POLISCOPE

The public record

DUNNELLON (MARION COUNTY) · LOCALDecisions publishedPartial coverage

City Council - Amended to add backup to item #3b.

Wednesday, February 12, 2025 · Government meeting record

The 30-second read

Recorded outcome

The Dunnellon City Council held a meeting to appoint new members to the City Council and the Historic Preservation Board, and to approve software for vacation rental compliance. The Council also heard a presentation from the Tobacco Free Partnership of Marion County regarding potential smoking bans in public parks.

Why it matters

The City Council appointed Wallace Dunn, II to fill the vacant Seat #2, restoring the Council to its full five-member capacity.

What happens next

No later meeting or follow-up date is stated in the reviewed record.

An official outcome record - an action agenda or minutes - is published for this meeting.

Record text

No recording or transcript is held for this meeting.

NMASL_R City of Dunnellon City Council Meeting Date: February 12, 2025 Time: 5: 30 p. m. Place: City Hall, 20750 River Dr., Dunnellon, FL, 34431 Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance Mayor Green called the meeting to order at approximately 5: 32 p. m. and led the Council in the Pledge of Allegiance. Opening Prayer/ Moment of Silence Mayor Green invited any citizen wishing to volunteer to open with prayer. No one stepped forward and a moment of silence was observed. Roll Call Walter Green, Mayor, Seat 1 Vacant, Councilperson, Seat 2 Tim Inskeep, Vice- Mayor, Seat 3 Valerie Hanchar, Councilwoman, Seat 4 Rex Lehmann, Councilman, Seat 5 Staff Present Mandy Odom, City Clerk Schonna McLean, Finance Officer Chad Ward, Public Works Manager Michelle Leonard, Assistant City Clerk Captain Ron Bray, Police Department Julie Danowski, Records Clerk Legal Counsel Andrew Hand, Shephard, Smith, Kohlmyer& Hand, P. A. Proof of Publication The agenda was posted on the City' s Website and City Hall bulletin board on Wednesday, February 5, 2025. The agenda was amended on Thursday, February 6th to add backup to item # 5a. and item # 5b, on Friday, February 7th to move Regular Agenda Items to the beginning of the meeting, and on Wednesday, February 12th to add backup to item# 3b. Council Comments Regarding Agenda There were no Council Comments.

c v^ City Council Meeting February 12, 2025 Page 2 of 9 Public Comment on non- agenda items Art Jones, 12163 Palmetto Way, stated One Rake at a Time is planning a City Beach clean- up day on March 6, 2025 from 9: 00 a. m. to 11: 00 a. m. He shared the Dunnellon beautification group will be there cleaning on the shore. He invited volunteers to assist. He said Crystal River transitioned their Police Department to the Citrus County Sheriff and it worked out really well. He commented Wally Dunn would be a great addition to the Council. David Porter, 11835 E. Blue Cove Dr., stated the City must get information out to the Dunnellon citizens regarding what they are considering for the Police Department. He asserted if this is not done, the only thing they hear is gossip from social media and most of it is incorrect. He said a DCBA survey was sent out asking the citizens to choose our local police or MCSO. He suggested not conducting surveys without telling the citizens what we have in mind. Consent Agenda Meeting Minutes Re- appoint Viola Soffe to a full member of the Historic Preservation Board for a three- year term, effective January 14, 2025 to January 14, 2028. Re- appoint Dane Myers to a full member of the Historic Preservation Board for a three-year term, effective January 14, 2025, to January 14, 2028. Re- appoint Don DeWitt to a full member of the Planning Commission for a three- year term, effective January 11, 2025 to January 11, 2028 Authorize the Mayor to sign Agreement# AGR2025- 07 with Azavar for Localgov software solution for vacation rental compliance and registration. Public Comment There were no public comments. Councilwoman Hanchar moved the consent agenda be approved. Councilman Lehmann seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion passed 4- 0. Regular Agenda 1) Presentation 1. a) Tobacco Free Partnership of Marion County— Missy White, Liaison and Nancy Castillo, MS, Member Ms. White introduced herself and Ms. Castillo. Ms. Castillo stated Tobacco Free Partnership is made up of community members who are dedicated to ending nicotine usage in Marion County, which includes vape products. She explained the work they do which includes raising awareness about the importance of smoke and tobacco free environments, reducing tobacco advertising, promoting cessation, communicating the dangers of tobacco use, and reducing tobacco- related disparities. She presented data on usage and the increased strength of nicotine compared to years past. She spoke about our youth being exposed to secondhand smoke, how it harms the part of the brain which supports learning and mental health, how nicotine leads to depression long term, the many harmful chemicals in nicotine products, cancer causing chemicals, and tobacco related deaths. She further explained they focus on

