya, Málaga, Spain, birthplace of General Bernardo de Gálvez, who recaptured Pensacola for Spain in 1781. Macharaviaya would become Pensacola’s seventh sister city.

Outside agency funding. Council will also consider a recommendation to fund economic development-related outside agencies in the amount of $144,000. That figure includes $90,000 for the Pensacola-Escambia Development Commission (PEDC), $50,000 for the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, and $4,000 for the Gulf Coast African-American Chamber of Commerce, all cuts of 25% or more over current funding levels.

CMP issues. Four items on the Committee of the Whole agenda concern the Community Maritime Park, including UWF lease agreements, a design build contract, a New Market Tax Credit execution authorisation, and an addendum to the 2006 Master Development and Lease Agreement. The documents have yet to be posted to the agenda.

Council scheduling. Council will also discuss the scheduling of committee meetings. Last year, during the summer months, when Councilwoman Cannada-Wynn did not have obligations to her School District job, committee meetings were begun several hours earlier than the standard start time of 3:15 PM.

Finance Committee

Excess gas liability insurance. The lone item on the Finance Committee agenda is the purchase of excess gas liability insurance for Energy Services of Pensacola, the City-owned gas utility. The proposed premium is $192,201 for a $35 million policy, which represents an increase of $19,542 over last year’s expense.

Enterprise Operations

Airport projects. On the Enterprise Operations agenda is a supplemental agreement with Greenhut Construction, the principal contractor of recent extensive construction projects at the Airport, for the reconstruction of College Boulevard and renovation of an employee parking lot. The total cost including contingency is $527,026.50, of which $356,593.90 is covered by a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Neighbourhood Services

Police camera canopy system. On the agenda is the purchase of a “camera canopy system” for the Police Department. The package includes nine new cameras for high-crime areas, as well as a software platform to manage those cameras as well as the four cameras the City currently has in place. The system can support an unlimited number of cameras and thus coverage can be expanded in the future with no additional software costs. The vendor recommended by staff after an RFP process is Advanced Control Concepts, a company located within the City limits. The cost is $202,684.17, which is covered by a grant awarded under last year’s federal stimulus package.

Roger Scott Tennis concessionaire. A lease agreement with Raquel’s Tennis Togs, the concessionaire at the City’s Roger Scott Tennis Centre, is up for renewal. The concessionaire is requesting the City exercise a five-year extension option, with a lease fee of $259.08 per month, a 2% increase over the previous fee.

Increased funding for Roger Scott Pool renovation. The committee will also consider a staff recommendation that $61,411 be reallocated from a general athletic facilities improvement fund to the renovation of the Roger Scott Swimming Pool. A portion of the reallocated amount would go toward repairing lighting and pipe work, while the balance would serve as a contingency for the project.

Baylen Slip dredging. Also on the agenda is a change order for the Baylen Slip dredging project. The order covers additional work to remove several tons of broken timber pilings, tires, and other debris from the bottom of the slip. The additional expense of $46,764 would be reimbursed by FEMA.

Schwab Drive reconstruction. After an outcry from non-City residents of Schwab Drive, City and County staffs have worked out an interlocal agreement whereby the County will reimburse the City in the amount of $34,000 in for reconstruction of the unincorporated portions of Schwab Drive. Previously, the 300 or so feet of Schwab Drive which lie outside of the City limits would not have been included in the City project. Comment: It’s most disappointing that the City caved and accommodated the requests of these County residents rather than seeking their annexation into the City limits. If we keep providing City-quality services to County residents, they will have no incentive to annex.

Stop signs at Alcaniz and Romana. An information item details a plan to place all-way stop signs at the intersection of Alcaniz and Romana streets, where many citizens have complained of speeding and visibility issues.

Links

• Committee of the Whole agenda
• Finance Committee agenda
• Enterprise Operations agenda
• Neighbourhood Services agenda

Note: This meeting will take place on Monday, March 22. The meeting begins at 3:15 PM in the Hagler/Mason Conference Room, second floor, City Hall. The Community Redevelopment Agency will not meet.

Committee of the Whole

CBAA appointment. The City Council will appoint one member and two alternates to the Construction Board of Adjustment and Appeals. Two of the positions have only a single incumbent as nominee, who will likely be reappointed by acclamation; one of the alternate positions has two nominees, and a vote will be taken in that case.

Parks Board appointment. The Council will also fill three seats on the Parks & Recreation Board, from a slate of five nominees, including one incumbent.

ZBA appointment. Finally, the City Council will make one appointment to the Zoning Board of Appeals; the nominees are homebuilder Jim Hinson and Mr. Clayton Taylor of the Public Defender’s office.

CMPA nomination process. The City Council is expected to discuss the shady process by which Mr. Jim Reeves was recently appointed to the Community Maritime Park Associates Board of Trustees. In a resolution passed earlier this month, the City Council made the CMPA an “instrumentality” of the City and accepted the power to appoint and remove CMPA members. However, in a strategic move which City staff either didn’t anticipate or didn’t warn Council about, the CMPA appointed Mr. Reeves under the wire before amending its articles of incorporation. To contact City Council members about the Reeves appointment, click here.

Quiet Zone. Council will discuss the possibility of a downtown “quiet zone” regarding CSX trains.

CMPA officers. An information item will also notify the City Council of the CMPA’s newly elected officers: Eddie Todd, chair; Dick Baker, vice chair; Juanita Scott, secretary; and Katie White, treasurer.

Finance Committee

Loan conversion. Staff is asking Council to approve converting some loans to a fixed rate bond structure. We don’t really understand what any of that means, but if someone is so inclined, feel free to open the full agenda and see if you can make heads or tails of it.

