Feb 12, 2024 City Commission

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:04]

GOOD EVENING. THIS MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER.

MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

WE WILL NOW HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY VICE MAYOR ROXANNE HORVATH.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

OKAY WOULD RISE AND JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE.

ALL RIGHT. WE ARE AT MODIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR THE REGULAR AGENDA.

[2. ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS]

ALL RIGHT, THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.

I'LL SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. THANK YOU.

[3. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, RECOGNITIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS]

IF YOU ALL WILL REMAIN SEATED, I'LL CALL YOU UP WHEN WE GET READY.

HERE WE GO. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. BEFORE I CALL PAM MASON AND HER FAMILY FORWARD TO JOIN ME IN MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS FOR A SPECIAL FLAG PRESENTATION I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE MAKE A FEW BRIEF REMARKS RECOGNIZING DOCTOR OTIS MASON AND HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

DOCTOR. MASON WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THE LINCOLNVILLE NEIGHBORHOOD.

HE WAS REGARDED BY HIS PEERS AS THE CONSUMMATE EDUCATOR, AND HE SERVED THE GREATER SAINT JOHNS COUNTY COMMUNITY AS A TEACHER, A PRINCIPAL, AN INSTRUCTIONAL SUPERVISOR, AND AS THE FIRST AND ONLY ELECTED BLACK SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS BEFORE HE RETIRED IN 1992.

DOCTOR MASON GRADUATED FROM EXCELSIOR HIGH SCHOOL IN 1946, AND WENT ON TO EARN AN UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE WITH HONORS FROM FLORIDA A&M IN 1950.

HE BEGAN TEACHING SCHOOL AT EXCELSIOR HIGH SCHOOL THAT SAME YEAR, BUT WAS DRAFTED INTO THE ARMY TO SERVE IN THE KOREAN WAR FOR TWO YEARS.

AFTER HIS SERVICE IN THE ARMY, HE RETURNED TO SAINT AUGUSTINE TO THE CLASSROOM, ASSIGNED TO WORK AT THE NEW MURRAY HIGH SCHOOL AS A SCIENCE TEACHER AND ASSISTANT FOOTBALL AND BASEBALL COACH.

IN 1960, HE WAS NAMED PRINCIPAL OF W.E.

HARRIS SCHOOL IN HASTINGS.

DOCTOR MASON REMAINED THERE UNTIL 1966, WHEN HE JOINED THE SAINT JOHNS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AS SUPERVISOR OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, AND WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FULL INTEGRATION OF SAINT JOHNS COUNTY SCHOOLS.

IN ADDITION TO HIS WORK WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DOCTOR, MASON SERVED ON THE BOARDS OF SEVERAL LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE DOCTOR MARTIN MARTIN LUTHER KING CELEBRATION COMMITTEE, THE FORT MOSE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE KIWANIS CLUB OF HISTORIC SAINT AUGUSTINE.

HE WAS A MEMBER APPOINTED BY GOVERNOR LAWTON CHILES TO THE HISTORIC SAINT AUGUSTINE PRESERVATION BOARD.

HE SERVED ON THE DRUG EDUCATION AND PREVENTION CENTER BOARD AND AS PRESIDENT OF THE FRIENDS OF LINCOLNVILLE, THE SUPPORT ORGANIZATION FOR THE EXCELSIOR MUSEUM AND CULTURAL CENTER.

AMONG MANY DISTINGUISHED HONORS BESTOWED UPON DOCTOR JACKSON DURING HIS LIFETIME, HE WAS ALSO THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE'S DE AVILES

[00:05:04]

AND THAT IS WHY THAT IS WHAT WE ARE HERE TO HONOR TODAY.

COMMISSIONERS, PLEASE JOIN ME.

PAM, IF YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WOULD COME AND JOIN US AS WELL UP AT THE FRONT.

TODAY WE WILL RECOGNIZE THE LEGACY OF YOUR DAD AND PRESENT YOU WITH A FLAG AND THE PLAQUE.

IT'S QUITE A LARGE.

IT'S QUITE A LARGE THING.

THE PLAQUE READS DOCTOR OTIS A MASON, IN HONOR OF HIS SERVICE TO THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE.

THIS FLAG WAS FLOWN AT CITY HALL ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 27TH, 2020, FOR AND I'LL HELP YOU ACCEPT THIS WITH OUR DEEP GRATITUDE AND HEARTFELT LOVE AND APPRECIATION FOR YOUR DAD.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YES. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO HOLD IT? IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK.

SIR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MY FATHER LIVED TO BE 95 YEARS OLD AND SIMPLY LAID DOWN AND TAKE A NAP, AND DID NOT WAKE UP.

HE LOVED SAINT AUGUSTINE.

HE LOVED SAINT JOHNS COUNTY MORE THAN ANYTHING.

HE LOVED MY MOTHER, THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE FOR 73 YEARS OF MARRIAGE, MYRTIS MASON.

AND THEN NEXT IN LINE TO THAT, I WOULD SAY HE LOVED THE CHILDREN OF SAINT JOHNS COUNTY.

HE WAS INDEED A CONSUMMATE EDUCATOR, SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF HIM.

WE ARE VERY HAPPY THAT HE IS AT PEACE.

AND WE THANK YOU FOR THIS GREAT HONOR BESTOWED UPON OUR FAMILY.

MY SISTER IS DRIVING.

SHE WAS TRYING TO MAKE IT, BUT TRAFFIC.

WE'RE IN ORLANDO, SO WE CAME HOME FOR THIS.

BUT THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

AND WE WILL HOLD THIS IN OUR HEARTS FOREVER.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

WE HAVE ANOTHER. WE HAVE THE NEXT PROCLAMATION IS FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

AND I'D LIKE TO, INVITE GAIL PHILLIPS FROM THE LINCOLNVILLE MUSEUM AND CULTURAL CENTER AND THOMAS JACKSON, PRESIDENT OF THE SAINT AUGUSTINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, TO JOIN US UP FRONT WHILE I READ THE PROCLAMATION.

HELLO. RIGHT HERE.

RIGHT HERE. GOOD, GOOD, GOOD.

ALL RIGHT. WHEREAS THE BEGINNING OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY IN THE UNITED STATES, EXCUSE ME, IN THE UNITED STATES CAN BE TRACED BACK TO SAINT AUGUSTINE. WHEN DON PEDRO MENÉNDEZ DE AVILÉS ARRIVED FROM SPAIN IN SEPTEMBER 1565 WITH 800 COLONISTS, INCLUDING 50 AFRICANS, BOTH FREE AND ENSLAVED.

THE AFRICANS BROUGHT BY MENÉNDEZ BECAME AN INTEGRAL PART OF AMERICA'S FIRST COLONY, AND WHEREAS IN 1738, GOVERNOR MANUEL DE MONTIANO GRANTED LAND FOR FREE AFRICANS AND FUGITIVE SLAVES TO BUILD A SETTLEMENT CALLED GARCIA REAL DE SANTA TERESA DE MOSE, NOW KNOWN AS FORT MOSAIC.

THIS SETTLEMENT BECAME THE FIRST LEGALLY SANCTIONED FREE BLACK TOWN, AND IS A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT SITE FOR THE BLACK AMERICAN HISTORY. AND WHEREAS UNDER SPANISH COLONIAL RULE, THERE WERE FREE AND ENSLAVED PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT LIVING IN SAINT

[00:10:01]

HOWEVER, LAWS WERE SOON PASSED INFRINGING UPON THE RIGHTS OF FREEDMEN.

ACCORDING TO CREDIBLE SOURCES, THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION WAS FIRST PUBLICLY READ IN SAINT AUGUSTINE.

EMANCIPATION LED TO A DEEPENING OF SEGREGATION LAWS KNOWN AS JIM CROW, AND WHEREAS AS SAINT AUGUSTINE WAS PREPARING TO CELEBRATE ITS 400TH ANNIVERSARY, THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT BROUGHT SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE LEADERS ANDREW YOUNG, HOSEA WILLIAMS, REVEREND C.T.

VIVIAN, AND REVEREND DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR TO LEAD NONVIOLENT CAMPAIGN EFFORTS IN SAINT AUGUSTINE TO BRING NATIONAL ATTENTION TO THE STRUGGLE.

THE EVENTS OF THE SUMMER OF 1964, AND SAINT AUGUSTINE ARE WIDELY CREDITED FOR THE PASSAGE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964.

2024 MARKS THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PASSAGE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE IS PROUD TO HONOR THE DEEP HISTORY OF BLACK AND AFRICAN AMERICANS IN FLORIDA, AND EXPRESSES FULL SUPPORT TO HAVE THE PROPOSED FLORIDA MUSEUM OF BLACK HISTORY BE LOCATED IN SAINT JOHNS COUNTY.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, DECLARES FEBRUARY 2024 BE DESIGNATED AS BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND CALLS UPON ALL OF ITS CITIZENS TO CELEBRATE OUR DIVERSE HERITAGE AND CULTURE AND ENCOURAGES THE COMMUNITY REACH OUT TO THE FLORIDA MUSEUM OF BLACK HISTORY TASK FORCE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE TO RECOMMEND SAINT JOHNS COUNTY AS THE PRIME LOCATION.

THANK YOU.

THERE IT IS.

THANK YOU, CAPTAIN NATION.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? OF COURSE. NO.

GO AHEAD. SO I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU.

FIRST OF ALL, ON BEHALF OF THE LINCOLNVILLE MUSEUM AND CULTURAL CENTER, WHICH COVERS THE 450 PLUS YEARS OF BLACK HISTORY HERE IN SAINT AUGUSTINE.

THAT IS LOCAL HISTORY WITH A NATIONAL IMPACT.

AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING AT THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

I AM ALSO HERE.

I'M A MEMBER OF THE FLORIDA BLACK MUSEUM TASK FORCE, SO I CAN'T ENDORSE WHAT SHE SAID PUBLICLY, BUT WE WOULD, WE KNOW THAT SAINT AUGUSTINE HAS THE OLDEST BLACK HISTORY IN OUR NATION.

AND SO AS A MEMBER OF THE TASK FORCE, WE WILL LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE, DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THAT ARE APPLYING FOR THAT RECOGNITION, TO HAVE THAT MUSEUM IN THEIR LOCALE.

SO THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, FOR RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS TO THIS SOCIETY.

WELL, I JUST WANT TO SAY DITTO.

AND, YOU KNOW, SAINT AUGUSTINE, I LIVED HERE ALL MY LIFE.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, IT'S ABOUT TIME.

YOU KNOW, IT'S ABOUT TIME.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORY IN SAINT AUGUSTINE AND ENCOMPASSES A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS, NATIONALITIES, COUNTRIES.

SO WE NEED TO FOCUS ON TELLING THE WHOLE STORY.

AND I THINK WE'RE ABOUT DOING THAT NOW, TELLING THE WHOLE STORY.

SO THANK YOU. I WANT TO APPRECIATE IT FROM THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

AND I'M GLAD YOU'RE UP HERE TO BE HERE.

SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE. PICTURE.

AND YOU KNOW WHO'S HERE? YEAH, THEY'RE ALL HERE.

SO.

NO. OKAY.

CAN I HAVE, JACQUELINE GARCIA AND DANIEL GARCIA, SENIOR AND JUNIOR, NORM KELLERSON AND SYLVIA CALLOSUM.

COME FORWARD, PLEASE.

I DON'T KNOW YOUR OFFICIAL. GENERAL.

[00:15:01]

HOW ARE YOU? YOU TELL? I WANT TO READ THIS CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION.

WHEREAS THE SECOND MARINE DIVISION BAND WAS FORMED IN 1947.

AND WHEREAS HISTORY HAS ESTABLISHED THAT THE BAND IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE COMMAND WHICH GREATLY INCREASES THE MORALE AND ESPIRIT DE CORPS OF THE TROOPS, AS WELL AS BEING A VITAL PART OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS.

AND WHEREAS THE SECOND MARINE DIVISION BAND, THE DIVISION'S OWN, IS ONE OF THE TEN FIELD MILITARY BANDS OPERATED BY THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS, WHICH ARE STAFF AND MUSICIANS WHO ARE ALSO COMBAT READY MARINES KNOWN FOR THEIR MARCHING AND MUSICAL EXCELLENCE IN A VARIETY OF MUSICAL STYLES. AND WHEREAS, THE SECOND MARINE DIVISION BAND HAS PERFORMED IN NUMEROUS NATIONWIDE EVENTS, INCLUDING MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE, MARDI GRAS PARADE, THE INDY 500 AND INTERNATIONAL EVENTS, AND BILL WOODS, FRANCE AND BELGIUM.

AND WHEREAS, THE SECOND MARINE DIVISION BAND PERFORMED FOR THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA CONSTITUTIONAL PLAZA COMMUNITY CONCERT ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9TH, 2023. AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE RECOGNIZED AND APPRECIATES MR. DANIEL GARCIA AND HIS WIFE, MRS. JACQUELINE GARCIA, WITH ORGANIZING THE CONCERT, IN ADDITION TO THEIR COMMITMENT TO HUMANITARIAN OUTREACH AND EFFORTS TO BRING PEACE WORLDWIDE.

NOW, THEREFORE, FOR THESE REASONS, THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AND ON BEHALF OF ITS RESIDENTS PAY THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE TRIBUTE TO THE SECOND MARINE DIVISION BAND FOR ITS MUSICAL EXCELLENCE AND ITS CIVIC MINDED SPIRIT, AND TO MR. AND MRS. DANIEL AND JACQUELINE C GARCIA FOR MAKING SUCH A WONDERFUL EVENT POSSIBLE.

AND WITNESS WHEREOF I HERE TO SET MY HAND AND DO CAUSE SEAL OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, TO BE AFFIXED THIS 12TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD, 2024 AND 458 YEARS OF THE FOUNDING OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, THE NATION'S OLDEST CITY, SIGNED BY OUR MAYOR, NANCY SIKES-KLINE.

HONEY, WOULD YOU GO FIRST? I ALWAYS HAVE TO SAY. HONEY, WOULD YOU GO FIRST? LADIES FIRST. RIGHT.

WE JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO SUPPORTED THE EVENT ON DECEMBER 9TH.

WE ARE ACCEPTING THIS GRACIOUS CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION ON BEHALF OF THE SECOND MARINE DIVISION BAND, WHICH IS OUT OF CAMP LEJEUNE.

THEY MADE A SPECIAL TRIP JUST TO HAVE A HOLIDAY CONCERT FOR, THE ALL OF THE VISITORS THAT WERE HERE FOR THE KNIGHTS OF LIGHT.

SO WE WANT TO THANK THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND ALL OF THE FOLKS WHO MADE IT HAPPEN.

I JUST WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS RIGHT FROM MY HEART.

SECOND MARINE DIVISION HOORAH.

OUTSTANDING GUYS AND WOMEN.

THEY ARE PROBABLY RIGHT NOW DEPLOYED IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

THOSE GUYS AND WOMEN THAT PERFORMED THAT NIGHT, AVERAGE ABOUT 40 DIFFERENT KINDS OF EVENTS A MONTH.

THEY'RE CONSTANTLY.

CONSTANTLY. GIVING THEIR LOVE, THEIR GIFTS AND THEIR TALENTS TO ALL OF US.

FOR THEM TO COME OUT AS THEY DID AND GIVE EVERYTHING THAT THEY GIVE THAT THEY HAD GIVEN.

IT WAS REALLY A BLESSING.

I REALLY WANT TO THANK GOD.

I WANT TO THANK THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE FOR THEIR SUPPORT.

I WANT TO THANK BILL DUDLEY, WHO MAY OR MAY NOT BE HERE.

WE INVITED HIM, BILL, AND THE JUST THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND HOW THEY BLOCKED THE ROAD AND THE PEOPLE OF SAINT AUGUSTINE.

I REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE WE WERE INVOLVED IN THIS WERE SO SUPPORTIVE.

THEY THERE'S A AND HERE PEOPLE ARE REALLY RECOGNIZED THAT ARE IN THE MILITARY.

THEY REALLY THANK ME AND THANK OTHER MILITARY PEOPLE EVERYWHERE WE GO.

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY GOD BLESS SAINT AUGUSTINE AND ALL.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT THE WORLD.

TELL ME MORE.

THANK YOU SIR.

THANK YOU.

NICE. NICE.

I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE BEAUTIFUL.

[00:20:17]

HELLO. HELLO.

HELLO, SIR. WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION.

AND WE HAVE A RECOGNITION AND A THANK YOU.

SO WE HAVE THE PROCLAMATION FOR THE GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT AND I WILL READ IT.

WHEREAS THE GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT IS A WORLDWIDE COMMUNITY SCIENCE PROJECT THAT IS HELD OVER FOUR DAYS EACH FEBRUARY, SPONSORED BY THE NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY, THE CORNELL LAB OF ORNITHOLOGY, AND THE BIRDS CANADA.

AND WHEREAS, THE OBJECTIVE OF THE GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT, THAT'S A MOUTHFUL.

IS TO INSPIRE PEOPLE IN COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD TO SPEND THESE FOUR DAYS IN THEIR FAVORITE PLACES, COUNTING AND REPORTING AS MANY BIRDS AS THEY CAN TO HELP SCIENTISTS BETTER UNDERSTAND GLOBAL BIRD POPULATIONS BEFORE THE ANNUAL MIGRATIONS BEGIN.

AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE HAS A SPLENDID POPULATION OF MIGRATORY AND NON-MIGRATORY BIRDS, BUT SCIENTISTS HAVE RECORDED A SIGNIFICANT DECLINE OF 3 BILLION BIRDS FOR THE NORTH AMERICAN CONTINENT SINCE 1970, WHICH INDICATES A GENERAL SHIFT IN OUR CONTINENT'S ABILITY TO SUPPORT BASIC BIRD LIFE.

AND WHEREAS, IN RECOGNITION OF ITS EFFORTS TO PRESERVE BIRD AND WILDLIFE HABITAT, THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE'S DOCTOR ROBERT B HAYLING FREEDOM PARK WAS RECENTLY LISTED ON THE FLORIDA GREAT BIRDING AND WILDLIFE TRAIL.

AND WHEREAS, PARTICIPATING IN THE GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT FOR AS LITTLE AS 15 MINUTES PER DAY WILL HELP SCIENTISTS BETTER UNDERSTAND GLOBAL BIRD POPULATIONS BEFORE ANNUAL MIGRATIONS AND WILL ALSO HELP LOCAL SCIENTISTS, PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND OUR COMMUNITY BETTER DOCUMENT AND MONITOR THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE'S BIRD POPULATION ON AN ONGOING BASIS.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE DOES PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 16TH THROUGH 19TH, 2024 AS THE GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT WEEK AND URGES ALL CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT TO CELEBRATE, DOCUMENT AND PROTECT THE BIRDS OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE.

AND I WILL PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION TO CASH MCVAY AND JAMES HILL.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO? I'D LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS.

I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT IF ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT, I WILL BE LEADING A BIRD WALK AT DOCTOR ARBOR HAYLING FREEDOM PARK. FEBRUARY, I THINK 16, 17TH.

8 A.M.. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. WONDERFUL.

LET'S TAKE A PICTURE.

WE HAVE ONE MORE ITEM.

I AM PRESENTING, AND WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR RECOGNIZING AND NOMINATING THE GREAT BACKYARD BIRD? HARK! WAIT! OH TRAIL, BIRDING AND WILDLIFE TRAIL.

AND, THAT IS, MR. HILL AND CASH MCVAY TOGETHER.

SO I AM HERE TO RECOGNIZE, WE ARE HERE TO RECOGNIZE WITH A CERTIFICATE, OFFICIAL CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION, IN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AND PRESENTED IT TO HONOR JAMES HILL AND CELEBRATION OF HELPING TO SECURE THE DESIGNATION OF THE ROBERT B HAYLING FREEDOM PARK AS A SITE ON THE GREAT FLORIDA BIRDING AND WILDLIFE TRAIL.

