HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/24/2017 (3)Indian River County Florida
Indian River County Administration Complex
1801 27th Street, Building A
Vero Beach, Florida, 32960-3388
www.ircgov.com
FINAL - Meeting Minutes
Emergency Services District
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
10:50 a.m.
Commission Chambers
Board of Commissioners of the ESD
Joseph E. Flescher, Chairman, District 2
Peter D. O'Bryan, Vice Chairman, District 4
Susan Adams, District 1
Bob Solari, District 5
Tim Zorc, District 3
Jason E. Brown, County Administrator
Dylan Reingold, County Attorney
Jeffrey R. Smith, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
Leona Adair Allen, Deputy Clerk
Board of County Commissioners ESD Meeting Minutes - Final January 24, 2017
15. A. Emergency Services District
The Board reconvened as the Board of Commissioners of the Emergency
Services District. The minutes will be approved at an upcoming Emergency
Services District meeting.
15.A.1 17-0083 Lease of Fire Tower and Accessory Building at 43rd Avenue and 4th
Street to Indian River County Historical Society, Inc.
Recommended Action: Staff recommends the Board approve the lease with the Historical Society for
the Fire Tower Parcel and the accompanying resolution and authorize the
Chairman to sign the documents on behalf of the District.
Attachments: Staff Report
Lease Agreement
Resolution
Deputy County Attorney Bill DeBraal disclosed that the Indian River County
Historical Society, Inc. (Historical Society) had approached staff about
recreating the fire lookout tower located at 43rd Avenue and 4th Street into a
historic exhibit. He provided the history regarding the Indian River County
Emergency Services District's 4 -acre property, and said that under the terms of
the Project Grant from the Division of Historical Resources - Florida
Department of State, the District and the Historical Society must enter into a
Lease Agreement with the County for the use of the tower, office/accessory
building, and parking area. He also described the conditions of the Lease and
recommended the Board's approval.
Emergency Services Fire Chief John King supported staffs recommendation to
approve the Lease with the Historical Society.
Ruth Stanbridge, Indian River County Historical Society, provided background
on the fire tower and radio shack. She said the Historical Society considered
the opportunity to make the tower a future community restoration,
rehabilitation, and historical project. The Historical Society believed the
County had disconnected the power source, water, and septic services during
the construction of Fire Station 13 and/or when 43rd Avenue was widened, and
requested that the connections be put back in place. She also pointed out that
the security fence had been removed after a car accident, and asked if the
County could replace it. She conveyed that the Grant for the project was
written to cover the interior wiring, plumbing, new roof, parking area, and the
necessary building materials for the radio shack. She spoke about the
partnership with the Amateur Radio Club, and informed the Board that after the
restoration, the radio club would bring their workshop to the radio building and
open it up to visitors. She reiterated that
Indian River County Florida Page 1
Board of County Commissioners ESD Meeting Minutes - Final January 24, 2017
Grant monies cannot be used for infrastructure, and requested $4,000 from the
Board to assist with financing the infrastructure so the project can move
forward. She informed the Board that there was a time constraint to move this
forward because the quarterly report is due at the end of the month, and the
Historical Society is required to release the funds back to Tallahassee or move
the project forward.
Discussion ensued regarding insurance coverage and limitations; other County
Leases; and the Historical Society not moving forward with the project unless
the infrastructure is replaced.
Commissioners O'Bryan and Solari felt that expenses should be borne by
non -profits, not taxpayers.
A motion was made by Commissioner Solari, seconded by Vice Chairman O'Bryan, to approve the
Lease with the Historical Society for the fire tower parcel.
The Commissioners voiced their comments and concerns.
Dwight Baker, Vero Beach Amateur Radio Club Representative, expressed the
importance of the Club during emergencies and hurricanes, and urged the Board
to support the Historical Society's infrastructure funding request.
Bob Johnson, Coral Wind Subdivision, questioned whether Emergency Services
District funds could/should be used to help support the Historical Society's
efforts.
Chairman Flescher said he wanted to continue with the Florida Power and Light
meeting scheduled for Thursday, January 26, 2017, and leave the window of
opportunity open for a possible reconsideration of the Lease Agreement.
An amended motion was made by Commissioner Solari, seconded by Vice
Chairman O'Bryan, to approve: (1) the Lease Agreement with the Historical
Society for the Fire Tower Parcel, incorporating the following items: (a) access
to the wireless internet connection; (b) reducing costs for the initial potable water
hookup/meter fees and monthly recurring costs for the Ranger House; (c)
attaching the waterline on the District's side of the water meter, as use is limited
to inside the Ranger House bathroom, for a de minimis monthly cost; (d)
attaching a small buried wastewater tank for the Ranger House with a scheduled
pump -out routine; and (e) installing the perimeter fence that was damaged near
the Ranger House; and (2) Resolution 2017-006, Emergency Services District
approving a community interest Lease Agreement with the Indian River County
Historical Society, Inc., for County owned property at the northwest corner of
43rd Avenue and 4th Street. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 4 - Chairman Flescher, Vice Chairman O'Bryan, Commissioner Solari, and
Commissioner Zorc
Nay: 1 - Commissioner Adams
Indian River County Florida Page 2
Board of County Commissioners ESD Meeting Minutes - Final January 24, 2017
Carolyn Bayless, President of the Indian River County Historical Society, thanked
the Board for everything they have done, and stated that the Historical Society
declines the Lease Agreement, and would be returning the Grant money to
Tallahassee.
Indian River County Florida Page 3
Board of Commissioners ESD Meeting Minutes - Final January 24, 2017
I_rIIIT�F,IIW
�1
Jeffrey R. Smith, CPA, CGFO, CGMA
Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller
By: x4w�
Dept k
ESD/LAA/2017 Minutes
seph E. Flescher, Chairman
.• �ti�MISS.
Approved:
March 21, 2017
Indian River County Florida Page 4