[00:00:03]
ALL RIGHT. WE ARE CALLED TO ORDER.
[1. Call to Order]
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.IS PASTOR ELLIOT ALICIA HERE? HE IS NOT HERE YET.
ALL RIGHT. WELL, I SEE SOMEONE.
THERE HE IS. THERE HE IS, PASTOR.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, WILL YOU, PLEASE? YOU'RE WELCOME TO STAND AT THE PODIUM AND WE WILL HAVE OUR INVOCATION.
AND WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE FOLLOWING LED BY VICE MAYOR ROXANNE HORVATH.
LET'S PRAY. OUR FATHER, WHO IS IN HEAVEN SACRED IS YOUR NAME.
YOUR KINGDOM COME, YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH, EVEN AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
FATHER, WE ASK THAT TODAY YOU WOULD GUIDE THE AFFAIRS OF THIS CITY, THAT YOUR WISDOM AND YOUR GUIDANCE WOULD ALLOW OUR CITY LEADERS TO DEAL WITH COMPETENCE, WITH CONFIDENCE, AND WITH COMPASSION.
THAT THEY WOULD SEEK TO DO ALL THAT IS RIGHT AND HONORABLE BEFORE YOU AND THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY.
WE ASK THAT OUR YOUNG ONES WOULD CONTINUE TO BE BLESSED BY THE ALL OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE AFFORDED BY THIS GREAT CITY, THAT THE SACRED TRADITIONS AND THE HISTORIC LEGACY OF THE CITY WOULD BE CONTINUED TO BE HONORED AND KEPT.
THAT WE WOULD HEED THE WORDS OF SOLOMON, MAY THE LORD OUR GOD BE WITH US AS HE WAS WITH OUR FATHERS.
MAY HE NOT LEAVE US, NOR FORSAKE US, THAT HE MAY INCLINE OUR HEART, THAT WE MAY INCLINE OUR HEARTS TO HIMSELF, TO WALK IN ALL OF HIS WAYS AND TO KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS AND HIS STATUTES AND HIS JUDGMENTS, WHICH HE COMMANDED TO OUR FATHERS.
WE ASK ALL OF THIS IN YOUR PRECIOUS NAME.
AMEN. PLEASE JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE.
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 AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
ALL RIGHT. SO FIRST ON THE AGENDA, WE HAVE MODIFICATION AND APPROVAL OF OUR REGULAR AGENDA.
[2. ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS]
MR. CITY MANAGER, DO YOU HAVE ANY MODIFICATIONS? MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS.GOOD EVENING. STAFF HAS ONE MODIFICATION.
WE WOULD LIKE TO TABLE ITEM TEN A THE PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF THE 2022 FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT PLAN AND RESCHEDULE THAT FOR THE MAY 22ND MEETING.
ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER PROPOSALS FOR MODIFICATION OF THE AGENDA? I DO HAVE ONE MYSELF.
AND SO THAT IT WOULD COME AT THE END TO GIVE OUR GUESTS THAT WERE AT THE PRIOR CELEBRATION COMMEMORATION A CHANCE TO COME BACK IN THE ROOM AND PARTICIPATE IF THEY'D LIKE TO.
SO DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED WITH MODIFICATIONS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
[3.B. Proclamation 2023-16: Proclaims May 2023 as Older Americans Month. (N. SikesKline, Mayor)]
ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S MOVE RIGHT ALONG.UM, SO OUR FIRST PROCLAMATION WILL BE, UM, OLDER AMERICANS MONTH, AND THAT WILL BE PRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER BLONDER.
AND WHEREAS, THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE AND THE COUNCIL ON AGING ARE COMMITTED TO STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITY BY CONNECTING WITH AND SUPPORTING OLDER ADULTS, THEIR FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS, AND ACKNOWLEDGING THEIR MANY VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOCIETY.
[00:05:02]
PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL.AND WHEREAS, OUR COMMUNITY AND THE COUNCIL ON AGING CAN PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENRICH THE LIVES OF INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES BY PROMOTING AND ENGAGING IN ACTIVITY, WELLNESS AND SOCIAL INVOLVEMENT, EMPHASIZING HOME AND COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES THAT SUPPORT INDEPENDENT LIVING AND ENSURING COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN BENEFIT FROM THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPERIENCE OF OLDER ADULTS.
NOW, THEREFORE, WE, THE SAINT AUGUSTINE CITY COMMISSION, HEREBY PROCLAIMS MAY 2023 AS OLDER AMERICANS MONTH AND URGES EVERY RESIDENT TO TAKE TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE OLDER AMERICANS I'M SORRY, OLDER ADULTS AND THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE THEM AS POWERFUL AND VITAL INDIVIDUALS WHO GREATLY CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THIS IS SIGNED BY OUR MAYOR, NANCY SIKES-KLINE.
THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. WELL, WE WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU AND FOR ACKNOWLEDGING OUR OLDER AMERICANS, THE OLDER MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND FOR PARTICIPATING WITH US IN SUPPORTING THOSE OLDER MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
JUST TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH, I'LL SAY THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER.
WE HAD OUR CENTENARIAN LUNCHEON WHERE WE HAD AT THAT OCCASION LAST WEEK, I THINK IT WAS 23 PEOPLE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 100 AND 108.
WE HAD BETWEEN THE AGES OF 95 AND 100.
I THINK IT WAS 37 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
YEAH. YEAH. SO WE HAVE SOME VERY HEALTHY SENIORS AND THEY NEED ALL THE HELP THEY CAN GET.
AND THAT'S A NO SMALL PART TO THE WORK OF YOUR RAWLS ORGANIZATION.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO AT THE COUNCIL ON AGING.
ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GET A PICTURE.
OKAY, SO OUR NEXT PROCLAMATION IS NATIONAL JEWISH HERITAGE.
[3.C. Proclamation 2023-21: Proclaims May 2023 as St. Augustine Jewish Heritage Month. (N. Sikes-Kline, Mayor)]
MONTH. HERITAGE AND HISTORY MONTH.AND IT WILL BE THIS PROCLAMATION WILL BE PRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD.
THANK YOU. RABBI SHAPIRO, WOULD YOU COME UP, PLEASE? YOUR ENTOURAGE.
HEY, HEY, HEY. OKAY, A PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS HERITAGE AND HISTORY ARE EVER PRESENT IN THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AND THE PAST IS PART OF THE FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THE JEWISH COMMUNITY PROUDLY LABORS IN THE VINEYARD TO KEEP THAT HERITAGE AND HISTORY ALIVE.
AND WHEREAS, ON APRIL 20TH, 2006, PRESIDENT GEORGE W BUSH SIGNED THE OFFICIAL DOCUMENT DECLARING MONTH OF MAY TO BE JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH. AND WHEREAS, THE SAINT AUGUSTINE JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY HAS ESTABLISHED AS A FACT THAT THE FIRST JEWS IN WHAT WOULD BECOME THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CAME ACROSS IN SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AND TOOK PART IN THE FOUNDING OF OUR COUNTRY'S FIRST EUROPEAN CITY AND THE VERY BEGINNINGS OF THE AMERICAN JEWISH HERITAGE.
AND WHEREAS, THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF THE CITY PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN THE QUEST FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, LED BY REVEREND MARTIN LUTHER KING AND SAINT AUGUSTINE DURING THE SUMMER OF 1964, INCLUDING THE LARGEST MASS ARREST OF RABBIS IN US HISTORY.
[00:10:04]
FACT THAT THE PAST REMINDS US OF TIMELESS HUMAN TRUTHS AND ALLOWS FOR THE PERPETUATION OF NOURISHING CULTURAL TRADITIONS HERE IN THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE.SIGNED BY NANCY SIKES-KLINE MAYOR [APPLAUSE].
WE ARE ALL GRATEFUL FOR THIS RECOGNITION AND PROCLAMATION, BUT EVEN MORE GRATEFUL FOR THE FACT THAT THE ELECTED OFFICIALS OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE AND THEIR ENTIRE STAFF ARE SO DEDICATED AND DEVOTED TO PRESERVING OUR HISTORY, NOT JUST OUR JEWISH HISTORY, BUT ALL OF OUR HISTORY AND SO MANY OTHER PLACES.
THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. THANK YOU.
[3.D. Proclamation 2023-24: Proclaims May 2023 as National Drug Court Month in the City of St. Augustine. (N. Sikes-Kline, Mayor)]
OUR NEXT PROCLAMATION IS.HERE WE GO. I AM THE NEXT ONE PRESENTING, AND I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE JUDGE ALEX CHRISTINI AND HIS CREW. ANYONE ELSE? MR. RALPH CUMBERBATCH.
ALL RIGHT. PLEASE STEP FORWARD.
WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU JOIN US.
I'M GOING TO JUST TURN IT OVER TO YOU AND YOU CAN INTRODUCE EVERYONE.
OH, GOOD. YAY! MR. CUMBERBATCH WHEN YOU'RE FINISHED TAKING PICTURES, YOU'RE DEFINITELY WELCOME TO COME FORWARD.
ALL RIGHT. SO HERE IS THE PROCLAMATION.
THAT COURT SPARKED A NATIONAL REVOLUTION THAT CHANGED THE FACE OF THE AMERICAN JUSTICE SYSTEM.
AND WHEREAS, FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS, DRUG COURTS HAVE SERVED 1.5 MILLION INDIVIDUALS, RESTORED LIVES, REUNITED FAMILIES, AND MADE COMMUNITIES ACROSS THIS NATION SAFER.
WHEREAS TREATMENT COURTS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVES SUBSTANCE USE, TREATMENT OUTCOMES, SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCE SUBSTANCE USE AND CRIME, AND DO SO AT A LESS EXPENSE THAN ANY OTHER CRIMINAL JUSTICE STRATEGY.
WHEREAS 75% OF TREATMENT COURT GRADUATES WILL NEVER SEE ANOTHER PAIR OF HANDCUFFS AND SAVES ON AN AVERAGE OF $6,000 FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL SERVED.
WHEREAS DRUG COURTS DEMONSTRATE THAT WHEN ONE PERSON RISES OUT OF DRUGS AND CRIME, WE ALL RISE.
AND THE TIME HAS COME TO PUT A DRUG COURT WITHIN THE REACH OF EVERY ELIGIBLE PERSON IN NEED.
WHEREAS SAINT JOHNS COUNTY DRUG COURT HAS COMPASSIONATELY SERVED ITS COMMUNITY FOR 20 YEARS AND LOOKS TO CONTINUE PROVIDING OPTIMUM CARE TO EVERY PARTICIPANT ENTERING THIS PROGRAM.
NOW, THEREFORE, WE, THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 2023 AS NATIONAL DRUG COURT MONTH IN THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, RECOGNIZING THE SUCCESSFUL WORK OF THE PRACTITIONERS AND PARTICIPANTS OF THE DRUG COURT PROGRAM
[00:15:07]
AND URGES ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN IN RECOGNIZING THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS OF DRUG COURTS AND TO CONGRATULATE DRUG COURT GRADUATES THIS YEAR [APPLAUSE].SHE IS SO SUPPORTIVE AND THE CITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN SO SUPPORTIVE OF DRUG COURT.
AND WE'RE HAVING OUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF DRUG COURT THIS YEAR IN SAINT JOHNS COUNTY.
RALPH? MR. CUMBERBATCH, WHERE'D YOU GO? COME ON UP HERE. COME ON UP HERE.
THIS GENTLEMAN HAS BEEN WITH OUR DRUG COURT SINCE THE BEGINNING.
HE KEEPS IT RUNNING LIKE A WELL-OILED MACHINE.
THAT'S MR. RALPH CUMBERBATCH [APPLAUSE].
AND USUALLY WHAT HAPPENS, I COME UP HERE AND I TALK ALL ABOUT DRUG COURT.
I'M GOING TO ASK MY PEOPLE IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU, MADAM MAYOR, TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
I'VE BEEN IN DRUG COURT NOW ABOUT 14 MONTHS AND DRUG COURT HAS SAVED MY LIFE.
I JUST I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH FOR JUDGE CHRISTINI, RALPH CUMBERBATCH AND THAT EPIC TEAM PROBATION.
I'M JUST STOKED AND I'M JUST TICKLED TO DEATH.
I SEE. I SEE THINGS NOW THROUGH SOBER EYES, AND I JUST.
I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.
I'M JUST GLAD. GLAD TO BE HERE [APPLAUSE].
HI, I'M DONNA MITCHELL AND I'M A PARTICIPANT OF DRUG COURT AND IT HAS CHANGED ME INSIDE.
AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYONE TO START A NEW LIFE [APPLAUSE].
HELLO, I'M INDIA WILLIAMS. I'M A DRUG COURT COUNSELOR WITH EPIC [APPLAUSE].
YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. MY NAME IS BRIAN O'NEILL.
I'M THE PROBATION OFFICER FOR DRUG COURT [APPLAUSE].
AS JUDGE CHRISTINI SAID, MY NAME IS RALPH, AND THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY [APPLAUSE].
WE'VE GOT THESE PROFESSIONALS, MOST IMPORTANTLY, TREATMENT PROFESSIONALS.
SO WHAT WE DO IS WE'RE TAKING THESE FELONS OFF THE FELONY DOCKETS.
THESE ARE HIGH RISK, HIGH NEED FOLKS, MOST OF WHOM ARE HEADED FOR PRISON.
AND WE PUT THEM COMING TO COURT WEEKLY WITH OUR TEAM HERE OF TREATMENT PROFESSIONALS.
AND THERE'S PROSECUTORS AND PUBLIC DEFENDERS, AND THEY GET A LOT OF COUNSELING AND TREATMENT.
AND WHEN THEY GO SIDEWAYS, IF THEY IF THEY MESS UP, THE RESULT IS QUICK.
IT'S USUALLY AN ADJUSTMENT, GIVING THEM MORE TREATMENT, MORE COUNSELING, MORE.
SOMETIMES MIGHT HAVE TO GIVE THEM A LITTLE JAIL TIME TO MAKE THEM REMEMBER WHERE THEY CAME FROM.
THERE'S NO GOOD TREATMENT PROGRAM THERE.
AND WHAT HAPPENS IS THEY COME OUT OF PRISON.
THEY'VE GOT AN ALMOST AN 80% RECIDIVISM RATE.
THEY GOT ABOUT LESS THAN AN 18% RECIDIVISM RATE.
AND WE DO IT ALL FOR LESS THAN HALF THE COST.
AND YOU HEARD SOME OF THOSE STATISTICS.
AND AS ROCKY SAID THIS, THIS ISN'T JUST SAVING TAXPAYER MONEY, WHICH IT DOES, BUT WE'RE SAVING LIVES, NOT JUST THE LIVES OF THE PARTICIPANT. WHAT WE GOT A COUPLE DOZEN BABIES BORN HEALTHY, AND THESE ARE ALL MOTHERS AND FATHERS AND BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
AND I SEE ONE OF OUR PUBLIC DEFENDERS WHO FOR MANY YEARS, KELLY TRAYNOR IS HERE.
STAND UP, KELLY, SO THEY CAN SEE YOU [APPLAUSE].
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE SUPPORT, MADAM MAYOR.
SHE'S SHE'S BEEN AT MORE GRADUATIONS THAN PROBABLY KELLY HAS.
[00:20:02]
SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT [APPALUSE].THANK YOU, MADAM. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[3.E. Proclamation 2023-23: Proclaims May 21-27, 2023 as National Public Works Week in the City of St. Augustine. (N. Sikes-Kline, Mayor)]
WHEREAS PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS FOCUS ON INFRASTRUCTURE, FACILITIES AND SERVICES THAT ARE VITAL IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES AND TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH, HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE AND WELL-BEING OF THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE.AND WHEREAS, THESE INFRASTRUCTURE, FACILITIES AND SERVICES COULD NOT BE PROVIDED WITHOUT THE DEDICATED EFFORTS OF PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE ENGINEERS, MANAGERS AND EMPLOYEES AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE SECTOR WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR REBUILDING, IMPROVING AND PROTECTING OUR NATION'S TRANSPORTATION, WATER SUPPLY, WATER TREATMENT AND SOLID WASTE SYSTEMS, PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND OTHER STRUCTURES AND FACILITIES ESSENTIAL FOR OUR CITIZENS.
