City addresses storm drainage

Recent rain events that flooded portions of Port St. Joe were the main topic of discussion at last Tuesday's city commission meeting.

City manager Charlie Weston introduced the board to what he described as a "preventative maintenance" project intended to address storm drainage throughout the city.

 Weston said he instructed public works director John Grantland to construct a grid of the city, marking storm drainage areas with three colors indicating levels of adequacy: (green for "clear," yellow for "needs cleaning"  and red for "needs replacing.")

The color-coding system will enable the city to address water drainage issues in a proactive manner, said Weston.

"It will allow us to focus on these things during the summer or not during the rainy part of the year," he said.

Recent rainfall has also caused problems at city cemeteries, which have seen a number of floating vaults.

Weston, City Clerk Jim Anderson, City Grant Writer Charlotte Pierce and local funeral director Rocky Comforter convened to address the issue, and Pierce reported the committee's recommendations.

Suggestions included adopting a city ordinance requiring that all vaults be placed under ground with a minimum of six to eight inches of ground cover on top of the lid.

Only concrete vaults could be used, with the city providing conditions and obligations for purchasing a cemetery plot to individuals at the time of purchase.

Preble-Rish engineer Bill Kennedy recommended that the city construct a perimeter ditch around Forest Hill Cemetery.

The cemetery is the site of many of the floating vaults and currently lacks a ditch.

In a bit of macabre humor, Weston said the suggestions were intended to prevent "these problems from popping up again."

In other cemetery news, Pierce recommended that the city clear clusters of pine trees on a portion of Holly Hill Cemetery, which have reduced the number of available plots by 330.

*The first reading of an ordinance striking the current sign ordinance's prohibition against changeable message signs prompted a lengthy discussion about the potential effects of the change.

Magidson produced a list of suggestions drafted by the Downtown Redevelopment Agency (DRA), which he said would "protect the city so we don't have a proliferation of these things without some way to control them."

In an effort to prevent U.S. 98 from resembling 23rd Street in Panama City, Magidson said the DRA recommended that the city better define electronic signage and add content restrictions and enforcement mechanisms.

The ordinance proposed by the DRA would prohibit signs with "offensive images" or "flashing and excessive movement," Magidson said.

It would also provide for enhanced code enforcement, including fines and the power to remove offensive signs, the mayor added.

Reeves reminded the board that they'd agreed to pass the new ordinance quickly, with a future workshop devoted to reviewing the sign ordinance.

City attorney Tom Gibson also issued a caution: "We get into a mess when we try to regulate content."

The board agreed to revisit the matter in the new year.

*Weston submitted for discussion a memorandum outlining the current water/sewer bills paid by the Pine Ridge and Liberty Manor apartment complexes.

Both are currently paying commercial water and sewer bills, which include a base rate of $30 for water and $60 for sewer.

Adjusting the bills to reflect individual residences (53 in Pine Ridge and 40 in Liberty Manor) would provide the city an additional $48,060 in revenue, the memorandum indicated.

Commissioner Greg Johnson pressed for more information on current water usage and bill totals, and Rex Buzzett expressed concern about penalizing low income residents by increasing water rates.

Weston said he would have obtained more information for the board's review.

*Work on Catch Basin 7 is in the "final punch list" stage, according to Weston, who said the city still needed to address a few issues such as crosswalks and manhole placement.

*The St. Joe Beach Sewer project is also on track for a January completion, Weston said, with 351 hook-ups as of last Monday.

*Commissioners unanimously approved for advertisement a memorandum seeking volunteers to serve on a business tax committee.

Florida Statues requires that a committee review any proposed change to a business tax (formerly known as an occupational license tax).

Requests must be submitted to Anderson by Jan. 15.

*Jeremy Novak and Phil Early were approved by commissioners for a three-year term on the Planning Development and Review Board.

*With an eye towards fuel savings, Port St. Joe police chief David Barnes said the department has located one hybrid vehicle that gets 43 miles to the gallon. The city recently approved the purchase of four police department vehicles.

*Port St. Joe redevelopment agency director Matt Fleck briefed the board on the DRA's expansion into North Port St. Joe.

The resolution to adopt the amendment to the existing DRA will receive its first reading on Jan. 5, with final adoption scheduled for Jan. 19.

*Commissioners unanimously approved a proclamation declaring Jan. 4 "Jerry Stokoe Day" in honor of the longtime Christmas of the Young and Elderly program coordinator.

The proclamation commended Stokoe's tireless dedication to helping underprivileged residents throughout the county.

Accepting an engraved plaque, Stokoe called the tribute a "wonderful honor" and thanked the board "for the chance to make a difference in Gulf County."