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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20200109 Workshop - Parks Master Plan Funding MINUTES OF MEETING DANIA BEACH CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP -PARKS MASTER PLAN FUNDING THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2020 - 2:30 P.M. 1. Call to Order/Roll Call Mayor Lewellen called the meeting to order at 2:36 p.m. Present: Mayor: Lori Lewellen Vice-Mayor: Lauren Odman Commissioners: Chickie Brandimarte Bill Harris Tamara James City Manager: Ana M. Garcia, ICMA-CM City Attorney: Thomas J. Ansbro City Clerk: Thomas Schneider 2. Items for Discussion 2.1 Parks Master Plan Funding City Manager Garcia extended her gratitude to the Commission for approving the Parks Master Plan. She reviewed the summary document emailed to the Commission yesterday, which is attached to and incorporated into the minutes. She addressed GO Bond financing and cities that have had successful bond issuances. Commissioner James asked why there is a timeline and why the Parks and Recreation Master Plan is not a priority. She felt this should not be dependent on having a strategic plan; this is way overdue. Mayor Lewellen asked where we are with the strategic plan. City Manager Garcia noted we are waiting on one more quote for the strategic planning sessions. The Parks Master Plan was only approved last year. If you do not do your strategic plan, you would be missing other opportunities to discuss things like roads and infrastructure. Mayor Lewellen suggested putting a deadline on when we are actually going to choose a strategic planner, whether we have two or three quotes. Commissioner James said this should not be rushed, but we should not think we need a strategic plan to move forward for the November ballot. City Manager Garcia noted the cities that failed with bond issues did not prepare sufficiently. Commissioner James spoke of the process not being rushed through. She thought we were coming to discuss parks funding; instead, we are including all of the City's needs. Discussion ensued on the priority of strategizing the ballot question. Commissioner Brandimarte questioned the topic of discussion, and asked if we are only talking about parks. City Manager Garcia responded the backup documents only referenced parks. The conversation being brought up regarding GO Bonds was to bring awareness of other cities' successes and failures. She noted wherever the Commission wants staff to go, we will go. Discussion ensued regarding past prioritization of two parks. Vice-Mayor Odman noted she did not favor the Parks Master Plan. At this point, she does not think the plan as it exists is convincing to residents as the best way to spend their tax dollars. Commissioner James said you would create a campaign and take this to the residents with a full rendering of what it will be and the programs included. Mayor Lewellen noted our Parks Director has been going to organizations and civic associations and talking about the Parks Master Plan. Commissioner Harris felt the strategic plan would be the best approach so that roads, lighting, water and signage serve the best purpose in addition to the parks plan. Eric Brown, Parks & Recreation Director, noted a special election could be held next year. He explained the goals to strategize in order to put the best product out there; we have to work with people, it will cost us money, and we have to learn from others. He wants to make sure that we are putting the best plan out there. Vice-Mayor Odman asked if Director of Parks & Recreation Brown felt that we should put this on the upcoming ballot. Director of Parks & Recreation Brown responded he thinks we should strategize with diligence and agreed with the City Manager's timeline. He spoke of giving consideration to a single question ballot for next year. City Manager Garcia said the cities that have failed do not get a second chance. Commissioner James noted the conversation has turned into a strategic planning session rather than a Parks Master Plan workshop session. Minutes of Meeting 2 Dania Beach City Commission Workshop—Parks Master Plan Funding Thursday,January 9,2020—2:30 p.m. Mayor Lewellen recommended hearing other financial aspects related to funding, besides a GO Bond. Craig Dunlap, Dunlap & Associates, Inc., the City's financial advisor, explained there are two ways to do this; either GO Bond or to finance this through legally available non-ad valorem revenues, which would exclude public safety. He has seen municipalities that failed with a GO Bond and then went to legally available non-ad valorem, which did not set well with the voters. You only get one bite of the apple, so rushing the process without proper education could result in the plan not passing. Director of Parks & Recreation Brown said the GO Bond is a time-consuming and lengthy process; we will have to come back to the table several times to get it right. City Manager Garcia said she is super excited, but