[1. Call to Order.]
[00:00:02]
AND I WOULD ASK THE CLERK TO PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
ALL THE COMMISSIONERS ARE HERE.
THIS IS A A SPECIAL MEETING IN AS A PRELUDE TO THE MORE FORMAL MEETINGS TO ADOPT OUR BUDGET, WHICH WE WILL HAVE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS.
NOW IS THE TIME FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[2. General Public Comments. (Part 1 of 2)]
WE WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO HEAR FROM ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION AT THIS TIME.AND SO I WOULD NOW OPEN THE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION OF THE MEETING.
I DO NOT HAVE ANY SPEAKER CARDS AT THIS TIME.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN THOSE.
THEN I WOULD ASK YOU ALL TO THANK YOU TO COMPLETE YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS LATER.
WELCOME. IF WE COULD HAVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS TED MOONEY.
I'M AT 14 [INAUDIBLE] STREET AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS ALL IS GOING TO SHAKE OUT HERE.
I WAS ENCOURAGED TO COME AND JUST MAKE A CASE FOR AN INCREASED SIZE OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT STAFF.
THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHICH IS FULL OF WOOD AND THEY RANGE FROM THE HOUSES IN THE AIRBNB'S TO DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON AND CONSERVATION OVERLAYS ON ONE AND I COULD PROBABLY NAME A FEW OTHERS. SO I HAVE HAD MY SHARE OF INTERACTION WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT AND I KNOW THAT THEY SEEM TO HAVE A LOT OF CALLS INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND I EXPECT THEY HAVE A LOT OF OTHER WORK IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL.
AND TO HAVE TO CODE ENFORCEMENTS IN ONE CHIEF, WHICH IS WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS NOW THE STAFF SEEMS TO BE VERY, VERY LITTLE AND LIMITED IN WHAT THEY'RE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH AND THE TYPE OF WORK THAT THEY HAVE TO DO IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
I CAN TELL YOU THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT THAT HAPPEN IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ON THE WEEKENDS THAT SEEM TO US, ALTHOUGH WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE, BUT THEY SEEM TO US THAT POTENTIALLY VIOLATE CODE ENFORCEMENT, WHETHER IT'S CUTTING DOWN TREES, WHETHER IT'S CONSTRUCTION.
WELL, WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE IT IS? SO THAT'S MY ONLY COMMENT HERE.
AND THAT'S THAT'S THE MAIN REASON I CAME.
BUT I'M VERY INTERESTED TO SEE HOW THE WHOLE MEETING SHAKES OUT.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WISHES.
BJ KALAIDI, WEST CITY OF ST AUGUSTINE.
THE MILLAGE RATE SHOULD BE REDUCED TO 7.0.
IT'S TIME TO RETURN SOMETHING TO CITY TAXPAYERS.
IN ADDITION TO EMPLOYEE SALARIES, RAISES AND STEP INCREASES TAXPAYERS IN THE CITY LIMITS ARE PAYING OVER A QUARTER MILLION TAX DOLLARS $258,880 FOR CAR ALLOWANCE, FREE WATER AND ALL EMPLOYEES RECEIVING TAX DOLLARS DUE TO INFLATION.
SOLID WASTE SHOULD BE INCREASED ON ABUSERS SUCH AS 12 [INAUDIBLE] STREET.
CITY TAXPAYERS HAVE PAID OVER $2 MILLION OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS TO REMOVE SEPTIC TANKS.
RIVER ROAD AND OTHER STREETS IN WEST CITY LIMITS ARE ON SEPTIC THAT SHOULD BE CORRECTED.
YET PLANS FOR GRAVITY, SEWER AND LIGHTHOUSE PARK ARE THE PRIORITY.
STOP JUSTIFYING UTILITY BILL INCREASES BASED ON OTHER CITIES.
OUR PROBLEM IS 25.40% OF PROPERTIES 501 C 3S PAY ZERO PROPERTY TAXES.
[00:05:03]
BE CAREFUL WHEN VOTING AUGUST THE 23RD AND NOVEMBER THE 28TH.IT'S A MATTER OF GETTING THE JOB DONE.
YOU SEND IN A REQUEST OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
THEY GO OUT TO DO IT. THEN THEY COME BACK AND THEY START ALL OVER AND DO IT AGAIN.
THEY'RE MANIPULATING OUR STAFF.
WHEN THEY GET OUT THERE, THEY DO THE BEST THEY CAN.
BUT TWO PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS AND IT'S NEVER BEEN DONE.
IT'S USUALLY OVER ON THE ISLAND OR IN OTHER PLACES THAT INSTEAD OF WEST CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, I'LL CONTINUE TO PUT IN THESE REQUESTS. AND THAT'S ONE REASON SOME PEOPLE I'M ASKING TO COME TO [INAUDIBLE] STREET AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON OVER THERE, HOW MANY TIMES THEY HAVE TO GO AND TELL SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO LEGALLY, GIVEN HOW MANY MORE TIMES, THEN THEY STOP IT FOR A MINUTE AND THEN THEY'LL COME BACK AND DO IT AGAIN.
THIS CITY IS BECOMING TRASH VILLE.
YOU WRITE A CITATION ONE OR TWO TIMES AND THEN FIRST OF ALL, YOU GET MONEY.
SECOND, THEY MAY KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT PLAYING GAMES WITH THEM.
CLEAN UP THIS CITY AND HIRING MORE PEOPLE.
ENFORCEMENT IS WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.
THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WISHES TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION AT THIS TIME? I HAVE NO SPEAKER CARD SEEING NO ONE ELSE.
THE PUBLIC HEARING SECTION OF THIS MEETING IS CLOSED.
[3. Review of the Utility and Public Works Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Projects. (R. Franklin and T. Grant, Directors, Public Works and Utilities)]
GOOD AFTERNOON. MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.WE JUST WANTED TO GO OVER ONE MORE TIME THE FISCAL YEAR 20 PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2023-2027 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. THAT WOULD BE OUR FIVE YEAR PLAN FOR PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES.
WE DID PRESENT THIS TO YOU, I BELIEVE, ON MAY 23RD IN A SPECIAL MEETING AS WELL.
AND FROM THAT I HAD BROUGHT SOME COMMENTS AWAY.
ONE WAS TO ADDRESS THE COVER SHEET.
SO BEFORE YOU YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE ADDED THE COMMISSIONERS NAMES TO THE PLAN.
SO WE DID MODIFY THE COVER SHEET FOR THE PLAN.
MR. FRANKLIN. LET ME AND I'M SOMEWHAT EMBARRASSED TO ASK THIS, SO AT SOME POINT THE COMMISSION WILL BE ASKED TO AFFIRM THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN TO ADOPT THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN? THAT'S CORRECT. AND IT WOULD BE DURING OUR BUDGET WHEN YOU ADOPT THE BUDGET.
SECONDLY, IT IS NOT A STAGNANT PLAN.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE PLAN IS ALWAYS SUBJECT TO AMENDMENTS AND CHANGES.
ITS DYNAMIC AS THE NEEDS OF THE CITY CHANGE? THAT'S CORRECT. SO REALLY WHAT GETS LOCKED IN IS NEXT FISCAL YEAR PROJECTS AND THE EXISTING PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO ROLL OVER THAT WE ALREADY HAVE ALLOCATED 3 TO 5 COULD SHUFFLE AROUND BASED ON NEEDS OF THE CITY.
AND THEN AS WE INTRODUCE NEW PROJECTS INTO THE PLAN.
THANK YOU. THE OTHER CHANGE THAT I HAD NOTED WAS JUST ON THE PAVING SHEET FOR MIL AND RESURFACE. SO WE DID ADD THAT THEY WERE PROPOSED MIL AND RESURFACE PROJECTS TO BE VERY CLEAR.
WE ALSO ADDED MORE PROJECTS THAT WE INTEND TO PAVE THIS UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
YOU CAN SEE THE ADDITIONAL PAVING PROJECTS AND WITH THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE PLANNED FOR, BASICALLY WE WOULD JUST HAVE THIS LIST AND ANYTHING THAT DIDN'T GET PAVED THIS UPCOMING YEAR, WE'D ROLL OVER TO THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
BUT WE DID MODIFY THAT IF I CAN GET TO IT.
[00:10:06]
ON THE RIGHT HERE AND THEN PROPOSED PROJECTS.AND THEN THIS IS OUR OUR LIST FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023.
AND THEN THE LAST ITEM WE HAD WAS THERE WAS A CIRCULATOR.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THE FULL ROUTE COMPLETE AND SO WE WENT BACK AND UPDATED THAT PER COMMENTS.
BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, NOTHING MUCH HAS CHANGED.