AND WHEREAS, IT IS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST FOR THE CITIZENS, CIVIC LEADERS AND CHILDREN IN THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE OF AND TO MAINTAIN A PROGRESSIVE INTEREST AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC WORKS AND PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES.
AND WHEREAS, THE YEAR 2023 MARKS THE 63RD ANNUAL NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK SPONSORED BY THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF MAY 21ST THROUGH THE 27TH OF 2023 AS NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK AND THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE AND CALLS UPON ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND ACTIVITIES, EVENTS AND CEREMONIES DESIGNED TO PAY TRIBUTE TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS, ENGINEERS, MANAGERS, AND EMPLOYEES, AND TO RECOGNIZE THE SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS THEY MAKE TO PROTECTING OUR NATION'S HEALTH, SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND WITNESS THEREOF I HEREBY SET MY HAND AND CAUSE THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE TO BE AFFIXED THIS 8TH DAY OF MAY IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2023, AND THE 457TH YEAR OF THE FOUNDING OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, THE NATION'S OLDEST CITY, SIGNED BY OUR MAYOR, NANCY SIKES-KLINE [APPLAUSE]. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GARRIS.
AND SO I ACCEPT THIS ON BEHALF OF REUBEN FRANKLIN, THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR.
[00:25:01]
AND SO THEY'RE THERE SETTING UP THE DECORATIONS FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, LITTER, PICKUP, STREET SWEEPING, SOLID WASTE, MAKING SURE YOUR WATER AND SEWER ARE OPERATING.SO I APPRECIATE IT [APPLAUSE].
ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE ONE LAST PROCLAMATION TO DO.
THAT'S RIGHT. AND WE SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST.
NO, NO, NO. NOT PICKING FAVORITES.
[3.A. Proclamation 2023-09: Proclaiming May 2023 as National Historic Preservation Month. (N. Sikes-Kline, Mayor)]
SO THIS IS NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION MONTH AND IT WILL BE PRESENTED BY VICE MAYOR ROXANNE HORVATH.WE HAVE THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE HISTORIC PRESERVATION STAFF TO RECEIVE THIS.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY? YES, PLEASE. PLEASE COME UP.
LOOK AT ALL THIS CROWD. HELLO.
[INAUDIBLE] WELL, I THINK THIS IS THE MAXIMUM WE'VE EVER HAD, SO.
ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY READY? WE'RE GOING TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS THE NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACT OF 1966 IS ACKNOWLEDGING THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING OUR NATION'S HERITAGE, ESTABLISHED A PROGRAM OF IDENTIFICATION, EVALUATION AND PROTECTION OF HISTORIC AND PREHISTORIC PROJECTS, AND CONTAINS THE LEGAL BASIS FOR THE FEDERAL, STATE LOCAL PRESERVATION PARTNERSHIP, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROGRAM.
AND. WHEREAS, THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE WAS DESIGNATED AS A CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN 1986 AS A COMMITMENT TO PRESERVE, PROTECT AND INCREASE AWARENESS OF OUR UNIQUE CULTURAL HERITAGE.
AND WHEREAS, 40 YEARS AGO, THE CITY COMMISSION REORGANIZED THE HISTORIC ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD AND IDENTIFIED THE BOARD'S DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES TO FURTHER PROTECT THE ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY OF THE CITY AND OUR HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
AND WHEREAS, PRESERVATION OF OUR HISTORIC RESOURCES IS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST AND VITAL TO THE LEGACY OF CULTURAL, EDUCATIONAL, ESTHETIC, INSPIRATIONAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS AND SHOULD BE MAINTAINED AND ENRICHED FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
AND WHEREAS, 100 YEARS AGO, THE SAINT AUGUSTINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OPENED AN INDEPENDENT RESEARCH LIBRARY THAT CONTINUES TO BE A VALUED RESOURCE ON THE HISTORY, CULTURE AND ARCHITECTURE OF SAINT AUGUSTINE AND COLONIAL FLORIDA.
AND 20 YEARS AGO, THE BRIDGE OF LIONS WAS SAVED FROM DEMOLITION AFTER LOCAL ADVOCACY EFFORTS.
AND WHEREAS, THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF MAY, THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE WILL CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE THE CITY'S DIVERSE CULTURAL HERITAGE WITH LOCAL HISTORY, ARCHITECTURE AND ARCHEOLOGICAL ARCHEOLOGY FOUND IN OUR IRREPLACEABLE PLACES THAT HOLD THE STORIES OF ALL AMERICANS BY RECOGNIZING AND HONORING IMPORTANT POINTS IN OUR CITY'S VAST HISTORY AND THE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO HELP PRESERVE THESE PLACES THAT SHAPE OUR CITY.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 2023 AS NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION MONTH AND CALLS UPON ALL RESIDENTS TO JOIN THEIR FELLOW CITIZENS IN RECOGNIZING AND PARTICIPATING IN THIS SPECIAL OBSERVATION.
AND IT'S SIGNED BY NANCY SIKES-KLINE, OUR MAYOR [APPLAUSE].
[00:30:07]
MY NAME IS JULIE COURTNEY.I AM THE CITY'S HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER.
AND AS WE CELEBRATE NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION MONTH, WE CERTAINLY HAVE A LOT TO BE THANKFUL FOR AND PEOPLE TO RECOGNIZE, WHICH WE CANNOT DO TONIGHT, UNFORTUNATELY, FULLY BUT QUICKLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COMMISSIONERS, THE CITY MANAGEMENT STAFF, OUR DIRECTORS FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROGRAM AND OUR CITY'S RECENT TEAMWORK TO ADVOCATE FOR AMENDMENTS OF TWO PROPOSED BILLS THAT COULD HAVE SERIOUSLY IMPACTED OUR HISTORIC FABRIC PROVED TO BE SUCCESSFUL FOR THE SAINT AUGUSTINE CITY.
BECAUSE OF ALL OF OUR EFFORTS AND OUR TEAMWORK, STARTING WITH OUR MAYOR, OUR CITY MANAGER, JOHN REGAN, CITY ATTORNEY, ISABELLE LOPEZ AND STAFF OUR PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION DIVISION STAFF, ALONG WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE CONSULTANTS AND HELP FROM OUR HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES CINDY STEVENS, THE FLORIDA TRUST, THE NATIONAL TRUST, AND THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.
AND WE'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS THE LAST FEW MONTHS ABOUT HOW OUR CITY'S HISTORIC PRESERVATION EFFORTS WORK HAND IN HAND WITH THE HARD WORK WE ARE DOING AS A CITY FOR RESILIENCY.
OUR CITY TRULY RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR RESILIENT HERITAGE AND THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF OUR LOCAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION EFFORTS CANNOT BE DENIED.
WITH THE ESTIMATED $2.9 BILLION VALUE OF HERITAGE TOURISM AND THE MILLIONS OF HISTORIC TOURISTS OR THE TOURISTS WHO ARE SEEKING HISTORIC OPPORTUNITIES AND EXPERIENCES THAT COME EACH YEAR.
AND OUR CITY HAS RECOGNIZED THE VALUE OF OUR UNIQUE AND LONG HISTORY AS THE NATION'S OLDEST CITY AND OUR SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL, ARCHITECTURAL AND ARCHEOLOGICAL RESOURCES WITHIN ALL OF THE ARCHEOLOGY ZONES.
OUR NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK TOWN PLAN AND BUILDINGS, OUR SEVEN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICTS, FIVE LOCAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION ZONING DISTRICTS, AND OUR LOCAL HISTORIC LANDMARKS.
AND WE JUST WANT TO THANK YOU TO ALL THESE PEOPLE HERE AND THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU REPRESENT WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING, DOING THE HARD WORK OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION FOR . I'LL JUST LET EVERYONE INTRODUCE THEMSELVES VERY QUICKLY BECAUSE I CAN'T RECOGNIZE YOU ALL BY NAME.
SO IF YOU WANT TO SAY WHO YOU ARE AND WHO YOU REPRESENT.
[00:36:50]
OKAY. VERY GOOD.[4. PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS OR FOR AGENDA ITEMS NOT REQUIRING A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING]
SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON.OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS.
THESE ARE FOR ITEMS THAT ARE AGENDA ITEMS, NOT REQUIRING A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND UP FIRST, I HAVE MR. JOHN MILLER, FOLLOWED BY CHRIS FULMER.
MY NAME IS JOHN MILLER, STILL, 1 HAWKSBILL LANE, STILL.
UM, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING.
DOES THIS GUY EVER QUIT? NO, I AM PERSISTENT.
KELLY BARRERA, BOARD MEMBER, ONCE SAID, YOU'RE PERSISTENT, AND APPARENTLY YOU'RE A KID ADVOCATE.
UM, AGAIN, I AM HOPING THAT WE CAN GET A RESOLUTION PROCLAMATION FROM THE COUNCIL TO ESTABLISH A MUNICIPAL YOUTH COUNCIL ADVISORY COUNCIL.
UM, BUT WE'RE GLAD TO, TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT.
THERE ARE 70 SOME SUCH ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS STATE.
BUT TODAY I WANTED TO TAKE A SECOND HERE.
I WANT TO SAY THAT TOO OFTEN WE CONFUSE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT WITH INTELLIGENCE.
AND I'M FOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT.
BUT AT ANY RATE, I MY POINT IS THAT I THINK EXPERIENCE COUNTS, TO USE AN AGE OLD PHRASE.
WHAT I WANT TO DO IS READ YOU A LETTER THAT I GOT EIGHT MONTHS AGO AND I TELL YOU THIS IS SHAMELESS, BUT NEVERTHELESS, I DID CALL ERIC, THE GENTLEMAN THAT WROTE IT, AND ASK HIM AND HE SAID, OKAY, GO AHEAD AND READ IT.
SO BEAR WITH ME JUST FOR A SECOND.
DEAR MR. MILLER, OR PERHAPS NOW I CAN CALL YOU JOHN.
AFTER ALL, IT HAS BEEN 25 YEARS SINCE I WAS IN YOUR MODEL UNITED NATIONS AT SOUTHVIEW HIGH SCHOOL.
YOU MAY KNOW OR YOU MAY NOT KNOW.
I WORK FOR THE US DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND HAVE SINCE I GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE.
I'VE BEEN POSTED AROUND THE WORLD AND NOW MY WIFE AND I AND DAUGHTER LIVE IN D.C..
IT'S A JOB I LOVE AND YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE MODEL UNITED NATIONS AT SOUTHVIEW HIGH SCHOOL, THE TRAVEL TO CONFERENCES AROUND THE COUNTRY DEBATING ISSUES FROM A VARIETY OF NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES, HAVING YOU TAKE US TO HEAR SPEAKERS ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, OUR RESEARCH INTO ISSUES AND THE MECHANISMS WHICH CAN BE EMPLOYED TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES WERE WHAT LED ME TO THE POSITION I NOW HOLD.
[00:40:07]
YEARS. AS YOU RECALL, I WAS A GOOD STUDENT, BUT NOT A GREAT STUDENT.YOU HAD ME IN CLASS, SO YOU KNOW THAT.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME MR. MILLER BUT I WANTED YOU TO KNOW HOW MUCH A CLUB CAN AFFECT A LIFE.
I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
THANK YOU, MR. MILLER. SURELY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRIS FULMER, FOLLOWED BY MS. BJ KALAIDI. HI, GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS CHRIS FULMER. I LIVE IN SAINT AUGUSTINE.
CHRIS, CAN I INTERRUPT YOU ONE MOMENT? I BEG YOUR PARDON? CAN YOU LIFT THAT MICROPHONE JUST A TINY BIT? NO WORRIES. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WEREN'T THERE A WEEK AGO, THERE WAS A MARCH FROM THE LEITNER GARDENER GARDENS TO THE FORT GROUNDS DOWN SAINT GEORGE STREET. IT WAS THE SPRING INTO ACTION RALLY SPONSORED BY THE YOUNG DEMOCRATS OF SAINT JOHNS COUNTY.
IT WAS WELL ATTENDED BY ALL AGES.
THERE WERE PEOPLE THERE MARCHING FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS, VOTING RIGHTS, LGBT RIGHTS, HEALTH CARE RIGHTS.
WE GOT THE FORT, THEY HAD SPEAKERS.
THE STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS OVER, AND TO CALL IT DISAPPOINTING WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
THE ONE THING THAT TRULY NEEDED ATTENTION PROPERTY INSURANCE WAS VIRTUALLY IGNORED.
HOMEOWNERS ARE FACING UP TO 100% INCREASES OR MORE.
THEIR WINDSTORM POLICIES ARE INSANE.
CONDOS AND APARTMENTS ARE EVEN IN WORSE SHAPE.
MY CONDO IS GOING UP 150% JUST ON WINDSTORM.
MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO USE THE INSURER OF LAST RESORT CITIZENS.
AND SO I BEG OUR LEGISLATORS, PLEASE, TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE THINGS THAT ACTUALLY AFFECT US.
WE NEED MORE COMPASSION IN OUR COURT SYSTEM.
WE NEED MORE COMPASSION IN OUR SOCIETY.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE HISTORY FESTIVAL AND IT'S THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
SO NOW IS THE TIME TO ENJOY YOUR CITY FOR A FEW WEEKS.
COME DOWN, PATRONIZE LOCAL BUSINESSES, TIP YOUR SERVERS.
OKAY, IF YOU COULD PLEASE HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE.
MS. KALAIDI. YOU'RE THE LAST SPEAKER CARD.
YOU ARE INVITED TO COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND SPEAK.
BJ KALAIDI, WEST CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE.
SLEEPING DURING THE DAY IS ALLOWED.
LOOK. AND JUDY, WHO KNOWNTO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DOES ANYONE KNOW IF SLEEPING DURING THE DAY IS OCCURRING AT COQUINA PARK? I DON'T THINK SO. THESE PHOTOS SHOW WHAT IS LEFT, INCLUDING DEPENDS IN THE PALM TREES.
IT'S A SHAME BUT THIS GOES ON IN OUR CITY.
CRAZY STALLION CLASSIC LAGER CANS ARE LEFT IN AREA TWO CLOSE TO US-1 AND LEWIS BOULEVARD. I WAS ALLOWED TO BRING THIS IN.
[00:45:04]
THE SOLUTION, NOT JUST TO SHOW YOU THIS, BUT I GOT A SOLUTION ON THIS ONE, WOULD BE THE SERENITY CLUB AT 18 SOUTH DIXIE HIGHWAY COULD ALLOW THESE INDIVIDUALS TO SLEEP ON THEIR PROPERTY.PART OF THE RECOVERY COULD BE TO GO AROUND OYSTER CREEK AND PICK UP THE BEER CANS AND TRASH THAT IS LEFT BY INDIVIDUALS WHO DO NOT RESPECT THE PARK.
THIS IS ONGOING EVERYWHERE IN THIS CITY WHERE THE PARKS ARE, BUT I THINK MORE SO IN WEST CITY.
THEN I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ON NUMBER TEN C.
WHAT WOULD BE THE COST TO TAXPAYERS FOR SIGNS? AND NUMBER TWO QUESTION WHO WILL DECIDE WHO RECEIVES THE DONATIONS TO ASSIST THE HOMELESS? THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER BROUGHT ANYTHING IN TO REALLY SHOW YOU.
AND I THINK THE REASON FOCUS, FOCUS.
TO LET YOU KNOW WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM AND WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE IT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER CARDS? COMMENT CARDS? NO.
IF NOT, THEN THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
[5. CONSENT AGENDA]
UM, MR. CITY MANAGER, WE'RE MOVING ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.WE HAVE A REMINDER OF UPCOMING MEETINGS THE MAY 22ND, 2023 3 P.M.
WE HAVE THE MAY 20TH 22ND 2023 5 P.M.
REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING.
REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING JUNE 26TH, 2023 5 P.M.
REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING.
WE HAVE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PRIOR COMMISSION MEETINGS.
MARCH 27TH, 2023 REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING.