AS A MEMBER OF THE SAINT JOHN'S REGIONAL AUDUBON, JAMES ORGANIZED A FOUR YEAR EFFORT OF GUIDED BIRD WALKS AT THE PARK, COLLECTING THE NEEDED DATA, WHICH PROVED ESSENTIAL IN THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE SECURING THIS IMPORTANT DESIGNATION AND THAT'S DATED

[00:25:04]

I DO LIKE SAYING ONE MINUTE.

ONE MINUTE IS FINE.

YOU TAKE YOUR TIME. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COMMISSIONERS FOR THIS RECOGNITION.

I PARTICULARLY APPRECIATED THE HELP FROM COMMISSIONER BLONDER AND J.B.

MILLER FOR THEIR IMPORTANT ROLES IN SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION TO THE FWC, ENABLING THE INCLUSION OF THE DOCTOR ROBERT HAYLING FREEDOM PARK AS A SITE ON THE GREAT FLORIDA BIRDING AND WILDLIFE TRAIL.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK CASH MCVAY OF THE LINCOLNVILLE COMMUNITY GARDEN FOR ASKING ME TO HELP BUILD A SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION TO THE FWC.

I'M ALSO GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK OF MY FELLOW BIRDERS AND THE SAINT JOHNS REGIONAL AUDUBON, AND HELPING US TO IDENTIFY 161 SPECIES OF BIRDS AND DOCTOR ROBERT HAYLING FREEDOM PARK.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE LINCOLNVILLE COMMUNITY GARDEN WHO HAVE LABORED TO SUSTAIN AN ORGANIC GARDEN WHICH IS A BIRD FRIENDLY.

AND AGAIN, I INVITE YOU TO JOIN US FOR A BIRD WALK ON FEBRUARY 17TH AND 18TH AT 8 A.M.

. WE'LL BE MEETING AT THE WILLIE GALIMORE CENTER.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE MOVING ON TO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS.

[4. PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS OR FOR AGENDA ITEMS NOT REQUIRING A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING]

THAT WAY WE'LL HAVE ONE PERSON ON DECK AND ANOTHER ONE QUEUED UP, AND WE HAVE A SEAT AVAILABLE IN THE FRONT.

IF THE SECOND NAME THAT I CALL WILL COME FORWARD AND SIT IN THE SEAT, YOU'LL BE.

VERY CLOSE TO THE PODIUM WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME.

FIRST SPEAKER IS VICKI PAYNE, FOLLOWED BY WILLIAM PAYNE.

IS IT OKAY TO PUT THIS DOWN ON THIS COMPUTER? MADAM. MADAM PAYNE, IF YOU WILL, PLEASE GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

I'M VICKI PAYNE.

I'M AT 394 PESCADO DRIVE IN SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA.

THANK YOU.

I AM ADDRESSING YOU TODAY ABOUT A PROJECT THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON WITHIN THE MADEIRA COMMUNITY FOR A YEAR, AND WE ARE HOPING THAT THE CITY WILL AT LEAST LOOK AT THIS PROJECT.

THE EFFORT IS IN TRYING TO SAVE THE TURTLE WAS ORIGINALLY 50 ACRES OF LAND.

IT'S NOW DOWN TO 24 ACRES WITH 30 OF THE ACRES THAT WERE TAKEN OUT BY THE DEVELOPER RECENTLY.

BUT THOSE 30 ACRES CONTAIN AN AMAZINGLY CRUCIAL ENVIRONMENT FOR THE BIRDS THAT YOU'VE JUST PROMOTED, ALONG WITH THE WADING BIRDS, THE MIGRATORY BIRDS.

IT PROVIDES A HABITAT ALONG THE SHORELINE AS PART OF THE FLORIDA FOREVER BLUEWAY AND THE FLORIDA FOREVER PROJECTS TO PRESERVE THE OYSTER BEDS THAT WERE FEDERALLY BUILT UP BACK IN 2012.

THOSE OYSTER BEDS ARE COMING BACK.

IT ALSO PROVIDES AN AMAZING ECOLOGICAL ECOSYSTEM THAT IF IT'S DESTROYED THAT 30 ACRES FROM JUST PAST HISTORY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, WE'LL BE SITTING UNDERWATER AN AWFUL LOT FROM THE TOLOMATO RIVER AND THE MARSHES.

AND FURTHERMORE, WHAT'S BEEN RECENTLY BROUGHT TO ALL OF OUR ATTENTION ON THE COMMITTEE IS THE ARCHEOLOGICAL HISTORY THAT'S GOING TO BE COMPLETELY DESTROYED BECAUSE IT WAS NEVER FULLY DEVELOPED AND EXCAVATED.

HOWEVER, IT WAS PROMOTED TO THE STATE'S HISTORIC LEVEL AND RECOMMENDED TO BE GONE TO THE NATIONAL REGISTRY.

IT INCLUDES HISTORY THAT GOES BACK TO THE ARCHAIC PERIODS 3000 YEARS AGO, AS WELL AS THE FORT MOSÉ, AS WELL AS THE WAR OF 1812, AS WELL AS THE SANCHEZ FOUNDATION HISTORIES WITH THE ARCHEOLOGICAL DIG.

EXCUSE ME, ARCHEOLOGICAL DIGS SHOWN PRESERVING PARTS OF THE ORIGINAL HOUSES OF THE SANCHEZ FAMILY.

[00:30:07]

THIS IS WITHIN, THESE 30 ACRES ARE WITHIN THE CITY'S PROPERTY.

THE OTHER 24 WERE OUTSIDE IN THE COUNTY'S PROPERTY.

THE COUNTY IS LOOKING AT THAT AND TRYING TO FIND A WAY THAT WE CAN PRESERVE FOR EVERYBODY, EVERY CULTURE, THE HISTORY, THE ECOLOGY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND WHAT IS.

EVEN JEN ANDERSON, AS THE CURATOR OF THE ALLIGATOR FARM, HAS SAID, WE HAVE A TRUE DEVELOPING ROOKERY WITH THE NESTS OF THE SPOONBILLS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE BEING PROTECTED BY THE STATE, AS WELL AS THE FEDERALLY PROTECTED WOOD STORKS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE THEIR AREA FOR FORAGING AND NESTING, ALONG WITH 13 OTHER LEVELS OF IMPERILED BIRDS.

AND WE FEEL LIKE AS COMMUNITY RESIDENTS AND CITIZENS OF THE CITY, WE NEED THE CITY'S HELP TO PRESERVE THIS LAND NOT JUST FOR US, BUT FOR THE KIDS THAT GROW UP AFTER US, FOR THE HISTORY THAT IT CONTAINS, AND FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY DO TO PRESERVE THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE IN ITS RICH CULTURE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, WILLIAM PAYNE, FOLLOWED BY NANCY MURPHY.

NAME IS WILLIAM PAYNE, 394 PESCADO.

I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MADEIRA PROPERTY AS WELL.

PHASE ONE C IS COASTAL WET.

IT'S COASTAL FOREST.

VERY FEW ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE BIRDS AND FOR ALL THE IMPERILED SPECIES THAT ARE AROUND.

20 ACRES OF THAT, 30 ACRES HAVE ALREADY BEEN DESIGNATED AS PART OF CONSERVATION LAND IN TERMS OF THE FLORIDA BLUE AND FLORIDA FOREVER PROGRAM.

SO IT'S DESIGNATED ALREADY.

AND ONE OF THE CHARGES, EVEN IN THE PUD, IS THAT YOU SHOULD HELP PROTECT CONSERVATION LANDS.

ABUTTED TO THAT IS 24 ACRES THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE FLORIDA BLUE FLORIDA FOREVER PROJECT, WHICH WOULD MAKE A TOTAL OF 54 ACRES.

NICE SIZED STATE PARK THAT WOULD BE PART CITY COUNTY.

THESE TREES HAVE BEEN GROWING EVER SINCE THE ORIGINAL PUD WAS SUBMITTED IN 1989.

NO HOUSES ARE THERE, BUT THEY'VE BEEN GROWING.

THE LAND IS VERY RESILIENT AND, THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AT THIS POINT.

PERHAPS THE TREES WEREN'T AS BIG THEN, BUT THEY ARE NOW.

IN TERMS OF THE LAND ITSELF, IT'S ALSO BEEN DESIGNATED IN THE PUD BY THE AS AN ARCHEOLOGICAL ZONE TWO, AND IT CONTAINS FIVE SITES, THREE OF WHICH WERE EXCAVATED PARTIALLY AND APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY, ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO BUILD UPON.

HOWEVER, ARCHEOLOGISTS WOULD SAY WAS NOT FULLY EVALUATED.

THE OTHER TWO SIDES WERE NEVER EVALUATED.

SO WE'RE GOING TO LOSE THAT FOREVER.

AND PART OF THAT IS FORT MOSE.

PART OF THAT GOES BACK TO THE SANCHEZ PLANTATION AND THE INDIAN RESERVATION ABOVE THAT AS WELL.

AND AS PART OF THE FLORIDA PLANS, GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES, IT ENCOURAGES THE CITY TO ENSURE PROTECTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES, IN THE SECTION OF CONSERVATION AND COASTAL MANAGEMENT.

AND THIS FITS BOTH OF THOSE AREAS.

AND FINALLY I'M GOING TO SAY, IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, IF YOU CAN'T HELP US SAVE IT, PLEASE ENFORCE THE POD.

THE POD SAYS YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DESTROY ALL THE TREES.

YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BULLDOZE THEM DOWN.

THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO LEAVE AS MANY AS THEY CAN OF TREES BIGGER THAN 22 INCH DIAMETER.

THAT THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE IN THE PAST FOR ALL THE DEVELOPMENT PHASES OF MADEIRA.

AND I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU THAT WE WANT TO DO THAT NOW.

AND I THANK YOU FOR MY TIME.

THANK YOU. NANCY MURRAY, FOLLOWED BY ARTHUR COLBERT.

HI NANCY MURPHY, 22 BARONS COURT.

I AM SO GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY, AND I WANT TO EXTEND MY THANKS FOR YOU BEING HERE AND FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE TO MAKE THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE A MORE COMPASSIONATE CITY SINCE I LAST SAW YOU, AND TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

SO AS A PART OF THAT, I WANT TO READ THE FIRST AND LAST PARAGRAPHS OF THE CHARTER FOR COMPASSION, PLEASE.

THE PRINCIPLE OF COMPASSION LIES AT THE HEART OF ALL RELIGIOUS, ETHICAL AND SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS, CALLING US ALWAYS TO TREAT ALL OTHERS AS WE WISH TO BE TREATED OURSELVES.

COMPASSION IMPELS US TO WORK TIRELESSLY TO ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERING OF OUR FELLOW CREATURES.

TO DETHRONE OURSELVES FROM THE CENTER OF OUR UNIVERSE AND PUT ANOTHER THERE.

[00:35:01]

TREATING EVERYBODY, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, WITH ABSOLUTE JUSTICE, EQUITY AND RESPECT.

WE URGENTLY NEED TO MAKE COMPASSION A CLEAR, LUMINOUS AND DYNAMIC FORCE IN OUR POLARIZED WORLD, ROOTED IN A PRINCIPLED DETERMINATION TO TRANSCEND SELFISHNESS.

COMPASSION CAN BREAK DOWN POLITICAL, DOGMATIC, IDEOLOGICAL, AND RELIGIOUS BOUNDARIES.

BORN OF OUR DEEP INTERDEPENDENCE.

COMPASSION IS ESSENTIAL TO HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS AND TO A FULFILLED HUMANITY.

COMPASSION IS THE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT AND INDISPENSABLE TO THE CREATION OF A JUST ECONOMY AND A PEACEFUL, GLOBAL COMMUNITY.

THE CHARTER FOR COMPASSION WAS FIRST PRESENTED IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND IN FEBRUARY OF 2009.

THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE BECAME THE FIRST COMPASSIONATE CITY IN FLORIDA IN SEPTEMBER OF 2013, AND COMPASSIONATE SAINT AUGUSTINE'S MISSION IS INFLUENCING, INSPIRING, AND GROWING A CULTURE OF COMPASSION THROUGH ADVOCACY, AWARENESS AND ACTION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ARTHUR COLBERT, FOLLOWED BY MADELINE WISE.

GOOD EVENING. FOR THE RECORD, I'M MARTHA COLBERT.

I LIVE AT 2210 VISTA COVE AND WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF COMPASSION SAINT AUGUSTINE.

MADAM MAYOR AND, COMMISSIONERS, CITY MANAGER STAFF.

TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT NANCY SAYS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE TO THANK YOU.

YOU KNOW, WE RARELY BRING ANYTHING OTHER THAN GOOD TIDINGS.

AND I KNOW THAT'S A WELCOME RELIEF GIVEN WHO TAKES THE MIC AT TIMES.

BUT SPECIFICALLY THIS EVENING WITH REGARD TO BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

I WAS GRATEFUL TO HEAR, THAT YOU RECENTLY ADDED THE STOP ON THE TROLLEY MUSEUM IN FRONT OF THE LINCOLNVILLE MUSEUM, WHICH IS AWESOME.

GAIL WAS JUST HERE, AND I KNOW HOW MUCH THEY APPRECIATE THAT.

WITH REGARD TO THAT AND YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED AFRICAN AMERICAN, HISTORY MUSEUM HERE IN SAINT AUGUSTINE AND SAINT JOHNS COUNTY, CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR AREA.

SO I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR BOTH OF THOSE THINGS DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

AND I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS, MELISSA WISSEL.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE IN THE ROOM LISTENED TO THE BREAK ROOM EVERY WEEK, BUT IT IS INSPIRING.

IT'S EDUCATIONAL.

YOU LEARN SO MUCH WITH REGARD TO THAT.

I, I MEAN, I LOOK FORWARD TO IT.

AND FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK THE PAST TWO WEEKS WE HAD THE WASTE MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR ON AND WE HAD THE NEW SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER, I THINK, THIS PAST WEEK. AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE MY WORK WITH FLAGLER COLLEGE AND THE STUDENTS THERE WERE ABLE TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION, BECAUSE YOU'RE UNDERTAKING IN A HUGE WAY TO TRY TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE OF WASTE MANAGEMENT AND RECYCLING ON OUR CAMPUS.

SO YOU CAN SEE PROFESSOR BLONDER AND OTHERS THAT IF THEY'RE ABLE TO MAKE PROGRESS WITH A BIG DIFFERENCE THAT WOULD MAKE HERE IN OUR CITY TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF, MOVE THAT ALONG WITH REGARD TO ALL THAT, AND, FINALLY, COMPASSION.

SAINT AUGUSTINE HAS BEEN CHOSEN TO BE THE GRAND MARSHAL FOR THE SAINT PATRICK'S DAY PARADE.

SO THE MAYOR IS GOING TO JOIN US AS ONE OF OUR MARSHALS, AND I INVITE ALL THE COMMISSIONERS AND CITY MANAGER AND STAFF TO JOIN US.

AS PART OF ALL THAT, IT'D BE WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU OUT THERE WALKING WITH US AND MARCHING AND CELEBRATING THIS EVENT AND THE THE GREAT CULTURE THAT WE HAVE HERE.

SO THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL YOU DO AND GRATEFUL TO BE YOUR PARTNER.

AND WE WOULDN'T BE THE COMPASSIONATE ORGANIZATION IF IT WASN'T FOR THE COMPASSIONATE CITY.

SO IT'S REALLY APPROPRIATE THAT YOU GET TO SHARE WITH US ON THAT DAY.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.

THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO. THANK YOU.

NEXT SPEAKER IS MADELINE WISE, FOLLOWED BY GAIL WHISLER.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

FIRST, I WANT TO THANK THE CITY FOR YOUR SUPPORT WITH OUR LINCOLNVILLE FESTIVAL WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL THIS YEAR.

AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

OKAY. NOW I'M COMING TO YOU ON BEHALF OF THE LINCOLN HISTORICAL PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION SOCIETY.

AND I WROTE I SENT EACH ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS AND MR. BERTRAM A LETTER FROM OUR ORGANIZATION STATING SOME CONCERNS.

WE'VE ADDRESSED THEM BEFORE.

WE BROUGHT THEM BEFORE THE COMMITTEE, BEFORE SOME OF THEM.

BUT I HEAR WE YOU KNOW, WE JUST DID A THING HERE ABOUT BLACK HISTORY MONTH IN THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE.

[00:40:11]

THAT NAME WAS GIVEN BY THE AFRICAN AMERICANS BECAUSE LINCOLNVILLE WAS FORMERLY KNOWN AS LITTLE AFRICA.

AND I HEAR WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY.

BUT WHEN YOU GO OVER IN LINCOLNVILLE, LINCOLNVILLE IS ONE BUILDING AT A TIME LOSING ITS LOOK.

IS WHEN THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE APPLIED FOR THAT NATIONAL STATUS FOR LINCOLNVILLE, THERE WERE 500 STRUCTURES ON THAT LIST.

THAT, THE CITY SAID THAT'S THE REASON WHY LINCOLNVILLE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED HISTORICAL.

NOW. SOME OF YOU ALL ARE DISAGREEING, BUT I KNOW IT'S TRUE.

IT'S LESS THAN 200 OF THOSE STRUCTURES THAT ARE STILL STANDING.

NOW. SO THAT MEANS SOMEBODY HASN'T BEEN DOING THEIR JOB.

THE CITY REQUESTED THIS, SO THE CITY SHOULD BE THE ONES RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THOSE STRUCTURES REMAIN.

AND ONE OF OUR REQUEST IS TO GET LINCOLNVILLE DESIGNATED AS A HISTORIC DISTRICT.

I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE COMPLICATED, BUT ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.

SO WE ARE PUSHING FOR IT.

AND WE HAVE OTHER THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, I SAW A SIGN UP THERE ON THE CORNER OF KING AND GRANADA THAT SAID LINCOLNVILLE.

THAT IS NOT LINCOLNVILLE.

BUT ANYHOW, IT'S UP THERE.

BUT LIKE I SAID, WE GOT SEVERAL OTHER THINGS, LIKE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING THE STREETSCAPES AND DIFFERENT THINGS, AND WE WOULD REALLY LIKE FOR A LOT OF THE AFRICAN AMERICANS IN, NOT IN LINCOLNVILLE, BUT IN THE CITY TO PLAY A ROLE IN THE NAMES OF WHAT'S GOING ON, BECAUSE IT WAS MORE THAN, 5 OR 6 PEOPLE THAT WAS A PART OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

AND WE GOT TO REMEMBER WE LIVED BEFORE CIVIL RIGHTS AND WE LIVED AFTER CIVIL RIGHTS, AND WE OWNED THE MAJORITY OF THOSE PROPERTIES IN LINCOLNVILLE.

SO I WOULD LIKE FOR A LITTLE MORE INPUT FROM THE AFRICAN AMERICANS TO PLAY A ROLE IN ALL THESE PLAQUES AND STUFF, AND THE PROTECTION FOR THESE PLAQUES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

GAYLE WHISLER.

FOLLOWED BY SCOTT YORK.

THANK YOU.

THANKS FOR THE CHANCE TO BE HERE.

I UNDERSTAND I HAD TO ASK TO HAVE, THE YOUNG LADY IN THE BACK, PROJECT.

YEAH. OKAY, SO IT SEEMS LIKE, FLORA AND FAUNA ARE ON THE AGENDA TODAY, AND I HAVE A VISUAL THAT I WANT TO SHOW YOU, BUT THIS IS THIS IS MY QUESTION.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BIRDS AND TREES.

