You can find the meeting agendas on the City website at:
Highlights of the Feb. 4, 2020, Tavares City Council Meeting which are worth watching:
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Details of the City Economic Development Strategy for 2020 were presented.
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Florida State Fire Service staff provided an overview of a planned burn of Tavares Nature Park to reduce fire risk. This topic is on pages 119-124 in the above linked agenda, or see the attachment below. That discussion starts at 49:37 or at https://youtu.be/4EmyqXUXz2k?t=2977
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City Council members provided ideas and wishlists for upcoming budget priorities.
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City Council pensions - During the budget priority discussion, Councilmember Lori Pfister mentioned that four employees and the City Council were still in a private pension plan and should be moved to the Florida Retirement System (FRS) like other employees. Did you know the City Council got paid, got benefits and even pensions? I will research this further and the costs.
Topics are in the order listed on Agenda
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The video shows local high school student members of the Mayor's Youth Council sitting with Council members
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There was a presentation on custom quilts given to local veterans.
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Annexation and rezoning decisions on a 1.5-acre lot at 12549 Lane Park Cutoff
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Transition plan for Tavares Historical Society possible move to a new location like old Fire HQ or maybe in the downtown train station - no decision made, Council looking for alternatives to the high cost of updating old Fire offices
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Update on Economic Development Strategy for 2020
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Planned controlled burn of Tavares Nature Park overgrowth
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Bid award for Lake Francis Estates Water and Sewer Replacement Project (paid by residents)
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Initial discussion of Council Budget priority ideas and wishlists for 2021 Annual budget (discussed at several 2020 meetings)
Public Input - I gave public input requesting that
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Tavares pay for a fence at the Tavares Nature Park to prevent bears from looting residential trash cans or pay for bear-proof trash containers for residents.
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Budget goals include funding for City taking videos of main and Planning & Zoning Board meetings for the website, plus provide operational performance metrics in each Department budget section for the prior three years and new budget year. Metrics should include operating ratios like cost per resident, cost per household, employee per household vs surrounding cities, debt ratios and cost per household, etc.
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Tavares has many taxpayer-funded events. They should start shifting to privately funded events to remove the cost burden on the taxpayer.
The meeting was 1 hour, 55 minutes long and the video took 6.8 GB of memory.
Attachment: Agenda section on Tavares Nature Park Prescribed Burn.
Vance Jochim
YouTube Channel - FiscalRangersFlorida
Twitter: FiscalRangers
Vance Jochim
[email protected]
YouTube Channel "FiscalRangersFlorida"