I'M HAPPY TO GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION AND THEN IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH THIS, THEN I WOULD ASK MR. GRANT TO COME UP AND HE WOULD RUN YOU THROUGH THE STORYBOOK THAT WE HAVE PLANNED LAUNCH FOR THE PUBLIC.
SO LET ME JUST ASK ONE QUESTION.
THIS IS ON PAGE NINE THE AIR FORCE MAIN AND OF COURSE, COCAINE AVENUE HAS BEEN BLOCKED FOR ANY NUMBER OF WEEKS, AND THIS DOES SO A COMPLETION DATE OF MAY OF 2022, AND IT'S NOT COMPLETE YET.
SO COULD YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THAT? SO THE FORCE MAIN ITSELF IS COMPLETE, BUT IT'S THE WORK AT THE ACTUAL LIFT STATION.
SO WE TRANSITIONED FROM THE ACTUAL PIPE THAT WE WERE TYING INTO ACTUAL SITE WORK AT THE LIFT STATION, WHICH IS NECESSITATING THE CLOSURE TO CONTINUE RIGHT THERE.
SO WHEN WILL THAT BE OPEN? WHEN WILL WE BE FINISHED? I BELIEVE THAT'S THREE THREE MORE MONTHS.
IT JUST CLOSED TO VEHICULAR TRAFFIC.
I UNDERSTAND. OKAY. MR. MAYOR, PLEASE. A QUESTION ABOUT SAN SEBASTIAN LIFT STATION.
IT WAS DUE TO BE COMPLETED END JULY AND NOW IT'S GOING TO BE END OF AUGUST.
AND THAT RIGHT NOW THE CITY WE ARE HAVING ISSUES WITH ACTUAL ASPHALT DELIVERY.
OUR SUPPLIERS ARE NOT PROVIDING HOT MIXED ASPHALT RIGHT NOW.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE] AND SO, MR. GRANT, WE'RE JUST GOING TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE BELIEVE WILL BE AN ENJOYABLE TOOL FOR THE PUBLIC.
THANK YOU REUBEN, TODD GRANT, UTILITIES DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
I'M REALLY HAPPY WITH THIS PRODUCT.
JEREMY BURGE, WHO'S OUR GENIUS MANAGER, IS ACTUALLY IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY AND HE KEEPS STAFF GROUNDED BECAUSE, AS YOU KNOW, MANY OF US CAN GET VERY ROOTED IN WHAT WE DO AND HAVE A FAILURE TO BE ABLE TO EXPRESS THAT TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AS FAR AS WTP AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT ACRONYMS. AND SO HE'S PUT TOGETHER A REALLY EASY USER INTERFACE TO WHERE, DEPENDING ON HOW THE PUBLIC WANTS TO USE IT, THEY CAN EITHER FOR THIS MAP, ZOOM IN ON A PARTICULAR PIN AND IT GIVES YOU THE EXACT DESCRIPTION OF IS IT NOT ON? OK. MY BAD.
IF I COULD THE SOUND COMING ONLINE WE'RE HAVING AN ISSUE WITH.
SO I KNOW THAT [INAUDIBLE] IS BACK WORKING THROUGH THAT AS WELL.
WE'RE WORKING TO GET THAT UP AND RUNNING.
WE WILL HAVE IT WHEN IT PLAYS BACK, BUT WE'LL GET IT UP AND RUNNING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
YOU CAN SCROLL THROUGH THIS TAB AND WE'LL ZOOM OUT AND HIGHLIGHT THE NEXT PIN.
SO YOU SEE STORM WATER OUTFALL, TIE CHECK, MASTER VALVE, THAT'S KIND OF A CITYWIDE.
SO YOU CAN EITHER SCROLL THROUGH THIS AND IT WILL TAKE YOU TO THE VARIOUS PROJECTS.
AND SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A NICE ADDITION TO OUR WEBSITE FOR THE PUBLIC TO ACCESS.
IT'S STRAIGHTFORWARD, FAIRLY EASY TO USE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT I APPRECIATE JEREMY.
IF YOU GO TO OUR GIS MAP PAGE IS FILLED THAT WITH A LOT OF WONDERFUL STUFF.
SO ANY QUESTIONS? THIS IS FANTASTIC.
THANK YOU. THAT THAT GIS TOOL IS A WONDERFUL TOOL, BUT IT TAKES A WIZARD TO USE IT WELL.
AND SO IT GOES TO JEREMY FOR THAT.
[00:15:07]
HAVING TO FUMBLE THROUGH A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT WEB PAGES ON CITY WEBSITE.RIGHT. ONCE YOU ADOPT THE CIP BUDGET PROCESS, WE'LL SEND OUT LINKS EITHER THROUGH THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS JEREMY WILL PUBLISH IT ON THE ACTUAL GIS MAPS PAGE FOR THE CITY, THE DATA DATA HUB THAT HE HAS.
AND SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THAT LINK GETS PUSHED OUT THROUGH VARIOUS MEDIA.
SOME QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MR. SAMPSON I THINK WE'RE ON ITEM FOUR HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BUDGET PROCESS TO DATE.
[4. Highlights of Budget Process to Date (M. Simpson, Director, Finance)]
GOOD AFTERNOON. MARK SIMPSON, FINANCE DIRECTOR.CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME OKAY? I AM HERE TO PRESENT WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW WITH WITH OUR BUDGET.
WE HAVE A MEETING, A WORKSHOP SCHEDULED FOR NEXT THURSDAY MORNING TO TRY TO FINALIZE EVERYTHING.
BUT I WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO FOLLOW UP FROM THE LAST MEETING.
WE DISCUSSED FEES AND THE BUDGET IN GENERAL.
AND I'D LIKE TO HONE IN ON SOME MORE SPECIFICS TODAY.
CITY STAFF DOES PLAN TO REVIEW THE FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE BASED ON FEEDBACK AT THE LAST MEETING.
QUITE A BIT OF WORK GOES INTO THAT.
WE ARE STILL FINALIZING THE NEW POSITIONS THAT WERE REQUESTED.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE DO HAVE AT LEAST TWO NEW POLICE OFFICERS IN THE BUDGET, TWO NEW FIREMEN.
IS IT MOBILITY TECHNICIAN THAT'S CONTAINED IN THE BUDGET THAT IS PAID FOR BY PARKING FEES.
WE ALSO HAVE INCREASED FUNDING BY THE TDC OF OVER$ 250,000.
I REDID THE NUMBERS THIS MORNING.
IT'S MORE LIKE $290,000 OF INCREASED FUNDING FROM THE CDC TO HELP US WITH THE FIREWORKS, OUR SHUTTLING SYSTEM, THE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER ITSELF, AS WELL AS THE CIRCULATOR THAT WE SECURED FUNDING FOR.
STREET REPAVING PROGRAM $600,000 THIS YEAR IN THE BUDGET.
WE DUSTED OFF AN OLD RATE ANALYSIS AND UPDATED IT WITH CURRENT INFORMATION TO COME UP WITH JUSTIFICATION FOR OUR UTILITY FEES, WHICH I WILL DISCUSS IN AN UPCOMING SLIDE.
ALSO CONTAINED IN THE BUDGET IS A CONTRACT FOR FOUNTAIN MAINTENANCE AT THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE.
THERE IS. MR. SIMPSON HELP ME UNDERSTAND.
THE FOUNTAIN BELONGS TO THE STATE OF FLORIDA, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.
WHY WOULD WE BE INVOLVED IN THE MAINTENANCE OF THAT FOUNTAIN? I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER THAT QUESTION TO LEGAL.
I COULD PROBABLY HELP WITH THAT.
SEVERAL YEARS AGO, ACTUALLY, 2009, I RENOVATED SEVERAL FOUNTAINS HERE.
THAT WAS ONE OF ONE, TWO, FOUR FOUNTAINS I DID, INCLUDING TWO AT FLAGLER COLLEGE.
AND I DID, THOUGH, AS A GIFT TO THE CITY.
AND WHEN THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA TOOK IT OVER, THE CITY NO LONGER MAINTAINED IT.
AND MY FAMILY CONTINUED TO DO SO.
AND I'VE REBUILT IT A SECOND TIME SINCE WE DID IT INITIALLY.
AGAIN, PRO-BONO AS A GIFT TO THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY.
[00:20:03]
WE ARE AT A POINT IN TIME NOW WHERE MY FAMILY MEMBERS ARE GETTING OLDER AND ARE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE FOUNTAIN AS IT ONCE WAS, AND IT'S TURNED INTO AN EYESORE.AND SO I'M SURE WE DON'T WANT TO TURN BACK INTO A PLANTER, WHICH IS WHAT IT WAS I MENTIONED TO JOHN REGAN, IF HE COULD GET PERMISSION FROM UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, I WOULD PAY TO HAVE THE FOUNTAIN MAINTAINED BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME.
