[00:00:03] >> THIS MEETING OF THIS REGULAR CITY COMMISSION HAS COME TO ORDER. [1. CALL TO ORDER] MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> NANCY SIKES. >> HERE. >> BARBARA BLONDER. >> HERE. >> CYNTHIA GARRIS. JIM SPRINGFIELD. >> HERE. >> JON DEPRETER. >> HERE. >> CYNTHIA GARRIS WILL NOT BE WITH US. SHE'S STILL TONIGHT. THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY VICE MAYOR BARBARA BLONDER. WE WILL JUST HOLD OUR SILENCE FOR A MOMENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> PLEASE STAND IF YOU ARE ABLE. >> >> THANK YOU. THE NEXT ITEM [2. ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS] IS MODIFICATION AND APPROVAL OF THE REGULAR AGENDA. MR. CITY MANAGER, DO YOU HAVE ANY MODIFICATIONS? >> WE HAVE NO MODIFICATIONS TONIGHT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONERS, ANY MODIFICATIONS? >> NO. >> ANYONE QUICK HERE TO MAKE A MOTION? >> I MOVE WE APPROVE THE AGENDA. >> I'LL SECOND THAT. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE. >> MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. THEN WE MOVE ON TO SPECIAL PRESENTATION RECOGNITION AND PROCLAMATION. [3. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, RECOGNITIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS] TONIGHT, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION PROCLAIMING JANUARY 2025 IS HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS MONTH IN THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, AND THAT WILL BE PRESENTED BY VICE MAYOR BARBARA BLONDER. >> WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE. >> WE DO HERE. HERE'S YOUR NAME. GREAT. >> MICROPHONE IS OVER HERE. GREAT. THANK YOU. HELLO, CATHERINE, ALLISON, AND THERE'S ANOTHER KATELYN. >> KATELYN. >> COME ON THROUGH HERE, IF YOU WOULD. [BACKGROUND] WHEREAS HUMAN TRAFFICKING IS THE RECRUITMENT, HARBORING, TRANSPORTATION, PROVISION, OR OBTAINING OF A PERSON FOR LABOR OR SERVICES THROUGH THE USE OF FORCE, FRAUD, OR COERCION FOR THE PURPOSE OF FORCED LABOR OR SEXUAL SERVITUDE, AND WHEREAS VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING ARE LURED BY FALSE PROMISES OF EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, FALSE ECONOMIC OR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, OR EVEN LOVING ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS. THE VICTIMS CAN BE OF ANY AGE, RACE, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, ETHNICITY, SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUND, US CITIZENS, PERMANENT RESIDENTS, AND FOREIGN NATIONALS. WHEREAS IN 2023, FLORIDA HAD THE THIRD HIGHEST NUMBER OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING CASES IN THE UNITED STATES, AND IN OCTOBER OF 2024, 157 PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED IN A FLORIDA HUMAN TRAFFICKING INVESTIGATION ON CRIMINAL CHARGES WHICH RANGE FROM SOLICITATION OF PROSTITUTION TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING OF A MINOR. WHEREAS AGGRESSIVELY IDENTIFYING AND PROSECUTING THE BUYERS AND SELLERS OF TRAFFICKING VICTIMS IS AN EFFECTIVE STRATEGY TO END THE COMMISSION OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING. WHEREAS ASSISTING VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING REQUIRES A COORDINATED COMMUNITY RESPONSE, AMONG COMMUNITY GROUPS, SOCIAL SERVICES, SCHOOLS, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND MORE AWARENESS AND EDUCATION IS CRUCIAL TO ERADICATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN OUR COMMUNITIES, STATE, AND NATION. NOW, THEREFORE, THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE DOES HEREBY DECLARE JANUARY 2025 AS HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS MONTH AND URGES ALL CITIZENS TO RECOGNIZE OUR VITAL ROLES IN ENDING ALL FORMS OF MODERN SLAVERY AND TO OBSERVE THIS MONTH WITH APPROPRIATE PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES AIMED AT ENDING AND PREVENTING ALL FORMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING. THIS PROCLAMATION HAS BEEN SIGNED BY OUR MAYOR, AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS IN THE MAYOR TO COME UP, PLEASE AS WE OFFER YOU THIS PROCLAMATION, AND THANK YOU. THESE ARE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN. [00:05:04] >> THANK YOU. >> [LAUGHTER] WOULD ANY OF YOU LIKE TO SPEAK A FEW WORDS? >> WE WANT TO EXPRESS OUR DEEP APPRECIATION, BOTH ON BEHALF OF AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN AND THE BETTY GRIFFIN CENTER, WHO ARE THE PEOPLE WITH THEIR FEET TRULY ON THE GROUND. MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT THIS COULD NEVER HAPPEN IN MY OWN BACKYARD. BUT THOSE OF YOU WHO FOLLOW THE NEWS MAY HAVE BEEN READING ABOUT A MINOR CHILD WHO'D BEEN MISSING SINCE SHORTLY AFTER THANKSGIVING AND WAS FOUND JUST OVER THE WEEKEND OFF I95 IN A MOTEL IN GEORGIA. IN ADDITION, I RECENTLY READ ON NEXT DOOR, WHICH I DON'T KNOW HOW RELIABLE THAT INFORMATION IS. BUT THEY SAID THAT THERE HAD BEEN ACTIVITY AT AN AIRBNB RENTAL IN DOWNTOWN ST. AUGUSTINE CONNECTED WITH HUMAN TRAFFICKING. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO VERIFY WHETHER THAT'S TRUE, BUT IT WAS GETTING A LOT OF RESPONSE NEXT DOOR FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO FOLLOW THAT. IT CAN HAPPEN IN OUR BACKYARD AND IT IS HAPPENING IN OUR BACKYARD. WE HAVE HERE IN ST. AUGUSTINE OUR SMALL LITTLE TOWN, BUT WE ARE INTERSECTED BY A1A, A MAJOR THROUGH FARE PLUS CLOSELY CONNECTED TO US1, ANOTHER MAJOR THROUGH FARE, AND THEN ACCESS TO I95, AND THEN FROM THERE, WE ARE DEFINITELY AT A CENTER OF TRAFFIC OPPORTUNITIES HERE. IT'S ALWAYS NOT EASY TO SAY, IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING, BUT IT TRULY IS INCUMBENT ON ALL OF US TO TRY TO DO THAT. ALLISON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING, JUST ON BEHALF OF BETTY GRIFFIN? >> JUST ON BEHALF OF BETTY GRIFFIN, JUST THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF WHAT WE DO AT BETTY GRIFFIN. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. WITHOUT YOU, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THE THINGS THAT WE DO. THANK YOU. >> THERE ST. JOHNS RIVER STATE COLLEGE IS OFFERING SOME INFORMATION SESSIONS ABOUT HUMAN TRAFFICKING THIS MONTH. ANYONE IS WELCOME TO ATTEND. THEY'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING BEHAVIORS, PREVENTION, THINGS LIKE THAT. IT'S OPEN TO EVERYONE, STUDENTS, THE PUBLIC, AND THE ONE THAT'S GOING TO BE HERE ON THE ST. AUGUSTINE CAMPUS OF ST. JOHN'S RIVER IS GOING TO BE WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22ND FROM 11:00 -12:00 AT COLLEGE DRIVE. THEY'RE ALSO OFFERING IT AT THEIR PALATKA CAMPUS AND ALSO AT THE ORANGE PARK CAMPUS. THERE IS GOING TO BE SOME INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS FOR EVERYONE. THANK YOU AGAIN, VICE MAYOR BLONDER. >> THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT YOU ALL DO. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. [BACKGROUND] >> THANK YOU AGAIN. [APPLAUSE]. >> I JUST SAID [INAUDIBLE]. >> HOLD THE MICROPHONE. >> THANK YOU. >> [NOISE] NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE FAREWELL POETRY READING FOR THE 2023/2024. CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE POET LAURI, NORA SHERRY, WELCOME. GOOD TO SEE YOU. >> THANK YOU. IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE. IT'S BITTERSWEET, BUT IT'S LOVELY TO BE HERE. [APPLAUSE]. >> THANK YOU. FOR ME, TO SAY [FOREIGN]. FAREWELL. GOODBYE, "HASTA LA VISTA." MY HEART SWELLS WITH REMORSE THAT MY TIME HAS BEEN SO SHORT, THAT I HAVE LEFT SO MUCH UNSAID AND UNDONE. THE HONOR MY BEAUTIFUL CITY BESTOWED UPON ME AS YOUR FIRST-EVER POET LAUREATE HAS LEFT ME SO PROFOUNDLY GRACIOUS, SO IMMENSELY PROUD. SADLY, MY TIME HAS COME TO PASS THE TORCH TO A NEW POET LAUREATE WHO WILL TAKE THE MANTLE AND MAKE THE CITY PROUD AS THEY ADD THEIR VOICE. AS FOR ME, I WILL REMAIN ON THE SIDELINE FOREVER DILIGENT AND ALWAYS AT THE READY SHOULD MY NEED BE. I PASS THE HONOR JOYFULLY AND PROUDLY TO THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE'S NEW POET LAUREATE. [00:10:06] MAY YOUR REIGN BE EVER SO GRAND AND DEEPLY ROOTED IN THE HOME WE LOVE SO CLEARLY AND DEARLY. A [FOREIGN], DEAR ST. AUGUSTINE. THANK YOU, DEAR COMMISSIONERS, FOR MAKING MY REIGN SO WONDERFUL. I WILL REMEMBER IT ALWAYS. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE] >> I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A PHOTOGRAPH. WILL YOU COME FORWARD AND WE'LL DO ONE WITH THE COMMISSIONER. [BACKGROUND] >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THAT WAS WONDERFUL HAVING NORA SHERRY WITH US FOR A YEAR. [NOISE] SHE DID 2.5 YEARS, WAS A TREMENDOUS PLEASURE TO GET TO KNOW HER BETTER. I KNOW SHE'S BEEN IN ST. AUGUSTINE FOR A VERY LONG TIME. BUT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF HER FOR BEING OUR VERY FIRST POET LAUREATE, STARTING A NEW CHAPTER IN OUR HISTORY IN THE CITY. WE WISH YOU WELL AND THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS FOR THAT. THAT DUTY THAT I'M SURE WAS FUN FOR YOU TOO. COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER THINGS TO SAY? DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? GOOD. WE'LL MOVE ALONG. THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENTS. [4. PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS OR FOR AGENDA ITEMS NOT REQUIRING A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING] I HAVE SEVERAL CARDS. I'M GOING TO CALL TWO CARDS AT A TIME. THAT WAY, YOU'LL KNOW THAT YOU'RE UP NEXT. FIRST, I HAVE ROGER VAN DUSEN, FOLLOWED BY CHRIS FULMER. NO MORE. >> GOOD EVENING. I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN MY SUPPORT AND MY WIFE'S SUPPORT. I BELIEVE THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR GOT AN EMAIL FROM ME IN REGARDS TO THE PROPERTY, THE VAN DYKE PROPERTY. I FEEL THAT IT'S NOT BLIGHTED, BUT THIS LOT THAT HAS BEEN LEFT EMPTY AND UNDER DURESS WOULD BE A WELCOMING FOR THE PEOPLE WHO COME IN OFF THE BEACH FROM VALLANO AS THEY DRIVE INTO OUR CITY. I THINK IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL FOR OUR AREA AS I LIVE RIGHT IN THAT PART OF THE COMMUNITY, AND MY GRANDKIDS WOULD HAVE SOMETHING TO DO AT THAT END OF THE BEACH BESIDES THE PLAYGROUND. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CHRIS FULMER, FOLLOWED BY SCOTT YORK. >> HI. GOOD EVENING. I WANT TO START BY GIVING A THANK YOU TO CANDACE SEYMOUR, WHO WORKS WITH THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLANNER. MY NAME IS CHRIS FULMER. I LIVE IN ST. AUGUSTINE. I FORGET. THERE'S A FACEBOOK PAGE THAT DOES HISTORIC FLORIDA PHOTOS. THEY HAD A PICTURE OF ST. AUGUSTINE FROM THE EARLY 1900S CALLED BIA LANE, AND NOBODY COULD IDENTIFY WHERE BIA LANE WAS. I SENT HER THE PICTURE, I SENT HER THE CAPTION THAT WAS IN THE BACK OF IT, AND SHE TOOK THE TIME TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY. IT'S A VACATED RIGHT OF WAY NEAR TREASURY STREET AND IS NOW UNDER THE HILTON BAYFRONT, AND IT'S ACTUALLY LISTED IN THE DESCRIPTOR IN THE COUNTY RECORDS. THAT WAS VERY EXCITING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO HER FOR HER TIME. THIS WAS ONE OF THE BUSIEST CHRISTMAS SEASONS THAT WE CAN REMEMBER, AND IT WAS GREAT TO SEE EVERYBODY DOWNTOWN ENJOYING THE LIGHTS AND SHOPPING, AND EATING LOCAL. BUT WE DID NOTICE A FEW THINGS THAT WE THINK COULD MAKE IT BETTER. HYPOLTA, AGAIN, WAS MADE A COMPLETE STREET SO IT COULD BE CLOSED TO TRAFFIC ON NIGHTS LIKE THIS TO EVERYBODY EXCEPT TROLLEYS. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. THE BIGGEST TRAFFIC BACKUP WAS ON THE AVENIDA WHERE PEOPLE WERE TRYING TO TURN RIGHT ON CATHEDRAL BECAUSE THE CONSTANT FLOW OF PEDESTRIANS NEVER ALLOWED ANY CARS TO GET THROUGH. [00:15:05] THERE NEEDS TO BE A PEDESTRIAN CONTROL WHERE THEY COULD PASS. THEN THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH VENDORS. WE SAW VENDORS EVERYWHERE. I'VE SPOKEN TO THE CHIEF ABOUT IT AND THEY ARE WORKING ON IT. I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT THEY WERE SELLING CHEAP LIGHT-UP STUFF IN THE PLAZA, ON ST. GEORGE STREET, IN FRONT OF THE VISITORS CENTER. THERE WAS NO WAY OF TELLING WHO HAD PERMITS AND WHO DIDN'T. THEN THERE'S THIS TRUCK THAT WAS PARKED ON THE AVENIDA. WE SAW IT ON CHRISTMAS EVE IN FRONT OF THE CASA REINA AND THE TABLE THAT THEY HAVE IN FRONT OF THEIR TRUCK BLOCK THE ROAD. ON CHRISTMAS EVE WHEN IT WAS COMPLETELY PACKED, PEOPLE WERE TRYING TO WALK UP AROUND THE CORNER AT CASA REINA, AND IT WAS BLOCKING TRAFFIC. I HAVE NO IDEA IF THEY HAVE A PERMIT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WOULD HAVE A PERMIT, BUT THIS IS MY ANNUAL RANT. I DON'T KNOW WHY WE HAVE ANY PERMITS FOR SIDEWALK VENDORS BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING THAT THEY SELL THAT BRICK-AND-MORTAR STORES HERE DON'T ALREADY HAVE, AND THERE NEEDS TO BE BETTER ENFORCEMENT AND THERE NEEDS TO BE BETTER CONSEQUENCES WHEN THEY BREAK THE RULES. SINCE IT'S THE END OF THE SEASON, I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE WIT STAFF, THE SERVERS, THE FIRST RESPONDERS, THE CITY SANITATION DEPARTMENT, AND EVERYBODY WHO HELPED MAKE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON BRIGHT. I WANT TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION ONCE AGAIN, THE BLIGHTED HOUSE AT 22 AVENIDA MENENDEZ. HIS POLITICAL SIGNS HAVE BEEN AN EMBARRASSMENT TO THE CITY FOR YEARS. BUT TO HAVE A HOUSE ON OUR MAIN STREET, DOWNTOWN IN OUR TOURIST AREA THAT SAYS LIBERALS NOT WELCOME IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS GOOD FOR OUR CITY. IS THERE NOT ANYBODY IN THE CITY GOVERNMENT WHO KNOWS THIS MAN WHO CAN TALK TO HIM? BECAUSE IT'S FREE SPEECH. I UNDERSTAND THAT. IT'S JANUARY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> ENJOY TIP YOUR SERVERS. >> OH, MY GOODNESS. I JUST REMEMBERED I NEED TO. SCOTT YORK FOLLOWED BY JAMES CARR. >> GOOD EVENING, SCOTT YORK, 29 SPANISH STREET, THE MOST CHARMING STREET IN ST. AUGUSTINE. I COME HERE TO NUMBER 1, VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY AT MAY STREET. AS I RECENTLY HEARD, VICE MAYOR BLONDER ON THE CITY PODCAST