HOW DO WE PROTECT THE SIGNIFICANT TREES? AND I MEAN THE LIVE OAKS, BECAUSE THEY LIVE LONGER THAN WE KNOW, AT LEAST AS LONGER THAN THIS COUNTRY IS OLD, RIGHT.

SO HOW DO WE PROTECT THEM? MANY, MANY RESIDENTS ARE NOT AWARE OF THE RESTRICTION ON CUTTING DOWN TREES.

AND YOU'VE SEEN THAT VERITAS SCHOOL.

AND I'LL SHOW YOU ANOTHER PICTURE FROM BEHIND OUR HOUSE.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING.

HOW DO WE LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY JUST CAN'T GO OUT THERE AND CHOP THESE TREES DOWN? INCREASE THE FINE.

I THINK SOMEBODY SAID, YOU KNOW, VERITAS GOT FINED $700.

THAT'S NOTHING REALLY.

IF THEY CAN DO WHAT THEY'RE DOING, I THINK THEY CAN AFFORD MORE.

MAYBE 5000 OR MORE WOULD BE A GOOD.

FINE. MAYBE IT WOULD MAKE PEOPLE THINK TWICE ABOUT CUTTING DOWN THESE HOMES AND INFORM SOMEHOW ALL NEW HOME OWNERS, LOT PURCHASES OF THESE RESTRICTIONS, THESE, TREES.

AND I'LL SHOW YOU NEXT, ARE IMPORTANT FOR, FOR WIND DAMAGE.

SO THIS IS THE VIEW FROM OUR BACKYARD BEFORE.

OKAY. 163 MARTIN LUTHER KING AVENUE.

THIS IS OUR BACKYARD.

BEFORE THE TREES WERE CUT DOWN.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, MISS HANKERSON AND HER SON PASSED AWAY LAST YEAR.

THEY WERE RIGHT BEHIND US, AND THE HOUSE WAS SOLD.

AND BEFORE WE KNEW IT, GUYS ON A SATURDAY CAME WITH THEIR EQUIPMENT.

THERE WAS NO SIGNS, NO TREE COMPANY.

AND THIS RIGHT HERE IS A LIVE OAK.

AND I'M ESTIMATING MAYBE IT WAS ABOUT 80 YEARS OLD, MAYBE MORE.

IT WAS IT WAS A BRANCHED LIVE OAK.

AND BEFORE I COULD GET OUT THERE AND WRAP MYSELF AROUND IT, IT WAS GONE.

AND SO NOW HERE IS AFTER THIS IS OUR BACKYARD.

NOW, I'M PLEASED THAT, PEOPLE BOUGHT THE HANKERSON HOME.

THEY ARE RENOVATING IT.

[00:45:02]

AND THEN WE HAVE WHAT MY HUSBAND REFERS TO AS A THREE STORY TOBACCO BARN IN THE BACK, WHICH HAS A POOL.

AND IT'S OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW.

SO, THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT NOW, THE WIND, THE HURRICANES ARE GOING TO COME, THE WINDS, IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT STRONGER COMING THROUGH THAT OPENING. WE CAN SEE OVER NOW TO BLANCO ROAD AND THE BIRDS, THE THE BIRD HABITAT, THE INSECTS THAT WERE HERE BEFORE.

WE USED TO HAVE A GREAT HORNED OWL THAT SPENT A FEW NIGHTS UP IN ONE OF OUR TREES, AND WE NAMED HIM WILBUR.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NEXT SPEAKER IS SCOTT YORK, FOLLOWED BY CHRIS FULMER.

GOOD EVENING. SCOTT YORK, 29 SPANISH STREET.

DON'T WORRY. I'M NOT HERE TO COMPLAIN.

TONIGHT. I'M HERE TO PRAISE THIS COMMISSION, THE CITY STAFF, AND ALL OF THE HARD WORK THAT'S BEEN PUT IN TO THE SPANISH STREET PROJECT.

THAT WE'RE NEARING THE END OF IT NOW, AND WE'RE COMING UP TO THE POINT WHERE OUR SPANISH STREET NEIGHBORHOOD IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY A PEDESTRIAN ONLY ACCESS TO THAT RESIDENTIAL AREA, THE LAST REMAINING RESIDENTIAL AREA WITHIN THE OLD WALDEN CITY.

AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT THIS PROJECT BE USED AS A MODEL FOR THE REST OF THE PROJECTS THAT THE CITY IS LOOKING AT.

THAT TOLOMATO LOT IS NEXT ON THE LIST, AND THEN AFTER THAT, I THINK THAT THIS CAN BE USED AS A MODEL FOR THE REST OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.

OUR CITY MANAGER, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, REUBEN FRANKLIN, MOBILITY MANAGER XAVIER PELLISSIER AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE WORKED SO HARD ON THAT PROJECT DESERVES SOME GREAT CREDIT, AND I JUST WANT TO PRAISE THEM AND THANK YOU AS WELL FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT'S GONE INTO IT, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE COMPLETION OF IT WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. CHRIS FULMER IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY BJ KALAIDI.

HI. GOOD EVENING, CHRIS FULMER.

I LIVE IN SAINT AUGUSTINE.

OUR STATE LEGISLATORS ARE TRYING TO TAKE AWAY LOCAL CONTROL ON SEVERAL ISSUES INVOLVING NOT JUST SHORT TERM RENTAL, BUT OTHER THINGS.

REMEMBER IN NOVEMBER THAT NOT JUST NATIONAL ELECTIONS, BUT STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS ARE IMPORTANT.

VOTE EVERY ELECTION, EVERY ISSUE, RESEARCH IT.

IF YOU DON'T RESEARCH IT YOURSELF, FIND A FRIEND WHO WILL RESEARCH IT FOR YOU AND GIVE YOU THEIR CHEAT SHEET.

BUT VOTE. IT'S IMPORTANT.

AS FOR HOUSE BILL 1621, REMOVAL OF HISTORIC MONUMENTS, I CANNOT SPEAK SO MUCH TO THE HOUSE BILL AS TO THE SENATE BILL.

THEY HAD A PUBLIC HEARING THIS WEEK.

THE PUBLIC HEARING HAD SPEAKERS WHO ACTUALLY GOT UP AND SAID, WE NEED TO PROTECT CONFEDERATE MONUMENTS BECAUSE WE NEED TO PROTECT WHITE CULTURE AND WE NEED TO PROTECT WHITE SUPREMACY.

THE REPUBLICAN SENATE PRESIDENT WENT SO FAR AS TO SAY SHE HAD CONCERNS ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF THE SPEAKERS, AND ANOTHER REPUBLICAN CALLED THEM VILE AND BIGOTED, AND SHE DIDN'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THAT SHE AGREED WITH THEIR OPINION, BUT SHE MIGHT VOTE FOR IT ANYWAY.

SO PLEASE INCLUDE THAT IN YOUR DISCUSSION WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT IT TONIGHT, BECAUSE THERE ARE A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS.

AND OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S VALENTINE'S DAY, IT'S MARDI GRAS, IT'S ASH WEDNESDAY, IT'S A BUSY WEEK, AND WILLIE NELSON IS COMING.

IT'S GOING TO BE VERY EXCITING.

IT'S THE QUIET PERIOD BEFORE SPRING BREAK, SO ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF IT.

BE KIND TO YOUR WAITSTAFF.

TIP YOUR SERVERS. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER AND FINAL SPEAKER IS BJ KALAIDI.

MISS DUNN. THANK YOU.

BJ KALAIDI, WEST CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE 9A1.

SINCE THE SHERIFF HAS TOO MANY SCHOOLS TO PROTECT THIS PRIVATE SCHOOL, SAINT JOE WANTS TO ANNEX INTO THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE INSTEAD OF HIRING THEIR OWN PRIVATE SECURITY COMPANY.

23.40% OF PROPERTIES IN THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT PAY PROPERTY TAXES.

THAT IS A LOSS OF 764 MILLION PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS.

NOT IN THE GENERAL FUND.

TEN E TEN F TEN G.

THESE ARE ALL NONPROFITS AND SHOULD NOT BE ANNEXED INTO THE CITY LIMITS OF SAINT AUGUSTINE.

THEY WILL NOT PAY ANY CITY OR COUNTY PROPERTY TAXES.

THERE IS NO BENEFIT TO CITY TAXPAYERS.

IN 2005, 19 YEARS AGO, THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE GAVE ANIMAL CONTROL TO THE COUNTY FOR A ONE TIME PAYMENT OF $50,000. SINCE THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE DID NOT HAVE RESOURCES TO CLEAN UP.

ROAMING ANIMALS IS A BUSY BODY, SOMEONE WHO PAYS DOUBLE PROPERTY TAXES AND EXPECTS ORDINANCES AND TRAFFIC LAWS TO BE ENFORCED.

THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE HAS NOT FOCUSED ON ONE RELIGION.

[00:50:01]

PRAYER DOES NOT FURTHER THE PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, WELFARE OR GOOD GOVERNANCE OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE.

AS OF FEBRUARY 6TH, 2024, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CONTINUED TO HAVE AN INVOCATION.

THIS IS MY FATHER'S WORLD, AND TO MY LISTENING EARS ALL NATURE SINGS AND ROUND ME RINGS THE MUSIC OF THE SPHERES.

OH, LET ME NEVER FORGET THAT.

THOUGH THE WRONG SEEMS OFTEN SO STRONG.

GOD IS THE RULER.

YET THE BATTLE IS NOT DONE.

JESUS WHO DIED SHALL BE SATISFIED.

EVERYONE HAS A CHOICE TO BELIEVE OR NOT, AND I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LISTEN TO FM 90.5.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THOSE ARE ALL OUR SPEAKER CARDS FOR THE EVENING, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO, THE NEXT ITEM.

WE HAVE NO, GENERAL PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS CONSENT.

OH, I APOLOGIZE.

[5. CONSENT AGENDA]

I SKIPPED RIGHT OVER IT.

MR. CITY MANAGER, MADAM MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDES A REMINDER OF UPCOMING MEETINGS FOR THE FEBRUARY 26TH, 2024, 5 P.M.

REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING.

THE MARCH 11TH, 5 P.M.

REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING AND THE MARCH 25TH, 5 P.M.

REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING.

WE HAVE THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE JANUARY 8TH CITY COMMISSION MEETING AND APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR THE JANUARY 22ND REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING.

WE HAVE THE PROPOSED PROCLAMATION 2020 4-07 PROCLAIMING MARCH 4TH THROUGH 10TH, 2024 AS FLOOD AWARENESS WEEK IN THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE.

WE HAVE A NOTICE OF A PROCLAMATION OR CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION TO MR. EDWARD M MAGUIRE, CONGRATULATING HIM ON HIS 100TH BIRTHDAY.

WE HAVE APPROVAL OF A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COASTAL FLORIDA POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION, MODIFYING ARTICLE 14 WAGES.

AND FINALLY, WE HAVE AN INVOICE FROM CAVENDISH PARTNERS, P.A., IN THE AMOUNT OF $580 FOR LEGAL SERVICES IN THE MARLOW CASE.

AND THAT CONCLUDES TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA.

THANK YOU. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY MODIFICATIONS? COMMENTS. NO.

ALL RIGHT. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE.

SO MOVED. I'LL SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. THANK YOU.

NOW WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT ITEM.

SO, THE NEXT ITEM WE HAVE, WITH THE MATTER OF BUSINESS IS ITEM NINE.

ORDINANCES WE HAVE WE HAVE THREE, THREE ITEMS OF FIRST READING BEGINNING WITH ORDINANCE 2024-01.

[9.A.1. Ordinance 2024-01: Introduction of the annexation of parcels of land to include the St. Josesph Academy Catholic High School at 155 State Road 207. (A. Skinner, Director Planning and Building)]

ALL RIGHT. YES.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS AMY SKINNER.

I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT FOR THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE.

THESE ITEMS, AS YOU NOTED, ARE THREE ITEMS THAT ARE RELATED.

THE TO THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION OF THE SAINT JOSEPH ACADEMY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL WITH THE MAIN CAMPUS ADDRESS OF 155 STATE ROAD 207. THE FIRST ORDINANCE IS 2024-01 IS THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE TO ANNEX THE PROPERTY.

IT'S APPROXIMATELY 39.8 ACRES OF PROPERTY CONTIGUOUS TO THE CITY LIMITS AND CONTAINING A PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOL, ATHLETIC FIELDS, AND SCHOOL FACILITIES. THE SECOND ORDINANCE IS 2020 4-02, THE PROPOSED, WHICH CHANGES THE PROPOSED LAND USE FROM THE SAINT JOHNS COUNTY RESIDENTIAL D TO CITY INSTITUTIONAL.

THIS CHANGE WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD ON JANUARY 2ND.

THE THIRD ORDINANCE IS 2020 4-03, AND IT IS THE PROPOSED REZONING OF THE PROPERTY FROM SAINT JOHNS COUNTY RS3 AND OPEN RURAL OR TO CITY LAND USE OR ZONING.

EXCUSE ME OF OPEN LAND.

THIS WAS ALSO RECOMMENDED AT THE PCB MEETING ON JANUARY 2ND OF THIS YEAR.

EACH OF THESE ITEMS IS AN INTRODUCTION IN FIRST READING FOR THE ORDINANCES, SO THE CITY COMMISSION SHOULD TAKE ACTION ON EACH ITEM INDIVIDUALLY.

THANK YOU. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M AVAILABLE.

AND THE PRINCIPAL OF THE SCHOOL IS ALSO HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. VERY WELL.

WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL TAKE IT UP ONE BY ONE.

THERE ARE THREE THAT MATCH, THAT GO TOGETHER.

[00:55:01]

SO, I THINK WE CAN DISCUSS THIS IN ONE GROUP.

AND ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMENTS? THIS IS FIRST READING.

I DON'T.

OKAY. PERHAPS.

MR.. DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? I THOUGHT MAYBE, YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT IT VERY MUCH, MAYBE, PERHAPS CITY MANAGER MIGHT GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT ON THIS REQUEST.

THE SAINT JOSEPH ACADEMY IS DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE CITY LIMITS ON STATE ROAD 207, AND THE CITY HAS BEEN PROVIDING A POLICE OFFICER FOR SECURITY ON CAMPUS FOR QUITE SOME TIME. WE WOULD LIKE TO FORMALIZE THAT WITH A CONTRACT FOR SECURITY, IN THE SAME MANNER THAT THE CITY PROVIDES SECURITY FOR OTHER PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND, WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION.

IN ORDER TO DO SO, WE WOULD LIKE TO ANNEX THE PROPERTY INTO THE CITY.

THE COMMENT WAS MADE BY A PREVIOUS SPEAKER ABOUT HOW THE PROPERTY IS, NOT, NONTAXABLE.

THAT'S TRUE. WHETHER IT'S IN THE CITY OR THE COUNTY, THEY DON'T PAY PROPERTY TAXES.

THIS WOULD ALLOW US TO FORMALIZE A CONTRACT WITH THEM FOR SECURITY AND REIMBURSE THE CITY FOR THOSE SERVICES.

WE APPROACHED THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT THROUGH OUR INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT TO SEE WHETHER THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WAS, CAPABLE OF PROVIDING SECURITY FOR THE SCHOOL.

AND THEY WERE NOT A, THEY DIDN'T HAVE THOSE RESOURCES AT THIS TIME.

SO THIS IS AN EFFORT FOR US TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SECURITY FOR SAINT JOSEPH'S SCHOOL.

AND I THINK IT ALSO ALLOWS THEM TO HAVE SOME, MEASURE OF SECURITY FOR THEIR CAMPUS.

EXCELLENT. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. I THINK THAT HELPS US UNDERSTAND AND GENERAL PUBLIC UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF THE ANNEXATION AND THE NEED FOR THE ANNEXATION.

COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER FURTHER DISCUSSION? NO, BUT I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 2020 4-01, READ BY TITLE ONLY.

SECOND. SECOND ORDINANCE NUMBER 2020 4-01, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, ANNEXING APPROXIMATELY 39.8 ACRES OF PROPERTY NOW LOCATED IN SAINT JOHNS COUNTY, FLORIDA, LYING WEST OF THE CITY LIMITS OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, NORTH OF STATE ROAD 207, AND SOUTH OF COLUMBUS STREET AS DESCRIBED HEREIN.

REDEFINING THE BOUNDARY LINES OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE TO INCLUDE SAID PROPERTY.

AMENDING SECTION 1.04 OF THE CHARTER LAWS OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, PROVIDING FOR FILING OF A COPY HEREOF WITH THE CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT OF SAINT JOHNS COUNTY, FLORIDA, WITH THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER OF SAINT JOHNS COUNTY, FLORIDA, AND WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CITY CODE, PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES, PROVIDING FOR SEVERANCE OF INVALID PROVISIONS, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

EXCELLENT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR DEBATE? OKAY. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

ROXANNE HORVATH.

YES. JIM SPRINGFIELD.

YES. CYNTHIA GARRIS.

YES. BARBARA BLONDER.

YES. NANCY SIKES-KLINE.

YES. ALL RIGHT.

NEXT ITEM IS ORDINANCE 2020 4-02.

[9.A.2. Ordinance 2024-02: Amends the future land use designation of 39.8 acres (St. Joseph Academy Catholic High School parcel) of annexed property from St. Johns County Residential-D to City Institutional. (A. Skinner, Director Planning and Building)]

SECOND. ORDINANCE NUMBER 2020 4-02 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP FROM DESIGNATION OF APPROXIMATELY 39.8 ACRES OF PROPERTY LOCATED NORTH OF STATE ROAD 207 AND SOUTH OF COLUMBUS STREET, AS PORTIONS OF THE HUERTA GRANT IN THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED HEREINAFTER FROM ITS CURRENT DESIGNATION OF SAINT JOHNS COUNTY RESIDENTIAL D TO A CITY.

DESIGNATION OF INSTITUTIONAL PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES, PROVIDING FOR SEVERANCE OF INVALID PROVISIONS, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

ANY FINAL COMMENTS BEFORE WE CALL THE ROLL? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

I'M SORRY, WHO WAS THE SECOND ON THAT I WAS ROXANNE.

THANK YOU.

YES. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. SO OUR ORDINANCE 2024-03.

[9.A.3. Ordinance 2024-03: Amends the zoning designation of the 39.8 acre annexed property (St. Joseph Academy Catholic High School) from St. Johns County Residential single family-three (RS-3) and open rural (OR) to City Open Land (OL). (A. Skinner, Director Planning and Building)]

I WILL MOVE TO PASS ORDINANCE 2024-03.

AND MOVE, READ BY TITLE ONLY AND SET FOR PUBLIC HEARING.

[01:00:05]

DO I HEAR A SECOND? SECOND? ORDINANCE NUMBER 2024-03, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA.

REZONING APPROXIMATELY 39.8 ACRES OF PROPERTY LOCATED NORTH OF STATE ROAD 207 AND SOUTH OF COLUMBUS STREET AS A PORTION OF THE PUERTOS GRANT IN THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED HEREINAFTER FROM ITS CURRENT CLASSIFICATIONS OF SAINT JOHNS COUNTY RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY 3RS3, AND SAINT JOHNS COUNTY OPEN RURAL OR TO THE CITY CLASSIFICATION OF OPEN LAND OL PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES, PROVIDING FOR SEVERANCE OF INVALID PROVISIONS, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

ALL RIGHT. COMMENTS.

QUESTIONS. DO I HEAR A MOTION? WE ALREADY HAD. WE HAVE A MOTION.

OH, SORRY. WHAT AM I DOING? VOTE. VOTE.

ROLL CALL PLEASE.

THANK YOU. OKAY, SO ALL THREE OF THOSE ORDINANCES ARE SET FOR PUBLIC HEARING.

MOVING ON TO RESOLUTIONS.