City Council Meeting February 12, 2025 Page 3 of 9 policy changes and people who struggle with addiction can receive assistance from Tobacco Free Partnerships. She said in 2023 their partnership advocated for school policy and hundreds of students have been enrolled in the program. They asked Council to consider being a part of their initiative by enacting an Ordinance to prevent smoking of tobacco or vape products in our public parks. They presented Council with a sample Ordinance for their review. Ms. White stated in Dunnellon there is a " Swat Club", which contains students working against tobacco. She shared the club is about youth empowerment. She said they were here in September and conducted a park clean up which resulted in picking up 115 butts, 5 vape products, and a lot of packaging. She explained the youth took the stats they collected and made a school presentation. Ms. Castillo invited Council to a meeting on April 28th if they were interested in being more involved. Council thanked them for coming and stated their effort is appreciated especially for our kids. 2) Regular Agenda Items 2. a) Appointment of Historic Preservation Board Vacancies Public Comment Mistydawn Perry, 3805 SW Soundview Dr., stated Ms. Mikel is not feeling well and couldn' t attend the meeting. She said they are both real estate agents and love Dunnellon with its old buildings and old homes. She shared she has lived here for four years, but Ms. Mikel was born and raised in the area. She asserted both of them would enjoy being a part of the Historic Preservation Board and help keep our history alive. Councilwoman Hanchar moved to appoint Alanna Mikel to the Historic Preservation Board to fill the unexpired term of Wil Martins from February 12, 2025 to January 22, 2027. Councilman Lehmann seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion passed 4-0. Vice- Mayor Inskeep moved to appoint Mistydawn Perry to the Historic Preservation Board to fill the 1st Alternate vacancy from February 12, 2025 to February 21, 2027. Councilwoman Hanchar seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion passed 4- 0. 2. b) Appointment for vacant City Council Seat# 2 Public Comment John Setzer, 8992 SW 192nd Court Rd., stated he is here to support Mr. Dunn. He shared some of the successes Mr. Dunn had achieved during his last term and some of Mr. Dunn' s family history. He advised Council Mr. Dunn is committed to the time and effort required. He asserted it is time to disregard any emotional issues and fill the seat. Dennis Jones, 9129 SW 190th Ave. Rd., stated he is not a resident but considers Dunnellon his town. He said Mr. Dunn was elected by 58. 35% of the voters during the last election and pointed out only one out of four Councilmembers currently seated were actually elected. He commented it was no fault of Mr.

