Mellow agenda for final Council meeting of the year – except for iguanas

The draft agenda released Friday appears to be a mellow affair with mostly uncontroversial budget items, contract approvals and the somewhat iconic war of humanity vs.  iguana.

Of course, things can change. Last month’s meeting had council members adding a number of hot-button items for discussion, such as youth soccer and scooters.

• The Village Council is expected to approve two small labor contracts for police lieutenants and for general Village employees that call for 5.5% wage increases retroactive to Oct. 1, the beginning of the fiscal year. 
  
  Rank-and-file officers and sergeants however, rejected a tentative agreement earlier reached by bargainers on both sides. Firefighters, who also have reached a tentative agreement with the Village, expect to vote in early January on their contract, union officials said. 

• There will be the first reading of a proposal to tweak the ordinance governing golf carts in the Village.

• Approval of nearly $2.7 million expenditure for beach renourishment contract. The Village selected Eastman Aggregate Enterprises LLC.

• Approval of a $230,000 capital project to purchase upgrades to the Village’s security camera and license plate recognition system.  During the budget debate, this was one item that was suggested to be cut.

• Approval of $128,000 to purchase a new Telehandler, a piece of equipment that is a forklift and zoom boom. Despite some public comment that it is not needed, Parks Director Todd Hofferberth has said it is used for a variety of purposes by the Village. He has said the current Telehandler has lost its hydraulics and poses a safety risk.

• Approval of more than $313,000 for the new facilities management and maintenance company, UG2 LLC.

And finally there will be an update on how the Village proposes to up the ante against iguanas. No details were provided by the Village, so what’s in store for the island’s lizard population in the new year may  be revealed.

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