[9.B.1. Resolution 2024-08: Opposes Senate Bill 280 and House Bill 1537 regarding preemption of local governments from certain regulations specific to short-term rentals. (I. Lopez, City Attorney)]

YES, MADAM MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.

THE FOLLOWING TWO RESOLUTIONS YOU'LL SEE.

ADDRESS VARIOUS BILLS THAT ARE OF CONCERN TO THE CITY.

SPECIFICALLY, RESOLUTION 2020 4-08 IS IN OPPOSITION TO SENATE BILL 280 AND HOUSE BILL 1537, BOTH OF WHICH CREATE YET MORE PREEMPTIONS REGARDING SHORT TERM VACATION RENTAL LOCAL REGULATIONS SPECIFICALLY FOR US.

THESE WOULD SHORTEN THE SHOT CLOCK IN TERMS OF REVIEWING APPLICATIONS, CAP THE THE FEES WE ARE ALLOWED TO CHARGE.

BUT SUBSTANTIVELY, IT WOULD ESSENTIALLY GET RID OF OUR PARKING REQUIREMENTS AND OCCUPANCY MAXIMUMS PER STRUCTURE.

SO THAT'S IN TERMS OF REAL LIFE IMPACT HERE IN THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE.

THAT'S WHAT THESE BILLS WOULD DO.

AND SO BEFORE YOU IS RESOLUTION 2020 4-08 OPPOSITE IN OPPOSITION TO THOSE BILLS.

ALL RIGHT.

COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? NO, BUT I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO OPPOSE THAT.

SO I WOULD VOTE, TO, PASSED RESOLUTION 202408.

UNLESS YOU HAVE A COMMENT. I HAVE A COMMENT TOO.

MY UNDERSTANDING FROM A DISCUSSION WITH THE CITY MANAGER IS THAT, THIS WOULD IMPACT ALL OF THE FEES THAT WE ARE, ALLOWED TO CHARGE.

SO THAT INCLUDES THE RECENTLY ADOPTED, I THINK IT WAS LAST YEAR OR TWO YEARS AGO.

FEE FOR EXCESS TRASH.

AND THAT IS AN ACTUAL COST TO OUR TAXPAYERS THAT IS SUBSIDIZING THE SHORT TERM RENTAL, INDUSTRY.

RIGHT. GOOD POINT.

DID I UNDERSTAND YOU TO SAY THAT CORRECTLY? YES. WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO CHARGE DIFFERENT FEES FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS THAN WE CHARGE FOR RESIDENTIAL OTHER RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.

SO I AM DEFINITELY GOING TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS RESOLUTION.

YES. OR UNFUNDED MANDATES FROM TALLAHASSEE.

OKAY. SO, EXCELLENT.

SO THIS IS, ALL SECOND.

OKAY. THIS IS A BILL.

WE CONTINUE TO TRAVEL TO TALLAHASSEE AND WORK HARD TO FIGHT.

AND SO IT'S IT'S NICE TO HAVE A RESOLUTION IN HAND AS WELL.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IN DOING THAT.

THAT MEANS A LOT TO THIS CITY.

I THINK IT ALSO CITY MANAGER AND OUR MAYOR.

I THINK IT MATTERS.

I THINK IT DOES AFFECT THE DIFFERENT AMENDMENTS.

AND, SO I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING THAT.

SO, WITH THAT SAID, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I, I THANK YOU.

OKAY. RESOLUTION 2024-09.

[9.B.2. Resolution 2024-09: Supports House Bill 1621 authorizing Code Enforcement boards and special magistrates to impose enhanced fines for the unlawful demolition of certain historical structures and landmarks. (I. Lopez, City Attorney)]

IT'S A HOUSE BILL, HOUSE BILL 1621 THAT THE CITY WOULD LIKE TO, PRESUMABLY THE CITY WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT, WHICH WOULD, AS WAS HEARD DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, THE STATUTORY CAP FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT FINES, FOR CITIES OF OUR SIZE IS CAPPED AT $5,000 CURRENTLY BY STATE LAW.

SO THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT.

BUT FOR THIS BILL, WHICH WOULD ACTUALLY CHANGE THAT FOR HISTORIC STRUCTURES THAT ARE ILLEGALLY DEMOLISHED.

SO NOT STRUCTURES THAT WERE CONDEMNED BECAUSE OF A NATURAL, EVENT LIKE A HURRICANE AND SO ON, OR STRUCTURES THAT WENT THROUGH THE PROPER PROCESS AND OBTAIN, PARTIAL DEMOLITION OR COMPLETE DEMOLITION, APPROVAL.

BUT FOR FOLKS WHO JUST DO IT ILLEGALLY, THIS, BILL PROPOSES TO ALLOW A FINE UP TO 20% OF THE FAIR MARKET VALUE OF THE PROPERTY.

[01:05:09]

SO BEFORE YOU IS RESOLUTION 2024-09A.

I HAVE A QUESTION. CAN WE, DESIGNATE CERTAIN LIVE OAKS AS LANDMARK TREES.

AND WOULD THEY FALL UNDER THIS? THIS IS SPECIFIC TO STRUCTURES, CORRECT.

THIS IS SPECIFIC TO STRUCTURES, AND LANDMARKS, WHICH ARE GENERALLY, DESCRIBED AS PHYSICAL STRUCTURES OR, MAN MADE MONUMENTS.

NOT SO MUCH TREES OR OTHER NATURAL FEATURES.

SO RIGHT NOW THE BILL DOES NOT INCLUDE THAT.

OKAY. I WOULD LIKE US TO ADDRESS, BASED ON WHAT WE HEARD FROM ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS AT ANOTHER TIME AND ANOTHER WAY, SOME OTHER ADJUSTMENT ON THE FEES FOR TAKING DOWN SIGNIFICANT TREES.

AND JUST TO FOLLOW UP WITH THAT, I DO THINK THAT MAYBE IF WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME AT THE END OF THE MEETING, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE STATE LAW THAT HAS PREEMPTED US FOR TREE CUTTING, WHICH I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF MISUNDERSTANDING IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THAT.

AND I THINK WE HEARD TWICE TONIGHT ABOUT THAT.

SO EVEN THOUGH I'M UNFORTUNATELY, THE FOLKS ARE STILL AREN'T STILL HERE IN THE ROOM, BUT MAYBE WE CAN GET THE WORD OUT, BUT WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE.

SO WE HAVE A RESOLUTION PROPOSED.

I 100% SUPPORT THIS, AND I WANT TO THANK, CITY ATTORNEY LOPEZ FOR HER HARD WORK IN PUTTING IT TOGETHER.

IT'S REALLY HER INITIATIVE, AND SUGGESTION THAT WE DO THAT.

DID I LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG? SORRY. IT IS THE CITY'S INITIATIVE.

IT IS. I AM JUST A WORKER BEE.

THAT'S RIGHT. AND WE'RE ALL WORKING ON IT, AND, WE ARE WORKING ON IT REGULARLY.

IT'S QUITE A LOT OF WORK TO GET A BILL PASSED.

AND THIS IS REALLY, I THINK PROBABLY IT'S OUR OWN BILL.

SO IT'S, IT'S IT'S A LEARNING EXPERIENCE.

SO WE'RE HOPING TO KEEP IT GOING.

WE'LL HOPE THIS SESSION WE CAN GET IT GOING.

IF WE DON'T GET IT THIS SESSION.

WE'LL TRY AGAIN NEXT SESSION.

BUT SO FAR SO GOOD.

CROSS FINGERS AND WE'LL WORK HARD.

SO I'M, I'LL ENTERTAIN.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION? DO WE MAKE A MOTION. I'LL BE HAPPY TO MAKE THAT I THINK I DID I MAKE A MOTION.

DID YOU MAKE IT? DID YOU MAKE A MOTION AND I SECOND IT? OKAY I SO MOVE, I SECOND.

ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GET THOSE LETTERS SENT.

THE NEXT ITEM ON IS OUR WONDERFUL AS OUR CONSERVATION PROGRAM PRESENTATION, INCLUDING UPDATES TO THE DECISION MATRIX AND

[10.A. Conservation Program presentation including updates to the decision matrix and financing options. (R. Franklin, Assistant City Manager)]

MR. FRANKLIN.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.

IF YOU BEAR WITH ME FOR JUST ONE SECOND, I, NEED TO DROP THE PRESENTATION ON THE COMPUTER.

OKAY. OKAY.

GOOD EVENING. HAPPY TO BE BACK IN FRONT OF YOU.

THIS EVENING, WE BROUGHT BACK THE CONSERVATION PROGRAM OUTLINE WITH SOME ADJUSTMENTS FROM OUR LAST, MEETING THAT WE GOT INPUT.

SO THIS EVENING, WE'LL GO OVER THE MISSION STATEMENT AND GOALS AGAIN.

THE PROPOSED SELECTION MATRIX.

THIS TIME WE'VE ADDED RANKING EXAMPLES OF TWO PROPERTIES, FLORIDA AVENUE, WHICH WAS RECENTLY ACQUIRED, AND THE INHOLDING AND FISH ISLAND, WHICH WE HAD CONTEMPLATED WITH THE, FIRE STATION ACQUISITION.

AND THEN I'M GOING TO INVITE MRS. BREIDENSTEIN UP TO TALK ABOUT THE LAND PURCHASE FINANCING OPTIONS, AND THEN WE'LL GO OVER, NEXT STEPS.

SO I BELIEVE WE WERE PRETTY WELL ON THE SAME PAGE WITH, THE PROPOSED MISSION STATEMENT.

WE DID ADD, TWO LITTLE SENTENCES HERE, BASED ON FEEDBACK, ONE AT THE VERY BOTTOM, WE HAD A DISCUSSION ON TO ENCOURAGE A COMMUNITY LAND ETHIC. AND THEN WE ADDED AND PROMOTE GOOD STEWARDSHIP.

TO ONE OF OUR GOALS.

AND THEN WE ALSO ADDED, A LINE FOR, PUBLIC ACCESS AS WELL.

[01:10:03]

AND THEN AT THE BOTTOM, UNDER SPECIAL VALUE, WE PROVIDED ADDITIONAL SCORING FOR PROVIDES CONNECTIVITY TO AN ADJACENT PUBLIC PARCEL.

AND SO, I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE ITEMS THAT WERE MISSING FROM THE MATRIX LAST TIME.

AND SO WHAT WE DID WAS, AND MR. MILLER IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS AS WELL.

BUT, MR. MILLER AND MYSELF WENT THROUGH AND WE TOOK A STAB AT INDEPENDENTLY DOING A RANKING BASED ON THE DECISION MATRIX.

AND THEN WE AVERAGED THOSE SCORES.

SO THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE.

SO WE LOOKED AT FLORIDA AVENUE, AND WE WENT THROUGH THE RANKING.

THERE'S A TOTAL OF 75 POINTS YOU CAN GET ON THE, ON THE RANKING.

BUT SO YOU CAN SEE HOW THIS ONE SCORES OUT.

AGAIN, IT'S JUST BASED ON, MR. MILLER AND I'S, SCORING OF THIS AND THEN AVERAGING THEM TOGETHER AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, ABOUT THIS, AND THEN, THIS IS THE FISH ISLAND IN HOLDING AS WELL.

AND YOU CAN SEE THIS ONE SCORED RELATIVELY HIGH, 61.5 POINTS OUT OF 75 TOTAL.

AND AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE HOW WE WENT THROUGH THE RANKING, BUT THIS IS HOW IT WOULD WORK AS WE GET NEW PROPERTIES IN, WE WOULD PUT A PACKAGE TOGETHER, THAT OUTLINES THE BOUNDARY, POINTS, AND THEN THAT WOULD BE PUT TOGETHER FOR THE RANKING COMMITTEE TO REVIEW AND RANK.

PROBABLY DO A SITE VISIT.

IN BETWEEN.

ANY QUESTIONS ON THE MATRIX.

PROPOSED GOALS.

MISSION STATEMENT.

YES, I DO, I DO.

ONE OF MY QUESTION WAS, WHO IS GOING TO RATE THESE? I GUESS YOU JUST ANSWERED THAT WITH SOME KIND OF A COMMITTEE THAT WOULD AVERAGE.

AND THEN WHEN I WENT THROUGH, I'M SURE YOU ALL HAVE THESE SAME DISCUSSIONS, BUT BOTH OF THESE PROPERTIES ARE ON THE WATER.

AND YOU YOU SCORED THEM BOTH AS ZERO AS WATER ACCESS.

AND THEN YOU ALSO SCORED, FISH ISLAND AS OPERATIONAL COSTS BEING LOWER THAN FLORIDA AVENUE.

AND I SEE THAT COST BEING MORE BECAUSE WE HAVE TRAILS AND PARKING AND ALL THAT.

WE HAVE NOTHING. YOU KNOW, I JUST CURIOUS AS TO HOW DO YOU.

SURE. YEAH. SO I THINK THE OPERATIONAL COSTS WE WERE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT, FOR THE FLORIDA AVENUE, WE WERE PLANNING ON, PUTTING TOGETHER, LIKE, A LITTLE TRAIL THROUGH THERE, TO PROMOTE PUBLIC ACCESS.

AND THEN THE INHOLDING AND FISH ISLAND, I THINK, IS GOBBLED UP WITH THE SURROUNDING FISH ISLAND AREA THAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING MAINTENANCE ON.

SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE THAT POINT DIFFERENTIAL CAME FROM.

AND THEN PUBLIC ACCESS TO WATER, BOTH OF THESE, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE ON WATER, WE'VE EVALUATED THERE'S NOT REALLY A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO FOR LIKE A KAYAK LAUNCH OR, YOU KNOW, IT'S TOO SHALLOW.

SO WE DIDN'T SEE IT AS BEING SOMETHING THAT WE COULD CREATE A PUBLIC ACCESS TO ACTUALLY GET OUT INTO THE WATER.

SO THAT WAS THE RATIONALE BETWEEN THE TWO.

AND, AND TO YOUR POINT, YEAH, WE DO PLAN TO CREATE A, COMMITTEE OF STAFF THAT WOULD BE PUBLICLY ADVERTISED, TO DO THESE RANKINGS AND THEN BRING THEM TO THE COMMISSION.

SO IF THIS GETS APPROVED TONIGHT, WE WOULD LOOK AT LAUNCHING IN MARCH.

AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE START TO SOLICIT, APPLICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC AND START TO, AS THEY COME IN, PUT THOSE PACKAGES TOGETHER AND THEN, GET A MEETING TOGETHER TO START TO RANK THEM.

I JUST SEE THIS AS KIND OF SUBJECTIVE, AND I AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAD EVER TALKED ABOUT TRAILS AT FLORIDA AVENUE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

SO THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE TALK ABOUT AND BEFORE THE PURCHASE, IF WE INTEND FOR IT TO BE PUBLIC ACCESS, OR IS IT JUST FOR PROTECTION, THOSE KIND OF THINGS, YES.

SO WE DO PLAN TO HAVE KIND OF A HIGH LEVEL MANAGEMENT PLAN PUT TOGETHER FOR EACH ONE SO THE COMMISSION CAN SEE WHAT STAFF WAS PLANNING.

YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR THOUGHTS WERE AS FAR AS HOW THE PROPERTY WOULD BE UTILIZED.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL LISTEN TO YOUR FEEDBACK AND, AND DO WHATEVER THE COMMISSION WISHES.

BUT THAT'S WHAT WE SEE AS, AS WE PUT THESE PACKAGES TOGETHER, THAT YOU WILL HAVE A HIGH LEVEL MANAGEMENT PLAN WHERE YOU WOULD SEE, OH, THE STAFF'S THINKING OF, THAT A TRAIL COULD BE PUT IN HERE AND THEN WE CAN GO FROM THERE.

IF. YEAH, I WOULD.

JUST FOLLOWING UP ON COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD'S COMMENT, I WOULD CLARIFY IF YOU'RE SAYING PROVIDES WATER ACCESS, MAYBE PUBLIC, YOU

[01:15:01]

OKAY. I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT CLARIFIES OR.

I THINK AT LEAST IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE JUDGING IT ON.

BASICALLY. ARE YOU INTENDING TO PROVIDE PUBLIC WATER ACCESS? WITH ALL RESPECT, I'M HOPING WE CAN MOVE THIS FORWARD TONIGHT WITHOUT FURTHER.

WELL, WE CAN DO THAT TONIGHT.

WE CAN DO THAT SO THAT THEY CAN GET GOING ON.

WE'RE FINE. YEAH. IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN.

BUT I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT.

YEAH. I JUST I BELIEVE IT IS A VALID CONCERN OF COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD'S.

AND IT DOES NEED TO BE CLARIFIED.

YES. SO BY PROVIDES WATER ACCESS, WE'RE MEANING SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE LIKE A KAYAK LAUNCH OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

YEAH. THAT WASN'T THAT WASN'T A PARTICULAR ONE.

I JUST, I PICKED IT OUT AS AN EXAMPLE BECAUSE I PROBABLY BECAUSE I ARGUE A LOT.

I COULD PROBABLY ARGUE ALL OF THEM A LITTLE BIT BETWEEN YOU AND, BUT, IT'S GOING TO BE SO SUBJECTIVE.

I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW IT'S GOING TO ACTUALLY.

YOU'VE GOT TO WORK.

AND THIS IS A MECHANISM THAT WE CAN JUST BE TRANSPARENT WITH HOW WE'RE SCORING THEM.

ALL THE SCORES ARE GOING TO BE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE, AND THEN THAT'S FOR THE COMMISSION TO SCRUTINIZE AND SAY, I DON'T THINK YOU WERE, YOU KNOW, RIGHT ON THIS ON THIS PARTICULAR ONE. SO. OKAY.

THANKS. YEAH.

COULD I JUMP IN? I WAS WAITING FOR YOU TO FINISH.

I'M FINISHED. I'M JUST, I'M SORRY.

I'M TRYING TO FINISH THE DISCUSSION.

OKAY. SO ALL I WANT TO SAY IS THAT THIS PROCESS OF THESE CRITERIA AND THE RANKING SYSTEM IS ONE THAT'S WIDELY USED, AND IT DOES TRY TO MAKE PUTS A GREAT AMOUNT OF OBJECTIVITY INTO IT.

WITH THE EXPERTISE OF SOMEBODY LIKE MR. MILLER BEING ON THAT COMMITTEE.

I KNOW HOW GOOD HE IS.

AND I LOOK AT THE FISH ISLAND MANAGEMENT PLAN, AND THAT TELLS ME THAT WE'VE GOT GOOD PEOPLE AT THE HELM.

SO I, I HOPE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS AS WELL.

YEAH. I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE IN THE NUMBERS, LIKE FROM RAVENSWOOD AND THE OTHER ONE THAT YOU HAD A GRAPH ON.

BECAUSE ONE IS RATED SO MUCH HIGHER AND THERE'S SO MUCH MORE PROPERTY THAT WE GOT FOR RAVENSWOOD, THE FLORIDA AVENUE PART.

SO I JUST WAS WONDERING, IS THAT WHY IT'S RATED LOWER.

YEAH. FOR INSTANCE IN HOLDING AND FISH ISLAND IT'S ACTUALLY PROVIDING UNDER SPECIAL VALUE.

IT'S GETTING A FIVE BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY PROVIDING IT'S ADJACENT TO FISH ISLAND PRESERVE.

SO THE FLORIDA AVENUE ONE RIGHT NOW IN ITSELF IS IS NOT ADJACENT TO ANY OTHER PUBLIC LANDS.

SO IT'S JUST DESERTED LAND.

SO THAT SO IT GOT ZERO ON THAT.

AND THEN THIS ONE UNDER CULTURAL RESOURCES CHECKED ALL OF THE BOXES AS FAR AS WHAT, WHAT CULTURAL RESOURCES ARE OUT THERE ON FISH ISLAND.

SO THOSE WERE THE, THE MAIN, I THINK THE MAIN BIG DIFFERENCES.