SO THAT'S THE STORYLINE BEHIND THIS.
WELL, THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR THOSE CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE PAST.
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA WAS NOT ASKED TO DO SO.
THEY CAN'T SEEM TO FIND PEOPLE THAT ARE QUALIFIED TO DO IT.
IT LOOKS LIKE MOST OF THE TIME EVERYTHING IS THERE FOR IT TO WORK PROPERLY.
IT'S JUST A CASE OF SOMEONE THAT KNOWLEDGEABLE CLEANING IT SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK AND CHECKING THE CHLORINE AND KEEPING THE SYSTEM RUNNING. THE CONTRACT THAT AND OF COURSE, WHAT LEITNER HAS DONE, MUSEUM HAS DONE WITH THE OTHER FOUNTAIN THAT I CALL THE BILLIE ANGIOGRAPHY FOUND BECAUSE IT WAS DEDICATED TO THE SON.
THEY HAVE DONE SUCH A MAGIC JOB RESTORING THAT AND THEY KEEP IT PRISTINE.
AND WE APPROACHED THE COMPANY THAT MAINTAINS THAT ONE ABOUT TAKING OVER THE ONE BEHIND GOVERNMENT HOUSE AND INDEED THE ONE IN FRONT OF LEITNER AND TO KEEP THEM UP AND THEY'RE CHARGING US, I THINK IT'S $3,000 FOR A YEAR TO MAINTAIN THAT FOUNTAIN INCLUDES ALL THE CHLORINE, EVERYTHING THAT'S NEEDED.
SO WE END UP WITH SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE WHAT WE HAD BEHIND THE LEITNER VERSUS WHAT WE HAVE NOW.
WELL, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, WHY WOULD THAT NOT BE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA PAYING THAT $3,000 SINCE WE'VE LOCATED THE PEOPLE THAT CAN DO IT? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
BUT QUITE HONESTLY, LIKE I SAY, MY FAMILY IS GETTING ELDERLY.
I'M NOT GOING TO BE AROUND A LOT LONGER EITHER, PROBABLY.
SO THE CITY WANTS THE FOUNTAIN TO KEEP GOING.
THEY CAN'T ALLOW THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA TO DO IT BECAUSE THEY SIMPLY ARE NOT DOING IT.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER TO.
I CAN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION, ROXANNE.
WHAT THE CITY'S PLAN IS, IS THAT WE WILL CONTRACT THAT OUT.
BUT OUR INITIAL CONVERSATIONS WERE $250 A MONTH IS HOW THEY'RE MAINTAINING THE FOUNTAIN BEHIND US.
SO WE FELT LIKE THAT WAS A GOOD BUDGET NUMBER TO WORK WITH.
AND THAT'S THE BUDGET THEY PUT FORTH.
THAT'S WHAT THEY CHARGE THE LEITNER TO TAKE CARE OF ONE BEHIND HERE.
I'M NOT SURE THAT THERE'S THE POSSIBILITY WE CAN CUT THAT FEE CONSIDERABLY.
BUT MY ONLY QUESTION IS, HAVE WE ASKED THE QUESTION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA? REPEATEDLY. OH, OKAY.
YEAH. I WONDER IF A LETTER WOULD BE IN ORDER INSTEAD OF, LIKE, A PHONE CALL, SOMETHING MORE FORMAL.
I MEAN, HAVE YOU WRITTEN I WONDER IF WRITING A LETTER TO THE BOARD, TO THE UF BOARD FROM THE MAYOR WOULD BE HELPFUL INSTEAD OF LET'S FORMALIZE THIS REQUEST? QUITE POSSIBLY. I KNOW JOHN REGAN HAS TRIED ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS TO HAVE SUCCESS.
I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHO HE'S BEEN TALKING TO.
LET ME GET WITH THE THE CITY MANAGER AND JUST SEE IF IT'S AND MAKE ANOTHER OVERTURE THROUGH THEM.
THEY'RE ALWAYS CANCELED FOR SOME REASON.
SO I HAVE NOT HEARD THIS COME UP, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY GIVE IT OUR BEST SHOT.
WE'VE GOT SOME PROJECTS [INAUDIBLE] WINDOWS AND OTHER REPAIRS, AS WELL AS AN APPLICATION FOR A HISTORIC DESIGNATION THERE.
SO THAT IS ONCE AGAIN FUNDED WITH PARKING GARAGE REVENUES.
[00:25:03]
WE SPOKE AT THE LAST MEETING ABOUT OUR RENTAL INCOME WITH THE AUTOMATIC CPI INCREASE OF 9.1%, THAT'S PROJECTED TO BRING IN AN ADDITIONAL COUPLE OF HUNDRED THOUSAND TO OUR BUDGET.ONE OF THE LARGER HIGHLIGHTS IS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION INITIATIVES FOR OUR WORKFORCE.
AND IT WAS REALLY TELLING HOW THERE WERE SO MANY INDUSTRIES THAT HAVE EXPANDED THEIR WORKFORCE AND THEN THE WORKFORCE THAT'S RETRACTING THE MOST OR THINGS LIKE HOSPITALITY, BUT AT THE BOTTOM IS LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
AND WE VETTED IT AND WE'RE GOING THROUGH OPEN ENROLLMENT RIGHT NOW.
BUT THE SAVINGS ON HEALTH INSURANCE THIS YEAR.
NORMALLY I'M STANDING UP HERE TALKING ABOUT DOUBLE DIGIT INCREASES IN HEALTH INSURANCE AND WE ARE PROJECTED TO SAVE APPROXIMATELY $500,000 ON HEALTH INSURANCE THIS YEAR WITH A SELF INSURED BLUE CROSS PRODUCT.
AND SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
ALSO BRINGING BACK THE CITIZEN SURVEY THIS YEAR, WE WANT TO FOCUS IT ON CONSERVATION AND RESILIENCY, MAKE SURE WE GET THAT OUT, GET FEEDBACK FROM OUR CITIZENS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALLOCATING THEIR RESOURCES CORRECTLY.
ALSO A FEASIBILITY STUDY OF LAND CONSERVATION THAT'S IN THE BUDGET AS WELL.
AS WELL AS THE REESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD GRANT PROGRAM.
SO THESE ARE A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT I HIGHLIGHTED FOR YOU TODAY.
I'M HAPPY TO EXPOUND ON THINGS AT NEXT THURSDAY'S FULL WORKSHOP.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS SLIDE BEFORE I CONTINUE.
WHAT, ARE THE DOLLAR FIGURES FOR THE FEASIBILITY FOR THE LAND CONSERVATION INITIATIVE.
I WANT TO SAY $10,000, BUT I CAN LOOK THAT UP REAL QUICK FOR YOU.
AND THEN I'M GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD GRANTS AS WELL.
WE THINK IT IS 20,000 FOR THE FEASIBILITY STUDY OF LAND CONSERVATION INITIATIVES AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD GRANTS ARE 10,000, BUT I'M NOT LOCATING THEM SPECIFICALLY RIGHT NOW.
I'M GOING TO CHECK ONE MORE PLACE.
AND THEN WHAT ABOUT THE PUBLIC ARTS STUDY FROM A STREET THAT WAS 80,000? SO I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
PLEASE. SURE. SO WHAT? I MEAN, $80,000 IS A LOT FOR A STUDY.
IS THERE MORE INVOLVED THAN A STUDY? WE EARMARKED 80,000 TO.
THE PROJECT PERHAPS WOULD THAT BE FOR ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION DOLLARS AS WELL AS.
IT STARTS WITH A STUDY, BUT YES, WE HOPE TO GET SOMETHING IN PLACE FOR.
OKAY. SO THAT GETS US SOMETHING.
SO SO I HAVE A TWO COMMENTS ONE ABOUT THE CITIZEN SURVEY.
I APPRECIATE THE FOCUS ON CONSERVATION AND RESILIENCY, BUT I THINK THAT FOR A CITIZEN SURVEY, WE SHOULD BE CONCENTRATING ALSO OR ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ON LIVABILITY BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT.
[00:30:01]
I THINK TREMENDOUSLY SO.BUT I WOULD JUST ADD THAT I WOULD SUGGEST TO ADD THAT'S JUST THAT'S AN OPINION OF MINE.
AND THEN THE OTHER IS THE CODE ENFORCEMENT SUGGESTION MR. MOONEY BROUGHT UP. AND I'VE HAD SEVERAL LETTERS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE RECEIVED THE LETTERS AS WELL.
AND WE KNOW CODE ENFORCEMENT IS IMPORTANT.
WE KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT WITH EVERY ASPECT OF LIVABILITY IN THE CITY.
