[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:06]
GOOD EVENING. THIS MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
ALL RIGHT. WE WILL HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
ALLEGIANCE. LED BY VICE MAYOR ROXANNE HORVATH.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
ALL RIGHT, SO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS MODIFICATION AND APPROVAL OF THE REGULAR AGENDA.
[2. ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS]
DO WE HAVE ANY MODIFICATIONS, MR. CITY MANAGER? NO, MA'AM.ANY MODIFICATIONS TO THE AGENDA? NO. I'LL ENTERTAIN AN APPROVAL.
I VOTE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS IS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
AYE. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
ALL RIGHT. SO WE GO TO CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION.
[3. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, RECOGNITIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS]
THIS IS A CERTIFICATE THAT WAS GOING TO RECOGNIZE HONORABLE MARY MONTESEIRIN, THE MAYOR OF AVILA, SPAIN, AND HER DELEGATION FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO AND THE PARTICIPATION IN THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION FOR OUR SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP WITH AVILES, SPAIN.AND WHAT I HAVE HERE IS A CERTIFICATE, AND I'M GOING TO ASK MAYOR MARAVI TO STEP FORWARD.
WE'LL READ IT. YOU CAN STAY SEATED.
ALL RIGHT. THIS IS THE PRESENTATION OF THE CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION.
AUGUSTINE IN 1565 BY PEDRO MENÉNDEZ DE AVILÉS.
AND WHEREAS, THE CITY COUNCIL OF AVILES INVITED DELEGATES FROM FLORIDA, MOST FROM ST.
AUGUSTINE, TO ATTEND THE BURIAL CEREMONY OF PEDRO MENÉNDEZ DE AVILÉS IN AUGUST 1924, TO ACCEPT HIS OUTER COFFIN AS A GIFT FROM AVILES TO ST.
AUGUSTINE. IT WAS THE FIRST OFFICIAL AMERICAN DELEGATION TO VISIT SPAIN SINCE THE SIGNING OF THE TREATY OF PARIS AFTER THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR OF 1898.
MENENDEZ'S OUTER COFFIN WAS SHIPPED AND TODAY IS NOW ON EXHIBIT AT THE MISSION NOMBRE DE DIOS IN ST.
AUGUSTINE. A TANGIBLE LINK OF THE SPANISH FOUNDERS, A TANGIBLE LINK OF THE SPANISH FOUNDER OF OUR CITY, AND THE FIRST EVENT OF DECADES TO COME OF EXCHANGES OF GIFTS AND MEMENTOS BETWEEN BOTH CITIES.
WHEREAS RESOLUTION 2108 WAS ADOPTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE ON JULY 10TH, 1967, SUPPORTING A SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY OF ST.
WHEREAS ON FEBRUARY 26TH, 2000, A SISTER CITY AGREEMENT FORMALIZED AND REAFFIRMED THE BOND BETWEEN THE TWO CITIES, WHICH CONTINUES TO FLOURISH THROUGH OFFICIAL VISITS, CULTURAL EXCHANGES INCLUDING STUDENT ARTWORK.
WORKS OF FINE ART REPRESENTING EACH COMMUNITY.
TRADITIONAL CHOIRS, MUSICIANS, DANCERS AND SUCCESSFUL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM.
[00:05:01]
AND WHEREAS, THE CITY OF ST.AUGUSTINE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS WARMLY WELCOME THE HONORABLE MARIVE MONTESEIRIN, MAYOR OF AVILES, AND HER DELEGATION FOR THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF THE COLLABORATION OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN OUR TWO CITIES.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE HEREBY RECOGNIZES THE HONORABLE MARIVE MONTESEIRIN, MAYOR OF AVILES, AND HER DELEGATION FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING AND ENRICHMENT OF OUR CITY AND REAFFIRMS THE HISTORIC AND CONTINUING SISTERHOOD BETWEEN AVILES, SPAIN AND ST.
AND BEFORE WE PROVIDE THE TRANSLATION, WHICH WE WILL TO OUR DELEGATION.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE DELEGATION TO PLEASE STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED.
MARIA WILL READ IT IN ENGLISH.
[00:10:54]
[SPANISH].[SPANISH]. IT IS AN HONOR, AS MAYOR OF AVILES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CITY COMMISSION MEETING, WHICH REPRESENTS ONE OF THE OLDEST AND CURRENT DEMOCRATIC MODELS IN THE WORLD, A DEMOCRACY BUILT ON THE FIRM COMMITMENT OF THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF THE UNITED STATES, WHO, INFLUENCED BY THE THINKERS OF THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT, KNEW HOW TO DESIGN A BALANCED REPUBLIC BASED ON THE IDEALS OF A REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY.
IT IS GREAT PRIDE TO BE TWINNED WITH THE CITY THAT IS THE SEED AND INSPIRATION OF THIS GREAT COUNTRY, A CITY THAT WAS FOUNDED ALMOST FIVE CENTURIES AGO BY THE DISTINGUISHED DON PEDRO MENÉNDEZ.
BASED ON THIS HISTORIC UNION, WE HAVE CREATED AN ETERNAL BOND BETWEEN OUR TWO CITIES, WHICH BEGAN 100 YEARS AGO WITH THE BEGINNING OF OUR DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS, AND TO WHICH WE ARE GIVING A NEW INCENTIVE IN 2024 ON THE CELEBRATION OF THIS ANNIVERSARY.
[00:15:06]
WE WILL DESIGN AND UNDERTAKE NEW ACTIVITIES THAT WILL MARK A BEFORE AND AFTER IN OUR RELATIONS AS CITIES.THE FIRST STEP WAS TAKEN LAST THURSDAY WITH THE SIGNING OF THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITIES OF OVIEDO AND FLAGLER COLLEGE, A COLLABORATION THAT AROSE PRECISELY IN THE VISIT WE MADE IN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR.
MAYOR NANCY SIKES-KLINE AND I ARE CONVINCED THAT THE TWINNING OF OUR CITIES IS MADE UP OF CIVIL SOCIETY, AND THEREFORE WE CONSIDER IT ESSENTIAL TO INFLUENCE THE MEETING OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
THE COLLABORATION PROTOCOL BETWEEN BOTH UNIVERSITIES WILL ALLOW US TO FACILITATE THE EXCHANGE OF STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE ACADEMIC YEAR, WHICH PREVIOUSLY WAS LIMITED TO THE SUMMERS. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE YOUNG PEOPLE FROM AVILES SEE SAN AGUSTIN AS THE ENTRANCE TO A CITY OPEN TO KNOWLEDGE, CULTURE, TOURIST EXCHANGE AND COMMERCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
AND IN THE SAME WAY, THE YOUTH OF ST.
AUGUSTINE SEE NARVAEZ AS THE GATEWAY TO EUROPE WITH HISTORICAL ROOTS, A HUB OF KNOWLEDGE AND CULTURE, WITH A MILLENARY TRAJECTORY OPEN TO A NEW NOTION OF MODERN INDUSTRY COMMITTED TO KNOWLEDGE, RESEARCH AND INNOVATION SUCH AS AVILES REPRESENTS TODAY, OUR CITIES ULTIMATELY MUST ULTIMATELY BE THE REASON FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO DISCOVER TWO DIFFERENT COUNTRIES WITH COMMON ROOTS, AS WELL AS THEIR CULTURAL, PRODUCTIVE AND DEMOCRATIC DESIRES.
WE MUST CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN OUR TRADE RELATIONS, AS OUR PRODUCTIVE FABRICS AND CULTURAL TIES ARE THE BASIS FOR NEW TOURISM POTENTIAL, WE MUST TAKE ON THE CHALLENGE OF TURNING OUR CITIES INTO SMALL EMBASSIES IN EACH RESPECTIVE COUNTRY.
WITH THAT CONVICTION, I ATTEND THIS MEETING OF THE CITY COMMISSION, AND WITH THAT CERTAINTY, I'LL BE LESS EXTENDS ITS HAND WITH THE SISTER CITY IN THIS GREAT AMERICAN CONTINENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
COMMISSIONERS, WILL YOU JOIN ME? SO, WE WILL HAVE A NIGHT.
I'LL PRESENT THE AWARD AND THE RECOGNITION OF CERTIFICATE, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A NICE PHOTOGRAPH.
NOT YET. WE'LL DO THAT IN A MINUTE.
SO IF YOU ALL COME TO THE FRONT OF THE COMMISSION.
[00:20:19]
YOU. YES.OKAY. WE HAVE ONE MORE THING TO TELL YOU ABOUT AND RECOGNIZE.
SAMUEL ARMAS IS OUR ARTIST FROM AVILES.
WE DID AS PART OF THIS 100TH CELEBRATION WHEN WE WENT.
WHEN I TRAVELED TO AVILES IN AUGUST, WE TOOK MARTHA FERGUSON WITH US AS PART OF AN ARTIST EXCHANGE, AND SHE PAINTED WHILE WE WERE THERE AND PRESENTED HER PAINTING TO MAYOR MARAVI WHILE WE WERE THERE.
AND AS PART OF THIS TRIP OF THEM TRAVELING HERE, THEY BROUGHT SAMUEL ARMAS.
DID I SAY THAT WAS OKAY WITH THEM.
AND WHILE HE WAS HERE, HE PAINTED THIS PAINTING FOR US.
AND WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT AND VERY THANKFUL.
AND WE THINK IT IS VERY BEAUTIFUL AND WE WILL FIND A GREAT PLACE FOR IT.
YES, AND I HOPE EVERYONE WILL FIND SOME TIME TO ENJOY IT.
AND ONCE WE PUT IT ON DISPLAY.
BUT IT IS FASCINATING AND THANK YOU.
MELISSA, WILL YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD? COME ON, BE SHY.
YOU SAID, OH GOD, THEY'RE GOING OFF SCRIPT.
WHAT ARE THEY DOING? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WELL, THERE IS ONE PERSON WHO HAS DONE.
THERE'S ONE PERSON WHO'S REALLY WORKED VERY, VERY HARD.
AND I THINK THAT SHE HAS BRIDGED A GAP FOR US THAT HAS BEEN JUST SO VALUABLE TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US STANDING UP HERE, AS WELL AS EVERYONE THAT JUST YOU SAW ON THE STAGE.
THE HEART AND SOUL THAT SHE HAS PUT INTO THIS HAS BEEN BEAUTIFUL, REALLY.
THE EFFORT HAS BEEN BEAUTIFUL TO WATCH.
BUT LIKE I SAY, HERDING CATS AND SWIMMING LIKE A SWAN.
IT'S JUST A SMALL TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION.
MIC]. I JUST WANT TO SAY ALL OF THE STAFF DID A GREAT JOB.
SO BUT THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE STAFF.
EVERY ONE OF THEM IN SO MANY WAYS HAVE HELPED THIS BE A SUCCESSFUL TRIP FOR US AND MAKE IT NICE FOR OUR GUESTS AND HELP THEM FALL IN LOVE WITH US SO EVEN MORE, AS WELL AS OUR SISTER CITIES ORGANIZATION.
I THINK I SEE LYNN WEEKS HERE AND THERE.
HE IS RIGHT THERE ON THE FRONT ROW, RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.
I JUST CAN'T DO THIS WITHOUT YOU.
YOU KNOW WHERE THEY WERE? LEAVING EVERYTHING ON HER DESK.
OKAY. IS THAT GOOD? ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT.
WE HAVE TWO MORE PROCLAMATIONS.
[00:25:03]
LET'S LEAVE THE PAINTING FOR EVERYONE TO ENJOY.SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO NOW IS CALL UP.
I HOPE I SAID THAT RIGHT WITH OXFORD HOUSE AND SAVANNAH PRINCE WITH DISCOVER AND RECOVER.
IF BOTH OF Y'ALL WOULD COME UP.
OKAY. I'M TAKING THE PLACE OF SAVANNAH.
OKAY, WELL, YOU'RE VERY WELCOME TO BE HERE.
SO DESIREE IS WITH THE OXFORD HOUSE AND SAVANNAH.
BROCK. BROCK BERTOLO IS WITH DISCOVER AND RECOVER.
AND THIS IS REALLY THE SAME PROCLAMATION.
SO I'M GOING TO READ IT ONE TIME, BUT I'M GOING TO RECOGNIZE BOTH OF YOU AND THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, BECAUSE WE NEED AS MANY HANDS ON DECK FOR THIS ISSUE AS IS HUMANLY POSSIBLE.
WHEREAS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF HEALTH AND ONE'S OVERALL WELLNESS, WHEREAS MENTAL AND OR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS AFFECT ALL COMMUNITIES NATIONWIDE. BUT WITH COMMITMENT AND SUPPORT, PEOPLE WITH THESE DISORDERS CAN ACHIEVE HEALTHY LIFESTYLES AND LEAD REWARDING LIVES IN RECOVERY.
AND WHEREAS PREVENTING AND OVERCOMING MENTAL AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS IS ESSENTIAL TO ACHIEVING HEALTHY LIFESTYLES BOTH PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY. AND WHEREAS, WE MUST ENCOURAGE RELATIVES AND FRIENDS OF PEOPLE WITH MENTAL AND OR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS TO IMPLEMENT PREVENTATIVE MEASURES.
RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS OF A PROBLEM AND GUIDE THOSE IN NEED TO APPROPRIATE.
TREATMENT AND RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES.
AND WHEREAS, THE IMPACT OF SUBSTANCE USE AND OR MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS IS APPARENT IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY, AND TREATMENT AND RECOVERY PROGRAMS HELP MORE PEOPLE ACHIEVE AND SUSTAIN LONG TERM RECOVERY.
AND WHEREAS TO HELP MORE PEOPLE ACHIEVE AND SUSTAIN LONG TERM RECOVERY, THE US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, THE WHITE, THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY, AND DISCOVER AND RECOVER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND THE OXFORD HOUSE NETWORK IN FLORIDA.
AUGUSTINE TO PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE AND THE CITY, THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE HEREBY PROCLAIMS THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 24TH AS NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH AND ENCOURAGES ALL OF OUR CITIZENS TO OBSERVE THIS MONTH WITH APPROPRIATE PROGRAMS, ACTIVITIES AND CEREMONIES.
THANK YOU. COMMISSIONERS, WILL YOU COME JOIN US? WE'LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO SPEAK IF YOU'D LIKE TO.
WONDERFUL. CAN HE DO IT? OF COURSE HE CAN DO IT FOR YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOUR HANDS FULL.
SO I'M GOING TO LET YOU HOLD IT FOR ME.
AND NOW YOU CAN PLEASE COME FORWARD BECAUSE YOU'RE.
YOU'RE VERY WELCOME TO COME UP HERE.
WE LOVE HAVING BABIES AND CHILDREN AT OUR MEETINGS.
ALL RIGHT. SO, BROCK, WHY DO I KEEP FORGETTING YOUR NAME? BROCK. WE'VE TALKED SO MANY TIMES.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? OKAY. HI, EVERYONE.
I REPRESENT, DISCOVER AND RECOVER.
WE ARE YOUR LOCAL RECOVERY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION.
RIGHT. SO WE JUST FEEL VERY HONORED THAT THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE HAS ACCEPTED OUR PROCLAMATION TO MARK SEPTEMBER NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH.
AND, BEAU, WOULD YOU LIKE TO I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THE PROCLAMATION.
AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS AND WE'LL WATCH THIS.
[00:30:02]
HEY EVERYBODY. HOPE YOU ALL ARE HAVING A GOOD DAY.I'M AN OUTREACH WORKER FOR OXFORD HOUSE IN JACKSONVILLE AND ORANGE PARK.
MY FIANCÉE, DESIREE, IS THE OUTREACH WORKER HERE IN ST.
I HAVE A LITTLE SPEECH I WROTE.
FIRST OFF, I JUST WANT TO THANK THE CITY FOR RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH.
OXFORD HOUSE IS A GROUP OF NONPROFITS, SELF-RAN, SELF-SUPPORTING GROUP RECOVERY HOMES.
