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Minutes 11/21/2016 S PELICAN BAY SERVICES DIVISION BOARD SPECIAL SESSION NOVEMBER 21,2016 The Pelican Bay Services Division Board met in Special Session on Monday,November 21, 2016, at 1:00 p.m. at the Community Center at Pelican Bay, 8960 Hammock Oak Drive,Naples, Florida 34108. In attendance were: Pelican Bay Services Division Board Bohdan Hirniak (absent) Ken Dawson, Chairman Susan O'Brien Scott Streckenbein, Vice-Chairman Peggy Pinterich (absent) Joe Chicurel Mike Shepherd Tom Cravens Dave Trecker Jacob Damouni Gary Ventress Pelican Bay Services Division Staff Mary McCaughtry, Operations Analyst Neil Dorrill, Administrator Lisa Jacob, Associate Project Manager Marion Bolick, Operations Manager Barbara Shea, Recording Secretary Also Present Charles Bodo, Pelican Bay Foundation Mary Johnson, Pelican Bay Foundation Dave Doern, Pelican Bay Foundation Robert Naegele, PB Property Owners Assoc. Jim Hoppensteadt, Pelican Bay Foundation APPROVED AGENDA (AS PRESENTED) 1. Pledge of Allegiance 2. Roll call 3. Agenda approval 4. Audience comments 5. *Review and discussion of the Final Report prepared by the Ad Hoc Cost Saving Strategies Committee to include: a. Specific items for possible savings b. Outsourcing for landscaping c. Conversion to independent district 6. Adjournment *indicates possible action items ROLL CALL Ms. Pinterich and Mr. Hirniak were absent and a quorum was established 1 Pelican Bay Services Division Board Special Session November 21,2016 AGENDA APPROVAL Mr. Cravens motioned, Mr. Streckenbein seconded to approve the agenda as presented. The motion carried unanimously. AUDIENCE COMMENTS None REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF THE FINAL REPORT PREPARED BY THE AD HOC COST SAVING STRATEGIES COMMITTEE TO INCLUDE: DELETE ADDITIONAL SHERIFF PATROLS—SAVINGS OF $30,000 Mr. Shepherd commented that the PBSD budgets $30,000 per year for supplemental sheriff patrols in Pelican Bay from December — March for additional traffic safety and crime prevention. Dr. Chicurel commented that the presence of additional police officers is a deterrent to illegal activities. Ms. O'Brien, Dr. Trecker, Mr. Cravens, and Mr. Streckenbein concurred. Dr. Joseph Doyle spoke in favor of keeping the patrols and suggested that the $30,000 be spent out of Fund 778. Mr. Henry Bachman questioned why these supplemental patrols are not contracted for during the entire year. Mr. Shepherd motioned, Mr. Cravens seconded to abandon the special sheriff patrols. The motion failed 9-0. DELETE STREET SWEEPING—SAVINGS $21,100 Mr. Shepherd commented that the PBSD had been contracting for weekly street sweeping, but has already discontinued this service considering (1) the PBSD blows the streets weekly as normal maintenance and (2)the County sweeps the streets monthly. Mr. Shepherd motioned, Mr. Cravens seconded to officially abandon the street sweeping program. The motion carried 8-1 with Ms. O'Brien dissenting. MODIFY EMPLOYEE UNIFORM POLICY—SAVINGS UP TO $9,120 Mr. Shepherd commented that the PBSD provides uniforms for our County maintenance employees; our temporary workers are supplied only with T-shirts. Mr. Shepherd motioned, Mr. Cravens seconded to abandon, with County approval, employee uniforms and instead give them all T-shirts. After discussion by the board, Mr. Shepherd withdrew his motion, and Mr. Cravens withdrew his second. REDUCE "UNUSABLE" RESERVES Mr. Shepherd commented that the County recommends 15-30% of operating expenses to be set aside in reserves. The PBSD currently has approximately $1.5 million in reserves. He suggested that the level of reserves could be lowered. Mr. Dorrill spoke in favor of the motion and suggested that excess reserves be reallocated through a budget amendment. 