Ocoee leaders finalize plans to relocate city’s HR department

The department will be housed temporarily at the east end of the Ocoee City Hall Annex.

By Eric Gutierrez
| 2:32 p.m. September 26, 2018

West Orange Times & Observer
News

After about an hour of discussion Tuesday, Sept. 18, Ocoee city commissioners voted unanimously to temporarily relocate the city’s Human Resources Department to the east end of the City Hall Annex.

The move is the first step in building the new City Hall. The city’s Employee Clinic currently is located at the site needed to construct the new City Hall. The clinic will be moved to the western end of the current City Hall Annex, which houses the city commission offices and HR Department, according to the agenda.

The space at the east end of the City Hall Annex will be modified to accommodate the HR Department at a cost of $18,000. Currently, the space is being leased as office space for State Rep. Kamia Brown and State Sen. Randolph Bracy. The lease — which ends Nov. 30 — will not be renewed, and there will be a loss of $24,000 in lease revenues to the city.

Prior to taking action, commissioners discussed four options for where to move the HR department. The first involved leasing a portable unit and placing it on city property at an estimated cost of $71,140. The second option involved renting commercially available space at a cost of $52,500 to $102,600. The third — and most contentious — was to purchase the property at 125 E. McKey St. at a price of $250,000 plus $10,000 in closing costs and early lease termination/possession fees totaling $25,000. The fourth — and selected — option proposed moving the department within the City Hall Annex.

The third option for the move was only made recently to the city, when the owner of the property offered to sell it to the city, Support Services Director Al Butler said.

“This (option) was attractive to us, because instead of putting money into rental space that we’ll never get back, this will be a space that we would own (and) be able to occupy for the period of time that (is) necessary for a relocation of human resources,” Butler said.

But the option raised concerns among residents of the Marion Park community. A primary concern among residents was that if the city bought the property on 125 E. McKey St., it could purchase more property in the Marion Park community.

IN OTHER NEWS

Mayor Rusty Johnson Proclaimed Sept. 21 as West Orange Healthy Selfie Day.
Summit Construction delivered a presentation pertaining to a proposed fire station located in the northwest area of the City.
A public hearing for the Nicole Boulevard Subdivision Preliminary and Final Subdivision Plan was continued to a later date.
Commissioners conducted the first reading of an ordinance amending the Land Development Code to add a definition for collection bins and collection trailers.
Commissioners approved the use of CSC Recording Solutions to streamline the process of recording city documents.
City leaders approved the fourth amendment to the Development and Economic Incentive Agreement for City Center West Orange. The amendment extends the expiration dates for building permit submittal from July 2, 2018 to Sept. 18, 2019 and extends the construction completion date of Maine Street Section 2 to the same dates.
Commissioners approved the second amendment to the Development Agreement with Fountains West, Lot 8, Planned unit development. The amendment updates the permitted uses of Lot 8 and removes retail as a permitted use.
City leaders voted to approve the Community Grant Program for the July 2018 cycle. A total of $3500 will be divided among seven local organizations, which will each receive $500. Grant funds will be given to Adult Literacy League, Inc., Phoenix Tree Education Foundation, Inc., The Gift of Swimming, S.T.A.R.S. of West Orange, Central Florida Diaper Bank, Christian Service Center and Barkies Legacy. District 2 commissioner abstained from the vote because of a conflict.
The commission approved a two-year Warranty Surety and Maintenance, Materials and Workmanship Agreement with a Letter of Credit with BCI IV Park 429 Logistics Center, LLC. for The Park at 429, Lot 3.
Commissioners awarded the design of Ocoee Wellness Park to GAI Consultants, Inc. Community Solutions Group for $144,155, which will be funded by Community Redevelopment Agency funds. The city currently has a contract with GAI Consultants, Inc. to provide continuing landscape architecture and planning services, which includes services for park design.
City leaders awarded the South Blackwood Avenue Landscape Refresh Project — located between Old Winter Garden Road and State Road 50 — to BrightView Landscape Services.
The commission approved a Joint Participation Agreement and Resolution for landscaping improvements in the medians of State Road 50 between State Road 429 and Good Homes Road. The Florida Department of Transportation awarded a total of $775,000 to be reimbursed to the City over two fiscal years — $500,000 in fiscal year 2018-2019 and $275,000 in fiscal year 2019-2020. FDOT will reimburse the city for the purchase of plants, fertilizer, mulches, soil amendments and labor associated with planting.
Commissioners approved a change order to add Marshall Farms Road resurfacing project to the fiscal year 2018 asphalt paving program.
Finally, city leaders voted unanimously to accept Atlantic Civil’s proposal to construct approximately 500 feet of an eight-inch water main at a cost of $72,574.44.

“I realize that in the past decade or so, the city of Ocoee has been (interested in) acquiring property in our old historic community of Marion Park,” resident Tim Nielson said. “I believe option three … is a plan for acquiring more of that property guised as an option for creating a temporary home for the Human Resources Department.”

Commissioner Rosemary Wilsen shared this concern with residents.

“Your neighborhood is not the place to put our HR Department,” Wilsen said. “It’s not our place to buy. … I don’t want to see what could happen there later and that we started this. I want to maintain that neighborhood the way it is as an established, quaint residential neighborhood of folks who have lived there a long time. I don’t want to see that change.”

Another option commissioners discussed was to move HR to the eastern end of the annex and consider purchasing the property at a later date. However, after passing the gavel to Commissioner Richard Firstner, Mayor Rusty Johnson moved to remove that consideration off the table and not consider purchasing the property at 125 E. McKey St. Wilsen seconded the motion, and commissioners approved it unanimously.

“Nobody’s wanting to take away that area,” Johnson said before making his motion.

To attract a greater corporate presence to downtown Ocoee, commissioners voted unanimously to allow City Manager Robert Frank to submit a proposal letter to the St. Johns River Water Management District offering city-owned property free of charge as a potential location for a future office. The property is located at the corner of Kissimmee Avenue and McKey Street. The proposal will also include offering the free use of the Lakeshore Center, partnership opportunities relating to fleet services and expedited permitting and inspections.

“We want to bring professionals … into town,” Frank said. “As far as economic development, that’s what we want for our downtown. … We’re trying to establish downtown and help our business matrix.”

Commissioner George Oliver was absent from the meeting.