THAT THIS IS OUR ENVIRONMENT, AND WE DO NEED TO HELP TO PROTECT IT. I THINK THAT THE PURCHASE OF THAT LAND WOULD BE A GREAT STEP IN SUPPORTING OUR ENVIRONMENT HERE AND PROTECTING IT. SECONDLY, I WANT TO JUST COMMEND THE CITY FOR HANDLING NIGHTS OF LIGHT SO WELL. I OWN FOUR BUSINESSES HERE IN ST. AUGUSTINE NOW, AND ONE OF THEM IS A RETAIL BUSINESS ON ST. GEORGE STREET. SEEING THE HUGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE COMING THROUGH ST. AUGUSTINE AND THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE MADE IN THE HOURS OF THE COLLECTION OF THE TRASH, AND ALSO THE HOURS OF THE OPENING OF THE PUBLIC RESTROOMS WERE A BIG BENEFIT DURING THE SECOND HALF OF NIGHTS TO LIGHTS. WE STILL HAVE 13 NIGHTS TO GO, BUT OBVIOUSLY MUCH LIGHTER TRAFFIC THAN WHAT WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING, BUT IT IS AN AMAZING BOOST TO THE ECONOMY, NOT ONLY FOR THE TROLLEYS, AND THE TRAINS, BUT ALSO THOSE BUSINESSES ALONG ST. GEORGE STREET, SPANISH STREET, CHARLOTTE STREET, AND ON AVENUE AMENDED AS WELL. THE SERVERS, THE BARTENDERS, EVERYBODY THAT WORKS IN DOWNTOWN AND EVEN COMPLAINS ABOUT THE TRAFFIC AS IT IS COMING IN, STILL BENEFITS FROM THE INCREASED TRAFFIC. THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY COMMISSION AND OF THE VCB, AND THE TDC TO HELP CONTINUE FUNDING AND PROMOTING NOT ONLY THIS EVENT, BUT OTHERS, MEAN THAT OUR BUSINESSES AND OUR CITIZENS CAN SURVIVE THE REST OF THE YEAR. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. JAMES CARR. FOLLOWED BY TOM REYNOLDS. >> GOOD EVENING. I'M JAMES CARR. I LIVE AT 11 NOMAR WITH MY WIFE, AND I'D LIKE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE VAN DYKE PROPERTY ON MAY STREET FOR THE CITY TO PURCHASE. >> MR. CARR, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT. CAN YOU PULL YOUR MICROPHONE UP A LITTLE BIT? THANK YOU. WE'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR YOU BETTER. >> I THINK THE PURCHASE OF THIS PROPERTY WOULD BE A BENEFIT FOR THE CITIZENS OF ST. AUGUSTINE AND OUR VISITORS ALIKE. I PAY PROPERTY TAXES ON MY RESIDENTS AT 11 NOMAR AND 9.5 NOMAR AND 13 NOMAR 31 WILLIAMS STREET AND 18 MAGNOLIA STREET. I WOULD LIKE NOTHING BETTER THAN MY TAXES TO GO TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF THIS PROPERTY. IT WOULD BENEFIT US ALL. I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. TOM REYNOLDS, FOLLOWED BY MELINDA RAKONCAY. >> TOM REYNOLDS, 112 ARI KOHLER 32080. I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I MIGHT HAVE MISSED IT. MAYBE IT REALLY SOMETHING ALREADY IS HAPPENING, [00:20:02] AND I JUST MISSED IT BECAUSE I HAVE TO WORK A LOT, BUT I WAS WONDERING IF JOE BOWLES HAS BEEN ARRESTED OR INDICTED YET. THE MAN WAS ROBBING DEAD PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES. THAT'S A SERIOUS AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU ELECTED OFFICIALS UNDERSTAND. THE FLORIDA BAR WAS ABOUT TO DROP THE HAMMER ON HIM AND TAKE HIS LAW LICENSE. HE TURNED IN HIS LICENSE. HE STOPPED THAT INVESTIGATION AND RAN UP TO NORTH CAROLINA. HE COMMITTED SERIOUS CRIMINAL ACTS. HE WAS ON IN THE CHAIR ON THE COUNCIL IN AGING FOR YEARS. HE RAN THAT FREE WILL SCAM. I'M SURE HOPING THAT REAL SOON, I'M GOING TO SEE JOE BOWLES' MUG SHOT, THAT I'M GOING TO SEE THE ST. AUGUSTINE POLICE DEPARTMENT WALKING AND DOING A PERP WALK WITH JOE BOWLES. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT ANYTHING HE DID WHEN HE WAS IN OFFICE, BUT ROBBING DEAD PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND HE DID IT FOR A LOT OF YEARS. HE'S COMMITTED A LOT OF CRIMES. THERE'S A MAN THAT SHOULD NEVER BREATHE THE SAME AIR AS THE REST OF US. JOE BOWLES SHOULD GET A HEAVY SENTENCE. I'M NOT A LAWYER, I'M NOT A STATE PROSECUTOR, AND I'VE NEVER BEEN A POLICE OFFICER, BUT I CAN READ AND I CAN READ THE LAW, AND STEALING FROM DEAD PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE SERIOUS FELONIES. THE LOWEST FELONY I CAN SEE IS 5-15 YEARS. I REALLY BELIEVE IT WAS SO SYSTEMATIC THAT IT WOULD FALL INTO A FIRST DEGREE FELONY. TO WRAP IT UP, I REALLY HOPE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ARREST HIM BECAUSE THE WORDS THAT KEEP FLASHING IN MY MIND, COVER UP CORRUPTION, INCOMPETENCE, DERELICTION. I DO NOT LIKE TO SEE PEOPLE GET AWAY WITH STUFF. I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW BECAUSE YOU ALL READ THOSE FLYERS THAT CAME AROUND ABOUT DAVID SHAW FROM SENATOR TOM LEEK. HE COMMITTED SERIOUS FELONIES. THE STATE ATTORNEY'S NAME IS RJ LARISA. YOU NEED ANY HELP. HIS ASSISTANT ALREADY INFORMED ME ON THE PHONE. YOU BRING A PROSECUTION, YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, JOE BOWLES IS GOING TO JAIL. THANK YOU. >> NEXT SPEAKER, MELINDA RAKONCAY FOLLOWED BY ERIC OSTRANDER. >> MELINDA RAKONCAY, 86 MAGNOLIA AVENUE. THE CITY PURCHASE OF VAN DYKE PROPERTY ON MAY STREET WILL BE A WISE INVESTMENT FOR THE FUTURE LIVABILITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE'S RESIDENTS AND VISITORS. I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT IN SEPTEMBER, THIS PROPERTY RANKED THE HIGHEST SCORE FOR PURCHASE. WHILE IT IS ZONED OPEN LAND, THERE ARE STILL MANY COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL USES THAT WOULD DAMAGE AND POLLUTE HOSPITAL CREEK. IN ADDITION TO PROTECTING ONE OF THE LAST PIECES OF ENVIRONMENTALLY FRAGILE PROPERTY AND GREEN SPACE ON HOSPITAL CREEK INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, THIS PURCHASE ALSO HAS MANY OTHER ADDITIONAL BENEFITS. IT WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE PUBLIC ACCESS TO NAVIGABLE WATERWAYS AND A POSSIBLE KAYAK LAUNCH. IT'LL PROTECT ONE OF THE CITY'S SCENIC VISTAS OF THE MARSH AND WATERWAY. IT'LL ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO BEAUTIFY ONE OF THE MAJOR ENTRYWAYS INTO ST. AUGUSTINE. THIS IS THE FIRST SITE THAT MANY VISITORS SEE WHEN THEY ENTER OUR CITY FROM BOLANO BEACH. IT'LL ADD TO THE PRESERVATION OF THE NELMAR TERRACE NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, ANY DEVELOPMENT THERE WILL ADD TO ALREADY CONGESTED TRAFFIC PROBLEMS ON MAY STREET, WHICH IS A1A. BUYING IT NOW WILL PREVENT A FUTURE 711 DEVELOPMENT HEADACHE FOR THE CITY. ANY DELAY IN BUYING THIS PROPERTY WILL SIMPLY INCREASE THE PRICE OVER TIME. VOTE YES FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE VAN DYKE PROPERTY, YOU WILL BE THANKED FOR GENERATIONS TO COME AS IT WILL BENEFIT BOTH VISITORS AND RESIDENTS. THIS PASSIVE PARK WILL BE A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE. WHILE I'M HERE, I ALSO WANT TO SUPPORT THE FIRST READING OF THE ORDINANCE TO REQUIRE A SUPER MAJORITY VOTE BY THE CITY COMMISSION FOR PUD REZONING AND AMENDMENTS, [00:25:04] AND ALSO VOTE YES ON THE THREE RESOLUTIONS BEFORE YOU TONIGHT. GRANT THE ADVALORM TAX EXEMPTION FOR THE HISTORIC PROPERTY LOCATED ON KINGS FERRY WAY AND I ALSO WANT YOU TO THANK AND ENCOURAGE OUR STAFF TO HELP PEOPLE THROUGH THIS COMPLICATED PAPERWORK SO THAT WE CAN ENCOURAGE MORE PRESERVATION OF OUR HISTORIC STRUCTURES. THE RESOLUTION TO REQUIRE THE REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION, USE OF FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING AND PERMEABLE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE CITY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND MAINTENANCE PROJECTS, AND OF COURSE, PURCHASE OF THE VAN DYKE PROPERTY ON MAY STREET. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT. >> THANK YOU. ERIC OSTRANDER, FOLLOWED BY MARTHA MIKLER. >> HELLO. MY NAME IS ERIC OSTRANDER. I LIVE AT 51 MAGNOLIA AVENUE, THE MOST BEAUTIFUL STREET IN THE WORLD. WE GREATLY SUPPORT THE PARK AT THE END OF THE ROAD. MY HOUSE IS BASICALLY ON THAT BLOCK, AND I WAS JUST DOWN THERE THE OTHER DAY. THERE'S WATER ON TWO SIDES OF IT, AND IT IS JUST A FANTASTIC SPOT FOR A PARK. IS NOW THE TIME WHEN WE CAN PUT IN A REQUEST FOR WHAT WE WANT AT THE PARK? OR IS THIS JUST PURCHASE? >> THIS IS YOUR TIME TO SPEAK. >> OKAY. MY DAUGHTER WANTS A KAYAK LAUNCH, A FISHING PIER AND A PLAYGROUND SIMILAR TO THE ONE AT V PIZZA. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS KNOW THAT PLACE, BUT THE BACK OF IT'S GOT LIKE A REALLY GOOD PLAYGROUND. ANYTHING ELSE? WE'RE VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF IT, AND YOU GUYS ARE KILLING IT. THE TOWN IS AWESOME RIGHT NOW, AND IT'S NEVER BEEN BETTER. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. WE'RE SO HAPPY TO SEE YOUR DAUGHTER JOIN US THIS EVENING. IT'S NICE TO SEE YOUNG PEOPLE GET ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS. MARTHA MIKLER IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY BRAD BEACH. >> GOOD EVENING. I'M MARTHA MIKLER AND I RESIDE AT 30 SPANISH STREET DOWNTOWN. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE. I'M HERE SPEAKING TONIGHT REGARDING CONCERNS ABOUT THE CROWDS AND THE TRAFFIC IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA SINCE THANKSGIVING. I JUST WISH I COULD COME WITH SOME SOLUTIONS FOR YOU, BUT I DON'T HAVE THOSE, BUT I HAVE DECIDED TO SHARE SOME OBSERVATIONS FROM A RESIDENT'S VIEWPOINT. FIRST, ON THE POSITIVE SIDE. YOUR DECISION TO CLOSE THE TWO SECTIONS OF SPANISH STREET, BOTH ON THE NORTHERNMOST END OF THE STREET AND THE SECTION BETWEEN KINLAW STREET AND THE TALAMALA LOT HAS MADE A MAJOR DIFFERENCE FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR VISITORS, AND OUR DOWNTOWN EMPLOYEES, AS WELL AS THE SURROUNDING RESIDENTS. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING PROACTIVE AND MAKING THE DECISION TO PROVIDE A SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR EVERYONE. AFTER OBSERVING THE LARGE CROWDS WALKING DOWN SPANISH STREET DAILY, AND IT BECAME THEIR MAIN QUARTER TO REACH DOWNTOWN DURING THE PAST TWO MONTHS, I DON'T HAVE THE DATA AND I KNOW WE LIKE TO BE DATA DRIVEN, BUT I'M SURE THE NUMBERS HAVE GREATLY INCREASED DURING THE NIGHT A LIGHT SEASON. ONE AFTERNOON, I ACTUALLY COUNTED THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WALKING BY DURING A THREE, FIVE MINUTE SEGMENT. WOULD YOU BELIEVE DURING THAT 15 MINUTES, THERE WERE 200 PEOPLE WALKING DOWN THE STREET? I WISH WE HAD COUNTED EACH DAY FROM THANKSGIVING THROUGH NEW YEAR'S WEEKEND. I'VE ALSO OBSERVED OUR NEIGHBORS OVER IN THE FLAGLER MODEL LAND EXPERIENCING GRIDLOCK ON THEIR STREETS DURING THIS RECENT NIGHT OF LIGHT SEASON. THEY'VE HAD TROUBLE GETTING IN AND OUT OF THEIR DRIVEWAYS BECAUSE EVERYONE WANTS TO COME DOWNTOWN AND THEY USE THOSE DIFFERENT STREETS TO GET DOWN THERE. ON THE POSITIVE SIDE, BUSINESSES HAVE CERTAINLY THRIVED. IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME DOWNTOWN, I'M SURE THAT YOU SAW PICTURES POSTED ONLINE OF THE ST. GEORGE STREET CROWDS. YOU HEARD FROM SCOTT YORK, A LOCAL BUSINESSMAN TONIGHT, HOW THE BUSINESSES HAVE BENEFITED, AND WE DO COMMEND THE CITY FOR KEEPING THE STREETS CLEAN. I BELIEVE PLANNING NEEDS TO BEGIN NOW BEFORE THE NEXT NIGHT OF LIGHTS. WE HAVE A VERY CREATIVE STAFF THAT CAN PLAN FOR THE FUTURE. TRAFFIC IS ONLY GOING TO GET MORE CONGESTED. [00:30:03] IF YOU JUST READ ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT ARE BEING INVITED TO COME AND VISIT US. LET'S START NOW BY WORKING WITH THE COUNTY WITH THE TDC. RESIDENTS WOULD BE HAPPY TO ASSIST, JUST LET US KNOW HOW WE CAN HELP. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. >> THANK YOU. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS BRAD BEACH, FOLLOWED BY B. J. COLADY. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS BRAD BEACH, 5 HOPE STREET, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK REGARDING THE PROPERTY CONSIDERATION ON MAY STREET, ALONG HOSPITAL CREEK. I PERSONALLY, ALONG WITH MANY OTHERS, USE THIS CREEK TO PADDLE BOARD AND KAYAK. RIGHT NOW, WE USE THE EAST SIDE OF THE CREEK ALONG THAT SERVICE ROAD. I THINK THIS PROPERTY RIGHT ACROSS THE CREEK WOULD BE A PERFECT PLACE TO DO THAT. AGAIN, I THINK IT WOULD NOT ONLY BE A COMMUNITY AMENITY, BUT I THINK IT WOULD SUPPORT THE ST. AUGUSTINE VISION PLAN AS WELL. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE LAST SPEAKER CARD I HAVE IS MISS B. J. COLADY. >> B. J. COLADY, KEY WEST CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE. MISS DUNN, PLEASE. CONSENT AGENDA 8. WHY IS ST. JOHNS COUNTY ONLY PAYING $250,000 AND CITY TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING 711,773.75? WHY DIDN'T THE CHAIR OF THE BCC SIGN THE AGREEMENT? THE MAYOR OF ST. AUGUSTINE WILL BE SIGNING THE AGREEMENT TONIGHT, AND THIS IS ABOUT THE PROJECT AT WHITNEY AND WEST KING STREET. THESE PHOTOS OF VEHICLES PARKED AT ANDERSON BY THE SPEED HUMP WERE SHOWN IN THE PAST? THEY WERE OTHERS. ON NOVEMBER 30TH, THIS IS WHAT WAS HAPPENING. VEHICLES HAVE RETURNED AND THIS IS IMPORTANT. THIS IS MY AREA WHERE I'VE LIVED FOREVER, NOT FOREVER, CLOSE. >> THE FRONT OF THE TAG WHICH THE PEOPLE CANNOT SEE SO CLEARLY STATES, "PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME CROSS THE BRIDGE." THAT SAID A LOT IN THIS CITY. THERE ARE ENOUGH TRAFFIC PROBLEMS IN THE WC CRA WITHOUT ADDING DISRESPECTFUL INDIVIDUALS. IF YOU'RE COMING INTO DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS AND YOU DON'T LIVE THERE, THE TRAFFIC IS A PROBLEM ALL OVER, NOT JUST DOWNTOWN, OR FOR CERTAIN NIGHTS. BUT I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO BRING THIS TO THE FOREFRONT BECAUSE THIS SPEED HUMP IS ONE THAT CAN BE REMOVED, NOT LIKE THE ONE THAT MR. [INAUDIBLE] HAS BEHIND HIS HOUSE. I'M SURE THAT THE PARKING ON THESE SPEED HUMPS, SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE. I'VE SPOKEN TO MR. X ABOUT THIS, AND SO FAR NOTHING CAN BE DONE. BUT TREAT EVERY COMMUNITY, WHETHER YOU LIVE THERE OR NOT AS RESPECTFUL AS YOU CAN. THAT'S WHY I'M BRINGING THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE BOARD TONIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. [5. CONSENT AGENDA] NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE CONSENT AGENDA, MR. CITY MANAGER. >> TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCES WHICH ARE TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR SECOND READING ON JANUARY 27TH. ORDINANCE 