2 Pelican Bay Services Division Board Special Session November 21, 2016 Dr. Joseph Doyle thanked the PBSD for this motion. Mr. Henry Bachman suggested returning the extra funds to Pelican Bay residents and/or reducing the annual assessment. Mr. Shepherd motioned, Mr. Cravens seconded to stop increasing the level of reserves each year over and above the carry-forward of that year. The motion carried unanimously. Dr. Trecker motioned, Mr. Cravens seconded to reduce our current reserves down to the 15% mandatory minimum and allocate excess funds into the budget. The motion carried unanimously. DELETE HOLIDAY DECORATIONS AT ENTRY—SAVINGS $8,000 Mr. Shepherd commented that the PBSD hires a private contractor to install holiday decorations at the three US 41 entrances which is more logically a PBF expense. Ms. Mary Johnson commented that the PB entrance signage has always been a PBSD function. She questioned whether all 11 items of the PBSD CIP have been abandoned. She also questioned whether there is any forward planning for landscaping in the PB community. Dr. Chicurel commented that only Phase 3 of the landscaping CIP has been abandoned. Mr. Shepherd motioned, Mr. Cravens seconded to start a dialogue with the PB Foundation to do the holiday decorations at the three main entrances. The motion failed 9-0. EXCHANGE EXISTING STREET LIGHT BULBS—METAL HALIDE CONVERSION TO LED—SAVINGS UP TO $11,000 Mr. Shepherd summarized the findings of our street lighting consultant, the Waterside Shops/Artis-Naples lighting project, and the example/trial of new LED bulbs on the corner of Gulf Park Dr. & PB Blvd. He suggested that the replacement of all metal-halide bulbs with LED lights would result in savings of approximately $10-12,000/year. Mr. Henry Bachman supported replacing all existing bulbs with LED bulbs. Ms. Jane Ellsworth commented on the need to keep Pelican Bay residents informed of these "lighting" decisions and the possibility of light pollution. Mr. Dorrill commented that the bulbs under consideration are compliant with "dark skies" guidelines. Mr. Shepherd motioned,Mr. Cravens seconded to retrofit all post lights with LED lights on Gulf Park Dr. in an attempt to have a test area for one year and then review. The motion carried 7-2 with Dr. Chicurel and Ms. O'Brien dissenting. IN-HOUSE MULCH GENERATION—SAVINGS OF $30,000 Mr. Shepherd commented on (1) the possibility of the PBSD manufacturing mulch from existing horticultural trimmings, resulting in cost savings from disposing of trimming debris and the cost of purchasing pine straw mulch, (2) the possibility of revenue from The Club for 3 Pelican Bay Services Division Board Special Session November 21, 2016 disposal of their trimmings, and (3) the estimated additional cost of$50,000 for tree removal at the maintenance facility to provide an area to store the manufactured mulch. Ms. O'Brien commented on (1) the different appearance of manufactured mulch from pine straw, (2) the need for community input on mulch preference, and (3) the need for more detailed information for the board to make a decision. Mr. Jim Hoppensteadt commented on the recycled mulch installed at the Ridgewood Park a few years ago and emphasized the need for quality control. After discussion by the board, consensus was for this issue to be reviewed by the Landscape & Safety Committee, and for a recommendation to be brought back to the full board. DISCONTINUE LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE BETWEEN CURB AND SIDEWALK—SAVINGS UP TO $100,000 Mr. Shepherd commented on the possibility of the PBSD discontinuing landscape maintenance between the curb and sidewalk, and discussion points included (1) single family homeowners already maintain their landscaping up to the curb, (2) other communities have set a precedent for condo associations to provide maintenance up to the curb, (3) some condo associations may prefer to provide maintenance up to the curb, and (4) privatizing approximately 10% of existing PBSD landscape areas may result in savings of approximately $100,000. Dr. Chicurel commented that this proposal may be contrary to our PBSD ordinance and expressed concerns over the loss of control of the landscape areas on the right-of-ways. Ms. O'Brien commented on no