Data storage equipment. Escambia County has kindly offered some rack space at its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC). Staff is asking Council to approve the purchase of data storage equipment to place at the EOC, which will back up the City’s data at a third location. The City currently maintains backups at PPD headquarters and the Airport. A fire in the Airport computer room last year took that backup out of commission for a time, and both the PPD headquarters and Airport are undergoing construction, hence staff’s decision to seek a third backup location. The $86,193.85 contract would be 75% funded by a Port security grant recently obtained by the City.

Connecting community centres to fiber ring. Staff is also asking Council to approve the addition of ten City community centres and other recreational facilities to the City’s fiber ring. This involves a $302,250 expense with Southern Light, LLC, the fiber provider, and an $80,435.80 purchase of fiber optic hardware from WaveNet technologies, for a total cost of $382,685.80. This project is also 75% funded by the Port security grant. According to City staff, adding these facilities to the fiber ring will provide City staff with alternate work locations in the event of an emergency and expedite disaster relief efforts.

Prohibition on bidder contact. Up for Council’s consideration is an ordinance that would prohibit prospective bidders on City-issued invitations to bid, requests for proposals, requests for qualifications, or other formal solicitations from contacting City Council members from the time the solicitation is advertised to the time the project is awarded. The Escambia County Commission recently enacted a similar measure.

Increasing City Manager’s spending limit. The Small Business Enterprise ad hoc committee, which was formed by the City Council to investigate ways the City could increase the amount of City dollars spent with small, and particularly minority, businesses. One of that committee’s recommendations is that the City Manager’s spending limit (the amount the City Manager can spend without Council approval) be increased to $100,000 when buying goods and services from “Tier One” Small Business Enterprises (SBEs). “Tier One” SBEs must go through a certification process and must have 15 or fewer employees.

Neighbourhood Services

Street resurfacing. Staff is asking Council to approve the proposed list of streets to be resurfaced in FY2010. The project proposes to resurface 305 blocks throughout the City. The full agenda includes a list and map.

Illuminated street signs. Also up for consideration is the purchase of 26 illuminated street signs to cover 7 intersections:

• Cervantes Street @ Alcaniz Street/Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive
• Cervantes Street @ Perry Avenue
• Cervantes Street @ T Street
• Fairfield Drive @ 9th Avenue
• Fairfield Drive @ I-110
• Davis Highway @ I-110
• Davis Highway @ Langley Avenue

The cost of the signs and related equipment is $35,742; the vendor is Southern Manufacturing of Orlando.

Speed humps. The City plans to install “speed humps” (less height than traditional speed bumps) near six parks:

• Pineglades Park (Euclid Street)
• Alabama Square (De Soto & Gonzalez Streets)
• Cordova Square (Gonzalez Street)
• Woodland Heights Parks (Woodland Drive)
• Morris Court (Brainerd Street)
• Belvedere Park (San Gabriel Drive)

The speed humps are manufactured from recycled rubber. The City has previously installed these at ten other locations and reports no negative feedback. The cost is $20,000; the vendor is Gulf Coast Traffic Engineers, based in Escambia County.

Parks Summer Program Guide. Staff is asking Council to approve a $15,975 contract with the Pensacola News Journal for printing and distribution of a Summer Program Guide for the Parks & Recreation Department.

Law Enforcement Trust Fund. When the Pensacola Police Department seizes cash, real estate, vehicles, and other property, the proceeds are deposited in a Law Enforcement Trust Fund (LETF). Per State law, that money can be used for various capital expenses, training, community education, or other non-regular expenses. The PPD’s LETF currently has a balance of $229,025.97; Chief John Mathis is requesting Council approve expenditures totalling $223,550. A list of the expenditures is included in the full agenda.

Waste haulers audits. The City Code requires holders of solid waste hauling franchises within the City submit an audit every three years. One of the haulers, A Prestige Services, feels the requirement is burdensome and has asked for the issue to be placed on a committee agenda for discussion.

Pool schedule. An information item details the schedule of the City pools for the coming season. Originally scheduled to close for renovation, Hunter Pool will now open April 12 and remain open until the Roger Scott Pool reopens later in the season.

Economic & Community Development

Lien reduction. The Code Enforcement Board has recommended the reduction of a lien against an apartment complex at 7601 North 9th Avenue from $175,000 to staff costs of $5,425.75. The lien resulted from fines when renovations were taking place at the complex without permits. During that renovation process, the apartments were converted to condominiums and the property owner is now trying to sell the units.

Right of way license. Kentucky Data Link is requesting a license to use a small area of right of way on West Belmont Street in order to install underground fiber lines.

Hollice Williams Park. An information item outlines the conceptual plan for the future of Hollice Williams Park, which occupies the area underneath the elevated portions of I-110.

Enterprise Operations

Grant submission. Staff is asking Council to approve the submission of a grant application to the State Division of Library and Information Services. If approved, the grant would provide additional funding for construction of the new downtown library.

ESP service contracts. Staff is also asking Council to approve contracts with Simens Industry, Inc., Peterson Enginering, Inc., and Pepco Energy Services for “energy conservation analysis, performance contracting, and energy system design/build services to provide subcontracting services as needed to the U.S. Navy and other ESP contracts.”

Saenger Theatre rate increase. City Manager Al Coby is asking Council to approve a rental rate increase for the City-owned Saenger Theatre. The Saenger is a subsidised operation, and due the its recent expansion and renovation, operating costs have increased. In order to maintain the current subsidy level, an increase to the per-day rental rate is necessary. The move is likely to be very unpopular with non-profit groups which use the Saenger, as they are already strapped for cash.

Airport concessions. Council will also consider a Change of Control Transaction by Varona-Paradies, LLC, which has the Airport news and gifts concession.

Airport carpet and tile cleaning. Due to the opening of new expansion areas at the Airport, its contract for carpet and tile cleaning services needs to be amended to include the additional space. The amendment will increase the contract price by $651.05 per month.