WE HAVE ABOUT 200 ACROSS THE STATE OF FLORIDA NOW.
AUGUSTINE, NINE IN PALM COAST, I BELIEVE.
NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH IS A TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROGRESS WE HAVE MADE, AND TO RECOGNIZE THE COUNTLESS INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE TRANSFORMED THEIR LIVES THROUGH RECOVERY. IT IS A MOMENT TO HONOR THOSE WHO HAVE PERSEVERED THROUGH CHALLENGES, AND TO CELEBRATE THE STRENGTH OF THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO JOURNEY TOWARDS A BETTER FUTURE. OXFORD HOUSE STANDS AS A TESTAMENT TO THE EFFECTIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF PEER SUPPORTED RECOVERY.
OUR MOTTO, A SELF-RUN SELF-SUPPORTED RECOVERY HOME, PROVIDES INDIVIDUALS WITH A STRUCTURED ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY CAN REBUILD THEIR LIVES AND CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE SUCCESS STORIES WE WITNESS EACH DAY ARE A REFLECTION OF THE UNWAVERING COMMITMENT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE CHOSEN TO EMBRACE RECOVERY, AND THE DEDICATED SUPPORT OF THOSE AROUND THEM.
OXFORD HOUSE AND DISCOVER AND RECOVER IN FOSTERING SUSTAINABLE CHANGE.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD, LET US CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THOSE IN NEED AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER, AND WORK TOWARDS CREATING A SOCIETY WHERE EVERYONE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE AND SUSTAIN RECOVERY.
THANK YOU ALL. AND NOW WE'LL TAKE OUR PICTURE.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
ABSOLUTELY. YOU'RE DOING GREAT.
OH, NO. NO, NO. HELLO? HELLO. AWESOME. AND AN ADDITIONAL FACT HERE IN HONOR OF NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH.
IT IS A COMPLETELY FREE EVENT.
IT'S SO FREE TO THE POINT WHERE WE HAND OUT FREE WATERS.
IT'S YOU KNOW, IT'S EVERYTHING ABOUT RECOVERY.
WE WANT FAMILIES IN RECOVERY TO COME OUT WITHOUT ABSOLUTELY ZERO BARRIERS TO ENTRY.
SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
YES. HI. AND IT'S NEXT SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST.
AND THEN WE ALSO ANYBODY WHO IS AN ALLY OF RECOVERY, WE WELCOME EVERYBODY.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
ONE MORE. WE HAVE WE HAVE WE HAVE ONE MORE PROCLAMATION, AND ANGIE METCALFE, CHAIRMAN OF THE DA.
[00:35:02]
IF YOU WILL COME FORWARD, ANGIE AND I SEE DEBORAH AND MISS KAY.WHEREAS OUR FOUNDING FATHERS DID DECREE AND ESTABLISH A CONSTITUTION FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO ACQUIRE THE GOOD FORTUNES ASSOCIATED WITH PERSONAL FREEDOM FROM THEIRS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.
AND WHEREAS IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE TERMS, CONDITIONS AND MEANINGS OF THE CONSTITUTION BE FULLY UNDERSTOOD BY ALL CITIZENS, THAT WE MAY UPHOLD, PROTECT AND DEFEND IT AGAINST POSSIBLE INFRINGEMENT.
FOR ALL AMERICANS TO DISCOVER AND RECOGNIZE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR FOREFATHERS, AND TO.
PONDER THE RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES OF CITIZENSHIP AS WELL AS THE RESPONSIBILITIES THEREOF.
WHEREAS THE REGENTS COUNCIL OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA, DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION JOINED THE NATIONAL CELEBRATION, AND ITS ANNUAL OBSERVANCE SERVES AS A TIME FOR ALL CITIZENS TO HOLD DEAR AND CELEBRATE THE RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THIS DOCUMENT AFFORDS TO US AS AMERICANS. AND WHEREAS ALL AMERICAN CITIZENS SHOULD RESPECT THEIR INDEPENDENCE AS GUARANTEED BY OUR CONSTITUTION, WITH FITTING CEREMONIES AND COMMEMORATIVE ACTIVITIES DURING CONSTITUTION WEEK, AS ORDERED AND PROCLAIMED IN 1956 BY PRESIDENT DWIGHT D EISENHOWER AND THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE AND URGES ALL OF OUR CITIZENS TO PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION DURING THIS WEEK TO OUR CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT AND THE ADVANTAGE OF AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP, AND FURTHER, INVITE EVERY CITIZEN AND INSTITUTION TO JOIN IN THIS NATIONAL COMMEMORATION.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY? COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOMENT, PLEASE JOIN US ON NEXT 17TH SEPTEMBER 17TH. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH AT 3:20 P.M.
AND THEN AT 4:00 EXACTLY IN THE PLAZA.
SO IF YOU CAN PLEASE JOIN US IN THE PLAZA.
THAT WOULD BE VERY APPRECIATED.
SO JOIN US IN THOSE CELEBRATIONS AS WELL.
OKAY. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
WHAT A WONDERFUL EXHIBIT OF AMERICANA.
YES, DEFINITELY, TAKE IT ALL IN CONSIDERATION.
ALL RIGHT THEN. I THINK THAT'S IT.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR CERTIFICATES AND PROCLAMATIONS.
[4. PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS OR FOR AGENDA ITEMS NOT REQUIRING A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING]
THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENT FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS OR FOR AGENDA ITEMS NOT REQUIRING A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING.AND I WILL READ OUT THE DECORUM, THE RULES OF DECORUM FOR THIS PART OF OUR MEETING.
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON MATTERS THAT ARE NOT SCHEDULED FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.
YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND SHALL COMPLY WITH THE CITY'S RULES OF DECORUM.
[00:40:01]
COMMENTS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE COMMISSION AS A WHOLE AND NOT INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS.COMMISSIONERS WILL NOT ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM SPEAKERS.
THE FIRST I HAVE IS SHANNON SAPP, FOLLOWED BY LOOKS LIKE COURTNEY HALE, MAYBE.
SHANNON SAPP IS THE FIRST SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY COURTNEY HALE.
IF YOU'LL GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
OH, HOLD ON ONE SECOND, PLEASE.
WE HAVE THE TURN THE MICROPHONE ON, PLEASE.
OKAY. MY NAME IS SHANNON SAPP.
MY ADDRESS IS 3400 JESSINA ROAD, ST.
AUGUSTINE. IF YOU DON'T MIND SPEAKING PRETTY CLOSELY.
THERE YOU GO. MY NAME IS SHANNON SAPP.
MY ADDRESS IS 3400 JESSINA ROAD, ST.
CAN I GO AHEAD? YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
YES, MA'AM. YES. WELL, DURING AND INVEST IN INTERNAL.
DURING AN INVESTIGATION THAT I WAS CONDUCTING FOR ST.
AUGUSTINE POLICE DEPARTMENT CORRUPTION, I CAME ACROSS SOME PAPERS WHERE I HAD NOTICED THAT WE, THE TAXPAYERS, HAVE BEEN PAYING FOR BODY WORN CAMERA OR GPS FOR PORTABLES ATTACHED TO THE OFFICER'S VEHICLES, AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN WORKING FOR OVER TWO YEARS.
AND DURING THAT INVESTIGATION, I HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE CHIEF OF POLICE, WHICH HAS YOU KNOW, HAS NOT RESPONDED. AND I HAD ALSO REACHED OUT TO THE MAYOR.
MY CONCERNS RIGHT NOW THAT WE HAVE IS CONCERNING AN OFFICER THAT WE HAVE.
AN OFFICER THAT WE HAVE THAT ON HER PERSONAL CELL PHONE, WHICH I HAVE RECEIVED.
AND HOW SHE'S DOING THAT IS, SHE'S TAKING THEM.
AND SHE'S LOGGING THESE BODY WORN CAMERA VIDEOS UNDER FALSE CASE NUMBERS.
AUGUSTINE POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE NOT DOCKING THEIR BODY WORN CAMERAS FOR MONTHS AT A TIME.
I SPOKE TO A GENTLEMAN THAT HAD A DUI, AND HE SAID HE REACHED OUT TO THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THEY INFORMED HIM, AND THEY HAD NO BODY WORN CAMERAS, JUST AS THEY DID.
ME AND HIS ATTORNEY REACHED OUT AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING.
IT JUST DIDN'T MATCH ANYTHING THAT SHE HAD WROTE IN HER REPORTS.
THIS IS GOING ON WITH SEVERAL OFFICERS.
OFFICERS ARE TAKING AND NOT WRITING REPORTS FOR TWO YEARS AT A TIME WHEN THEY PULL THEIR WEAPONS.
I HAVE PUT I'VE BEEN DOCUMENTING ALL THE INFORMATION RIGHT HERE. I HAVE PEOPLE'S DRIVER'S LICENSE NUMBERS.
I HAVE EVIDENCE OF A CASE RIGHT NOW THAT IS ACTIVE.
THAT IS ALL ON OFFICER KELLY HAMILTON BAKER'S PERSONAL CELL PHONE.
OKAY. YOU'RE WELCOME. AND COURTNEY HALL WAS JUST HERE WITH ME.
SHE THOUGHT SHE HAD TO FILL OUT A CARD TO TALK.
DOES SHE WISH TO SPEAK? NO. SHE THOUGHT WE HAD TO FILL IT OUT TO COME IN HERE.
BUT I DO HAVE THIS DOCUMENTATION THAT I CAN DROP OFF TO EACH.
[00:45:02]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.THE. I ONLY HAVE ONE OTHER SPEAKER CARD.
IS ANYONE ELSE HERE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? MADAM CLERK, YOU'RE GOING TO PICK THOSE PAPERS UP FOR US? OKAY. THANK YOU.
ANYONE ELSE HERE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK? I HAVE ONE LAST SPEAKER CARD, MISS BJ KALAIDI.
GRACIAS. THAT'S ABOUT IT, FOLKS.
FOR TRANSPARENCY ON ITEM TEN A, PLEASE TELL ONE HOW MUCH TAXPAYERS PAID MR. SMITH AND WHISBY.
NUMBER TWO, HOW MUCH WILL CITY TAXPAYERS PAY? FIRM CHOSEN TO REPLACE THEM.
I KNOW THIS IS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC ON PUBLIC RECORD.
SEPTEMBER 3RD REPORT FOR 117 SEVEN INLET DRIVE.
THIS PROPERTY, 117 INLET DRIVE, WAS ALSO PART OF A CODE VIOLATION HERE IN SEPTEMBER 4TH.
PLEASE CONTACT DEB SPECIALIST MISS HAMILTON AT 904-256-1555, 256-1555 SO CORRECT 2017.
JURISDICTION WETLAND LINE IS USED.
THERE SEEMS TO BE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SCHOOL TAX ISSUES ON THE NOVEMBER 5TH BALLOT.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE TAXPAYERS VOTE NO WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD? HAVE TO FIND OTHER MONEY TO BUILD NEW SCHOOLS AND PAY, AND TO PAY SALARIES FOR TRANSPARENCY.
WHAT IS EXPLANATION ABOUT MR. PAUL THOMPSON'S $250,000 TAX WRITE OFF TO FLAGLER COLLEGE FOR HIS FISH ISLAND PROPERTY? ST. AUGUSTINE YACHT CLUB GATHERINGS AT 51 ANDERSON STREET.
CONTINUES TO CREATE MOBILITY PROBLEMS ON THIS EAST WEST STREET IN WC CRA. THESE MEETINGS SHOULD OCCUR ON YACHT CLUB ACCESS ROADS IN DAVIS SHORES.
THESE ARE WHAT THIS IS WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING.
AND THEY'RE UP TO THE HUMP AND THEY'RE ALL UP AND DOWN THE STREET THERE.
THEY HAVE THESE MEETINGS AND THEY DO IT AT ON ANDERSON STREET.
AND SOMEONE NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THIS.
THIS IS A STAFF MEMBER WHERE THEY LIVE AT 51, ANDERSON.
THEY'RE ALL UP AND DOWN THE STREET.
THIS HAPPENED TO BE GOING WEST ON THIS STREET, SO THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT.
AND IF THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THESE MEETINGS, HAVE THEM OVER THERE ON THE ISLAND AND HOPEFULLY SINCE YOU'RE LOOKING TO THE DIVISION PLAN, THAT PART OF IT WILL TRULY BE AN ITEM OF RESPECT AND TRANSPARENCY.
THANK YOU. I HAVE NO MORE SPEAKER CARDS.
NOW WE MOVE ON TO WELL, WE'RE GOING TO ITEM 9A0, SORRY CONSENT AGENDA.
[5. CONSENT AGENDA]
MR. CITY MANAGER, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCES, WHICH ARE TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR SECOND READING ON SEPTEMBER 23RD.ORDINANCE 2024-30, WHICH AMENDS THE EXISTING DEFINITION OF HISTORIC STRUCTURE AND CLARIFIES SECTION 2889 REGARDING PROPOSED OR PARTIAL DEMOLITION OF EXISTING HISTORIC STRUCTURES.
THE ORDER OF LA FLORIDA AWARD PRESENTATION TO PASTOR LAVERNE MARSH.
SEPTEMBER 23RD, 5:00 REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING.
AND OCTOBER 14TH, 5:00 REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING.
WE HAVE THE NOTIFICATION OF PROCLAMATIONS FOR 2024-30, WHICH PROCLAIMS SEPTEMBER 29TH, 2024 AS
[00:50:05]
VFW DAY IN THE CITY OF ST.AUGUSTINE. WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION FOR THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ST.
AND FINALLY, WE HAVE RATIFICATION OF THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE AND THE PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS OF ST.
AUGUSTINE. AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR CONSENT AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? I MOVE, WE APPROVE THE AGENDA.
I'LL SECOND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MOTION CARRIES.
ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'RE ON TO ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS.
[9.A.1. Ordinance 2024-30: Amends the existing definition of Historic Structure and clarifies Section 28-89 regarding proposed or partial demolition of existing historic structures. (A. Skinner, Director Planning and Building)]
AND THE FIRST ON THAT IS GOING TO BE ON FIRST READING IS ORDINANCE 2024-30.AND THIS IS AMY SKINNER, MISS SKINNER.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT.
AND AS YOU NOTED, THIS IS THE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING FOR ORDINANCE 2024-30.
THIS ORDINANCE PROPOSES TO CLARIFY LANGUAGE WITHIN THE DEFINITION OF HISTORIC STRUCTURE, AND TO CLARIFY THE CODE STRUCTURE RELATED TO THE DEMOLITION SECTION OF THE CODE. THESE CHANGES WERE RECOMMENDED BY THE PCB ON SEPTEMBER 3RD.
WE GENERALLY CONSIDER IT A CLEANUP ITEM FOR THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS RECENTLY ADOPTED.
WITHIN THE LAST YEAR, WE HAVE REALIZED THAT WE NEED TO CLARIFY THE DEFINITION OF HISTORIC STRUCTURE WITH CHANGES THAT WE CONSIDER BASIC CHANGES TO THE PUNCTUATION, BASICALLY.
ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE REALIZED THAT THE CURRENT CODE STRUCTURE AND SECTION 2889 OF THE ZONING CODE INCLUDES REFERENCES TO DEMOLITION AND IN A SECTION THAT WAS MEANT FOR DEVELOPMENT IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION DISTRICTS.
SO THE LANGUAGE SHOULD BE SEPARATED OUT LIKE THE OTHER DEMOLITION LANGUAGE IN THE IN THAT SECTION.
THESE TWO ISSUES ARE THE EXTENT OF THE CHANGES PROPOSED AT THIS TIME.
JULIE COURTNEY, OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER, IS ALSO HERE.
ANY QUESTIONS? CONCERNS DEBATE ANYTHING LIKE THAT? I STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS CODE.
I THINK IT WILL HELP ANY APPLICANTS IN THE FUTURE UNDERSTAND THE CODE A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
AND WHAT IS AND ISN'T ABOUT IT.