wants it to pass and not fail. She noted we need to invest in this and spoke of the Miami Beach example. If you do not present it fully- baked, it fails. Vice-Mayor Odman noted presenting the priority of parks over streets and drainage piping is a hard sell to do in 11 months. Commissioner James felt like we have been doing this since 2016. Vice-Mayor Odman added she is talking strategy right now. Commissioner James said she has a problem going to residents and saying we have a $200 million bond, not$60 million, because it will include other things. Vice-Mayor Odman commented other things such as infrastructure would appeal to certain people, rather than just parks being a focal point. Mayor Lewellen noted the point is to put the priorities together to determine funding. Commissioner James said our residents think all we do is spend money; parks are the grassroots to all other development in the City. She does not know if we can sell this to the residents with the current temperature. City Manager Garcia noted the residents drove the Miami Beach bond to actually increase the amount based upon what they wanted to see. Mayor Lewellen suggested identifying all of the priorities, putting something together to figure out the total cost, and determine what to put together for the residents to buy into. Assistant City Manager Sosa-Cruz said what the Mayor described is a strategic plan and the reason for the need is for the administration to address budgeting based on priorities. We have to determine funding based on the priorities. We have a multitude of critical needs in the community; we would go out and come back to find a solution to word the question. Minutes of Meeting 3 Dania Beach City Commission Workshop—Parks Master Plan Funding Thursday,January 9,2020—2:30 p.m. Commissioner Brandimarte noted we did have a survey; parks were number 1, dog parks were number 2. Residents feel the City is making money off of Dania Pointe; they would oppose asking for a bond issue. Director of Parks & Recreation Brown explained how we strategically go out and target taxpayers. Commissioner James asked who on the Commission wants to bundle. City Manager Garcia indicated it is not about bundling, it is about all priorities. Commissioner James felt we do not need to wait until spring to start the process. City Manager Garcia said it starts today. We are going to need an appropriation for a firm to help us with outreach, education, and professional renderings to assist administration. Commissioner James wanted to know if this is a priority for the Commission before we get an appropriation. City Manager Garcia said in her conversations with Commissioners, it is a priority. She described how we do not have a good park system. Having a strategic plan, no later than March, is her goal. Commissioner Brandimarte referenced the handout; IT Parker is not considered a major park. City Manager Garcia noted the $60 million came from the collaboration of the Parks & Recreation Director, Assistant City Manager, and the Finance team. Commissioner James said we cannot do all the parks at one time; you are going to have to choose and prioritize which park would start first. Commissioner Harris spoke of the MPO transportation meeting and the importance of transportation in a strategic plan that incorporates a public participation plan. Commissioner James added development projects are still being approved putting people on outdated roads. City Manager Garcia noted there have been major infrastructure issues happening within the County. Commissioner James asked what the next step is. City Manager Garcia responded she is going to get together with Director of Parks & Recreation Brown to meet with Hollywood and Doral about a company they used. We want to hear what other successful cities have done to strategize a successful outcome. Minutes of Meeting 4 Dania Beach City Commission Workshop—Parks Master Plan Funding Thursday,January 9,2020—2:30 p.m. Assistant City Manager Sosa-Cruz noted we are bringing up the 2022 election; the highest success rate would be at a general election. He added we need to have a workshop and asked if all agree on$60 million. City Manager Garcia said we want consensus so we can get a quote for services. We want to move forward with the $60 million with Parks and Recreation to get a quote from a company that can help us. Vice-Mayor Odman asked, regarding the beach aspect under the $13 million, whether the dunes are a part of it. City Manager Garcia said yes, the beach dunes are a major focus. Vice-Mayor Odman inquired on the beach/Tootie Adler Park portion of the plan. Her thoughts were to not wait that long as it pertains to the dunes. The dunes should move forward separately. City Manager Garcia noted she wanted to cast a large net, because there is a park at the beach. We can always move money around. Commissioner James said the developer who is doing the grill on the beach could build the park. City Manager Garcia added she wanted to bring