Loading...
2025-09-30 Council Meeting Minutes1 WORKSHOP MINUTES SEPTEMBER 30, 2025 6:00 PM COUNCIL CHAMBERS 1. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Charles called the meeting to order at 6:05 PM. 2. MOMENT OF SILENCE / PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. ROLL CALL Present: Mayor Jerome Charles Vice Mayor Neil Cantor Councilmember George Burch Councilmember Patrick B. Devaney Councilmember Jesse Valinsky Also Present: Village Manager Esmond Scott Village Attorney Chanae Wood Village Clerk Ysabely Rodriguez 4. PUBLIC COMMENTS 3-Minute Time Limit 5. DISCUSSION ITEMS 5.A DISCUSSION CONCERNING GENERAL EMPLOYEE PENSION BOARD. 2 Village Clerk Rodriguez provided an overview of the board’s composition, meeting frequency, powers and duties. Robert Williamson, a board member for approximately 10-11 years, recommended changing the board's composition. He suggested removing both Village employees and Council members from the board, citing inherent conflicts of interest. He proposed reducing the board to five members, implementing stricter attendance requirements, and seeking members with financial or accounting experience. Village Manager Esmond Scott, who serves as chair of the board, expressed strong disagreement with Mr. Williamson's position on removing employees from the board. Mr. Scott emphasized that employees have deep knowledge about investments that affect their futures and suggested that there should be more employees on this board than there are residents. Elizabeth Keeley, a general employee for almost 31 years, also took issue with the suggestion of removing employees from the board. She emphasized that the pension is a trust containing employee contributions. Ms. Keeley recommended a five-member board structure with two employees, two residents (at least one with financial background), and a fifth member chosen by the other four members. She also suggested employees should vote for their representatives rather than having them appointed by the Council. Ms. Keeley also provided technical amendment recommendations concerning the pension plan. Councilmember Valinsky supported having a Council person on the board but as a non-voting member, noting the Council person provides valuable communication between the board and Council. He also expressed interest in Ms. Keeley's suggestion about improved access to investment information for employees and board members. Adam Levinson, pension attorney, provided context on funding status, noting the general employee plan is currently 102% funded, with the police plan at 99% funded. He explained this compared favorably to the Florida Retirement System at 87% funded. The Council discussed various options for restructuring the board, with several members expressing support for removing the village manager as a voting member due to potential conflicts of interest, while maintaining both employee representation. There was no consensus on this item. Council opted to resume discussion on the topic at a future Council Meeting. 5.B DISCUSSION REGARDING THE POLICE RETIREMENT PENSION BOARD. Village Clerk Rodriguez provided an overview of the board’s composition, meeting frequency, powers and duties. Joshua Koop, chairperson of the Police Pension Board, explained that the board is supported by financial professionals, legal counsel, an actuary, and a plan administrator. He noted that the composition is governed by Florida State Statute 185. Mr. Koop stated that all board members except one are certified public pension trustees, with certification taking approximately 18 months to complete. 3 Mr. Koop suggested that changing terms from two to four years would provide better continuity, though he noted this was his personal opinion and not an official board position. He explained that board meetings can cost approximately $20,000 each due to fees for attorneys and actuaries, so they try to coordinate meetings with the general employee board to reduce expenses. The board has also started allowing their financial adviser to attend meetings remotely to reduce costs. Attorney Levinson confirmed that according to the most recent actuarial report, the police plan was 99% funded, with the general employee plan at 102% funded. The Council commended the board for their expertise and dedication to the Village. 5.C DISCUSSION REGARDING THE PLANNNING & ZONING BOARD. Village Clerk Ysabely Rodriguez provided an overview of the board’s composition, meeting frequency, powers and duties. Brandon Spirk, representing the Planning and Zoning Board, stated that the board discussed the Council's questions and determined that no changes to the board structure were warranted. He explained that the board feels the current size of five members is appropriate and maintains a good balance of expertise. Mr. Spirk noted that board members have never failed to meet quorum during his 18 months on the board. Councilmember Burch inquired about the board's role in traffic issues. Mr. Spirk explained that the board considers traffic matters for larger applications but does not handle everyday traffic issues like speed bump placement. He noted that while the board previously had quasi-design review functions, recent law changes have limited this role. Councilmember Valinsky expressed concerns about onboarding new board members given the high stakes of planning and zoning decisions. Mr. Spirk suggested the Council should prioritize appointing members with appropriate backgrounds in architecture, engineering, or related fields to reduce the learning curve. Discussion arose about how the board handles conflicts of interest when members have their own projects. Attorney Wood clarified that board members cannot stand before their own board but may need to recuse themselves in certain situations, such as when a spouse or firm colleague appears before the board. When asked about the board's annual report requirement, Mr. Spirk acknowledged they were "tardy" in this respect and committed to working with staff to compile relevant statistics for a report to Council. Eddy Nunez, Planning and Zoning Director, addressed questions about the new noticing requirements for zoning applications, explaining that posting deadlines had increased from 7 days to 20 days before meetings, with some projects requiring 30-day mailers, which has extended the timeline for applicants. Attorney Wood noted that one change needed in the ordinance was to address the conflict between the 10-day appeal period in Section 19-26 and the 30-day period in Section 800. The Council commended the board for their expertise and dedication to the Village. 4 5.D DISCUSSION REGARDING THE SUSTAINABILITY & RESILIENCY COMMITTEE. Village Clerk Rodriguez provided an overview of the board’s composition, meeting frequency, powers and duties. Carol Respondek, committee chair, and Nicola Meyer, immediate past chair, explained that while they had considered revising the ordinance completely due to its extensive and challenging requirements, they ultimately decided to keep most of it with some modifications suggested by committee member Patricia Casey, an attorney. Ms. Meyer noted that the committee's mission had evolved since its creation five years ago. She explained they had developed three core pillars: engagement and advocacy, research, and education and public outreach. Recent accomplishments included bringing in CHI Design for seawall planning and organizing a coastal cleanup event. Meyer identified challenges with the Sunshine Law preventing more collaborative work outside of meetings and issues with communicating their activities to the public. Mayor Charles asked whether the Village should consider hiring a professional staff person dedicated to sustainability and resiliency rather than relying solely on volunteers who may lack technical expertise. Respondek acknowledged this would be beneficial but noted budget constraints. Councilmember Valinsky described the committee's list of duties as unreasonable to assign to volunteer committee members, stating they needed "an actual mission" rather than an exhaustive list of responsibilities. He expressed support for the committee's focus on providing resources to residents who want to make sustainable choices. Village Manager Scott thanked the committee for their work, acknowledging it was arduous. He mentioned potential partnerships with universities, the County, and the South Florida Water Management District to access expertise and resources at little cost. The Council discussed the committee's proposals for ordinance changes, which had been prepared by committee member Casey. Vice Mayor Cantor indicated he would work with Attorney Wood to bring these changes forward. He also suggested allocating approximately $5,000 in the next budget to support the committee's initiatives for public engagement. Village Manager Scott also mentioned that the previously stalled tree ordinance developed by the committee should be revived and reviewed by the current staff, including the new planning director, public works director, and arborist. 6D. ADJOURNMENT There being no further discussion, the Council adjourned the meeting at 9:38 PM.