WE HAVE A RELEASE OF LIEN FOR UNIT CONNECTION FEE MORTGAGE AT 445 POMONT AVENUE, BONNIE RACKLIFF.
WE HAVE A APPROVAL OF THE DONATION OF A RETIRING 2012 CHEVY TAHOE TO SAINT JOSEPH ACADEMY.
MADAM MAYOR. YES? YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. I WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE THE FIRST BULLET ON ITEM CA THREE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA REGARDING THE SPECIAL MEETING.
WHAT? CA THREE THE MAY 22ND MEETING.
I'D LIKE TO REMOVE THAT FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SO YOU HAVE A MOTION TO PASS THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH A MODIFICATION TO DELETE THE FIRST BULLET [INAUDIBLE] TO DELETE IT FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA, BUT BRING IT ON TO THE REGULAR AGENDA, IF WE COULD, FOR A BRIEF.
OH, YOU WANT TO MODIFY THE CONSENT AGENDA? OKAY, SO YOUR MOTION IS TO MODIFY THE CONSENT AGENDA? YES. ALL RIGHT.
SO WHAT WE WILL HEAR IS A MOTION.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED, EXCEPT FOR CA THREE A MAYBE.
WE'RE DOING THIS BACKWARDS, BUT HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THAT? I'LL MAKE THAT. NO, IT'S FINE.
ALL THOSE IN [INAUDIBLE]. IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, AYE, AYE.
SO WE WILL MOVE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM CA THREE BULLET ONE TO.
YOU COULD DO IT RIGHT NOW IF YOU LIKE TO.
OKAY. THE REASON I WANTED IT TO BE PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA IS THAT I THINK IT'S PREMATURE TO DO A STRATEGIC PLAN REVIEW WITH THE TRANSITION AND THE CITY MANAGER POSITION, AND I WOULD LIKE TO POSTPONE THAT STRATEGIC PLAN REVIEW TO SOMETIME LATER IN THE SUMMER OR AT ANOTHER, I THINK, IMPROVED TIME.
[00:50:08]
THE MEETING IS REALLY ABOUT THE BUDGET.AND ONE THING THE STRATEGIC PLAN REVIEW IS SHOULD BE A MULTI HOUR EVENT.
TYPICALLY, WE SCHEDULE IT IN THE MORNING.
I WOULD RECOMMEND SCHEDULING IT EARLIER IN EARLY JUNE.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN COVER IN THIS MEETING, I KNOW EACH OF YOUR PRIORITIES THAT ARE HAVE FINANCIAL FISCAL IMPACTS. AND SO MAYBE WE COULD JUST GET THOSE PRIORITIES ON THE TABLE WITHOUT HAVING AN EXTENSIVE REVIEW OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE AND ENDORSE THE COMMISSIONER'S POINT.
WELL, AND YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN.
HOWEVER, THE WAY WE SUPPOSE IT IS A BIT OF AN UNUSUAL YEAR FOR US, BUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS INTEGRAL TO OUR FINANCES AND HOW WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO IS THERE ANY COMPONENT AT ALL THAT COULD BE INCLUDED? I CAN I CAN CUT TO THE CHASE ON TOPICS THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE FINANCE TEAM THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF YOUR AGENDAS THAT YOU'VE BEEN SHARING WITH ME PRIVATELY.
WE'LL PUT THEM ON THE TABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE FINE AND IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG DAY, TOO.
ALL RIGHT. SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION WITH THE PROPER MODIFICATIONS? SURE. IF YOU WANT TO JUST, YOU KNOW, TO CLARIFY THE RECORD THAT THERE WILL BE A MEETING ON MAY 22ND AT 3 P.M..
ALL RIGHT. THEN WE WILL HAVE THE MEETING ON MAY 22ND AND THAT THE AGENDA WILL BE ADVERTISED.
SO WE HAVE NO GENERAL PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS.
UM. SEVEN A ITEMS OF ITEM SEVEN B ITEMS OF GREAT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE.
[7.B.1. City Manager appointment discussion. (J. Regan, City Manager)]
THIS IS THE CITY MANAGER APPOINTMENT DISCUSSION AND BEFORE I ASK CITY MANAGER JOHN REGAN TO KICK IT OFF OR I WILL KICK IT OFF.AND THEN IF YOU NEED IT TO HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY, I'LL BE HAPPY TO.
YOU CAN ADD TO WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.
I WANT TO THANK ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE CALLED AND EMAILED AND GIVEN US INPUT ON THIS MATTER.
IT HAS BEEN VERY HEARTENING TO HAVE THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE PUBLIC ON THIS.
AND I KNOW IT HAS TO BE A TOUGH PLACE TO BE IN RIGHT NOW.
EACH JUST TO EACH CANDIDATE YOU ARE, BUT YOU ARE ALL THREE VERY HIGHLY VALUED AND VALUABLE TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US.
AND I THINK I SPEAK FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON AT THIS TABLE.
UM. AS FOR ME, PLEASE KNOW THAT.
AND I HOPE I'M SPEAKING FOR EVERYONE AT THE TABLE AS WELL, THAT I WHATEVER DECISION IS MADE AVAILABLE TO DISCUSS MY DECISION AND ANY REMAINING OR LINGERING QUESTIONS, I'M FULLY OUT THERE READY TO TALK.
UM. SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS I'D LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT TO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS ABOUT THE PROCESS, BECAUSE AS I SAID, THIS RESTS THIS DECISION RESTS SQUARELY ON OUR SHOULDERS AND OUR SHOULDERS ALONE.
SO THE PROCESS THAT I HAVE IN MIND IS THAT I THINK WHAT WOULD BE BEST IS THAT IF I WOULD CALL ON YOU ONE BY ONE.
UM, IF YOU ALL AGREE AND CALL YOU ONE BY ONE TO SPEAK INDIVIDUALLY WITH NO CROSS TALK NECESSARILY OR DISCUSSION ITEM, BUT EACH ONE OF US SHOULD HAVE A FULL AMOUNT OF TIME TO SAY WHAT WE NEED TO SAY, AND THAT WILL GIVE EVERYONE UNINTERRUPTED TIME TO SPEAK AND ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL TO US.
[00:55:02]
LISTEN TO OUR PEERS THOROUGHLY.I WILL ALSO ASK THAT YOU PLEASE KEEP YOUR POINTS CONCISE AND IN A POSITIVE FRAME.
HOW ABOUT ANYTHING YOU HAVE TO ADD, MR. CITY MANAGER? I'LL JUST SAY, I KNOW THAT I'VE SPOKE WITH EACH OF YOU.
I KNOW HOW MUCH YOU'VE BEEN, HOW THOUGHTFUL, HOW IT'S BEEN A DIFFICULT CHOICE.
AND FOR ME, I FEEL GOOD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE THREE SO HIGHLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND TO BE A DIFFICULT CHOICE.
AND I'VE ENJOYED EACH OF OUR CONVERSATIONS.
I'VE LEARNED QUITE A BIT ABOUT EACH OF YOU IN THE PROCESS AND WHAT YOU VALUE.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU MAYOR.
THANK YOU. I COULD ADD A LOT TO THAT, BUT.
I THINK WE HAVE AN IMPORTANT BUSINESS HERE TO ATTEND TO.
SO I WOULD I WOULD START IF EVERYBODY AGREES WITH THE PROCESS I LAID OUT.
I WILL START WITH VICE MAYOR ROXANNE HORVATH.
OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OUR DECISION TONIGHT IS NOT AN EASY ONE, AS WE ALL KNOW.
WE ALL KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS DECISION.
IT WILL IMPACT OUR CITY FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
HAVING SERVED AS CITY COMMISSIONER FOR NOW MY 11TH YEAR, AS WELL AS PROFESSIONALLY AS AN ARCHITECT AND FOR NUMEROUS YEARS IN PLANNING AND ZONING AND ON MANY OF THE BOARDS FOR THE CITY. I KNOW EACH OF THESE OUTSTANDING APPLICANTS.
I'VE REALLY ENJOYED THE SELECTION PROCESS FROM THE PRESENTATIONS THAT WERE GIVEN AT OUR LAST MEETING TO THE ONE ON ONE INTERVIEWS. I'VE LEARNED A LOT.
I FEEL EACH CANDIDATE BRINGS A UNIQUE SET OF SKILLS THAT ARE BENEFICIAL TO OUR SPECIAL CITY.
AND I'M SO HAPPY THAT ALL THREE WORK FOR OUR CITY.
MY ANALYSIS HAS LED ME TO THE SELECTION OF DAVID BIRCHIM FOR OUR CITY MANAGER.
HE HAS SERVED FOR OVER A YEAR AS THE ASSISTANT MANAGER, WHICH HAS GIVEN HIM A BREADTH OF EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE OF MOST OF OUR CURRENT HOT ISSUES PROJECTS THAT WILL, WHEN COMPLETED, FURTHER OUR VISION FOR THE CITY.
WELL, I THANK VICE MAYOR FOR SAYING ALL MY NOTES SO ELOQUENTLY.
I GOT A LOT OF INPUT LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE FROM THE COMMUNITY, AND IT WAS JUST REALLY NICE.
I THINK THE PRESENTATIONS HELPED BRING THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED IN THAT.
ALL THE INTERVIEWS WENT WELL AS EXPECTED.
YOU KNOW, THERE WAS NO SURPRISES THERE.
BUT BUT ONE CANDIDATE DID STAND OUT.
AND I THINK PART OF THIS IS THAT WE NEED TO RESPECT THE SUCCESSION PLAN THAT THE CITY HAS IF WE'RE GOING TO HIRE WITHIN A GOOD MANAGER, WOULD PLAN FOR HIS EXIT OR HIS EXCUSE ME, DEATH OR HOSPITALIZATION WITH SOMEONE WITH A PLAN OF HOW THE CITY WOULD CONTINUE TO RUN WITH LEADERSHIP.
AND SO I ALSO AM RECOMMENDING THAT WE HIRE DAVID BIRCHIM FOR THAT REASON.
HE SAT IN THE POSITION OF SUBSTITUTE.
HE ALSO TO ME, WHAT SOLD ME COMPLETELY WAS HIS PRESENTATION.
HE DOES SEE THE BREADTH OF WHAT THE CITY NEEDS.
HE'S FOCUSED ON IMPROVEMENT AND I THINK HE'S READY TO TAKE THE THE REINS.
THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD.
UM, IT WAS REALLY REFRESHING TO INTERVIEW AND TO MEET WITH ALL THE CANDIDATES.
I HAVE A LITTLE DIFFERENT WINDOW BECAUSE I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH THEM.
BUT I TOO TALKED TO THEM AND I'VE HAD TO MEET WITH MEREDITH AND DAVID WHEN JOHN WASN'T AVAILABLE.
[01:00:02]
AND I SEE A LEVEL OF PRECISENESS THAT DAVID BIRCHIM BRINGS TO THE CITY.SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, HE'S DOING A GREAT JOB.
AND I DID SPEAK TO THE CITY MANAGER AS TO WHY HE TOOK HIM OFF FOR PLANNING AND PLANNING AND ZONING, BECAUSE I LIKE TO KNOW EVERY ASPECT BEFORE I MAKE A DECISION, BECAUSE, AGAIN, WE HAD THREE GREAT CANDIDATES.
AND HE SAID BECAUSE HE WAS, YOU KNOW, HE HAD TOO MUCH ON HIS PLATE, BASICALLY.
AND BIRCHIM JUMPED IN THERE AND DID THE THING.
BUT DAVID REMINDS ME OF I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY WATCHED DEXTER, AND HE'S SO PRECISE ABOUT FIXING THINGS AND DOING THINGS, BUT WHEN HE'S FINISHED, IT'S EXCELLENT.
AND SO HE HAS THAT CONCEPT AND IT'S NOT SAYING ONE PATTERN OR ANOTHER PATTERN IS BETTER, BUT HE'S A GREAT PRESENTER, SO HE WILL REPRESENT OUR CITY WELL.
THE THING ABOUT THE CITY MANAGER, THEY ARE OUR FACE OF THE CITY AND THEY ARE THE FIRST AREA OF CONTACT THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO REACH OUT TO WHEN THEY WANT TO ENGAGE IN ANY KIND OF CITY GOVERNMENT.
AND I THINK HE WILL DO US PROUD.
AND HE EVEN SAID DURING THE COURSE OF HIS PRESENTATION THAT HE'S GOING TO BE GOING AROUND TO DIFFERENT THINGS, TO THE BUSINESSES AND DIFFERENT THINGS AND BE MORE AVAILABLE.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GARRIS.
I'M GOING TO STEP IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT DIRECTION AND I HAVE.
I'LL BE AS BRIEF AS I CAN, I PROMISE.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY EVERYTHING THAT I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO SAY.
FIRST, I'M GOING TO START WITH THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARILY DIFFICULT DECISION.
I HAVE LISTENED TO EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY WHO HAS CONTACTED ME.
I DEEPLY RESPECT THEIR INSIGHTS.
AND I CERTAINLY THE MOST DIFFICULT DECISION IN MY RELATIVELY BRIEF TENURE ON THE COMMISSION AND THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE BY FAR, ANY ONE OF THESE CANDIDATES.
WE HAD THREE GREAT INTERNAL CANDIDATES AND ANYONE WOULD MAKE AN EXCELLENT CITY MANAGER.
ALL THREE HAVE A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE.
EVERY ONE OF THEM CAME ACROSS WITH THOSE VALUES.
DURING THE PROCESS OF INTERVIEWING THE THREE CANDIDATES.
I THINK SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES, IF NOT ALL OF YOU, PROVIDED THEM WITH PREPARED QUESTIONS OVER TWO ROUNDS OF PRIVATE INTERVIEWS AND DURING THE SECOND ASKED THEM TO COMMENT ON AN ARTICLE THAT ADDRESSES SPRAWL AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
I CAREFULLY CONSIDERED THEIR PRESENTATIONS AT OUR LAST MEETING, AND THEN I MADE A SPREADSHEET.
WHAT I'VE HAD THE RARE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AS A COMMISSIONER IS THAT THE CITY, THE CITY NOT ONLY FACES ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES SUCH AS FLOOD RESILIENCY, BUT ALSO FACES DEEPLY IMPORTANT SOCIAL ISSUES.
WHAT I NOW KNOW IS THAT WE CAN ONLY BE SUCCESSFUL IN MEETING OUR ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES IF WE WORK AT THE SAME TIME TO MEET OUR SOCIAL CHALLENGES AS IS HAPPENING IN MANY, MANY OTHER COUNTRIES.
AND SO IN ANY EVENT, SO MY SPREADSHEET INCLUDED, I'M JUST GOING TO PUT THEM INTO CATEGORIES HERE FOR ATTRIBUTES, STRATEGIC PLANNING AND VISION/ QUALITY OF LIFE WORKFORCE AND PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES FOR THE POSITION IN SOME CASES.
AND WITHOUT GOING INTO GREAT DETAIL, BUT THE ANALYTICAL SKILLS, FOR EXAMPLE, OF MR. GRANT AND HIS MAINTAINING THE HIGH LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT PEOPLE DON'T EVEN RECOGNIZE UNTIL SOMETHING BREAKS DOWN, THOSE ARE AMAZINGLY, HE'S
[01:05:01]
OUT THERE DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE RAIN BOMB WHEN THE SEWAGE MAIN IS BROKEN WITH HIS STAFF.THAT'S A HUGELY IMPORTANT SKILL.
DAVID BIRCHIM HAS LED US FROM EVERYTHING FROM THE SAILING CENTER TO THE TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO THE PRECIPICE OF THESE REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUES.
AND THEN REUBEN FRANKLIN, OF COURSE, HAS SPEARHEADED THE MOBILITY PLAN.
SO HE UNDERSTANDS THE NEED TO REALLY HAVE A TIGHT FOCUS ON A PRIORITY ISSUE AND MAINTAIN THAT.
SO I END WITH REUBEN BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE HE'S THE ONE WHO CAN HELP US BUILD SUPPORT FOR MAKING AND IMPLEMENTING THE DIFFERENT THE DIFFICULT DECISIONS WITH OUR CITIZENS, BUT ALSO ACROSS BOUNDARIES ORGANIZATIONAL, NATIONAL, REGIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND INTEREST GROUPS BOTH WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE CITY.
WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO CREATE AN EVEN BETTER WORLD CLASS CITY TO MAINTAIN OUR QUALITY OF LIFE, TO MAKE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE BETTER FOR OUR CITIZENS AND A BETTER EXPERIENCE FOR OUR TOURISTS.
AND IT'S MY OPINION THAT MR. FRANKLIN IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO MEET THAT CHARGE.
AND SO I AM, BECAUSE OF THE TIGHTNESS OF THIS DECISION MAKING PROCESS, I AM WILLING TO CHANGE MY VOTE IF THAT IS THE DIRECTION THAT THE COMMISSION IS HEADED.
THANK YOU. AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.
SO FOR ME, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SHARING.
IT'S IT'S GREAT TO HEAR ALL THESE ALL OF YOUR OPINIONS ON THINGS.
SO AS FOR ME, I DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET EACH CANDIDATE IN PERSON TWICE, LISTENED TO THE PRESENTATION AT THE LAST MEETING, AND I TOO HAVE COME TO A DECISION.
JUST AS MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS HAVE SAID, I DO SUPPORT DAVID BIRCHIM AS OUR NEXT CITY MANAGER.
HE WAS PLACED IN THE CITY MANAGER POSITION FOR A GOOD REASON.
HE HAS A QUIET CALMNESS AND HE CONDUCTS HIMSELF AT ALL TIMES IN A HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL MANNER.
HE FOLLOWS UP AND HE FOLLOWS THROUGH.
DAVID IS ALSO A GOOD COMMUNICATOR IN BOTH IN SPEAKING AND IN WRITING.
AND HE IS A GOOD PROBLEM SOLVER.
AND LORD, WE HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS THAT NEED TO BE SOLVED.
HIS SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE HAVE STOOD OUT TO ME, AND THAT IS THE AREA OF LAND USE.
HIS UNDERSTANDING OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AND COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING ARE SO IMPORTANT AND IF THERE IS ANY ONE ISSUE THAT STANDS OUT THAT REALLY GETS US IN THE CITY, IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WRAPPED AROUND THE AXLE, IT'S LAND USE CONFLICT.
AND I THINK DAVID IS PARTICULARLY STRONG IN THAT AREA.
OBVIOUSLY THAT'S HIS BACKGROUND.
HE DOES RESPECT PUBLIC OPINION, HIGHLY RESPECTS PUBLIC OPINION, AND THAT IS SO IMPORTANT.
HE HAS THE RESPECT OF HIS PEERS AND HIS COWORKERS.
AND I DON'T HAVE MUCH ELSE TO ADD WITHOUT GETTING MYSELF IN TROUBLE.
OKAY. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
CONGRATULATIONS, MR. BIRCHIM. YOU WILL BE OUR NEXT CITY MANAGER [APPLAUSE].
MR. GRANT AND MR. FRANKLIN, WHO IS NOT WITH US, BUT WE KNOW HE IS WATCHING LIVE STREAMING AS AS HE AS HE CAN.
WITH THAT SAID, WE DO HAVE ADDITIONAL BUSINESS TO CONDUCT ON THIS DECISION.
[01:10:03]
WE WILL RECESS FOR THE NEXT.IS TEN MINUTES ENOUGH? 15, 20 MINUTES.
OKAY. WE WILL RECESS FOR 20 MINUTES.
I'M CALLING THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER.
WE ARE ON ITEM SEVEN B TWO REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF THE CITY MANAGER EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT TEMPLATE.
[7.B.2. Review and approval of the City Manager employment contract tremplate. (I. Lopez, City Attorney)]
UM. MS. CITY ATTORNEY, MADAM MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.THIS IS A BIT ANTICLIMACTIC AFTER THE LAST ITEM, BUT THIS IS SORT OF THE HOUSEKEEPING PORTION OF IT BEFORE YOU IS THE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME TEMPLATE YOU SAW AT OUR LAST MEETING WITH THE COUPLE OF CHANGES THAT YOU REQUESTED.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR APPROVAL OF THE TEMPLATE AND THEN ALL THAT WILL BE LEFT IS PLACING IN MR. BIRCHIM'S NAME HIS START DATE AND THE SALARY THAT HE WILL BE TOUCHING BASE WITH EACH OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY ON.
ALL RIGHT. ANY COMMENTS? QUESTIONS? I MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THIS WITH THE CHANGES MADE.
I SECOND AND I WANTED TO THANK THE CITY ATTORNEY FOR PUTTING THAT ALL TOGETHER FOR US.
ALL RIGHT. ANY COMMENTS? QUESTIONS? FURTHER DEBATE.
SECTION 11 IS THE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION.
THERE ARE SOME MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS IN IT IF YOU IF YOU SCROLL THROUGH, THERE'S A PROCESS OF A WRITTEN SUMMARY AND EVALUATION, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE EMPLOYEE TO RESPOND AND FOR YOU TO LOOK AT IT AS WELL.
BUT IT IS IT'S IF IT DOESN'T HAPPEN, THEN THE IT'S NOT CONSIDERED A BREACH OF THE CONTRACT.
YEAH. YEAH. SO I KNOW IT'S VERY MINIMAL WHAT'S IN THERE.
AND I KNOW IN THE PAST, PRIOR TO YOU COMING ON, THERE'S BEEN SOME BACK AND FORTH WITH MR .
REGAN ON WHEN TO HAVE THE ANNUAL EVALUATION AND WHAT TO INCLUDE.
SO THAT'S ALWAYS A SUBJECT OF BACK AND FORTH WITH THE CITY COMMISSION.
OKAY. YES. AND I'M GENERALLY OF THE OPINION THAT IT GOES HAND IN HAND WITH THE BUDGET.
UM, BUT THAT HAS CHANGED, LIKE MS. LOPEZ SAID IT'S KIND OF STARTED IN ONE PLACE, MOVED TO ANOTHER.
BUT, MR. CITY MANAGER, YOU HAVE A COMMENT? UM, FIRST, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN EVALUATED BY EVERY COMMISSIONER ON EVERY EVALUATION, BUT MOST OF MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN MOST COMMISSIONERS LIKE TO HAVE A VERY DEEP, PRIVATE DISCUSSION. WE HAVE DEVELOPED A VERY GOOD WHAT I THINK IS A VERY GOOD EVALUATION FORM.
JUST YOU'RE BRINGING BACK A RECOLLECTION.
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT IT DID MOVE AROUND HAD TO DO WITH HURRICANES AND OR COVID, I BELIEVE.
SO THERE WERE SOME REASONS WE NORMALLY DO ALL EMPLOYEE EVALUATIONS IN AUGUST, SEPTEMBER.
AND SO IT WAS THAT WAS THE CYCLE.
YEAH. SO AND I DON'T DOES THIS HOW DOES THIS CONTRACT STATE TEMPLATE STATE DOES IT JUST REFER TO IT OR DOES IT SAY WHEN IT IS? IT JUST REFERS TO IT.
THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER, BLONDER, I THINK THE CITY MANAGER ANSWERED, MADE MY POINT THAT I WAS GOING.
ALL RIGHT. SO DOES ANYONE HAVE A MOTION TO OFFER? I DID. OH, YOU DID? OKAY, WE HAVE A SECOND. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? YES, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, AND WE WERE IN DEBATE.
THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, AYE.
THERE ARE NONE. UNANIMOUS VOTE.
[01:15:02]
LOST MY PLACE FOR A MINUTE THERE.ALL RIGHT. LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS.
WE HAVE A SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING FOR ORDINANCE 2023-15, MS.
[8.A. Ordinances - Second Reading 8.A.1. Ordinance 2023-15: Second reading ordinance clarifying residency requirements of the City Manager. (I. Lopez, City Attorney)]
CITY ATTORNEY. YES.SIMILARLY, YOU HAD TASKED ME WITH COMING UP WITH THREE ALTERNATIVES.
SO YOU'LL HAVE TO PICK ONE OF THE THREE.
THE THREE ALTERNATIVES WE DISCUSSED AT THE LAST MEETING WAS TO HAVE A RADIUS FROM THIS LOCATION.
SO PICK ONE OF THE THREE IF YOU'RE SO INCLINED.
SO I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND GO ON THIS.
SO WE HEARD TONIGHT THAT THE 80 ACRES, JUST FOR JUST FOR REFERENCE SAKE, IS APPROXIMATELY FIVE MILES FROM THE DOWNTOWN HISTORIC CORE.
SO IT WAS WITHIN THE FIVE MILES OF THE CORE.
AND YOU CAN SEE IT ON YOUR LITTLE MAPS.
SO IF YOU SCROLL OR FLIP, DEPENDING ON IF YOU HAVE A PAPER VERSION, YOU SHOULD SEE A MAP GENERATED BY GIS OF OF EVERY OF THE THREE OPTIONS. SO YOU'LL SEE IN THE KEY THE FIRST ONE HAS A RADIUS OF FIVE MILES.
YOU SHOULD HAVE THREE ORDINANCES AND THREE MAPS.
PERHAPS MARIN CAN HELP ME PUT IT UP.
I DOWNLOADED MINE FROM THE WEB PAGE.
SO BLESSEDLY THE PUBLIC WILL HAVE ALL THREE.
SO GENERALLY THE REFERENCE POINT.
THIS ONE MINE SHOWS FIVE MILES.
NO CAN DO THIS, I THINK WITH A RADIUS, NANCY.
YES, THE RADIUS IS FIVE MILES.
BUT HOLMES BOULEVARDS ABOUT TWO, TWO AND A HALF IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP.
OH, IS THAT IT? YOU GO NORTH AND THEN GO NORTH.
OKAY. THAT DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT TO ME.
BUT. OKAY, SO WITH THE CENTER POINT BEING HERE AT CITY HALL, THE FIVE MILE RADIUS EXTENDS NORTH OF THE AIRPORT ALMOST TO I-95 ON THE WEST, RIGHT NORTH OF THE AIRPORT, ON THE NORTH DOWN TO SAINT AUGUSTINE SHORES IN THE SOUTH.
AND OF COURSE, WE KNOW THE OCEAN.
SO HOW HOW DOES EVERYBODY FEEL ABOUT THE FIVE MILES? YEAH. NO, IT WASN'T INITIALLY.
BUT WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET AT IS THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY, NO FURTHER THAN A SINGLE POINT OUT, FIVE MILES FROM ANY BOUNDARY OF THE CITY.
BUT THIS DOES THE SAME THING, WHAT I THOUGHT.
WE DISCUSSED IT AT THE LAST MEETING.
COMMISSIONER BLONDER IS CORRECT.
HER INITIAL SUGGESTION WAS FROM ALL THE BOUNDARIES.
BUT AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A VERY INTERESTING BOUNDARY.
YEAH. AND I JUST THOUGHT FOR SIMPLICITY'S SAKE, MAKING A DOT AT HERE AT CITY HALL AND LOOKING AT FIVE MILES OUT, SEVEN MILES OUT AND TEN MILES OUT, AND THEY ARE FIXING TO, THAT'S A GOOD SOUTHERNISM, TO SHOW YOU THOSE THREE MAPS.
SO IS THAT THE FIVE MILE OUT, FIVE, FIVE MILE RADIUS? I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ZOOM OUT A LITTLE BIT, MADAM MAYOR.
YES, HE'S WORKING ON JUST DOING A ROUGH CALCULATION.
AND YOU CAN SEE IT JUST BY KNUCKLES AND THE SCALE HERE.
I WOULD SAY GO WITH SEVEN MILES.
PAST [INAUDIBLE] WOULD BE ROUGHLY VERMONT HEIGHTS ON THE WEST PAST THE INTERSTATE.
PAST THE CASTLE NORTH OF CASTLE COLA ON THE NORTH.
OH, IT'S EVERYWHERE. BUT JACKSONVILLE, BASICALLY.
WELL, IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE NORTHWEST PART OF THE COUNTY.
ALL RIGHT. SO, OKAY, SO WE ARE IN A PUBLIC WE ARE ON A SECOND READING.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF MS.
[01:20:02]
LOPEZ BEFORE WE OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? ALL RIGHT. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN.I HAVE ONE SPEAKER CARD AND THAT IS MS. BJ KALAIDI. KALAIDI.
BJ KALAIDI, WEST CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE.
AND THE REASON IS WE IN THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE GET TO PAY DOUBLE TAXES.
WE PAY IN THE CITY, WE PAY IN THE COUNTY.
AND I THINK THAT'S VERY WRONG.
I THINK YOU SHOULD IT WOULD HELP, I THINK IF IT WAS REQUIRED THAT THEY MOVE INTO THE CITY IF SOMEBODY GETS IT THAT LIVES IN THE COUNTY.
BUT I DON'T THINK THIS IS RIGHT TO HAVE SOMEONE REPRESENTING OUR CITY THAT DOES NOT LIVE IN THE CITY AND DOES NOT HAVE TO PAY WHAT WE HAVE TO PAY SO THEY CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE WE AS RESIDENTS AND TAXPAYERS ARE COMING FROM.
SO WHAT WOULD YOU WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE? DO YOU HAVE COMMENTS ANY RECONSIDERATION OF THIS ORDINANCE? YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. SO THE CONCERN, MADAM MAYOR, WAS THAT TO BE CLOSE ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE OUR TRAFFIC PROBLEMS AND OTHER ISSUES FOR THE CITY, BUT I DON'T I DON'T FEEL STRONGLY THAT THEY NEED TO LIVE IN THE CITY.
I THINK THEY NEED TO BE IN PROXIMITY.
MADAM MAYOR? YES, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
SO I'M SYMPATHETIC TO HER POINT AND I'M DEBATING WHETHER I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THAT.
I'M INCLINED TO AGREE WITH THE SPEAKER THAT I HAVE HAD FEEDBACK.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU OTHER FELLOW COMMISSIONERS HAVE HAD FEEDBACK, BUT I'M OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER WHEN GEORGE GARNER BECAME MAYOR AND THE STRONG, STRONG SENTIMENT THAT RAN ALONG THE COMMUNITY, THAT BEING A RESIDENT IS DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
LIVING IN THE CITY DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
WAS HAVE BEEN REMINDED OF THAT.
AND SO I'M INCLINED TO SAY THIS ORDINANCE ISN'T NEEDED.
WELL, YOU PROBABLY SHOULD CLARIFY YOUR EXISTING LANGUAGE BECAUSE IF YOU SCROLL DOWN TO YOUR EXISTING LANGUAGE, IT IS EXTREMELY AMBIGUOUS WHETHER RESIDENCY IN THE CITY IS EVEN NECESSARY.
IT DATES BACK FROM, I THINK, THE 20S.
IT CURRENTLY READS THE CITY MANAGER SHALL BE CHOSEN SOLELY ON THE BASIS OF EXECUTIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE QUALIFICATIONS, COMMA, WITHOUT REGARD TO POLITICAL BELIEFS, COMMA, AND NEED NOT BE A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OR STATE AT THE TIME OF APPOINTMENT.
SO IT IMPLIES THAT AT SOME POINT THERE IS A RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT.
CERTAINLY YOU'D HAVE TO MOVE IN STATE AND PRESUMABLY CLOSE BY ENOUGH TO ASSUME OFFICE, BUT IT LEAVES IT SORT OF HANGING, WHICH WAS THE BEGINNING OF OUR CONVERSATION OF YOU PROBABLY WANT TO CLARIFY WHAT YOU MEAN BY THAT BECAUSE LEAVING IT WITH NEED NOT BE RESIDENT OF THE CITY OR STATE AT THE TIME OF APPOINTMENT.
THANK YOU. AND SO THE LOGIC WOULD BE IF YOU WANTED TO CORRECT THAT AND YOU WANTED TO BE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE THAT YOUR CITY MANAGER SHOULD LIVE IN THE CITY, YOU COULD ADD A PHRASE THAT OR A PART OF A SENTENCE THAT SAYS MUST RESIDE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS WITHIN ONE MONTH AND HAVE WITHIN, YOU KNOW, 12 MONTHS OR 16 MONTHS OR 15 MONTHS TO RETAIN RESIDENCY IN THE CITY.
MY SUGGESTION IS IF THE AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE I UNDERSTAND. BUT I TAKE YOUR POINT THAT IT DOES LEAVE HANGING.