Airport commerce park property management. Staff is asking Council to approve a one-year contract with Gunther Properties to handle the leasing and management of commercial properties in the Airport’s Commerce Park. Gunther would take 4.5% of gross leases fees.

MOA with Chamber. The recent Port grants received by the City require a “Fiduciary Agent” (FA) which will be the point of contact for FEMA, who administers the grant. Staff is proposing the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce Act as the FA. In exchange, the Chamber would be paid $149,925 over three years (the three-year grant amount is $4,330,336).

Port update. Port staff will also provide Council with an update of business development at the Port.

Links

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

Roger Scott pool delayed til July. Jamie Page of the News Journal reports that the reopening of Roger Scott pool has been delayed to July. City Engineer Derrik Owens said at yesterday’s Council committee meetings that a pre-construction meeting will take place today, with construction expected to start next week and close within 90 (working) days. Meanwhile, the Cecil Hunter Pool at 200 East Blount Street will open April 12.

Evon Emerson resigns. Evon Emerson, president and CEO of the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, has resigned from that position. Ms. Emerson has said previously that she planned to retire. According to the News Journal, Ms. Emerson annually earns $174,731 (includes $163,007 base salary and $11,724 performance bonus), an additional $15,000 toward a retirement plan, plus a $3,600 car allowance.

CMPA nominees. Jamie Page lists the nominees for appointment to the Community Maritime Park Associates Board of Trustees. This will be the last appointment to that board by the board itself. The City is set to take over the board and future members are to be appointed by the City Council.

Outzen on reducing City reserves. Rick’s Blog discusses Councilwoman Maren DeWeese’s proposal that the City dip into its reserves to address the budget deficit and other issues. See also Jamie Page’s report in the News Journal and columnist Mark O’Brien’s take.

CMP dirt. Jamie Page highlights the spoil pit at the Community Maritime Park site, where dirt dredged from Baylen Slip is being dumped to dry. The dirt will later be used in the project, reducing costs.

Crime at A and Jackson streets. Rick Outzen highlights the 933 calls to the Pensacola Police Department in 2009 regarding criminal activity around A and Jackson streets.

Note: This meeting will take place on Monday, March 8. The meeting begins at 3:15 PM in the Hagler/Mason Conference Room, second floor, City Hall. The Economic & Community Development Committee and the Community Redevelopment Agency will not meet.

Committee of the Whole

Board appointment. The City Council will make an appointment to the General Pension Board, which oversees the administration of the now-closed pension plan for general employees. There are three nominees for the appointment: Clarry Ellis, John Baxter, and P. A. Ucci.

Dogs at restaurants. A request by various restaurants to amend the City Code to allow dogs at outdoor dining areas is back on the agenda. This issue originally surfaced late last year but was tabled. The change would require passage of an ordinance, and would allows restaurants who obtained a permit to allow patrons to bring dogs to outdoor seating areas only. Various state-imposed sanitation regulations would have  to be followed.

CRA industrial land use moratorium. Also back is the proposed moratorium on industrial land uses within the CRA boundaries. The CRA encompasses the area south of Cervantes Street between A Street and 17th Avenue. The moratorium would not affecting existing uses, only new permitting.

Student Government Day. Councilwoman Jewel Cannada-Wynn, who works as a dean at Escambia High School, is proposing the City participate in a Student Government Day. Representatives from the Student Government Associations of area public and private secondary schools would be invited to spend a day with City staffers and Council members.

Adoption of goals. The City Council will consider official adoption of a list of goals they’ve been discussing for the better part of the past year.

CMPA membership. The Council will also discuss the membership of the Community Maritime Park Associates Board of Trustees. A new trustee will be appointed shortly due to the recent resignation of Lacey Collier.

Finance Committee

City financial reserves. Responding to comments by Councilwoman Maren DeWeese at the past round of committee meetings suggesting the City Council should consider drawing upon the City’s reserves, City management has issued a memorandum detailing the reserve situation and the history of Council’s reserve policy. City Manager Al Coby states “while the City is experiencing financial pressure as a result of uncertain economic times, it would be very questionable to reduce the stated reserve policy (15% of general fund budgeted revenues) or drawdown reserves for ongoing operations.”

Neighbourhood Services

Equipment purchases. Staff is asking Council to approve the purchase of two Toro Groundmaster 4010-D mowers for the Parks & Recreation Department. The purchase price is $121,160.52; the vendor is Jerry Pate Turf, located in Escambia County.

Also on the agenda is the purchase of playground equipment for four City parks: Lavallet Park in the Gaberonne/Lavallet area, Miralla Park in Cordova Park, Springdale Park on Brent Lane, and Zamora Square at Bobe Street and 18th Avenue. The total purchase price of the equipment is $94,379.33; the vendor is Playmore Recreational Products and Services of Fort Myers.

Aquatic facilities and programs. Staff will provide Council with a verbal update on the City’s aquatic facilities and programs.

Enterprise Operations

ESP consulting services. Staff is asking Council to approve a contract with Black & Veatch of Overland, Kansas, to provide continuing consulting services to Energy Services of Pensacola, the City-owned natural gas utility, as well as to produce ESP’s annual report. The firm would prepare the annual report at a cost of $34,000 for FY2009, $35,000 for FY2010, and $36,000 for FY2011; the continuing consulting services would be provided as needed at a cost not to exceed $20,000 per year.

Port grant. Staff is also asking Council to approve the submission of a grant under the FEMA Port Security Grant Program. If the grant is received, it would fund emergency operations for the City, including the construction of a fiber-optic network between various City facilities and the purchase of a VOIP communications system. The grant could also fund various other security purchases.