SO, IF EVERYBODY'S OKAY WITH THAT, I MOVE THAT WE PASS ORDINANCE 2024 DASH 30 ON FIRST READING, READ BY TITLE ONLY AND PASSED SECOND.
ORDINANCE NUMBER 2024, DASH 30, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF ST.
AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 28, SECTION 20 8-2 AMENDING DEFINITIONS HISTORIC STRUCTURE.
SECTION 28 DASH 89 CLARIFYING CRITERIA FOR THE REVIEW OF DEMOLITION.
PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE OF THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
EXCELLENT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE MOVE THIS? MOVE THIS ON TO SECOND READING.
ALL RIGHT. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
ALL RIGHT. PERFECT. THANK YOU.
[9.B.1. Resolution 2024-34: Approves the purchase of approximately 2.47 acres of land on Evergreen Ave and Smith St. (R. Franklin, Assistant City Manager)]
NEXT, WE GO TO RESOLUTIONS.MR. REUBEN FRANKLIN, SHE SAID WITH A SMILE ON HER FACE.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS REUBEN FRANKLIN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
BEFORE YOU, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION THIS EVENING IS RESOLUTION 2024 DASH 34.
THIS WOULD APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF APPROXIMATELY 2.47 ACRES OF LAND CONSISTING OF SEVERAL PARCELS TOTALING 17 LOTS, ON EVERGREEN AVENUE AND SMITH STREET.
THIS WAS PART OF THE RANKINGS.
IT WAS THE NUMBER ONE RANKED PROPERTY THE LAST TIME WE BROUGHT IT TO THE COMMISSION.
WE SINCE HAVE GOTTEN AN APPRAISAL.
THE APPRAISAL CAME BACK AT $920,000.
WE DO PLAN TO USE MONEY WE'RE GOING TO GET FROM THE STATE FROM THE LAST PROPERTY ACQUISITION WE GOT.
THERE IS ONE OF THE OTHER APPLICANTS IN THE GRANT DID NOT SCORE AS WELL, AND THEY DROPPED OUT.
[00:55:05]
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO GET THE FULL 50% REIMBURSEMENT.SO WE'RE PLANNING TO GET $967,500 BACK FROM THE STATE.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
WE ALSO HAVE MR. MILLER BACK HERE AS WELL TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
WELL DONE. YES, COMMISSIONER BLONDER.
JUST KIDDING. JUST TOTALLY KIDDING.
BUT I JUST I'M CURIOUS, HOW IS THIS RANKING SYSTEM WORKING? TO MY EYES, IT'S WORKING VERY NICELY.
ARE THERE HICCUPS SO FAR THAT MIGHT NEED MODIFICATION? NO. WE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT'S WORKING GREAT AS ESPECIALLY FOR A PROGRAM THAT JUST GOT STARTED.
BUT THE METRICS THAT WE'RE SCORING ON IS VERY SIMILAR TO OTHER CONSERVATION PROGRAM MATRICES.
SO, WE'RE INTERESTED IN YOUR FEEDBACK.
WE ALSO HAVE HAD NEW APPLICATIONS COME IN.
SO WE'VE RANKED SOME OF THEM TODAY.
SO YOU'LL BE HEARING ABOUT THOSE AS IN THE NEAR FUTURE AS WELL.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THE PROGRAM IS BECOMING POPULAR? IT'S WORKING. YES.
OKAY, GREAT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? NO. I HAD ONE COMMENT.
I JUST SAID I THOUGHT THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD QUESTION YOU ASKED.
AND IT POINTS OUT THAT ANYTHING THAT WE DO, IT'S ALWAYS A WORK IN PROGRESS, JUST LIKE THE FIRST READING WE JUST HEARD ON, IT'S WE'RE ALWAYS CONSTANTLY WORKING AND CHANGING AND MAKING THINGS BETTER.
SO THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD, GOOD WAY OF PUTTING IT.
SO YES, IF YOU WOULD, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
I MOVE THAT WE PASS RESOLUTION 2024-34.
ALL RIGHT. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
ALL RIGHT. AND NOW WE MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 2024-35.
[9.B.2. Resolution 2024-35: Approves the purchase of approximately 0.97 acres of land located at the southwest corner of Christopher Street and Sidney Street. (R. Franklin, Assistant City Manager]
YES. SO AGAIN, RESOLUTION 2024-35 WOULD APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF APPROXIMATELY 0.97 ACRES OF LAND LOCATED AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF CHRISTOPHER STREET AND SYDNEY STREET.SO STAFF FEELS IT'S IMPORTANT TO ACQUIRE.
SO WE WOULD USE STORMWATER FUNDS.
THE PROPERTY APPRAISAL CAME BACK AT $160,000 FOR THIS PROPERTY.
A LOT OF SENSE TO ME, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE YOUR PRUDENT AND JUDICIOUS USE OF THE LAND ACQUISITION FUNDS AND THE WAY THAT YOU'RE WORKING THE DOLLARS THERE SO THAT YOU CAN USE DIFFERENT FUNDS FROM DIFFERENT METHODS INSTEAD OF JUST USING ALL OF THE FUNDS OUT OF THE FUND, ALL OF THE DOLLARS OUT OF THE FUND, SO TO SPEAK.
SO BUT WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT RESOLUTION 20, DASH 24, DASH 35.
ALL RIGHT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. FRANKLIN. ON TO STAFF REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS.
[10.A. Audit Review Committee's Recommendation for Annual Independent Financial Auditing Services. (D. Falkner, Procurement Specialist III)]
THE FIRST WE HAVE IS THE AUDIT REVIEW COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE ANNUAL INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL AUDITING SERVICES. MISS FAULKNER, WELCOME.GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DANIELLE FAULKNER.
I AM THE PROCUREMENT SPECIALIST THREE HERE AT THE CITY.
WE HAD MAYOR NANCY SIKES-KLINE, THOMAS GILBOY AND DOMINIC HEANEY.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EACH OF THESE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, ALONG WITH OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, MEREDITH MS. BREIDENSTEIN, FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK FOR THIS PROCESS.
[01:00:06]
THE COMMITTEE REVIEWED AND DEVELOPED A NEW SCOPE OF WORK AND PREPARATION TO RETAIN A NEW AUDIT FIRM FOR THE UPCOMING 2024 ASKED FOR A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS WAS ISSUED AND A TOTAL OF FIVE RESPONSES WAS RECEIVED.THE COMMITTEE REVIEWED, EVALUATED AND RANKED THESE RESPONSES.
NUMBER ONE MAULDIN AND JENKINS, LLC.
NUMBER TWO PURVIS, GRAY AND COMPANY, LLP.
NUMBER THREE JAMES MOORE AND COMPANY PL.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FLORIDA STATUTE, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THE COMMISSION'S APPROVAL ON THREE ITEMS. NUMBER ONE, APPROVE THE COMMITTEE'S RANKINGS, WHICH WAS INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET.
AUTHORIZE CITY STAFF TO ENGAGE IN NEGOTIATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THESE RANKINGS.
NUMBER THREE AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO SIGN THE AGREEMENT.
AND THE DRAFTING AGREEMENT WAS ALSO INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET.
DO WE NEED SEPARATE MOTIONS OR CAN WE DO THEM ALL THREE AT THE SAME TIME? ALL RIGHT. SO LET'S SEE.
WILL YOU RESTATE THOSE REQUESTS.
AND THEN I'LL JUST MOUTH THE WORDS SO WE CAN MAKE THE MOTION.
NUMBER ONE, APPROVE THE COMMITTEE'S RANKINGS.
APPROVE THE COMMITTEE'S RANKINGS.
AUTHORIZE CITY STAFF TO ENGAGE IN NEGOTIATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE RANKINGS.
AUTHORIZE CITY STAFF TO PROVIDE THE RANK TO APPROVE THE RANKINGS.
CORRECT. AND CITY MANAGER TO SIGN THAT AGREEMENT.
AND AUTHORIZE CITY MANAGER TO SIGN THAT AGREEMENT.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
ALL RIGHT. AND THERE WAS ONE QUESTION BY A SPEAKER, AND SHE WANTED TO KNOW THE COST OF THE AUDIT.
AND I THINK THAT IS NOT KNOWN YET.
THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE NEGOTIATION.
CORRECT. WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION TO THE SPEAKER AS SOON AS WE HAVE IT.
[10.B. King Street Final Concept Plan Presentation and Discussion. (R. Franklin, Assistant City Manager)]
FINAL CONCEPT PLAN AND PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION.AND, MR. FRANKLIN, YOU ARE BACK.
MAYOR. WELL, I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU THIS EVENING.
KING STREET WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A LONG TIME NOW.
AND THIS EVENING, I PLAN TO PRESENT THE FINAL CONCEPTS THAT HAVE BEEN VETTED THROUGH A VERY IN-DEPTH PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PERIOD. THIS EVENING BEFORE I GET STARTED, I DO HAVE THE DESIGN TEAM HERE.
JUST A REMINDER, WE HAVE A $18 MILLION REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT TO DO THIS PROJECT.
WE SOLICITED PROPOSALS FROM DESIGN PROFESSIONALS, AND WE SELECTED OUR DESIGN TEAM.
SINCE THAT TIME EVERY TIME THAT WE'VE HAD A MEETING EVEN WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE WEBSITE, WE PUSHED EVERYTHING OUT IN NEWS AND NOTES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE GETTING THE WORD OUT.
WE HELD OUR FIRST PUBLIC WORKSHOP ON FEBRUARY 22ND, 2024.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN IN FRONT OF THE ST.
THE OLD CITY SOUTH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, A ROTARY CLUB.
ST. JOHN'S COUNTY VISITORS AND CONVENTION BUREAU, THE VCB.
WE WENT TO HARB AND OUR CRC, THE HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE REVIEW BOARD AND CORRIDOR REVIEW COMMITTEE.
WE HELD A JOINT MEETING FOR THEM TO GO THROUGH THESE CONCEPTS.
WE GOT A CERTIFICATE OF AN OPINION OF APPROPRIATENESS.
[01:05:01]
THAT DECISION ALLOWED US TO VET THE CONCEPT OF ONE LINING CATHEDRAL, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT LATER IN THE PRESENTATION.AND THEN WE HELD OUR SECOND PUBLIC MEETING HERE IN THIS ROOM IN THE ALCAZAR ROOM.
AND THAT WAS ON JUNE 27TH, 2024.
AND NOW THAT WE'VE GONE OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND SHOWED THEM THE CONCEPTS AND WHAT WE'RE THINKING, WE'RE HERE BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK AND INPUT AND ULTIMATE APPROVAL.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS EVENING, BUT IF YOU REACH A CONSENSUS WE WOULD WELCOME THAT.
BUT IF NOT, WE'RE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN MORE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOPS AS WELL.
THE WEBSITE ITSELF HAD 2500 UNIQUE VISITORS TO IT DURING THIS TIME, WITH OVER 3000 INDIVIDUAL VISITS. SO THE WEBSITE HAS GOTTEN GOOD TRAFFIC, AND THIS IS OUT THERE AND PEOPLE HAVE HAD A LOT OF TIME TO LOOK AT IT.
WE'VE RESPONDED TO THOSE COMMENTS AS WELL THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
IT'S THE ONLY ENTRY CORRIDOR OF THE CITY THAT WE HAVE DESIGN CONTROL OVER NOW.
SO ONE IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THIS IS, NO MATTER WHAT CONCEPT, WE MOVE FORWARD WITH, ALL OF THE UNDERGROUND UTILITIES ARE GOING TO BE IMPROVED FROM WATER TO SEWER TO STORMWATER. WE'RE GOING TO COORDINATE WITH COMMUNICATION COMPANIES SUCH AS AT&T FOR THEM TO IMPROVE AND BE PART OF THE PROJECT.
WE FEEL THAT THIS CAN BE THE BEST MILE IN FLORIDA, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE AIMING TO DO.
THERE'S MALAGA STREET TO CORDOVA STREET AND THEN CORDOVA TO THE BRIDGE OF LIONS.
SO THAT'S BASICALLY THE PLAZA.
AND THE FIRST SECTION I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT IS MALAGA TO CORDOVA.
SO ONE THING THAT WE DID LOOK AT IN THE CONCEPT THAT DID DROP OFF WAS A TRANSIT LANE INBOUND.
AND ONE OF THE ISSUES WITH HAVING A TRANSIT LANE INBOUND WAS IT WAS TOO SHORT OF A DISTANCE.
AND THERE REALLY THE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK REALLY WASN'T THERE.
AND WE GOT INTO HOW ARE WE GOING TO ENFORCE IT? BUT YOU REALLY COULDN'T START THE TRANSIT LANE UNTIL YOU GOT TO MALAGA, AND IT WOULD HAVE TO END BEFORE YOU GOT TO THIS PINCH POINT RIGHT HERE BY FLAGLER COLLEGE.
SO WE JUST DIDN'T FEEL THAT DEDICATING THAT AMOUNT OF SPACE WAS WORTH IT.
THE PEOPLE THAT ATTENDED THE WORKSHOPS TENDED TO AGREE.
SO PEDESTRIANS ARE CROSSING AT GRADE AT THE INTERSECTIONS.
AND THEN WE'RE INTRODUCING ALMOST EVERY 200FT ANOTHER PEDESTRIAN CROSSING ALONG THE WAY.
AND SO BRICK MATERIAL AT GRADE CROSSINGS, AT YOUR SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS, INTRODUCING PEDESTRIAN LIGHTING AND PALM TREES ALONG THE CORRIDOR. EVERYTHING'S ADA COMPLIANT.
AND DECORATIVE TRAFFIC SIGNALS AS WELL.
AGAIN, JUST ANOTHER VIEW OF WHAT THE CONCEPT LOOKS LIKE.
THIS IS CLOSER TO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING INTERSECTION.
BEFORE I MOVE INTO THE NEXT SECTION, WHICH WOULD BE THE PLAZA AREA, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE CONCEPTS? I HAVE QUESTIONS.
YEAH. SO IS THAT BRICK THAT YOU'RE PUTTING IN THE MIDDLE? YES. SO IT WOULD BE THE BRICK TURN LANE IN THE MIDDLE.
SO WHAT WE DO IS WE'RE INTRODUCING THESE PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS, BUT WE'RE KEEPING THAT CENTER TURN LANE BECAUSE THAT STILL ALLOWS ALL THE MOVEMENTS IN AND OUT OF THE BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS THAT LIVE ALONG THAT SECTION OF THE CORRIDOR.
BUT YES, YOU'D HAVE BRICK AT THE CROSSWALKS.
AND THEN WE PLAN TO BRICK THE CENTER TURN LANE AND KEEP THE TRAVEL LANES ASPHALT.
[01:10:04]
IT'S CURBLESS.THIS SECTION WOULD NOT BE CURVED.
WE PLAN TO KEEP CURBS IN THIS SECTION AND GO CURBLESS.
AT THE PLAZA AROUND THE PLAZA.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE ONLY LOOKING AT CATHEDRAL CURBLESS.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE ROADS AROUND THE PLAZA CURBLESS.
ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE GO? ALL THE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE ENTRANCES ON THAT KING STREET WILL STILL HAVE THE SAME ENTRANCES.
WE'RE NOT CHANGING ANY OF THE CURB CUTOUTS.
YES. WE PLAN TO MAINTAIN ALL OF THE MOVEMENTS AND ACCESSES THAT EXIST TODAY OUT THERE.
WE MAY GO AND HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM OF MAYBE TIGHTENING UP THEIR ACCESSES, BUT THERE'S NO PLAN TO ELIMINATE ACCESSES WITH THIS UNLESS WE GET AGREEMENTS FROM THE BUSINESS OWNER. THEY MAY HAVE MULTIPLE ACCESSES.
SO WE MAY GO AND ASK THEM, YOU KNOW, COULD WE CONSOLIDATE OR DO SOMETHING.
BUT AS IT IS RIGHT NOW WE'RE MAINTAINING ACCESS.