AND IT IS A SMALLER, AREA, THE SIX AND A HALF VERSUS THE 80, YOU KNOW, PLUS ACRES THAT FISH ISLAND PRESERVE IS IN TOTALITY.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON, YOU KNOW.

WILL YOU CONTINUE THEN? YES. SO AT THIS MOMENT, I'D LIKE TO, BRING MRS. BREIDENSTEIN UP TO TALK ABOUT THE FINANCE.

GOOD EVENING. MEREDITH BRIDENSTINE, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.

AND WHAT YOU CAN SEE HERE MAY LOOK RATHER BASIC, BUT WHAT I WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW IS THE GOOD NEWS IS WE'VE ALREADY STARTED REALLY PART OF THIS PROCESS.

YOU ALL SET ASIDE FROM RESERVES MONEY INTO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, AND WE ALSO PUT AN AMOUNT IN AS PART OF THE REGULAR OPERATING BUDGET NOT COMING FROM RESERVES. SO WHAT I'VE DESCRIBED HERE ON THIS PAGE IS REALLY THE TWO OPTIONS OR A COMBINATION OF THESE OPTIONS ARE TO CONTINUE SETTING ASIDE AMOUNTS AND LETTING THAT GROW WHATEVER AMOUNT THAT IS DETERMINED.

AND THAT IS POSSIBLE TO BE BUDGETED EACH YEAR.

AND I LISTED THAT THE ACTUAL THE WEST AUGUSTINE SEPTIC TO SEWER PROGRAM WAS REALLY STARTED THIS WAY.

WE COMMITTED TO A CERTAIN AMOUNT AND THE OPERATING BUDGET EACH YEAR.

WE CONTINUED TO LET THAT GROW.

WE WERE ABLE TO DO SOME SMALL PROJECTS WHEN WHEN WE COULD AFFORD TO DO THAT, THEN WE USED IT AS MATCHING WHEN WE ASKED FOR LEGISLATIVE AND OTHER GRANT MONEY.

SO THAT WAS REALLY WHERE IT MADE ITS.

THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IS THAT WE HAD THAT READY TO MATCH LARGER AMOUNTS.

SO THAT IS ONE CONCEPT FOR STARTING A CONSERVATION LAND FINANCING PROGRAM HERE IN HOUSE.

ANOTHER OPTION IS IF YOU HAVE SEVERAL THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND THAT ARE VETTED AND THAT MEET THE SCORING CRITERIA, REALLY KIND OF AT ONE TIME, MAYBE A LARGER, A LARGER GROUPING OF THEM, DEPENDING ON THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, WE COULD GO OUT AND BORROW FOR THOSE.

NOW, OF COURSE, THERE'S A FINANCE OPTION TIED TO THAT, WHICH RIGHT NOW IS HIGHER THAN IT HAS BEEN IN YEARS PAST.

BUT A BANK LOAN OR A BOND IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD SPREAD THOSE AMOUNTS OUT OVER TIME, SO THAT OUR RESERVE BALANCE IS NOT TAKING A HIT

[01:20:09]

SO THESE ARE JUST SOME THINGS TO TALK ABOUT TO, YOU KNOW, USE IN COMBINATION WITH EACH OTHER.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

SURE. I THOUGHT IN OUR ORIGINAL PACKET THERE WAS ALSO A DISCUSSION ABOUT POSSIBLE BOND.

OR IS THAT THE FIRST ONE? THE SECOND ONE JUST TALKS ABOUT IF YOU WANTED TO GATHER PROPERTIES OVER TIME, RIGHT.

AND THEN YOU COULD GO OUT TO A BANK LOAN FOR 15 OR A BOND FOR UP TO 20 YEARS.

OKAY. SO IT COULD BE A BOND.

DO WE NEED A. THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT.

DO WE NEED TO PUT THAT ON A BALLOT IF IT DOES GO IN THAT DIRECTION? DEPENDS ON THE TYPE OF BORROWING.

THERE IS A TYPE OF BORROWING THAT DOES NEED A BALLOT, AND THERE IS A TYPE THAT DOES NOT.

SO IT WOULD DEPEND ON IF WE ARE ABLE TO USE OUR BUDGETED REVENUES THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF AD VALOREM REVENUES.

SO IT DEPENDS ON IF IT'S A GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND.

I BELIEVE I HAVE THAT TERMINOLOGY RIGHT.

SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES, EACH HAVING THEIR OWN REQUIREMENT, EITHER BEING ON THE BALLOT OR NOT.

SO WHEN WOULD WE MAKE THIS TYPE OF DECISION.

WOULD THAT COME DURING OUR BUDGETING PROCESS? THAT DECISION TO GO OUT TO BORROW CAN BE MADE MID-YEAR.

IF YOU HAVE A AND I SAY A PROJECT, I MEAN MAYBE SEVERAL PROPERTIES THAT IT MAKES SENSE DOLLAR AMOUNT WISE TO GO OUT FOR A BOND WE WOULDN'T GO OUT AND BOND FOR, SAY, $1 MILLION.

WE MAY DO A SMALLER BANK LOAN OR WE MAY FIGURE OUT HOW TO BUDGET FOR THAT INTERNALLY.

BUT IF WE HAD SOMETHING LARGER THAT MADE SENSE IN THE BOND MARKET, WE WOULD LOOK AT WHAT THE FINANCING OPTIONS WERE.

AND WE CAN LOOK AT THAT MID-YEAR, BUT WE JUST NEED TO LOOK AT IT AND LOOK AT THE ANNUAL DEBT SERVICE PAYMENT AND HOW THAT WOULD BE PAID EACH YEAR BASED ON OUR OUR OPERATING BUDGET. SO I KNOW IT'S NOT AN EXACT ANSWER, BECAUSE IT DOES ALL DEPEND ON THE TYPE OF BORROWING AND THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE GET THERE.

THANK YOU. SURE.

ONE QUESTION. IF I HAVE TEN ACRES AND I WANT TO SELL IT, CAN I FINANCE IT TO THE CITY MYSELF PERSONALLY? YOU MEAN WHAT WE DO? OUR OWN INTERNAL BORROWING WITH AN INDIVIDUAL? CORRECT. WE WOULD PAY THEM RIGHT EACH MONTH.

I WILL HAVE TO HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THAT WITH OUR LEGAL STAFF.

THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

THAT'S ONE WAY TO NEGOTIATE INTEREST RATES RIGHT NOW IS.

RIGHT. SURE.

I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE DONE THAT IN THE PAST, SO I WOULD JUST HAVE TO SAY WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT.

OKAY. THANKS. SOME GREAT CREATIVE IDEAS HERE TONIGHT.

ALL RIGHT. SO, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SECTION.

NEXT STEPS. NEXT STEPS.

BEFORE WE GO ON TO THE NEXT, I HAVE A QUESTION AND CLARIFICATION.

YOU TALKED ABOUT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, FINALIZING THE SELECTION MATRIX AND THEN ESTABLISHING A RANKING COMMITTEE.

YOU MENTIONED IT'S A STAFF COMMITTEE.

YEAH. OUR PLAN WAS TO HAVE, COMMITTEE STAFF MEMBERS THAT WOULD BE DOING THE RANKING AND THEN BRINGING THE RANKINGS TO THE CITY COMMISSION.

OUR THOUGHT PROCESS WAS, IS THAT WE'LL DO IF WE APPROVE THIS, WE'LL LOOK TO LAUNCH SOMETHING IN MARCH, AND THEN PROBABLY DO A RANKING BY JUNE. AND THEN THAT WAY IT WILL BE KIND OF COINCIDING WITH THE BUDGET PROCESS SO THE COMMISSION CAN SEE WHAT PROPERTIES ARE OUT THERE, AND WHAT RANKING THEY ARE AND WHAT THEIR APPRAISED VALUE IS, AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO CHOOSE TO BUDGET FOR AN ACQUISITION OF THE TOP PROJECT, OR AS MS. BREIDENSTEIN WAS SAYING, GROUP SOME PROJECTS, SOME PROPERTIES TOGETHER AND LOOK AT FINANCING OPTIONS.

SO THAT WAS OUR, THE INTENT.

SO WE'RE, YOU'RE WORKING TOWARDS ALIGNING THIS PROCESS WITH OUR BUDGET PROCESS SO THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT BORROWING MID-CYCLE OR ANYTHING. I KNOW THAT WAS IN THE LAST DISCUSSION.

THAT WAS MY INTENTION WAS TO HAVE THIS SO YOU COULD SEE A LIST OF OF PROPERTIES THAT ARE OPEN FOR ACQUISITION THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.

AND THAT WE WOULD HAVE THAT, YOU KNOW, AVAILABLE TO YOU DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS.

EXCELLENT. SO AND THEN THEY COULD BE AVAILABLE FOR FUNDING IN OCTOBER OR.

. RIGHT. THE WHOLE IDEA WAS THAT WE WEREN'T TRYING TO CREATE A PROGRAM WHERE WE WOULD ASK YOU TO PULL MONEY OUT OF RESERVES TO PURCHASE PROPERTY.

WE WANTED A MORE PREDICTABLE FINANCING MECHANISM FOR YOU.

WELL, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I ALSO WOULD PREFER THAT IT DOES MATCH UP WITH OUR BUDGET SO THAT.

YES, SO THAT'S THE GOAL.

NOW WE ALL WE ALREADY HAVE $1 MILLION THAT YOU PULLED OUT OF RESERVES DURING THE LAST BUDGET CYCLE, PLUS $50,000 IN AS SEED MONEY FOR THIS PROGRAM THAT'S CURRENTLY AVAILABLE. RIGHT OKAY.

FOR THIS BUDGET YEAR.

[01:25:02]

WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ESTABLISH THE RANKING COMMITTEE.

WE WILL DEVELOP THE WEB CONTENT, BECAUSE THERE WILL BE A WEB, YOU KNOW, WEB PAGE THAT'S LINKED TO OUR CITY WEBSITE.

AND THEN WE WILL ESTABLISH A LAUNCH DATE THAT WILL GET PUSHED OUT THROUGH ALL OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND NEWS AND NOTES.

WHERE WE'LL START TO, WILL OPEN THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR ANY PEOPLE THAT OWN PROPERTY AND WITHIN THE CITY THAT WANT TO, SELL IT AT APPRAISED VALUE.

AND THEN AGAIN, EXPLAIN THE PROGRAM AND WORK ON THE PUBLIC OUTREACH.

SOUNDS GREAT, RIGHT? ARE WE APPROVING THIS THEN? AS IT IS. WE NEED A VOTE.

OR HOW DOES THIS..

LOOKS FINE TO ME. I DIDN'T SEE IT AS AN ACTION ITEM.

IS IT? WHAT WOULD YOU PREFER, MR. CITY MANAGER? I WOULD PREFER A FORMAL APPROVAL BY THE BOARD, PLEASE.

ALL RIGHT. SO MOVED.

SECOND. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

I HAVE A BRIEF ADDENDUM TO THIS.

AS WE HAVE NOW APPROVED THIS, I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT WE PUT A RESOLUTION ON OUR NEXT MEETING AGENDA.

THAT WOULD ENABLE US TO CONSIDER, APPROVING THE $1 MILLION THAT WE HAVE ALREADY ESTABLISHED FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, FROM RESERVES, TO GO AHEAD AND START ACQUIRING PROPERTIES IN THIS FISCAL YEAR SO THAT WE COULD FORMALIZE THAT PROCESS.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE JUST SAID.

THAT'S FINE. IF AND I THINK WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH THIS, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IS THAT THE FISH ISLAND AND HOLDING PROPERTY THAT WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT? FOR OVER A YEAR NOW.

WHICH WAS RANKED TODAY AND THE RANK WAS SHOWN TO YOU.

IF YOU WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PURCHASING THAT PROPERTY AS PART OF THIS PROGRAM.

A RESOLUTION IS NECESSARY.

WE'VE SEEN THAT OUR TITLE COMPANIES HAVE REQUIRED A RESOLUTION IN THE PAST.

SO ARE YOU ASKING US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT? YES. MY APOLOGIES. I THINK I'M COMING DOWN WITH THE COLD THAT MY STUDENTS HAVE SHARED WITH ME.

SO I'M A LITTLE FUZZY RIGHT NOW.

BUT YES, THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO ASK.

OKAY. OKAY, GREAT.

THANK YOU. THEN WE'LL SEE THAT ON THE NEXT AGENDA.

THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU.

MADAM MAYOR, ON THE SAME TOPIC, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THIS KIND OF PURCHASE ALL DURING THE YEAR.

WE, I'D HATE TO ONLY HAVE AN OPTION AT THE BEGINNING OF A BUDGET YEAR, BECAUSE PROPERTIES COME UP ALL THE TIME, AND WE MAY FIND ONE, YOU KNOW, IN FEBRUARY.

SO WE NEED TO HAVE SOME KIND OF A FINANCING OPTION OR A CASH OPTION THAT WE CAN.

OKAY. OR WE COULD LOOK AT QUARTERLY, EVALUATIONS THAT WE BRING TO THE CITY COMMISSION ON A REGULAR BASIS.

OKAY. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. THAT WRAPS THAT ONE UP.

[10.B. Presentation regarding trash receptacles located downtown highlighting the software usesd to monitor each location. (T. Grant, Director Public Works)]

MISS JESSICA BEACH, YOU'RE HERE TO PRESENT TRASH RECEPTACLES DOWNTOWN.

THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR.

VICE MAYOR, FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.

I'LL BE GIVING A BRIEF PRESENTATION ON THE TRASH RECEPTACLES DOWNTOWN.

AND JUST AS A QUICK REMINDER, THIS WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF FOUR COMMITMENTS THAT THE CITY HAD MADE IN RESPONSE TO THE INCREASE IN DOWNTOWN NIGHTLIFE ACTIVITY.

THIS HAD COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION PREVIOUSLY AS PART OF A NIGHTLIFE ACTIVITY ORDINANCE, THAT IS, AND SPECIFICALLY THE CITY HAD COMMITTED TO ADDING ADDITIONAL TRASH RECEPTACLES IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA TO ADDRESS DEMAND.

SO IN RESPONSE TO THIS, JUST A QUICK RECAP.

WE HAVE OVER 200 TRASH CANS CITYWIDE.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE A DEDICATED CREW THAT STAY ON TOP OF THIS.

THERE'S TWO SHIFTS.

IT'S SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, 365 DAYS A YEAR, AND THEN DURING PEAK TIMES EVENTS SUCH AS NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, 4TH OF JULY, THINGS OF THAT, WE CAN ADD ADDITIONAL CREW AND RESOURCES AS NEEDED. THIS MAP SHOWS OUR CURRENT BIG BELLY LOCATIONS.

AND JUST A REMINDER, THE BIG BELLY TRASH COMPACTOR.

IT'S A DUAL SYSTEM.

IT HAS TRASH AND RECYCLING, IT'S SOLAR POWERED AND IT HAS A SENSOR SYSTEM THAT WE CAN MONITOR CAPACITY SO WE CAN RESPOND TO TRASH CANS THAT ARE FILLING UP AND PUT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AS NEEDED IN OUR NEW LOCATIONS.

SO OUT OF THE 25 EXISTING PAIRS, WE HAVE ADDED TEN ADDITIONAL.

SO THIS TEN LOCATIONS ARE SHOWN IN THE RED STARS.

AND THIS IS REALLY TRYING TO HELP WITH WHERE WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF INCREASE.

[01:30:01]

AND WHAT'S NICE ABOUT THIS IS THE TRACKING SYSTEM AND SOFTWARE THAT COMES WITH IT.

WE HAVE A DASHBOARD WHERE WE CAN ACTIVELY MANAGE IT SO IT BETTER EFFICIENCY WHERE WE CAN PUT THE RESOURCES WHERE NEEDED.

AND IN ADDITION, IF THERE'S A TRASH RECEPTACLES THAT ARE UNDERUTILIZED, WE CAN ACTUALLY MOVE THOSE TO OTHER LOCATIONS.

SO THIS IS JUST A BRIEF RECAP TO REMIND YOU OF ALL THE COMMITMENTS WE HAD MADE AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING ALREADY.

WITH THAT. AND JUST A QUICK PRESENTATION.

THIS WAS MY LAST SLIDE.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS TO.

WONDERFUL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HEAR THAT WE'RE ABLE TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON OUR COMMITMENTS.

I HAVE A COMMENT.

THIS IS GREAT. I THINK THIS IS A THE OTHER THE OTHER PIECE OF IT IS THAT THESE ARE, THEY'RE RESISTANT TO RATS AND RACCOONS AND OTHER ANIMALS GETTING IN THERE AND DUMPSTER DIVING AND, CREATING AN EVEN BIGGER MESS.

SO I LOVE THAT IT'S LIVE TRACKING AND EVERYTHING.

WELL DONE. YES, THEY'RE FULLY ENCLOSED.

IT'S GOT THE SOLAR POWER FOR THE TRASH SIDE OF IT.

SO YES, THERE'S A LOT OF BENEFITS TO IT.

THANK YOU. I HAVE A QUESTION.

SURE. YOU SAID 365 DAYS A YEAR BECAUSE THERE WAS COMPLAINTS THAT WE GOT EMAILS THAT IT WAS A HOLIDAY AND EVERYBODY'S OFF.

IS THAT NOT THE CASE IN THIS SITUATION? OUR TRASH CREWS WORK ON HOLIDAYS.

YES. CONFIRM THAT THERE WAS THE TWO CREW IS TO DEDICATED TO WHERE IT'S THE HIGH TRAFFIC VOLUME AREAS TO TRY TO STAY ON TOP OF THE TRASH RECEPTACLE PIECES OF THAT.

SO IT'S. YES, IT'S TO HELP WITH THAT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

IT'S DEFINITELY DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO KEEP UP AT NIGHTS OF LIGHTS.

YEAH. BUT THEY GET IT CLEANED BY MORNING.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO TO ITEM TEN C.

[10.C. Discussion regarding a memorial to honor all City first responders who have lost their lives in the performance of their duties with St. Augustine Policeman/Fire Fighter, Robert Chambers, included. (B. Fox, Short Term Rental - Code Enforcement Manager)]

THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR.

MADAM VICE MAYOR. COMMISSIONERS.

BARRY FOX, CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE.

CODE ENFORCEMENT, SHORT TERM RENTALS, MANY DIFFERENT HATS.

I'M HERE TODAY TO, FIRST, I'D LIKE TO, THANK CHIEF JENNIFER MICHAUD FOR THE HONOR OF PRESENTING THE CASE OF POLICE POLICEMAN ROBERT CHAMBERS TO THIS COMMISSION.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEND MY SINCERE APPRECIATION TO CAPTAIN FRANK SPRAGUE AND LIEUTENANT BOB ALVAREZ, BOTH RETIRED MEMBERS OF THE JERSEY CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT, FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN BRINGING THE CASE OF POLICEMAN CHAMBERS TO OUR ATTENTION.

CAPTAIN SPRAGUE'S DEDICATION TO RESEARCHING AND ENSURING THAT OFFICERS LOST IN THE LINE OF DUTY ARE LOCATED, IDENTIFIED, AND PROPERLY HONORED IS A LABOR OF LOVE.

WITHOUT CAPTAIN SPRAGUE'S DEDICATION TO THIS TASK, WE MAY HAVE NEVER KNOWN OF THE LOSS OF THIS HERO.

IN ADDITION, A HUGE THANK YOU TO CHARLES TINGLEY AND HIS STAFF FOR ALL THEIR ASSISTANCE ON THIS PROJECT.

AND A THANK YOU TO MELISSA WISSEL AND OFFICER DEE BROWN FOR ENSURING THAT I GOT THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION THAT I'LL BE GIVING TO YOU.

BUT FIRST I'D LIKE, TO, CONCEDE TO COMMISSIONER GARRIS TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THE INFORMATION WE DO KNOW ABOUT ROBERT CHAMBERS.