Airport rental car facilities. A restrictive covenant must be entered into with tenants of the Airport’s new rental car facilities due to environmental concerns. A portion of the facility was constructed on a prior landfill; the covenant is necessary to meet Florida Department of Environmental Protection requirements.

Airport wildlife assessment. In the wake of the bird strike which caused a now-infamous US Airways flight to land in the Hudson River in New York, the Federal Aviation Administration has required airports which have had past wildlife-related incidents to perform a wildlife hazard assessment. The Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport has dealt with bird strikes in the past and “coyotes continue to have a presence on and around the airfield.” The City Manager is asking the City Council to approve a contract with the United States Department of Agriculture to perform the wildlife hazard assessment. The cost would be $52,006 with a 10% contingency of $5,200.

Additional Tryon Library expenses. The construction of the Tryon Branch Library and improvements to the surrounding Bryan Park have run over budget. Due to additional services assistance requested by City staff, the contractor, Strobel and Hunter, is owed an additional $11,611.50.

Port tariff change. The Port Director and City Manager have made a small change to the Port’s tariff, increasing the fee for TWIC escort services from $30 to $50 per hour.

Links

• Committee of the Whole agenda
• Finance Committee agenda
• Neighbourhood Services agenda
• Enterprise Operations agenda

Note: This meeting will take place on Monday, February 22. The meeting begins at 3:15 PM in the Hagler/Mason Conference Room, second floor, City Hall. The Enterprise Operations Committee and the Community Redevelopment Agency will not meet.

Committee of the Whole

Board appointments. The City Council will appoint 11 individuals to the City’s Environmental Advisory Board. There are fifteen candidates for the 11 positions, including eight incumbents. See the full agenda for the list of nominees.

16 South Palafox lease. Council will also consider leasing part of the City-owned building at 16 South Palafox Street to Mr. Ian Kaple. The lease would cover the first floor, portions of the exterior breezeway, and an area behind the building. The term of the lease would be five years, with an initial annual rent of $20,320 (about $1693/month), a figure that would increase by 2% annually. The City has been trying to dispose of the 16 South Palafox property for several years, and having been unsuccessful in selling the building, has recently pursued leasing the property. Mr. Kaple operates wine and liquor outlets in Pensacola and South Santa Rosa County.

Industrial moratorium in CRA? City staff is asking Council to hold a public forum at next Thursday’s regular Council meeting to consider a moratorium on the permitting of industrial land uses within the CRA district, which encompasses the area south of Cervantes Street between A Street and 17th Avenue.

Finance Committee

FY2009 CAFR. The City’s Finance Department will present Council with its FY2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). The full 154-page report, as well as an external audit by Saltmarsh, Cleaveland & Gund,  is included within the full agenda.

Dental insurance renewal. Staff is asking Council to approve renewal of the City’s group dental insurance. The vendor, United Concordia, has offered the City a one-year renewal at no change in premium or coverage. The annual cost to the City is approximately $80,000.

City financial condition. The Finance Committee agenda also includes an information item regarding the City’s financial situation, prepared by independent auditors. It states in part:

City Council and management are responsible for monitoring financial condition. While the five-year trend indicates an unfavorable position, the Director of Finance has stated that the City is in good financial condition. This will continue as long as the City budget is structured so that on going revenues will fund on going expenditures and departments operate within their appropriations.

Economic and Community Development

Release of lien. Staff is asking Council to approve the release of a lien against property located at 120 Water Street. The lien was filed due to a computer error in which a permit appeared not to have been obtained when it had.

Right-of-way licenses. Council will also consider granting licenses to uses right of way to two restaurants. Artissimo, located at 104 South Palafox Street, is asking to use a 6′x40′ portion of the Palafox Street right-of-way for outdoor seating. The second applicant is the Five Sisters Blues Café, to be located at 421 West Belmont Street in the former Gussie’s Record Shop building. The restaurant wants to use a 6′x100′ portion of the De Villiers Street right-of-way and a 6′x125′ portion of the Belmont Street right-of-way for outdoor seating.

Neighbourhood Services

Heavy truck purchase. Council will consider the purchase of a heavy duty truck tractor for the Public Works Department. The truck would replace a 1993 model. Public Works uses the truck primarily to haul heavy machinery and equipment to work sites. The purchase price is $93,624; the vendor is Navistar International Trucks.

Police equipment purchase. Staff is also asking Council to consider the purchase of various accessories for equipping police vehicles. The total purchase price is $4,975.56; the vendor is Dana Safety Supply of Jacksonville.

I-110 right-of-way sublease. Also on the agenda is a proposal to sublet a portion of the Interstate 110 right-of-way to Rodney Rich, who is developing office buildings nearby at Tarragona and Wright streets. Mr. Rich would use the area for stormwater management. The small area would be leased for an annual fee of $500.

Roger Scott pool contract. One item that many have been waiting for is the award of the contract for renovations at the Roger Scott pool facility. Staff threw out the low bid because the company, from Orlando, omitted several key items. The next lowest bid, including the 10% contingency, is $671,990; the contractor is Morette Company, located within the City limits.

Links

• Committee of the Whole agenda
• Finance Committee agenda
• Economic and Community Development agenda
• Neighbourhood Services

FOP president on police budget cuts. Sunday’s Pensacola News Journal featured a viewpoint from Robert Bell, president of the local lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police, the union which represents most Pensacola Police officers. The piece argues that cuts to the police budget have affected and will continue to affect public safety, and explains the union’s recent demonstration at the opening of newly-constructed clay tennis courts at the Roger Scott Athletic Complex. Mr. Bell explains that the union is “well aware the funding for the tennis courts came from the local-option sales tax” — money which can only be spent on capital projects, not salaries — but wanted to “contrast the city’s ostentatious display of this expenditure with the reduction in staffing, training and salaries of its police officers.”

