I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE CITY COMMISSION TO ORDER AND ASK THE CLERK TO PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. [00:00:08] TRACY UPCHURCH? PRESENT. NANCY SIKES-KLINE? HERE. ROXANNE HORVATH? HERE. JOHN VALDES? HERE. BARBARA BLONDER? HERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAVE A QUORUM BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE INVOCATION, THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE THAT WE TAKE JUST A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND REMEMBER THE LIFE AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR FRIEND CATHY BROWN. CATHY, OF COURSE, WAS A VERY IMPORTANT FIGURE, A WONDERFUL SERVANT OF OUR COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY IN HER ROLE AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COUNCIL ON AGING, WAS SO INSTRUMENTAL IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE RIVER HOUSE AND AND REALLY THIS TREMENDOUS PUSH FORWARD OF THAT ORGANIZATION. BUT SPECIFICALLY, SHE WAS A MEMBER OF OUR PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD FOR MANY YEARS WHERE SHE MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS AND SHE HAS PASSED ON AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR HER LIFE. SO IF WE COULD TAKE JUST A MOMENT TO REMEMBER HER IN SILENCE. THANK YOU. WE'RE HONORED THIS AFTERNOON TO HAVE DEACON MICHAEL ELLISON FROM THE DIOCESE OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, WHO HAS AGREED TO COME AND OFFER US AN INVOCATION. I WOULD ASK YOU TO RISE AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY VICE MAYOR NANCY SIKES-KLINE. WILL YOU PLEASE PRAY WITH ME? HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR MANY BLESSINGS AND OPPORTUNITIES YOU HAVE GIVEN US. HELP US TO BE EVER MINDFUL OF YOUR PRESENCE HERE WITH US RIGHT NOW, WITH YOUR HOLY SPIRIT, GUIDE US IN OUR DISCUSSIONS AND DELIBERATIONS, RECOGNIZING IN EACH ONE OF US THE DIGNITY AND SANCTITY OF EVERYONE AS A CHILD OF GOD. IN SO DOING, HELP US TO LIVE UP TO THE SACRED TRUST. AND CONFIDENCE THE CITIZENS OF THIS FAIR CITY HAVE PLACED IN US, STRENGTHEN US IN SERVING OUR PEOPLE AND IN SERVING YOU. SHOW US THE WAY AHEAD. ESPECIALLY WHEN THE ROAD LOOKS UNCERTAIN. FOR WE KNOW THAT THE DESIRE TO PLEASE YOU DOES, IN FACT, PLEASE YOU. AND WE HOPE TO HAVE THAT DESIRE IN ALL THAT WE DO. AND SO, HEAVENLY FATHER, BLESS THESE PROCEEDINGS HERE TONIGHT. BLESS OUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS, OUR VOLUNTEERS, OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS ARE POOR, OUR HOMELESS, OUR PRISONERS, OUR MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE SERVING THEIR COUNTRY OVERSEAS AND FOR THEIR FAMILIES. AMEN. PLEASE JOIN ME FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY. THANK YOU. PLEASE BE SEATED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DEACON ELLISON. WE ARE NOW. BOTH HONORED. NOT QUITE THERE. WE HAVE BEFORE YOU THE REGULAR AGENDA AS PUBLISHED. [2. ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS] WE NEED TO MOVE ITEM 7-A FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND BRING IT OVER. WHAT WILL NOW BECOME ITEM 9-C. ARE THERE ANY OTHER MODIFICATIONS TO THE REGULAR AGENDA? I WOULD MOVE THAT WE APPROVED THE REGULAR THAT NUMBER WAS CA-8, WHICH IS THE REQUEST FOR THE USE OF THE ALCAZAR ROOM IN THE CITY SEAL. THAT WAS BEING THAT'S THE ONE WE'RE MOVING AND IT WILL BECOME 9-B3. OKAY. THANK YOU, MISS LOPEZ. I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE AGENDA AS MODIFIED. IS THERE A SECOND? ALL IN FAVOR. PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THANK YOU. THE AGENDA IS APPROVED. NOW IT'S OUR OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR AND THANK TWO OF OUR MOST WONDERFUL CITIZENS, REVEREND TED VOORHEES AND HIS SPOUSE, CAREN [3.A. Certificate of Appreciation to Rev. Ted Voorhees and Caren Goldman. (R. Horvath, Commissioner)] GOLDMAN. THEY BOTH HAVE A WONDERFUL HISTORY OF HAVING SERVED OUR COMMUNITY. [00:05:05] THEY'RE MOVING TO WARMER CLIMES AND WE WISH THEM ALL THE BEST. AND AND SO I WOULD TURN TO COMMISSIONER HORVATH FOR FURTHER WORDS AND PRESENTATION. I'M GOING TO READ THIS CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION, AND THEN I'M GOING TO ASK THE TWO OF YOU TO COME UP HERE AND. CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE CITY COMMISSION CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION IN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AND PRESENTED WITH HONOR TO REVEREND TED VOORHEES AND CAREN GOLDMAN. IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR WORK AND DEDICATION TO SUPPORTING FREEDOM, DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND COMPASSION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE. WE EXPRESS OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE FOR THE LEGACY PROJECTS THAT WERE COMPLETED THROUGH YOUR VISION AND WISH YOU WELL ON YOUR RETIREMENT AND FUTURE ENDEAVORS. SO PLEASE COME UP. IS THIS ON? IS IT ON? YES. OKAY. WELL, WE'LL READ THE PLAQUE THAT WE'VE MADE IN HONOR OF THESE TWO WONDERFUL PEOPLE THAT I CAN'T BELIEVE MOVING AWAY. IT SAYS, WORK WELL DONE. THANK YOU, REVEREND TED VORHEES AND CAREN GOLDMAN WITH LOVE AND GRATITUDE FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, IN QUOTES, A COMPASSIONATE CITY, AND IT CALLS OUT THE CHIMES PROJECT, ST. CYPRIAN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND THE [INAUDIBLE]. AND THERE'S SO MUCH MORE I COULDN'T GET ON THE PLAQUE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS IS SO UNEXPECTED. GETTING THE INFORMATION THAT IT WAS HAPPENING WAS SO UNEXPECTED BECAUSE COMPASSIONATE ST . AUGUSTINE AND I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR ST. CYPRIAN'S ALSO HAVE NOT BEEN ABOUT US. WE'VE BEEN THE FACE OF THOSE THINGS. BUT WE'VE HAD SUCH EXTRAORDINARY, EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE WORKING WITH US AND THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH SO MANY EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE, SUCH AS GREG WHITE AND OTHER PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE CITY. WHETHER IT IS, IT'S NOT THE CITY, IT'S OUR CITY. AND THIS GROUP AT CITY HALL, JOHN, DARLENE AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH. AND THE COMMISSIONERS, WHETHER IT'S THE CURRENT COMMISSIONERS OR OTHERS THAT HAVE COME AND GONE, HAVE REALLY MADE ME BELIEVE THAT THIS CITY IS SO MUCH MORE AND SO MUCH MORE AND THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO BE DONE. AND OUR LATEST INITIATIVE, GOOD TROUBLE IS EXACTLY THAT. GREG WHITE, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT GOOD TROUBLE IS ABOUT, GREG WHITE PERSONIFIES IT. HE GAVE IT A SHOUT OUT. AND THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE FUTURE, ALONG WITH THE ARTS, ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GO. [00:10:03] SO THANK YOU, ALL OF YOU WHO ARE HERE, WHO GAVE ME THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH YOU. AND THIS IS TRULY, TRULY A BITTERSWEET TIME FOR