WELL THANK YOU. WE'RE PRETTY PROUD OF IT.
AND THIS IS WHERE WE DID GET MORE PUBLIC FEEDBACK.
AND THIS HAS THE BIGGER CHANGES AS FAR AS TRAFFIC FLOW CHANGES IN ONE LANE CATHEDRAL.
BUT BASICALLY, WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
WE CAN DO A ONE LANE OPTION ON CATHEDRAL OR A TWO LANE OPTION ON CATHEDRAL.
AND THESE ARE REALLY YOUR PLAZA DECISION POINTS.
AS DISCUSSED, THERE'S THE ONE LANE OR TWO LANE ON CATHEDRAL.
WE ARE ENABLED TO GO TO ONE LANE BECAUSE OF THE INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS.
WE WERE, IF WE DID NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THE BASE OF THE BRIDGE OF LIONS INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS.
WE DID NOT HAVE THIS OPTION TO GO TO ONE LANE ON CATHEDRAL.
ALL OF THIS HAS BEEN MODELED FROM A TRAFFIC ENGINEERING STANDPOINT.
SO WE FEEL VERY CONFIDENT IN WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING AND FOR THESE CONCEPTS.
THE OTHER THING IS TRAFFIC FLOW.
SO WE ARE PROPOSING A FREE FLOW CONDITION AROUND THE PLAZA.
SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS A REDUCTION OF 31 SPACES.
THERE'S CURRENTLY 89 AROUND THE PLAZA.
RIGHT NOW WE'D GO FROM 89 TO 58.
HOWEVER, WE DID HEAR THAT PARKING WAS IMPORTANT.
SO WE HAVE BROUGHT ANOTHER OPTION THAT'S A REDUCTION OF 16 SPACES.
SO THAT WOULD BE 89 TO 73 FOR CONSIDERATION.
SO. BY REDUCING PARKING SPACES WITHOUT SAYING NUMBERS.
OKAY. IS THERE A CORRELATION BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES REMOVED AND THE WIDTH OF THE SIDEWALKS, FOR EXAMPLE? YES. THE MAJORITY OF THE PARKING SPACES COMING BACK WOULD BE MOST OF THE PARKING IS BEING REMOVED NEAR INTERSECTIONS.
SO WE CAN PROVIDE WIDER SIDEWALK.
AND I'LL ADDRESS THAT HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES.
SO THIS IS WHAT ONE LINING OF CATHEDRAL WOULD LOOK LIKE.
SO YOU STILL HAVE TWO LANES EASTBOUND ON KING STREET.
WE NEED THOSE TWO LANES EASTBOUND ON KING STREET BECAUSE OF THE BRIDGE OF LIONS.
AND WHEN IT GOES UP, WE NEED THAT STACKING CAPACITY THERE.
WE HAVE ONE LANE PROPOSED GOING WESTBOUND ON CATHEDRAL.
BUT ONE OF THE BIGGER THINGS HERE THAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS A FREE FLOW CONDITION.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE IS WE HAVE THERE'S NO MORE TRAFFIC SIGNALS AROUND THE PLAZA.
WE HAVE PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS, BUT THEY'RE NOT TRAFFIC SIGNALS.
SO YOU'RE NOW DOING THIS MOVEMENT.
TO HEAD IF YOU WANTED TO HEAD WESTBOUND ON KING STREET SO WE WOULD PREVENT LEFT HAND TURNS OFF OF CORDOVA STREET. SO WHAT HAPPENS AT CORDOVA STREET IS EVERYBODY THAT'S TURNING LEFT DOMINANTLY.
PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO MAKE A RIGHT.
SO THOSE PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS WOULD BE ACTIVATED.
[01:15:04]
AND WE DO SHOW TO GET TO THE PARKING.WE'RE ALSO PROPOSING THAT CATHEDRAL BE A CURBLESS STREET RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT NOW THE PROTECTED LEFT, YOU HAVE TO GO UP SEBASTIAN HARBOR TO MALAGA TO GET TO YOU.
SO WE'RE GOING TO INTRODUCE THAT.
AND THEY'VE ALSO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE PROGRESSION OF THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS AS WELL.
SO THERE WILL BE TIMED BETTER WITH US ONE WHICH IS GOING TO FACILITATE FLOW HEADING WESTBOUND ON KING STREET AND IMPROVE ACCESS OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS LINCOLNVILLE AND OLD CITY SOUTH AS WELL.
YOU SAID THAT YOU WERE GOING TO CREATE PROTECTED TURN AT MLK KING AND RIBERIA.
THIS NEXT CONCEPT SHOWS TWO LANING ON CATHEDRAL TRAFFIC FLOW.
AND I'LL GET TO IT IN A SECOND.
I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS BETWEEN EXISTING TODAY AND THE FREE FLOW AGAIN.
IF WE WANTED TO ADD PARKING BACK, WE WOULD LOSE SIDEWALK WIDTH ON THIS SIDE BY THE PLAZA.
THIS IS A CROSS SECTION OF THE ONE LANE.
NOW, WE DID HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH EMERGENCY SERVICES.
WE'RE PROPOSING A WIDER ONE LANE OF 16 FOOT WIDTH.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS WE STILL HAVE PARALLEL PARKING AND TROLLEY STOPS.
THIS IS A CONCEPT VIEW LOOKING WEST DOWN CATHEDRAL.
THE PLAZA IS ON YOUR LEFT, AND WE'RE COMING UP ON THE BASILICA ON YOUR RIGHT.
THIS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE PARKING LANES BEING BRICKED.
THIS IS CATHEDRAL WITH TWO LANES.
IS THAT IS THAT TEN FOOT FOR EACH LANE? WAIT. IT SAYS 20FT BETWEEN.
THE LANES ARE 10 OR 11FT, SO IT MIGHT BE 21FT TOTAL FOR THE TRAVEL LANES.
WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE LOOKING WESTBOUND WITH TWO LANES.
THIS ONE'S A CURBLESS LOOKING STREET.
BUT WE ARE SHOWING A CURB SECTION HERE.
ONE OF THE REASONS THE CURB SECTION IS BECAUSE THE TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC WE FELT THAT A CURB WOULD BE MORE DISTINCT FOR THE PEDESTRIAN ZONE, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DISCUSS IF YOU WANT TO ENTERTAIN CURBLESS STREETS ON THIS SECTION.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GO DOWN HIPPOLYTA AND IT'S KERBEROS, THE PEOPLE ARE ON THE ROAD.
THEY'RE NOT ON THE SIDE WHERE THEY JUST WALK EVERYWHERE.
IF YOU TRAVEL DOWN HIPPOLYTA CURRENTLY BECAUSE IT'S CURBLESS.
SO I HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THAT.
I THINK A CURB NEEDS SO THAT THEY'LL KNOW THAT THEY'RE ON THE SIDEWALK IF WE GO WITH THE TWO LANES.
[01:20:02]
AND MY QUESTION IS THE TWO LANES VERSUS THE ONE IF WHEN YOU HAVE THE TWO LANES, EVERYBODY KNOWS YOU EITHER GO RIGHT OR LEFT WHEN YOU'RE COMING DOWN THIS ROAD.CORRECT. IF YOU HAVE ONE LANE, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO KNOW WHICH WAY TO GO? BECAUSE YOU KNOW HOW IT YIELDS TO THE TRAFFIC FOR YOU TO KEEP GOING.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO HOW IS THAT GOING TO BE WORKED OUT? ON CATHEDRAL.
SO CATHEDRAL, WHEN YOU COME TO ONE LANE YOU'LL HAVE AN ARROW UP THERE THAT'S YOU'RE EITHER GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A RIGHT OR A LEFT HAND TURN AT CATHEDRAL AND CORDOVA STREET.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE TRAFFIC THAT'S COMING DOWN? WHAT ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO DO? WELL, THE KING STREET IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE TWO LANES.
THERE'S NO ONE LANE IN KING STREET.
OKAY, I'M TALKING ABOUT THIS IS LIKE GOING PAST THE CHURCH, RIGHT? THE CHURCH AND THE BARNETT AND GOVERNMENT HOUSE.
WHEN YOU'RE COMING DOWN THERE, TWO LANES, YOU EITHER GO RIGHT OR YOU GO LEFT.
CORRECT. SO IF YOU MADE THAT ONE LANE, WHAT ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO DO? YOU STILL HAVE THE OPTION TO GO RIGHT OR LEFT WHEN YOU COME TO.
OH, YOU'LL STILL HAVE A STOP SIGN AT CORDOVA STREET, SO YOU'LL HAVE TO THE PERSON TRAVELING WEST ON CATHEDRAL IS GOING TO HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY, JUST LIKE THEY HAVE TODAY. SO THEY'LL STILL BE ABLE TO MAKE A LEFT.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A STOP SIGN THERE NOW.
THE CORDOVA AND CATHEDRAL WILL BE A STOP SIGN.
OKAY. BECAUSE THEY DON'T YIELD HALF THE TIME WHEN THEY'RE COMING.
I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF ACCIDENTS ON THAT SECTION BY MAKING THAT CHANGE.
THE CHALLENGE OF MAKING SURE THAT PEDESTRIANS ARE NOT IN THE TRAVEL LANES.
YES. A CHANGE IN MATERIAL IS ONE.
AND WE'LL ALSO HAVE THE PALM TREES AND THE LIGHTING TO DIFFERENTIATE THE TRAVELING.
BUT YEAH, THE DIFFERENCE IN MATERIAL IS ALSO ONE THING THAT WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING.
SO YOU STAY BEHIND THE TREES AND BEHIND THE LIGHT POLES.
THAT'S CORRECT. AND ON THE MARKINGS OR THE PAVEMENT MATERIAL IS REALLY THE BIGGEST CLUE.
IF YOU'RE COMING ACROSS THE BRIDGE OF LIONS.
WE WOULD ELIMINATE THAT LEFT HAND TURN.
GEORGE STREET. SO THAT'S WHAT THIS GRAPHIC SHOWS IS RED WAS THE EXISTING TRAVEL PATH.
AND GREEN IS NOW GOING TO BE THE PROPOSED WITH THE FREE FLOW CONDITION.
SAME THING FOR THIS MOVEMENT RIGHT NOW AT CORDOVA STREET AND KING STREET.
YOU CAN MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN.
THAT'S WHAT THIS RED DASHED ARROW IS SIGNALING.
SO YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT LEFT HAND TURN ANYMORE.
YOU'D MAKE A RIGHT AND GO AROUND GOVERNMENT HOUSE AGAIN TO HEAD WEST ON KING STREET.
THIS ONE TOOK ME A SECOND, AND I HAD TO TALK TO THE DESIGN TEAM.
SO WE'RE ADDING 100FT TO THIS ROUTE, BUT IT'S LESS TIME ADDED TO THE PERSON'S OVERALL TRAVEL TIME.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, THEY HAVE TO SIT AND WAIT FOR THAT RED LIGHT.
SO WHEN YOU TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE RED LIGHT THAT THEY'RE SITTING THERE WAITING TO TURN GREEN WE'RE ONLY ADDING ABOUT 10 TO 15 SECONDS TO THEIR TRAVEL TIME AROUND THE PLAZA.
ONE OTHER IMPORTANT THING, AND I'VE TALKED TO THE DESIGN TEAM ABOUT THIS.
THE PLASTIC DELINEATORS AT THAT INTERSECTION ARE GOING TO GO BYE-BYE.
WE WERE GOING TO REDESIGN THAT INTERSECTION WITHOUT THE PLASTIC DELINEATORS THAT ARE UP RIGHT NOW.
YOU'RE GOING TO REMOVE THE HISTORIC PLASTIC MARKERS.
THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO ONLY BE TEMPORARY.
WE CAN MAKE THEM CANDY CANES IF WE WANT FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS.
THIS IS THE PARKING ANALYSIS AROUND THE PLAZA.
SO, LIKE I SAID, CURRENTLY WE HAVE 89 SPACES PROPOSED.
THAT'S WHAT I'VE SHOWED YOU IN THESE CONCEPTS.
[01:25:10]
OF THE PLAZA.I'VE BEEN TELLING PEOPLE THAT THIS THIS PROJECT IS SCHEDULED TO GO INTO CONSTRUCTION IN 2028-2029.
WE ALSO HAVE THE BROWDY GARAGE, WHICH WE'RE ANTICIPATING BEING ONLINE BEFORE WE START CONSTRUCTION.
SO WE'RE ADDING 700 PARKING SPACES TO OUR INVENTORY.
SO I THINK THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THE PARKING AROUND THE PLAZA.
I WILL NOTE THAT THE PARKING IS IMPORTANT TO THE BUSINESSES.
SO THAT HAS BEEN A POINT OF COMMENT TO PROVIDE AS MUCH PARKING AS POSSIBLE.
BUT THERE IS SO MUCH PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY THROUGH THIS CORRIDOR AS WELL.
THAT WE FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE THE WIDE SIDEWALKS THROUGH THIS AREA.
SO IT'S A BALANCE AND IT'S UP FOR DISCUSSION AND FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMISSION.
AND I THINK HAVING SPACES AVAILABLE IS MORE BENEFICIAL SO THAT THEY CAN STILL ATTEND CHURCH? YES. AND THEY HAVE PASTORS THAT I HAVE MET WITH, TRINITY EPISCOPAL AND THE BASILICA.
AND THE PARKING IS IMPORTANT TO THEM.
OUR RECOMMENDED OPTION IS THE ONE LANE FREE FLOW.
AND THAT'S A BIG TIME SAVINGS.
IT PROVIDES 93 SECONDS OF TIME SAVINGS WESTBOUND THROUGH THE CORRIDOR.
IT'S PROVIDING THE MOST THE WIDEST SIDEWALKS WE CAN GET ON STREET DINING AND THE BEST VIEW SHED.
SO WE FEEL THAT THAT IT PROVIDES A NICE BALANCE.
AND IT CHECKS A LOT OF BOXES ACROSS THE BOARD.
FROM IMPROVED TRAFFIC FLOW TO PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, WIDE SIDEWALKS ON STREET DINING.
AND YOU DON'T NORMALLY GET THESE BENEFITS THAT CHECK ALL THOSE BOXES ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO WE'RE PRETTY PROUD OF THAT.
IF YOU CHOOSE, WE COULD GO TO ONE LANE AND KEEP THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS.
THAT WOULD BE A 3.5 MINUTE TIME SAVINGS, ABOUT 60 SECONDS TIME SAVINGS WESTBOUND.
YOU STILL HAVE WIDE SIDEWALKS ON STREET DINING.
ALL YOU KNOW AROUND THE PLAZA WITH THAT TWO LANE.
YOU STILL HAVE THE TRAFFIC FLOW BENEFITS, BUT YOU'RE EATING INTO YOUR SIDEWALK WIDTHS.
YOU WERE STILL ABLE TO HAVE ON STREET DINING.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE EXISTING WITH SIGNALS, WHICH IS OUR BASE CONDITION, WHICH IS OUT THERE TODAY.
SO THE NEXT STEPS IS TO WHETHER IT'S THIS EVENING OR ANOTHER EVENING, TO GET COMMISSION APPROVAL OF A CONCEPT SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD INTO CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS.
IF WE GOT YOUR APPROVAL, WE WOULD MOVE FORWARD TO 30% DESIGN DOCUMENTS.
THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE TO SUBMIT TO DOT.
ONE THING I FORGOT TO MENTION THE PRESENTATION IS WE DO AIM TO UNDERGROUND THE ELECTRIC ON THE SECTION BETWEEN MALAGA AND ABOUT SEVILLA STREET ON KING STREET AS WELL. SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF US.
AND WE WILL HAVE THE WEBSITE UP AND RUNNING THROUGH THE DURATION OF THIS.
IT WILL PROVIDE UPDATES THROUGH THE WEBSITE.
AND I WOULD COME BACK AS OFTEN AS THE COMMISSION WANTS, MINIMUM ONCE A YEAR TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE.
AND I PROVIDED MORE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN YOUR PACKET.