City Council Meeting February 12, 2025 Page 4 of 9 Dunn' s the Form 6 disclosure was enacted, which prompted him to step down. He said with the rescinding of Form 6, he is able to put his name forward again. Councilwoman Hanchar moved Wallace Dunn, II be appointed to City Council Seat # 2 until the next regular or special election. Vice- Mayor Inskeep seconded the motion. Mayor Green called for discussion. Councilwoman Hanchar stated she will work with the strengths each person brings to this Council. She said she is looking forward to having a full Council again and moving forward in a positive manner. Vice- Mayor lnskeep stated he believes Mr. Dunn will compliment this Council well. He said he has a good relationship with staff, the County, and our elected representatives. He added we need someone with a high caliper and time for research, with zero agenda. He commented Mr. Dunn only cares about what is best for the City. Mayor Green stated he agrees with his fellow Council members and believes Mr. Dunn will be a good fit. He said he welcomes him and is happy we will have a five member board. He shared we all have different opinions but we come together as a team. A vote was taken and the motion passed 4-0. 2. c) Oath of Office Mrs. Odom invited Mr. Dunn to come forward and administered the following Oath: I, Wallace Dunn, a citizen of the State of Florida and of the United States of America and being employed by or an officer of the City of Dunnellon and a recipient of public funds as such employee or officer, do hereby solemnly swear or affirm that I will support the constitution of the United States and of the State of Florida." Councilman Dunn thanked the Council for their support and took his seat. 3) Agreements 3. a) Fourth Amendment to Agreement# AGR2020- 27, M. T. Causley, LLC Professional Services Public Comment There were no public comments. Councilwoman Hanchar moved to authorize the Mayor to execute the Fourth Amendment to Agreement AGR2020- 27 M. T. Causley, LLC Professional Servies. Vice- Mayor Inskeep seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion passed 5- 0. 3. b) Agreement# AGR2025- 08, Temporary Assumption of Law Enforcement Oversight Public Comment There were no public comments.

City Council Meeting February 12, 2025 Page 5 of 9 Councilwoman Hanchar moved to authorize the Mayor to sign Agreement AGR2025- 08, Temporary Assumption of Law Enforcement Oversight. Vice- Mayor lnskeep seconded the motion. Councilwoman Hanchar asked if staff should inform our insurance company of the change. Mrs. Odom replied she didn' t think there was a reason to notify them, because the contract states MCSO will carry insurance. Councilman Lehmann stated the contract says Lt. Vowinkel will not be accountable to any Dunnellon officials. He asked if the statement means we are giving up control of our Police Department. Mayor Green replied all City Ordinances will be enforced. Vice- Mayor lnskeep also replied and explained it refers to her requirement to report to her own chain of command. He said we still have Captain Bray and Lt. Vowinkel' s door will always be open. Mayor Green invited Lt. Vowinkel to speak to the Council. He said this would be an opportune time to clear up Councilman Lehmann' s concern. Lt. Julie Vowinkel and Major Louis Pulford approached the podium and stated Vice- Mayor lnskeep was correct. Major Pulford explained it is not a takeover, but rather a partnership. Lt. Vowinkel said she welcomes the Council and staff to reach out to her on the day-to- day issues. Councilman Dunn stated he met Lt. Vowinkel the other day and this is the type of person who can help us organize what we have. He asserted he couldn' t have asked for anyone better. Councilwoman Hanchar stated she looks forward to receiving some great ideas from her. She commented it is going to be a great opportunity for MCSO to lead us into the future. Councilman Lehmann expressed another concern and said the contract stated, " should Lt. Vowinkel find it necessary to discipline, it will be in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Unit". Mayor Green replied it gives us breathing room and first-class protection, while we determine our future. Mayor Green stated we are very happy with the results of this effort between the City and the County. He extended his thanks to Sheriff Woods and his entire staff. A vote was taken and the motion passed 5- 0. 4) Ordinance 4. a) First Reading Ordinance# ORD2025- 01, Planning Commission School Board Member Appointment Public Comment Brenda D' Arville, Planning Commission Chair, stated the Planning Commission had a meeting last night and recommended the Ordinance for approval because it is required by statute. She asked if the school board member will be required to attend each meeting and if not which meeting would they be invited to attend. She also asked if they would be considered an alternate, or if an additional alternate position would be added.