SO I'VE DONE A LITTLE RESEARCH AND LOOKS LIKE THE CITY OF CHARLESTON IS GOING TO BE.
THEY HAVE A DEPARTMENT OF LIVABILITY AND TOURISM BECAUSE TOURISM IMPACTS LIVABILITY SO MUCH.
AND IT'S CURIOUS, I JUST WANTED TO PRESENT THIS IDEA TO YOU MOVING FORWARD, THAT THE THE DEPARTMENT OF LIVABILITY AND TOURISM IS ORGANIZED UNDER A MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT WAS CREATED IN 2015.
FOR THEM, THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF RE REDOING IT.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE UPDATING IT BECAUSE OF THE MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE FACT OF SHORT TERM RENTALS.
WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS THEY'VE CREATED CODE ENFORCEMENT, BASICALLY, THAT THEIR OFFICE OF LIVABILITY AND TOURISM IS ONE DEPARTMENT, IS CODE ENFORCEMENT FOR LIVABILITY, WHICH IS THE CITY CODES THAT ARE ABANDONED VEHICLES, SHORT TERM RENTAL REGULATIONS, GRAFFITI, ABANDONED BICYCLES, WHICH WE HEAR ABOUT QUITE A BIT.
AND THEN THE OTHER DEPARTMENT IS TOURISM ENFORCEMENT, WHICH IS FOR THE CARRIAGES, WHICH WE HAVE SIMILAR ORDINANCES THAT THEY HAVE REGULATING THE HORSES IN THE TOURING VEHICLES AND THE WALKING TOURS AND THE STREET CLOSURES THAT RELATE TO SPECIAL EVENTS.
SO I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING HOW THEY APPROACHED THAT.
AND I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THAT WE CAN'T I HAVE TO ECHO WHAT WAS EXPRESSED THAT WEEKEND CODE ENFORCEMENT IS SO IMPORTANT.
I KNOW THAT THE CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE HAS THEY HAVE AN OFFICE OF THE NIGHTLIFE INITIATIVE AND EXCUSE ME, THEY HAVE A EXCLUSIVELY AFTER HOURS AND WEEKENDS CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.
AND IT'S I WILL SAY IT'S VERY CHALLENGING TO FIND THOSE PEOPLE THAT FIT THAT.
WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD IS THAT TO FIND SOMEONE THAT CAN WORK INDEPENDENTLY LIKE THAT AND WORK ON EVENINGS AND HOURS OF WEEKEND HOURS, BUT THEY DO THEY SAY THAT'S ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
I THINK IT'S A PRIORITY AND MAYBE IT'S NOT A BUDGET ITEM, BUT I THINK THAT IT OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GOING TO HEAR THAT THE BUDGET IS GOING TO BE REALLY TIGHT THIS YEAR.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HEAR THAT.
WE WOULD ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR MORE STAFFING.
AND I UNDERSTAND INTERNALLY IT'S VERY COMPETITIVE AND VERY THERE ARE A LOT OF REQUESTS FOR STAFF.
SO BUT I WOULD THINK THAT MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE GOOD CODE ENFORCEMENT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I'M HEARING A LOT BECAUSE.
COMMENTS. AND JUST TO YOUR POINT, MADAM VICE MAYOR, IN ADDITION TO THE CITIZEN SURVEY, THE CITY MANAGER HAD ME PUT IN A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA CONSULTING DOLLARS TO HELP US CRAFT THE QUESTIONS.
I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE CITIZENS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT BECAUSE THEY VOICE IT CONTINUOUSLY.
AND I WONDER, WHY DO WE HAVE TO SPEND MONEY DOING A SURVEY WHEN THE SURVEY IS BEING DONE CONSTANTLY? YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE EARS OPEN AND BE LOOKING.
WE KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE HERE.
THE PROBLEMS ARE TRAFFIC, HOMELESSNESS, GROWTH.
YOU KNOW, WE HEAR IT CONSTANTLY.
SO I QUESTION HOW MUCH MONEY WE SHOULD SPEND THERE.
MAYBE WE JUST NEED TO LISTEN BETTER AND FOCUS ON MOVING AHEAD INSTEAD OF STUDYING.
IT'S MY FRUSTRATION SHOWING HERE.
I GUESS THE SECOND THING IS THE LOOKING AT FUTURE LAND ACQUISITION FOR CONSERVATION.
THAT'S A STUDY THAT CAN BE DONE.
[00:35:01]
I THINK THE INITIAL STUDY, THE FEASIBILITY SHOULD BE IS JUST HOW MUCH PROPERTY IS THERE STILL REMAINING IN THE CITY THAT'S UNDEVELOPED.THAT ACTUALLY IS A THREAT OF BEING ACQUIRED AND DEVELOPED.
WE NEED TO IDENTIFY THE TARGET BEFORE WE SPEND MONEY ON HOW WE ARE GOING TO SHOOT THE DAMN THING.
SO LET'S PICK OUT PROPERTIES IN THIS FEASIBILITY STUDY RIGHT OFF THE GET GO THAT WE STAND A CHANCE OF MAYBE ACQUIRING AND THEN DECIDE WHETHER WE NEED TO MOVE AHEAD ANY FURTHER THAN THAT BECAUSE ITS LIST MAY BE VERY SHORT.
VERY SMALL. ANYWAY, THAT'S MY INITIAL COMMENTS.
MR. MAYOR, PLEASE, IF I COULD RESPOND IN PART AT LEAST TO COMMISSIONER VALDEZ'S POINTS, I ACTUALLY BROUGHT UP THE IDEA OF THE LAND CONSERVATION INITIATIVE, AND I WOULD INCLUDE RESILIENCY FOR OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE TO THE.
HISTORY ABOVE WATER CONFERENCE THAT WAS HELD HERE SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AS WAS A GREAT STARTING POINT.
SO I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY SEPARATE OUT AND I'M NOT TALKING DIRECTLY TO YOUR POINTS AT ALL.
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE SOME BACKGROUND, BUT I THINK THAT THE CITIZEN SURVEY KIND OF HELPS US GET A MORE TARGETED RESPONSE THAN SOCIAL MEDIA'S COMPLAINING MORE TARGETED.
HOW WOULD YOU PRIORITIZE, FOR EXAMPLE, HOW WOULD YOU PRIORITIZE? HOW WOULD YOU RANK? IF WE HAD A LIMITED BUDGET, WHICH WE DO, HOW WOULD YOU AS A CITIZEN RANK THESE POSSIBLE APPROACHES TO LIVABILITY, FOR EXAMPLE? AND SO THAT COULD INCLUDE LAND CONSERVATION, IT COULD INCLUDE HERITAGE CONSERVATION, IT COULD INCLUDE MOBILITY, WHATEVER IT MIGHT INCLUDE.
I'M NOT A SOCIAL SCIENTIST, SO I WOULDN'T EVEN GO THERE.
BUT THE LAND CONSERVATION INITIATIVE, ACTUALLY, THERE WERE DISCUSSIONS WITH STAFF, I WANT TO SAY ABOUT A YEAR AGO, I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT TIMING, BUT STAFF IS ALREADY WORKING ON IDENTIFYING THOSE UNDEVELOPED AREAS.
AND SO THERE IS SOME GROUNDWORK HAVING ALREADY BEEN STARTED.
AND THEN THE FEASIBILITY STUDY WOULD BE TO WHAT EXTENT THE OUR CITIZENS WOULD SUPPORT A CONSERVATION INITIATIVE THAT IS FUNDED BY THE CITY, AT LEAST IN PART. SO I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT BACKGROUND.
AND SO THAT'S POSITIVE IN ANY NUMBER OF WAYS.
[5. Update on Utility Rates (M. Simpson, Director, Finance)]
OKAY. MR. SIMPSON, PLEASE PROCEED.THE NEXT SLIDE IN YOUR PACKET HAS TO DO WITH WATER AND SEWER RATES.
I'M EXTREMELY PLEASED FROM LAST MEETING THAT WE ARE NOW RECOMMENDING A 4 PERCENT INCREASE.
IF YOU RECALL, I WAS RECOMMENDING THE CPI OF 9.1% KIND OF ACROSS THE BOARD.
WE UPDATED A PHE STUDY DONE FROM YEARS AGO AND DECIDED IT MIGHT NOT BE BEST TO HIRE TWO NEW UTILITY CREWS UNTIL WE GOT FULLY STAFFED WITH OUR CURRENT ALLOCATION OF FTES, TRAIN THEM AND TRY TO DO THINGS A LITTLE SMARTER.