WELL, THAT'S FINE. I MEAN, THERE'S SEVERAL COMPONENTS.
YES, THERE ARE THAT I'D LIKE TO PULL OUT AT LEAST ONE OF THEM.
WELL, LET'S GO AROUND AND TALK AND LET'S EVERYBODY GET THEIR CONCERNS ON THE TABLE.
AND THEN WE CAN DECIDE WHERE WE WANT TO GO, BECAUSE THERE MIGHT BE SOME COMPONENTS THAT WE AGREE ON.
LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, THIS PROTECTED TURN LANE ON RIBERIA.
[01:30:02]
I THINK WE SHOULD GO AHEAD AND DO IT ANYWAY WHETHER WE DO THIS OR NOT.YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO DO IT THAT WE NEED TO DO.
INDEPENDENT OF ANYTHING WE DO HERE.
SO BUT THERE MAY BE OTHER THINGS THAT WE CAN DISCOVER THROUGH OUR DISCUSSION.
SO LET'S START WITH COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD.
OKAY. I'M DEFINITELY IN FAVOR OF YOUR PROPOSAL.
I JUST, BUT I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER GARRIS THAT IT CAN BE A HAZARD.
BUT I THINK WE'RE REDUCING 15 SPOTS IF YOU TAKE THE OPTION TO HAVE ONE LANE, IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL PARKING SPOTS. I FORGOT THE NUMBER.
IF YOU GO FROM 89 TO 58, AND I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE PASTOR AT THE CHURCH AT EPISCOPAL AND HE'S OKAY WITH IT WITH ME. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PARKING, AND THE CATHEDRAL HAS THEIR OWN PARKING AS WELL.
AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE WORKED OUT WITH THEM INTERNALLY.
PLUS, WE'LL HAVE THE BIG GARAGE OPEN AT BROWDY.
SO I AM IN FAVOR OF ONE LANING CATHEDRAL.
I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF REDUCING ALL OF THE OF THE RED LIGHTS AND MAKING IT MORE OF A FREE FLOW ESPECIALLY COMING OUT BY CASA MONICA AND TURNING RIGHT AND GOING AROUND. I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOING TO RESTRICT PEOPLE AT ALL.
I THINK PEOPLE WILL GET USED TO IT AT A LOCAL, BUT TOURISTS DON'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.
I STILL HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THE INTERSECTION AT THE POST OFFICE.
THAT'S A VERY DIFFICULT INTERSECTION BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE COMING OUT OF THE POST OFFICE ALMOST ONTO KING STREET ALREADY, AND I WAS I WISH THERE WAS A WAY WE COULD MODIFY THAT WITH THE POST OFFICE TO HAVE THAT EXIT BE FARTHER DOWN MLK.
BUTT OVERALL, I AM IN FAVOR OF IT AS IT IS WITH ONE LANE AND KEEPING THE CURBS ON KING STREET.
SURE. I'M DEFINITELY IN FAVOR OF THE MOST AMBITIOUS OF THE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS YOU'VE MADE WITH THE FREE FLOW AS YOU'VE MADE THEM, AS WELL AS THE ONE LANE IN CATHEDRAL.
I THINK THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY, MAYBE, OF MY CAREER AS A COMMISSIONER TO LOOK FORWARD AND PLAN FOR THE NEXT 100 OR 200 YEARS.
AND ALSO AT THE SAME TIME, LOOKING BACKWARD.
I'M LOOKING AT THE PHOTOGRAPH, THE HISTORIC IMAGE, KING STREET AND THE PLAZA, WHICH IS ON PAGE 34 OF THIS PARTICULAR DOCUMENT, WHERE THERE ARE HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGES, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF BICYCLISTS TALKING TO EACH OTHER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.
AND THERE ARE SHADE TREES, WHICH ARE WONDERFUL.
AND THERE ARE PEDESTRIANS ALL AROUND, AND THAT IS WE CAN RECAPTURE THAT.
AND THAT'S THE MOST PROGRESSIVE THING WE COULD DO IN THE MOST AMBITIOUS THING WE COULD DO.
AND TO THAT END, I WOULD ACTUALLY, BECAUSE THERE IS A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES AND THE SIZE OF THE SIDEWALK. I WOULD ADVOCATE FOR EVEN MORE SIDEWALK AND FEWER PARKING SPACES, AND I THINK WE CAN GET CREATIVE ABOUT MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE DELIVERY TRUCKS.
I MEAN, GOING TO 50% LESS, NOT 30% LESS OR WHATEVER MAKES THE MOST SENSE IN TERMS OF THAT REDUCTION.
BUT IF WE CAN GAIN MORE SIDEWALK, WE GAIN MORE, WE GET SOME OF OUR HISTORY BACK AND WE GET MORE PEOPLE, AND WE'VE GOT PARKING SPACES IN THE IN THE GARAGE.
THAT'S JUST A REALLY IMPORTANT THING TO ME TO BE ABLE TO, TO REALLY CONSIDER REDUCING THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES TO THE ABSOLUTE MINIMUM, THE AMOUNT OF DELIVERY SPACE TO THE ABSOLUTE MINIMUM, AND MAYBE MAKING SOME TEMPORARY CHANGES ON SUNDAYS WHERE THERE'S MORE CHURCH PARKING ON SUNDAYS IN THE MORNINGS.
THAT CAN BE DONE WITH SIGNAGE AND SO FORTH.
IT'S FROM THE STRONG TOWNS.ORG AND WHY WALKABLE STREETS ARE MORE ECONOMICALLY PRODUCTIVE.
IT'S NOT EVEN ONE SENTENCE $0.02.
[01:35:03]
MATTER OF MINUTES ON FOOT, AND THAT EVERY INCH OF LAND IS PUT TO ECONOMICALLY PRODUCTIVE USE, NOT SQUANDERED IN EMPTY PARKING LOTS OR UNNECESSARY LANDSCAPING.SO I'M ADVOCATING FOR EVEN MORE REDUCTION IN PARKING SPACES THAN WHAT YOU'VE PROPOSED.
WELL. THIS IS NOT TURNING INTO A ROUNDABOUT, IS IT? THIS PARKING THING THAT YOU GOT GOING ON, IS IT? IT'S NOT A ROUNDABOUT.
A ROUNDABOUT. IT'S A FREE FLOW CONDITION.
IT'S A SIMILAR TO A ROUNDABOUT.
OKAY. THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION.
SECOND, I DO THINK REDUCING THE LIGHTS WOULD BE BENEFICIAL, BECAUSE WHEN I WAS CROSSING FROM AVILES WITH A POLICE OFFICER YESTERDAY, THIS GUY CAME FROM OUT OF THE LIGHT AND WAS SPEEDING, AND HE HAD TO STOP HIM AND TELL HIM TO SLOW DOWN.
SO I THINK WITH REDUCING THE LIGHTS WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO THE PEDESTRIANS.
I DO STILL BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO ACQUIRE SOME PARKING DOWNTOWN BECAUSE IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE BUSINESSES FEEL AS THOUGH SOMEBODY CAN PULL INTO A SPACE AND COME IN THEIR BUSINESSES.
BECAUSE I HAVE A MARKETING DEGREE, AND CONVENIENCE IS ONE OF THE FACTORS.
IF IT'S CONVENIENT FOR YOU TO GO TO A PLACE, THEN MORE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO PARTAKE THAT PLACE.
AND I KNOW THIS FOR A FACT, BECAUSE WE LOST A LOT OF PARKING ON WEST KING STREET WHEN THEY REDUCED ALL, TOOK ALL THE PARKING SPOTS FROM PARKING IN FRONT OF BUSINESSES. WE LOST A LOT OF BUSINESSES, A LOT OF BUSINESSES CLOSED.
SO I DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN TO THE KING STREET CORRIDOR THAT THE PARKING SPACES ARE GONE.
NOBODY CAN RUN INTO A STORE OR A RESTAURANT BECAUSE THERE'S PARKING.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE LUCKED OUT AND GOT THE BLUE HEN TO COME TO THE WEST SIDE, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO PARKING FOR IT TO BE OVER THERE ON MARTIN LUTHER KING.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, MY I HAVE TWO CONCERNS.
ONE IS MAKING THE PEDESTRIAN SAFE, AND TWO IS THE RESPECT THE BUSINESSES TO PROVIDE SOME PARKING SO THAT THEY CAN FLOW THROUGH THE STREETS YOU KNOW, GET IN AND OUT OF THEIR PLACES.
AND THE THIRD CONCERN IS, I DO LIKE YOUR DESIGNS.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK THAT I DON'T.
I LIKE YOUR DESIGNS. I LIKE THE I'M NOT A FAN OF THAT BRICK.
ONLY BECAUSE IT'S VERY HARD TO WALK ON THAT WHEN THERE'S A LOT OF DRIVING ON IT.
AND THAT IS ONE OF THE ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I RESPECTED THE SPANISH STREET, BECAUSE YOU CAN TELL THAT THE BRICK HAS AGED OUT ON HIPPOLYTA BECAUSE WE DO USE VEHICLES AS WELL AS PEDESTRIANS.
AND THAT'S WHY I HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THAT, IT'S ALL EVEN.
SO AND IF WE HAVE A SET SIMILAR AT SOME POINT WHEN BROWDY'S DOES OPEN, MAYBE WE CAN GET TO A POINT WHERE WE HAVE A WALKABLE CITY.
I'M HIGHLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS PROPOSAL THAT YOU'VE MADE.
I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE RAISED CROSSWALKS BECAUSE THAT'LL ADD TO A CALMING EFFECT WITH THE TRAFFIC.
I THINK THE FREE FLOW MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
AND THE MODELING THAT YOU'VE DONE SHOWS IT MAKES SENSE.
CUTS DOWN ON TIME, PARTICULARLY AT CORDOVA.
LET'S SEE. I'M IN SUPPORT OF THE ONE LANE AT CATHEDRAL.
MY HIGH PRIORITY IS LEFT TURN LANE AT RIBERIA.
SINCE I GO THERE THROUGH THAT INTERSECTION FIVE TIMES A DAY.
AND I'M KIND OF THE ONLY ONE SO FAR WHO'S IN FAVOR OF REDUCING THE PARKING BY 31 SPACES BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT BROUDIE WILL BE ON IN CIRCULATION BY THAT TIME, AND WE
[01:40:07]
PLAN TO HAVE A CIRCULATOR IN 31 SPACES.BUT I, AS I HAD MENTIONED TO YOU BEFORE, I SEE A LITTLE TWEAKING NEEDED NEAR THE CATHEDRAL WHERE WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE IF WE TURN TO THAT.
CAN YOU GO BACK TO THAT BRIEFLY HERE? IT'S THAT OH, IT'S CALLED ONE LANE CATHEDRAL.
AND IF WE COULD, YOU KNOW, WIDEN THAT AREA SO WE HAVE THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF SIDEWALK THERE AND MAYBE MOVE THE FRANCHISE VEHICLES OVER CLOSER TO WHERE WE HAVE PARKING IN FRONT OF THE GOVERNMENT CULTURAL CENTER THERE.
MAYBE THAT WOULD BE GOOD BECAUSE IT'S ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE CIRCULATOR.
BUT ALL IN ALL, I THINK IT'S FANTASTIC.
AND I WOULD BE SO PROUD TO HAVE A VOTE TO SAY YES TO THIS AS ONE OF MY SWAN SONGS AFTER 12 YEARS WOULD MAKE ME VERY HAPPY.
I AGREE WITH SO MUCH THAT'S BEEN SAID HERE AT THE TABLE.
I LOVE THE UNDERGROUNDING OF UTILITIES UP ON THE MAIN KING STREET, THE BEAUTIFICATION THE LIGHTING, THE NEW LIGHTING, THE LANDSCAPING. I THINK IT'S GOING TO MAKE IT.
IT IS GOING TO BE INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL.
AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID IT NEEDS TO BE MORE BEAUTIFUL THE CLOSER YOU GET TO THE PLAZA.
IT IS A EUROPEAN CITY WITH A PLAZA AT THE HEART.
ALTHOUGH WHEN YOU GO TO EUROPE, WHAT YOU SEE IS NO CARS AND ONLY PEOPLE IN THE PLAZAS.
SO ON THAT LIGHT, I WOULD LOVE TO.
I LOVE THIS PLAN IS MOVING US CLOSER INTO THAT DIRECTION AS TO WHAT THE ORIGINAL TOWN PLAN WAS, WITH MORE PEOPLE ON THE STREETS AND LESS CARS ON THE STREETS, WHICH IS THE BASIS OF THE COMPLETE STREET WHERE YOU ELEVATE THE PEDESTRIANS, WHO, BY THE WAY, DO HAVE THE DOLLARS IN THEIR POCKET.
CARS DON'T SPEND MONEY. PEOPLE DO.
WHICH IS BASICALLY WHAT YOU SAID.
AND SO DON'T GET ME STARTED, BUT I IN FAVOR OF THE ONE LANE FREE FLOW.
I NOT LOVING THE 16FT WIDE TRAVEL LANE.
I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU HAVE IT, BUT I'D LOVE TO LOOK AT YOUR CHART AND SEE IF HOW IT CHANGES THE TIMING AND THE TRAVEL TIMES AND I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO.
I DON'T KNOW, I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU DID IT, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE IT NARROW.
AND I'M VERY PRO TRAFFIC CALMING WHEN IT COMES AROUND HERE.
BETTER. WHICH IS WHY I HAVE FAVORED THE CURBLESS STREETS, WHICH IS THE TRUE COMPLETE STREET CONCEPT.
BUT I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS.
WE HAD THE SAME THING WHEN WE DID THE CURBLESS STREETS DOWNTOWN.
WE HAD A COMMISSIONER THAT THOUGHT SOME PEOPLE WERE GOING TO DIE AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT THE TRUTH IS, PEOPLE ARE MORE CAREFUL AND WATCH MORE CAREFULLY.
THE CARS WATCH MORE CAREFULLY AT SLOWER SPEEDS.
AND WHEN THERE'S PEOPLE KIND OF MIXING AROUND.
BUT THAT THAT MAY NOT GO WELL IN YOUR CIRCLES, SO WE'LL SEE.
BUT SO I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT ON THE RECORD.
I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A SMALLER WIDTH ON THE TRAVEL LANE.
AND I THINK THAT WE I THINK THAT YOU IF YOU DO GO WITH THE 16 FOOT WIDE TRAVEL LANE, YOU MIGHT CONSIDER SOME ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES TO KEEP THE TRAFFIC SLOWER.
I HAD TO BE MINDFUL OF EMERGENCY SERVICES.
YES. AND THEN THERE'S ALSO PARALLEL PARKING THAT'S STILL ON THE CORRIDOR, SO.
AND IT IS IT DOES SLOW THINGS DOWN.
AND THAT'S WHY I SAID I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WILL CHANGE YOUR, YOUR, YOUR TRAVEL TIMES.
TWO LANES TO GET IT SKINNIER ONE LANE.
THE TRAVEL TIME DOESN'T REALLY.
IT'S HARD TO MODEL PARALLEL PARKING.
SO THE MODEL DOESN'T REALLY TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT.
SO BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY IS WE'LL KEEP SPEED.
[01:45:02]
IF WE CAN KEEP 16FT, WE'LL KEEP SPEED AS A DESIGN ELEMENT TO TRY TO SLOW TRAFFIC DOWN THROUGH THAT SECTION OF CATHEDRAL.OKAY. AND I DO AGREE I DO AGREE ABOUT MORE SPACES I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER BLONDER ABOUT, THE MORE SIDEWALK, THE LESS PARKING.
THAT MAY BE THE TOUGHEST ISSUE.
I'M WILLING TO BE FLEXIBLE ON THAT, BECAUSE I LOVE THIS PLAN SO MUCH, AND WE'VE WAITED FOR IT SO LONG THAT I'M JUST EAGER TO GET A YES AND MOVE FORWARD FROM EVERYONE ON THIS.