[01:25:07]
BACK TO REQUIRING RESIDENCY IN THE CITY.MY SUGGESTION TO YOU THEN IS YOU MAKE AN AMENDMENT FROM THE FLOOR THAT ADDS THE CURRENT SENTENCE ENDS, AT THE TIME OF APPOINTMENT, BUT MUST RESIDE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS WITHIN ONE MONTH OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF ASSUMING OFFICE PERIOD.
SO THE PHRASEOLOGY THAT WAS SUGGESTED REMAINS FROM ASSUMING OFFICE.
I KNOW THAT'S NOT RELEVANT TODAY BECAUSE WE'VE JUST PICKED MR. BIRCHIM BUT SAY YOU WOULD GO THROUGH A SELECTION PROCESS.
THE POINT BEING, WHEN YOU ASSUME OFFICE, YOU CANNOT BE AN OFF SITE EMPLOYEE TO BE CITY MANAGER.
SO IT GIVES YOU LOTS OF FLEXIBILITY TO NEGOTIATE WITH AN EMPLOYEE OR AN OUTSIDE PERSON.
MANY MONTHS TO ACTUALLY TAKE OFFICE.
THANK YOU. OKAY. MR. CITY MANAGER, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP.
THANK YOU. I RESPECTFULLY HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION THAT I WANT TO VOICE.
OKAY. ALMOST ALL CITY MANAGER JOBS THAT I'VE SEEN THAT REQUIRE RESIDENCY IN THE CITY, GIVE THE CANDIDATE A LONGER TIME FRAME TO MOVE BECAUSE OFTEN YOU'RE MOVING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, YOU'RE JUST RENTING SOMETHING TEMPORARY.
AND SO MOST JOB DESCRIPTIONS THAT I'VE SEEN AND I'VE SEEN A NUMBER BECAUSE WE GET BROCHURES ALL THE TIME, TALK SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR. BUT I THINK THE FIRST QUESTION IS, ARE THERE THREE VOTES ON THE COMMISSION TO MAKE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT? AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN PICK A STANDARD A MONTH, 6 MONTHS OR 12.
BUT IF THERE ISN'T THREE VOTES FOR THAT, THEN PICK A RADIUS.
OKAY. COULD I SPEAK? I FEEL IT'S LIMITING.
OUR OPTIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE TWO PEOPLE THAT WERE APPLICANTS FOR THIS POSITION THIS TIME DIDN'T WORK IN THE CITY, LIVE IN THE CITY, IT'S A HARDSHIP.
WE KNOW WHAT THE PRICES OF HOUSES ARE HERE IN OUR CITY.
I MEAN, THERE ARE EXCEEDINGLY HIGH.
UM, AND I JUST I DON'T THINK IT MAKES THAT MUCH DIFFERENCE.
I MEAN, THEY'RE COMING IN AND OUT FOR THEIR WORK MANY, MANY TIMES A DAY AND EXPERIENCING THE TRAFFIC, YOU KNOW? SO I FEEL STRONGLY THAT IT'S NOT NECESSARY.
WE'RE GOING TO LIMIT SOME REALLY GOOD PEOPLE THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO HIRE FROM WITHIN AGAIN.
HOPEFULLY WE WON'T BE DOING THAT ANYTIME SOON, RIGHT? WELL, NO, BUT I MEAN, EVEN IF IT'S 5 YEARS FROM NOW, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, OR 10 YEARS OR 7 YEARS FROM NOW, WHO KNOWS? I MEAN, I KNOW.
I KNOW THAT AT LEAST I BELIEVE THAT OUR CURRENT AND NEW CITY MANAGER IS IN, SAY, 5 YEARS, HE WOULD BE INVESTED WITH THIS 30 YEAR, WOULDN'T HE? CITY MANAGER.
IN WHICH CASE, OFTEN PEOPLE MIGHT WANT TO CHANGE JOBS OR RETIRE OR WHATEVER.
OKAY. I COUNT TWO ONE WITH TWO COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVEN'T WEIGHED IN.
YEAH, I FEEL THE SAME WAY, BUT I'M RELUCTANT TO FORCE ANYONE TO STEP INTO THIS UNTIL THEY'RE READY.
WELL, AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE THAT PROBLEM CURRENTLY, BUT I THINK THAT OUR ATTORNEY HAS PREPARED THE DOCUMENT, AND I THINK WE SHOULD JUST PUT SEVEN MILE RADIUS, WHICH BASICALLY GIVES A LARGER SCOPE, BECAUSE IF IN THE FUTURE, LOOKING IN THE FUTURE, BECAUSE WE CAN'T JUST LOOK AT NOW THAT IF WE COME ACROSS THIS AGAIN OR THE NEXT COMMISSION, WHO KNOWS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN 5 YEARS OR WHATEVER, THAT THEY HAVE A WINDOW AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO NOT MOVE IF, SAY, THESE SAME APPLICANTS APPLIED 5 YEARS FROM NOW AND THEY ALREADY ARE SETTLED IN THEIR HOMES, THEY MIGHT MEET THAT SEVEN MILE RADIUS AND DON'T HAVE TO RELOCATE TO SEEK POSITIONS OR ANYONE THAT WORKS HERE IN THE CITY.
IF THE CITY POLICY STAYS THE SAME FROM HIRING WITHIN, THEY KNOW WHAT THEIR LIMITATIONS ARE.
[01:30:05]
I THINK JUST ABOUT THE CORE OF THE CITY IS A SEVEN MILE RADIUS GETTING ALL THE WAY OUT WEST, GOING ALL THE WAY NORTH OF TOWN, GOING ALL THE WAY WEST OF TOWN. THAT WILL GIVE US A WINDOW OF THEM BEING ABLE TO STAY CURRENTLY IN THEIR HOMES AND STILL BE EFFECTIVE.I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER AN ALTERNATIVE, AND THAT IS THAT WE WE REQUIRE THE CITY MANAGER TO LIVE IN THE CITY LIMITS, EXCEPT BY EXCEPTION WITHIN THE SEVEN AND A HALF MILE, BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE NEXT TIME WE HIRE SOMEBODY, WHETHER IT'S 5 YEARS OR 20 YEARS, IT'LL BE A COMMISSION WHO CAN DECIDE DIFFERENTLY ANYWAY.
I THINK IT IS. I AGREE IT'S IMPORTANT.
SO WHAT IS YOUR ALTERNATIVE AGAIN? STATE YOUR ALTERNATIVE TO CHANGE THE LANGUAGE, TO SAY TO LIVE INSIDE THE CITY, BUT MUST RESIDE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, EXCEPT BY EXCEPTION, WITHIN SEVEN AND A HALF MILES.
MAY I SUGGEST THE WORD APPROVAL OF THE CITY COMMISSION INSTEAD OF EXCEPTION? IF THAT'S THAT'S A GOOD IDEA AND THEN ALSO, I FEEL LIKE AND I HAVE LEARNED A LOT FROM THIS DISCUSSION THAT THE LANGUAGE WITHIN ONE MONTH OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF ASSUMING OFFICE IS NOT GENEROUS.
WELL, AND AGAIN, RESPECTFULLY TO THE CITY MAYOR AND THE CITY MANAGER, THE PURPOSE OF THE EXERCISE WAS NOT WITHIN ONE MONTH OF BEING SELECTED, BUT WITHIN ONE MONTH OF ACTUALLY STARTING TO BE ACTING CITY MANAGER.
BUT I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE THIS CONSIDERS ALL SCENARIOS AND I WOULD RATHER JUST REMOVE WITHIN ONE MONTH OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF ASSUMING OFFICE AND LEAVE IT UP TO THE DISCRETION OF THE FUTURE COMMISSION.
SO LEAVE THE LANGUAGE AS IS WITH THE CHANGED LANGUAGE FROM SEVEN MILES.
CORRECT INSTEAD OF FIVE TO SEVEN MILES AND THEN WITH COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD'S AMENDMENT.
YES. SO IT WOULD READ MUST RESIGN WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS EXCEPT BY COMMISSION APPROVAL MAY RESIDE WITHIN SEVEN MILES OF THE CITY LIMITS.
AND THEN THE REMAINING CHANGE AS WAS PRESENTED.
OF THE CITY HALL, NOT THE CITY LIMITS OF CITY HALL.
YES. YES AS IT READS, IT READS CITY HALL.
ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.
SO THAT IS YOUR MOTION, MR. SPRINGFIELD. SO MOVED.
AND A SECOND, I WILL SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, AYE.
ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023-15, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA AMENDING ARTICLE 4, DIVISION 4, SECTION 4.10 OF THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, CLARIFYING RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR CITY MANAGER.
ALL RIGHT. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
THANK YOU, EACH ONE OF YOU, FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION ON THAT MATTER.
IT WAS IMPORTANT. SO WE ARE MOVING FORWARD INTO ORDINANCES RESOLUTION.
[9.A. Ordinances - First Reading 9.A.1. Ordinance 2023-16: Updates to Chapter 28 of the zoning code regarding food truck definitions, locations and supplementary regulations. (A. Skinner, Director Planning and Building)]
WE HAVE ORDINANCE 2023-16 UPDATES TO CHAPTER 28 OF THE ZONING CODE REGARDING FOOD TRUCK DEFINITIONS, LOCATIONS AND SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS.I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT.
THE STATE OF FLORIDA PASSED LEGISLATION PREEMPTING THE CITY'S ABILITY TO REGULATE MOBILE FOOD DISPENSING VEHICLES, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS FOOD TRUCKS. HOWEVER, THE CITY DOES RETAIN SOME AUTHORITY.
[01:35:03]
USE OR A PERMITTED USE BY EXCEPTION AND RELATED SUPPLEMENTAL REGULATIONS.IN PRACTICE, THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE PRESENTS THE REGULATORY POLICIES THAT THE CITY CURRENTLY ENFORCES THROUGH THE BUSINESS TAX RECEIPT PROCESS AND THE PUBLIC WORKS REVIEW PROCESS.
THE PCB REVIEWED THIS ORDINANCE ON APRIL 25TH AND WITH TWO RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE ORDINANCE IN FRONT OF YOU RECOMMENDED ADOPTION BY THE CITY COMMISSION.
SO THIS IS A FIRST READING AND I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? IT'S IT SOUNDS LIKE HOUSEKEEPING A LOT.
YES. THIS IS THIS IS HOUSEKEEPING.
NOT REALLY A CHOICE. CLARIFIES CERTAIN THINGS.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO BRING EVERYTHING IN LINE WITH WHAT THE STATE'S DOING.
ALL RIGHT. OH, COMMISSIONER BLONDER.
THANK YOU. MS. SKINNER, COULD YOU REMIND ME WHAT WAS THE VOTE ON THE PCB? I BELIEVE IT WAS UNANIMOUS.
THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE INCLUDED ALLOWING FOOD TRUCKS AS A PERMITTED USE IN THE MARINE USE DISTRICT.
BUT THROUGH THE CONVERSATION, WE REALIZED THAT INCLUDES THE LIGHTHOUSE AREA AS WELL.
SO THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD MOVED THAT TO A USE BY EXCEPTION.
YES, FOR BOTH OF THOSE. THANK YOU.
OKAY. I MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 2023-16 AND MOVE TO SECOND READING AND READ BY TITLE ONLY.
SECOND. ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023-16.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA AMENDING CHAPTER 28, SECTION 28-2 TO PROVIDE DEFINITIONS FOR MOBILE FOOD DISPENSING VEHICLE, MOBILE FOOD VENDOR, MOBILE FOOD ESTABLISHMENT, MOBILE FOOD TRUCK COURT AND COMMISSARY.
AMENDING SECTIONS 28-165, 28-167, 28-206, 28-207, 28-208, 28-209 AND 28-312 TO ALLOW FOR MOBILE FOOD DISPENSING VEHICLES AS A PERMITTED USE.
AMENDING SECTION AMENDING CODE SECTION 28-207, 28-208, 28-209 AND 28-312 TO ALLOW FOR MOBILE FOOD COURTS AS A PERMITTED USE.
AMENDING CODE SECTION 28-163, 28-164, 28-226, 28-246 AND 28-311 TO ALLOW FOR MOBILE FOOD DISPENSING VEHICLE AS A PERMITTED USE BY EXCEPTION.
AMENDING CODE SECTION 28-226 AND 28-246 TO ALLOW FOR MOBILE FOOD TRUCK COURTS AS A PERMITTED USE BY EXCEPTION. AMENDING CODE SECTION 28-347 TO PROVIDE FOR SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS OF MOBILE FOOD DISPENSING VEHICLES AND MOBILE FOOD TRUCK COURTS. PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ALL RIGHT, MADAM. I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WAS A SHORT TITLE.
WELL, THOSE WERE OBVIOUSLY EXTENSIVE CHANGES [INAUDIBLE] NEEDED.
ALL THOSE. I'M SORRY, MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
CYNTHIA GARRIS? YES. JIM SPRINGFIELD.
YES. NANCY SIKES-KLINE? YES. ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE 20.
[9.A.2. Ordinance 2023-17: Adding statutory language concerning requirements regarding disability in the line of duty for firefighters diagnosed with cancer. (I. Lopez, City Attorney)]
YES. THIS ORDINANCE IS A CLEANUP FROM A STATUTORY CHANGE DATING BACK TO 2019 THAT ESSENTIALLY STATED THAT FIREFIGHTERS WHO ARE UNFORTUNATELY DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE THAT ILLNESS IN THE LINE OF DUTY.SO THAT WAS A STATUTORY CHANGE IN 2019.
IT MADE IT MANDATORY FOR ALL OF US TO DO SO.
OUR CODE DOES NOT EXPLICITLY REFERENCE THAT.
SO THIS IS ESSENTIALLY A CLEANUP ORDINANCE TO EXPLICITLY REFERENCE THAT STATUTE.
[01:40:01]
SO BEFORE YOU ORDINANCE 2023-17 FOR FIRST READING.ALL RIGHT? YEP. MOVE TO APPROVE FIRST READING OF 2023-17.
ANY COMMENTS, DEBATE, DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. YOU WANT ME TO READ? YES, WE DO.
ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023-17, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 20, ARTICLE 5, SECTION 20-198 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE TO REFERENCE STATE STATUTE.
SECTION 112.1816 CONCERNING REQUIREMENTS REGARDING DISABILITY IN THE LINE OF DUTY FOR FIREFIGHTERS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
THANK YOU. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
JIM SPRINGFIELD? YES. ROXANNE HORVATH? YES. CYNTHIA GARRIS? YES. BARBARA BLONDER? YES. NANCY SIKES-KLINE? YES. AND MS. LOPEZ. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR KEEPING US UPDATED ON THOSE CHANGES.
AND I KNOW THERE'LL BE MORE COMING FOR NEXT YEAR, SO WE'LL BE STATE.
FLORIDA STATE LEGISLATURE KEEPS YOU BUSY AND US.
OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS.
[9.B.1. Resolution 2023-10: Authorizes the City to issue tax exempt bonds to refund Capital Improvement Refunding Revenue Bonds. (M. Simpson, Director Finance)]
RESOLUTION 2023-10 MR. SIMPSON AUTHORIZES THE CITY TO ISSUE TAX EXEMPT BONDS TO REFUND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT REFUNDING REVENUE BONDS.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
MARK SIMPSON, FINANCE DIRECTOR.
BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING IS RESOLUTION 2023-10, WHICH AUTHORIZES THE CITY TO ISSUE TAX EXEMPT BONDS TO REFUND THE 2013 ISSUE. THE 2013 ISSUE REFUNDED A PORTION OF A 2004 ISSUE WHICH CONTAINS VIC PARKING, GARAGE IMPROVEMENTS, HYPOLITUS STREET IMPROVEMENTS AND THE ROOF AT CITY HALL.
THERE WILL BE APPROXIMATELY $15 MILLION OF PRINCIPAL OUTSTANDING AS OF OCTOBER 1ST 2023 AND WE WILL PAY A SMALL PREMIUM TO LOWER OUR INTEREST RATE AND ISSUE APPROXIMATELY $15.5 MILLION WORTH OF BONDS.