MR. GRANT WAS UP HERE SHOWING YOU THE STORYBOARD EARLIER AND MR. BERG IS DOING ROBUST THINGS WITH GIS AND PRETTY SOON OUR FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM SHOULD BE ABLE TO TALK TO THE CITY WORKS PROGRAM, AND WE HOPE TO DO SOME MORE IN THE WAY OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, WHICH WILL HELP OUR CREWS DO SMARTER THINGS LIKE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE INSTEAD OF REACTIONARY, WHERE PROACTIVELY FIXING THINGS BEFORE THEY BREAK, WHICH IS LESS TIME CONSUMING AND LESS EXPENSIVE.
SO INSTEAD OF ADDING THE REQUESTED TEN NEW UTILITY PERSONNEL AND RECOMMENDING A 9.1% INCREASE IN WATER AND SEWER RATES, WE DROP THAT DOWN TO TWO NEW PERSONNEL AND A 4% INCREASE TO BALANCE THAT BUDGET.
THE 4% INCREASE WOULD YIELD APPROXIMATELY 770,000 TO THE UTILITY FUND.
AND I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT REDUCING THE SURCHARGE FROM 20% TO 15% OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
THIS YEAR'S BUDGET DOES CONTAIN A 1% REDUCTION IN THE SURCHARGE.
SO THAT IS CERTAINLY POSITIVE NEWS AS WELL.
AND MR. MAYOR. COULD I? PLEASE. I'M STRUGGLING WITH A 4% INCREASE, WHICH I AGREE WE NEED.
[00:40:05]
THAT WOULD GENERATE $770,000 OF REVENUE.AND THEN BUT I DON'T HAVE A NUMBER TO GO ALONG WITH DECREASING THE OUTSIDE CITY SURCHARGE.
SO TO WHAT EXTENT ARE IS THIS 4% INCREASE ACTUALLY SUPPLEMENTING THAT DECREASE IN THE OUTSIDE CITY CHARGE? AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE NUMBERS TO JUSTIFY THAT REDUCTION IN THE OUTSIDE CITY CHARGE BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT COSTS US, DO WE, TO PROVIDE THOSE? THERE'S NOT A FIRM NUMBER ON HOW MUCH IT COSTS US EXTRA TO PROVIDE WATER AND SEWER OUTSIDE THE CITY.
BUT I CAN SPEAK TO YOUR NUMBER AS FAR AS THE 1% REDUCTION IS ABOUT 350,000.
SO THAT'S ABOUT ALMOST A HALF.
THAT'S CORRECT. LET'S BE CLEAR ON SOMETHING.
WE ALLOCATE MONEY FROM THE UTILITY FUND BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND FOR YOUR TIME, MR. REGAN'S TIME EVERY ALL CITY EMPLOYEES TIME.
SO THERE IS A TRANSFER FROM THE UTILITY FUND TO THE GENERAL FUND FOR ALL THE EXPENSES.
OUR CITY EMPLOYEES WHO ARE NOT DEDICATED TO THE UTILITY FUNDS ARE SPENDING.
SO THERE IS NO SUBSIDY BY THE CITY TO THE UTILITY FUND.
THE UTILITY FUND PAYS ITS WAY, AM I CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. OK WE JUST CHARGE OUTSIDE CITY FOLKS 20% MORE THAN WE DO IN.
BUT THERE'S NO COST DATA TO SHOW THAT IT COSTS US 20% MORE TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.
WE DO KNOW THAT THERE IS AN ADDED COST, BUT TO OUR POINT IS REALLY ANALYZING.
THAT IS SOMETHING WE FEEL LIKE NEEDS TO BE DONE.
STATE STATUTE SAYS YOU CAN CHARGE UP TO NO MORE THAN 25% FOR A SURCHARGE.
AND HONESTLY, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE CAN DO.
WHAT WE DID WHEN WE WENT FROM 25 TO 20 WAS OVER THE OVER THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD THAT WE DID WAS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE SAYING NOW IS WE KNOW IT PROBABLY DOESN'T COST 25% MORE, BUT TO ALLOCATE THE DISTANCE FROM THE CITY LIMITS AND THE COST TO SERVICE THAT DISTANCE IS CERTAINLY A COMPLEX QUESTION.
SO FIGURING OUT HOW TO COME UP WITH THAT NUMBER AND DO WE JUST TRY TO GET TO A WHAT WE FEEL LIKE IS A REASONABLE AT 15%? WE KNOW THERE'S AN ADDED COST.
IS IT 15? IS IT 20? WE FEEL COMFORTABLE REDUCING IT BY ONE PER YEAR TO GET TO THAT 15.
I THINK IN THE MEANTIME, WE SHOULD LOOK AT WHAT DOES IT TRULY COST US TO GO THAT FAR OUT.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SERVICE AREA MAP COMPARED TO INSIDE CITY LIMITS, WE ARE CERTAINLY GOING PRETTY FAR NORTH AND TO THE WEST AND IT DOES COST MORE TO SERVICE THAT TO GET OUT THERE COMPARED TO JUST STAYING INSIDE OF OUR CITY LIMITS.
SO THE QUESTION IS, IS IT SOMETHING BETWEEN ZERO AND 15? WE FEEL LIKE CERTAINLY HIGHER THAN ZERO, BUT WE'RE COMFORTABLE GOING FROM 20 SLOWLY DOWN TO 15.
I HOPE THAT ANSWERS SOME OF THE QUESTIONS.
AND I WOULD IMAGINE THAT WILL THAT MOMENTUM WILL KEEP IT A PACE.
SO THAT INCREASED DEMAND ALSO COSTS US MORE, I BELIEVE, IN GENERATING MORE WATER AND RUNNING THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME HARD NUMBERS ABOUT WHAT IT COSTS US TO SERVICE OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS.
I AGREE THAT'S REASONABLE TO EXPECT THE DATA.
IT SEEMED LIKE WHEN WE FIRST STARTED DOING THIS, IT WAS 25%.
A BIG NUMBER. WE KNEW IT WASN'T COSTING 25% BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A LARGE CAP, I MEAN, A LARGE EXCESS.
BUT NOW THAT WE'RE GETTING DOWN TO WHERE WE FEEL LIKE IT, REALLY, MAYBE IT'S COSTING 15%.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK IT'S COSTING 20, BUT WE'RE GETTING IN THAT RANGE.
[00:45:06]
ARE CUSTOMERS OF THE CITY UTILITY SYSTEM.HISTORICALLY, THIS CITY HAS CHARGED 25% BECAUSE IT WAS A FOUND MONEY THAT WE COULD THEN GATHER IN BECAUSE STATE STATUTE ALLOWED US TO DO IT.
THESE ARE ALSO PEOPLE THAT HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO POLITICAL POWER TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT THIS COMMISSION DECIDES, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING ADVERSELY AFFECTED DO NOT HAVE A VOTE.
RIGHT. AND SO I THINK THAT PUTS US I THINK IT IS MORE INCUMBENT UPON US THAT WE EXERCISE THE HIGHEST ETHICAL FIDUCIARY DUTIES.
AND OUR GOAL IS THAT THIS FUND OPERATES AS A SEPARATE, INDEPENDENT BUSINESS.
SO THANK YOU. BUT, MR. MAYOR. ARE WE IN AGREEMENT, THOUGH, THAT IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO HAVE DATA TO KNOW WHAT EXACTLY THE COSTS ARE SO THAT WE DO KNOW WHAT OUR TARGET IS? OKAY, GREAT. BUT I'M ALSO REITERATING MY FULL SUPPORT TO PROCEED WITH 1% DECREASE THIS YEAR AS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF.
THANK YOU. AS YOUR BUDGET PERSON, I WOULD LIKE THE DATA AS WELL.
SURE. THESE ARE JUST SOME GRAPHS TO SHOW YOU HOW OUR SYSTEM HAS INCREASED AS FAR AS WATER AND SEWER CUSTOMERS, THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN FEET AND THE NUMBER OF LIFT STATIONS FOR THE UTILITIES, ALL OF THIS INCREASE IS REALLY WITHOUT ANY NEW PERSONNEL.
SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS, HONESTLY, WE'RE TRYING TO DO MORE WITH LESS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO DO WITH THE INFORMATION AND THE GIS.
AND THERE'S KIND OF A RANDOM SLIDE.
STORM WATER RECOMMENDED CPI INCREASE TO $9.82 WOULD GENERATE $150,000 OF ADDITIONAL REVENUE.
ONCE AGAIN, THIS FUND IS NOT FULLY STAFFED.
WE HOPE TO GET FULLY STAFFED AND BE ABLE TO EMBARK UPON PROJECTS THAT ARE PROACTIVE VERSUS REACTIVE.
WE COULD USE THIS ADDITIONAL REVENUE FOR PROJECTS OR GRANT MATCH FUNDS.
SO THAT WOULD INCREASE IT FROM $9 PER FSU TO $9.82 PER SFU.
AND I'VE GOT SOME COMPARABLE AND CLOSE CITIES AND WE'RE RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE KIND OF NOW.