WELL, WHAT DO YOU? DO YOU MIND ME ASKING? DO YOU THINK WE COULD COME TO AN AGREEMENT, OR AT LEAST A MAJORITY? BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THIS FORWARD TO.
THIS IS FABULOUS AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT HAPPEN.
BUT IF WE GO WITH THE PROPOSED REDUCTION OF 30% OF THE PARKING SPACES TO 58 AS DESIGNED, AS PROPOSED NOW IN THE CONCEPT, DO YOU THINK WE COULD GET AGREEMENT ON THAT? FOR ME? YES.
THAT'S OPTION TWO. IS THAT OPTION TWO? THAT'S THE FIRST OPTION.
SO LET'S GO THROUGH OPTION ONE NOW JUST SO WE CAN REFRESH.
SO, THIS IS OPTION ONE THAT I'M SHOWING HERE ONE LANE OF CATHEDRAL.
THERE'RE 89 EXISTING PARKING SPACES.
IT WOULD REDUCE THAT TO BY 31.
58 WHICH IS ABOUT 31 AROUND THE PLAZA.
THE FREE FLOW CONDITION SEEMS TO HAVE CONSENSUS ON TWO OTHER THINGS THAT I'VE HEARD IS WHETHER OR NOT TO LOOK AT CURBLESS STREETS FOR THE SECTION OF KING STREET OR KEEP THOSE CURBED.
YOU HAVE THE WHOLE PLAZA TO FALL BACK INTO, SO IT MAKES SENSE.
IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO DO, WE CAN MAXIMIZE THE SIDEWALK WIDTH ON THE NORTH SIDE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE YOUR BUSINESSES AND A LOT OF YOUR TRAFFIC, ESPECIALLY IN PEAK TIMES LIKE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS.
THERE'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC BACK AND FORTH THERE.
I'M VERY IN FAVOR OF, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S WHERE YOU NEED TO TAKE IT, TAKE IT FROM THE PLAZA.
IF YOU'RE IF YOU'RE ADDING MORE SIDEWALK OR YOU'RE TAKING SIDEWALK TO ADD SIDEWALK.
WE WON'T TOUCH THE EXISTING PLAZA.
IT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT OF A SKEW.
WE WOULD HAVE TO REDESIGN THE ROAD TO KIND OF COME AT A LITTLE MORE OF AN ANGLE.
THAT'S NOT THAT GREAT OF A LINE, BUT, YEAH, WE CAN.
IS IT A COMPLETE NO TO TAKE A COUPLE OF FEET INSIDE THE PLAZA ON THAT SIDEWALK? FROM MY EXPERIENCE, YES.
I'D LOVE TO SEE MORE SIDEWALK DINING AND LIVELINESS IN FRONT OF STORES AND RESTAURANTS ON THE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF CATHEDRAL.
SAME THING WITH THE CATHEDRAL.
I MEAN, IT'S REALLY NEEDED THERE.
WELL, I MAY NOT HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY CLEAR.
I AM FOR THE LEAST NUMBER OF PARKING SPOTS.
I HAVE SAID ALL ALONG THAT EVERY TIME WE BUILD A GARAGE.
IF WE CAN GET THEM TO PARK OUTSIDE AND RIDE IN, WE'VE SOLVED THAT.
PARTLY SOLVED THE CONGESTION PROBLEM.
AND THE REALITY IS 30 PARKING SPACES IS THERE.
[01:50:03]
THEY'RE FULL ALL THE TIME THERE.IT'S NOT GOING TO MATTER WHETHER YOU HAVE 100 OR 200 PARKING SPACES AROUND THE PLAZA VERSUS 30.
THEY'RE ALL GOING TO BE FULL ALL THE TIME.
AND YEAH, AND THEN YOU JUST HAVE A LOT MORE CARS.
SO YOU PUT THAT BACK THE OPTIONS ONE, I HEAR CONSENSUS HERE ON THE ONE LANE ON THE FREE FLOW.
I AM NOT ON BOARD WITH THE I DO LIKE THE CURBLESS, BUT I'M HEARING A MAJORITY WANTS CURBS.
I ACTUALLY LIKE CURBLESS, TOO.
I LIKE CURBS, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'RE IN THE MAJORITY.
WHAT WE'RE SAYING CURBED ON KING STREET BECAUSE IT'S A TWO LANE AND UNCURBED ON THE ONE LANE, WHICH IS CATHEDRAL, WHICH ALLOWS THAT FLOW MORE EASILY FROM THE NORTH SIDE TO THE PLAZA.
AND MY SUGGESTION WAS NOT A SHARP CURB, BUT A CURB, A ROLLING CURB.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT CURB? I DON'T KNOW. WELL, THAT WAY YOU FEEL IT WHEN YOU'RE WALKING.
SO, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO WALK OUT IN THE STREET.
BUT YOU FEEL IT WHEN YOU'RE WALKING.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING FROM, YOU KNOW, SORT OF GETS YOUR ATTENTION.
I'M NOT A DESIGNER. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S EVER.
IT IS CALLED A MIAMI CURB AND GUTTER.
IT'S CALLED A MIAMI CURB AND GUTTER.
OH, THERE YOU GO. IT'S NOT A SQUARE ANGLE.
IT'S NOT A YEAH, THAT COULD BE IN FAVOR OF THAT.
IT'S AN ADDITIONAL VISUAL CLUE.
AND WHAT WE WERE PROPOSING WAS CATHEDRAL WOULD BE A CURBLESS STREET, AND YOU'D HAVE THAT WIDE KIND OF 18 INCH BUFFER SIMILAR TO WHAT'S ON HIPPOLYTA STREET AND IN TREASURY STREET.
BUT THEN WE DID INTRODUCE A CURB.
YOU'LL STILL HAVE PARKING, BUT THE TWO LANES IS ONE REASON.
GEORGE STREET AND WITH HIPPOLYTA AND SPANISH STREETS THAT HAVE THE CURBLESS DESIGN.
AND YOU ARE DEFINITELY YOU AREN'T CURBLESS ON CATHEDRAL? DEFINITELY. YEAH. AND I AM CURB.
AND YOU ARE CURBLESS ON CATHEDRAL.
OKAY. BECAUSE IT'S ALL PART OF THAT.
I THOUGHT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT KING STREET.
KING IS CURBED, RIGHT? KING IS CURVED.
THAT'S NOT BEEN SUGGESTED, ALTHOUGH I WOULD LIKE THAT THERE, TOO.
BUT I DON'T THINK HE'S PREPARED TO PRESENT THAT.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.
I AM SO SORRY I MISUNDERSTOOD YOU.
SO. OKAY, SO IT'S THE PLAZA AREA THAT IS CURBLESS.
I WAS ONLY TALKING ABOUT KING STREET AT THE PLAZA BECAUSE WE'D GIVEN UP ON.
WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE CORDOVA TO CORDOVA TO MALAGA WILL HAVE CURBS.
CURBS? RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE GRANITE CURBS.
IF YOU LOOK THERE, IT LINES IT.
SO WE'RE PLANNING TO MIMIC THAT TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITIES.
SO MALAGA TO CORDOVA ON KING STREET WILL HAVE CURBS OR CURBS.
ONLY FROM CORDOVA TO THE BRIDGE AND A RED LIGHT.
I HATE THE THOUGHT OF LOSING THE HISTORY OF THE GRANITE CURB IN THAT VERY HISTORIC AREA, THE PLAZA, THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IT ANYWAY.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IT FURTHER GOING WEST.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S A DETAIL. WE COULD COME BACK TO YOU AND SHOW YOU SOME.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THAT SPECIFIC DECISION.
OKAY. THAT'S PRETTY I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD CONSIDER.
AND I'D LOVE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT YOUR IDEAS AND THOUGHTS ON THAT.
BUT RIGHT NOW, I THINK WE HAVE CONSENSUS ON CURBLESS ON CATHEDRAL, AROUND THE PLAZA, ON KING STREET CURBS WITH ANOTHER DEEPER DIVE ON CURBLESS AT LEAST AROUND THE PLAZA IN THE AREA.
OR WE COULD BRING BACK WHAT DIFFERENT TYPE OF CURB WOULD LOOK LIKE IN THAT SECTION.
I SECOND THAT. WE'LL DECIDE WHICH OPTION.
OPTION ONE. OPTION ONE IS FOR THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF SPACES.
[01:55:02]
CORRECT. REMOVED. REMOVED.ALL RIGHT. AND YOU'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY OTHER DEBATE OR DISCUSSION? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT ITEM IS UPDATED PLANS FOR THE ZORA NEALE HURSTON PARK STEPHEN SLAUGHTER.
[10.C. Updated plans for Zora Neale Hurston Park. (S. Slaughter, Director Utilities and Public Works)]
GOOD EVENING. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR.COMMISSIONERS. STEVEN SLAUGHTER, DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES AND PUBLIC WORKS.
GOOD TO BE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.
AND BRETT WITH CASTLE BAY DESIGN STUDIOS CITY CONSULTANT HERE TONIGHT TO WALK US THROUGH THE PLANS.
IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS PROJECT.
THESE PLANS REFLECT OUR UNDERSTANDING OF GUIDANCE GIVEN FROM OUR LAST CONVERSATION.
WE'RE HERE WITH WE'RE ALL EARS AND WE'RE OPEN TO FURTHER DISCUSSION AND SUGGESTIONS.
WITH THAT, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO BRETT.
BRETT KEISEL, OWNER, CASTLE BAY DESIGN STUDIO, 3000 NORTH PONCE DE LEON BOULEVARD, ST.
AUGUSTINE. LAST DECEMBER WE PRESENTED THE INITIAL CONCEPTUAL PACKAGE, INCLUSIVE OF A VARIETY OF OPTIONS TO ENVISION THE POTENTIAL FUTURE FOR ZORA NEALE HURSTON PARK.
AS YOU ALL KNOW AT US ONE KING STREET.
AND WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE IS WE HAVE OUTLINED A FEW OF THOSE OVERLAID ON OPTION B.
SO FIRST THERE WAS A COMMENT TO EXPLORE OPTIONS FOR THE INCLUSION OF THE PURPLE BENCH PROGRAM.
SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS TAKEN A DEEPER LOOK FIRST AT THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TREE PRESERVATION BASED ON THE EXISTING CANOPY AND THE EXISTING OFFERINGS THAT ARE OUT THERE. SO WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE IS WE'VE TAKEN BLACK AND WHITE AERIAL PHOTO, AND WE'VE KIND OF ENHANCED THE LARGER SHADE TREES TO SHOW THE TREES IN GREEN THAT WE WOULD PROPOSE FOR PRESERVATION.
SO AS WE OVERLAY THAT TREE PRESERVATION OPPORTUNITY ONTO CONCEPT B, WHAT WE'VE GOT LANDSCAPE WISE, IS THE PRESERVATION OF ALL THE CEDAR TREES, WITH THE SUPPLEMENTATION OF ADDITIONAL SHADE TREES AND SMALLER FLOWERING TREES.
BUT WHAT WE WANTED TO DO IS SINCE THE SIGNAGE GOT A LOT OF ATTENTION AT THE INITIAL COMMISSION MEETING, WE WANTED TO PROVIDE JUST A COUPLE OF EXTRA VISUALS, JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT ON WHAT THE CENTRAL SIGN PANEL COULD BE.
THIS IS ONE OPTION WITH SOME STUD MOUNTED BRONZE LETTERING OVER A WHITEWASHED BACKGROUND.
WE COULD DO A COQUINA SHELL DASH.
THERE'S A VARIETY OF OPTIONS OF HOW WE COULD DO THAT.
SO HERE'S JUST KIND OF A QUICK LOOK AT WHAT SOMETHING LIKE THAT MAY LOOK LIKE.
AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE PURPLE BENCH PROGRAM.
AND PARALLEL TO DEVELOPING THE REVISION OF THIS CONCEPT B.
WE'VE GOT A PRETTY DETAILED COST ESTIMATE THAT WE'VE BROUGHT ALONG WITH IT.
BUT IN SUMMARY, WE JUST KIND OF WANTED TO HIT THE HIGH POINTS.
AND IN SHORT, WE THINK THAT SOME ARE BALLPARK 200 K WOULD GET THE JOB DONE.
SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO YOU FOR COMMENTS.
COMMISSIONERS, I'M SURE YOU ALL HAVE OPINIONS.
I'LL START. I APPRECIATE YOU TRYING TO WORK WITH THE EXISTING TREES.
[02:00:01]
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU KNOW, TRYING TO SAVE AND RELOCATE SOME OF THOSE CEDARS.I LIKE THE FIRST OPTION WITH THE WHITE ZORA SIGNAGE.
SINCE WE'RE GOING INTO THIS, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE SO BEAUTIFUL.
I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO STUDY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH THAT KNIGHTS OF LIGHT FLIGHT SIGN.
I MEAN, ARE WE STILL PLANNING ON DOING SOME ADVERTISING THERE FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS? IF SO, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING BETTER THAN WHAT WE'VE DONE.
SO HISTORICALLY, WE HAVE HAD A FRAMED STRUCTURE WITH LIGHTS THAT SAY NIGHTS OF LIGHTS ON THEM.
WE TRIED OUT LAST YEAR OR YEAR BEFORE A BANNER.
THE BANNER DID NOT WORK, SO WE WERE PLANNING ON GOING BACK WITH THE STRING LIGHTS THAT SAY NIGHTS OF LIGHTS WITH THE WOOD FRAME STRUCTURE. WE COULD INCORPORATE THAT INTO THIS PLAN, BUT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WERE GOING TO CHAT WITH YOU TONIGHT ABOUT.
I PERSONALLY WOULD REALLY NOT LIKE TO HAVE THAT WOOD STRUCTURE.
IF WE COULD DO SOMETHING, SOMEBODY CAN DESIGN SOMETHING WITH SMALLER METAL IN A SEGMENTED THAT CAN BE BROKEN DOWN AND STORED SOMEWHERE.
BUT SEGMENTED SQUARES THAT MAYBE HOLD THE MESH THAT HOLDS THE LIGHT, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT YOU KNOW, GOES AWAY, IT GETS PAINTED AWAY, NOT THE STICKS OR TWO BY FOURS OR WHATEVER IS THERE.
OKAY. BUT THE SAME CONCEPT THAT WE WOULD COME OUT DURING THE HOLIDAYS AND INSTALL IT.
RIGHT. AND THEN WHEN NIGHTS OF LIGHT WAS OVER, WE WOULD REMOVE IT.
EXACTLY. BUT INSTEAD OF HAVING THE UGLY WOOD FRAME, WHICH I HATE TO SAY UGLY, BUT LET'S BE HONEST, THE WOOD FRAME STRUCTURE WE'VE GOT NOW, WE WOULD JUST MAKE IMPROVEMENTS AND MAKE SOME MAYBE USING A METAL, A SMALLER METAL TUBULAR FRAME STRUCTURE.
AND IS THAT WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THIS? YEAH, I THINK THAT WOULD MAKE ME VERY HAPPY.
WE CAN COME BACK WITH THAT DETAIL LATER ON IF YOU ARE READY TO APPROVE ONE OF THESE CONCEPTS.
IS IT POSSIBLE THAT YOU COULD OFFER SOME SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE MORE IN CONCERT WITH THIS BEAUTIFUL DESIGN? YES. IN THAT VEIN.
SO YOU'RE NOT SEEING IT HERE, BUT AS PART OF THE CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTATION PHASE.
SO WHICH WOULD REPRESENT THE NEXT PHASE BEHIND THE WALL, WHAT WE WERE THINKING IS HAVING SOME FOUNDATIONS IN THERE THAT WOULD BASICALLY ESSENTIALLY BE SLEEVES SO THAT THIS SEGMENTAL FRAME SYSTEM COULD BE INSTALLED.
SOUNDS GREAT BECAUSE I WAS READY TO SAY NOTHING BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE THE WOODS SO MUCH.
I MADE IT REAL CLEAR LAST TIME THAT I DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS A PARK TO BEGIN WITH, BUT IT'S NOT.
