MINUTES
OF MEETING
NORTH
SPRINGS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
A meeting of the Board of Supervisors of the North Springs Improvement
District was held on Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at 4:50 p.m. at the District
Offices, 10300 NW 11th Manor,
Present and constituting a quorum were:
Steve Mendelson
President
David Gray
Secretary
Vincent Morretti
Assistant Secretary
Also present were:
Kenneth Cassel
District Manager
Dennis Lyles
District Counsel
Sean Skehan
CH2M Hill
Brenda Schurz
Severn
Nick Schooley
Drainage Supervisor
Rod Colon
Chief Operator
Joe Sabino
The following is a summary of the minutes and actions taken at the
November 5, 2008 North Springs Improvement District Board of Supervisors
meeting.
FIRST
ORDER OF BUSINESS
Roll Call
Mr.
Cassel called the meeting to order and called the roll.
SECOND
ORDER OF BUSINESS
Approval of the Minutes of the October 1, 2008
Meeting
Mr. Cassel stated each Board member received a copy of the minutes of the
October 1, 2008 meeting and requested any corrections, additions or
deletions.
There not being any,
On
MOTION by Mr. Gray seconded by Mr. Mendelson with all in favor the minutes of
the October 1, 2008 meeting were approved.
THIRD
ORDER OF BUSINESS
Consideration of Purchase of 2009 Ford F250 Utility
Truck
The
Board briefly reviewed the recommendation memorandum from Mr. Colon, which
outlines the three quotes received.
This truck will replace the leased truck which is
expiring.
On
MOTION by Mr. Mendelson seconded by Mr. Gray with all in favor the Board
approved the purchase of a 2009 Ford F250 utility truck as recommended by
staff.
FOURTH
ORDER OF BUSINESS
Consideration of Field Management Contract for
The following was discussed:
·
In
the past, the intent was for the Parkland Isles HOA to manage the
contractor. They were not receptive
to doing this.
·
Severn
Trent Services is now offering field services and is proposing to provide field
management services for the Parkland Isles Perimeter Berm.
·
Mr.
Lyles explained the contract is with Severn Trent Services to manage the
landscape and maintenance activities on the berm, which is NSID property. The management company for the HOA does
not want to pick it up under their contract.
·
Ms.
Schurz noted the contract is for less money than what the District had agreed to
pay the HOA if they were going to manage it.
On
MOTION by Mr. Mendelson seconded by Mr. Gray with all in favor the field
management contract with Severn Trent Services for the Parkland Isles Perimeter
Berm was approved.
FIFTH
ORDER OF BUSINESS
Staff Reports
A.
Manager
i.
Pelican
Isles Update
The
following was discussed:
·
Ms.
Schurz spoke with the HOA’s President.
Staff will notify them of how this issue will be handled.
·
The
District owns this property. The
HOA amended their master declaration and their HOA documents. They have walked away from the
obligation they took on when they purchased their property, which was to
maintain the berm.
·
Staff
will notify them of what the District plans to do. The District will create a special
assessment area and will levy special assessments to the Pelican Isles community
to pay for this. Maintenance costs
will not come out of the general fund revenue for the District.
·
Staff
has not signed off with DOT on the access.
They are still working with DOT and waiting for a response as to how the
District can gain access to the property for it to be maintained.
ii.
Discussion
of
The
following was discussed:
·
Staff
has been working with Centerline to see how this project can go forward. Documents are being finalized with them
and staff is waiting for them to respond.
·
The
District will limit the liability, with regards to Tousa, to zero.
·
The
overall outline of the transaction is settled. One of the key components will be the
necessary documentation from Centerline and the people they bought the property
from. The District will not be in a
position to give Centerline credit for any money paid by the previous developer
towards the infrastructure.
Centerline has to provide documentation confirming they have 100% of the
rights to the money that was received from Tousa pursuant to the developer
funding agreement.
·
When
staff has the necessary documentation and an agreement with Centerline, it will
be placed on the agenda for the Board’s approval. At this time, staff is not ready to make
this recommendation to the Board.
iii.
Discussion
of Qualified Public Depositories
Mr.