O’Brien on mayoral race. Check out Mark O’Brien’s overview of the Pensacola mayoral race, thus far, in Sunday’s Pensacola News Journal. Mr. O’Brien identifies four candidates who have said they will run or are considering it: Councilwoman Diane Mack, current mayor Mike Wiggins, former mayor John Fogg, and businessman Ashton Hayward.

Sluggo’s returning to downtown. After 5+ years on West Cervantes Street in Brownsville, vegan café, bar, and music venue Sluggo’s plans to return to the downtown area. Sluggo’s was located downtown for much of the 1990s but left in 2000 under pressure from a certain downtown property owner, as well as the Downtown Improvement Board. Sluggo’s plans to reopen in the South Jefferson Street location recently vacated by Reverie Bakery in early March.

Latest City beautification event. This past Saturday, District 3 residents joined Councilwoman Maren DeWeese in another beautification event. More than two truckloads of underbrush was removed from the area near Scenic Highway and Bayview Way, improving views of Pensacola Bay.

Hands Across the Sand draws 250+ at Pensacola Beach. Saturday’s “Hands Across the Sand” event, intended to protest efforts to begin oil drilling off the Florida Coast, drew more than 250 people. The event was one of many simultaneous demonstrations which took place around the state.

Clay courts viewpoint. Area resident Robin Rudicell penned a viewpoint in today’s News Journal in support of the recently-opened clay tennis courts at the Roger Scott Athletic Complex. The construction of the clay courts has drawn criticism from some, including the police union and News Journal columnist Reggie Dogan.

Note: This meeting will take place on Monday, January 25. The meeting begins at 2:00 PM in the Hagler/Mason Conference Room, second floor, City Hall. Note the earlier-than-normal start time.

Committee of the Whole

Appointments. Up for appointment is an open seat on the City’s Zoning Board of Adjustments, which was vacated by City Council candidate Courtney Peterson. There are four nominees: Architect Allen Bounds, nominated by Councilwoman Pratt; and minister John Baxter, contractor David Del Gallo, and attorney Clayton Taylor, all nominated by Councilman Johnson.

Consolidation. Council, having been provided the final consolidation plan developed by the Escambia County Consolidation Study Commission and submitted to the Legislature, will discuss the issue and vote up or down on the plan.

Mayoral salary. Staff will present information to assist Council in setting a salary for the executive mayor under our new Mayor-Council government. Council will discuss, and potentially vote on, the issue.

Normandy Group presentation. Louis Dupart of the City’s lobbying firm, The Normandy Group, will give a presentation. The City’s contract with The Normandy Group expired in September 2009; Council must determine if they wish to reengage the firm.

Arts Council audit. The City Council will also receive a presentation from Patty Sheldon on the recent audit of the Arts Council’s finances.

Admiral Mason stormwater pond. The Pensacola-Escambia Development Commission (PEDC) is asking the City to fund stormwater and drainage improvements for its downtown technology park site, the largest of which would be a retention pond at the Admiral Mason Park site at the foot of 9th Avenue.

Easement issue. Rodney Rich, who is developing property at 300 North Tarragona Street, is asking the City Council to reduce the easement left after a portion of the Belmont Street right-of-way was vacated by a 1977 ordinance. The easement reduction will allow Mr. Rich to better utilise the property.

Enterprise Operations

Airport furnishings. Staff is asking Council to approve a contract for the purchase of various furnishings for the new areas created in the Airport’s current expansion project, including the public meeting areas, incident centre, and administration areas. The contract amount is $45,606.47, which is within the Airport’s 2010 budget; the vendor is Office Planning Group.

Westside Library. The West Florida Public Library intends to exercise a one-year lease on the property it leases for the Westside Library at 1580 West Cervantes Street. Rent for the property is $3,914 monthly.

Economic and Community Development

Hancock Bank rezoning. Hancock Bank is again requesting rezoning of its property at 4980 North 12th Avenue from ATZ-1 to ATZ-2. The City Planning Board denied their request in August 2009.

Community Redevelopment Agency

Retail façade program. The CRA will vote on a recommendation to award rebates to the Five Sisters Blues Café under the CRA’s Retail Storefront Façade Improvement Program. The program assists business owners with renovating façades and signage in order to create a positive visual impact. The Five Sisters Blues Café is a restaurant being developed at 421 West Belmont Street (the former Gussie’s Record Shop).

Neighbourhood Services

Police vehicle purchases. Staff is asking Council to approve a $43,287.70 contract for accessories for 15 police vehicles. This includes sirens, lights, and other equipment to outfit new cruisers. The vendor is Dana Safety Supply of Jacksonville, Florida. Also up for consideration is a contract to purchase 11 digital in-car video cameras which record straight to DVD. The contract cost is $64,443; the vendor is Watch Guard of Plano, Texas. Funding for both contracts was available within the Police Department’s Penny for Progress revenue.

ECUA monitoring wells. The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) has asked the City to enter into an easement agreement which would allow ECUA to place monitoring wells in three City parks: Hitzman/Optimist Park, Baars Park, and Baycliff Estates Park.

Cobb Centre improvements. Council will consider a contract for architectural and engineering design services related to the expansion of the E. S. Cobb Community Centre. The fee is “not to exceed” $81,770; the vendor is Quina Grundhoefer Architects, a firm based within the Pensacola City limits.

Recreation Board. Lastly, up for discussion are amendments to the City Code concerning the Recreation Board. The amendments would change the board’s name to the Park & Recreation Board and increase the board’s membership from 5 to 7.

Finance Committee

Claim against the City. Staff is recommending Council settle a claim from Carmen Cusack against the City for the sum of $12,000. That, together with the City’s legal fees, will be less than the $50,000 insurance deductible we would otherwise have to pay. The claim stems from a January 2007 incident in which Ms. Cusack was wrongfully arrested by a Pensacola Police officer.