IT'S ON A VERY BUSY INTERSECTION.
BUT I REALLY WANT PURPLE BENCHES AROUND.
IT IS AN ENTRANCE TO THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE. SO IF THE SIGN COULD SAY CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE, ZORA NEALE HURSTON PARK BELOW IT.
THAT'S JUST AN IDEA, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE CHANGING THE NAME OF THE CITY TO ZORA.
BUT EVERYTHING ELSE I LOVE. I LOVE EVERYTHING ELSE.
MAYBE, SCALE WISE, CAN WE GET A LITTLE FEEDBACK ON THAT? FONT SIZE I'M HEARING A LITTLE BIT LESS CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE UP TOP, ZORA NEALE HURSTON PARK BENEATH IT.
OKAY. AS COMMISSIONER GARRIS SAID, THAT WOULD MAKE ME HAPPY.
SORRY. I'D LOVE TO SEE SOME OTHER PLACES.
I DON'T AGREE ABOUT THE PURPLE BENCH.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT LOCATION FOR THE PURPLE BENCH, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE I WANT MY PURPLE BENCH THERE.
[02:05:04]
BUT SO, I HAVE TO SAY I WOULD LIKE A MONUMENT SIGN, BUT I DON'T LIKE IT IN THE WALL.IT LOOKS TOO MUCH LIKE A SUBDIVISION ENTRANCE AND WE ARE NOT A SUBDIVISION, SO I'M JUST.
MAYBE IT'S I JUST DON'T LIKE IT.
I DON'T LIKE THAT. I DON'T LIKE THE.
LETTERING. I DON'T LIKE THAT, I THINK.
AND I DON'T LIKE IT THAT IT'S IN THE MIDDLE.
I DON'T THINK IT NECESSARILY HAS TO BE IN THE MIDDLE.
AND I'M QUESTIONING THE WALL, BUT I'M FLEXIBLE.
I'M NOT FLEXIBLE ON THE OTHER THINGS.
I JUST THINK WE COULD DO A BETTER.
I MEAN, WE THIS IS THE THIS IS THERE'S TWO ENTRANCES FROM THE SIDE, YOU KNOW, TO INTO TOWN.
WE'VE. TALKED ABOUT A MONUMENT.
SIGN ON CASTILLO AS WE ENTER, COMING TOWARDS THE MUNICIPAL PARKING GARAGE.
AND I LIKE THE TWO OF THEM TO LOOK ALIKE.
SO I REALLY THINK IT'S WORTH THE EFFORT TO TRY AND FIND.
THE RIGHT MONUMENT SITE SIGN AND THE SHAPE.
SO. AND I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR FRANCIS FIELD, BUT I THINK WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WITH AT LEAST THE LETTERING SMALLER. AND I MEAN, I WOULD I DON'T HAVE A SOLUTION FOR YOU.
I DON'T LIKE TO JUST BE SUPER CRITICAL AND NOT HAVE A SOLUTION.
WELL, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, WE COULD TAKE A DEEP DIVE ON THE SIGN.
THIS. AGAIN, THIS IS PURELY CONCEPTUAL.
WE COULD KIND OF SHOW HOW THAT RELATES TO OTHER SIGNS THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT EXIST TODAY.
SOME THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL, SOME YOU LIKE, MAYBE SOME YOU COMPONENTS THAT YOU DON'T LIKE AS MUCH.
IT'S THE REST IS I'M OKAY WITH.
IT'S JUST A SIGN THAT BUGS ME.
OKAY, GREAT. I THINK THEN WE HAVE A CONSENSUS.
I DON'T KNOW, WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM COMMISSIONER GARIS.
WELL, I DON'T REALLY THINK THAT THAT'S GOING TO DO ANYTHING, BUT I'M PRESENTLY SEEING.
AND I THINK WE JUST SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON A STRUCTURE THAT'S GETTING READY TO BE DONE.
SO I REALLY DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS.
IF HE'S NOT THERE, HE'S SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND HE WOULD PROBABLY REALLY ENJOY A PURPLE BENCH.
BUT I THINK WE SHOULD REALLY BEAUTIFY THAT WITH LANDSCAPING CURRENTLY.
AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE THAT IS OUR ENTRYWAY TO THE CITY.
AND I KNOW ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, THE NIGHTS OF LIGHT SIGN.
WHAT IS THEIR NAME THAT CAME HERE? MUMFORD. MUMFORD? THEY WERE ABLE TO CREATE MUMFORD.
AND IF WE TELL THEM THAT WE WANT SOME A DESIGN FOR THAT, I THINK THAT THEY WOULD ENJOY THE CHALLENGE OF CREATING SOMETHING MAGICAL FOR THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS TO BE HUNG ON.
AND THERE IS A STORAGE PLACE OVER THERE THAT IT CAN BE STORED AT EACH YEAR.
AND JUST BROUGHT BACK OUT THE ZORA NEALE SIGN.
THAT DOESN'T REALLY DO ANYTHING FOR ME, BECAUSE YOU GOT TO LOOK AT A COUPLE OF THINGS.
WHEN YOU GET TO THAT LITTLE INTERSECTION, YOU EITHER WANT TO TURN OR GO STRAIGHT.
SO THAT'S JUST NOT GOING TO BE CAPTIVATING.
I THINK MORE OF A REALLY DETAILED MARKER FOR AN INDIVIDUAL THAT IS WALKING WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE MYSELF PERSONALLY, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WHERE HER HOUSE IS ON KING STREET, IT DOES GET LOOKED AT BY INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE WALKING.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD GO WITH SOMETHING LESS EXPENSIVE, SOMETHING THAT IF AN INDIVIDUAL IS WALKING BECAUSE NOBODY'S GOING TO SEE THAT, BUT THEY JUST SEE ZORA AND SAY WHAT AND KEEP ROLLING.
[02:10:02]
BE INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT IT'S TALKING ABOUT, I THINK THAT WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE.I THINK YOU HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THIS.
YES, YES. ANY OTHER ONE? ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE CONSENSUS ON THE CONCEPT.
YEAH OKAY. GREAT. I THINK WE JUST HAVE THOSE IMPORTANT DETAILS TO WORK OUT.
YEAH. YES. WE'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING MORE FROM YOU.
ONE POINT OF CLARITY. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT NOT DOING THE PURPLE BENCH AT THIS LOCATION.
IS THAT CORRECT? SOUNDS LIKE IT.
OKAY. NOBODY LIKES THE IDEA BUT ME, SO THAT'S FINE.
AND THANK YOU FOR COMMISSIONER GARRIS FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
THAT IS IMPORTANT. I THINK FOR PEOPLE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE DO WALK AND BIKE AROUND THERE.
PERFECT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEMS BY CITY ATTORNEY.
[11. ITEMS BY CITY ATTORNEY]
MISS LOPEZ. YES.A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE OPIOID LITIGATION.
LAST WEEK, I RECEIVED COMMUNICATION FROM OUR ATTORNEY.
AS YOU KNOW, A FEW YEARS AGO, WE JOINED A NUMBER OF SISTER CITIES AND COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES THAT WERE SUING BIG PHARMACEUTICALS OVER THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC.
HIS REQUEST LAST WEEK, AND THIS HAS BEEN OUR FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO CHAT ABOUT IT, WAS TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL DEFENDANTS, AND THEY WOULD BE EXPRESS SCRIPTS, OPTUM RX, ALVOGEN, INDIVIOR, MYLAN, PUBLIX TRIES, ACTRESS PHARMA AND WINN-DIXIE.
SO THESE WOULD POTENTIALLY BE NEW DEFENDANTS TO OUR LITIGATION.
THE JUDGE HAS ALLOWED US UNTIL TOMORROW.
SO WE ARE ON A TIMELINE TO ADD NEW DEFENDANTS.
SO THESE NEW POTENTIAL DEFENDANTS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BY OUR LITIGATION ATTORNEY.
AND THAT TEAM BELIEVES THAT THERE MAY BE A BASIS TO INCLUDE THEM AS DEFENDANTS IN THIS LITIGATION.
OBVIOUSLY, THE PRO WOULD BE CONCEPTUALLY, THAT CONCEPT OF COMITY WITH SISTER JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE SUFFERED GREATLY AND TO STAY IN THE FIGHT WITH THEM AS WELL AS I KNOW TWO OF YOU WERE HERE WHEN WE DECIDED TO DO THE LITIGATION, I THINK INITIALLY AND WHAT I HEARD THEN WAS WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WON'T BE MUCH MONEY FOR THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE PROPER, BUT WE FEEL PHILOSOPHICALLY THAT IT'S AN IMPORTANT FIGHT TO BE A PART OF.
SO FOR US, IF WE ADD NEW DEFENDANTS, THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THESE DEFENDANTS WOULD WIN AGAINST THE CITY AND OTHER PLAINTIFFS, AND THAT WOULD MEAN WE POTENTIALLY WOULD HAVE TO PAY THEIR ATTORNEY'S FEES.
THERE'S ALSO A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MOBILIZATION OF OUR STAFF TO RESPOND TO DOCUMENT REQUESTS FROM THIS GROUP OF NEW DEFENDANTS.
BUT I'VE GOT TO TELL OUR LITIGATION COUNSEL.
MY QUESTION IS, WOULD WE PAY THEIR LAWYER'S FEE IN PROPORTION WITH WHAT WE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN? I MEAN, IF YOU'RE IF YOU'RE GOING IN THERE.
THE SO FAR, THE SETTLEMENTS AND OUR DAMAGES THAT WE COULD DOCUMENT WERE FAIRLY SMALL.
RIGHT? BECAUSE, BLESSEDLY, THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC DID NOT HIT THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE AS HARD AS IT HIT OTHER PLACES IN THE US.
SO OUR RECOVERY IS NOT CORRELATED TO THEIR ATTORNEY'S FEES.
THEIR ATTORNEY'S FEES ARE HOURLY FEES.
NOW, OF COURSE, WE'RE NOT THE ONLY JURISDICTION THAT WOULD BE SUING THEM.
SO THERE IS A PROPORTIONALITY THAT WAY.
BUT YES, THE US AND ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD SUE THEM.
IF WE LOSE, THEN WE POTENTIALLY COULD BE ORDERED BY A JUDGE TO PAY THEIR ATTORNEY'S FEES.
[02:15:07]
BUT IT IS NOT JUST A PROPORTION OF WHAT WE WOULD HAVE WON.IT'S A BIG GAMBLE IN MY OPINION, SINCE WE HAVE NOT MUCH TO WIN.
I AGREE PHILOSOPHICALLY THAT IT'D BE NICE TO FIGHT IT WITH ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE A LOT TO WIN, BUT IF IT COMES DOWN TO US BEING SLAMMED WITH MAJOR FEES, PAYING THEIR LAWYERS' FEES, I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M WANTING TO DO THAT.
AND I FORGOT I OMITTED ONE LITTLE PIECE OF INFORMATION.
SO FAR, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF, AND YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN THIS IN THE MEDIA.
A NUMBER OF BIG PHARMA DID SETTLE WITH ALL OF US WON.
YES WE WON, YES, WITH ALL OF US PLAINTIFFS, OUR SHARE OF THAT IS GOING TO BE ABOUT $200,000, 180, $200,000, BUT IT'S SPREAD OUT OVER 20 YEARS.
SO AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO MANAGE EXPECTATIONS THAT ADDING THIS HANDFUL OF MINOR PLAYERS WILL NOT BE A BIG PAYOUT IN THE END.
THIS WAS NEVER ABOUT THE MONEY.
THIS WAS NEVER ABOUT THE MONEY.
ALL OF OUR LIVES HAVE BEEN TOUCHED BY THIS HORRIBLE PRACTICE.
WE GOT INTO IT TO MAKE A STATEMENT, AND WE KNEW THE RISK THEN THE RISK HASN'T CHANGED.
EXCEPT NOW WE HAVE A WIN UNDER OUR BELT.
SO. BUT IT WASN'T ABOUT THE MONEY, SO I'M VERY IN FAVOR OF STAYING IN THE FIGHT.
I'M IN FAVOR OF STAYING IN A FIGHT, BUT NOT ADDING THESE PEOPLE.
I THINK IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT CASE BETWEEN PUBLIX AND THE MANUFACTURER AND THE SALESMAN.
SO THAT'S JUST MY NON-LAWYER VIEW OF THIS, THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO REALLY BENEFIT US TO SUE PUBLIX IF EVEN IF THEY WIN, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A TON OF MONEY THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE, BUT IT COULD BE A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT FOR ALL THOSE COMPANIES.
PUBLIX AND WINN-DIXIE AND WINN-DIXIE IS NO LONGER WINN-DIXIE.
BUT I THINK WE I THINK WE'RE IN THE FIGHT.
I THINK WE JUST STAY IN IT AS WE ARE.
OKAY. SO BASICALLY WE CAN STAY EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE.
JUST DON'T ADD THESE PEOPLE, CORRECT? CORRECT. OUR ATTORNEY IS ASKING IF WE WILL AUTHORIZE ADDING THESE NEW DEFENDANTS.
YEAH. NO. I THINK WE SHOULD STAY IN THE FIGHT TOO.
BUT I JUST DON'T THINK WE NEED TO ADD ANYBODY.
OKAY, I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO LOSE, BUT I'M WITH.
I'M WITH YOU ON THAT. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STATEMENT TO MAKE.
AND AND I GET I GET THE, THE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES, I REALLY DO.
BUT IT IF WE DROP OUT, THEN THAT SENDS A STRONG SIGNAL THAT PEOPLE JUST DON'T CARE ANYMORE.
AND AND THAT AND THAT'S ALWAYS HOW IT GOES WITH THE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE BIG COMPANIES.
YEAH. YEAH. THE LITTLE GUYS, THE LITTLE GUYS JUST DROP OUT BECAUSE IT'S INTIMIDATING.
SO I WOULD VOTE TO GO AHEAD AND ADD THEM.
YEAH. BUT I DON'T SEE THAT HERE AT THIS TABLE.
I DON'T SEE THE WILL. NO I THINK IT'S TWO.
PERSONALLY, I THINK IT'S TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AS LITTLE AS I REALLY KNOW THE DETAILS OF IT ALL, I SEE THIS HAPPEN.
IT HAPPENED WITH THE TOBACCO CASES IS WAY BACK THOSE ATTORNEYS, NOTHING AGAINST ATTORNEYS.
ATTORNEYS SEE A POTENTIAL CLIENT THAT COULD BE ADDED ON TO THE FRAY WHEN SOME OF THOSE VICTIMS WERE NOT THE TRUE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.
SO I SEE THIS, AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE DROPPING OUT OF THE FIGHT.
IT'S JUST WE'RE NOT TAKING IT IN FOR TIER TWO.
I THINK YOUR ANSWER IS THEY DON'T WANT TO STAY IN THE FIGHT, BUT IT'S A, IT'S JUST A VERBAL THING.
DO WE NEED TO TAKE A VOTE AS TO WHETHER WE GO IN? WELL, LET'S TAKE A VOTE.
SO THE MOTION WOULD BE TO INCLUDE THE LIST I JUST READ OF NEW DEFENDANTS BUT CLARIFY THAT WE ARE IN THE FIGHT OR NOT IN THE FIGHT. IF WE DENY THIS, CLARIFY IT.
RIGHT, RIGHT. FOR THE RECORD, THE EXISTING LITIGATION, ACTUALLY MOST OF IT HAS BEEN SETTLED AGAIN.
[02:20:03]
YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THIS IN THE NEWSPAPER.THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF FLORIDA JOINED IN AND SHE'S MANAGING WHAT'S LEFT.
THE DECISION TONIGHT IS DO YOU WISH TO HAVE OUR ATTORNEYS ADD THE LIST OF COMPANIES I READ TO THE LITIGATION? YES OR NO. WERE ANY OF THOSE COMPANIES MANUFACTURERS? I'M SORRY, I DON'T KNOW THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL.
DISTRIBUTORS. SOUNDS LIKE TO ME IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S DISTRIBUTORS.
