Minutes 09-03-20 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
HELD ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2020, AT 5:30 P.M.
VIA ZOOM ONLINE MEETING
1. Call to Order- Adam Kerr, Chair
Adam Kerr, Chair called the meeting to order at 5:42 p.m.
A. Roll Call of Committee Members:
Adam Kerr, Chair present
Jude Avril, Vice-Chair, present
Joyce Pickel, present
Jerry Taylor, absent
Alexandria Wilson, present
Also present: Mara Frederiksen, Director of Financial Services
Andrew Mack, Director of Public Works and Engineering
II. Approve Meeting Minutes
A. February 1, 2018 minutes
Motion
Ms. Pickel moved to approve the minutes of the February meeting. The motion was duly
seconded and unanimously passed.
III. New Business
A. Mara Frederiksen, Director of Financial Services, to introduce and
go over Fund Balance of 303 Account
Ms. Frederiksen explained the City Surtax Funds in 2018/2019 were $8,875,793. They
received $4,820,000 and earned interest of$61,358. Expenditures last year were about
$5M and then they started this year's budget with $8,757,000. Revenue sharing this year,
they received $4,382,000 and earned interest of$87,580. Expenditures on projects this
year were about $7M, leaving an end of this year balance of around $6M. Starting next
year, the fund balance will be $6,167,109. The projected earnings were $4,382,000
coming in for the next few years.
B. Andrew Mack, Director of Public Works& Engineering, to review funding/project
status of projects to date and Proposed Budget 20/21
Meeting Minutes
Citizen Oversight Committee
Boynton Beach, Florida September 3, 2020
Mr. Mack introduced himself and gave an overview of what was accomplished. In July,
they completed the IPC bathrooms to make them ADA compatible. They completed
renovations at the Meadows Park fitness area. They retrofitted the PD Pistol range
parking lot to make it ADA accessible. They seal coated the Boynton Lakes Park,
Oceanfront Park and the Barrier Free Park seal coating the parking lots. Jaycee Park
Pavilion and restroom painting, Laurel Hills basketball court resurfacing, Pioneer Park
Fishing Pier, Oyer Park Boat Ramp assessment was done. Fire training Fire Station No.
5 was completed. Network updates for PD Headquarters, Hester Center reroof, network
infrastructure for City Hall, Station One and the high school was done. New RFID Library
system was completed. Demolition and restoration of temporary sites was complete, and
a bridge assessment with FDOT was completed.
He reviewed projects under construction which included the Town Square structures. The
Old High School is nearly complete. It will open to the public next year in October or
sooner. The Hester Center interior/exterior door replacements are nearly finished. The
game room there was completely renovated and had some windows replaced and carpet
is nearly complete. Hester Center bathroom and locker room renovations are 75%
complete. The Fire Station No. 2 women's restroom renovation was 50% complete, and
sidewalk repair and replacements are ongoing. They have expended most of the money
but have a little bit left for emergency repairs.
He reviewed the Fire Station No. 2 improvements encompassing a kitchen renovation
and fire optic cables to be networked. The Public Works lobby and security upgrades
were underway. The project was awarded and the contractor was waiting for materials.
At Fire Station No. 1, they were waiting for materials for the Vehicle Exhaust System and
a start date. The City just opened bids for the HVAC replacement and was working with
the new vendor. The Denson Pool replacement should start in two to four weeks.
The Boynton Lakes main playground had equipment for ages five to twelve installed, but
there was an issue with the two to five-year old equipment which will be installed. The
project was in Finance to be approved and Mr. Mack hoped for an October start.
The Boynton Beach Boulevard extension project included a renovation to Mangrove Park.
They will install new on-street parking on Boynton Beach Boulevard and they will
advertise it for bid. A storage shed replacement at Little League Park is in procurement
and Sara Sims Park Wi-Fi will be installed.
Other projects under design were a complete redesign of Meadows Park. It was 90%
complete and it will be scheduled for completion in a future fiscal year. They completed
asphalt replacement of pathways. The Oyer Park Boat Ramp was assessed and staff got
a permit and submitted a grant. The final awards will be announced in the next two weeks
and the City's application was ranked in the top 10, and they anticipated receiving $250K
from the State DEP, and the City has funds in the next fiscal year to complete the project.
The Hester Center Park improvements had preliminary designs done, but due to the
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Meeting Minutes
Citizen Oversight Committee
Boynton Beach, Florida September 3, 2020
value of the project, they had to issue an RFQ for the final design. The park should be
addressed shortly. The same situation applied to Pence Park. The City had preliminary
plans for the Senior Center and planned to renovate the parking and crossing, but they
are working with the FDOT since the City will acquire the Historic Woman's Club. The
City is looking to connect the two facilities with either a traffic signal or an aerial crossing.
The last project, the Palmetto Park was recently added and staff was getting ready to
start preliminary designs.
Ms. Wilson asked if there were any street projects such as sidewalks and roads
completed. Mr. Mack responded there were. They spent all the money they had. There
was$700K budgeted and had only$22K left. They did more than $700k and spent$200K
on sidewalks and ADA sidewalk improvements.
Mr. Mack explained he gives a quarterly update and adjusts the Capital Improvement
Plan (CIP) so if there is funding and a project comes in over or under budget, they can
adjust it and report it. Anything over $100K goes to the City Commission. In future
presentations, he will review the adjustments to show how they are moving the funds.