PRELIMINARY NUMBERS INDICATE THAT THE PRICE OF THE BONDS WILL BE $102 TO $103.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE ARE NOT EXTENDING THE LIFE OF THE 2013 DEBT.
A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU REFUND THESE THINGS, YOU'RE JUST EXTENDING DEBT AND THIS IS NOT THE CASE.
THE AVERAGE COUPON OF THE BOND ISSUE IS PROJECTED TO BE 3.84% AND WITH A DURATION OF 7.9 YEARS, THE TOTAL SAVINGS ARE ROUGHLY $2.4 MILLION, WITH A NET PRESENT VALUE SAVINGS OF $1.8 MILLION, WHICH DISCOUNTS THAT $2.4.
WE HAVE OUR BOND COUNSEL HERE THIS EVENING, MR. DWAYNE DRAPER, AS WELL AS OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR, MR. JAY GLOVER, TO HELP ANSWER ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING A REFUNDING WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY REFINANCING.
SO I'LL DO MY BEST WITH WITH THE EASY ONES, BUT I'VE GOT THE BIG GUNS HERE WITH ME IF YOU NEED THEM.
OKAY. COMMISSIONERS, THIS SOUNDS LIKE A WONDERFUL IDEA.
YEAH, IT ABSOLUTELY IS VERY NICE.
WE WOULD SAVE $1.2 MILLION PLUS.
DO I HEAR A MOTION? HEARING NO MOTION. I WILL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2023-10.
I'LL SECOND. WE DO NOT HAVE PUBLIC HEARING, I'LL SAY NOPE.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU.
[9.B.2. Resolution 2023-11: Supplements Authorization Resolution 2023-10. (M. Simpson, Director Finance)]
RESOLUTION 2023-11 SUPPLEMENTS.AUTHORIZATION RESOLUTION 2023-10.
YES, WE NEED TO HAVE TWO SEPARATE RESOLUTIONS WITH THIS REFUNDING.
2023-11 IS A COMPANION TO 2023-10 AND ACTS AS A SUPPLEMENT.
SPECIFICALLY, THIS AUTHORIZES A COMPETITIVE BID PROCESS FOR THESE BONDS.
IT DELEGATES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE NOTICE OF SALE.
IT APPROVES THE FORM OF THE PRELIMINARY OFFICIAL STATEMENT.
IT APPOINTS A PAYING AGENT AND A REGISTRAR AGREEMENT.
IT APPOINTS THE ESCROW HOLDER, AND IT AUTHORIZES CITY OFFICIALS TO EXECUTE DOCUMENTS AND TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION RELATING TO THESE BONDS AS THINGS UNFOLD IN REAL TIME.
[01:45:04]
IF THERE ARE ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS RESOLUTION, I REALIZE IT IS QUITE VOLUMINOUS.ONCE AGAIN, WE HAVE OUR EXPERTS IN THE AUDIENCE TO HELP WITH THOSE QUESTIONS.
SO BASICALLY, THIS RESOLUTION ALLOWS US TO IMPLEMENT.
AND I APPRECIATE THE OUR THE FOLKS WHO ARE BACKING YOU UP AND THAT THEY HAVE PROVIDED US WITH THIS RECOMMENDATION AND THE RATIONALE FOR IT.
WHAT I'M WONDERING IS WHAT THE THE HOW MUCH TIME IT WILL TAKE TO IMPLEMENT THIS.
AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS AN ADVANCED REFUNDING WHERE WE WILL CLOSE ON IT'S PROJECTED TO BE JULY 13TH.
WE WILL GET OUR BONDS REFUNDED AND PUT IN ESCROW TO PAY THEM OFF ON OCTOBER 1ST.
SO AT THIS TIME, YES, OUR BOND COUNSEL AND OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR DO KEEP THEIR EYES ON WASHINGTON, AND THIS GIVES US THE ABILITY TO ACT ACCORDINGLY WITHOUT HAVING TO CONVENE THE COMMISSION.
EXCELLENT. MR. SPRINGFIELD. YEAH. I REMEMBER IN MY PAST LIFE YOU ACTUALLY PICKED THE DAY OF THE WEEK SOMETIMES TO WHEN YOU ISSUE THE BONDS.
ONE OF MY CURIOUS QUESTIONS WAS IN THE VERY FIRST RESOLUTION, THEY MENTIONED THE NAME OF THE FINANCIAL ADVISER, AND THIS ONE THEY DON'T, BUT THEY REFERENCE BECAUSE HE'S HANDLING THE ELECTRONIC BIDS.
WHY DON'T WE IDENTIFY THE PERSON? WE HAVE IT JUST LISTED AS DIRECT DIRECTION OF THE FINANCIAL ADVISER.
I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER TO THEM.
THE ORDINANCE OR THE RESOLUTION CAME FROM THEM.
BUT JAY GLOVER IS OUR FINANCIAL ADVISER, AND THIS IS MR. DRAPER AND MR. GLOVER. GOOD EVENING, DWAYNE.
YEAH, GOOD EVENING. DUANE DRAPER AT BRYANT, MILLER AND OLIVE.
SO WE'RE GETTING EVERYTHING READY.
THE SECOND SUPPLEMENTAL RESOLUTION, WHICH YOU'RE CONSIDERING NOW, IT KICKS BACK TO THE FIRST RESOLUTION YOU'VE ALREADY APPROVED FOR CERTAIN DEFINED TERMS. SO WE JUST DIDN'T REDEFINE THE FINANCIAL ADVISOR, WHICH IS PFM AND JAY GLOVER IN THE SECOND RESOLUTION.
BUT HE'S HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT THE FINANCIAL MARKETS.
ALL RIGHT, MR. SPRINGFIELD, DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? NO, NOT REALLY. BUT I'M SURE IT'S JUST A TECHNICAL THING, BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THESE ARE TWO COMPLETELY SEPARATE DOCUMENTS AND IF THE ELECTRONIC BIDS GO POORLY, I MEAN, I'M THIS MAY BE A MUTE QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW. IT JUST SEEMED ODD THAT THE PERSONS WEREN'T WEREN'T LISTED.
YEAH. AGAIN, JAY GLOVER FROM PFM FINANCIAL ADVISORS, WE ARE THE CITY'S FINANCIAL ADVISOR.
I THINK AS WAS MENTIONED, THE SECOND RESOLUTION IS A SUPPLEMENT TO THAT INITIAL MASTER RESOLUTION.
SO WE DON'T REDEFINE THE TERMS. BUT YOU DO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY AND THE NOTICE OF SALE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE APPENDICES TO THAT SECOND RESOLUTION TO REJECT BIDS IF THEY'RE NOT SUFFICIENT TO MEET THE PARAMETERS THAT YOU ALL ARE APPROVING TODAY.
WE WOULD REJECT ALL THOSE BIDS AND WAIT FOR ANOTHER DAY.
I DON'T EXPECT THAT TO HAPPEN.
THE FED DID MEET LAST WEEK AND RAISED RATES 25 BASIS POINTS.
I THINK WE'RE ALL HOPEFUL THAT'S THE LAST RATE INCREASE.
BUT AGAIN, WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE MARKETS AND RECOMMEND THE EXACT DAY TO GO IN AND ACCEPT THOSE COMPETITIVE BIDS WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THAT 90 DAY WINDOW THAT WE HAVE.
[01:50:01]
I FEEL SATISFIED.ALL RIGHT. FINAL COMMENTS? QUESTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR RESOLUTION 2023-11.
I MOVE TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2023-11.
ALL RIGHT. ANY FINAL DEBATE QUESTIONS? MS. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
[10.B. Review and discussion of the City's Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for fiscal year ended September 20, 2022. (M. Simpson, Director Finance)]
MR. SIMPSON, YOU ARE ON DECK AGAIN FOR REVIEW.THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN, MARK SIMPSON, FINANCE DIRECTOR.
I TRUST THAT YOU HAVE ALL READ THIS 200 PAGE DOCUMENT COVER TO COVER AND THAT WE HAVE GONE OVER THINGS WHEN WE'VE MET PRIOR TO TONIGHT.
SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS AND THEN TAKE QUESTIONS.
AND IF I NEED TO, WE CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS IN MORE DETAIL AT OUR WORKSHOP.
THERE ARE TWO HOURS DEDICATED ON THAT DAY TO THE BUDGET AND OUR FINANCIAL CONDITION.
SO I'M GOING TO HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS AND THEN TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
PAGES 1 THROUGH 16 ARE A FAIRLY COMPREHENSIVE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL PENNED BY THE CITY MANAGER AND MYSELF THAT JUST KIND OF HIGHLIGHTS OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS THEY RELATE TO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
PAGE 31 IS THE ACTUAL AUDIT LETTER OR OPINION LETTER.
THAT IS WHAT WE PAY THE CPA FIRM FOR.
THE MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS BEGINS ON PAGE 37 AND PUTS ALL THE NUMBERS INTO VERBAL CONTEXT FOR YOU AND OTHER END USERS OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS JUST SO THAT YOU KNOW WHAT THE NUMBERS MEAN.
IT IS A LOT OF NUMBERS TO DIGEST.
JUST FOR THE YEAR, THE CITY INCREASED ITS NET POSITION OR EQUITY BY $27,575,000.
THIS IS THE CITY AS THE WHOLE OF WHICH $11.3 MILLION WAS ATTRIBUTED TO GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES AND $6.2, $16.2 MILLION WAS ATTRIBUTED TO BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES.
THE ACTUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THEMSELVES ARE CONTAINED NEXT.
THESE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY FOOTNOTE DISCLOSURES MANDATED BY GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES, AS WELL AS THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION FOR US TO WIN THE DISTINGUISHED AWARD FOR OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
AFTER THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE REQUIRED SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS RSI.
AND AFTER THAT IS THE STATISTICAL SECTION WHICH BEGINS ON PAGE 141.
IT'S A TREMENDOUS WEALTH OF USEFUL INFORMATION FOR YOU AND OTHER USERS OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, AND THERE'S A LOT OF DATA IN THERE TO ABSORB. AND FINALLY IS THE COMPLIANCE SECTION.
AND THAT CONTAINS ADDITIONAL LETTERS FROM OUR AUDITORS THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR THINGS LIKE GRANT COMPLIANCE, INTERNAL CONTROLS, AND ONCE AGAIN, TO ACHIEVE THE CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE FROM THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION.
AS I STATED, THIS DOCUMENT IS COMPREHENSIVE BY ITS TITLE.
I CAN GO OVER EACH FUND WITH YOU IN DETAIL THIS EVENING OR IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
[01:55:03]
IT'S AT THE WILL OF THE COMMISSION.I CAN GET AS DETAILED AS YOU LIKE OR WHAT WE NEED TO DO TONIGHT IS SIMPLY ACCEPT THESE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS SO THAT I CAN FORWARD THEM ON TO THE STATE AUDITOR GENERAL'S OFFICE.
DOES ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? WE'RE HERE TO ACCEPT TONIGHT.
I WILL LET YOU KNOW THAT THE AUDIT COMMITTEE DID MEET AND RECOMMEND IT RECOMMENDED SENDING TO YOU. SO THAT'S WHY IT'S HERE.
WE DID HAVE A COUPLE ITEMS. I THINK THERE WERE JUST SOME NOTES AND RECOMMENDATIONS MOVING FORWARD.
ONE IS KIND OF A WARNING RECOMMENDATION ABOUT BEING AWARE OF CYBER, THE NEED FOR CYBER SECURITY, AND WE CAN CERTAINLY CONSIDER THAT MOVING FORWARD AS WE DO.
SO WE DO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE.
IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAVEN'T BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT AND BEING AWARE OF IT AND KEEPING UP WITH IT, SO AND THEN ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION WE HAD WAS TO BEGIN THINKING ABOUT INTERNAL AUDITS IN THE FUTURE, WHICH MAY BE POSE A CHALLENGE TO US.
SINCE IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND THE FIRMS THAT DO THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT, UM, MR. SIMPSON'S DEDICATING HIS LIFE TO FINDING US ONE AS WE MOVE.
THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
YES, IT HAS. AND THE PROFESSION AS A WHOLE HAS BEEN OVERTAXED, NO PUN INTENDED, WORKING ON STIMULUS AND OTHER ITEMS. SO WE WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND SOMEONE TO PERFORM THE INTERNAL AUDIT FUNCTION.
HOWEVER, IN A PERFECT WORLD, WE WOULD EMPLOY A SEPARATE FIRM OR INDIVIDUAL THAT WOULD REPORT TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND NOT ME, BECAUSE TECHNICALLY THEY WOULD BE AUDITING ME AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE THAT EXTRA LAYER OF SECURITY, JUST LIKE WE HAVE THE AUDIT COMMITTEE BEFORE I BRING IT TO YOU. IT ACTUALLY HELPS ME.
SO I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR AN INTERNAL AUDITOR.
I THINK IT DOES SERVE A VALUABLE PURPOSE.
ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION OR.
WE HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONER BLONDER.
OKAY. I HAVE I HAVE QUITE A FEW COMMENTS, BUT THEY'RE ALL BRIEF.
BUT I WANT TO START BY SAYING THAT I REALLY HAVE TO QUESTION MY SANITY SOMETIMES IN THAT I REALLY ENJOY THIS DOCUMENT. OKAY.
AND AND I THINK MAYBE QUESTIONING MY SANITY IS, DO I WOULD I RATHER READ THIS OR STUDENT FINAL EXAM? SO THAT'S WHY THAT'S WHERE I CAME DOWN ON THIS VERY HAPPILY ON PAGE 3, I NOTE THAT YOU AND YOU CALLED THIS OUT TO ME THAT THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT DEADLINE IS 2026 AND WE'VE GOT $7.7 MILLION IN THERE THAT OR $26 MILLION.
I'M READING IT QUICKLY AGAIN AND I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT IT $267.8.
AND WE DO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL $26 MILLION.
THAT IS THE PASSING IT THROUGH TO US, RIGHT.
MY COMMENT IS THAT THIS 2026 DEADLINE PUTS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON STAFF.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THEM MEETING THIS DEADLINE OR DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN.
SECONDLY, ON PAGE 6, WE HAVE THE I THINK IT'S ON PAGE 6, THE EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL REPORTING AWARD OR NOTIFICATION OR THAT'S ON OBJECTIVE 9, 4.
AND THAT'S YOU, MR. SIMPSON. THAT'S GREG JOHNSON AND THE STAFF IN YOUR OFFICE.
SO THANK YOU FOR GETTING US THERE.
ALSO, THE CIP IS FUNDED BY LOW INTEREST LOANS AND ARPA, WHICH I THINK IS GOOD FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND KEEPS IT OUT OF OUR TAX AD VALOREM TAXES.
SO AM I GETTING ALL THAT RIGHT? YES, MA'AM. OKAY, GREAT.
UM, MOVING ON TO PAGE 58 UNDER MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS.
I'M JUST GOING TO PUT IT OUT THERE AND PLEASE STOP ME IF THIS IS THE WRONG TIME TO DO IT.
[02:00:09]
LANDS LAND ACQUISITION.I'D LIKE TO ACTUALLY BUMP THAT UP TO $250 FOR OUR DISCUSSION.
SO JUST PUTTING IT OUT THERE, THAT GIVES ME DIRECTION FOR THIS NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
OKAY. MAY I CONTINUE OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO ASK SOME OTHER PEOPLE? WELL, NO. I THINK WHEN WE GET TO OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP AT OUR MEETING ON THE 22ND, THAT'S THE APPROPRIATE TIME, OKAY? BECAUSE WE WANT ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS TO HAVE A CHANCE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE IN THE BUDGET AS WELL.
SURE. AND THEN I'LL KEEP MY COMMENTS MORE GENERAL.
UM. AND THIS IS IN THIS IS MY FAVORITE SECTION, THE STATISTICAL SECTION.
SORRY. YOU MIGHT HAVE A PDF DOCUMENT THAT DOESN'T MATCH UP WITH MY PAGE NUMBER, SO IF YOU'LL GIVE ME THIS HEADING, THIS WOULD BE THE CHANGES IN NET POSITION FOR THE LAST TEN FISCAL YEARS.
THAT'S RIGHT. 146 THAT IS 146 AND 147 OKAY.
OKAY. SO WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.