I KNOW THE FIRST TWO ARE MAIL ORDER PRESCRIPTION COMPANIES.
I AM NOT 100% ABOUT THE OTHERS.
SOME MAY BE MANUFACTURERS, BUT I'M NOT SURE.
OBVIOUSLY, WE KNOW WHO PUBLIX AND WINN-DIXIE IS.
WELL, I CAN SAY THAT THERE WERE.
I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT IT, BUT I CAN ALSO IMAGINE THAT MAIL ORDER, I DON'T KNOW.
SOUNDS LIKE A PILL MILL TO ME.
A LEGAL QUESTION YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER.
CAN A PUBLIX OR WINN-DIXIE OR A CVS DENY A PRESCRIPTION FROM A DOCTOR TO BE ISSUED? THEY DO ALL THE TIME.
CAN YOU ANSWER THAT? I DON'T KNOW FOR A FACT.
I WOULD ASSUME SO IF THERE'S SUSPICIONS, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR INTERNAL PROCEDURES ARE OF ANY OF THESE COMPANIES, HOW MUCH THEY VETTED THE PRESCRIPTIONS, HOW MUCH THEY CHECKED IF THEY WERE OVERUSED PRACTICES THAT THE PHARMACY DOES NOT FILL A PRESCRIPTION THAT COULD BE RENEWED EASILY WITHOUT THE DOCTOR'S APPROVAL.
AND UNLESS THE PHARMACY DECIDES, HEY, THAT'S NOT A BIG DEAL.
ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS CAN'T BE ANSWERED.
SO IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO MAKE A DECISION.
NOW, AGAIN, I AM NOT YOUR LITIGATION ATTORNEY.
IT'S THIS GIANT TEAM OF LAWYERS.
AND I AM SORRY ABOUT THE SHORT NOTICE.
DO WE KNOW HOW MANY OTHER CITIES HAVE JOINED IN? I DO NOT KNOW THAT I'M READY TO MAKE A MOTION.
YEAH. LET'S GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION.
I'M READY TO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE JOIN THIS THIS GROUP.
ANY DEBATE OR DISCUSSION BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? WELL, LET'S CALL ROLL. ROLL CALL PLEASE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I DO APOLOGIZE FOR THE SHORT TIME FRAME.
YES. APPRECIATE IT, I APPRECIATE IT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S CLEARLY A TOUGH ONE FOR, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE ALL THE REASONS WE STATED.
REQUEST FOR THREE APPOINTMENTS.
[12. ITEMS BY CITY CLERK]
MADAM CLERK.YES, MADAM MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS.
THE FIRST IS A REQUEST FOR THREE APPOINTMENTS TO OUR PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD.
WE ADVERTISED THESE, AND WE DID GET FIVE APPLICATIONS.
ONE FROM CHARLES PAPPAS, WHO IS A CURRENT BOARD MEMBER ELIGIBLE FOR REAPPOINTMENT.
AND I APOLOGIZE IF I SAID HIS NAME WRONG.
SO WE HAVE BALLOTS, IF THAT'S THE WAY YOU WISH TO DO IT.
AND ALL RIGHT, YOU'RE GOING TO CHOOSE THREE CANDIDATES.
I'LL GIVE THEM TO HER OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO TO HER.
[02:26:26]
EXACTLY. WELL, WE ALL GREW UP WITH THAT.I HAVE FIVE VOTES FOR CHARLES PAPPAS.
TWO VOTES FOR SUSAN T JOHNS, ONE VOTE FOR VIRGINIA WHETSTONE, FIVE VOTES FOR J.
KARL BLOW, AND TWO VOTES FOR ERIC REVUELTA.
SO WE'RE GOING TO PASS OUT A SECOND BALLOT.
AND YOUR TWO CANDIDATES THAT YOU WILL BE SELECTING FROM IS MISS SUSAN JOHNS OR MR. ERIC REVUELTA.
THE TWO ARE WHO? MISS SUSAN T JOHNS, ESQUIRE OR ERIC TWO.
I HOPE I'M SAYING HIS NAME RIGHT.
WE HAD ONE OF YOU VOTE FOR BOTH, AND YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO SELECT ONE OF THE TWO.
CAN YOU WANT ME TO CORRECT IT? PLEASE, JUST CORRECT YOUR BALLOT, PLEASE.
I'M SO GLAD I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT DOES THAT STUFF.
OKAY. AFTER BALLOT NUMBER TWO, WE HAVE THREE VOTES FOR MISS JOHNS AND ONE FOR OR TWO FOR MR. BARLETTA. SO OUR NEWEST MEMBER OF PCB IS MISS SUSAN JOHNS.
[02:30:01]
ALL RIGHT. THERE YOU HAVE IT.I'M REQUESTING TWO APPOINTMENTS FOR OUR ST.
AUGUSTINE POLICE OFFICERS' RETIREMENT BOARD.
BOTH ARE ELIGIBLE FOR REAPPOINTMENT.
SO, WITH YOUR BLESSING, STAFF REQUEST.
WE REAPPOINT BOTH OF THESE WONDERFUL MEMBERS.
I SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT. ITEMS BY CITY MANAGER.
[13. ITEMS BY CITY MANAGER]
I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL APPROVAL OF THE KING STREET PROJECT.I THINK WHEN WE LOOK BACK ON THAT, YOU'LL REALIZE WHAT A MONUMENTAL DECISION THAT WAS AND HOW THAT'S GOING TO DRAMATICALLY AFFECT, IN A POSITIVE WAY, THIS COMMUNITY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
AND I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU MY THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS FOR DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB ON THAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. WELL, THANK YOU FOR MAKING US LOOK GOOD, BECAUSE I DO THINK AND AS TIME GOES BY, IT WILL BE A TURNING POINT IN OUR HISTORY, AND THERE'LL BE LOTS OF GOOD CHANGES THAT CAN BE MADE ON THAT BASIS OF THOSE CHANGES IN THE FUTURE.
EXCELLENT AUDIENCE BY MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
[14. ITEMS BY MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS]
COMMISSIONER GARROS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? YES, I DO, BUT IT'S SHORT AND SWEET.I HOPE I MOVE THAT WE BRING PRAYER BACK, AND THE REASON WHY I SAY THAT IS A LOT OF TIMES WE HAVE LARGE CROWDS IN HERE, AND THEY'RE HERE FOR AN ISSUE OR A CONCERN.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE PRAYER, FIRST IT CHANGES THE ATTITUDE OF THE ROOM.
THE COUNTY COMMISSION HAS NOT GOTTEN RID OF PRAYER.
WE WENT TO A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
BUT I ALSO TALKED TO THE CITY CLERK AND THE INDIVIDUAL THAT WAS THREATENING TO SUE US WAS OFFERED DATES TO COME IN AND NEVER WANTED TO ACTUALLY COME HERE.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS A BLUFF.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS, WHAT HIS INTENTIONS WERE.
BUT I THINK THAT WE GET SUED FOR A LOT OF THINGS, AND WE DON'T CARE ABOUT GETTING SUED.
WE JUST HAVE A BRILLIANT LAWYER SITTING OVER THERE AND WE TAKE ON THE CHARGE.
SO I DON'T THINK THAT PRAYER SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE THREATENED BY SOMEBODY STOPPING US FROM RECOGNIZING OUR LOCAL PASTORS TO COME IN HERE AND BRINGING PEACE INTO A ROOM BECAUSE IT STARTS THE MEETING.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION GOING ON TWO YEARS.
I KNOW WHEN I WAS BLESSED TO COME IN HERE BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS MAYOR, NANCY SHAVER, ASKED ME, SHE HEARD ME PRAY AT THE YARD FOR THE GUYS THAT WAS GOING AWAY.
I REALLY THINK THAT THEY ARE NEEDED.
I THINK THAT WE SHOW IS SUPPOSED TO BE GOD AND COUNTRY, AND I THINK WE NEED TO READAPT THAT.
I HOPE THAT YOU GUYS WILL CONSIDER THAT.
READY? I WANT TO SAY HOW EXCITED I WAS FOR THE SISTER CITY SUCCESS.
I JUST HOPE THAT WE DON'T LET THIS FALL FOR ANOTHER TEN YEARS, THAT WE THAT WE KEEP SOMETHING GOING ON A REGULAR BASIS, PARTICULARLY GETTING THE BUSINESSES AND TOURISM INVOLVED.
I THINK COMMISSIONER HORVATH AND I TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IT NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE ST.
I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT FLAGLER COLLEGE AND THE UNIVERSITY.
IT'S JUST A GREAT THING TO GET THEM INVOLVED.
AND THE SISTER CITY GROUP IS DEDICATED GOOD MEMBERSHIP.
AND THEY ARE GOING TO WORK BACK AGAIN FOR STUDENT EXCHANGES IN THE SUMMER.
AND I THINK THAT'S JUST A GREAT THING.
AND ALSO CONGRATULATE THE MAYOR, WHO REPRESENTED US SO WELL ALL WEEK.
YOU WORKED REAL HARD. I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO IN THE NEXT TWO DAYS.
[02:35:02]
NOTHING. IT WAS IT WAS WELL DONE.AND YOU KNOW, YOU JUST HAVE A LOT OF CREDIT FOR WHAT WE WHAT WE GOT.
AND I ALSO LIKE TO COMPLIMENT RUBEN.
I KNOW WE APPROVED THE KING STREET, BUT RUBEN'S A STAR.
AND HE HE'S JUST A GREAT LISTENER AND PUTTING THAT INTO THE PLAN AND ACTION.
AND WE HAVE A GREAT PLAN FOR KING STREET.
AND THE SOLUTION WAS THAT EACH NOT THAT I WANT TO ADD DUTIES TO ANYBODY AT THE TABLE, BUT EACH SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TOOK A MEETING AND PRESENTED SOME KIND OF DEVOTION OF THEIR OWN AT THE MEETING TO OPEN IT.
SO SOME WERE PRAYERS, SOME WERE QUOTES.
AND PERSONALLY, I LIKE I LIKE THAT IDEA.
I AM NOT FOR OPENING BACK UP FOR ANY PASTOR TO REQUEST TO BE AT THE PODIUM AT OUR EXPENSE.
AND I AGREE THAT WE'VE LOST SOMETHING IN THAT.
BUT I THINK WE WERE PRUDENT IN HOW WE DECIDED TO DO THAT.
AND I THINK WE HAVE OPTIONS TO MOVE FORWARD AND THE CONVERSATION IS WORTH HAVING, BUT THAT'S IT.
YEAH. COMMISSIONER BLONDER? YEAH. I JUST, I'LL BE BRIEF.
TWO POINTS. I'LL START WITH THE PRAYER QUESTION.
I'M FINE WITH WHICHEVER WAY PEOPLE DECIDE.
I WOULD NOT BE COMFORTABLE THOUGH, WITH THEM BEING TASKED WITH A DEVOTIONAL OF ANY TYPE.
THAT'S VERY PERSONAL TO ME, AND I DON'T WANT TO DO IT PUBLICLY, SO.
AND I DON'T WANT TO BURDEN ANY FURTHER FUTURE COMMISSIONERS WITH THAT EITHER.
AND THEN BUT I'M WHATEVER WAY IT GOES.
I KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU THAT WE HAVE THAT WE BRING THAT BACK.
I WOULD JUST REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS ON THE STAFF AND WHAT A TREMENDOUS JOB YOU ALL ARE DOING.
YOU'RE BRINGING US GREAT IDEAS.
SOMETIMES WE THROW YOU HARD LEFT CURVES AND YOU TAKE THEM WITH A APLOMB AND YOU COME BACK WITH THEM.
THAT WAS A BIG LIFT TO BRING THE DELEGATION HERE, AND IT WAS DONE BEAUTIFULLY BY SO MANY PEOPLE WHO WILL NOT GO RECOGNIZED ON THE STAFF AND IN THE COMMUNITY.
DEFINITELY. AND THE MAYOR, YOU JUST REALLY REPRESENTED US FABULOUSLY.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
ABSOLUTELY. I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT EVENT FOR THE WHOLE WEEK.
ONE THING I WAS AT FIRST I HAD HEARD WAS ONE OF THE SPEAKERS MOTION OR SAID SOMETHING ABOUT LOOKING INTO THE FACT THAT OUR POLICE ARE NOT USING THEIR WEBCAMS. IS THAT TRUE? I'D RATHER NOT COMMENT ON THAT BECAUSE IT'S AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION.
OKAY. I THOUGHT IT WAS HER INVESTIGATION.
IT IS AN ONGOING POLICE INVESTIGATION AT THIS TIME.
OKAY, THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION, AND I AGREE.
THEN WE DON'T WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT IT.
BUT THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I HEARD OF IT.
CAN I SAY ONE MORE THING? SURE. I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON DOING A JOB WELL DONE WITH GOING TO SPAIN.
ALL THE ACTIVITIES THAT WERE PUT TOGETHER, IT WAS.
I TRIED TO CAPTURE AS MUCH OF IT AS I COULD IN PICTURES.
THE PEOPLE WERE SO WARM WARMING, WELCOMING.
AND I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD THAT WE SHOULD HAVE MORE OF A RELATIONSHIP.
NOT EVERY SO MANY YEARS, YOU KNOW, GOING TO SPAIN AND BUILDING ON THAT, SO THAT WE'RE SO COMFORTABLE WITH THEM THAT THEY FEEL LIKE PART OF OUR FAMILY. AND I JUST LIKE THE WAY YOU AND THE OTHER MAYOR CONNECT IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL THING.
IT'S LIKE, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN FRIENDS ALL YOUR LIFE, AND YOU DON'T FIND THAT TODAY.
AND SO IT WAS REALLY BEAUTIFUL TO WITNESS THE, YOU KNOW, THE RESPECT YOU GUYS HAVE FOR EACH OTHER.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON A JOB WELL DONE.
AND THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING US.
WELL YOU'RE AMAZING IN THAT WHOLE SPANISH REGARD.
[02:40:02]
AND SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT PUBLICLY THAT I APPRECIATE YOU, MELISSA AND COREY, FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS HAD TO DO TO PULL THAT CELEBRATION OFF SO WELL, AND ALL THE DIFFERENT SISTER CITIES THAT HELPED FLAGLER COLLEGE PRESIDENT.THEY WERE SO DIFFERENT, SO MANY DIFFERENT COMPONENTS.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, IT WAS A FUN TIME.
WE MADE IT WORK ANYHOW; YOU KNOW.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SAYING THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR KIND WORDS, JIM.
I APPRECIATE YOU BEING THERE AND DOING EVERYTHING.
I KNOW. Y'ALL ALL PARTICIPATED AS MUCH AS YOU COULD, AND IT MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
AND YES, STAFF DID AN AMAZING, AMAZING JOB.
AND IT WAS VERY SPECIAL BECAUSE IT WAS 100 YEARS.
AND I DO THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO SIT DOWN AND ASSESS WHAT CAN WE DO MOVING FORWARD.
BUT AS YOU KNOW, THE IDEA WAS REALLY TO STICK TO THE MISSION, WHICH WAS TO DEVELOP THIS FURTHER THAN THE GOVERNMENT DOING IT AND HAVE. YOU KNOW, BUSINESSES PARTICIPATE.
THE INDUSTRY OF TOURISM PARTICIPATES.
THE CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS, THE ARTS, EDUCATION THE HISTORY COMMUNITY, THE MUSIC.
IT WAS SO FUN TO WATCH HOW THIS COMMUNITY JUST POURED OUT FROM ALL AREAS, CONTRIBUTING TO THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE WHAT THEY DO WELL AT, THEY CONTRIBUTED.
SO IT'S A GREAT START, AND I DO HOPE THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO BUILD ON IT.
AND I'M CERTAINLY OPEN TO ANY IDEAS THAT YOU ALL HAVE ABOUT IT.
AND WITH THAT SAID, I AM GRATEFULLY DONE.
I THINK THAT'S THE END OF THE MEETING.
AND THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.