the beach forward because there has been a lot of discussion on beach concerns. Pastor Paul R. Wiggins, Greater Mount Zion A.M.E. Church, commented there is an opportunity to move this ball forward and move it forward now. The goal ought to be getting this on the 2020 ballot. If it comes back and there needs to be more dialogue with the community and does not make the 2020 ballot, you make the adjustment; at least this is a starting point. Commissioner James asked what Director of Parks & Recreation Brown needs from the Commission to be successful. Director of Parks &Recreation Brown replied starting the process of going out to look for a firm. Once he meets with the City Manager's office, he would follow up with the Commission. Commissioner James said there are grants for parks, particularly for turf, the Miami Dolphins and Miami Heat have grants that could cut the costs for us. She suggested investigating what grants are available. Frank DiPaolo, Director of Finance, noted the ballot question will include the amount of the bond issue. We should be sensitive of the timeline of engaging the public in order to have something to provide to the public that is fully-baked. The ballot language will be a hard push to get approved by the City Commission in time to be included on the November ballot, considering the milestones. Minutes of Meeting 5 Dania Beach City Commission Workshop—Parks Master Plan Funding Thursday,January 9,2020—2:30 p.m. Director of Parks & Recreation Brown said he never saw a bond passed without having public safety and roads included in it; never one with only parks. Assistant City Manager Sosa-Cruz commented the Manager in Miami Beach said the same thing; parks were supported because those two other components were included in the bond. City Manager Garcia noted staff has been meeting with cities for the past five months prior to this workshop. She explained the separate questions on the ballot as they cannot be bundled together. She added the time spent together talking with residents will unite us. The Commission consensus was to move forward with funding a firm to assist the City with citizen outreach. 3. Adj ournment Mayor Lewellen adjourned the meeting at 3:50 p.m. ATTEST: ��,a gC CITY OF DANII�k BEACH o ti THOMAS SCHNEIDER, CMC *0RIEWELLEN CITY CLERK `� MAYOR tIs Approved: January 28, 2020 Minutes of Meeting Dania Beach City Commission Workshop—Parks Master Plan Funding Thursday,January 9,2020—2:30 p.m. Parks and Rec Master Plan Funding Workshop January 9,2020 ©ANIA BEACH SEA IT.LIVE IT.LOVE IL $47 million $13 million Total $60 million CW Thomas, Frost Park, In addition to Parks Master proposed Total Parks Plan, Beach/Adler Park, IT PJ Meli, and Chester Byrd per Investments Parker, Parks land acquisition, adopted Parks Master Plan TBD by City Commission etc. Discussion • Master Plan calls for funding of$47 million for a full reimagination the City's three major parks, as well as Chester Byrd Park • Additional $13 million to provide for the Master Plan and additional options, such as the Beach and Ocean Park, IT Parker, Parks land acquisition, etc. • The 2018 Charette results emphasized the importance of parks, plazas, and open spaces for public gathering and cultural experiences o Key weaknesses identified: "Infrastructure, parks, and schools need to be improved" • Funding of$60 million would provide for the entire adopted Parks Master Plan, plus additional amenities, including: o Beach and dune restoration o Ocean Park improvements at Frank "Tootle"Adler Park o IT Parker transformation into a place of gathering and celebration, revenue- generating o Investment in land acquisition for future park development and/or other small park improvements Financing $60 million over 25 years at 4%—0.85 mills at current assessed values • Option 1: GO Bond (Financial Advisor recommendation) o One of the most credit-worthV financing structures available Page 1 Parks and Rec Master Plan Funding Workshop January 9, 2020 DANIA BEACH SEA It LIVE It LOVE It o Pledge of the "full faith and credit of the City" and requires a voter referendum— additional debt service millage o All parks to be addressed as a unified effort, under one City-wide plan of completion • Option 2: Pledge of non-ad valorem revenue o This would be challenging for the City's budget process each year o Master plan would be addressed in a piecemeal manner—loss of economies of scale o Competition between communities would create division within the City o Other City services would inevitably be cut in favor of paying the debt Recent Successful GO Bond Campaigns • Other cities, have recently conducted successful GO Bond issuances for a variety of projects, such as Hollywood, Pompano Beach, Miami Beach, Dora[, and Miami Gardens • Miami Beach invested $250,000 in its public education/outreach campaign, resulting in voter approval of$440 million in GO Bonds Timeline • Completion of Strategic Plan • City Commission priorities City Commission Discussion/Q&A Page 2