Cassel briefly reviewed the letter from Mr. Bloom regarding Qualified Public Depositories and
protecting public funds. The Board
requested alternate investment options in order to protect its funds.
Mr. Cassel also addressed the following under the Manager’s
Report
·
Bids
were received for aquatic weed control chemicals.
·
The
request for bids was in conjunction with CSID and PTWCD in order to leverage the
districts abilities to get the best possible bids.
·
The
estimated expense for aquatic weed control chemicals for fiscal year 2009 is
$77,553. Staff is requesting
approval to buy chemicals from various vendors at the prices
quoted.
·
The
prices on some of the chemicals are the same regardless of the vendor. These are manufacturer dictated
prices.
·
Phoenix
Environmental Care quoted prices on alternative chemicals. CSID authorized staff to try the
alternate chemicals to see if they work.
If they do not work, the chemical in the specifications will be
used.
·
Mr.
Lyles is concerned that the District may not have the ability to consider the
alternate chemical in this setting because of the way the specifications were
written. He suggested passing a
motion to approve staff’s recommendation.
If staff wants to use Redwing, which is the alternative chemical, it is
below the threshold and it can be purchased.
On
MOTION by Mr. Mendelson seconded by Mr. Gray with all in favor the Board
approved staff’s recommendation for the aquatic weed control chemicals outlined
with the exception of Redwing, which will be purchased separately on a trial
basis.
·
After
Hurricane Wilma in 2005 the District entered into a contract with Arbor Tree
& Land, Inc. for hurricane debris removal and canal bank
restoration.
·
Some
of the work in the original specifications did not need to be done and other
work which was not in the original specifications did need to be done.
·
Arbor
Tree & Land, Inc. is claiming an additional amount for work they did. The District originally rejected the
claim and requested they demonstrate it to staff’s satisfaction.
·
Staff
requested CH2M Hill confirm what was and was not required to be done as well as
if there was a basis for their request.
·
District
staff’s paperwork trail, the field notes and the engineer’s records are not
conclusive.
·
Mr.
Cassel convened a meeting with everyone involved in this issue. Arbor Tree & Land, Inc. has adequate
documentation demonstrating what they did, which was not covered by the original
specifications.
·
Mr.
Lyles does not feel the District can contest their claim. Staff requested they submit a change
order. It has been reviewed and
revised. They are not charging
interest.
·
In
the future when there is a third party administering a project like this, staff
will have an in-house representative directing the work as well as documenting
it.
·
Staff
presented the Board with Change Order No. 1 and Final with Arbor Tree &
Land, Inc. for a net increase of $29,993.
Mr. Lyles prepared a general release for them to execute, which absolves
the District from any responsibility or claims.
On
MOTION by Mr. Mendelson seconded by Mr. Gray with all in favor Change Order No.
1 and Final with Arbor Tree and Land for a net increase of $29,993 was
approved.
iv.
Water
Production Reports
·
Mr.
Colon noted there was a 13% system loss this month, which is extremely high;
however, last month there was a 1% system loss. Going forward he will provide a running
average because the billing cycle does not correspond with the meter cycle. A six month average will be more
balanced out.
·
Mr.
Colon gave a brief update on the painting project.
B.
Attorney
There
being no report, the next item followed.
C.
Engineer
i.
Project
Status Report
Mr.
Skehan briefly reviewed the project status report.
SIXTH
ORDER OF BUSINESS
Approval of Financials and Check Register
The Board briefly reviewed the financials and check register.
·
Mr.
Cassel noted the auditors have started working on the fiscal year 2007
audit. They are onsite doing
preliminary work.
·
Heron
Bay Mitigation was at 96% of the projected budget as of September 30, 2008. Parkland Isles was at 79% of the
projected budget. The general fund
ended at 77% of the projected budget.
This puts the District in a good position for fiscal year 2009.
On
MOTION by Mr. Mendelson seconded by Mr. Gray with all in favor the financials
and check register were approved.
SEVENTH
ORDER OF BUSINESS
Adjournment
There
being no further business,
On
MOTION by Mr. Mendelson seconded by Mr. Gray with all in favor the meeting was
adjourned.
David Gray
Steve Mendelson
Secretary
President