Brenner, Malie Back On Sebring CRA Board

It was a unanimous vote to reinstate Commissioner Gene Brenner to the city's Community Redevelopment Agency Board, but only three council members voted to bring Kathy Malie back aboard.

Brenner and Malie's terms expired Sept. 30.

Council President Bud Whitlock, along with council members John Griffin and Scott Stanley, voted for Malie. Council members Margie Rhoades and Dan Andrews voted for challenger Bruce Borkosky.

Whitlock recommended sending Borkosky a thank you note for volunteering to serve.

On a scary note, the council voted to approve the Fall-O-Ween Festival, from 3:30 - 9 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 1, on behalf of St. Catherine Catholic School.

The church has requested the closure of Hickory Street from South Franklin Street to Poinsettia Avenue for this event.

For more information call the church office at (863)-471-0345.

In other city council action, the board approved demolition at two sites. One is a partial block structure and concrete slab at 787 Shirley St., and the second are two dilapidated buildings not safe for human occupancy, and located at 802 Shirley St.

Foreman's Construction Inc. was the low bidder on both demolitions at $1,050 and $3,800, respectively.

Council also approved two Downtown Sidewalk Sales events, one on Saturday, Oct. 18 and the second on Saturday, Nov. 15. Each event will begin at 8 a.m. and end at 2 p.m. There will not be any street closures.

People attending are asked to try to use parking lots adjacent to the Sebring Utilities building on Mango Street and a parking lot on Center Street.

The city approved a collective bargaining contract with the AFSCME Local 3721 for general employees for a three-year period from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, 2011.

The union approved the agreement on Sept. 18, which includes a 3-percent wage increase.

The city also extended its year-to-year contract for legal services with the law firm of Swaine & Harris, P.A., Attorneys at Law, from Oct. 1, to Sept. 30, 2009.

The city agrees to pay attorneys, as compensation for the services to be performed, the professional time spent by attorneys, paralegals and legal assistants at the rate of $175 per hour and $85 per hour for paralegals and legal assistants.

The city also agreed to pay attorneys additionally for all sums in the nature of costs which they have paid or will be required to pay during their representation of the city, including court costs, computer research time, deposition costs, long distance telephone calls, reproduction costs, service of process, cost of publication, witness fees, expert witness fees and other normal or necessary expenses.

On second and final reading, council approved by a 3-2 vote an ordinance changing the zoning classification at 421 Pomegranate Ave., from R-2 to C-1, allowing specifically for a daycare center.

Council unanimously approved on second and final reading on ordinance increasing its competitive bid threshold from $10,000 to $15,000.