Work uniforms. Council will consider a contract for the purchase of work uniforms used by various City departments. The uniforms will be purchased as needed but the cost is estimated at $35,227.75. The vendor is At Work Uniforms of Orange Beach, Alabama; they do have a local facility located outside the City limits at 2211 North Pace Boulevard.

Local bidder preference progam. Based on information brought to staff by Councilman Sam Hall, an ordinance has been prepared that would adopt for the City a local bidder preference program modelled after a program in Marion County, Florida. That program utilises a “bid off” process when the second-lowest bidder is a “local” bidder. We’ll have more on this tomorrow.

Financial report. Staff will also present a report on the City’s finances for the first quarter of FY2010.

Links

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

As the first set of committee meetings since City voters approved a new charter last month, Monday’s committee meetings are expected to be lengthy. In addition to a large agenda otherwise, the Committee of the Whole meeting will likely include extensive discussion on the charter transition process.

Note: This meeting will take place on Monday, December 14. The meeting begins at 3:15 PM in the Hagler/Mason Conference Room, second floor, City Hall.

Committee of the Whole

Charter transition. Discussion of the new charter and its implementation is expected to dominate the Committee of the Whole meetings. City Attorney Rusty Wells has prepared a memorandum outlining the various sections of the proposed charter and identifying what issues require City Council action immediately. Below is a short summary; Mr. Wells’ complete memorandum is available in the full committee agenda.

Issues requiring immediate Council attention

• Article III of new charter: Council must review the election provisions in Chapter 2-5 of the City Code and the interlocal agreement with the Escambia County Supervisor of Elections to ensure both conform to the requirements of Article III of the new charter.
• Article IV: Council must establish a salary for the executive mayor and a budget for the mayor’s office.
• Article VII: Council must approve an “appropriate petition form” as referenced in Section 7.04.
• Article IX: Council must begin the process of establishing a Code of Ethics, as required by Article IX.

The new charter specifies that any provisions of the current charter not addressed in the new charter would remain in effect as ordinances after January 1. The City Attorney has reviewed the current charter and has determined that, save for two minor issues, there are no substantial provisions in the current charter that would be retained as ordinances.

The City Attorney’s memorandum also details many other issues which the City Council must take up in the coming months. We’ll have more detail on the charter transition process tomorrow.

Board appointments. Council is being asked to approve Mayor Mike Wiggins’ five appointments to the International Relations Advisory Board. Also, the Council will make one appointment to the Firemen’s Relief and Pension Fund Board of Trustees. The sole nominee is incumbent Sam Horton, nominated by Mayor Wiggins.

16 South Palafox lease. After unsuccessfully trying to sell the City-owned building at 16 South Palafox Street, City staff decided to explore leasing the building. They’re now asking Council to approve a lease of the building’s second story to UWF’s Small Business Development Center. The five-year lease would generate $1,000 per month for the City, and that amount could increase if the SBDC receives additional funding.

Police lieutenants bargaining agreement. The City has come to a collective bargaining agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 71, the union representing Pensacola Police Department lieutenants. Staff is asking Council to approve the agreement.

CMP financing. Staff will also distribute an information to City Council members concerning the Community Maritime Park financing plan. An citizen attempt to force a referendum on the plan failed to secure enough signatures earlier this week.

Economic & Community Development

Right of way license. Staff is asking to approve a new license to use right of way with Moulton Properties concerning its property at 25 West Cedar Street (Harborview on the Bay). A license has been in place since 1993, when the City Council approved an agreement with the building’s previous owners. Since purchasing the property, Moulton Properties has maintained that license, but City staff says a new agreement must be approved reflecting the change in ownership and other special conditions. The license area is a 743 square foot portion of the City’s right of way on the south side of West Cedar Street, on which the building’s entry steps, a pedestrian ramp, and a landscape planter were constructed.

Public hearing on Baptist Hospital zoning. A public hearing will be held at the regular City Council meeting on December 17 concerning the future land use and zoning map amendments for the Baptist Hospital properties annexed into the City in 2008. The amendments were approved by the Planning Board in October.

Public hearing on Capital Improvements Schedule. A public hearing will also be held at the December 17 meeting concerning the Comprehensive Plan 5-Year Capital Improvements Schedule for FY 2010-2014. The list of capital improvements is lengthy and available in the full committee agenda.

Finance Committee

Human Services funding recommendations. Staff is asking Council to approve the Human Services Appropriations Committee’s recommended allocations of the $30,000 in human services funding approved by the City for FY2010.

Purchasing. Several contracts and purchases are up for approval:

• First up are contracts with three vendors for hardware supplies for a total cost of $37,019.29. The vendors are Pensacola Hardware Company and Pensacola Mill Supply Company, both located within the City, and Applied Industrial Technologies of Mobile, Alabama.
• Next up is a purchase of “radio controller components” for the City’s legacy 800MHz analog radio system. The $422,695.70 purchase from Motorola would “extend the service life of the existing radio system from year 2014 to 2016.” Staff says a decision must be made now because Motorola will not guarantee the availability of the parts after December 31.
• Lastly, staff is asking Council to approve the purchase various computer and network equipment: switch an router components, Data Domain data storage devices, and Lefthand StorageWorks storage devices. The total cost is $176,115. The purchases will be made from two vendors: WaveNet Technologies, a regional retailer with an office located within the City limits; and CDW-G, a national retailer. The purchases will replace aging network equipment, and provide the City’s MIS department with additional space for virtual servers and storage of documents.