AS WE LOOK AT THE GRAPH, ALL OF THESE OTHER BARS ARE LIKELY TO MOVE AS WELL.
AND WE DON'T HAVE A WAY TO ACTUALLY KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GOING.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE TO RE-EMPHASIZE THAT POINT THAT YOU MADE.
ABSOLUTELY. WE EXPECT EVERYBODY TO TAKE INFLATIONARY MOVES.
THE SOLID WASTE FUND IS STILL OUR CHALLENGE.
I SHOWED YOU THE SLIDE WITH THE MASSIVE NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS AND OUR COST TO TIP OR TO DISPOSE OF OUR WASTE AND THE COST TO PURCHASE NEW EQUIPMENT IS PRETTY ASTRONOMICAL.
SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING ANOTHER $5 PER MONTH INCREASE THIS YEAR.
AND IN THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, A 9.1% CPI ADJUSTMENT TO HELP BALANCE THIS FUND.
SO WHAT DO WE ACCOUNT FOR THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE SOLID WASTE CUSTOMERS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT PROVIDING SOLID WASTE SERVICES OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.
SO THAT WOULD BE YOUR MADEIRA AND YOUR ANTIGUA SUBDIVISIONS AT NEW DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.
THAT'S CORRECT. WE DON'T GO OUTSIDE THE CITY.
[00:50:02]
THAT'S SIGNIFICANT.WELL, IT REALLY IS, BECAUSE THESE ARE HOUSEHOLDS, NOT INDIVIDUALS.
WE'VE SEEN. YOU KNOW, THIS ANNEXATION POLICY OF THE PAST IS.
SO THERE IS A CONSIDERABLE LOAN IN THE BUDGET TO BUY $1.8 MILLION WORTH OF GARBAGE TRUCKS, AS WELL AS WHAT WE ALLOCATED UNDER THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.
WOW. ARE THEY AVAILABLE? THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO POUNCE AND GET THEM.
SO THE LEAD TIME IS WE'RE LOOKING AT NEXT MAY OR JUNE.
WHAT'S A GARBAGE TRUCK COST? THAT DEPENDS.
THEY'RE. I THINK SIDE LOADERS ARE 400.
AND THE REAR LOADERS, I BELIEVE, ARE IN THE HIGH TWO HUNDREDS TO LOW THREE HUNDREDS.
SO THEY'RE EXPENSIVE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I PREPARED THIS LAST SLIDE ON OUR RESERVES.
[6. Update on Reserves (M. Simpson, Director, Finance)]
AND YOU CAN JUST SEE THE ONE HIGHLIGHTED NUMBER IS THE SOLID WASTE FUND.BUT I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THE SOLID WASTE FUND.
HAS RESERVES, HAS RESERVES OF $1,355,737 AS OF SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2021. THIS COLUMN.
IS OUR INTERNAL POLICY REGARDING FOUR MONTHS OF OPERATING REVENUES FOR THE GENERAL FUND AND THREE MONTHS OF OPERATING REVENUES FOR THE PROPRIETARY FUNDS.
SO WHERE WE'RE SHORT IN SOLID WASTE IS THAT WE'RE NOT MEETING OUR RESERVE REQUIREMENT.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE OUR THREE MONTHS OF RESERVES.
SO I WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
THAT SOLID WASTE IS THE ONLY FUND THAT IS NOT MEETING ITS POLICY REQUIREMENT.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE GENERAL FUND IS MEETING ITS POLICY REQUIREMENT AND THEN SOME.
WE DID APPROPRIATE $455,000 THIS YEAR FOR PROJECTS WING, I BELIEVE WAS 200,000.
AND WE PULLED SOME RESERVES FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE AMOUNT OF 255,000.
SO WHY DON'T YOU WALK US THROUGH THIS PAGE? I'M NOT SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND THE DISTINCTION IN THE FOUR COLUMNS.
THIS IS MANDATED BY THE GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD, HOW WE CLASSIFY OUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT, IF YOU WILL, OR EQUITY THE RESTRICTED NON SPENDABLE COLUMN TO YOUR LEFT IN THE GENERAL FUND.
HOW MUCH WE HAVE AN INVENTORY, HOW MANY PREPAID ITEMS WE HAVE.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD NOT BE PERMITTED TO APPROPRIATE.
AND WE CALL THOSE NON SPENDABLE PO'S CARRY FORWARD FROM THE LAST BUDGET.
THINGS LIKE THAT BECAUSE OF THEIR ENCUMBERED FUNDS.
CORRECT. NON SPENDABLE AND THE FOUR MONTHS OF OPERATING REVENUES FOR THE GENERAL FUND IS $9.7 MILLION. THAT LEAVES US UNRESTRICTED FUNDS OF $5 MILLION IN THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THE BEST ANALOGY I COULD PROBABLY GIVE YOU WOULD BE YOUR HOUSE AND YOU MIGHT NOTICE AND I'LL TRY TO USE THIS AS AN EXAMPLE BECAUSE I ANTICIPATED THE QUESTION.
THE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER HAS A NEGATIVE BALANCE OF $5 MILLION.
AND IF WE THINK ABOUT IT AS OUR HOUSE, THAT'S BECAUSE WE'RE UPSIDE DOWN ON OUR HOUSE.
[00:55:02]
AT THE VIC GARAGE, THE AMOUNT THAT WE OWE ON THE DEBT IS MORE THAN THE NET BOOK VALUE.IT'S NOT WORTH IT'S NOT MORE DEBT THAN WHAT WE PAID FOR THE GARAGE, BUT WE'VE BEEN DEPRECIATING THAT GARAGE OVER A 20 YEAR USEFUL LIFE AND THE GARAGE IS REALLY MORE LIKE A 50 YEAR ASSET.
SO WE LET ITS NET BOOK VALUE DECLINE AND THE DEBT DIDN'T DECLINE FAST ENOUGH.
SO IN EFFECT, WE HAVE NEGATIVE EQUITY IN THE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER FUND.
ALL THESE OTHER FUNDS IN THAT RESTRICTED BILL NON SPENDABLE.
THOSE ARE THE ASSETS OF THIS SYSTEM LIKE THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT, THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, ALL OF OUR MILES OF PIPE MINUS THE DEPRECIATION.
AND MINUS THE AMOUNT OF DEBT THAT WE OWE.
SO YOU CAN SEE IN SOLID WASTE, IT'S NOT A LOT.
WE DON'T CARRY A LOT OF DEBT IN SOLID WASTE.
THE MARINA, WE HAD DEBT FOR A LITTLE WHILE AFTER THE HURRICANE, STILL SMALL AMOUNT OF DEBT THERE, BUT OUR ASSETS ARE SIZABLE WITH OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE MARINA. BUT THOSE ARE RESTRICTED BECAUSE YOU CAN'T REALLY PULL FROM YOUR HOUSE LIKE A HOME EQUITY LOAN.
SO WE DO RESTRICT THOSE PER THE GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD.
THEN THE NEXT COLUMN IS OUR OWN RESERVE POLICY, WHICH IS A RECOMMENDED POLICY UNDER THE GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD NUMBER 54.
I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND USING RESERVES FOR ONGOING EXPENSES.
DOES THAT HELP? ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? RETAINED EARNINGS, CORRECT? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF ME OR FURTHER DIRECTION BEFORE I BALANCE THESE BUDGETS AND PREPARE YOU A A BUDGET BOOK FOR NEXT THURSDAY MORNING.
WELL, THANK YOU. COMMENTS I HAVE SOME COMMENTS AND A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, BUT SO IF YOU'LL GIVE ME A FEW MINUTES AND FEEL FREE TO WEIGH IN.
AND WE HAVE A STORM WATER CREDIT PROGRAM, I THINK.
RIGHT. I GUESS WHERE I'M GOING IS THAT IF WE'RE RAISING RATES ON UTILITIES, I'D LIKE OUR CITIZENS TO KNOW HOW THEY CAN TAKE MEASURES TO CONSERVE MORE WATER, FOR EXAMPLE, TO GENERATE LESS SEWAGE, BASICALLY BY CONSERVING MORE WATER, BY IMPROVING THEIR STORMWATER RETENTION ON THEIR PROPERTY.
AND SO COMMISSIONER VALDES WORKED WITH HIS COMMITTEE TO COME UP WITH SOME GOOD IDEAS FOR A NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL. BUT WE HAVE A STORMWATER CREDIT PROGRAM I'D LIKE TO KIND OF SEE OVERALL OVER THE NEXT YEAR, STAFF WORK TOGETHER TO HIGHLIGHT WAYS THAT PEOPLE CAN CONSERVE AND THEREFORE CUT THOSE BILLS AND NOT SEE THE INCREASES AS A RESULT OF DOING THAT.