Mr. Mack reviewed a presentation he gave to the City Commission for the next fiscal year
regarding the CIP and the 303 Surtax Funds. He advised they have $9.3M for 60 projects.
The 302 funds are for general fund projects. There is $2.8M in the general fund for 10
projects. A breakdown of projects for the 303 Funds was viewed and he reviewed in the
next fiscal year, there is $1 M planned for general government projects which he listed.
The Boynton Beach extension has $1.26M budgeted with $500K coming from the CRA.
The project includes demolition of existing planters, landscapes, sidewalks, new
landscape islands, additional on-street parking, landscape and irrigation and lighting as
contained in the presentation. Mr. Mack explained anytime they touch a park project and
add infrastructure, they will add security components which will communicate with the
Real Time Crime Center.
General Fund repairs were for miscellaneous projects the City has funds for which
included painting, roofing, fencing, electrical and other miscellaneous replacements. The
Public Works building will receive a roof replacement which the City is bidding. The
Congress Avenue Barrier Free Park had $150K to remove and replace some of the
existing play services, which will be replaced. Sidewalk ADA enhancements and
improvements to the bioswale will be made.
Improvements to the Ezell Hester, which Mr. Mack reviewed, will span over the next two
fiscal years and cost $3M. There is $1.5M budgeted this year and $1.5M for next year.
Repair and replacement of the fence to Little League Park was planned for this year at a
cost of $175K. He noted Mangrove Park is on leased property with the Church and the
Diocese did not renew the lease. The City will turn the property over, but has to remove
the docks and any improvements they made to it. They are in permitting with the DEP,
and they budgeted $500K for those changes. The City budgeted $80K for repair and
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Meeting Minutes
Citizen Oversight Committee
Boynton Beach, Florida September 3, 2020
replacement of the ramp at the beach connection at Oceanfront Park as well as $30K to
repair the maintenance road that goes over the dune.
The City budgeted $150K to build an eight-foot concrete wall on the north property line at
Oyer Park as there are complaints from property owners on the north side about the boats
and they will spend $35K for security camera upgrades there. The City will issue an
RFP/RFQ for Pence Park improvements and $125K was scheduled for final design and
permitting of the project. The Tennis Center will receive replacements of the clay Hard
True courts at a cost of$115K.
Public Safety projects included a vehicle exhaust system for Fire Station No. 2 and Mr.
Mack noted multiple fire stations will be equipped with these systems. Funds will be
allocated for design plans for Fire Station No. 3, which is the oldest fire station and for the
Real Time Crime Center. Upgrades and replacements will be made to Police Department
network equipment and replacing outdated access control in City facilities.
ITS projects included payroll and timekeeping software and hardware. The City has
multiple systems and these funds will consolidate them into one system. Laptop and PC
replacements will also occur.
Transportation projects included: sidewalk repairs/replacements and ADA ramp
upgrades. Funds are allocated for High Ridge Road Improvement design regarding road
widening from Publix to Miner Road and tying in with the County for a round-a-bout at
Miner and High Ridge Road. Drainage and road repairs on Industrial Way will take place
as would asphalt repairs and road resurfacing. One area for asphalt resurfacing is north
of Gateway between Federal and 1-95, Sky Lake and SW 14th Place.
Mr. Mack reviewed the project funding by District. District 2 has the most public roads,
followed by District 3. Accordingly Districts 1 and 4, as they have more private roads, did
not receive as many dollars for public road improvements.
Mr. Mack reviewed the 302 General Fund projects, which included general government
projects, recreation and parks, public safety, ITS, transportation and roadway, and golf
course projects. Mr. Mack explained highlighted projects included the Oyer Park boat
ramp and docks and he pointed out the City was ranked within the top 10 grant applicants,
making it very likely the City will be awarded up to $500K from the Florida Inland
Navigation District to make those repairs and he noted the ramp really needed the work.
Southeast 1St Street got a Transportation Planning Authority grant and it will be
redesigned as a complete street from Ocean Avenue to Woolbright Road. The City will
start the design next year and construction will take place in 2023. The Gulfstream
Boulevard redesign has $500K for work spanning from Seacrest Boulevard to Dixie
Highway. The road is split between the City and Delray Beach. The City worked with
Delray Beach and they will split the cost of the design with them and then undertake a
joint construction project when funding allowed.
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Meeting Minutes
Citizen Oversight Committee
Boynton Beach, Florida September 3, 2020
C. Approved projects for FY 2020-21
Ms. Frederiksen commented the Committee is supposed to meet twice a year. Mr. Mack
explained the improvements would not have occurred without the Surtax Funds. A big
challenge is how to replace the money going forward and they need to develop a plan for
reserves in the CIP program.
D. Other items
It was announced there will be another meeting in March and then in October. Ms.
Frederickson thought meeting in March was good since there would be input on projects
going into the budget. The City could provide a report on what was completed up to that
time. Mr. Mack explained when he makes his quarterly report to the City Commission, it
could be sent to the members along with what meeting it will be discussed at.
Mr. Mack explained they received new software to better track projects. He hoped next
year they can publish real time data about construction projects so the public can see
what was being spent.
IV. Adjournment
Motion
There being no further business to discuss, Chair Kerr moved to adjourn. Ms. Wilson
seconded the motion. The motion unanimously passed, The meeting was adjourned at
6:17 P.M.
Catherine Cherry
Minutes Specialist
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