City Council Meeting February 12, 2025 Page 6 of 9 Attorney Hand replied this will not significantly impact the Planning Commission. He said most cities do not have this outlined in their code because it doesn' t come up often. He explained since there was interest by a school board member, it was important to address. He said the school district has the ability to appoint someone and they can attend any meeting where a decision is going to be made which would impact the schools. He commented the Ordinance gives them the opportunity to attend and have a voice. He said they will be given a seat at the Dias but they will not vote. Mayor Green stated this issue is especially important now because there is going to be a new high school and middle school built. He said they are not intending to keep the middle school in its current location and the property will be sold. Mayor Green explained the current project is the new high school in Marion Oaks, but they are committed to working on Dunnellon next. Councilwoman Hanchar moved Ordinance # ORD2025- 01 be read by title only. Vice- Mayor Inskeep seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion passed 5- 0. Mrs. Odom read the following into the record: ORDINANCE# ORD2025- 01 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DUNNELLON, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 94, ARTICLE II OF THE CITY' S CODE OF ORDINANCES TO PROVIDE FOR AN EX OFFICIO MEMBER OF THE CITY' S PLANNING COMMISISON; PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION, CONFLICTS, SEVERABILITY, AND EFFECTIVE DATE." Councilwoman Hanchar moved Ordinance # ORD2025- 01 be approved. Vice- Mayor Inskeep seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion passed 5- 0. 5) Resolution 5. a) Resolution # RES2025- 03, Public Records Exemption Public Comment There were no public comments. Vice- Mayor Inskeep moved Resolution # RES2025- 03 be read by title only. Councilwoman Hanchar seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion passed 5- 0. Mrs. Odom read the following into the record: RESOLUTION# RES2025- 03 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF DUNNELLON, FLORIDA URGING THE FLORIDA STATE LEGISLATURE TO ENACT LEGISLATION TO PROVIDE A PUBLIC RECORDS EXEMPTION FOR MUNICIPAL CLERKS AND EMPLOYEES WHO PERFORM MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS WORK OR HAVE ANY PART IN CODE ENFORCEMENT FUNCTIONS OFA CITY AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE." Councilwoman Hanchar moved Resolution # RES2025- 03 be approved. Vice- Mayor Inskeep seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion passed 5- 0.

City Council Meeting February 12, 2025 Page 7 of 9 6. Department Reports Mrs. Odom stated there is an Interlocal Agreement between the school board, Marion County, and local governments. She said a joint meeting has been scheduled for March 12th at 9: 00 a. m. at the Livestock Pavilion. She explained they would like all governing officials to attend if they can and need to know who will be in attendance. All Councilmembers stated they would attend except for Councilman Lehmann, who will need to review the date before committing. Mrs. Odom stated she has received two offers on the surplus property at 20804 W. Pennsylvania Avenue. She said both offers are under market value and requires CRA Board recommendation going forward prior to the Council' s approval. Attorney Hand provided the timing requirements with reference to public hearings and advertisements. Mrs. Odom asked if everything worked out correctly could she bring it to the Council for a decision on March 12th. Attorney Hand replied he doesn' t see a problem with the date, but he will check and confirm. Councilwoman Hanchar stated one offer came in as a bid, but didn' t contain any terms. She said the other contract had an acceptance date of this coming Friday and a closing date of March 3rd. She was concerned about corresponding with them regarding the deadline and the terms. Attorney Hand replied the terms are negotiable and Council could make a discussion now to determine if they want to negotiate. He said the whole idea for a public hearing is to allow folks to come in and discuss their concerns. Councilwoman Hanchar confirmed Council could talk with both and ask them to resubmit with acceptable details. Attorney Hand replied he didn' t see there being any issue. Mayor Green invited Van Akin to the podium. Mr. Akin suggested Council ask both parties to submit their best, final offer. Councilwoman Hanchar asked if Mr. Akin could speak to the one who made the simple bid to resubmit in contract form. Attorney Hand replied we can ask them to resubmit it in a particular format and then consider the proposal at the next CRA Board meeting. Mr. Akin agreed to speak with both parties. There was further discussion regarding the advertising regulations, the possibility of scrapping offers and starting over, negotiation suggestions, and the need for a bid in a contractual format. Mayor Green invited public comments and there were none. Mr. Ward stated he received a quote from Pave Rite in reference to the stormwater drain for The Granda paving project. He said he had a couple questions and is awaiting a response. He explained it will be about three weeks before they begin the last of the roadwork. Councilman Lehmann stated Mr. Ward has a problem with Two Rivers Inn and the fire code. Mr. Ward commented the fire inspections have been carried out and we are working with our building inspectors. Councilman Lehmann offered to be the City Fire Liaison due to his background. Vice- Mayor Inskeep stated we have had issues twice now with fire inspections. He said the first was with the former Buckhorn Bar and now with Two Rivers Inn. He asserted Mr. Ward shouldn' t have to go