AND THERE ARE SOME SIMPLE THINGS TO DO AND THERE ARE SOME HARDER THINGS TO DO.
BUT AS SOMEBODY IS RENOVATING A HOUSE OR DEVELOPING A NEW COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, WHAT ARE THE WAYS THAT THEY CAN BUY BACK SOME OF THAT STORMWATER FEE BY GETTING A STORMWATER CREDIT, FOR EXAMPLE? SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT AS AN ACTUAL INITIATIVE THAT THE CITY UNDERTAKES TO HELP US WITH OUR COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS.
THE STORMWATER CREDIT IS A PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE.
IT OFFERS A 30% CREDIT ON THE MONTHLY BILL.
WE HAVE SOME NEIGHBORHOODS WHO HAVE A STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING, LOOKING AT THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DO AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO COME IN FOR ACCOUNTS HAVE THAT STORMWATER CREDIT AUTOMATICALLY APPLIED.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF MR. FRANKLIN IS IN THE BACKGROUND AND WANTS TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE, BUT WE HEAR YOU ON COMMUNICATION OF IT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A FORM AND IT'S MAKING SURE WE GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
[01:00:08]
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE NICE.BUT WHAT I KIND OF HEARD YOU SAY TO THAT IS TO DEVELOP A CREDIT PROCESS TO INCENTIVIZE IN OUR OLDER, HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE ALREADY PLOTTED, THAT DON'T HAVE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS. CAN WE ADD ON TO THAT TO CREATE A CREDIT FOR THEM? AND I THINK WE CAN DO THAT WITH THE DRAINAGE GRADING PLAN THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
PART OF THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE WE'RE WORKING ON A MANUAL RIGHT NOW TO PUSH OUT.
AND PART OF THAT WAS PROVIDING LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT, RAIN GARDENS AND THINGS OF THAT.
SO I THINK WE COULD PROBABLY WORK THAT OVER THE COURSE OF THIS NEXT NEXT YEAR.
THAT WOULD BE GREAT. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
THANK YOU. THE NEXT POINT I HAVE IS THAT I BROUGHT UP ALSO THE PARKING GARAGE.
IF WE COULD STUDY A PARKING GARAGE FEE INCREASE.
AND WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THAT? I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT.
BUT WHAT WE DECIDED WAS THAT WE NEED TO BRING YOU A TOTAL PARKING PLAN VERSUS JUST ARBITRARILY BUMPING THE GARAGE FROM 15 TO $20. WE ARE DISCUSSING SEASONAL RATES, BUT I FEEL LIKE THE DEMAND IS INELASTIC AND THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
BUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS, IS PACKAGE IT ALL IN ONE PARKING PLAN FOR YOU.
SO WE CERTAINLY HAVE FOLLOWED UP WITH IT.
WE ARE IN DISCUSSIONS OF THAT.
OKAY. AND LASTLY, I THINK THIS IS FOR MR. GRANT. I THINK HE'S STILL IN THE AUDIENCE OR HERE ON RESERVE GLASS RECYCLING.
AND I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WORKING HARD ON TRYING TO I MEAN, THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE.
AND SO IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE BEEN FINDING THAT I'D APPRECIATE IT.
SO FOR A PILOT GLASS PROJECT, WE NEED DUMPSTERS THAT HAVE LOCKING LIDS AND JUST HOLES IN THE TOP BECAUSE A DUMPSTER PUT OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE TURNS INTO A TRASH DUMPSTER.
SO WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO DO NEXT FISCAL YEAR IS TO BUY 3 TO 5, EIGHT YARD DUMPSTERS WITH THE SPECIAL LIDS ON THEM, PLACE THEM IN LOCATIONS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE RECYCLING AND HAVE THEM AS A GLASS DROPOFF LOCATION.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING TO FINALIZE WITH ANOTHER COMPANY THAT THEY WILL SUPPLY US WITH A ROLL OFF.
WE WILL DUMP THOSE EIGHT YARD CONTAINERS INTO THE ROLL OFF.
THEY'LL COME PICK IT UP AND DEPENDING ON THE CONTAMINATION RATE, THEY'LL PAY US $3 A TON.
SO THAT'S OUR NEXT STEP IN GLASS RECYCLING.
IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH TO OFFER A CURBSIDE GLASS RECYCLING JUST DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE ALREADY PROVIDE THREE SERVICES A WEEK AND WE'RE OUT FIVE DAYS A WEEK. SO THAT'S OUR NEXT BABY STEP.
IS THAT GOING TO COME TO US IN THE BUDGET PROCESS WHEN WE GO INTO THAT NEXT WEEK? IT WASN'T A SPECIFIC LINE ITEM AS FAR AS GLASS RECYCLING PILOT STUDY, BUT IT'S TRYING TO BE BUILT INTO THE OVERALL BUDGET OF NEW AIR CONTAINERS.
CORRECT. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO BUDGET FOR.
BUT THE BEST PART OF IT IS THE GLASS, THE HEAVINESS OF THAT.
OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS.
OKAY. ALSO, YES, I WOULD SAY JUST A COMMENT.
SO AT $3 A TON FOR GLASS, THAT'S REALLY A SERVICE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING, RIGHT? IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY WOULD BE PAYING US $3 A TON.
HOW MANY TONS? I MEAN, THAT'S JUST NOT MUCH.
[01:05:02]
DEPENDING ON HOW.WELL, I THINK YOU SAID CLEAN IT IS OR CONTAMINATED.
WE CAN HAUL IT OURSELVES TO JACKSONVILLE AND GET $30 A TON.
SO IT'S A LOT EASIER AT $3 A TON.
AND AS MS. BREIDENSTEIN ALLUDED TO, IT'S $58 A TON FOR TRASH GOING UP, PROBABLY TO $62 A TON.
SO WE GETTING $3 OR NET ZERO ON GETTING THE GLASS OUT OF THE WASTE STREAM IS A VALUE.
[INAUDIBLE]. NET ZERO. I'M NOT SAYING IT'S NET ZERO.
I'M HOPING THE $3 PER TON THAT WE GET WILL BE NET ZERO ON THE LABOR EQUIPMENT MATERIALS TO GO PICK UP THE EIGHT YARD DUMPSTERS, DUMP IT IN ONE LOCATION AND RETURN IT. OKAY.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO A PILOT PROJECT TO CONFIRM ALL THAT BEFORE WE ROLL IT.
WELL, CURRENTLY WE'RE PAYING $145 A TON FOR RECYCLING.
THEN WHEN WE GET THE WEIGHT TICKET, WHAT'S THE VALUE? AND IN SOME IN SOME CASES, IT'S GOING TO BE A COST OF DOING BUSINESS, NOT A NET ZERO OR A PROFIT CENTER.
IT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT TO TRACK BECAUSE OF THE DO WE SEE A REDUCTION IN OUR MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE TONNAGE? THAT IS, IS IT SIGNIFICANT OR NEGLIGIBLE COMPARED TO THE OVERALL TONNAGE OF TRASH THAT WE THROW AWAY VERSUS THE AMOUNT OF GLASS THAT WE'RE TAKING OUT OF THE WASTE STREAM? I SEE THAT'S THE KEY RIGHT THERE THAT WE NEED TO KNOW.
IT'S SIMILAR ON SOMEWHAT SIMILAR OF GIVING AWAY A COMPOST BIN.
THEY GO UP, BUT I CAN KEEP TRYING TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF VEGETATIVE WASTE IN THE WASTE STREAM.
AND IT PROBABLY PAYS FOR THE COMPOST BIN ITSELF IN THE LONG RUN.
PRACTICES. THAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO TO TRY TO REDUCE OUR EXPENSES THAT WE CAN'T CONTROL.
BUT WHAT THIS IS GOING TO. I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY IN FLORIDA THAT'S DOING THIS? I THOUGHT BUT NOW WITH FLAGLER, FLAGLER BEACH HAS THEIR OWN IN-HOUSE RECYCLING.
THEY'RE CRUSHING IT AND MAKING SAND OUT OF IT.
BUT AGAIN, THEY HAVE IT'S A MUCH SMALLER COMMUNITY.
AND SO THEY CAN THEY CAN OFFER THE SERVICE AND THE DROP OFF THAT.
SO FAR WE CAN'T OFFER THE SERVICE.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO OFFER DROP OFF LOCATIONS AND SEE HOW THAT GOES.
BUT WHAT WE'RE ASKING CITIZENS TO DO IS TO SEGREGATE THEIR GLASS FROM THEIR GARBAGE AND THEIR OTHER RECYCLING AND TO PHYSICALLY TAKE IT TO A DROP OFF POINT.