ME. I CAN ONLY SAY THAT I AM TRULY BLESSED TO ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE A PART OF A MINISTRY THAT I HAVE ALWAYS DREAMED OF MY ENTIRE CAREER, AND IT FINALLY CAME TRUE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. AND WITHOUT TAKING TOO MUCH MORE TIME, I'D LIKE TO CALL UP ARTHUR COLBERT. ARTHUR'S NAME THAT SOME OF YOU HAVE BECOME VERY AWARE OF AND OTHERS WILL AS TIME GOES BY RIGHT NOW. BUT ARTHUR IS THE PERSON WHO IS GOING TO TAKE THE MANTLE AND RUN WITH COMPASSIONATE ST. AUGUSTINE. HE'S ALREADY BEEN DOING THAT AS OUR INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. AND WONDERFUL THINGS HAVE BEEN PLANNED IN THE TIME THAT WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER. AND HE'S ALREADY CARRYING SOME OF THAT FORTH. SO WHEN ARTHUR KOHLBERG CALLS AND SAYS, WE'VE GOT TO SET UP A MEETING, KNOW THAT I'VE NUDGED HIM ENOUGH FOR THE MEETINGS THAT I'VE TRIED TO SET UP, AND HE'S REALLY WORTH THE TIME AND EFFORT. WELL, THANK YOU, CAREN, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND TED. AND LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE IN THIS ROOM, ALTHOUGH I'M NEWER TO THE COMMUNITY, WE'LL MISS YOU GREATLY. AND WE CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE. AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO HELPING TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE AS COMPASSIONATE AS POSSIBLE. IT'S A WONDERFUL PLACE, AND I'M GRATEFUL AND HUMBLED BY THIS OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. MIC]. SO WE'RE NOW ON ITEM FOUR OF OUR AGENDA, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS. [4. PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS OR FOR AGENDA ITEMS NOT REQUIRING A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING] AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I ONLY HAVE ONE CARD, SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU, IF YOU WISH TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION, TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPLETE A SPEAKER'S CARD AND GIVE IT TO ONE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS AND MAKE SURE THAT I IT GETS UP FRONT TO ME. WE'RE GOING TO GIVE FOLKS JUST A MOMENT HERE. SO OUR FIRST SPEAKER THIS EVENING IS VICKI PEPPER. WELCOME. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS VICKI PEPPER. I LIVE ON HARBOR VISTA CIRCLE IN ST. AUGUSTINE, AND I'M HERE TODAY REPRESENTING CARE, COMMUNITY ADVOCATES FOR RACIAL EQUITY. WE'RE AN INFORMAL, INDEPENDENT CIVIC ACTION GROUP THAT GREW OUT OF ST. AUGUSTINE'S ONGOING COMMUNITY CONVERSATION EFFORT. [00:15:01] LET ME JUST GET YOU TO COME A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONE. THANK YOU. I NEED TO POINT IT UP. I THOUGHT IT WAS PRETTY CLOSE. OKAY. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO APPLAUD YOU FOR RECOGNIZING GREG WHITE, THE MAYOR OF WEST AUGUSTINE, FOR ALL THAT HE HAS DONE AND CONTINUES WORKING TIRELESSLY TO DO TO MAKE SAINT AUGUSTINE A BETTER PLACE FOR EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR BESTOWING THIS WELL-DESERVED ORDER OF LA FLORIDA AWARD ON OUR FRIEND. SECOND OF ALL I SHARED WITH YOU HERE A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AGO CARE'S STRONG BELIEF THAT OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS MUST ESTABLISH A PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. SO WE WERE REALLY PLEASED TO SEE THAT AT TODAY'S MEETING YOU'RE TAKING UP RESOLUTION 2022-31 SUPPORTING THE CREATION OF A COUNTYWIDE PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY FOR ST. JOHN'S COUNTY. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP, AND WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. THAT SAID, I THINK AS WE'LL BE HEARING SHORTLY DURING A PRESENTATION ON TODAY'S AGENDA, OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS DOES NOT SEEM TO BE GETTING ANY BETTER OR LESS COMPLEX. SO ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS, TAXPAYERS AND VOTERS OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, CARE URGES YOU IN THE CITY TO PLEDGE TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP AND FULLY SUPPORT THE NEW ST. JOHN'S COUNTY PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY ONCE IT'S ESTABLISHED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'VE GOT A COUPLE MORE CARDS COMING FORWARD. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CATHERINE ST. CLAIR. FORGIVE ME IF I'VE MISPRONOUNCED THE HANDWRITING'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT FOR ME, BUT IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND FORGIVE ME FOR MISPRONOUNCING. OH, PARDON ME. THAT'S OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. CATHERINE AVERY-ST. JEAN. AND I'M ONE OF THE CANDIDATES. AND IF YOU WOULD, MOVE THIS JUST A LITTLE BIT CLOSER SO WE CAN HEAR YOU A LITTLE BIT BETTER. YES, THANK YOU. I'M ONE OF THE CANDIDATES FOR POET LAUREATE AND I WROTE A HAIKU FOR TODAY. ST. JEAN YEARNS TO BE POET LAUREATE. BECAUSE I CAN PAINT WITH WORDS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WISHES TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION AT THIS TIME? WELCOME MS. KALAIDI. BJ KALAIDI, WEST CITY OF ST AUGUSTINE, 9B-2 RESOLUTION 2022-34 SHOULD NOT BE ADOPTED. COMPETITION FROM SCOOTERS, SEGWAYS, BICYCLES, GOLF CARTS, AUTO CYCLES, ET CETERA WHICH POLITICIANS HAVE ENCOURAGED AND THE EFFECTS OF INFLATION AND CURRENT GAS PRICES SHOULD NOT CREATE A RESOLUTION TO SUSPEND METERED RATES FOR TAXIS. THE DISNEY EFFECT IS DESTROYING THE PRESERVATION CHARACTER OF ST. AUGUSTINE. CA-8, WHICH YOU'VE CHANGED AROUND THIS 501(C)(3) SHOULD PAY TO SHOW FILMS IN THIS ROOM. QUESTION HOW MUCH DID THIS 501(C)(3) EARN IN JANUARY 2022, WHEN THE CITY GAVE THEM USE OF THIS ROOM AND OUR CITY SEAL? QUESTION WILL THE 501(C)(3) OR CITY TAXPAYERS PAY CITY EMPLOYEES TO OVERSEE THEIR USE OF THE ALCAZAR ROOM ON AUGUST 25TH, 2022? THE PRESIDENT OF FLAGLER COLLEGE, A 501(C)(3) INSTITUTION, PROVIDED UPDATES ON THE INSTITUTION'S OPERATIONS AT A MEETING IN 2020. THE INSTITUTION'S ENDOWMENT WAS $69 MILLION. CURRENTLY, THEIR ENDOWMENT IS OVER 100 MILLION TAX FREE DOLLARS. THEIR CURRENT ASSETS ARE 208.6 MILLION TAX FREE DOLLARS. RECENTLY, STATE POLITICIANS GAVE 5 MILLION TAX DOLLARS TO THIS PRIVATE INSTITUTION. TO BE FAIR, RESOLUTION 2020 234 IT'S TIME TO COLLECT PILOT'S PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES FROM THIS INSTITUTION. WITH 208.6 MILLION ASSETS. AT THE SEPTEMBER 8TH BUDGET MEETING, POLITICIANS JUSTIFIED INCREASING OUR WATER BILLS TO CUT DOWN ON USE OF BOTTLED WATER. AND THIS BUILDING STAFF USES BOTTLED WATER, NOT WATER FROM WATER FOUNTAINS. OTHER DEPARTMENTS, LIKE THE POLICE, ARE USING BOTTLED WATER, TOO. DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO. APPEARS TO BE ACTIONS BY BUREAUCRATS. QUESTION WHEN WILL THE LEASE AGREEMENT WITH ST. AUGUSTINE YACHT CLUB BE SIGNED? THE WARRANTY DEED WAS SIGNED BY MR. BIRCHIM AUGUST 4TH, 2022. S-H-E-N-A-N-A-G-I-N-S IS AN INTERESTING WORD, AND AS A REMINDER, WHEN WE VOTE NOVEMBER 8TH, [00:20:04] VOTE