City Council Meeting February 12, 2025 Page 8 of 9 through the difficulties he has been faced with. He explained he believes the large businesses are complying, but the mom- and- pop businesses are slacking. He advised Council Mr. Ward is reviewing everything and once he has all the data it would be wonderful if Councilman Lehmann would like to become the liaison. Councilman Dunn stated with Councilman Lehmann' s background in fire he would be an asset to help get someone' s attention at the County level when its required. Mr. Ward replied he too worked for a fire department. He said he knew the first step was to report it and he was able to move it up the chain of command. Councilman Dunn stated he doesn' t want Mr. Ward to stop what he is doing, but a Councilmember with that background as well is a resource we can utilize. Vice- Mayor lnskeep added if Mr. Ward has an issue, he shouldn' t have to be the one who must get confrontational. He asserted it should be the Council' s responsibility to obtain the help he needs from the County. He advised Mr. Ward to continue working the same way until the whole picture has been obtained. He said we will involve Councilman Lehmann if he doesn' t receive cooperation from the County. Mrs. McLean stated there is a lot going on in Finance. She said the BS& A. software conversion pre- go live is next week and the go live date is the following week. She explained a week after the auditors will be on- site. Captain Bray stated he is excited about the new partnership with MCSO. He said we will begin infraction training next week for the. School Safety Zone Project. He advised Council they are going live with the camera system at the end of March and this will begin the 30- day warning period for drivers. Councilman Dunn shared his delight about moving forward with this project. Captain Bray provided data on a study conducted, stating in four days they tracked 1, 600 speeding violations in the area. He affirmed the project is a safety net for the children and there will constantly be an officer reviewing the data. Mayor Green brought up the repaving project on US 41 between the Withlacoochee bridge and Walmart. He asked Captain Bray to speak on the topic. Captain Bray replied they had received a notice from the contractor which said they will begin work between February 15, 2025 to February 27, 2026. He said now he has been informed it will begin on February 27th. Mrs. Odom added she spoke with the contractor and was informed they will not break ground any sooner than late February, though they may be out there doing other things. Councilwoman Hanchar stated she understands the triangle median at US 41 and Pennsylvania is going to be removed. She informed Council this is why the drone is flying around. She said the contractor is trying to get some photos. Mayor Green shared his concern regarding the removal of the triangle. He stated he believes the traffic will be impacted negatively, as it is already a bad intersection. There was further discussion related to potential problems with the roadway change.

City Council Meeting February 12, 2025 Page 9 of 9 Vice- Mayor Inskeep offered to reach out to FDOT to express the Mayor' s concerns and obtain more information. Mrs. Odom encouraged Council and citizens to go to the FDOT website, which we have linked on our website. She stated one of the links provides the documents available and an educational video. 7. Council Liaison Reports and Comments Councilman Lehmann asked about the Comprehensive Plan progress. Mrs. Odom replied eda is working on it and are currently in phase one, which is data collection and analysis. She said the tentative timeline to start review is March. Councilman Lehmann asked if there has been any word from the State of Florida regarding the median maintenance on US 41. Mr. Ward replied he hadn' t heard anything. Councilman Lehmann asked if there is any new information regarding the US Post Office utilizing the bingo hall. Vice- Mayor lnskeep replied he was informed they will not be using the back of the building, which means they will not impact the road or bother the neighbors. Councilman Dunn thanked everyone on the Council for their support of his appointment. He said he is looking forward to getting back into it. He added he is grateful to be able to add his thoughts without the complications of the Mayor' s seat. 8. City Attorney Report There was no City Attorney report. Adjourn At 7: 28 p. m. Councilwoman Hanchar moved the City Council meeting be adjourned. Vice- Mayor lnskeep seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion passed 5- 0. Penned signature of: Walter L. Green, Mayor Attest enned signature of: Amanda Odom, CMC, City Clerk

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  • City Council - Amended to add backup to item #3b. — Minutes

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