DO YOU KNOW WHETHER YOU HAVE TO TAKE ALL THE PAPER OFF OF THOSE THINGS? NO. THE GLASS FACILITY IN JACKSONVILLE HAS OPTICAL SORTERS OF THEIR OWN.
AND SO THEY WILL SEPARATE IT BY THE COLOR AND THEN THEY WILL ALSO PAPER IT, IF YOU WILL.
GREAT. THAT MAKES MY LIFE MUCH BETTER.
INTERESTING. WHAT IS CONSIDERED CONTAMINATION WHEN YOU HAVE REGULAR HOUSEHOLD TRASH THROWN IN TO THE GLASS STREAM? OKAY, SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO GET THE SPECIALIZED TOPS THAT HAVE LOCKS ON THEM AND ONLY THE SIZE OF A BOTTLE CAN GO IN THERE.
SO HOW CLEAN DID THE BOTTLES HAVE TO BE? JUST RINSE THEM BRIEFLY.
THROW THEM IN THERE. THEY DIDN'T EVEN SAY THAT.
THAT'S CONSIDERED CONTAMINATION.
THANK YOU. I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
WHAT IS FLAGLER USING THE CRUSHED GLASS FOR? I AS AN AGGREGATE OF SOME FORM OR USING EITHER IN SAND OR PAVING OR SOMETHING? NOT PAVING. THEY'RE USING THE GRAVEL SIZE OR TRYING THAT OUT AS A LANDSCAPE MATERIAL.
AND THEN THE SAND SIZE THAT THEY HAVE EITHER FOR SAND PITS OR THE SAND TRAPS AT GOLF COURSE, THEY'RE TRYING TO GET A MORE OF A MARKET FOR THAT, BUT THEY RIGHT NOW THEY'RE STOCKPILING MOST OF IT.
IT CAN BE ALSO USED FOR SANDBAGS, EXCUSE FOR CONCRETE.
OKAY. OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. AT THIS POINT, I WOULD OPEN A SECOND PUBLIC HEARING.
[2. General Public Comments. (Part 2 of 2)]
[01:10:03]
IF THERE'S ANYBODY IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION ON THE MATTERS WE'VE DISCUSSED AT THIS SPECIAL MEETING.BJ KALAIDI WITH CITY OF ST AUGUSTINE.
NUMBER ONE, THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, JUST LIKE FLAGLER COLLEGE, HAS AN ENDOWMENT PROGRAM.
NOW, I CAN'T BELIEVE MR. POPPLE OR MR. LASSETER BECAUSE I GO TO THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE WHENEVER FLAGLER COLLEGE AND THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA MEET, AND THEY'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE CAN'T PULL THIS UP.
AND I KNOW MR. UPCHURCH WAS ON THAT BOARD.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE STILL IS. I CAN'T KEEP UP WITH EVERYBODY ON THAT BOARD, BUT I'M SURE WE CAN HAVE MR. REGAN IF HE'S GOT TO BE TALKING TO MR. POPPLE AND MR. LASSETER.
THEY WANT TO DO SOME ART OVER THERE.
SO THAT'S WHERE ALL THAT MONEY'S GOING TO GO, MAYBE.
AND NUMBER THREE, BRINGING UP NIGHT LIFE.
AND THEY HAVE TO RUN UP THERE AND OVER ON THE ISLAND TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.
BUT WE DO HAVE SOMEONE THAT WAS HIRED AND HE LEFT.
NOW THAT PERSON IS LEFT AND WE HAVE ANOTHER PERSON THAT'S BEEN HIRED TO DO THE SAME THING.
SO THEY UNDERSTAND THAT ON THE WEEKENDS THEY GET TO WORK.
OH. AND AS FAR AS HELPING THE SEWERS AND SEPTIC TANKS IN WEST AUGUSTINE, WHICH IS IN THE COUNTY, WE NEED TO REMEMBER BACK IN THE DAY BEFORE WE WERE EVEN HERE.
THE WISE PEOPLE THAT RAN THE CITY DECIDED TO TAKE THESE AREAS AS THEIR SERVICE AREAS, EVEN THOUGH THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE FACILITIES INFRASTRUCTURE FOR IT.
SO NOW WE WANT THEM BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SOME MONEY WHENEVER THEY HOOK UP.
SO WE ALWAYS HAVE TO REMEMBER TOO.
YOU TALK ABOUT THE CITY MONEY AND THE CITY THIS AND THE CITY THAT.
WE NEED TO START USING THE WORD TAXPAYERS.
THE CITY HAS ZERO AMOUNT OF MONEY.
IT'S THE TAXPAYERS AND THE TAXPAYERS AND THE CITY LIMITS.
AND I WILL CONTINUE TO SAY THIS.
WE PAY DOUBLE TAXES, THE CITY AND THE COUNTY TAXES AND THE PEOPLE OUT IN THE COUNTY WHO'S GETTING THIS BENEFIT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO HELP THEM WITH DOES NOT PAY DOUBLE TAXES.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND EXPRESS MORE TO THE CITIZENS WHO RESIDE HERE AND PAY CITY TAXES AND COUNTY TAXES FOR WHAT WE GET IN RETURN.
THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WISHES TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION AT THIS TIME? GOOD AFTERNOON.
CYNTHIA GARIS CITY OF ST AUGUSTINE.
JUST THE CONCERN THAT I HAD FROM THE LAST COMMISSION MEETING BECAUSE HEARING ABOUT THE BUDGET AND I SEE THAT THEY HAVE NOT HIRED ANY NEW PEOPLE FOR FACILITIES AS OF YET EVERY YEAR FOR SOME REASON OR ANOTHER, THEY'RE ALWAYS BYPASSED.
HOWEVER, THEY MAINTAIN ALL THE CITY PROPERTIES, INCLUDING THE LIGHTNER, THE CASA DEL LAGO, ALL THE DIFFERENT AREAS, AND THEY ALWAYS SEEM TO BE OVERLOOKED.
THERE'S ABOUT SIX PEOPLE THAT RUN THAT.
THERE'S ONE PAINTER, ONE ELECTRICIAN, AND THEN AN ELECTRICIAN.
I GUESS HE'S PROBABLY GOTTEN HIS PAPERS NOW, SO THAT'S PROBABLY TWO ELECTRICIANS.
AND I HEARD ABOUT THIS HERE CITY WALL CONCERNED ABOUT THE WELCOME SIGNS WHERE AS THE FACILITIES, PEOPLE ALWAYS MAINTAIN THEM ALL THESE YEARS AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO CONTRACT OUT.
AND YOU COULD HAVE JUST HIRED SOMEBODY FOR THE SAME SALARY TO DO THESE WELCOME WALLS.
THEY ALWAYS PUT THE NEW SEALS UP.
THEY'VE ALWAYS DONE THINGS LIKE THAT IN THIS COMMUNITY.
[01:15:03]
SO WHY ARE WE SUBCONTRACTING THEM TO THE OUTSIDE PUBLIC? WE HAVE A STREETS AND GROUNDS THAT DO A BEAUTIFUL JOB MAINTAINING FLOWERS, BECAUSE I HEARD FLOWERS WAS GOING TO BE PART OF THIS THING.AND WHEN THERE WAS COVID, THERE WAS LIKE THIS REAL FACE OF THE CITY WHERE WE HIRED PAINTERS BECAUSE I HAD TO PERSONALLY GO AROUND AND TAKE PICTURES OF THEM PAINTING AND RE BEAUTIFYING THE CITY.
WHERE ARE THEY AT? WHY ARE WE PAYING SOME OTHER CONTRACTOR? WHY CAN'T WE JUST GET THEM TO PAINT IF WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF? BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU FAILED TO HIRE ANYBODY FOR FACILITIES.
WHY CAN'T WE JUST CONTRACT THEM? I'M SURE $30,000, IT'LL BE LESS MONEY TO DO THAT.
AND WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO MAKE THE CITY SEEM MORE PEOPLE FRIENDLY.
NONE. AND I JUST THINK IT'S TIME THAT WE REFOCUS ON SOME OF THIS FUNDING.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE CONCERNED WHEN THAT THAT CAROUSEL WENT BYE BYE.
BUT THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT, LIKE EVERYDAY LIVING.
AND I THINK THAT WHEN YOU GO FORWARD WITH THE WALLS, BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN I TRAVEL OUT OF TOWN, I AIN'T LOOKING FOR NO WELCOME SIGNS, I'M JUST FLYING TO GET TO MY DESTINATION.
AND I THINK THAT APPLIES TO OUR TOURISTS THAT COME HERE.
SO THEY CAN SAY OR THEY JUST KEEP RIDING.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WISHES TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION SEEING NO ONE ELSE? THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED AND UNLESS THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE, COMMISSIONERS WILL ADJOURN THE SPECIAL MEETING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.