PUN INTENDED. CHANGES IN OUR NET POSITION OVER TEN YEARS ARE REALLY LOOKING FAVORABLE.
SO I WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
REALLY. THESE ARE ALL POSITIVE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
THESE ARE OUTSTANDING FINANCIALS.
ON PAGE 150, OUR CHANGES IN FUND BALANCES.
I'M LOOKING AT OVERALL TRENDS OVER TEN YEARS.
WE HAVE INCREASED OUR FUND BALANCES WITHOUT AN INCREASE IN DEBT SERVICE.
ALSO, COMMENDABLE LOW INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENT.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REFINANCE AND LOWER OUR DEBT BURDEN.
FABULOUS. ON PAGES 152 AND 153.
THERE, WHICH IS VALUATIONS AND EXEMPTIONS.
THERE'S BEEN NO CHANGE IN DIRECT RATE OVER TEN YEARS, EVEN WITH AS MANY UNCERTAINTIES AS WE'VE HAD IN THAT TEN YEAR PERIOD, NOTWITHSTANDING THE PANDEMIC. RIGHT.
AND WE ARE PROJECTED ON PAGE 165 TO GROW BY 5,000 MORE PEOPLE BY 2027, WHICH IS A 25% INCREASE IN FOUR YEARS.
THREE MORE THINGS. PAGE ONE, 72 AND 176, WITH OUR BUILDING PERMITS AND FULL TIME EMPLOYEES, WE HAVE ISSUED A WHOLE LOT OF BUILDING PERMITS AND HAVEN'T REALLY INCREASED IN ANY SIGNIFICANT WAY.
FULL TIME EMPLOYEES TO MANAGE THAT PROCESS.
IS THAT RIGHT? WELL, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SOME OF THE NEW CODE ENFORCEMENT FOLKS FOR THINGS.
THE FOLKS IN PLANNING AND BUILDING HAVE A LOT ON THEIR SHOULDERS.
SO IF WE DO NEED TO INCREASE BY 1 OR 2 FOLKS IN THAT AREA, WE HAVE FUNDS TO DO SO WITHOUT HAVING TO BURDEN THE AD VALOREM TAXPAYER.
SO THAT IS ALSO THAT'S AN OPTION FOR AN UPCOMING BUDGET, CORRECT? GREAT. AND I WANT TO GO BACK TO ACTUALLY INTERVIEWING OUR CANDIDATES FOR CITY MANAGER AS IT PERTAINS TO OUR WORKFORCE.
AND ONE OF THE CANDIDATES IN PARTICULAR BROUGHT FORWARD THE IDEA OF LOOKING AT PENSION REFORM OPTIONS. AND I WOULD LIKE TO BRING THAT TOPIC TO EITHER A BUDGET WORKSHOP OR SOME KIND OF SPECIAL WORKSHOP.
ABSOLUTELY. IF THAT'S THE WILL OF THIS COMMISSION TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.
AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, THE ACTUAL RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ON PAGE 31.
[02:05:08]
IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, I JUST WANT TO POINT THAT OUT TO YOU.ALL RIGHT. SO DO I HEAR A MOTION? OH, I SEE HERE. THAT IS REALLY JUST A DISCUSSION ITEM.
THAT'S CORRECT. MOTION TO ACCEPT.
I'LL SECOND MS. WAS JUST A MOTION TO ACCEPT.
SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, AYE, AYE.
OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. SIMPSON. WE WILL SEE YOU IN SHORT ORDER.
[10.C. Discussion regarding the use of a QR code to make donations for assisting the homeless. (C. Sakryd, Deputy Director General Services)]
SAKRYD. VERY INTERESTING PROPOSAL DISCUSSION REGARDING REGARDING THE USE OF A QR CODE TO MAKE DONATIONS FOR ASSISTING THE HOMELESS.AS I RECALL, THIS IS AN ITEM THAT WAS BROUGHT UP AND IS ON OUR TASK LIST.
IS THAT CORRECT? GOOD EVENING, MAYOR.
COMMISSIONERS. COREY SAKRYD, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE OF GENERAL SERVICES.
TONIGHT, I HAVE TO PRESENT TO YOU A PROPOSAL FOR A SIGN TO HELP WITH OUR HOMELESSNESS.
I'VE SPOKEN WITH STAFF AND WORKING WITH EACH OF THE INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS.
WE'VE DEVELOPED THIS SIGN THAT YOU SEE HERE ON HOW WE CAN BETTER HELP OUR HOMELESS AND AND ACTUALLY GET DONATIONS INTO THE AGENCIES THAT CAN PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO HOMELESSNESS.
SO THE TAKING SOME SOME LORD PARDON ME SOME TAKING SOME ADVICE FROM COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF.
WE WERE WORKING TOGETHER AND TO DEVELOP A QR CODE WHERE YOU CAN GO TO A LANDING PAGE THAT WOULD SEND YOU TO SEVERAL AGENCIES OR SEVERAL PROSPECTIVE CHARITIES THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO DONATE DIRECTLY AND INSTEAD OF DIRECTLY TO THE INDIVIDUAL ON THE STREETS.
THIS WOULD BETTER APPLY AND ASSIST GETTING THOSE FUNDS TO THE PEOPLE IN NEED.
ADDITIONALLY, THERE'S SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMISSIONERS WAS IN THIS QR CODE COULD THERE BE A WAY TO DEVELOP SOME EDUCATIONAL OUTLET OR OTHER OPTION IN WHICH WE CAN PROVIDE MORE ASSISTANCE TO THOSE? SOME STAFF HAD SOME GREAT IDEAS AND ACTUALLY THAT LED TO A GREAT DISCUSSION WITH A PROFESSOR AT FLAGLER COLLEGE ON POSSIBLY EVEN UTILIZING SOME STUDENTS TO DEVELOP THAT CONTENT TO PROVIDE THAT EDUCATION OUTLOOK.
100% AGREE WITH THE QR CODE NEEDS TO HAVE AN FAQ OR WHAT IS IT WE'RE DOING? WHY ARE WE DOING THIS ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
HAVE WE FOUND ANY PLACE THAT ACTUALLY HAS DONE THIS? WE'VE BEEN RESEARCHING.
IT'S FAIRLY COMMON IN THE INDUSTRY, ACTUALLY AT OTHER CITIES.
SO WHAT KINDS OF MONEY DO THEY MAKE? THEY DON'T MAKE VERY MUCH MONEY, GENERALLY SPEAKING.
BUT IT BY THE WAY, WHEN I SAY NOT MUCH MONEY, YOU GOT TO REMEMBER MY SENSE OF SCALE IS DIFFERENT.
SO FOR ME, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A MATERIAL NUMBER TO THE BUDGET IS WHAT I'M REFERRING TO.
SO MAYBE I'M NOT A GOOD JUDGE OF THAT.
BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT ARGUMENTS.
ONE ARGUMENT THIS IS THE IDEA IS TO TRY TO GET HOMELESS TO GO TO WHERE THEY ARE SERVICES.
ANOTHER ARGUMENT IS SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST NEED TO GET A CUP OF COFFEE.
BUT THE PREMISE OF OUR PLAN ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS IS TO TRY TO SLOW THE RATE OF PANHANDLING, THE LUCRATIVE NATURE OF IT ON SAINT GEORGE STREET FAIRLY SPECIFICALLY.
[02:10:04]
THANK YOU. I'M VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF THIS.I AGREE. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'LL GENERATE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT IT WILL SEND A MESSAGE TO VISITORS AND TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE TRYING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO TO HELP THE HOMELESS IN SOME WAY.
AND I ALSO THINK IT'S PERSONALLY, I THINK IT'D BE A WHOLE LOT EASIER FOR ME TO GIVE THIS WAY THAN TO PASS A DOZEN PEOPLE ON THE STREET AND ONLY GIVE TO 1 OR 2, YOU KNOW, OR TO NONE.
AND I WOULD TRUST AN ORGANIZATION THAT A CITY WOULD SPONSOR.
SO I. I THINK I'D BE MORE INCLINED TO HELP OUT THIS WAY WHERE I PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE HANDING MONEY.
SO I THINK IT'S JUST A POSITIVE THING.
AND I AGREE. I THINK IT FEELS IT FEELS VERY POSITIVE.
IT'S FRAMED POSITIVELY BE THE CHANGE THAT IMPLIES, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE WE ALL GENERALLY THINK, I GUESS THE REASON THAT PEOPLE GIVE MONEY IS THEY WANT TO FEEL BETTER ABOUT THE SITUATION.
A LOT OF TIMES IT'S PERHAPS THE PERSON THAT'S MAKING THE DONATION IS IN SOME WAY FEELING PROUD OR GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO HELP IN SOME WAY.
SO SOMETIMES IT DOES REFLECT BACK ON THE PERSON GIVING.
SO AND THEY MOTIVATED BY WANTING TO MAKE A CHANGE.
IT KIND OF ZIPS RIGHT TO THE CORE.
WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR IMPLEMENTATION IF WE HAVE ONE AND TWO, WHERE WILL THE SIGNS BE IMPLEMENTED? WHAT ARE THE LOCATIONS OF THE SIGNS WE EXPECT TO SEE? IN DISCUSSING IN DISCUSSIONS WITH STAFF? WE ORIGINALLY WHAT WE CAN DO WITH APPROVAL WITH THIS IS WE CAN PUT IT IN THE VISITOR'S VISITOR'S INFORMATION CENTER AND ALSO IN THE PARKING GARAGE.
OKAY. AND IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE.
ANY IDEAS THERE? I HOPE TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING IN TWO WEEKS TO HAVE THEM INSIDE THE VISITOR'S INFORMATION CENTER.
OKAY. AND SO AND AND THAT WILL BE SIGNAGE, BUT NOTHING REALLY.
NO LEAVE BEHIND OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
MOSTLY A SIGN? THE CONTENT TO BE DEVELOPED DOWN THE ROAD A LITTLE BIT UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE WANT TO WORK WITH THE PARTNERS WHO, YOU KNOW, AT FLAGLER COLLEGE IF POSSIBLE, BUT WE CAN ALSO DEVELOP SOME ON THE INITIAL LANDING PAGE.
SO ON THE QR CODE IN THE CENTER, YOU'LL GO TO THAT LANDING PAGE.
EXCELLENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IT SEEMS A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO WHAT WE REALLY WANTED THE FIRST TIME WE TRIED THIS.
MAYBE I DON'T NEED TO SAY IT, BUT I'LL SAY IT ANYWAYS.
BUT ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE UNDER HARBOR JURISDICTION WILL FOLLOW THAT.
BUT WE HAVE THAT GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE THE FIRST TOUCH THERE AT THE VIC AND THAT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
SO, COMMISSIONERS, ANYONE ELSE? SOUNDS GOOD. OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. SO DO YOU NEED A MOTION FROM US OR YOU? JUST A BLESSING.
JUST YOUR APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD.
ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY, I MAKE THE MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, AYE, AYE.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO GO FORTH AND DO GOOD.
APPRECIATE IT. APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH SO.
ALL RIGHT. SO MS. CITY ATTORNEY.
[11.A. Legislative update. No Presentation Information Only (K. Traynor, Assistant City Attorney)]
OH, GOD BLESS YOU.ONLY TO GIVE THE SOMEWHAT GOOD NEWS THAT THE SHORT TERM RENTAL BILL DID NOT PASS, NOR DID THE UNSAFE STRUCTURES BILL, WHICH WAS THAT HISTORIC DEMOLITION BILL. BOTH BILLS DID NOT PASS THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
IT IS A REPRIEVE ONLY BECAUSE THEY WILL BE BACK NEXT YEAR.
AND SO WE WILL DO THIS ALL OVER AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
THE SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY IMMUNITY BILL ALSO DID NOT PASS, SO THAT WAS HELPFUL TO US AS A SMALL CITY.
[02:15:04]
WE DEVELOP A BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT EVERY TIME WE PASS AN ORDINANCE THAT DID PASS.ALL RIGHT. AND PUBLIC DISCLOSURE FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
YES. AND THAT DID ALSO PASS, UNFORTUNATELY.
SO IT BECOMES EFFECTIVE THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
YOU WILL HAVE THE MUCH LONGER FORM AS ELECTED OFFICIALS TO FILL OUT.
BUT DOES THAT MEAN IT GOES INTO EFFECT NEXT YEAR SO WE DON'T FILL OUT THE FORM UNTIL THE FOLLOWING YEAR BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS PAST YEAR? NO, THIS THIS JULY IS YOUR DEADLINE AND YOU DO IT LIKE YOU ALWAYS DID.
SAME OLD FORM, AND THEN THIS BILL BECOMES EFFECTIVE, I BELIEVE, JANUARY 1ST, 2024, WHICH MEANS FOR THAT WHOLE CALENDAR YEAR, JANUARY 1ST, 2024 TO DECEMBER 31ST, 2024, IS UNDER THE NEW FORM.
SO THIS JULY, SAME OLD FORM NEXT YEAR, JULY.
WE WON'T FILL THAT FORM OUT UNTIL 25? CORRECT. AND HERE WE GO.
AND WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T? UM. YEAH.
WHY DO YOU ASK ME THESE QUESTIONS? I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, I'LL MAKE THAT RHETORICAL.
IT IS RHETORICAL. YES, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE REQUIRED TO DO SO.
IT'S DETAILS. NOTHING WILL BE HIDDEN WHATSOEVER.
NOT THAT THAT'S THE INTENT, AND I DON'T MEAN TO IMPLY THAT, BUT EVERY LITTLE MINUTE DETAIL OF YOUR FINANCES WILL BE OUT THERE. SO AND I DON'T KNOW THE LOGIC BEHIND THAT.
BILL MS. CITY ATTORNEY. DO YOU KNOW WHEN THAT TAKES EFFECT? I'M SORRY, REPEAT THE QUESTION.
SO 170 THE LOCAL ORDINANCE, OCTOBER 1ST, OK TAKES PLACE TAKES EFFECT OCTOBER 1ST OF 2023. CORRECT? OKAY. YOU HAVE A FEW MONTHS LEFT.
ALL RIGHT. GET YOUR THINKING CAPS ON, FOLKS, AND WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME.
SO IF THERE'S THINGS THAT NEED TO BE GOING THROUGH WITH IT, YOU KNOW.
ITEMS BY CITY CLERK MS. GALAMBOS. I HAVE NOTHING THIS EVENING.
[13. ITEMS BY CITY MANAGER]
JUST ONE. I WANTED TO LET THE COMMISSIONER KNOW THAT A LITTLE LATER THIS MONTH, JIM PIGGOTT WILL BE RETIRING AFTER 17 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH THE CITY.HE WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND THE MEETING TONIGHT, BUT HE IS WATCHING ON TELEVISION.
YOU KNOW, ONE THING I CAN SAY THAT IN IN 13 YEARS, WE'VE NEVER HAD ANY TYPE OF PURCHASING IMPROPRIETY, AND THAT GOES TO THE ENTIRE TEAM. AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK JIM FOR ALL OF HIS SERVICE TO THE CITY AND WISH HIM THE BEST.
HE'S GOT A GREAT RETIREMENT PLAN.
HE'S GOING TO CRUISE LIKE ME, BUT ON BIG SHIPS.
IS HE REALLY? WE WISH HIM ALL THE BEST.
WE REALLY DO. I'LL MISS HIM, WORKED WITH HIM FOR SO MANY YEARS NOW, ALWAYS A SMILING FACE.
SO. THANK YOU, JIM, IF YOU'RE LISTENING.
ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE, MR. CITY MANAGER? I SUPPOSE NOT.
THE NEXT THING ON THE AGENDA ARE MAYOR ITEMS BY MAYORS AND COMMISSIONER.
[14. ITEMS BY MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS]
AND I WOULD LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND STEP FORWARD WITH THE I'LL TRY AND MAKE THIS AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE IT WAS A BIT OF A LONG TRIP TO SPAIN, SO I'VE PREPARED A COUPLE OF THINGS TO SAY.SO IN APRIL, AS YOU KNOW, MELISSA WISSEL, OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, WHO, BY THE WAY, IS PRETTY AWESOME AND I TRAVELED TO SPAIN DURING HOLY WEEK AT THE INVITATION OF THE SPANISH MINISTER OF CULTURE AND THE INVITATION OF THE MAYOR OF AVILES.