AND THEN I'LL RUN YOU THROUGH THE SERIES OF EVENTS THAT OCCURRED WITH, POLICEMAN, CHAMBERS AS A POLICEMAN IN HIS LIFE.

AND THE ESSENCE OF BLACK HISTORY.

I HAVE BEEN TALKING TO MANAGER BARRY FOX ABOUT ROBERT CHAMBERS.

WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT ROBERT CHAMBERS ESTIMATED BIRTH DATE IS 1856.

AND THAT IS CONFIRMED BY THE DEATH CERTIFICATE AND THE SAINT AUGUSTINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY RESEARCH LIBRARY.

ROBERT CHAMBERS WAS A NATIVE OF NASSAU.

DEATH CERTIFICATE.

SAINT AUGUSTINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY RESEARCH LIBRARY.

NO FURTHER DETAILS ON NASSAU.

AND BASICALLY WHAT THAT MEANS IS IT COULD BE NASSAU, BAHAMAS OR NASSAU COUNTY.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO GATHER THAT INFORMATION.

ROBERT CHAMBERS MOVED TO SAINT AUGUSTINE IN 1877.

HIS DEATH CERTIFICATE, IS ALSO IN THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

RESEARCH. HE WAS A POLICEMAN IN AUGUST OF 1887.

BOX FOUR, POLICE DEPARTMENT, SAINT AUGUSTINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY RESEARCH LIBRARY.

AND YOU GUYS HAVE THAT IN YOUR, NOTEBOOKS.

ROBERT CHAMBERS DIED ON NOVEMBER 7TH OF 1887 FROM THE RESULTS OF INJURIES RECEIVED DURING AN ARREST.

SO HE IS HISTORICALLY THE FIRST OFFICER THAT WAS KILLED IN A LINE OF DUTY.

WHAT WE BELIEVE IS ROBERT CHAMBERS WAS FROM SOUTH CAROLINA, ACCORDING TO THE 1885 CENSUS.

WHAT WE BELIEVE ALSO IS THAT HE WAS A RESIDENT OF LINCOLNVILLE AND WAS A LABORER, AND THAT IS ALSO BY THE CENSUS THAT WAS TURNED IN IN 1885.

[01:35:08]

AND HE HAD A DAUGHTER BY THE NAME OF LAURA CHAMBERS, AND THAT IS CONFIRMED BY THE 1885 CENSUS.

SO BASICALLY, THE REASON FOR BRINGING UP THIS INFORMATION IS SO THAT WE CAN CONSIDER HAVING A MONUMENT, NOT A MONUMENT, A PLAQUE MADE TO BE HOUSED BECAUSE HE NOT ONLY WAS A POLICE OFFICER, HE WAS ALSO A FIREFIGHTER.

PUT IN THE FIRE OVER THERE ON MALAGA STREET.

UP IN THERE? YES, AT THAT POLICE STATION.

SO WE CAN HONOR THIS.

YOU KNOW, SO MUCH OF OUR HISTORY IS FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS, AS HAS BEEN SAID EARLIER TODAY.

AND WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THESE HEROES THAT WALK THESE STREETS AND WERE A PART OF OUR HISTORY.

AND SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER, WE ARE BLESSED THAT THIS INFORMATION CAME BACK.

AND IT WAS PRESENTED AND HE REACHED OUT TO ME AS SOON AS HE HAD GATHERED THIS INFORMATION.

MR. FOX DID, AND I WAS DELIGHTED TO HEAR OF THIS.

THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF DIFFERENT SPECULATION ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE THAT NAMES MIGHT SURFACE IN THE FUTURE, BUT THIS IS REALLY DELIGHTFUL TO BE ABLE TO BRING THIS UP DURING BLACK HISTORY, TO BRING SOME KNOWLEDGE OF SOMEONE THAT EXISTED THAT WE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT PRIOR.

I'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU.

THANK YOU. THAT WAS VERY INTERESTING.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONERS.

SO WHAT CAPTAIN SPRAGUE FOUND WAS, LIKE I SAID, HIS EFFORT IS A LABOR OF LOVE.

SO HE GOES THROUGH THE ARCHIVES OF MANY HISTORICAL COMMUNITIES AND, AND LOOKS FOR OFFICERS NAMES THAT HAVE BEEN KILLED AND ENSURES THAT THEIR NAME HAD BEEN PLACED ON THE MEMORIAL. AND WHEN YOU COME ACROSS THIS PARTICULAR OFFICER'S NAME, HE COULD NOT FIND IT ON THE MEMORIAL.

SO WHEN HE CONTACTED ME ABOUT THIS, HE HAD ALSO DUG UP SOME ARTICLES IN THE PALATKA DAILY NEWS AND THE SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS.

THE REASON FOR THAT IS, IS BECAUSE THE THE MANY DIFFERENT NEWS OUTLETS IN SAINT AUGUSTINE, A LOT OF THEM, WE WENT THROUGH A LOT OF ITERATIONS OF COMPANIES AND A LOT OF IT WAS NOT ARCHIVED. SO A LOT OF IT WAS NOT SEARCHABLE.

BUT EACH ONE OF THOSE NEWSPAPERS IN SAVANNAH AND PALATKA, THEY RAN A NEWS, A, A.

SPECIFIC PIECE OF THEIR PAPER WAS NEWS FROM SAINT AUGUSTINE, AND THIS WAS CAPTURED IN THAT ARTICLE IN SAVANNAH FIRST.

AND THEN HE HE LATER LOCATED IT IN THE PALATKA PAPER.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WAS ABLE TO.

ALSO DIG UP HERE IS A PLAQUE, A DAILY NEWS ON NOVEMBER 6TH.

AND WHAT WHAT I FOUND WAS, WAS THE NEWS IS COMING OUT.

IT'S OCCURRING. IT'S REPORTED IN THE SAINT AUGUSTINE OUTLET AND THEN IT'S REPORTED IN THOSE TWO.

SO IT'S LIKE TWO DAYS NOTICE.

SO WHEN IT FIRST IS NOTICED IT'S LIKE A NOVEMBER 4TH WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURS.

SO IN NOVEMBER 6TH, IT'S ORIGINALLY POSTED THAT ROBERT CHAMBERS, THE COLORED POLICEMAN WHO WAS SO SEVERELY INJURED IN ARRESTING ONE HENRY GLOVER, IS IN A PRECARIOUS CONDITION.

AND THAT'S THE FIRST ARTICLE FROM THE PALATKA DAILY NEWS ON NOVEMBER 8TH.

IT'S ROBERT CHAMBERS.

THE INJURED COLORED POLICEMAN IS REPORTED TO BE IN A DYING CONDITION.

AND THEN ON NOVEMBER 9TH, ROBERT CHAMBERS, THE COLORED POLICEMAN WHO WAS INJURED WHILE AFFECTING THE ARREST OF HENRY GLOVER SOME DAYS SINCE, DIED YESTERDAY, HIS REMAINS WERE LAID OUT AT THE ENGINE HOUSE, AND THE FUNERAL TOOK PLACE AT 3 P.M.

AND CONDUCTED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, OF WHICH HE WAS AN HONORED MEMBER.

SO THAT ONE KIND OF THREW ME, AND I ALWAYS HAD TO GO BACK TO THE RESEARCH LIBRARY TO RESEARCH THAT.

AND IN TALKING TO CHIEF AVILES, WE FOUND THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS FORMED IN 1876 BY DECREE OF THE COMMISSION, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY FORMED AS A CAPTAIN.

AND HOWEVER MANY OFFICERS THE COMMISSION FELT IT NEEDED, AND THEY WOULD WORK UNDER THE ELECTED POSITION OF THE CITY MARSHAL.

SO THE CITY MARSHAL WAS ACTUALLY THE THE CHIEF OF POLICE, AND THE CAPTAIN AND OFFICERS WERE HIRED AS THEY WERE NEEDED BACK AND FORTH.

SO THEY WOULD WORK A COUPLE OF WEEKS, A COUPLE MONTHS, AND THEN SOMEONE ELSE WOULD WORK AND THERE'D BE SOMETHING THEY'D HAD TO FIND TO DO.

SO WHAT I FOUND IN TALKING TO CHIEF AVILES IS, IS THAT IN DOWNTIME, IF THEY RESPONDED TO FIRES, THEY WOULD BE PAID AS FIREMEN AND THEY WERE ACCEPTED AS FIREMEN AND, AS AN OCCUPATION.

1887 OBVIOUSLY IS SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER THE LARGE FIRE DOWNTOWN.

SO, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE AND THE JAIL WERE MOVED TO AVERLY STREET AT THAT TIME.

SO THIS IS THE PROVENANCE, SOME OF THE PROVENANCE THAT WE NEEDED FOR THE OFFICERS MEMORIAL PAGE, THE NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS PAGE.

BUT I NEEDED A LITTLE BIT MORE.

IN RESEARCHING THE RECORDS.

YOU'LL LOOK DOWN AND YOU'LL SEE ON THE FOURTH AT THE VERY TOP.

[01:40:03]

THOSE ARE WEEKS OF WORK.

EACH X IS A DAY THAT THEY HAD TO WORK.

AND YOU'LL SEE CHAMBERS IN THE WEEK OF, ENDING SIX.

AND THAT'LL BE SIX OF AUGUST.

YOU'LL SEE. OFFICER CHAMBERS IS THE FOURTH NAME DOWN ON THE VERY TOP COLUMN.

YOU'LL SEE OFFICER CHAMBERS NAME ON THE FIRST FOURTH NAME DOWN.

OKAY. THIS WAS THE ONLY.

ONLY WORK LOG.

THAT HAS BEEN PRESERVED, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, AT THE HISTORICAL ARCHIVES AT SAINT AUGUSTINE SOCIETY.

AND IT JUST HAPPENED TO BE 1887, AND IT HAPPENED TO HAVE CHAMBERS'S NAME IN IT.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, IN THE BACK SIDE WOULD BE AN ARREST LOG.

AND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS IF YOU LOOK DOWN THE PAGE AND YOU'LL SEE THE FIFTH, IT'LL BE DATE AUGUST 5TH, YOU'LL SEE SEVERAL NAMES.

THE VERY FIRST ONE YOU'LL SEE IS HENRY GLOVER.

IN THE VERY NEXT NAME YOU'LL SEE IS CHAMBERS.

AND WE BELIEVE THAT IS THAT IS ROBERT CHAMBERS.

BUT THAT IS AUGUST 5TH.

THAT WAS AN ARREST OF HENRY GLOVER BY OFFICER CHAMBERS ON AUGUST 5TH.

ON NOVEMBER 4TH, OFFICER CHAMBERS COME BACK INTO CONTACT WITH MR. GLOVER. THAT INCIDENT IN AN ATTEMPT TO TAKE HIM INTO CUSTODY, OFFICER CHAMBERS WAS SEVERELY ASSAULTED, AND FOR THE NEXT THREE DAYS HE WOULD LAY DYING AT MR. MORRIS'S BOARDING HOUSE.

AND I'LL GET BACK INTO THAT.

THIS IS MR. CHAMBERS, OFFICER CHAMBERS DEATH CERTIFICATE, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IT LISTS NASSAU NATIVE BLACK MALE, AGE 31, WHICH GIVES US HIS APPROXIMATE DATE OF BIRTH IN 1887.

SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA HAD BEEN HERE FOR TEN YEARS.

HE WAS THE OCCUPATION WAS A POLICEMAN.

HE DIED OF RESULTS OF INJURIES ON NOVEMBER 7TH, 1887.

SO WITH THAT, WE WENT LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION.

AND THERE WAS A COUPLE ONE OTHER THING THAT WE FOUND IN REFERENCE TO PROVENANCE FOR HIS JOB, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE AREN'T I CAN'T WALK DOWN THERE AND PULL AN HR FILE.

AND SO WE'VE GOT HIS DEATH CERTIFICATE, WE'VE GOT THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLES.

I WAS ABLE TO FIND IN THE MINUTES OF COMMISSION MEETINGS IN 1887, ON NOVEMBER 15TH, WHERE THE COMMISSION RECEIVED A BILL FROM MR. MORSE FOR $6 IN THE AMOUNT OF $6 FOR THE THREE DAYS THAT OFFICER CHAMBERS LAID IN A SICK CONDITION DYING.

AND THE COMMISSION APPROVED THAT BILL TO BE PAID.

NOW, THERE IS NO FURTHER INFORMATION KNOWN ON OFFICER CHAMBERS ON HATTIE OR LAURA.

AND I'M ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO HELP ME WITH THIS, THIS WOULD BE GREAT, BECAUSE I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO FIND MORE ON THE FAMILY, BUT I THINK WE'VE MET OUR OUR PROVENANCE IN REFERENCE TO HIM BEING A POLICE OFFICER AND HIM BEING HONORED.

MY ASK IS THAT YOU ALLOW ME TO GO FORWARD IN THE RESEARCH OF, MEMORIAL PLAQUE, WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE.

SO THAT I CAN BRING IT BACK TO YOU.

AND MR. BERTRAM.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M JOINED IN THIS EFFORT BY COMMANDER MICHAUD AND THE MEN AND WOMEN OF SAINT AUGUSTINE POLICE DEPARTMENT CHIEF AVILES, BECAUSE WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TO CREATE THE PROVENANCE IN REFERENCE TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CONNECTION.

BECAUSE WE DO WANT TO GET HIM HONORED IN THAT MANNER, TOO.

SHERIFF ROBERT HARDWICK, SHERIFF, AND CHIEF DAVID SHAW, RETIRED.

CHIEF LOREN LUDERS, RETIRED COMMANDER JEREMY A MASTERS, RETIRED COMMANDER STEVEN FRICKEY, RETIRED.

AND, OF COURSE, CAPTAIN FRANK SPRAGUE AND LIEUTENANT BOB ALVAREZ.

WITH YOUR APPROVAL ON THIS MATTER, I WILL SUBMIT POLICEMAN CHAMBERS NAME TO THE NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS MEMORIAL AND BEGIN THE PROCESS OF HONORING THIS FALLEN HERO.

WOW. VERY VERY INTERESTING.

YOU ARE ALL COMMENDED FOR YOUR INITIATIVE ON THIS.

THANK YOU. VERY GOOD STUFF.

AND SO YOU'RE ASKING FOR A MOTION.

I YEAH, I WAS GOING TO ASK FOR A MOTION THAT HE'S ABLE TO CONTINUE THE RESEARCH SO THAT WE CAN GET ALL THE INFORMATION NECESSARY TO MOVE FORWARD ON GETTING THIS, MEMORIAL DONE.

SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. THANK YOU.

DONE.

THANK YOU. BE VERY HAPPY TO HEAR HOW THAT CONTINUES, THAT RESEARCH CONTINUES.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.

THANK YOU MA'AM.

AND WE ALL SEE CHARLES TINGLEY, WE'LL HAVE TO THANK HIM TOO BECAUSE HE'S AWESOME.

ALL RIGHT. LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.

[10.D. Review of the St. Augustine and Aviles 100th Anniversary Celebration during 2024. (M. Wissel, Director Communications)]

[01:45:02]

MAYOR. VICE MAYOR.

COMMISSIONERS MELISSA WISSEL, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR.

YOU'LL SEE ON YOUR DESK ALSO THE TWO PAGES THAT I THOUGHT WERE INCLUDED, BUT APPARENTLY I MISSED IN MY MEMO, SO MY APOLOGIES.

I'VE ALSO PROVIDED COPIES TO THE CLERK, AND I WILL ADDRESS THOSE TWO PAGES IN MY PRESENTATION.

THIS YEAR MARKS THE 100 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST OFFICIAL AMERICAN DELEGATION TO VISIT THE KINGDOM OF SPAIN, FOLLOWING THE SIGNING OF THE TREATY OF PARIS AND THE END OF THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR.

IN 1924, THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE SENT REPRESENTATIVES AS PART OF THAT OFFICIAL DELEGATION, AND THIS HISTORIC VISIT IS OFTEN CONSIDERED THE START OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH AVILA, SPAIN.

IN CELEBRATION OF THAT OFFICIAL VISIT, WE ARE PLANNING SEVERAL EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, SO I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE JUST A FEW MINUTES TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON.

YOU ALL KNOW THAT ON FEBRUARY 2ND, THE NAO TRINIDAD ARRIVED AT THE SAINT AUGUSTINE MUNICIPAL MARINA.

THE NAO TRINIDAD IS A REPLICA VESSEL OF THE SHIP THAT MAGELLAN SAILED WHEN HE FIRST CIRCUMNAVIGATED THE GLOBE, AND JUST 50 YEARS LATER, LESS THAN 50 YEARS LATER, PEDRO MENENDEZ LANDED ON OUR SHORES.

THE NAO TRINIDAD WILL BE AT THE MARINA.

AT THIS POINT, WE KNOW THROUGH THE END OF APRIL, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW.

THIS THURSDAY IS MENENDEZ DAY, AND THAT IS OUR RECOGNITION OF THE BIRTH OF PEDRO MENENDEZ.

THERE WILL BE A LEAF, A WREATH, WREATH LAYING CEREMONY.

WE WILL ALSO BECAUSE THIS IS OUR 100 YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME CUPCAKES AND LIGHT REFRESHMENTS.

WE HAVE EXTENDED AN INVITATION TO OUR FRIENDS FROM THE NAO TRINIDAD TO COME AND JOIN US.

ALSO, THE HONORARY CONSUL OF SPAIN FROM JACKSONVILLE, MEMBERS OF THE SAINT AUGUSTINE SISTER CITIES ASSOCIATION.

OF COURSE, I KNOW MANY OF YOU WILL BE THERE.

AND OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE INVITED THE PUBLIC AND WE'VE BEEN PUTTING THIS OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE'RE GETTING QUITE A BIT OF TRACTION, FOR THURSDAY.

DURING THE SAINT PATRICK'S DAY WEEKEND.

THERE IS A.

CORVERA PIPE BAND.

THEY ARE FROM ASTURIAS, SPAIN, WHICH IS THE REGION WHERE AVILES IS LOCATED.

THEY ARE COMING HERE FROM ASTURIAS AND MARCHING IN THE PARADE FOR THE CELTIC FESTIVAL, AND WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM TO PROVIDE THEM SOME LOCATIONS TO DO SOME FREE PUBLIC PERFORMANCES, INCLUDING THE PLAZA, AS WELL AS IN THE PARK IN FRONT OF THE MARINA.

YET TO BE OFFICIALLY NAMED HARBORMASTER PARK, AND THEN WITH THE NOW TRINIDAD AS THEIR BACKDROP AS WELL.

ONE OF YOUR MISSING PAGES HAS A COVER LETTER FROM THE MAYOR OF AVILES, SPAIN, MAYOR MARIVI MONTESERIN.

SHE HAS INVITED THE CITY COMMISSION, THE MAYOR, AND A DELEGATION TO COME TO AVILES TO CELEBRATE THE FESTIVAL OF EL BAJO, WHICH TAKES PLACE IN AVILES AT THE END OF MARCH TO THE 1ST OF APRIL, AND WE ARE WORKING ON PLANNING TO SEND A SMALL DELEGATION TO REPRESENT FOR THAT EVENT.

IN MAY, THE SAINT AUGUSTINE HISTORY FESTIVAL IS BACK.

THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR OF THE HISTORY FESTIVAL.

IT'S PRODUCED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA HISTORIC SAINT AUGUSTINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

MANY, MANY, MANY OF OUR ATTRACTIONS AND HISTORIC SITES PARTICIPATE IN THIS, AND WE ALSO HAVE PARTICIPATED AS WELL.

IN THINKING ABOUT HOW WE COULD CREATE AN EVENT THAT CONNECTS.

OUR PARTICIPATION WITH THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY.