NO SALES TAX INCREASE. THE DEADLINE TO FILL OUT AND INTENT TO APPLY FORM BY NONPROFITS FOR AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT THROUGH UNITED WAY WAS 5 P.M. TODAY SO I HOPE EVERYONE THAT WANTED SOME OF THAT MONEY WAS ABLE TO GET THAT FORM IN SO THAT THEY CAN QUALIFY FOR THAT MONEY SO THAT NONPROFITS WHO ARE HELPING IN THIS CITY AND COUNTY CAN CONTINUE TO DO THEIR WORK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I HAVE AN ADDITIONAL CARD FOR MR. CHRIS BOWDER. MR. BOWDER. HELLO. MY NAME IS CHRIS BOWDER AND I AM HERE FOR THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THE POET LAUREATE POSITION AND IT'S BEEN A LONG YEAR. I ACTUALLY JUST GOT THE SAVE THE DATE INFORMATION FOR POET FEST TWO. IT WILL BE GOING ON IN APRIL THE 15TH. IT WILL BE A WHOLE DAY OF POETRY EVENTS FROM EIGHT IN THE MORNING TILL FIVE AT NIGHT ON THE CAMPUS OF FLAGLER COLLEGE. AND ADDITIONALLY, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT KNOWN THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE AN EXCITING POETRY OPPORTUNITY FOR AND IT'S FREE AND OPEN TO EVERYONE. SO THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME LET EVERYONE KNOW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I DO NOT HAVE ANY FURTHER CARDS. ANY OTHER CARDS. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WISHES TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION AT THIS TIME SAYING NO ON THE PUBLIC HEARING SECTION OF THE MEETING IS NOW CLOSED? COMMISSIONERS, WE DO HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA BEFORE US, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF CA-8, WHICH WE'VE REMOVED. [5. CONSENT AGENDA] IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS AMENDED? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HORVATH, A SECOND BY VICE MAYOR SIKES-KLINE. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. ROXANNE HORVATH. YES. NANCY SIKES-KLINE YES. BARBARA BLONDER YES. JOHN VALDES YES. TRACEY UPCHURCH YES. THANK YOU. THE CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED. WE ARE NOW ON ITEM 7A-1 PRESENTATION BY DR. DAVID JAFFE, A PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA. MR. BIRCHIM. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS DAVID BIRCHIM, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE DR. DAVID JAFFE, PROFESSOR OF SOCIOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA. DR. JAFFE RUNS THE JAX RENTAL HOUSING PROJECT AT UNF, WHICH RESEARCHES AND ANALYZES THE TREND OF INVESTOR OWNED REAL ESTATE AND THE INVESTOR OWNED HOUSING, I SHOULD SAY, AND THEIR IMPACTS ON OUR COMMUNITY. THIS TOPIC HAS BEEN DISCUSSED SEVERAL TIMES BY COMMISSIONER BLONDER, WHO IS THE SPONSOR OF THIS PUBLIC PRESENTATION. DR. JAFFE. APPARENTLY DR. JAFFE'S NOT HERE. I'M SORRY. OKAY, WELL, WE'LL RESCHEDULE IT FOR ANOTHER DAY, PERHAPS. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. ACTUALLY, I HAD A MEETING WITH HIM AT QUARTER TO FOUR SET UP TODAY AND HE DIDN'T SHOW, SO I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED. I DIDN'T CALL, BUT MAYBE WE SHOULD. I'M SORRY. APOLOGIZE. I ASSUMED HE WAS GOING TO BE HERE, AND I WILL MAKE SURE I CONTACT HIM TOMORROW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE'D BE HAPPY TO RESCHEDULE. WE ARE NOW ON RESOLUTION ITEM 9B1 RESOLUTION 2022-31 THAT SUPPORTS THE CREATION OF THE ST . [9.B.1. Resolution 2022-31: Supports the creation of the St. Johns County Public Housing Authority. (D. Birchim, Assistant City Manager)] JOHN'S COUNTY PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY. MR. BIRCHIM? MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS RESOLUTION 2022-31 FORMALLY SUPPORTS ST. JOHN'S COUNTY'S EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH A PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY. ST. JOHN'S COUNTY HAS A HOUSING FINANCE AUTHORITY WHICH PROVIDES SOME SERVICES FOR DEVELOPERS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITIES. THE PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY YOU ARE CONSIDERING TONIGHT WOULD BE THE NEXT STEP. IT WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE DIRECT RESOURCES TO INDIVIDUALS IN NEED OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. CREATING A PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS ALREADY BEEN SUPPORTED BY THE ST. JOHN'S COUNTY'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS MANY CITIZENS WHO HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU DIRECTLY OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS. [00:25:03] ON AUGUST 8TH, YOU DIRECTED CITY STAFF TO DRAFT THIS RESOLUTION, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, COMMISSIONERS? ON THE RESOLUTION? PLEASE? I JUST WOULD SAY THAT GIVEN WHAT I HEARD AT THE COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING IN TERMS OF THE PRESENTATION LAST MONTH AND WHAT WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT AROUND THE TABLE, THE CRISIS THAT WE'RE FACING IN TERMS OF WORKFORCE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, OUR SUPPORT FOR THAT PROGRAM, I THINK, IS ESSENTIAL AT THIS TIME. I CONCUR. SO I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION. WHERE DID? WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE RESOLUTION WHEN IT'S SIGNED? THE SENDING? WHO DO WE SEND IT TO? I ASSUME THAT WE WOULD FORWARD IT TO THE COUNTY COMMISSION. YES. WE WOULD FORWARDED TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AS WELL AS THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS. I'M SORRY. HAVE I HEARD A MOTION YET? I HAVE A MOTION. RESOLUTION 2022-31. SECOND. I'VE GOT A MOTION BY THE VICE MAYOR, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER HORVATH. FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. NANCY SIKES-KLINE? YES. ROXANNE HORVATH? YES. JOHN VALDES? YES. BARBARA BLONDER? YES. TRACY UPCHURCH? YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE RESOLUTION PASSES AND THANK YOU TO CARE AND YOUR ADVOCACY ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE. WE ARE NOW ON ITEM NINE BE TO RESOLUTION 2022-34, WHICH TEMPORARILY SUSPENDS METERED RATES FOR VEHICLES FOR HIRE. [9.B.2. Resolution 2022-34: Temporarily suspends metered rates for vehicles for hire. (R. Thibault, Assistant City Attorney)] MS. LOPEZ? YES. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS RESOLUTION 2022-34 WOULD HAVE THE EFFECT OF TEMPORARILY SUSPENDING THE METERED RATES FOR VEHICLES FOR HIRE. OUR FORMAT IN OUR CODE IS TO PROVIDE THOSE VIA RESOLUTION. WE'VE HAD A NUMBER THROUGHOUT THE YEARS MODIFYING THE METERED RATES FOR TAXICABS, ESSENTIALLY. WHAT'S OCCURRED IS BASICALLY THAT THE INDUSTRY HAS CHANGED. UBERS AND LYFTS ARE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COMPANIES THAT ARE NOW SOLELY REGULATED BY THE STATE. THEY DO NOT FOLLOW THIS TRADITIONAL, I'LL CALL IT TAXICAB METERED FORMULA. AND WE'VE ALSO HAD A CALL IT NOVEL WAYS OF HAVING VEHICLES FOR HIRE IN OUR CITY, EVERYTHING FROM MICRO MOBILITY NON TRADITIONAL THINGS SUCH AS BICYCLES THAT CAN BE RENTED. WE'VE PARTNERED WITH BOLT, FOR INSTANCE, ON SOME OF THAT. AND SO THERE IS A SORT OF A RECOGNITION AT THE STAFF LEVEL THAT PERHAPS THE CITY COMMISSION SETTING BY RESOLUTION STANDARDIZED METERED RATES IN THE WAY THAT WE GREW UP WITH FOR TAXICABS, SIMPLY WAS ESSENTIALLY OBSOLETE IN THE MARKETPLACE AT THIS TIME AND DIFFICULT FOR US TO ENFORCE. SO WHAT WE'VE PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION TONIGHT IS SIMPLY TO SUSPEND THE THE REQUIRED METERED RATES FOR VEHICLES FOR HIRE UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THE CITY COMMISSION INSTRUCTS MR. REGAN TO PERHAPS LOOK AT IT MORE HOLISTICALLY AND CONSIDER DIFFERENT METHODOLOGIES THAT WOULD BE ENFORCEABLE AND WOULD WOULD ESSENTIALLY BE MORE USER FRIENDLY FOR THE CURRENT MARKETPLACE. AND SO THAT IS THE RESOLUTION BEFORE YOU TONIGHT. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR, WHAT DISCUSSIONS HAVE THERE BEEN TO DEVELOP NEW STRATEGIES? I ASSUME TECH IS THE DISRUPTER HERE, SO. I ASSUME TECH IS THE DISRUPTER HERE AND THAT WE HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT DEVELOPING NEW METHODOLOGIES TO ADDRESS THESE GAPS OR CHANGES. WELL, RIGHT NOW WE'RE STILL INFORMATION GATHERING. WE'VE BECOME AWARE THROUGH OUR MOBILITY PLAN, FRANKLY, AND ALL THE NEW MOBILITY OPTIONS THAT ARE IN THE MARKETPLACE RIGHT NOW. MICRO MOBILITY, FLAT FEE, HOP ON HOP OFF TYPE VEHICLES FOR HIRE. OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR WITH UBER AND THOSE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COMPANIES. SO I THINK THE IDEA IS THROUGH ADMINISTRATION, BE IT REUBEN FRANKLIN OR AND OR MEREDITH TO COME UP WITH A CONCEPT IF AND WHEN THERE IS A NEED TO DO A NEW RATE STRUCTURE. AT THIS TIME, WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO PRESENT THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE IN THIS NEW MARKETPLACE. [00:30:04] THERE MAY BE SUCH A POSSIBLE STRUCTURE IN THE FUTURE, BUT WE'RE REALLY AT THE NASCENT LEVEL OF THESE EMERGING HOP ON, HOP OFF MICRO-MOBILITY ALL THESE OTHER METHODOLOGIES OF HAVING VEHICLES FOR HIRE. SO I'M CERTAINLY NOT THE EXPERT IN THE FIELD, BUT I KNOW MR. FRANKLIN, AS WELL AS ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, ARE SORT OF LOOKING AT THAT HOLISTIC ISSUE OF OUR USERS, I'LL SAY OUR COMMERCIAL USERS, OF OUR RIGHTS OF WAY AND THE VARIOUS TYPES OF MARKETING PLANS THAT THEY UTILIZE TO MAKE SOMETHING THAT IS VIABLE FOR OUR COMMUNITY BUT ALSO IS FAIR. AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE QUITE AT THE STAGE WHERE THEY COULD EVEN COME UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION. SO THERE'S NOT, IT'S NOT A NECESSITY? WELL, THE REALITY IS IT'S ESSENTIALLY NOT ENFORCEABLE AT THIS TIME BECAUSE WE HAVE NEW USERS. THE NEXT STEPS, CORRECT. IT'S NOT A NECESSITY. WE UNDERSTAND IT. IT'S IRRELEVANT TODAY. IT'S A RELIC OF THE PAST. ESSENTIALLY. I WOULD ASSUME THAT I'M ASSUMING THAT MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AGREE. BUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IS MY FOCUS. WHAT WOULD BE NEEDED AND WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS? SO WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE OPTIONS YET. WE'RE LOOKING AT IT IN A LARGER CONTEXT OF MOBILITY. AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAVING OUR NEW COMMUTER BUS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FEDERAL FUNDS FOR THE CIRCULATOR. WE ALSO, I THINK, ARE LOOKING AT THE NEXT GENERATION, I'LL CALL IT, OF MICRO-MOBILITY, BE IT BOLT OR SOME OTHER COMPANY FOR THE THE BICYCLES OR OTHER TYPES OF SORT OF MICRO-MOBILITY PROGRAMS. SO I THINK WE'RE THAT'S AT THE NASCENT STAGE. SO WE DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO RECOMMEND TO YOU AS THE NEXT STAGE, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT EVERYTHING, EVERY POSSIBLE OPTION. BUT THIS FORMAT IS PROBABLY, IN YOUR TERMS, A RELIC AND NOT REALLY SOMETHING THAT'S CONTEMPORARY. VERY GOOD. OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IS THERE EMOTION? I MOVE WE PASS RESOLUTION 2022-34. IS THERE A SECOND? THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER BLONDER SECONDS. FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. MADAM CLERK, IF YOU WOULD CALL THE ROLL. NANCY SIKES-KLINE? YES. BARBARA BLONDER? YES. ROXANNE HORVATH? YES. JOHN VALDES? YES. TRACY UPCHURCH? YES. THANK YOU. THE RESOLUTION PASSES. SO NOW WE HAVE ITEM CA-8 REQUEST FOR USE OF THE ALCAZAR ROOM AND THE CITY SEAL BY THE ST AUGUSTINE FILM FESTIVAL. [CA.8. Request for use of Alcazar Room and City Seal by St. Augustine Film Festival. (D. Galambos, City Clerk)] MISS GALAMBOS? I NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF. I'VE JOINED THE BOARD OF THE FILM FESTIVAL AND THEREFORE CANNOT VOTE ON ANYTHING THAT COMES BEFORE US. THANK YOU. MS. GALAMBOS? YES. WE RECEIVED A REQUEST TO FOR THE FILM FESTIVAL TO USE THE ROOM AGAIN, AS THEY DID LAST YEAR IN JANUARY, I BELIEVE IT WAS OVER A FOUR DAY WEEKEND PERIOD IN JANUARY AND ALSO FOR THE USE OF OUR CITY CREST. VERY GOOD. FURTHER DISCUSSION? IS THERE MOTION TO APPROVE? THEY'VE DONE IT BEFORE. ABSOLUTELY. USE THIS ROOM MANY TIMES FOR. I HAVE CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OF THIS ROOM BEING USED FOR A SUNDAY AFTERNOON CONCERT OR THING. SO YES, I'M HAPPY TO MAKE A MOTION. SO THE VICE MAYOR MAKES MOTION TO APPROVE THE REQUEST. THE MAYOR WOULD SECOND FURTHER DISCUSSION SEEING NONE. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. NANCY SIKES-KLINE? YES. TRACY UPCHURCH? YES. BARBARA BLONDER? YES. JOHN VALDES? YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE REQUEST IS APPROVED. COMMISSIONERS, WE ARE NOW ON ITEM 12-A APPOINTMENT OF THE CITY OF ST. [12.A. Appointment of the City of St. Augustine Poet Laureate. (D. Galambos, City Clerk)] AUGUSTINE POET LAUREATE. THIS, OF COURSE, WAS BROUGHT FORWARD BY COMMISSIONER HORVATH, AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR HER LEADERSHIP ON THAT. AND I THINK IT'S AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY FOR US. WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF LOCAL, REGIONAL POETS APPLY, AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THEIR INTEREST. OUR CLERK HAS A TALLY SHEET, SO WE WILL PROCEED JUST AS WE DO FOR ANY OTHER APPOINTMENT WHILE WE VOTE BY SECRET BALLOT. THESE, OF COURSE, ARE PUBLIC RECORDS. THANK YOU, DEAR. OH, YEAH. SORRY. [00:35:29] WE'LL GIVE THE CITY CLERK JUST A MINUTE TO TALLY THOSE. IT'S OVER HERE. OR HEAVY BREATHING? I'M NOT SURE. I HAVE ONE VOTE FOR CHRIS BADER. ONE VOTE FOR RICHARD RUMMEL. ONE VOTE FOR KATHRYN AVERY-ST. JEAN, AND TWO VOTES FOR NORMA SHERRY RAPA. SO. SO THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT DID NOT RECEIVE VOTES WOULD BE DELETED FROM THE BALLOT. IS THAT CORRECT? DO YOU WANT TO DO A MAJORITY? DON'T HAVE A MAJORITY, CORRECT. THEN YES, THAT WOULD BE CORRECT. IS THAT THE. LET'S GO FOR A SECOND. YES. YES. BUT I'D LIKE TO SAY THIS WAS A LOT HARDER THAN I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE. I HAVE TO AGREE WITH