real savings to residents; this proposal would transfer this landscaping expense from one entity to another. Mr. Cravens commented on the likelihood of negative feedback and lack of agreement by condo associations to take on an additional maintenance responsibility. Mr. Dorrill commented that the PBSD may have an obligation to provide landscape maintenance between the curb and sidewalk, and that association governing documents may not allow for taking over this responsibility. Mr. Charles Bodo commented that this proposal would result in Pelican Bay landscaping being "too inconsistent." Dr. Joseph Doyle, Mr. Henry Bachman, and Mr. Robert Naegele all spoke in favor of giving over the proposed landscaping responsibility to condo associations. Ms. Mary Johnson commented that the PBSD would lose the ability to exercise control. Dr. Trecker urged the Landscape & Safety Committee to look at this issue in depth. Mr. Shepherd motioned, Dr. Trecker seconded to discontinue mowing and maintaining turf between curbs and sidewalks throughout Pelican Bay. After discussion by the board, Mr. Shepherd withdrew his motion, and Dr. Trecker withdrew his second. SUBCONTRACT SOME PORTION OF PELICAN BAY TO PRIVATE CONTRACTOR(S)—SAVINGS UP TO $600,000 4 Pelican Bay Services Division Board Special Session November 21,2016 Mr. Shepherd commented on subcontracting some or all landscaping responsibilities to a private contractor, which may result in savings up to $600,000. He highlighted issues to be considered including, (1) lost ability to handle/manage any "emergency situations," (2) the reality of the changeable additional daily needs which may not be memorialized in an original contract, (3) the PBSD may be forced to select the lowest bidding contractor from a list of County pre-approved contractors, (4) possible conversion of PBSD employees to contractor employees, and (5) a "trial" outsourcing program in a limited PB area. He commented that the Cost Saving Strategies Committee recommended against outsourcing as long as the PBSD remains a dependent district. Dr. Joseph Doyle commented on the need for an outsourcing trial. Mr. Henry Bachman commented in favor of the motion. Mr. Robert Naegele suggested that the PBSD Chairman discuss our ideas with our new County Commissioner. Ms. O'Brien motioned, Dr. Trecker seconded to explore and ask staff to work with the County Purchasing Dept. to craft an RFP that could be used to seek a private vendor to do some landscaping in our community should the board eventually want to pursue that. The motion failed 7-2 with Dr. Chicurel, Mr. Cravens, Mr. Damouni, Mr. Dawson, Mr. Shepherd, Mr. Streckenbein, and Mr. Ventress dissenting. DR. TRECKER DEPARTED THE MEETING AT 3:21 PM CONVERSION OF PBSD FROM "DEPENDENT DISTRICT" TO "INDEPENDENT DISTRICT" Mr. Shepherd commented on the possible conversion of the PBSD from a "dependent district" to "independent district" and discussed structural costs incurred as a result of operating as a dependent district. He commented on a Pelican Bay group who studied this issue in 2010, and chose not to pursue a change of structure in order to not jeopardize our stewardship of Clam Bay. Ms. O'Brien commented on (1) the need for the County's continued support of our stewardship of Clam Bay; the County was instrumental in expediting a dredging permit and quickly obtaining a dredging contractor in the Spring of 2016, (2) the election of three new BCC Commissioners; this may not be the appropriate time to begin this discussion, and (3) pursuing a conversion to an "independent district" should include obtaining input from the other affected stakeholders including the PBF and PBPOA. Mr. Dawson commented that the PBSD Board will continue the dialogue regarding the independent/dependent structure and outsourcing landscaping. ADJOURNMENT IThe meeting was adjourned at 3:35 p.m. 5 Pelican Bay Services Division Board Special Session November 21,2016 Ken I.wson, C airman Minutes approved [ 1 as presented OR F K1 as amended ON [ I a-7 1, 1 date 6