WE'VE BRAINSTORMED AND INVITED THE AUTHOR, WHO QUITE LITERALLY WROTE THE BOOK OF OUR HISTORIC RELATIONSHIP WITH AVILES.

AND THAT'S, I'M NOT SURE IF MARIN'S GOT THAT UP ON THE SCREEN, BUT THERE IS A BOOK THAT WAS WRITTEN FOR THE 450TH BY RAMON ALVAREZ EDUARDO VILLA BOY, DON'T FORGET NARDO'S NAME BECAUSE HE'S COMING BACK AS WELL.

BUT THIS BOOK WAS WRITTEN AND DISTRIBUTED AS PART OF THE 450TH.

RAMON ALVAREZ HAS AGREED TO COME TO SAINT AUGUSTINE AND PRESENT THIS HISTORY, NOW IN ITS 100TH YEAR, AND WE WILL BE COORDINATING OUR EVENT FOR THIS WITH THE MISSION NOMBRE DE DIOS.

THEY HAVE SOME EVENTS THAT THEY'VE SCHEDULED, SOME TALKS AT THEIR PILGRIMAGE ROOM.

AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MISSION IS THAT PEDRO MENENDEZ'S BURIAL CASKET IS THERE, ON DISPLAY AT THE MUSEUM.

THE CASKET WAS A GIFT TO THE CITY WHEN THE DELEGATION WENT IN 1924, AND IT IS HERE.

SO WE FELT THAT WOULD BE A REALLY GREAT TIE IN.

TO GET FOLKS OVER THERE NOT JUST TO HEAR THIS GREAT HISTORY, BUT POSSIBLY GET TO SEE THE CASKET IN THE MUSEUM.

IN JULY, THE DIOCESE WILL BE, HOLDING THEIR FEAST OF SAINT JAMES AND THE CAMINO IN AMERICA.

[01:50:02]

AND THEN IN AUGUST, THERE IS AN OFFICIAL 100TH CELEBRATION IN AVILES.

AGAIN, THAT'S ALSO PART OF THAT COVER LETTER.

AND THE CITY WILL BE SENDING A LARGER DELEGATION.

BUT WE'RE ALSO INCLUDING REPRESENTATIVES FROM OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS THAT WOULD BE ALSO SISTER CITIES ASSOCIATION, SAINT JOHN'S CULTURAL COUNCIL, THE VISITORS AND CONVENTION BUREAU, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND FLAGLER COLLEGE.

IN SEPTEMBER.

THIS IS OUR BIG FLAG EVENT, AND WE DID A MINI VERSION OF THIS LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.

THE MAYOR OF AVILES CAME WITH HER COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR AND HER, CULTURAL COUNSELOR.

WE HAVE EXTENDED AN INVITATION TO SECRETARY OF STATE CORD BYRD AS WELL AS THE CONSUL GENERAL, AND WE WILL BE REACHING OUT TO THE AMBASSADOR'S OFFICE IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

THEY'RE INSTALLING THEIR NEW AMBASSADOR.

WE HAVE, IN THE WORKS, TEJEDA IS A WORLD RENOWNED BAGPIPE ARTIST BAND, AND HE WILL BE COMING WITH HIS BAND GROUP TO PRESENT A FREE PUBLIC EVENT AT FLAGLER AUDITORIUM.

WE ARE WORKING ON AN INTERPRETIVE PANEL THAT WILL BE, EMBLEMATIC OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH AVILES.

WE HAVEN'T YET FOUND A LOCATION FOR THAT YET, BUT WE WILL BE PUTTING TOGETHER AN INTERPRETIVE PANEL THAT WE WILL BE UNVEILING, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MUTUAL GIFT.

AVILES WILL DO SOMETHING SIMILAR.

AND SO, SO THAT WE'RE NOT SHIPPING, A DISPLAY THERE AND THEY'RE SHIPPING BACK.

WE'RE DOING WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING TOGETHER BUT SIMILAR SO THAT IT WILL BE A REPRESENTATION OF A MUTUAL GIFT TO OUR CITIES.

OUR GUESTS WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE FOUNDER'S DAY EVENT AT THE DIOCESE, AND THEN WE WILL BE INVITING THE DELEGATION THAT'S VISITING HERE AND OTHER OFFICIALS TO A HOSTED LUNCHEON AT THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH.

AND WE WILL ALSO BE WORKING ON TWO OTHER PUBLIC CONCERT FREE EVENTS WITH THEODORE, WITH HIM COMING TO SAINT AUGUSTINE.

WRAPPING UP THE YEAR IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, THE MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER TO THE MIDDLE OF OCTOBER IS HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, SO THE CULTURAL COUNCIL AND SOME OTHER PROGRAMING THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE WILL BE, SYMBOLIC OF THAT RELATIONSHIP AS WELL.

AND THEN LASTLY, I MENTIONED NARDO VILLABOY, AS ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF THE BOOK.

HE'S WORKING ON AN EXHIBIT WITH, A FAMOUS PAINTING ARTIST, FAVILLA FROM SPAIN, AND THEY WILL BE COLLABORATING ON AN EXHIBIT THAT WILL BE ON DISPLAY AT THE SAINT AUGUSTINE ART ASSOCIATION.

I BELIEVE VERY, VERY EARLY IN NOVEMBER THROUGH THE END OF DECEMBER.

SO THAT WILL WRAP OUT, CLOSE OUT OUR YEAR OF CELEBRATION.

THE LAST PIECE THAT I NEED YOUR APPROVAL.

IS THE BRANDING PIECE WHICH WAS CREATED BY OUR CONSULTANT.

WE HAVE A LETTER OF INTENT WITH NOW TO INSTITUTE, AND THEY HAVE CREATED THIS BRANDING LOGO WITH THE COLOR SCHEME.

AND SO WITH YOUR BLESSING, WE'D LIKE TO USE THAT AS OUR BRAND FOR THE YEAR.

IN ADDITION TO AVILES USING THE SAME BRAND TO BRAND ANYTHING THAT'S GOING TO BE PART AS PART OF THIS CELEBRATION.

AND DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? CAN YOU PUT THAT ON THE OVERHEAD? THE BRAND? OH, YES.

I'M SORRY. NO QUESTIONS.

I THINK THE GRAPHIC LOOKS REALLY GOOD.

I THINK IT'S A SMART, CLEAN DESIGN.

HE TIED IT I PERSONALLY LOVE THE A WHERE HE'S TIED IN THE A FOR AUGUSTINE AND AVILES IN THE HUNDREDTH.

SO AND THE AND THE CREST.

IS THAT THEIR CREST? IT'S A COMBINATION OF BOTH.

OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I WOULD JUST ADD THAT, THE INTERPRETIVE PANEL OR THE MARKER THAT WE'RE IT'S KIND OF LIKE A SYMBOLIC EXCHANGE. WE'VE HAVE A LONG TRADITION OF GIVING GIFTS WHEN THEY VISIT.

SOMETIMES THEY'RE VERY LARGE AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE VERY SMALL.

BUT THIS WILL BE THE GIFT.

AND, DOCTOR SUSAN PARKER IS WORKING ON THE TEXT WITH US, AND WE'D LIKE TO THANK HER VERY MUCH FOR THAT.

I DON'T THINK JUST A I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT FAVILLA WORKING WITH NARDO VILLABOY, AND HE'S A WELL KNOWN ARTIST IN SPAIN AND HIS WORK IS VERY GOOD.

SO WE'LL BE VERY INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THAT SHOW TURNS OUT.

BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.

WE'LL BE HAPPY TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

I WILL BE HAPPY TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE DESIGN.

I SECOND THAT.

I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION.

TALKING TO CHRISTINA PARISH STONE, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EXCHANGE OF ARTWORK, BETWEEN AVILES AND HERE.

[01:55:03]

IS THERE ANY EXCHANGE FROM HERE TO SHOW IN SOME OF THEIR LOCATIONS THERE? THEY I REMEMBER THEY HAVE A COUPLE OF GOOD, ART LOCATIONS THAT THEY COULD SHOW SOME WORK.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, THERE FROM OUR ARTIST HERE SHOWING THERE.

OH, I CAN WRITE THAT DOWN AND ASK.

YEAH. ASK HER WHAT SHE'S THINKING.

AND I KNOW FROM MY EXPERIENCE THERE I CAN THINK OF TWO LOCATIONS WHERE THEY COULD EXHIBIT, YOU KNOW, IT WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE BIG PIECES, BUT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, INDICATING OUR LOVE OF SPAIN OR OUR LOVE OF SAINT AUGUSTINE THAT THEY CAN SEE AND EXPERIENCE AS WE'RE GOING TO EXPERIENCE AT THE ART ASSOCIATION THEIR ARTIST.

YES. THEY CAME TO US, THE SISTER CITIES CAME TO US WITH THE PROPOSAL AND, MOCKUPS AND, SCHEDULES AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.

SO MAYBE THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING YOU MIGHT WANT TO DO FOR THEM.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING? I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

THEY SHOWED IT AT THE SISTER CITIES BECAUSE I HAVEN'T BEEN ATTENDING THAT.

NO, IT WAS FROM SISTER CITIES.

FROM.. JUST SOME COORDINATION WITH IDEAS.

THE ARTISTS.

SO THE ARTIST VILLABOY AND FAVILLA APPROACHED SISTER CITIES TO DO AN EXHIBIT THAT COULD BE A FREE PUBLIC EXHIBIT, COULD BE A FUNDRAISER, COULD BE ANY NUMBER OF THINGS.

SO WE FACILITATED GETTING THE ARTISTS IN TOUCH WITH THE ART ASSOCIATION.

AND SO THEY'RE WORKING ON THAT EVENT WITHOUT OUR OUR CITY INVOLVEMENT.

OKAY. SO THEY'RE PUTTING THAT TOGETHER FOR SISTER CITIES ASSOCIATION.

THEY HAVE A SISTER CITY ON THEIR SIDE.

CORRECT. IT'S ORGANIZED A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

WE HAVE A WE HAVE A COMMITTEE OF CITIZENS AND WE HAVE THE CITY.

WE HAVE TWO, TWO FUNCTIONING BODIES.

THEY ARE JUST THE CITY.

JUST THE CITY. THEY DON'T HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING.

SO IT'S A LITTLE WE ORGANIZE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN THEY ARE.

OKAY. WELL, I THINK PERHAPS MY SPEAKING WITH CHRISTINA AGAIN ON THAT MIGHT BE A PLACE TO START TO THINK ABOUT.

ANYWAY, I'LL GET BACK TO YOU NEXT MONTH.

YEAH. I MEAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT IDEA.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE AN ART EXCHANGE, IN A WAY.

BUT, I'M HAPPY TO TALK TO CHRISTINA, TO GET MY ARMS AROUND WHAT THE IDEA IS AND THEN TRY TO FACILITATE.

WE'RE BEING VERY, DELIBERATE OR CAREFUL, YOU KNOW.

SISTER CITIES.

SAINT AUGUSTINE SISTER CITIES ASSOCIATION IS AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT ENTITY.

SO WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON FOR THE CITY TO PRODUCE IS GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT ENTITY.

AND SO ANYTHING THAT SISTER, THE SAINT AUGUSTINE SISTER CITIES ASSOCIATION IS PUTTING ON, I'M DOING MY BEST TO HELP CONNECT PEOPLE, BUT THEN LETTING THEM TAKE THEIR IDEAS AND.

PULL IT TOGETHER.

BUT I'M HAPPY TO TALK TO CHRISTINA.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.

ANY FINAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? NOTHING. OKAY.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I, I.

WONDERFUL. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND ALL YOUR HARD WORK.

MOVING ON.

WE HAVE THE NEXT IS THE PETITION FOR VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION.

[10.E. Petition for Voluntary Annexation and Pre-Annexation Agreement for 523 West King Street (PIN 1123300000). (A. Skinner, Director Planning and Building)]

PETITIONS THAT MIGHT BE SIMILAR.

YOU CAN EXPLAIN. YES.

GOOD EVENING. AS BEFORE, THESE THREE ITEMS ARE RELATED.

THEY ARE RELATED TO POTENTIAL ANNEXATIONS ON WEST KING STREET BETWEEN THE EXISTING CITY LIMITS AND THE WAY THE CITY LIMITS CURVES AROUND TO INCORPORATE THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.

THE PROPERTIES INCLUDE 523 WEST KING STREET, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY A QUARTER ACRE OWNED BY THE HOMELESS COALITION, AND IT ALSO INCLUDES 525 THROUGH 527 WEST KING STREET, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY A HALF AN ACRE OWNED BY THE HOUSING PARTNERSHIP, AND 545 WEST KING STREET, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 0.1 ACRES OWNED BY THE ANCIENT CITY LODGE.

THE PROPERTY OWNERS OF THESE PROPERTIES ARE PETITIONING TO ANNEX INTO THE CITY.

THE I BELIEVE THIS CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OF SOME RESEARCH LOOKING INTO FORMULATING A CRA IN THE AREA.

AND, SO AFTER CONVERSATIONS AND LOOKING AT THE CITY BOUNDARIES, THEY HAVE DECIDED TO COME FORWARD AND PETITION TO

[02:00:02]

AND THEN THESE FOUR PROPERTIES WILL MOVE FORWARD IF THE CITY COMMISSION CHOOSES TO ACCEPT THEIR PETITION.

I DO HAVE, KIND OF A MAP THAT ILLUSTRATES WHERE THESE ARE LOCATED, WHERE THE PROPERTIES ARE LOCATED.

THIS IS THE CITY ZONING MAP.

THE THREE PROPERTIES ARE KIND OF IN LINE RIGHT HERE.

THIS IS THE LODGE, THE, HOUSING PARTNERSHIP AND THE HOUSING COALITION PROPERTIES. ON THE PROPERTY APPRAISER'S WEBSITE.

EXCUSE ME. MIGHT BE DIFFICULT.

THIS IS AN AERIAL.

THESE TWO PROPERTIES ON THE CORNER ARE ALREADY IN THE CITY.

THEN IT KIND OF WRAPS AROUND.

THIS IS THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB PROPERTY.

SO THIS WOULD KIND OF INFILL, THE REMAINING PROPERTIES ALONG WEST KING STREET.

HERE'S A LITTLE CLOSER UP.

A VIEW OF THE PROPERTIES.

MISS MISS PERKINS IS HERE AS WELL.

SHE IS THIS MANAGER OF THE CRA AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE DIVISION OF THE CITY.

AND I BELIEVE THE.

THERE ARE REPRESENTATIVES HERE FOR THE PROPERTIES AS WELL.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

IF THE CITY COMMISSION DECIDES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR PETITIONS, THEN THEY WOULD, GO TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD FOR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THEIR LAND USE AND ZONING AND THEN COME BACK TO THE COMMISSION FOR THE ANNEXATION AND THE ORDINANCES.

ALL RIGHT. SO THIS IS, FOR THREE SEPARATE PROPERTIES.

IT LOOKS LIKE THREE, MAYBE MORE.

NO, THREE. THREE DIFFERENT PETITIONS.

SO LET'S TAKE UP PETITION FOR 523 WEST KING STREET.

WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? DO I HEAR A MOTION? SO MOVED.

I'LL SECOND.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE. WELL, WE'LL CALL THE ROLL FOR THIS.

MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

ROXANNE HORVATH.

YES. NANCY. SIKES-KLINE.

YES. CYNTHIA GARRIS.

YES. JIM. SPRINGFIELD.

YES. BARBARA BLONDER.

YES. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. AND JUST SO THE RECORD SHOWS THAT THAT VOTE WAS COMBINED FOR BOTH THE VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION AND THE PRE ANNEXATION AGREEMENT.

YES, YES, THAT IS A GOOD CLARIFICATION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ALL RIGHT. SO LET'S MOVE ON.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MISS SKINNER.

WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOU FROM MORE FROM YOU ON THIS MATTER.

WE HAVE TWO MORE IN THE FUTURE.

TWO MORE. THERE ARE TWO MORE PROPERTIES.

THE 525 FIVE 2527.

OKAY, HERE WE GO.

SO FOR PROPERTY AT 520 5-5 27 WEST KING STREET.

SO MOVED SECOND DISCUSSION.

MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

ROXANNE HORVATH. YES.

NANCY SIKES-KLINE.

YES. CYNTHIA GARRIS.

YES. JIM SPRINGFIELD.

YES. BARBARA BLONDER.

YES. ALL RIGHT.

FOR PERTAINING TO THE VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION AND PRE ANNEXATION OF 545 WEST KING STREET, SO MOVED.

I'LL SECOND ANY DISCUSSION.

MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

ROXANNE HORVATH. YES.

NANCY. SIKES-KLINE.

YES. CYNTHIA GARRIS.

YES. JIM. SPRINGFIELD.

YES. BARBARA BLONDER.

YES. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, I APPRECIATE IT.

THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP TO HERE GETTING THROUGH THIS MEETING.

[11.A. 2024 Legislative session update. For Information Only. (I. Lopez, City Attorney)]

I DON'T HAVE ANY PRESENTATION.

JUST IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. BUT I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING HARD.

YOUR OFFICE HAS BEEN. YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD.

AND I APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE IN MONITORING THESE BILLS THAT ARE MOVING FAST AND FURIOUSLY.

IT'S QUITE HECTIC TO KEEP UP WITH.

SO I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE YOU FOR THAT.

SO THANK YOU.

ITEMS BY CITY CLERK I ACTUALLY HAVE A COUPLE COMMENTS BECAUSE I'M I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WITH ALL OF THE PREEMPTIONS THAT ARE ON HERE TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE, THAT HAVE IMPACTS TO US AS A CITY, DIRECTLY BEYOND WHAT WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT AND PAST RESOLUTIONS ON.

THE FIRST IS HB 47 AND ITS COMPANION BILL IN THE SENATE, WHICH IS ON PAGE FOUR OF OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S PACKET, FOUR OUT OF 38. THERE IS A WHAT IT BASICALLY DOES.

I'D LIKE TO ASK.

I'M SORRY, ASSISTANT CITY COMMISSIONER, MAYOR MS. BREIDENSTEIN TO COME UP AND JUST HELP ME UNDERSTAND, AS AS WE ARE PREEMPTED FROM CHARGING DIFFERENT FEES INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CITY.

[02:05:01]

WE HAVE OVER THE YEARS FOR FROM YOUR DIRECTION HAVE MOVED THAT DOWN FROM THE 25%, WHICH IS THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT THAT CURRENTLY IS ALLOWED.

IF WE WENT FROM THE CURRENT 18% DOWN TO 0%, THAT WOULD BE ABOUT $1.4 MILLION TO THE UTILITY FUND.

NOW, YOU KNOW, MY WISHFUL THINKING IS THAT THEY WOULD OFFER SOME KIND OF LET'S PHASE IT DOWN LIKE WE HAVE ACTUALLY DONE OURSELVES, WHICH I THINK WE COULD WORK WITH AND, WOULDN'T BE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT TO RATEPAYERS IF THERE WAS A PHASE.

IF WE GO FROM 18% DOWN TO ZERO, CERTAINLY GOING TO BE A BUDGETARY IMPACT, THEY WILL HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW DO WE BALANCE THAT? HOW DO WE MOST LIKELY WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK ACROSS THE BOARD AT ALL RATES AT THAT POINT.

SO YES, WE WILL.

WE MAY. IS IT CONCEIVABLE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER RAISING THE OUR UTILITY FEES, ACROSS THE BOARD FOR OUR IN, IN THE CITY RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS? YES. IF WE LOWER OUTSIDE DOWN TO THE SAME LEVEL AS INSIDE, I ANTICIPATE THERE WILL BE AN INCREASE TO ALL FROM THAT POINT.

OKAY. WELL, I WOULD MAINTAIN THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE.