THAT. I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE EASY. I CAN'T BELIEVE THE AMOUNT OF TALENT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US HERE. IT'S GRATIFYING. . I HAVE TWO VOTES FOR KRIS BADER AND THREE VOTES FOR MISS NORMA SHERRY RAMPA. AND SO THEN MISS NORMA SHERRY RAMPA WILL BE THE CITY'S VERY FIRST POET LAUREATE. CONGRATULATIONS TO HER AND OUR DEEP APPRECIATION TO ALL THAT APPLIED. AND WE JUST WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT BECAUSE OF THE ODDITY OF THE TIMING, OUR FIRST POET LAUREATE WILL SERVE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS YEAR AND THEN A FULL TERM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. MR. REGAN WERE ON ITEM 13-A DISCUSSION REGARDING LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES. [13.A. Discussion regarding legislative priorities. (J. Regan, City Manager)] YES, I SCHEDULED THIS DISCUSSION SO THAT WE COULD BEGIN THE PROCESS OF STRATEGIZING FOR THE COMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION. AND I'D LIKE TO BEGIN WITH REPORTING OUT ON A MEETING THAT I HAD WITH REPRESENTATIVE STEVENSON ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, WHERE SHE EXPRESSED HER PREFERENCE WITH REGARD TO WHAT SHE THINKS SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS PART OF OUR LEGISLATIVE ASK AND ALSO EXPRESS THAT THIS WAS ALSO A POSITION OF SPEAKER RENNER THAT WE SHOULD BE VERY WHEN IT COMES TO APPROPRIATIONS, [00:40:02] THAT WE SHOULD BE VERY STRONG ON PRESERVATION PROJECTS FOR FOR FOR THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THE AGENDA OF THE CITY WITH REGARD TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION, PRESERVATION WITHIN STRUCTURES. AND THEN MAYOR ELECT SIKES-KLINE AND I SPENT SOME TIME FORMULATING THAT LIST, AND I THOUGHT I MIGHT JUST REVIEW SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE THINK WOULD MAKE GOOD APPROPRIATION REQUESTS. AND THEN WE CAN MOVE ON TO MAYBE IF ANYONE HAS ANY PARTICULAR POLICY ISSUES THAT THEY MIGHT WANT TO ADVANCE. SO SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT, OUR BUILDINGS THAT ARE OWNED BY THE CITY, THE THIS BUILDING AND INCLUDING EVERYTHING FROM WINDOWS TO TERRACOTTA PRESERVATION, THE PENNYPACKER HOUSE, WHICH WE'RE WORKING WITH THE WOMEN'S EXCHANGE RIGHT NOW ON NATIONAL LANDMARK STATUS AND IN THE BUDGET THAT WILL BE UP FOR FINAL ADOPTION, HAS QUITE A BIT OF MONEY IN IT TO BEGIN REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDOWS OF THE PECK HOUSE. BUT THAT'S NOT THE COMPLETE EXTENT OF WHAT WORK NEEDS TO BE. TAKE PLACE AT THE PECK HOUSE. THE CASA HIDALGO, WHICH WE OFTEN DON'T TALK ABOUT, WHICH IS THE BUILDING THAT THE CITY BOUGHT ON THE CORNER OF HIPPOLYTA AND ST. GEORGE STREET IN THE PAST. IT IS A SIGNIFICANT BUILDING THAT TAKES QUITE A BIT OF RESOURCES. CERTAINLY THE GALLAHER CENTER, WHICH IS A PREEMINENT COMMUNITY CENTER. AND THEN AS WE MOVE OFF THAT LIST INTO OTHER OTHER PROJECTS THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN OR INSTITUTIONS THAT WE THINK ARE IMPORTANT TO THE AGENDA OF THE CITY WE HAVE ON THAT LIST IS ALSO THE LINCOLNVILLE MUSEUM. AND THEN WE MOVE ON TO PROJECTS THAT WE'RE ACTIVE IN WITHIN OUR CRA, OUR LINCOLNVILLE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AREA THAT INCLUDE THE ELKS LODGE AND ST. MARY'S AND ST. PAUL PARSONAGE. WE ALSO FEEL THAT WE SHOULD BE HEAVY ON JUST IN STRATEGIZING WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE CONSULTANTS. WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE HEAVY ON RESILIENCY AND THOSE PROJECTS ARE SEA LEVEL RISE. WE'VE HAD SOME DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT HAVE COME UP WITH THE MARIA SANCHEZ PROJECT THAT WOULD BE A GREAT PROJECT TO CONTINUE TO ADVANCE AND FUNDING. WE ALSO HAD A STAFF LEVEL BEEN THINKING ABOUT WORK IN WEST AUGUSTINE THAT WOULD BE ASSOCIATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE 80 ACRE PROJECT, WHICH WE HAVE SLATED. THE COMMISSION IS SLATED FOR AN AFFORDABLE WORKFORCE HOUSING PROJECT AND WHAT ELSE MAY ARISE IN THE CHARRETTE PROCESS. SO THAT WOULD BE A GREAT PROJECT THAT WOULD REALLY BENEFIT EVERYONE IN WEST AUGUSTINE. AND THEN ALSO WE'LL BE REPORTING OUT TO THE COMMISSION FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION SOME STRATEGIES ON DEALING WITH THE SCALE OF UNSHELTERED HOMELESS THAT WE'VE BEEN FACING. SO WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT OTHER COMMUNITIES. OFFICER STEVE FISHER HERE HAS BEEN JUST A WONDERFUL RESOURCE. WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT OTHER CITIES AND THEIR FUNDING STREAMS AND SOME OF THOSE FUNDING STREAMS COME FROM STATE PROGRAMS. SO WE ARE HAVE ENGAGED OUR LEGISLATIVE CONSULTANTS TO START RESEARCHING THOSE PROGRAMS AND HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ADVANCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUNDING SOURCES FOR OUR HOMELESS AGENDA. AND THEN I KNOW THAT EVERYONE SERVES IN SOME OTHER CAPACITY ON OTHER BOARDS OR WORK WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS, AND THAT THERE MAY BE SOME THINGS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE LOCKSTEP WITH OTHER AGENCIES, WHETHER IT'S THE NORTHEAST REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL OR THE METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION ORGANIZATION AND OR OTHERS. ST. JOHNS COUNTY. SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE. TYPICALLY WHEN IT COMES TO POLICY ISSUES ARE POLICY ISSUES HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN VERY MUCH ON THE DEFENSE THAT WE'RE DEFENDING HOME RULE IN MULTIPLE FORMS. BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE AN A POLICY ISSUE THAT WE WANT TO ADVANCE WITH THE STATE. SO I JUST WANTED TO REPORT OUT THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THE PROJECTS THAT I MENTIONED ARE PROJECTS THAT WE COULD BUILD. WE TYPICALLY TAKE A PROJECT, WE BREAK IT DOWN, WE PUT A BUDGET ESTIMATE, WE BUILD AN INDIVIDUAL FLIER ON EACH PROJECT. WE CALL THEM LEAVE BEHINDS. THAT MAKES IT EASY FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO QUICKLY PULL UP AND EVALUATE A PROJECT. [00:45:05] SO THE PROJECTS I MENTIONED, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE ADVANCED THEM. AND THEN THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO REPORT OUT IS THAT THIS FRIDAY, THE REPRESENTATIVE STEVENSON AND OTHERS WERE ABLE TO ADVANCE A $750,000 APPROPRIATION THAT BECOMES ADDITIVE MONEY TO THE WEST AUGUSTINE MEDICAL CENTER THAT WE DISCUSSED EARLIER WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF GREG WHITE AND OTHERS. SO I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THAT'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF BIG NEWS. AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REPORT OUT ON THAT. AND, MAYOR, THAT'S WHAT I HAD. SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT BACK TO YOU. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT. I'M NOT SURE THAT I HEARD YOU SPEAK TO THE FIRE STATION. OH, I'M SORRY. YES. THE REASON I DIDN'T NECESSARILY SPEAK TO IT IS BECAUSE WE'RE WORKING VERY MUCH AT A STAFF LEVEL. BUT TO YOUR POINT, THAT WOULD BE THAT IS A PROJECT THAT IS ALSO UP FOR APPROPRIATION REQUESTS. WE'RE WORKING VERY MUCH AT A STAFF LEVEL WITH THE DEP RIGHT NOW ON PROPERTY ACQUISITION, BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT. QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? I WOULD SAY THAT THOSE ARE ALL GREAT THINGS TO COVER AND I CERTAINLY THINK WE HAVE THE NICHE ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND I THINK WE SHOULD DEFINITELY SPEAK ON THAT. BUT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT YOU DIDN'T MENTION UNDER THOSE PARTICULAR THINGS LIKE FOR THIS BUILDING, WE HAVE REPLACED A NUMBER OF THE WINDOWS, BUT WE HAVEN'T REPLACED ALL OF THE WINDOWS. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN. AND THEN I THINK OUR AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT, PARTICULARLY IN THIS ROOM. I MEAN, AS WE KNOW, IT'S LIMPING ALONG, IN MY OPINION. IT'S NOT KEEPING THE HUMIDITY DOWN AND IT'S TOO LOUD. SO BUT BUT I AGREE WITH THAT. I CERTAINLY AM TALKING TO PRIORITIES THAT I THINK WOULD BE CALLED OUT FROM THE REGIONAL COUNCIL PERSPECTIVE WILL BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS WELL AS RESILIENCY. SO BOTH OF THOSE THINGS ARE TOP OF MIND OF EVERYBODY. OTHER COMMENTS. SO I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY. JUST BEAR WITH ME FOR A SECOND. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT MY CENTRAL FLORIDA, WHERE I SPENT SOME YEARS GROWING UP. OVER THE LABOR DAY WEEKEND. AND I WAS LOOKING FOR MY HOMETOWN AND I COULDN'T FIND IT. I SPENT A LOT OF CHILDHOOD, SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THE OUTDOORS, RIDING HORSES AND HUNTING WITH MY FATHER, SORTS OF THINGS AND COULDN'T FIND IT. JUST LOOKED AND DROVE AND DROVE AND DROVE AND DROVE AND DROVE. AND I THOUGHT THIS WAS AS FAR AS IT SHOULD HAVE GROWN, YOU KNOW, THE SPRAWL OF THE AREA. AND IT JUST KEPT GOING AND IT LOOKED THE SAME NO MATTER WHERE I WENT. ANY PLACE USA, UNFORTUNATELY. AND I CAME BACK. SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY SHOULD. YES. CONTINUE OUR PRESERVATION WORK. BUT WE ALSO SHOULD REALLY KEEP IN MIND ON PRESERVING LAND, UNDEVELOPED LAND, AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. AND I GUESS IT'S FOR SELFISH REASONS BECAUSE OF WHAT I SAW. BUT IT'S NOT THE ONLY PLACE IN FLORIDA THAT IT'S HAPPENED TO. IT'S HAPPENED. WE WATCHED MY FAMILY ON MY FATHER'S SIDE WATCHED IT IN SOUTH FLORIDA. SO I WOULD LIKE AND IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN HERE. IT'S HAPPENING NOW. IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN MORE AND MORE AND MORE. I DON'T SEE ANY WAY TO STOP IT, UNFORTUNATELY. SO THE ONLY THING I CAN SAY IS THAT I HOPE THAT WE'RE ALWAYS VERY MINDFUL OF CONSERVING WHATEVER LAND WE CAN, AND THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT REALLY IS GOING TO HAVE TO BUY IT. TO BE ABLE TO FIND OUR WAY TO FIND. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE STRONG SUPPORT FOR WHATEVER ACQUISITION PROGRAMS. I KNOW THERE'S A NUMBER OF THEM THAT THE STATE DOES, BUT ALSO AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AND I APPRECIATE COMMISSIONER BLONDER'S EFFORTS AND INITIATIVES IN THOSE AREAS AS WELL. SO THAT'S JUST MY PIECE. SO THANK YOU FOR BEARING WITH ME AND MY SAD STORY OF MY. BUT YOU KNOW, THIS IS HOW WE LEARN. YOU KNOW, THIS IS HOW WE LEARN. WE SEE WHAT'S HAPPENED. AND I THINK WE CAN. WE CAN. THERE IS TIME. THERE'S TIME TO SAVE THINGS. SO I'M A FIRM BELIEVER IN THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WELL, I COULD NOT AGREE MORE WITH WHAT I'M HEARING BEING SAID BY MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS THIS PAST FEW MONTHS, AND PARTICULARLY THIS PAST WEEK, I'VE [00:50:04] HAD THE PLEASURE OF WATCHING A SMALL GROUP OF ST. AUGUSTINE CITIZENS TOIL, DIGGING OF THE GROUND, LOOKING AT THE HISTORY BENEATH OUR FEET. AND IT IS SO CONSIDERABLE AND SO FASCINATING WHEN YOU GET INTO IT AND WATCH WHAT THEY DO. I'VE HAD THE HONOR OF WATCHING THEM AT 115 BRIDGE, AND WE GET A LOT OF KUDOS BECAUSE WE'RE SAVING AN OLD BUILDING. BUT IT'S PHENOMENAL WHAT THEY DO DAILY, AND THAT'S VERY HARD WORK, WHAT THEY DO DAILY. I MEAN, IT IS MANUAL LABOR AND THE AMOUNT OF HISTORY IS BENEATH OUR FEET, ARGUABLY IS PURER THAN THE HISTORY THAT WE LIKE TO TALK ABOUT, WHICH IS THE BUILDINGS AROUND US. THESE BUILDINGS HAVE ALL BEEN REMODELED REPEATEDLY. AND OFTENTIMES THE HISTORIC FABRIC IS IS A DREAM TO SOME DEGREE. BUT WHAT I SEE THESE LADIES DO AND OUR COUNTRY OF VOLUNTEERS, WHICH IS AMAZING, THE GROUP THAT COMES OUT AND HELPS THEM. THEY'RE ACTUALLY INTO PARTS OF HISTORY THAT I'VE BEEN HERE 35 YEARS THAT I BET SOME OF YOU THAT WERE BORN HERE DON'T KNOW ABOUT. AND IT'S LIKE THE INDIAN VILLAGES THAT SURROUNDED ST. AUGUSTINE, WHERE THE MISSION SYSTEM COLLAPSED BACK INTO THE EXTERIOR WALLS DURING THE 1700S BECAUSE OF BRITISH AND INDIAN PRESSURES TO MOVE THEM. BUT IN ANY WAY I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMEHOW GOING FORWARD THAT WE FIND WAYS TO SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS. WE HAVE TO CITY ARCHEOLOGISTS WE HAVE UNDERSTAND 14 SQUARE MILES OF CITY AND MOST OF IT 75% OF IT, PROBABLY ALL OF IT, BECAUSE THIS AREA HAS BEEN INHABITED FOR 4000 YEARS BY THE PEOPLE THAT WERE HERE BEFORE THE EUROPEANS CAME. AND IT'D BE NICE IF WE COULD FIND SOME WAY TO FIND MORE HELP FOR THIS ORGANIZATION. I WAS FASCINATED WATCHING KALAKAUA. HALBERT WORKED FOR YEARS, BUT IN FACT, HE WAS THE ONE THAT MADE ME BECOME ARCHEOLOGIST IN MY OWN RIGHT, I GUESS AT MY OWN HEAD, ANYWAY. AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE OUR DEPARTMENT EXPAND. I'D LOVE TO SEE THE ABILITY TO CATALOG THESE MATERIALS. I'D LOVE TO SEE THE ABILITY TO DISPLAY THESE MATERIALS AND TO ENTICE YOUNG PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT TREASURES ARE UNDER OUR FEET HERE. AND ANYWAY, I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT GOING FORWARD AND FINDING A WAY TO FACILITATE THAT. JUST IT MADE ME THINK WHEN YOU MENTIONED ABOUT PURCHASING OF LANDS, THAT ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK IS SO UNIQUE AND IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY IS PARKS AND THERE ARE STILL SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO PURCHASE SOME PROPERTIES THAT COULD BE NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS. SO I'D LIKE TO KEEP AN EYE ON THAT. COMMISSIONER VALDES, I APPRECIATE YOUR YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT ARCHEOLOGY PROGRAM. I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE THE PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR CITY TO HAVE FULL TIME EMPLOYEES AS ARCHEOLOGIST. AND OF COURSE, CARL HALBERT, WHO IS OUR FIRST ARCHEOLOGIST, DESERVES SO MUCH CREDIT FOR ESTABLISHING THAT PROGRAM. OF COURSE, A RECIPIENT OF THE LOVE FLORIDA AWARD AS WELL. BUT YOU DESERVE CREDIT NOT ONLY FOR YOUR INVOLVEMENT, YOUR LEADERSHIP AT 115 BRIDGE, BUT YOUR LIFETIME OF WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY AS A HISTORIC PRESERVATIONIST. AND YOU'RE AN EXAMPLE TO OTHER BUILDERS AND YOU'VE BEEN INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN PRESERVING SO MANY OF OUR BUILDINGS ARE OUR OTHER BUILT ENVIRONMENT, THE FOUNTAINS IN PARTICULAR. AND SO THAT NEEDS TO BE RECOGNIZED AS WELL. MR. REGAN SPECIFICALLY WHEN WE SPEAK ABOUT THIS BUILDING, THE TERRACOTTA COLUMNS ON THE BACK OF OF THIS BUILDING ON THE TERRACE NOW MANAGED AND RECENTLY REDONE BY THE LIGHTNER MUSEUM, ARE IN VERY, VERY POOR CONDITION. AND SO I WOULD JUST WANT TO SPECIFICALLY HIGHLIGHT THOSE. OK I'M SURE YOU'LL BRING BACK FURTHER INFORMATION TO THE COMMISSIONER AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. LET ME JUST REFLECT BACK FOR THE RECORD WHAT I HEAR CONSENSUS ON, AND MAYBE I CAN MIRROR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE COULD GO AFTER THESE TOPICS THAT WERE RAISED. SO MAKING MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION AND ATTENTIVE OF THE STATE AND HOW THEY FUND THEIR LAND ACQUISITION PROGRAMS. TOTALLY. I THINK ALSO, YOU KNOW THAT AND WE CAN APPLY AND WORK TO OBTAIN THOSE FUNDS LATER. BUT THERE MAY BE A COUPLE PROPERTIES WITHIN THIS CITY NOW THAT I WONDER IF WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GO AFTER THEM DIRECTLY. SO I'M GOING TO LOOK AT THAT, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT, WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE CONSULTANTS. AND THEN THE OTHER ONE, JUST TO BUILD UPON COMMISSIONER VALDES' POINT, YOU KNOW, HISTORICALLY, OUR ARCHEOLOGISTS HAVE HAD TO WORK SO FAST [00:55:11] TO KEEP UP WITH THE PACE OF THINGS. AND THE HARD PART IS THE DOCUMENTATION AND THE CATALOGING AND ALL THE WORK THAT COMES LATER. REPORT WRITING. MAYBE WE COULD WORK, TALK TO OUR ARCHEOLOGISTS AND SEE IF WE COULD COME UP WITH A SOME TYPE OF PROJECT THAT HELPS ACCELERATE TAKING MUCH OF WHAT WE HAVE THE ARTIFACTS AND GETTING IT, CREATING A PROJECT THAT WOULD BE ALLOW US TO BRING IN OUTSIDE RESOURCES TO BUILD BETTER CATALOGS AND GET MORE MATERIAL ON DISPLAY AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. SO I APPRECIATE THAT COMMENT. WE'LL REPORT BACK AFTER WE HAVE A CHANCE TO SIT DOWN WITH OUR TEAM ON HOW WE MIGHT TAKE THAT TO THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MS. GALAMBOS, ANYTHING FURTHER? I HAVE ONE MORE THING. JUST A QUICK REMINDER THAT WE ARE STILL ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR OUR PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD. SO THE DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY AT FIVE, AND I ONLY HAVE TWO APPLICATIONS AND I HAVE ANOTHER VACANCY THAT NEEDS TO BE FILLED. SO PLANNING AND ZONING, CORRECT? WELL, WE HAD ONE TERM EXPIRATION, MIKE DAVIS, AND HE HAS REAPPLIED. I RECEIVED ANOTHER APPLICATION OF NOT RECALLING FROM WHOM, BUT WE HAVE TWO VACANCIES. PLUS. YES, GRANT. MR. LEE. MR. LEE. WHO ARE INELIGIBLE TO SERVE. CORRECT. AND I DO WANT TO THANK THEM VERY MUCH FOR THEIR SERVICE. ABSOLUTELY. DON'T MIND MY ASKING, WILL THESE SEATS VACATE OR ARE THEY VACANCY? ON THE 30TH OF THIS MONTH. I WAS GOING TO APPLY OK. MS. LOPEZ, NOTHING FURTHER. [14. ITEMS BY MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS] MR. REGAN, ANYTHING FURTHER? COMMISSIONER VALDES? COMMISSIONER BLONDER? CAN I GO? YES. VICE MAYOR SIKES-KLINE? OKAY, SO I JUST HAVE ONE REQUEST. WHAT I'D LIKE TO HEAR IS A REPORT OR AN UPDATE SPECIFICALLY ON THE MARIA SANCHEZ LAKE PROJECT AND WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT AND WHAT ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES THAT HAVE ARISEN THAT WE NEED TO ACCOMMODATE. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING, AND I DON'T HAVE ANY. COMMISSIONER BLONDER? I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT THE PLAN TO GO BEFORE THE COUNTY COMMISSION AT THEIR SEPTEMBER 20TH MEETING. COME CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONE. THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE HEARING. IT'S NOT HER THEN. WELL. YEAH. I'M SORRY. YOU'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO USE YOUR TEACHER VOICE. WAIT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. LET'S TRY THAT AGAIN. THANK YOU. OKAY, I'LL TRY. OH, OKAY. YEAH. I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED THERE, BUT THANK YOU. SO I DO WANT TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT I HAVE A PLAN TO GO BEFORE THE COUNTY COMMISSION JUST TO SPEAK PUBLICLY WHEN THEY CONSIDER THE PROPOSED. NOW IT'S WORKING. GREAT. THANK YOU. OKAY. I DID SOMETHING WRONG THEN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I FEEL LIKE I'M JUGGLING HERE. THEY ARE GOING TO CONSIDER A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT FOR A EXISTING AGRICULTURAL FARM TO GO TO AN INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX. AND IT'S CALLED THE ELKTON INDUSTRIAL PARK. AND THE ONLY REASON THIS CAME TO MY ATTENTION IS BECAUSE I SPEND A LOT OF TIME OUT THERE MAKING WEEKLY PILGRIMAGE TO COUNTY LINE PRODUCE BECAUSE THE PRODUCE IS SO GOOD, BUT ALSO ON THE BIKE TRAIL. SO I SPENT A LOT OF TIME OUT THERE. I NOTICED THIS WAS HAPPENING AND SO I STARTED JUST DIGGING IN A LITTLE BIT TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. AND I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I'M PLANNING TO DO THIS. AND IT'S ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT OF A SEGWAY NOW THAT YOU'VE VICE MAYOR HAS BROUGHT UP THIS YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT SPRAWL, BECAUSE I GREW UP IN FORT LAUDERDALE. MY, THE HOUSE THAT I GREW UP IN NO LONGER EXISTS. THAT NEIGHBORHOOD IS BASICALLY GONE BY REDEVELOPMENT. AND SO I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ENTIRELY. I WOULD HOPE THIS IS AN OUTSIDE HOPE HERE, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO ASK. BUT I WOULD HOPE TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THIS COMMISSION. BUT I'M ABSOLUTELY PREPARED TO OFFER MY COMMENTS FROM AN UNOFFICIAL POSITION AS A CITIZEN OF THE OF THE COUNTY. I AM ALSO NOT PLANNING TO TRY TO TELL THE COUNTY COMMISSION WHAT TO DO AT ALL. WHEN I STARTED DIGGING IN TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE COUNTY, I WAS A [01:00:04] DOCUMENT. IT'S 190 PAGES THAT WAS PREPARED AT THE COUNTY COMMISSION'S REQUEST. THEY PAID FOR THIS CONSULTANT IN 2009, AND I HAVE NOT READ 190 PAGES WORD FOR WORD, BUT THERE'S SOME REALLY INTERESTING HISTORY, AND I AM BY NO MEANS AM I AN HISTORIAN, SO I'M A BIT OUT OF MY WHEELHOUSE. BUT I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT I LEARNED IN HERE AND WORKING ACROSS THE STREET AT FLAGLER COLLEGE. OF COURSE, I CAN'T GET OUT FROM UNDER THE HISTORY OF HENRY FLAGLER. AND SO I GUESS WHAT I'M REALLY TRYING TO SAY IS THAT HISTORICALLY THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE COUNTY AND THE CITY, AND THOSE CONNECTIONS ARE STILL ALIVE IN THE FORM OF THE FARMERS THAT WORK THOSE FARMS, MULTIGENERATIONAL THE LIVESTOCK, THE RHYTHMS OF THE FARMING FROM EVERYTHING FROM THE CROP DUSTERS TO THE WORKERS THAT GO OUT AND PICK THE PRODUCE. SO THOSE