Claims against the City. City staff is recommending Council approve settlements in two claims against the City:

• $12,000 to settle a claim from Jacqueline Glover; Ms. Glover’s claim arises from an October 2005 incident in which a Pensacola Police vehicle collided with a vehicle in which Ms. Glover was a passenger. According to the staff memorandum, Ms. Glover has received close to the settlement amount in therapy and other treatment and the City’s defence counsel feels the settlement amount is quite reasonable given the City’s potential liability.
• $13,000 to settle a claim from Igor Burbel; Mr. Burbel’s claim stems from an August 2004 incident in which Mr. Burbel claims he was falsely arrested and maliciously prosecuted. The settlement plus the City’s defence costs in this case will be less than the police liability insurance deductible.

Budget resolution. Staff is asking Council to approve two carryover budget resolutions for FY2010. They carry over to the next fiscal year’s budget appropriations for purchase orders issued prior to September 30, 2009, for which final payment has not yet been made, and other purchases which were budgeted but for various reasons not purchased in FY2009.

Local bidder preference program. Councilman Sam Hall recently asked City staff to investigate Marion County’s unique local bidder preference program. Staff will provide information to Council as a discussion item. In Marion County’s program, if the second lowest bidder is a local vendor and the bid is within 5% of the lowest bid, the top two bidders are asked to submit new bids, in a “bid off” process.

Preliminary FY2009 financial report. Finance Director Dick Barker will present to Council a preliminary report on the City’s finances for FY2009. The full report is included in the agenda.

Public hearing on stormwater management fees. A public hearing will be conducted at Council’s regular meeting on December 17 to adopt a “Resolution of Intent” to notify the County Property Appraiser and Tax Collector of the City’s intent to use non-ad valorem special assessments to pay for stormwater management costs, should the City decide to continue the stormwater assessment program.

Insurance savings. An information item details various insurance purchases for police, fire, the Airport, and other equipment. City staff was able to save us a bit of money, with an overall savings of $10,083 over last year’s purchases of the same items.

Enterprise Operations

Additional appropriation for Lakeview repairs. Staff is asking Council to approve an additional $5,451.63 for the Lakeview Avenue Concrete Street Repair Project. According to staff, as work began on the project (Lakeview between 12th and 20th), additional areas were identified which needed repair.

Airport lease. Also up for approval is a new lease with Airport Mailers, Inc. for a small area inside the terminal. Airport Mailers provides a service allowing travellers to mail home items prohibited from being carried onto flights, such as knives. Airport staff views the concession as a customer service benefit and as such charges no rent for the approximately six square feet used by Airport Mailers.

Grants. Staff is asking Council to concur with the City Manager’s acceptance of a $606,500 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) will be added to the budget for construction of the new downtown library, resulting in a total budget of $6,606,500. Staff is also asking Council to approve the submission of another grant which would benefit the Housing department.

ESP supply contract. Council will also consider contracts to purchase various pipe, fittings, water heaters, and other accessories for the City-owned Energy Services of Pensacola gas company. The purchases, which will be made as needed, are split over six vendors: Pensacola Hardware Company, located within the City; Ferguson Enterprises, a national retailer which maintains an office locally in unincorporated Escambia County; Gorman Company and Gulf Coast Marine Supply Company, regional retailers which both maintain offices locally in unincorporated Escambia County; Tempaco, Inc. of Crestview; and Sexuaer of Jacksonville.

ESP computer systems upgrade. Staff is also asking Council to approve a contract with Advanced Utility Systems for a planned upgrade to ESP’s billing and customer service computer systems. Staff expects the upgrade to increase efficiency and reduce paper usage as the new software will enable electronic orders to be sent to laptops in the field. The $74,600 contract includes the upgrade as well as a “business process review” to “maximize system utiliztation efficiency.”

Housing memorandum. Council will consider approval of a memorandum of understanding between the City’s Housing department and the state Department of Children and Families. The MOU will enable the City’s Housing department to pursue additional vouchers under the federal Family Unification Program (FUP).

Port tariff changes. An information item will outline various changes to the Port of Pensacola’s tariff, including an increase in dockage rates and cargo and security fees.

Neighbourhood Services

Police uniforms. Council will consider approval of a contract for police uniforms. The uniforms will be purchased as needed but staff estimates an $18,000 cost. The vendor, Bosso’s Uniform Company, is located within the City.

Sanders Beach Park improvements. Also up for approval is a $129,800 contract for improvements to Sanders Beach Park, including construction of a restroom building, installation of an irrigation system, renovations to existing picnic shelters, and the installation of sod. The low bidder, A Needles Construction, is based in Pace.

Waste collection at City facilities. Staff is asking Council to approve a $43,692 contract with Titan Waste Services of Milton for collection and disposal of refuse generated by City facilities. Titan would provide 29 dumpsters of various sizes to be located at various City facilities. This service has been provided by another vendor at a contract price of $48,860; this proposal represents a $5,168 savings.

Police vehicle purchases. Council will also consider purchases of various vehicles for the Pensacola Police Department. The proposed purchase includes two Ford Crown Victorias from Hub City Ford of Crestview, and four Chevrolet Impalas and three Chevrolet Tahoes from Bartow Chevrolet of Bartow, Florida. The Crown Victorias and Impalas would replace older administrative, unmarked, and K9-unit vehicles. The Tahoes are “police pursuit vehicles.” The total purchase price is $182,576.

Parks & Rec update. The Parks & Recreation will also provide Council with a report detailing progress on capital improvements at various parks and facilities, including Roger Scott Tennis Centre, the pool at Roger Scott, Fricker Community Centre, Malaga Square, Bayview Senior Centre, Sanders Beach Park, Cobb Community Centre, the Hunter Pool, and Osceola Golf Course.

Community Redevelopment Agency

Proposed CRA Plan update. The Council, sitting as the CRA, will decide whether or not to set a public hearing for January 14 to adopt the proposed CRA Plan update. The CRA held a special meeting in November to unveil the expansive plan.