THANK YOU. I WOULD ENCOURAGE, OUR CITIZENS TO WEIGH IN WITH THEIR STATE LEGISLATURE LEGISLATORS ON THAT POINT, AS WELL AS ANY OTHERS. I THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MS. BREIDENSTEIN. THE THE NEXT TWO AND I ONLY HAVE TWO MORE ARE ACTUALLY WOULD AFFECT, OUR DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND BUILDING.

SO, MISS SKINNER, WOULD YOU PLEASE COME BACK? AND THIS WOULD BE FOR HOUSE BILL 791 AND ITS COMPANION SENATE BILL, WHICH IS ON PAGE 27 OF MISS LOPEZ'S PACKET.

AND THIS IS ANOTHER SHOT CLOCK.

PREEMPTION. BASICALLY THAT WOULD, EXCEL.

WELL, REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT YOUR STAFF WOULD HAVE TO REVIEW PROJECTS.

AND THEN IF, IF YOUR STAFF, AS STRETCHED AS THEY ALREADY ARE, COULD NOT MEET THAT THAT MORE ACCELERATED TIME CLOCK, THEN, OUR DEPARTMENT WOULD HAVE TO REFUND THE APPLICATION FEES, AM I RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. THAT IS.

THAT'S HOW I UNDERSTAND IT.

AS YOU NOTED, THE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE'VE BEEN PUT UNDER TREMENDOUS PRESSURE BY THE SOME LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS AS FAR AS TIMING AND, AND LIMITATIONS ABOUT ISSUING BUILDING PERMITS, AS I UNDERSTAND IT.

FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE BASED ON THIS, WE HAVE TO ESTABLISH, IN WRITING MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR, SUBMITTALS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF APPLICATIONS SO THAT, AND THEN IT WOULD IT ALSO REQUIRES THAT WE RESPOND TO A SUBMITTAL WITHIN FIVE DAYS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE RECEIVED IT, AND WE HAVE 30 DAYS TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS.

IT HAS KIND OF A PROCEDURAL LIMITATIONS FROM THAT FROM THERE AND DIFFERENT TIME FRAMES FROM THERE.

BUT AS YOU NOTED CRITICALLY, THAT IF WE DON'T MEET THOSE TIME FRAMES, THEN WE HAVE TO START REFUNDING THE PERMIT FEES BY CERTAIN PERCENTAGES, DEPENDING ON THE DAYS.

THANK YOU. AND THEN THIS ONE IS REALLY ALSO VERY TROUBLESOME TO ME ON A BIGGER SCALE.

WITH HB 527, WHICH IS ON PAGE 37 OF 38 AND ITS COMPANION BILL.

IN THIS CASE, WHERE WE HAVE SUCH.

REAL ISSUES WITH, WITH LOSS OF HABITAT DUE TO CONSTRUCTION AND WITH WATER QUALITY ISSUES DUE TO WETLAND. DECREASE OF WETLAND FUNCTIONS FOR ANY NUMBER OF REASONS.

THERE IS A PREEMPTION OF WHAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD TO PROTECT, WHICH IS OUR CONSERVATION OVERLAY ZONES.

AND SO THEY WOULD REVERT TO THE STATE'S DEFINITION OF WETLANDS, DELINEATION OF WETLANDS, WHICH MAY WELL BE FAR, MUCH, MUCH MORE IMPACTFUL IF, IF THE, IF WE DON'T HAVE THE PROTECTION OF THESE CONSERVATION OVERLAY ZONES.

AND IS THAT YOUR UNDERSTANDING AS WELL? YES. I, I DISCUSSED THIS WITH OUR NEW SENIOR PLANNER, SARAH DOHERTY, WHO, IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST.

AND, THE WAY I UNDERSTAND THIS IS THAT BASICALLY, IF WE HAVE ANY KIND OF ADDITIONAL BUFFER THAT IS MORE THAN JUST WHAT IS DELINEATED BY EITHER THE, DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OR THE WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, THEN IT COULD RESULT

[02:10:09]

SO IF THIS JURISDICTIONAL LINE IS ESTABLISHED BY THE DEP OR WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR THAT. OUR ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT OF A 25 FOOT BUFFER THAT THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO PAY SOME SORT OF EMINENT DOMAIN.

IT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY.

I'M NOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST, BUT IT COULD GET TO KEEP THE CURRENT PROTECTIONS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE.

YES, WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR EMINENT DOMAIN AND GO THROUGH THAT WHOLE PROCESS, OF TAKING SOME OF THESE LAND IN THEORY.

SO THIS IS, I WOULD HOPE THAT OUR ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS WILL GET, WORD OF WIND OF THIS AND, AND RALLY THEIR FORCES TO TRY TO LET THEIR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES AT THE STATE KNOW THAT THIS IS A TERRIBLE IDEA, QUITE FRANKLY.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR SAY SOMETHING BEFORE SHE GOES AWAY.

OKAY. THE ANNEXATIONS THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, BECAUSE SOME OF THE PEOPLE ARE HERE, CAN YOU TELL THEM WHAT HAPPENS NEXT SO THAT THEY JUST KNOW THE PROCESS? YES. THEY'RE HERE IN THE BUILDING.

YES. I'M SORRY.

JUST FOR, YOU KNOW, CLARITY, THE CITY COMMISSION HAS ACCEPTED THE YOUR PETITIONS TO ANNEX AND THE ANNEXATION AGREEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROPERTIES.

AND SO THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE TO, APPLY TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD, AND WE CAN HELP YOU THROUGH THIS PROCESS AS WELL, SO THAT OUR PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD CAN REVIEW THE, AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION FOR WHAT IS THE CITY'S LAND USE AND ZONING DISTRICT THAT WOULD KIND OF OVERSEE, WHAT WOULD BE ALLOWED FOR YOUR PROPERTIES IF YOU, AS YOU ANNEX INTO THE CITY, IT WOULD CHANGE THE COUNTY DESIGNATIONS THAT YOU HAVE NOW, YOUR CITY DESIGNATION.

THANK YOU. COULD YOU ALSO JUST TALK TO THEM PERSONALLY FOR A MOMENT? I'M SORRY, YOU DON'T MIND. THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.

AND, I KNOW MISS PERKINS IS BACK THERE, AND SHE'S ALSO WORKING WITH THE HOMEOWNERS VERY CLOSELY, SO, HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS THEIR QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

[12.A. • Notification of two upcoming term expirations on the Historic Architectural Review Board, • Notification of one upcoming expiration on the Corridor Review Committee, • Request for one appointment to the Civil Service Board. (D. Galambos, City Clerk)]

GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR.

COMMISSIONERS, TONIGHT I HAVE A COUPLE OF ITEMS. MY FIRST ONE IS JUST A NOTIFICATION OF TWO UPCOMING TERM EXPIRATIONS ON OUR HISTORICAL ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD.

BOTH OF THESE TERMS, THESE, MEMBERS HAVE SERVED TWO FULL TERMS, SO THEREFORE THEY WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR REAPPOINTMENT.

SO WE WILL HAVE TWO OPEN SEATS, ON THAT BOARD.

MY. WE WILL OBVIOUSLY ADVERTISE ACCORDINGLY.

MY NEXT ONE IS NOTIFICATION OF ONE UPCOMING TERM EXPIRATION ON OUR CORRIDOR REVIEW COMMITTEE.

THIS MEMBER'S TERM EXPIRES MARCH 28TH.

HE IS, HOWEVER, ELIGIBLE TO REAPPLY, AND I DO BELIEVE HE HE WILL.

AND THEN MY LAST ITEM TONIGHT IS A REQUEST FOR ONE APPOINTMENT TO OUR CIVIL SERVICE BOARD.

DUE TO THE RECENT RESIGNATION OF MISTER LESTON, WE GOT ONE APPLICATION FROM GREG NICHOLS.

HE IS A RETIRED POLICE OFFICER AND ELIGIBLE TO SERVE ON THIS BOARD.

I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR BLESSING TO APPOINT HIM.

ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A REQUEST TO FOR ONE APPOINTMENT TO THE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD.

DO I HEAR A NOMINATION OR DISCUSSION? I WOULD NOMINATE HIM.

WE'LL NOMINATE HIM.

I'LL SECOND. ALL RIGHT.

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION OR.

OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

PERFECT ITEMS BY CITY MANAGER.

[13. ITEMS BY CITY MANAGER]

THANK YOU. THAT'S 11:00, CORRECT? YES, MA'AM. CUPCAKES.

RIGHT. SO OKAY.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I MISS MY MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.

[14. ITEMS BY MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS]

[02:15:03]

I THINK WE NEED TO VISIBLY GO AROUND AND MAKE SURE SIGNS ARE NOT DESIGNATED LINCOLNVILLE.

IF THEY'RE NOT IN LINCOLNVILLE.

LIKE SHE SAID, THERE'S ONE ON GRANADA STREET, WHICH IS NOT, CONSIDERED LINCOLNVILLE, THAT WE BASICALLY FIND OUT WHAT THE CORRIDOR OF LINCOLNVILLE IS AND PUT THOSE SIGNS ACCORDINGLY.

THERE ARE SOME THINGS I'M SURE ALL OF YOU GOT AN EMAIL, BECAUSE I SAW IT WAS SENT TO ALL OF US ABOUT SOME OF HER CONCERNS, SOME OF THE CONCERNS I'VE SPOKEN TO THE CITY MANAGER WE CAN IDENTIFY WITH, IMMEDIATELY, SOME OF THE CONCERNS.

WE WE TALKED ABOUT GOING TO ONE OF THEIR, MEETINGS, THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS.

THEY HAVE A MEETING DOWN AT THE GALLIMORE CENTER, AND I ASKED WHEN THE NEXT ONE WAS WAS IN MARCH.

AND SO WE CAN TALK MORE IN DETAIL ABOUT SOME OF THE REQUESTS THAT WAS MADE FROM THE MEMO FROM HER AND MISTER JOHNSON.

I SEE HIM SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE, TOO, SO WE CAN REALLY GET TO, GET THEM WHERE THEY WANT TO BE, IF IT'S POSSIBLE.

I THINK THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY NEED TO REALLY, STEP OUT THERE AND HELP PEOPLE WHEN THEY'RE SEEKING OUR HELP, WHEN WE'RE ABLE.

THERE IS ALSO A VICKY PAYNE AND A WILLIAM PAYNE THAT CAME BEFORE US ABOUT FLOODING IN THE MADEIRA, COMMUNITY.

AND MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING YOU COULD LOOK INTO.

CITY MANAGER, IF YOU'RE NOT ALREADY DOING THAT.

JUST SO THAT WHEN PEOPLE TAKE THE TIME TO COME TO A COMMISSION MEETING AND GET UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS, IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH SPEAKING IN PUBLIC THAT WE HEAR THEM AND THAT WE TRY TO ACCOMMODATE SOME OF THESE REQUESTS THAT THEY COME BEFORE US.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TAKE TIME GETTING OFF WORK TO COME DOWN HERE AND VOICE THEIR OPINION.

AND AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR, TO HEAR THEIR CONCERNS.

SO I JUST WANT TO BRING THAT UP.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

I, ALSO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE CITY MANAGER, BRIEF US ON THE MADEIRA REQUEST.

I HAZY ON IT.

I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S A GATED COMMUNITY.

WE'RE GETTING EMAILS FROM MARSHA CHANCE AND VARIOUS PEOPLE IN SUPPORT OF THIS.

I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE IN SUPPORT OF IT, BUT IF IT'S NOT ACCESS FOR THE PUBLIC, IT BECOMES A PRIVATE PARK FOR THAT, THAT DEVELOPMENT, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, AND ALSO.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE.

YOU KNOW, THE FEES THAT THE PEOPLE PAY.

LIKE IT'S NOT A CONDO FEE, BUT THEY PAY SOMETHING.

THEY PAY CDD FEES AND HOA FEES.

OKAY, SO HOA, IF THEY HAD IF YOU TAKE OUT SO MANY PROPERTIES THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN BUILT OUT, YOUR HOA IS GOING TO GO HIGHER.

SO BOTH OF THOSE FEES WOULD INCREASE.

YEAH. YEAH. SO YOU KNOW, I MEAN IT'S A QUITE A COMPLICATED LITTLE PROBLEM.

I'D BE HAPPY TO COME BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING AND GIVE YOU A BRIEFING ON THAT.

THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

OKAY. OKAY. THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

AND I ALSO JUST WANT TO ADD TO THAT, THERE WAS A THE GENTLEMAN MR. PAYNE HAS SAID THAT TREES HAVE BEEN CUT, AND THAT THEY'VE BEEN ALLOWED TO BE CUT IN THE PUD.

SO I'D LIKE JUST YOU DON'T HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT NOW, BUT IF YOU DON'T MIND ADDRESSING THAT AS WELL.

THANK YOU. WHEN YOU COME FOR YOUR REPORT BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.

THAT GETS CLARIFIED. SO ANYTHING ELSE? NO, NO. OKAY.

COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD.

YES. I JUST HAVE ONE THING I WANT TO RECOGNIZE.

THE PASSING OF BILL MIGNON.

BILL MIGNON WAS THE PRINCIPAL OF RB HUNT IN THE CITY, AND ALSO NEASE HIGH SCHOOL AND PEDRO MENENDEZ, HE ALSO WAS A POLITICAL OPPONENT VERSUS OTIS MASON.

AND OTIS WON THAT ELECTION.

AND SO IT'S KIND OF IRONIC FOR IT TO BE TONIGHT, BUT, BILL MIGNON WAS WAS A COWORKER WITH ME, AND I RESPECTED HIM TOTALLY.

HE SERVED THE NATION AS THE NATIONAL GUARD MEMBER.

HIS OBITUARY MENTIONED THAT HE SERVED THOSE IN THE COUNTY AND THE STATE WITHIN SIX DECADES BECAUSE HE RETIRED TWO YEARS AGO AT THE AGE OF 84. I ALSO WANTED TO BRING UP THE MADEIRA PIECE, BECAUSE IT'S A MOVING TARGET.

THERE IS A STATE APPLICATION FOR FUNDING FOR THE COUNTY PART.

AND, THE MAIN THING I WANT TO BRING TO THE FOREFRONT IS THAT, WE NEED TO HAVE A WILLING SELLER TO EVEN BEGIN CONSIDERING, ANY KIND OF ACTION FROM THE CITY.

AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THE DEVELOPER HAS, CHANGED THEIR MIND ABOUT BEING A WILLING SELLER.

SO THAT'S A MOVING TARGET.

AND, I'D BE HAPPY FOR YOU TO UPDATE US WHEN YOU COME NEXT TIME WE MEET.

MAYBE THERE WILL BE SOME CLARITY TO IT AT THAT POINT.

[02:20:02]

AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS, I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING ON, MAKING SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR NOISE ORDINANCE.

COULD WE HAVE A UPDATE ON THAT WHEN YOU'RE READY FOR IT AS WELL? CERTAINLY. OKAY, GREAT.

THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

ALL RIGHT. SO I HAD ASKED ABOUT THE, IF YOU MISS MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, IF YOU COULD JUST GIVE A VERY QUICK REVIEW OF THE TREE CUTTING PREEMPTION BY THE STATE.

YES. SHE WAS IT ALREADY FOUR YEARS AGO NOW, OR A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO? A BILL PASSED THAT ESSENTIALLY ALLOWS FOLKS, TO CUT, TREES ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES IF THE TREE POSES A DANGER TO THE STRUCTURE OR TO SAFETY.

AND IT'S VERY LOOSEY GOOSEY.

THEY DO NOT NEED TO GET A PERMIT LOCALLY TO DO SO.

THEY SIMPLY NEED TO BE ABLE TO PROVE THROUGH AN ARBORIST.

THAT THE TREE, CAUSED SOME SORT OF A DANGER EITHER TO THE STRUCTURE OR SAFETY IN GENERAL.

AND SO THERE WE ARE.

THAT IS ONE OF THE UNFORTUNATE SCENARIOS IS THAT THERE'S NOT EVEN A, A LOCAL PERMITTING PROCESS WHERE WE COULD VET THOSE OUT SO THAT PEOPLE DO ACTUALLY GO OUT AND CUT TREES, AND IT MAY BE VERY LEGAL.

I DO WANT TO REMIND FOLKS THAT THAT IS FOR RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES.

WE'VE HAD SOME, FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE NOT RESIDENCES THAT MISUNDERSTOOD THAT, AND HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO CODE ENFORCEMENT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND WE CAN PROBABLY KEEP REPEATING THAT UNTIL IT SINKS IN, BUT IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO FORCE OUR OWN TREE.

TREE ORDINANCE.

AND, IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED TO ME THAT WE UPDATE OUR TREE ORDINANCE, BUT, THERE WAS A REQUEST TO UPDATE THE TREE ORDINANCE TO INCLUDE A SPECIES OF PINE TREE.

YEAH. AND I THINK THAT IS CIRCULATING THROUGH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.

OKAY, GOOD.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

MY, I ONLY HAVE ONE OTHER THING, AND THAT IS, THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES CALLED AND ASKED, IF ANYONE, IF I OR ANYONE, EVEN THE CITY MANAGER, COULD SERVE ON THE REGIONAL BOARD.

IT'S NORTHEAST FLORIDA, REGIONAL FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES.

AND, IT'S THE ONE THAT'S KIND OF LIKE A THEY DO A DINNER EVERY MONTH AND THEY KIND OF GO AROUND, I THINK AS FAR AS STARKE, MAYBE. BUT ANYWAY, THEY, THEY HAVE TWO OPENINGS ON THEIR BOARD AND I THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE THAT WITH YOU.

AND, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.

PLEASE LET THE CITY MANAGER KNOW.

I CAN DO IT MYSELF.

I'M ALREADY CHAIRING A BOARD, SO, AND THEN JUST SPENDING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF.

I JUST RETURNED FRIDAY FROM A LEADERSHIP TRAINING, A WHOLE DAY LEADERSHIP TRAINING IN ORLANDO.

I DO STAY FAIRLY ACTIVE WITH THE LEAGUE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE, MONDAY MORNING COLLINS.

AND WHICH I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW ABOUT, BUT THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES DOES ONE.

AND THEN THEY DO THE WRAP UP SO YOU CAN GET UPDATED ON THE BILLS THAT YOU'RE FOLLOWING.

WE FOLLOW MORE BILLS THAN THEY DO, BUT IT'S VERY HELPFUL.

BUT, COMMISSIONER HARRIS, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT YOU MISSED WAS, THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES REGIONAL BOARD HAS AN OPENING ON IT. IT DOES REQUIRE TRAVEL AND DINNERS, AND I THINK BOARDS FOR, FOR BOARD MEETINGS A YEAR.

THEY DO HAVE A PART TIME STAFF, SO THERE'S NOT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK.

IT'S MOSTLY BOARD MEETINGS.

AND THEN, TRAVELING TO THE OTHER CITIES TO HAVE THE DINNER.

YOU RECALL WE HAVE A DINNER IN JANUARY EVERY YEAR.

THE BEACH HAS A DINNER, I THINK.

AND IS IT THE DECEMBER MEETING? I CAN'T REMEMBER IF THEY WERE IN THE FEBRUARY MEETING OR THE DECEMBER MEETING.

BUT ANYWAY, THE BEACH ALSO HOSTS, SO THERE'S AN OPENING ON THEIR BOARD AND I DON'T HAVE TIME TO DO IT, SO I'M OFFERING IT TO Y'ALL.

AND IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, THEN WILL YOU PLEASE LET THE CITY MANAGER KNOW THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN IT? SO. AND THAT'S IT.

I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.

I MEAN, I DO HAVE A LOT OF OTHER STUFF, BUT I COULD TALK ALL NIGHT.

BUT IT'S GETTING LATE, AND I PROMISE TO TRY AND KEEP THESE MEETINGS SHORT.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR INPUT.

THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.