CITY MANAGER REPORT FOR CITY COMMISSION MEETING AUGUST 27, 2012 1. Suspect Charged in Double Homicide The Plant City Police Department has charged Ruben Jay Brooks of Plant City with First Degree Murder in the deaths of Shannon L. Thomas and Faye McClain Kitchen. On November 12, 2011, officers were summoned to 506 East Ohio Street to check the welfare of Kitchen, who family members had not been able to get in touch with since the previous night. When officers arrived, they were unable to make contact with Kitchen, so they entered the home by force. It was upon making entry that officers discovered 33 year-old Shannon L. Thomas and 59 year-old Faye McClain Kitchen deceased. The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner s Office ruled the cause of death for both victims as blunt force trauma. In the days following the homicide, detectives learned both victims were acquaintances of Ruben Jay Brooks. Detectives investigated the link between Brooks and the victims, along with the many other tips received from the community. As the murder investigation continued, Brooks was arrested by the Plant City Police Department on an unrelated robbery charge in early January 2012. He has been held in the Hillsborough County Jail since that time. Last week detectives completed their investigation into the murders of the victims and charged Brooks with two counts of homicide earlier today. Brooks is still being held at the Hillsborough County Jail and is awaiting his first appearance on the First Degree Murder charges. 2. Brownfields Program Update PPM Consultants, Inc., the CRA s environmental consultant for the Midtown Brownfield sites, reported that Enviro Tek, Inc. of Tampa, Florida was selected for the cleanup and remediation of the former Gro Mor Fertilizer Plant located at 307 South Evers Street. Work includes the excavation and removal of approximately 3,660 tons of petroleum impacted soil and backfilling the excavated area with clean soil. Work began at the site on August 20 th and will be completed by September 30 th. 1
The maximum grant in the amount of $200,000.00 was awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Brownfields Cleanup Grant Program to help clean up this site. The cooperative agreement requires a 20% local match. The match will be provided through in-kind service (including costs for the removal of concrete slabs from the former buildings by personnel from the City s Stormwater, Streets, & Traffic Division), revenue from the Community Redevelopment Agency Trust Fund, and credits from the Water and Sewer Fund for treatment of groundwater. Hillsborough County also awarded grant assistance up to $100,000 and a deferred payment loan up to $200,000 under their Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund to assist with the cleanup of this site. For each approved request for reimbursement by the County to the CRA, thirty three percent (33%) of the amount reimbursed will be a grant and sixty seven percent (67%) will be a loan. Terms of the agreement provide for the repayment of the loan upon sale of the property. Below is a list of contracted services and their associated costs for this site: Contracted Services Unit Price Task 1 - Community Outreach Advisory Group & Community Meetings $ 1,250 Community Involvement Plan $ 1,250 Task 2 - Cleanup Planning ABCA/Remedial Action Plan $ 10,000 Task 3 - Site Remediation & Cleanup Final Design/Solicitation of Bids $ 3,500 Technical Report $ 10,000 Remediation Subcontract $272,000 Permit, Oversight & Construction Observation $ 60,000 Task 4 - Confirmatory Sampling/ESAs Site Specific QAPP/HASP $ 2,800 Sampling/Post Remediation Monitoring $ 42,300 Monitor & Closure Report $ 8,000 Task 5 - Programmatic Support Generic QAPP $ 625 TOTAL $411,725 2
3. Sydney Road Reclaimed Water Project Update The Sydney Road Reclaimed Water Project began construction in mid-july. Work has been focused around Bryan Elementary and Tomlin Middle Schools in order to minimize disruption to school activities and traffic. Work at the schools should be essentially complete around the end of August. Work has also commenced within the last week at the Walden Lake Golf Course to meet the contract requirements which minimize interference with golf course operations and customers. One change order has been executed for a change in method and materials for an isolated portion of the work, which resulted in a net reduction of $91,532.85. Staff is in the process of reviewing the first pay request. The contractor is storing equipment and materials at a site made available by the Florida Strawberry Festival; the City and the contractor appreciate the cooperation and consideration by the festival staff and management. 4. Employee Recognition Officer First Class Mark Mathis PCPD Employee of the Month for August While conducting a traffic stop, Officer Mathis was able to identify an individual responsible for several residential burglaries in the Walden Lake and Trapnell Ridge area. Due to his investigative skills, over $7,000 in stolen property was recovered as well as over $1,000 in drugs seized. Officers Christian Lopez and Troy Combs Bette Heydrick recent wrote following the theft of her car CD player on August 8, Within 5 minutes, Officer Christian Lopez and his partner arrived at my residence to take my report and inspect my car. I was so impressed with their demeanor, their attitude, their patience (I am hard of hearing and several times had to ask them to repeat themselves) and their thoroughness. I just can t tell you what a feeling of reassurance and gratitude I felt when they left. I just want you to know how very pleased I was with their response to my call. You have every reason to be proud of these two members of your department Parks Division Bill and Lyra Hoeft of the Hammocks expressed their appreciation for the job done by the maintenance crews around town and especially the landscaping at Bruton Memorial Library and City Hall. 3
5. Monthly Report on Purchases Local Area Purchases Invoices Charged in July, 2012 Number $ 340,926 606 Year-to-Date (10/01/11 thru 9/30/12) $ 4,742,818 4,652 Out of Local Area Purchases Invoices Charged in July, 2012 Number $ 805,248 270 Year-to-Date (10/01/11 thru 9/30/12) $ 12,428,796 9,206 6. Departmental Monthly Reports July Fire Rescue 2012 2011 Total Calls 355 335 Structure Fires 2 6 Total Fires 7 12 Fire Loss $40,500 $15,700 Rescue & EMS Incidents 281 261 EMS Transports 226 205 ALS - 156 137 BLS - 70 68 Police Department 2012 2011 Docket Charges 753 1,158 Complaints Investigated 6,157 6,971 Accidents Investigated 84 74 Miles Patrolled 55,709 50,040 4
General Services Division Building Repairs 125 Furniture Manufactured 3 Locksmithing Key Cuts 26 Locksmithing Lock Repairs and Installations 16 Fuel Keys made for Fuel Master 7 Maintenance Call Outs (After Hours) 0 New Construction 6 Total Services 183 Preventative Maintenance 66.5 Library Department Information Service Library Programs Reference Services 12,654 Programs 20 Internet/PC Users 9,446 Attending 748 Circulation Meeting Room Use July 2012 37,849 Groups 10 July 2011 38,504 Audience 327 Patron Registration Library Attendance 32,171 July 2012 278 5