CONNECTIONS IS REALLY WHAT I WANT TO TRY TO HIGHLIGHT JUST TO TO RAISE AWARENESS THAT THERE IS A HISTORY, IT STILL EXISTS AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT HISTORY THAT WAS BEGUN REALLY BEFORE THE FLAGLER ERA OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION. BUT IT WAS CERTAINLY DEVELOPED AT THAT TIME. AND AND SO IN THIS DOCUMENT, THE DOCUMENT ACTUALLY ITSELF WAS ITS GOAL WAS TO IDENTIFY FARMSTEADS IN THAT PART OF THE COUNTY THAT COULD BE RECOGNIZED BY THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES AND SO THEREFORE PRESERVED. SO THERE'S 44 OF THESE THAT WERE HIGHLIGHTED THAT WERE WELL RESEARCHED THAT COULD BE INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER. AND THE DOCUMENT FURTHER GOES ON TO TALK ABOUT HOW HERITAGE TOURISM COULD BE AN IMPORTANT WAY TO PROTECT THE THE AGRICULTURAL CULTURE OF THAT REGION AND THEREFORE, IN MY OPINION, HELP PROTECT OUR HISTORY. AND SO ONE OF THE QUOTES FROM THE DOCUMENT IS, QUOTE, SUBSTANTIAL GROWTH IN THE COUNTY'S AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE STEMS FROM THE FLAGLER ERA. ALSO INTERESTINGLY, HENRY'S COUSIN, THOMAS HASTINGS, WAS TAPPED BY HENRY TO ESTABLISH AN EXPERIMENTAL FARM IN THE AREA THAT LATER BECAME KNOWN AS HASTINGS. IT WAS LIKELY THE FIRST OF FLAGLER'S SEVERAL EXPERIMENTAL FARMS AND TOWNS IN FLORIDA. AND THEN HENRY FLAGLER MADE USE OF HIS ENTREPRENEURISM IN THE FORM OF HIS RAILROAD NETWORK TO SUPPLY HIS RESORTS, INCLUDING FLAGLER COLLEGE. AND THESE OVER HERE WITH THE BOUNTY OF PRODUCE GROWN IN THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE COUNTY. SO IN MY MY SENSE IS THAT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION IN THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE COUNTY AND THE CITY LIVES ON TODAY IN ITS ACTIVE FARMING COMMUNITIES. AND MULTIGENERATIONAL FAMILY FARMS, MANY OF WHICH HAVE STRONG FAMILY CONNECTIONS THAT SPAN ACROSS THE CITY AND THAT PART OF THE COUNTY TO WHICH I REFER THE FAMILY NAMES, THE MINORCA NAMES, FOR EXAMPLE. I AM CONCERNED PERSONALLY THAT IF THIS PLAN AMENDMENT MOVES FORWARD, IT COULD SET A PRECEDENT THAT COULD FOREVER SEVER OR CUT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THIS CITY AND ITS IMPORTANT AND ADJACENT AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE. SO I WANTED TO BRING THAT UP AND LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M GOING TO SAY MUCH OF THIS. IT'S GOING TO BE SHORTER, OBVIOUSLY IN MY THREE MINUTE COMMENTS WHEN I GO TO THE COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING ON THE 20TH. COMMISSIONER HORVATH? RIGHT. I THINK THAT SOUNDS FASCINATING. AND I DO HAVE A COPY OF THAT, BUT I HAVEN'T READ ALL OF IT EITHER. BUT I HOPE TO. BUT THOSE CONNECTIONS, I THINK, ARE CRITICAL. THE OTHER THING, THOUGH, ABOUT THE SPRAWL AND THE PAVING OF OUR AGRICULTURE IS IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO FOR RESILIENCY. WE HAVE TO HAVE THESE OPEN AREAS TO ABSORB THE WATER FOR OUR AQUIFER. SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST HOPE THEY'RE GOING TO BE THINKING VERY INTENTLY ABOUT THIS CHANGE. VICE MAYOR. I WANT TO SAY SO MUCH. I WANT TO SAY SO MUCH. BUT ON MY FAMILY, ON MY MOTHER'S SIDE IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THOSE MULTIGENERATIONAL FARMS IN THE STUDY. YEAH. YEAH. AND SO I'M SO HAPPY TO HEAR THAT YOU'VE FOUND USE OF IT AND THAT YOU CAN FIND USE OF IT. AND A LOT OF TIMES WE HEAR, OH, THAT STUDY WAS PUT ON THE SHELF AND NEVER USED AGAIN. WELL, THAT ONE'S BEEN ON THE SHELF A LONG TIME SO FAR. [01:05:03] I REMEMBER GOING BACK WHEN THEY DID IT AND HERE IT IS BEING USED STILL TODAY. SO NEVER JUST BECAUSE IT COLLECTS A LITTLE DUST DOESN'T MEAN IT'S DEAD OR NOT USEFUL. SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP. AND I FULLY SUPPORT YOUR COMMENTS AT THE COMMISSION. AND, YOU KNOW, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CHANGES, THAT'S THOSE ARE A BIG DEAL BECAUSE THAT'S THE COMMUNITY'S VISION. AND THAT'S WHEN WE SAID WE ALL END THE PUBLIC PROCESS AND IT IS A LENGTHY PUBLIC PROCESS, SAID THIS IS HOW WE WANT TO GROW. THIS IS THE DENSITY WE WANT, THIS IS THE HEIGHT WE WANT. THIS IS WHERE WE WANT FARMLAND. THIS IS WHERE WE WANT GROWTH. AND WHEN YOU START MESSING WITH THAT, IT'S SERIOUS STUFF. YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE JUST PICKING AND CHOOSING HERE AND THERE AND YOU'RE GETTING INTO DIFFICULT WATERS. SO THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING UP. AND I HOPE YOU'LL REMIND THEM IF YOU HAVE A LITTLE IF THEY'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE THAN 3 MINUTES. I ADMIRE YOU FOR DOING THAT. THANK YOU. THIS WAS TOUCHED UNDER WITH ME. SO I'VE GOT TO OPINE JUST A LITTLE BIT ON THIS. AND I SUPPORT YOU 100%. AND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO. I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN PINELLAS COUNTY, BORN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, RAISED IN PINELLAS COUNTY. I REMEMBER PINELLAS COUNTY. IT WAS STILL ORANGE GROVES AND COMMERCIAL FISHING. IT'S THE FURTHEST THING YOU GET FROM THERE. IT IS NOTHING BUT PEOPLE AND THE GROVES ARE GONE. THE FISHING IS DONE TO SPORTFISHING. I REMEMBER MY FAMILY WAS KISSIMMEE. THE KISSIMMEE AREA WAS RANCHING AND ALLIGATORS. THAT'S ALL GONE. ALLIGATORS. STILL, THEIR BRANCHES ARE SPARSE. FLORIDA'S WHEN I RAN FOR OFFICE, IT FOLLOWED FLORIDA. IT'S LIKE A GLASS IS FILLING IT UP FROM THE BOTTOM. IT'S OUR TURN. THE DEVELOPMENTAL INTERESTS IN THIS STATE WHO HAVE OWNED THE STATE SINCE 425 YEARS ARE AN AWESOME, AWESOME ADVERSARY. I BECAME A RESTORATION CONTRACTOR. I COME FROM A FAMILY OF DEVELOPERS. WE RAPED AND PILLAGED THEIR OWN HOME. I BECAME A RESTORATION CONTRACTOR, RECYCLABLE BUILDINGS, BECAUSE I WANTED NO PART OF IT. I APPLAUD YOUR EFFORTS. I HOPE THEY LISTEN. UNFORTUNATELY, BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE AND WATCHING IT FOR 70 SOME ODD YEARS, IT'S WE HAVE A WE HAVE WE HAVE TO FIGHT VERY HARD TO PRESERVE WHAT LITTLE IS LEFT. AND I THINK WE'VE DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB WITH FISH ISLAND SO FAR AND WHAT COUNTY ACQUIRING THE GEM OF OUR PROPERTY. BUT WE HAVE TO ACQUIRE MUCH, MUCH MORE. AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN MANAGE THAT, BUT THANK YOU FOR TRYING AND I ENCOURAGE YOU AS WELL. I THINK I THINK IT'S A FAIR INTERPRETATION OF THE LAST THE AUGUST 24TH ELECTIONS THAT THERE WAS A VERY, VERY STRONG ANTI GROWTH SENTIMENT EXPRESSED COUNTYWIDE. I JUST I FIND NO RATIONALE FOR THIS PROPOSAL. IT MAKES NO SENSE ON ANY LEVEL THAT I CAN SEE. AND SO I VERY MUCH ENCOURAGE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING OF YOUR TIME TO PROCEED. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT. THIS IS STEPPING OUTSIDE MY YOU KNOW, MY ROLE HERE. I UNDERSTAND THAT. AND BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE THAT STAND IN WHAT YOU ALL HAVE SAID GIVES ME A LOT OF COURAGE TO DO THAT. SO THANK YOU. ANYTHING FURTHER? IF NOT, WE'LL CONSIDER OURSELVES ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.