Links

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

We can’t praise the new community centre enough. It is simply gorgeous inside and out. The spacious ballroom and its magnificent view of Pensacola Bay alone are worth the trip.

The 17,500 square foot facility was constructed at a cost of $4.4 million, much of which came from FEMA funding and insurance proceeds from the two community centres destroyed by Hurricane Ivan. In addition to the ballroom, the new centre features fitness rooms with state of the art exercise equipment, a full kitchen, large meeting rooms, a library with computers, an arts and crafts room with a kiln, and more.

Additionally, the community centre was constructed of concrete and brick, with impact glass windows, in order to withstand hurricanes. The centre was designed by Quina Grundhoefer Architects and was constructed by contractor A. E. New, Jr.

Progressive Pensacola extends our appreciation to the City’s wonderful Parks and Recreation staff, to the architect and contractor, and to the other members of City staff, advisory boards, and neighbourhood associations who worked together to bring this project to fruition.

The Sanders Beach-Corrine Jones Community Centre is located at Sonia and I Streets on Pensacola Bay. For more information, call (850) 436-5198.

Links

• PlayPensacola.com: Sanders Beach-Corinne Jones Community Centre

Note: This meeting will take place on Monday, September 24. The meeting begins at 3:15 PM in the Hagler/Mason Conference Room, second floor, City Hall.

Committee of the Whole

Board appointments: Council will make appointments to the Architectural Review Board, the Code Enforcement Board, the Enterprise Zone Advisory Board, and the Human Relations Commission. Our apologies for not publicising these board vacancies.

Charter: Council will consider approval of the proposed ordinance and ballot language for a referendum on the Charter Review Commission’s proposed charter. If approved, the ordinance would be read on the first reading September 24, on the second reading October 8, and a mail-in referendum conducted thereafter, ending November 24. For more info, see “Charter ordinance, ballot language ready.”

Time management: Council will discuss its time management at meetings.

Presentation: Carissa Bergosh, school liason officer for NAS Pensacola, and former Escambia County School Board member, will give a presentation.

Downtown Christmas decorations: A memo from the Downtown Improvement Board (DIB) informs Council that the DIB has cut from its budget the annual installation of Christmas decorations in downtown Pensacola.

Goal setting: Council will continue to discuss its goals and strategies. Up for discussion on Monday is the goal of improving the appearance and aesthetics of the City.

Community Redevelopment Agency

Community policing: Up for approval is an interlocal agreement between the City and CRA to provide for community policing. The budgeted amount is $150,000, down from $175,000 last year.

Landscape maintenance: Another interlocal agreement would provide for the maintenance of landscaping and other public spaces in the CRA district. The budgeted amount is $329,500.

CRA Plan update: Council/CRA will also receive an update on the status of the CRA Plan update, which is being managed by Looney Ricks Kiss, a Nashville firm with extensive experience in urban planning.

Finance Committee

Insurance procurement: Staff is asking Council to approve a one year agreement with New York Marine Insurance Company for excess workers’ compensation insurance. The annual premium is $105,856, which is $53,644 less than last year’s premium and well within the $200,000 budget for this item.

Interlocal agreements: Council, now wearing their City hats instead of their CRA hats, must now again approve the two interlocal agreements on community policing and landscape maintenance. Because the Council also serves as the CRA Board, agreements between the City and CRA must be approved twice by the same people.

Supplemental budget resolution: Also up for approval is a supplemental budget resolution for FY2009 to address recent shortfalls and balance the FY2009 budget. The adjustments are too numerous to list here but are itemised in the full agenda.

Economic and Community Development

PCIP guidelines: Council will consider amendments to the guidelines for the Pensacola Community Initiatives Program (PCIP), the City’s matching grant program for neighbourhood enhancements. Council may either narrow the scope of what projects are eligible for PCIP grant money, or add the Tree Fund to the pool of funding sources.

EDATE tax exemption: Rodney Rich and Co. has applied for an Economic Development Ad Valorem Tax Exemption for two office buildings it plans to construct at the northeast corner of Wright and Tarragona Streets. The exemption would save Rodney Rich and Co. $5,000 in ad valorem taxes annually for a ten-year period, for a total of $50,000. Progressive Pensacola is excited to see development at that site, which currently hosts an ugly vacant concrete lot.

Enterprise Operations

ESP computers: Staff is asking Council to approve the purchase of 20 Toughbook-30 laptop computers and 14 laptop truck mounts for Energy Services of Pensacola, the City-owned gas utility. The total purchase price is $58,158 ($2,532 per computer and $537 per mount), and the vendor is CDW-G, a national retailer. According to staff, the purchases would allow ESP to transition to a “paperless” order management system.

Airport lease: Council will also consider renewal of a lease with Belgian firm SITA, which provides communications support services, for a small amount of space at the Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport. SITA requires ten square feet in the terminal, for which they pay an annual lease fee of $1,200.

Airport landscaping: Staff is asking Council to consider several amendments to an existing contract for landscape maintenance at the Airport. The contract is with Horace Shropshire, LLC, who has had trouble meeting the requirements of the contract and has asked for several amendments to help him do so. Mr. Shropshire, who apparently operates under the name “Big Daddy Services,” according to his letterhead, is asking the Airport to purchase items such as mulching and herbicide and then deduct said purchase from his contract.

Tryon Library dedication: The new Tryon Library, located at 1200 Langley Avenue, will be dedicated at 2:00 PM on Friday, October 23.

Neighbourhood Services

Vickrey Centre windows: According to staff, rain storms have damaged windows at the Vickrey Community Centre, leading to damage to the window frames and interior walls. Council is being asked to approve a contract for repair and/or replacement of the windows, at a cost of $38,950. The vendor is Mr. James A. Wolfe of Pensacola.

Links

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