THE OBJECTIVE OF MY VISIT, OUR VISIT WAS FOUR FOLD.
ONE TO MEET WITH THE SPANISH MINISTER OF CULTURE TO DISCUSS AND TWO WAYS TO FURTHER THE LONG TERM COLLABORATION AND STRENGTHEN OUR CULTURAL CONNECTIONS, PARTICULARLY IN THE AREA OF MARITIME ARCHEOLOGY.
[02:20:01]
YEAR, WHICH IS IN NEXT YEAR, 2024, 2024.I MEANT WHAT IS HOW MANY YEARS? 100. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS AND AND DISCUSS PARTICULARLY THE STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM THAT BOTH OF US SUPPORT STRONGLY.
THREE TO MEET WITH THE POTENTIAL PARTNERS THAT COULD HELP US BUILD FUTURE PROGRAMING FOR THE VISITORS INFORMATION EXHIBIT SPACE AND THEN FOUR TO MEET WITH THE NAO VICTORIA FOUNDATION TO DISCUSS SHIPS VISIT IN THE SUMMER OF 2024.
DURING MY MEETING WITH THE SPANISH MINISTER OF CULTURE AND HIS TEAM, WE WERE IN AGREEMENT THAT A FIRST AT FIRST WE NEED A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY IF WE ARE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ANY FUTURE MUTUAL PLANS.
WHILE IN SPAIN, I DID AGREE ON OUR BEHALF TO, THERE IS A LETTER IN YOUR PACKAGE, BUT I'LL READ IT SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PUBLIC WHO'S INTERESTED TO COLLABORATE BETWEEN THE KINGDOM OF SPAIN AND THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE TO, ONE, CREATE A TEMPORARY EXHIBIT IN SAINT AUGUSTINE CONCERNING SPANISH UNDERWATER CULTURAL HERITAGE IN FLORIDA.
TWO ORGANIZE WORKSHOPS AND TRAINING SESSIONS ABOUT UNDERWATER CULTURAL HERITAGE, BOTH TECHNICALLY AND THEORETICALLY AT THE FLAGLER COLLEGE IN SAINT AUGUSTINE OR OTHER RELATED INSTITUTIONS.
THREE PARTICIPATE WITH EXPERTS IN UNDERWATER CULTURAL HERITAGE FROM SAINT AUGUSTINE IN THE CONGRESS OF UNDERWATER ARCHEOLOGY IN AMERICA, WHICH WILL BE HELD IN 2024 IN SPAIN.
FOUR ADVISE AND COLLABORATE WITH SPANISH TECHNICIANS FROM THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE, AS WELL AS EXPERTS SELECTED BY THIS INSTITUTE FOR APPROPRIATE STUDY, RESEARCH, CONSERVATION AND EXHIBITION OF UNDERWATER CULTURAL HERITAGE.
AND SO THAT IS A VERY SPECIFIC AREA OF INTEREST.
I'VE GOT SOME OTHER THINGS IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN HEARING ABOUT EXACTLY WHERE WE WENT, WHICH I PROBABLY SHOULD LIST BECAUSE IT WAS EXTENSIVE. SOME PEOPLE ASK ME, DID YOU HAVE FUN IN SPAIN? AND I'M LIKE, WELL, NO.
I MEAN, I DID ENJOY IT, BUT IT WAS IT WAS WORK.
WE VISITED THE CARMEN THYSSEN MUSEUM AND MET WITH THE MUSEUM MANAGER THERE.
WE VISITED A NEARBY VILLAGE OF RIBERIA.
OKAY, I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SAY IT, BUT I'M NOT LAUGHING.
BUT IT IS IT'S IT'S A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE CITY.
AND IT IS A SISTER CITY OF PENSACOLA.
AND IT IS THE TOWN WHERE BERNARDO DE GALVEZ, THE EXPLORER, DID HE WAS FROM. AND APPARENTLY MANY COMMISSIONERS IN THE PAST HAVE VISITED THE SMALL CITY.
WE ALSO VISITED THE POMPIDOU IN MALAGA, WHICH IS A MUSEUM, UM, A FABULOUS MUSEUM, VISITED SEVILLE SO THAT WE COULD SPEAK WITH THEM NOW VICTORIA FOUNDATION AND THE SPANISH GALLEON SHIPS AND VISITED THERE VERY RECENTLY, OPENED MUSEUM. IN FACT, IT'D BEEN THE WEEK BEFORE AND WE HELD DISCUSSIONS FOR THEIR VISIT HERE IN 2024, WHICH WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THE SHIPS COME AND VISIT TO HELP US CELEBRATE THE 100TH.
THEY'RE VERY POPULAR ON TO CORDOBA AND VISITED THE MOSQUE CATHEDRAL, WHICH THAT'S A DIFFERENT COMPONENT, BUT IT HAS TO DO WITH THE CAMINO AND THE BEGINNING OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, THE CAMINO HERE AND AND ON TO THEIR, UM, AVILES AND TRAVELED TO AVILES.
THERE WAS A LOT OF TRAVEL IN BETWEEN THE KIND OF CRISSCROSSED AROUND.
SO I WAS ABLE TO DO MEET WITH THE MAYOR.
I MET WITH HER EXECUTIVE STAFF AND HER COMMISSIONERS.
WE WERE WARMLY SO VERY WARMLY WELCOMED BY ALL OF THEM AND A LOT OF MEDIA ATTENTION, I THINK
[02:25:03]
SAINT AUGUSTINE IS THE CONNECTION IS MUCH STRONGER FROM THE SPANISH THAN IT IS TO FROM THEM TO US THAN IT IS FOR US TO THEM.IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO THOSE CULTURAL TIES.
SO IT WAS A VERY BIG EYE OPENER FOR ME TO SEE HOW DEEPLY THEY CARE ABOUT OUR CONNECTION.
I HAD HEARD IT, BUT UNTIL YOU GO, YOU REALLY CAN'T EXPERIENCE IT.
SO ANYWAY, IN AVILES, WE TALKED SISTER CITIES, WHICH IS VERY CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO THEM.
AND LIKE I SAID, THE STUDENT EXCHANGE IN PARTICULAR.
UM, WE VISITED THE HISTORY MUSEUM THERE BY THE LOCAL HISTORIAN, AND WE'RE ABLE TO SEE THE MATCHING STATUES OF PEDRO MENENDEZ, WHICH IS IN FRONT OF CITY HALL, THE FOUNTAIN, THE MATCHING FOUNTAIN THAT'S AT THE VISITOR'S INFORMATION CENTER AND OF COURSE, THE CONSTITUTION MONUMENT THAT'S IN THE PLAZA, WHICH IS JUST BEAUTIFUL.
AND LIKE I SAID, WELL, MAYBE I DIDN'T SAY THIS FOR THE PUBLIC.
THIS WAS A RECIPROCAL VISIT TO A DELEGATION THAT THEY SENT HERE IN FEBRUARY TO US.
SO WHICH KIND OF REALLY KICKED OFF THE US DISCOVERING OUR MUTUAL INTEREST.
WE TOOK TOURS OF THE NATIONAL ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM AND SPANISH CULTURAL HERITAGE INSTITUTE THERE IT'S KIND OF A MIND BLOWING EXPERIENCE TO SEE HOW DEDICATED THEY ARE TO PRESERVATION, PRESERVATION AND THEIR CULTURAL HERITAGE AND TO UNDERSTAND THE LEVEL OF TECHNOLOGY AND INVESTMENT THAT THEY HAVE IN IN THAT AREA.
UM. WITH THAT SAID, I'LL BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A COPY OF THE SPEECH BY THE MAYOR OF AVILES.
BUT IT BASICALLY SAYS, WE WANT TO DO THIS STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM.
WE WANT TO DO THE STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM.
WE WANT TO DO THE STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM.
SO WITH WITH THAT SAID, WITH YOUR AGREEMENT, THE NEXT STEP, YOU HAVE A COPY OF THE LITTLE PINKY PROMISE LETTER, SO TO SPEAK, IN YOUR PACKAGE WITH YOUR CONSENT I WOULD LIKE TO GO TAKE THE NEXT STEP AND THAT WOULD BE BEGIN WORKING ON A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT, MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN US AND THE KINGDOM OF SPAIN.
AND BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE THERE'S SEVERAL STEPS IN BETWEEN AND IT REQUIRES CONTACTING OUR OWN SECRETARY OF STATE AND THE STATE AND UP TO WASHINGTON, D.C.
AND UP THE CHAIN. SO I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN THAT PROCESS.
AND IF YOU'RE IN AGREEMENT, THEN I WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT LETTER AND KEEP YOU UPDATED AS WE GO.
AND I WANT TO SAY, I WANT TO MANY, MANY THANKS TO THE CITY MANAGER WHO REALLY HELPED ME THINK THROUGH WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AND MADE ARRANGEMENTS AND WHO ORIGINALLY HAD PLANNED TO GO WITH US AND BUT DECLINED SEEING IN ALL GOOD PRUDENCE THAT HE WOULD BE RETIRING AND.
YOU KNOW, SEEMED SEEMED LIKE A GOOD DECISION NOT TO GO, BUT HAS PROMISED THAT HE WILL CONTINUE LIKE HE DID DURING COVID AND A PRETTY LONG PERIOD OF QUIET TIME BETWEEN US AND SPAIN CARRIED THAT ON ON HIS OWN.
JUST CARRY BASICALLY CARRIED OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH SPAIN IN SO MANY WAYS ON HIS OWN SHOULDERS, IN ADDITION TO, OF COURSE, HIS SISTER CITIES WHICH HAS BEEN TRYING TO AS WELL.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT CAME OUT OKAY, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE'RE I THINK THAT WE ARE DEEPLY I AM VERY DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR YOU KEEPING THOSE DOORS OPEN AND KEEPING THOSE CONNECTIONS FRESH.
[02:30:02]
AND I THINK THAT WHEN WE MOVE THROUGH THE 100TH CELEBRATION NEXT YEAR, WE'LL SEE A LOT OF REALLY GOOD STUFF COME THROUGH.THANK YOU. AND THAT'S IT FOR ME.
THAT'S ENOUGH. SORRY. BUT I DID HAVE I DID FEEL LIKE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF REPORTING OUT.
I'M SORRY. DID I INTERRUPT? I KNOW YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THAT.
WELL, IT'S ABSOLUTELY THE CASE.
ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, WE'LL START WITH ROXANNE.
ENOUGH SAID FOR TONIGHT FOR ONE NIGHT.
ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONER GARRIS.
UNFORTUNATELY, I DO HAVE SOME THINGS I NEED TO SAY.
OKAY. I'VE GOTTEN SOME CORRESPONDENCE ABOUT THE BUS STOP NO LONGER BEING AT THE VIC.
APPARENTLY, THE BUS WAS UTILIZED A LOT BY THE DV STUDENTS COMING AND THEIR PARENTS AND SO FORTH.
THAT WAS THE WAY THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO COME HERE TO GET THEIR KIDS WHEN SUMMER WAS OVER.
AND SO THEY'RE MAKING SOME NOISE ABOUT IT.
SO I GUESS WE NEED TO FIND OUT SINCE WE TOOK IT FROM THE VIC WHERE IT RELOCATED AND FIND OUT IF IT'S A CONVENIENCE OR WHERE IT'S GOTTEN REROUTED.
A MAN WROTE A LONG LETTER SAYING HE HAD TO CATCH A UBER BECAUSE HE WAS DELAYED SOMEWHERE AND IT COST HIM A FORTUNE CATCHING AN UBER FROM JACKSONVILLE BACK TO SAINT AUGUSTINE BECAUSE WE NO LONGER PROVIDE THAT BUS SERVICE.
SO THEY'RE REALLY WHINING ABOUT THAT.
AND I THINK WE AS THE COMMISSION NEED TO HELP THEM.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR, TO HELP OUR RESIDENTS.
THERE'S JUST DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT HAVE CONTACTED ME ABOUT THE BUS.
SO WE NEED TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT.
THE OTHER THING IS, WHEN I SPOKE LAST LAST MEETING ABOUT FLORIDA AVENUE, THE RESIDENTS ON THE WEST SIDE HEARD ME AND THEY THANKED ME FOR MENTIONING THAT WE WERE GOING TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO PREVENT LOOKING TO SOME METHOD ABOUT THEM BEING CONCERNED ABOUT THAT FLOODING OVER THERE.
AND SO I HOPE THE CITY MANAGER IS STILL LOOKING INTO THAT, ALONG WITH A NEWLY APPOINTED.
SO HE PUT THAT IN HIS CAPABLE HANDS.
IF HE DOESN'T ABLE TO COMPLETE THAT TASK BEFORE HE IS RETIREMENT DATE.
I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW I FEEL LIKE I'M THE PEOPLE'S.
I THINK WE ALL FEEL LIKE WE'RE THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSIONER.
AND SO WHEN THEY CONTACT ME AND THEY REACH OUT TO ME, IT IS MY TASK TO HEAR THEM SO THAT THE WEST SIDE HAS A VOICE, FINALLY. SO THAT'S WHY I PROBABLY WILL ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY AT THE END OF THESE MEETINGS, BECAUSE I CAN'T CALL YOU GUYS BECAUSE THE SUNSHINE LAW AND SAY ANYTHING.
SO IT'S MY OBLIGATION TO BRING MY CONCERNS BEFORE THE COMMISSION, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A LONG NIGHT, I CANNOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE GO HOME KNOWING THERE'S SOMETHING THAT I SHOULD HAVE PUT ON THE TABLE.
THANK YOU. WELL, WE ALL VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT.
I'LL BE BRIEF. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK YOU FROM, I THANK EVERYBODY IN THE CITY AND THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMUNITY, BOTH YOU AND MR. REGAN AND OUR OUR LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT WHO WORKED SO HARD TO HELP PROTECT US.
AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE BETTER PREPARED TO MOUNT AN EVEN BIGGER FORCE AGAINST SUCH ATTACKS NEXT YEAR.
AND THEN I WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK JOHN REGAN, CITY MANAGER AND ALL THREE OF THE EXCELLENT CANDIDATES FOR MAKING THIS A DIFFICULT PROCESS.
BUT FOR THIS IS A THIS IS ANOTHER CHAPTER IN THE CITY'S HISTORY, AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE IT AS THAT.
AND I'M PROUD OF HOW WE'VE WE'VE TACKLED IT, ALL OF US.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TONIGHT.
THANK YOU. YEAH, I, TOO, WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO CITY MANAGER DESIGNEE MR. BIRCHIM. JOB WELL DONE.
I WANT TO COMMENT ABOUT THE WATERWORKS BUILDING.
[02:35:02]
WHAT A REAL GEM OF A PLACE.TONIGHT WAS A FREE CONCERT WITH ROMANZA WITH DUELING PIANOS.
AND I WISH I COULD HAVE GONE BECAUSE IT SOUNDED SO FABULOUS.
BUT THE WATERWORKS IS REALLY A PLUS.
I AM THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR SISTER CITY AND I HAD TO I HAD A PROGRESS REPORT HERE.
THAT SISTER CITY IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT'S NOT CONNECTED TO THE CITY.
THEY RAISE THEIR OWN FUNDS AND THEY ARE BACK IN THE STUDENT EXCHANGE BUSINESS.
WE WILL HAVE STUDENTS THIS SUMMER AND WE'RE ANXIOUSLY TRYING TO RECRUIT.
I THINK THE DEADLINE IS OVER NOW, BUT WE REALLY TRY TO RECRUIT.
AND THE PLANS HAVE ALREADY STARTED FOR THE 2024 FOR THE 100TH YEAR THEY'VE ALREADY STARTED GETTING GOING AND MR. MEEKS IS AHEAD OF THAT COMMITTEE.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO PLAN SOMETHING REALLY NICE.
IT'S IT'S KIND OF A BLIGHT OF OUR ENTRANCE INTO THE CITY.
COULD DO THAT AND WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE MAYOR FOR ALLOWING US TO READ PROCLAMATIONS.
I APPRECIATE THAT. OH, YEAH, DEFINITELY.
UM, WITH THAT, WE ARE ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.