Mayor Nate Kilton called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. on September 9. Also present at the dais were Vice-Mayor Jason Jones, City Commissioner William Dodson, City Attorney Kenneth Buchman, City Clerk Kerri Miller, and City Manager Bill McDaniel.
Dr. Jack Myer, pastor at Life Family Church gave a prayer of invocation. He thanked God for wisdom and understanding that God gives to each of the City Commissioners. The attendees at the meeting then recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
Mayor Kilton informed the assembly that City Commissioner Mary Thomas Mathis lost her husband, Tony Mathis, on September 8. “Our hearts are heavy for all of them,” Kilton said, referring to Thomas Mathis and her family. “We will keep them in our thoughts and prayers.”
The mayor and the City Commissioners then forwarded a proclamation recognizing September 17-23, 2024 as Constitution Week in Plant City. The proclamation read in part, “WHEREAS, September 17, 2024, marks the two hundred and thirty-seventh anniversary of the drafting of the Constitution of the United States of America by the Constitutional Convention; and WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper to accord official recognition to this magnificent document and its memorable anniversary….In recognition of the Americans who strive to uphold the duties and responsibilities of citizenship, the Congress designated September 17th as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, and proclaim the week beginning September 17 and ending September 23 of each year as Constitution Week. Now, therefore, I, Nathan A. Kilton, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Mayor of the City of Plant City in the State of Florida, do hereby proclaim the week of September 17 through 23 as Constitution week in the City of Plant City, Florida, and ask our citizens to join the Daughters of the American Revolution in reaffirming the ideals the Framers of the Constitution had in 1787, by vigilantly protecting the freedoms guaranteed to us through this guardian of our liberties.” A representative from the Daughters of the American Revolution accepted the proclamation.
In the next item on the agenda, a representative from U.S. Small Business Administration Disaster Programs informed the Commissioners that, in the event of natural disasters that cause an economic downturn, the federal entity offers small businesses various types of loans of amounts between $25,000 and $2 million.
Following that, Steve Morey, President of the Plant City Economic Development Corporation, gave a presentation about the 10-year economic growth in Plant City.
When Mayor Kilton opened the floor for public comments, no one stood to speak.
The City Commissioners proceeded to approve, 3-0, the Consent Agenda items. Of note were the two below resolutions:
24-390 – A resolution authorizing an Intergovernmental Transfer Program with the State of Florida for Medicaid Managed Care patients. Plant City Fire Rescue (PCFR) transports approximately 4,000 patients annually to local hospital emergency rooms. Because there is a gap between what Medicaid pays and the actual costs of transport, a State of Florida program, and six local Medicaid Managed Care providers return funds to city. When all is said and done, Plant City will get a net gross return of $58,586.
24-405 – A resolution setting a legislative public hearing to adopt a capital improvement budget, which includes an asset management program, for fiscal year 2024-25 and the next four years thereafter.
24-422 – A resolution adding events as exempt from the noise ordinance pursuant to Section 30-28(7). The exempted events are Oktoberfest, Strawberry Drop, Small Business Season Kickoff, and Last Friday Downtown.
24-426 – A resolution excusing the absence of Commissioner Michael S. Sparkman from the regular city commission meetings on September 9 and 23, 2024.
The Commissioners passed the Consent Agenda items 3-0.
City Manager, Bill McDaniel and his staff brought six items before the City Commissioners for a vote.
24-359 – A resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement with local independent youth sports organizations for use of park facilities. The five local youth sports organizations (Plant City Dolphins Football and Cheer, Plant City Lancers Soccer, Ostingers Baseball Academy, Plant City Colts Football and Cheer, and the Plant City Little League), are required to pay a $30.00 per-player fee to the City each season.
24-400 – A resolution approving the bid and award of a contract to C.W. Roberts, Inc., for the 2021-2022 Community Development Block Grant Street Resurfacing Project. The milling and resurfacing work will be completed in the Forest Park area, south of the old hospital. The total cost of the project will be $869,945.70.
24-419 – A resolution approving an amendment to the CIP budget for fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and the next four years. This reallocates money to pay for the 24-400 resurfacing project.
24-420 – A resolution authorizing the City Manager to allocate the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. This is a financial move to, in short, make use of the full $19,905,927 allocated to Plant City through the ARPA funding. Because there are so many municipalities using the ARPA funding for projects, contracting companies have been overwhelmed, and have not met current deadlines. Use of ARPA funding carries obligation and spending deadlines. As is permitted by ARPA, the City is re-designating previous capital costs to apply to ARPA rather than other sources to meet the deadlines. The point is not to leave a penny of the ARPA funding on the table.
24-414 – A resolution adopting the Comprehensive Plan Amendment Procedures Manual for the City of Plant City.
24-402 – A resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute engineering work order 21-020-03B-03, Modification No. 2 with Madrid/CPWG for the Lift Station 7 wet well site stabilization. Repairing the sinkhole at the location will cost more than the contracting company initially estimated because more stabilization materials are needed. The total project will now cost $157,864.23.
There were two public hearings:
24-408 – A resolution adopting the tentative final millage rate for the year 2024, and setting a public hearing on the final millage rate. The proposed rate is 5.7157 per $1,000. The public hearing will be on September 23 at the Regular Meeting of the City Commission.
24-403 – A resolution adopting the tentative budget for fiscal year 2024-2025, and setting a public hearing on the final budget. The proposed final budget is $125,925,917, and $55,871,540 of this amount is allocated to the General Fund. The public hearing will be on September 23 at the Regular Meeting of the City Commission.
An additional resolution, 24-411, on the agenda, set a legislative public hearing on an ordinance amending subdivision regulations (PR-2024-31) to expedite the process for issuing building permits for residential subdivisions before a final plat is recorded.
The meeting adjourned at 8:45.