2024-34, WHICH AMENDS THE ZONING DESIGNATION OF 30.15 ACRES OF PROPERTY FROM CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE INDUSTRIAL AND WAREHOUSING, IW, TO CITY PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT, PUD, AT 404 RIBERIA STREET. WE HAVE THE REMINDER OF UPCOMING MEETINGS FOR THE JANUARY 27TH, 03:30 COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING, THE JANUARY 27TH, 05:00 PM REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING, THE FEBRUARY 10TH, 04:30 DE AVILLES AWARD PRESENTATION TO THE FORSON FAMILY, THE FEBRUARY 10TH, 05:00 PM REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING. WE HAVE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE DECEMBER 2ND SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MEETING AND THE DECEMBER 9TH REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING. WE HAVE THE NOTIFICATION FOR PROCLAMATION 2025-01, WHICH PROCLAIMS JANUARY 17TH AS ARBOR DAY IN THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, SPONSORED BY MAYOR NANCY SIKES-KLINE. [00:35:03] WE HAVE APPROVAL OF AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE AND ST. JOHNS COUNTY REGARDING MAINTENANCE OF ROADWAYS, UTILITIES, AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS ON WEST KING STREET. FINALLY, WE HAVE APPROVAL OF A COST-SHARE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND VISTA HOTEL 4 INCORPORATED TO MEMORIALIZE THE FINAL RELOCATION OF UTILITIES ON THE VACATED MISSOURI AVENUE. THAT CONCLUDES OUR CONSENT AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING. >> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS. I MOVE WE PASS THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. >> SECOND. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE. >> MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. WE HAVE NO APPEALS TONIGHT, NO GENERAL PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS WITH PUBLIC HEARING REQUIRED. [8.A.1. Ordinance 2024-01: Annexes Parcels of Land including the St. Joseph Academy Catholic High School at 155 State Road 207. (A. Skinner, Director Planning and Building)] WE DO HAVE A SECOND READING OF THREE ORDINANCES, ALL PERTAINING TO ONE PROPERTY. MS. SKINNER WILL BE MAKING THE PRESENTATION. >> YES. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS AMY SKINNER. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT. AS YOU NOTED, THESE NEXT THREE ITEMS ARE RELATED TO THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION OF THE ST. JOSEPH ACADEMY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL, WITH THE MAIN CAMPUS ADDRESS OF 155 STATE ROAD 207. THE FIRST ORDINANCE, 2024-01 IS THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION OF APPROXIMATELY 39.8 ACRES OF PROPERTY CONTIGUOUS TO THE CITY LIMITS AND CONTAINING THE PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOL, ATHLETIC FIELDS, AND SCHOOL FACILITIES. THE SECOND ORDINANCE, 2024-02 IS THE PROPOSED LAND USE CHANGE FROM ST. JOHNS COUNTY RESIDENTIAL D, TO THE CITY INSTITUTIONAL LAND USE CATEGORY. THIS CHANGE WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD ON JANUARY 2ND, 2024. THE THIRD ORDINANCE IS 2024-03, IS THE PROPOSED REZONING OF THE PROPERTY FROM ST. JOHNS COUNTY RS3 AND OR TO THE CITY OPEN LAND ZONING DISTRICT. THIS CHANGE WAS ALSO RECOMMENDED BY THE PZB. EACH OF THESE ITEMS IS A SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE ORDINANCES AND ARE RELATED TO THE SCHOOL CAMPUS. THE CITY COMMISSION PASSED THESE ORDINANCES ON FIRST READING IN FEBRUARY OF 2024. THE DELAY BETWEEN THESE HEARINGS WAS THE EFFORT TO OBTAIN CORRECT SURVEYS AND LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PROPERTIES INVOLVED. THE CITY COMMISSION NEEDS TO TAKE SEPARATE ACTIONS ON EACH OF THESE ITEMS, AND I BELIEVE A REPRESENTATIVE IS HERE FROM THE SCHOOL, BUT WE ARE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. >> EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR MS. SKINNER? NO QUESTIONS OF STAFF. WHAT WE'LL DO IS OPEN THIS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. I HAVE TWO SPEAKER CARDS. THE FIRST IS MELINDA RAKONCAY FOLLOWED BY MS. B. J. COLADY. >> MELINDA RAKONCAY, 86 MAGNOLIA AVENUE. DO I HAVE TO BE SWORN IN OR NOT? >> YES, IF YOU'RE WANTING TO COMMENT ON THE REZONING. >> I GUESS [OVERLAPPING] ANNEXATION. >> YOU DON'T HAVE TO FOR THE ANNEXATION OR EVEN THE LAND USE, BUT THE REZONING YOU DO. I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO MAKE ALL YOUR COMMENTS IN ONE SHOT OR NOT. >> WHEN I WAS GOING OVER THE AGENDA, I DID NOTICE THAT IT HAD GONE THROUGH FIRST READING, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN. MY BIG QUESTION WAS, AS A TAXPAYER, I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS THE ADVANTAGE OF THE CITY ANNEXING A BIG PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT'S NOT GOING TO PAY ANY PROPERTY TAX. IT SAID THAT THE PURPOSE WAS TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING IN THE PRESENTATION THAT TALKED ABOUT WHAT THAT PUBLIC SAFETY WOULD BE. I GUESS WILL THIS BE CONTINUED TO BE EXEMPT FROM CITY TAXES SINCE IT'S CHURCH OWNED, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A SCHOOL? I WANTED TO KNOW THAT. IF THE OWNER DOES NOT PAY TAX, SAYS, WILL THE CITY BE REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF PROVIDING BETTER PUBLIC SAFETY BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE OVER POLICE, [00:40:02] ROADS, ALL THAT STUFF? SOMEONE ONLINE HAD THE QUESTION OF IS THE CITY NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT FORMALLY BELONGED TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY? IF SO, THAT INFRASTRUCTURE AND WHAT IS ITS ESTIMATED COST? IS THE CITY READY TO PROVIDE A SAFETY OFFICER ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS FOR THE SCHOOL? I GUESS MY INITIAL THING WHEN I SAW THIS IN THE AGENDA IS NORMALLY WHEN THE CITY ANNEXES PROPERTY, THERE'S A BENEFIT TO THE CITY, USUALLY IN PROPERTY TAXES. BUT THIS IS A PRETTY BIG HUNK OF PROPERTY THAT WE'RE ANNEXING. I'M JUST CURIOUS, IT DOESN'T SEEM TO ME SINCE IT'S OWNED BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET ANY PROPERTY TAX OFF OF IT. DURING YOUR DISCUSSION, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW, AS TAXPAYER, WHAT BENEFIT, ESPECIALLY FINANCIAL BENEFIT, AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST US TO ANNEX THIS PROPERTY. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IF THOSE THINGS BE ADDRESSED DURING YOUR DISCUSSION. >> I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS IF YOU'D LIKE. >> WELL, LET'S HEAR FROM MS. KALAIDI, SHE MIGHT HAVE MORE QUESTIONS AND THEN YOU CAN FOLLOW UP. I'M SURE YOU HAVE GOOD ANSWERS. >> B. J. COLADY, WEST CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE. I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE IS THE ZONING OR THE ANNEXATION, BUT BRIEFLY, THIS IS IT, AND FOR EVERYBODY ELSE TOO. THIS 501(C)(3) ANNEXATION WILL NOT INCREASE PROPERTY TAXES IN THE CITY. THEY WILL PAY FOR FIRE, WHICH EVERYBODY DOES AND POLICE PROTECTION FOR THE SCHOOL, THAT MEANS THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE AN OFFICER THERE. THEY'VE ALREADY HAD AN OFFICER THERE, BUT IT WAS THE COUNTY DOING IT. ARE THESE PROPERTIES PAYING FOR CITY WATER AND SEWER, ARE THEY CONNECTED? I DON'T KNOW THAT. I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO DO THAT RESEARCH. WILL THEIR TRASH BE PICKED UP BY CITY STAFF? THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE I DIDN'T REALIZE THIS WAS OVER THERE AND THIS IS MY NEIGHBORHOOD. WHAT IS THE FUTURE PLAN AT 535 THOMAS STREET WITH MARSHES AND TIDAL LANDS? I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE WATER IS OVER THERE. IT'S A GATED PLACE. THIS IS IMPORTANT TO NOT ONLY FOR THIS ANNEXATION, BUT FOR OTHER PEOPLE IN THE CITY LIMITS. I DON'T THINK IT'S CLEAR AND I WISH THERE WOULD BE A STATEMENT BY THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. THE LAW IN 2020, WHICH ESTABLISHED THREE FIREWORKS HOLIDAYS DOES NOT APPLY IN THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE. WHAT THE GOVERNOR DID DOES NOT APPLY TO US. THE CITY ORDINANCE PREEMPTED THE 2020 LAW, MAKING FIREWORKS ILLEGAL IN THE CITY LIMITS OF ST. AUGUSTINE. LIVING ON NEWCOMB STREET, WHICH IS NOT THAT CLOSE TO THEIR PROPERTIES THAT ARE LISTED THERE, COLUMBUS STREET, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT WEST. WHEN YOU HAVE GAMES, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN FIREWORKS. I WILL BE KEEPING AN EYE ON THAT TOO BECAUSE WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE DOING THAT IN THE CITY SINCE THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PREEMPTED ALL OF THIS FOR THE ENTIRE CITY LIMITS, EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW IT GOES ON ALL THE TIME. IF YOU COULD ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS, I'D APPRECIATE IT. IT'S NOT JUST THIS 501(C)(3), BUT IT'S OTHERS THAT ARE ANNEXED IN. WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE TO, THEY MAY GIVE A SERVICE, BUT ALSO THEY ARE MAKING THE OTHER PEOPLE PAY FOR BEING IN OUR CITY. I THINK SOMETIMES WE NEED TO BE MORE, NOT AS LIBERAL IN THAT, BUT REALLY LOOK AT WHO IS GOING TO BENEFIT, IT ALL GOES BACK TO, WE ALL KNOW, IS MONEY. IF YOU COULD ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS AND THE ONES THAT MS. MELINDA ASKED YOU, I'D APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. I HAVE NO MORE SPEAKER CARDS. IS ANYONE ELSE HERE WISH TO SPEAK ON THE SUBJECT? HEARING NONE, PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED. MR. CITY MANAGER. >> THE FIRST QUESTION WAS, WHAT IS THE CITY'S TAX BENEFIT FROM ANNEXING THIS PROPERTY? THE ANSWER IS THERE IS NO TAX BENEFIT. THE PROPERTY IS TAX-EXEMPT NOW AND WILL REMAIN TAX-EXEMPT. IT'S A SCHOOL. CUSTOMARILY, THE CITY HAD PROVIDED POLICE SECURITY FOR THE ST. JOE'S CAMPUS. BUT IT WAS AWKWARD BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, SO WE HAD A UNIFORMED POLICE OFFICER THERE, AND THEIR CONTRACT WAS DIRECTLY WITH THAT POLICE OFFICER. BUT THERE WAS A LIABILITY ISSUE IN THAT BECAUSE [00:45:03] THE OFFICER WAS A CITY OFFICER ACTING AS SECURITY OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, WE BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS LIABILITY ON THE CITY'S END IF THE OFFICER WERE TO ARREST SOMEONE, FOR EXAMPLE. THAT WAS AN ISSUE. IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE CITY FROM THAT LIABILITY, WE CONTACTED ST. JOE'S, AND WE CONTACTED THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. WE ASKED THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IF THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WOULD BE WILLING TO PROVIDE SECURITY FOR ST. JOE'S, AND THEY SAID THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT AT THAT TIME, AND THAT ST. JOE'S WAS ALSO UNABLE TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE PRIVATE SECURITY FOR THE CAMPUS. BUT THEY WERE VERY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT MAINTAINING OUR CITY POLICE OFFICER SECURITY, THEY WERE VERY COMFORTABLE WITH OUR POLICE OFFICER SECURITY, AND THEY WANTED TO MAINTAIN THAT. THE ONLY WAY FOR US TO DO THAT WAS TO ANNEX THEM INTO THE CITY. THEY ARE ALREADY ON CITY UTILITIES, SO THERE'S NO CHANGE TO THEIR UTILITIES. THE CITY IS NOT TAKING OVER ANY COUNTY UTILITIES, THEY'RE ALREADY ON CITY UTILITIES. THAT WAS THE BASIS FOR THE ANNEXATION. IT WAS NOT BECAUSE WE WERE TRYING TO MAKE MONEY OFF OF AD VALOREM TAXES, IT WAS TO PROTECT THE CAMPUS USING OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. IN THE SAME MANNER THAT WE PROTECT OTHER PUBLIC SCHOOLS LIKE R. B. HUNT WITH CITY POLICE OFFICERS, WE ALSO HAVE CITY POLICE OFFICERS AT FLAGLER COLLEGE. IT'S A SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE TO OUR COMMUNITY. THEY PAY FOR IT. WE WILL ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH ST. JOE'S, WHERE THEY WILL NOW PAY IN A MANNER THAT DOES NOT INCREASE THE CITY'S LIABILITY BECAUSE THEY WILL BE INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS. I HOPE THAT ANSWERS MOST OF THE QUESTION. SOME OF THE MS. KALAIDI'S QUESTIONS ABOUT THOMAS STREET. I DON'T KNOW WHAT 535 THOMAS STREET IS. I'M AFRAID, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS. HER QUESTIONS ABOUT FIREWORKS ESCAPED ME. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THEY HAD TO DO WITH THE ANNEXATION. >> MAYBE I CAN ANSWER THAT ONE. TO ANSWER MS. KALAIDI, I THINK SHE ASKS THIS QUESTION PROBABLY ONCE A YEAR OR ONCE EVERY OTHER YEAR, AND I'VE ANSWERED THE QUESTION JUST ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME. THAT IS CORRECT. WHAT SHE STATED IS STATE STATUTE ALLOWED A FIREWORKS HOLIDAY WHERE PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED, BY STATE LAW, TO SHOOT FIREWORKS, BUT IT DOES NOT PREEMPT LOCAL GOVERNMENT FROM HAVING PROHIBITIONS ON THAT AND THE CITY DOES HAVE A PROHIBITION ON FIREWORKS. THAT IS CORRECT. >> THANK YOU. MR. CITY MANAGER FINISHED. COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND FOLLOW UP WITH STAFF. >> I JUST WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT WE DID HAVE A FIRST READING OF THIS BACK IN FEBRUARY OF LAST YEAR, SO THIS IS NOT ALL BRAND NEW. >> I WOULD YOU BE HAPPY TO START OFF THIS, OR ANYONE? THESE ARE GOOD REASONS. I FIND THEM VERY ACCEPTABLE TO THE ANNEXATION. I'M VERY FAVORABLE TO THE ANNEXATION. THEY ARE NEIGHBORS, AND WE EMBRACE THEM, AND WE, OF COURSE, WANT EVERYTHING WE CAN POSSIBLY DO TO MAKE OUR SCHOOLS AS SAFE AS WE CAN. I'M SURE COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD AGREE WITH ME ON THAT ONE AND FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THAT. WE WILL BE GETTING THE FIRE FEE. THE REASON THAT WE HAVE A FIRE FEE IS IT SO THAT WE CAN CAPTURE THOSE, FOR EXAMPLE, FLAGLER COLLEGE DOES NOT PAY THE AD VALOREM TAXES. WE ARE ABLE TO CAPTURE SOME INCOME THERE THROUGH THE FIRE FEE. WE WILL BE RECEIVING INCOME, AND I THINK THAT IT'S PROBABLY MORE THAN ADEQUATE ENOUGH TO OFFSET ANY ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT WE HAVE WITH THE ANNEXATION OF THE PROPERTY. THAT'S MY POSITION. WOULD YOU LIKE TO [OVERLAPPING]? >> I'LL COMMENT. I KNOW IT'S A FAR-FETCHED IDEA, BUT I HAD THIS IN MY HEAD. BRINGING IN THAT MANY ACRES INTO THE CITY AND THE SCHOOL DECIDING TO MOVE, WHICH IT DID A FEW YEARS AGO OUT THERE LEAVES THAT PROPERTY IN THE CITY. IT VERY WELL, DOWN THE ROAD COULD TURN INTO A TAXED USE. THE IDEA OF HAVING US HAVE SOME CONTROL OVER A LOCAL SCHOOL WITH SECURITY IS REALLY KEY. PLUS, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THEY DON'T USE THAT OFFICER 100% OF THE TIME, AND SO WE RECEIVE A LITTLE BIT OF A BENEFIT WITH AN EXTRA DUTY PERSON WHEN WE NEED ONE. [00:50:06] IT DOES BENEFIT US A LITTLE BIT BY HAVING THOSE OFFICERS PAID BY THE SCHOOLS. I KNOW THAT'S TRUE WITH FLAGLER COLLEGE AS WELL. I'M IN FAVOR OF THIS ANNEXATION. >> ANYONE ELSE WISH TO MAKE A STATEMENT? >> WELL, I'LL TALKED MORE TO THE LAND CODE IS THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE PROPERTY. I WAS ON THE PLANNING BOARD WHEN WE REZONED IT, AND THEN IT WENT TO YOU GUYS AND I GUESS IT'S BEEN SITTING THERE FOR A WHILE, SO I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE IT. I'LL JUST SPEAK MORE TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE. I'M IN FAVOR OF THIS, OBVIOUSLY. I WENT FROM COUNTY RESIDENTIAL TO COUNTY INSTITUTIONAL. I THINK THE PLANNING BOARD MADE THE RIGHT DECISION IN PICKING THAT CATEGORY IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE FOR IT. THEN IT WENT TO AN OPEN LAND DESIGNATION, WHICH IN MANY CASES IS GOOD BECAUSE IT'S A 20% LOT COVERAGE. SPEAKING TO YOUR IDEA WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE DEVELOPED OR NOT, SOMETIMES IT'S A TRADE OFF. WE WON'T BE GETTING A GAIN IN PROPERTY TAXES, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE WON'T HAVE PEOPLE HERE SAYING THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A MASSIVE DEVELOPMENT DOWN THE STREET FROM THEM. THAT'S A TRADE OFF, AND FOR THAT REASON, I THINK THE PLANNING BOARD DID ITS JOB. I AGREE WITH THE ANNEXATION AS I DID ON THE PLANNING BOARD BECAUSE LIKE THE MAYOR SAID, I THINK THIS SCHOOL IS A MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY IN ITS OWN RIGHT AND FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY REASON I'M BACK. >> I THINK MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AND MAYOR HAVE SAID EXACTLY HOW I FEEL AND MORE, AND I SUPPORT WHAT THEY'VE SAID. >> WONDERFUL. WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL GO ITEM BY ITEM ORDINANCE BY ORDINANCE INDIVIDUALLY. STARTING WITH THE ANNEXATION ORDINANCE 2024-01, DO I HEAR A MOTION? >> SO MOVED. I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE ORDINANCE 2024-01, READ BY TITLE ONLY. >> DO WE A SECOND? >> I'LL SECOND THEN. >> SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL. >> I GOT TO READ IT. >> OH, THAT'S RIGHT. YOU HAVE TO READ. >> ORDINANCE NUMBER 2024-01 AND ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, ANNEXING APPROXIMATELY 39.8 ACRES OF PROPERTY, NOW LOCATED IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY, FLORIDA, LYING WEST OF THE CITY LIMITS OF ST. AUGUSTINE NORTH OF STATE ROAD 207 AND SOUTH OF COLUMBUS STREET, AS DESCRIBED HEREIN, REDEFINING THE BOUNDARY LINES OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE TO INCLUDE SAID PROPERTY, AMENDING SECTION 1.04 OF THE CHARTER LAWS OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. PROVIDING FOR FILING OF A COPY HERE WITH THE CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY, FLORIDA, WITH THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER OF ST. 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. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> JIM SPRINGFIELD? >> YES. >> JON DEPRETER? >> YES. >> BARBARA BLONDER? >> YES. >> NANCY SIKES-KLINE? >> YES. THANK YOU. NOW WE MOVE TO ORDINANCE 2024-02. [8.A.2. Ordinance 2024-02: Amends the Future Land Use Designation of 39.8 acres of Annexed Property at 155 State Road 207 from St. Johns County Residential-D to City Institutional. (A. Skinner, Director Planning and Building)] ANYONE CARE TO MAKE A MOTION? >> I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE PASS ORDINANCE 2024-02, AND I GUESS THE NOMENCLATURE IS AS. >> READ BY TITLE ONLY. >> AS READ BY TITLE ONLY. THANK YOU. >> I'LL SECOND THAT. >> ORDINANCE NUMBER 2024-02, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP FROM DESIGNATION OF APPROXIMATELY 39.8 ACRES OF PROPERTY LOCATED NORTH OF STATE ROAD TWO OH SEVEN AND SOUTH OF COLUMBUS STREET, AS PORTIONS OF THE QUARTERS GRANT IN THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED HEREAFTER, FROM ITS CURRENT DESIGNATION OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY RESIDENTIAL D TO CITY DESIGNATION OF INSTITUTIONAL, PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES, PROVIDING FOR SEVERANCE OF INVALID PROVISIONS, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. >> MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> JON DEPRETER? >> YES. >> BARBARA BLONDER? >> YES. >> JIM SPRINGFIELD? >> YES. >> NANCY SIKES-KLINE? >> YES. MOVING ON TO ORDINANCE 2024-03. [8.A.3. Ordinance 2024-03: Amends the Zoning Designation of 39.8 acres of Annexed Property at 155 State Road 207 from St. Johns County Residential single familythree (RS- 3) and Open Rural (OR) to City Open Land (OL). (A. Skinner, Director Planning and Building)] >>I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO PASS ORDINANCE 2024-03. >> READ BY TITLE ONLY. >> READ BY TITLE ONLY. THANK YOU. >> SECOND. >> ORDINANCE NUMBER 2020 4-03, AND ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, REZONING APPROXIMATELY 39.8 ACRES OF PROPERTY LOCATED NORTH OF STATE ROAD 207 AND SOUTH OF COLUMBUS STREET, [00:55:02] AS A PORTION OF THE HUERTAS GRANT IN THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED HEREAFTER FROM ITS CURRENT CLASSIFICATIONS OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY RS3 AND ST. 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. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> JON DEPRETER? >> YES. >> JIM SPRINGFIELD? >> YES. >> BARBARA BLONDER? >> YES. >> NANCY SIKES-KLINE? >> YES. WONDERFUL. MOVING ON TO ORDINANCES FIRST READING, [9.A.1. Ordinance 2025-01: Requires a supermajority vote of the City Commission for PUD rezonings or amendments. (I. Lopez, City Attorney)] WE HAVE ONE TONIGHT, AND THAT IS ORDINANCE 2025-01, AND THAT IS REGARDING A SUPERMAJORITY VOTE OF THE CITY COMMISSION FOR PUD REZONING OR AMENDMENTS, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY. >> YES, MADAM MAYOR, MADAM VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, AS WAS REQUESTED AT ITS DECEMBER 9, 2024 MEETING. THE CITY COMMISSION WANTED TO INQUIRE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU WOULD WANT TO MOVE FROM A SIMPLE MAJORITY, WHICH IS THE CASE NOW IN ORDER TO ADOPT A PUD ORDINANCE AND MOVE TO A SUPER MAJORITY, WHICH WOULD BE ROUGHLY SPEAKING A SIMPLE MAJORITY +1. THAT NORMALLY, IF THERE'S FIVE OF YOU HERE, WOULD BE ESSENTIALLY YOUR THREE VOTES WOULD BE A MAJORITY +1, YOU WOULD NEED A FOURTH VOTE. IT GETS THE ONLY TIME IT GETS A LITTLE SQUARELY, AND I PUT THAT IN THE WHEREAS CLAUSES, BUT I WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE AS YOU'RE DISCUSSING WHETHER TO MOVE FORWARD OR NOT IS A SCENARIO, FOR INSTANCE, IF TWO COMMISSIONERS WERE ABSENT OR ONE COMMISSIONER IS ABSENT, AND ONE COMMISSIONER HAS TO RECUSE HIMSELF ON THAT PARTICULAR PUD. YOU'D BE DOWN TO A BARE MAJORITY OF THREE, SO YOU'D STILL HAVE A QUORUM, YOU COULD MOVE FORWARD. THE SIMPLE MAJORITY WOULD BE A VOTE OF TWO OUT OF THE THREE. BUT WITH THE SUPERMAJORITY, YOU WOULD WIND UP HAVING TO HAVE A UNANIMOUS VOTE OF ALL THREE, BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS MAJORITY +1. I JUST WANTED TO PLAY THAT OUT OR GAME THAT OUT FOR YOU. YOU WOULD HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THIS COULD PLAY OUT IN REAL LIFE SCENARIOS. OTHER THAN THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO MADAM MAYOR FOR DISCUSSION. >> THANK YOU. ALSO, I WANT TO ADD THAT THIS WOULD NOT AFFECT ANY CURRENT PUDS THAT ARE IN THE PIPELINE. >> THAT'S CORRECT. >> PUD APPLICATIONS OR AMENDMENTS THAT ARE IN THE PIPELINES. >> CORRECT. >> WHOEVER IS ENGAGED NOW WOULD NOT HAVE THIS AFFECT THEM. I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS IS A FIRST READING. I APPRECIATE SOME OF THE SUPPORT THAT WE'VE GOTTEN ALREADY FOR IT. I BELIEVE, AS I SAID, WHEN WE FIRST BROUGHT IT UP THAT WOULD GIVE US MORE LEVERAGE. IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. AS WE KNOW, PUDS ARE VERY COMPLEX CREATURES, AND THEY ARE CONTRACTUAL ZONING, AND THERE'S A LOT OF DETAILS IN MOVING PARTS, AND THE MORE LEVERAGE THAT WE HAVE TO SEE WHAT WE SEE FIT IN A PUD IS IMPORTANT TO ME. THAT SAID, I THINK THAT PUDS CAN BE GREAT TOOLS. IT CAN ALSO BE TERRIBLE. FOR US. I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF TIPPING THE BALANCE OVER TO GIVING OUR BOARD MORE CONTROL AND MORE POWER SPECIFICALLY WITH THE PUD INSTRUMENTS. I THINK IT CAN ALSO, AS I SAID AT THE FIRST MEETING, PROTECT US FROM OVERCOMERCIALIZATION, OR INTENSIFICATION OF LAND USES, WHICH IS A LOT OF TIME WE KNOW WHAT OUR CONFLICTS, A LOT OF OUR CONFLICTS ARE ABOUT LAND USE AND PROTECT OUR CHARACTER. THIS WOULD GIVE US BETTER TOOLS TO DO THAT. WITH THAT SAID, I'M CERTAINLY OPEN TO HEARING WHAT YOU'LL HAVE TO SAY. ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY? >> THERE WE GO. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR STAFF. AT THE LAST MEETING THAT WE HAD AND WE DISCUSSED THIS, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, AND THEN WE TALKED ABOUT SOME CLARIFICATIONS TO THE PUD PROCESS IN AND OF ITSELF, REGARDLESS OF THE SUPERMAJORITY VOTE. I WOULD HAVE TO ASK IF THIS RESOLUTION MOVES FORWARD, IS THAT PART OF THE DISCUSSION OR IS THAT A SEPARATE DISCUSSION BECAUSE I HAVE SOME IDEAS I'VE TALKED TO MS. SKINNER ABOUT. [01:00:04] I NEED TO KNOW WHERE THIS IS AT NOW. >> IF THIS IS PASSED AT FIRST READING, THEN THIS ORDINANCE WILL GO BEFORE OUR PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD, WHICH ANOTHER ONE AGENCY FOR THEIR REVIEW, AND THEY WILL ALSO REVIEW ALL THOSE OTHER ASPECTS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT AT THE LAST MEETING, SUCH AS THE COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS THAT YOU WANTED, MORE CLEAR PUBLIC BENEFIT THAT YOU WANTED SIMPLIFICATION OR SUMMARY OF THE APPLICATION ITSELF. THERE WERE MAYBE FOUR THINGS THAT WERE TALKED ABOUT. THOSE WILL BE REVIEWED BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD AS WELL. THOSE DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO BE CODIFIED IN THE ORDINANCE. BUT THEY WILL MAKE THEY WILL REVIEW THOSE, I'LL CALL THEM POLICY OR ADMINISTRATIVE ADDITIONS TO THE PROCESS. AS WELL AS THE SUPERMAJORITY ORDINANCE, BECAUSE THAT IS TECHNICALLY A LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE CHANGE. IT'S CONTAINED IN CHAPTER 28 OF OUR CODE, WHICH IS A ZONING CHAPTER. THEN IT'LL COME BACK TO YOU FOR SECOND READING. >> THE ANSWERS A LOT OF MY QUESTIONS WHERE THIS ACTUALLY STANDS, IN GETTING USED TO THIS NEW PROCESS HERE. I THINK AT THE PLAN WE HAVE MORE DIRECT CONVERSATION IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. SOME OF THE THINGS I HAD TALKED TO MS. SKINNER, JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS IS I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT DOING THIS. I THINK MAYBE PART OF THAT JUST BECAUSE I'M MAYBE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS, BUT I KNOW YOU ARE TOO BECAUSE YOU STILL SEE THESE THINGS. FOR ME, A LOT OF IT MIGHT BE SOME OF THIS CONCERN MIGHT BE CLARIFIED BY JUST SOME OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT. I REMEMBER THE LAST MEETING, COMMISSIONER BLONDER TALKED ABOUT SHE LIKED HAVING THE TWO USE TABLES NEXT TO EACH OTHER. I THINK WE COULD DO THAT WITH PUBLIC BENEFITS, BOTH PHYSICAL. FOR AN EXAMPLE, I CAN'T REALLY TALK ABOUT A CURRENT PUD, BUT SAY A HYPOTHETICAL PUD IS OFFERING. I TOTAL FIXING UP OF A GREEN SPACE OR SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULDN'T GET FROM STANDARD ZONING. ALONG WITH THE DIFFERENT USES THAT YOU WOULD HAVE, YOU WOULD ALSO HAVE A COMPARATIVE TABLE OF PHYSICAL PUBLIC BENEFITS THAT ARE COMING FROM THE PUD AS OPPOSED TO THE STANDARD ZONING AND THE SAME THING WITH ANY MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS THAT MAY BE COMING IN. IT WOULD BE EASY WHEN THE PLANNING BOARD WAS THINKING ABOUT IT, I THINK IT'D BE GOOD FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO SEE IT. THEN AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SUPERMAJORITY, ALL PUDS ARE NOT MADE EQUAL. SOME OF THEM DON'T REQUIRE ANY REZONING OR ANY LAND USE CHANGE. THAT'S A LOWER THRESHOLD PUD. THERE'S ANOTHER LEVEL THAT WOULD BE A MORE INTENSE CHANGE TO OUR CURRENT CODE, AND THAT WOULD BE JUST A REZONING. WE HAVE THAT HERE. THIS ONE'S OVER WITH. THERE'S A POT BELLY BUILDING, WAS, FOR EXAMPLE, JUST A REZONING. THEN THE PUD THAT WOULD BE THE MOST DISRUPTIVE TO OUR CURRENT CODE IN OUR GENERAL PLANNING DIRECTION WOULD BE ONE THAT HAS A REZONING AND A LAND USE CHANGE. I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THIS IN THIS CONTEXT OF TEARING THESE THINGS IN TERMS OF IMPORTANCE THAT MAYBE THE SUPERMAJORITY IF IT GOES FORWARD WOULD MAYBE TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT. I WAS GOING TO SAY THE COMMISSIONER COMMENTS, BUT NOW I GO THE OTHER WAY. HERE'S MY THOUGHTS ABOUT THE SUPERMAJORITY ITSELF, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE TOPIC IS FOR PUDS. I'M NOT REALLY A FAN OF THEM WHEN IT COMES TO SMALL GROUPS LIKE THIS, LIKE 4-5 OR 5 MEMBERS. I'LL SAY TO TRY TO DO IT JUST LIKE IN PROPORTION. THERE'S FIVE OF US ON HERE, AND WE ALL HAVE A 20% STAKE IN THIS THING. IF GOING TO GAME THIS THING OUT A LITTLE BIT, JUST THROW IT OUT THERE FOR CONVERSATION. GENERALLY, TO GET TO A MAJORITY, YOU HAVE A 60% MAJORITY PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO AGREE ON IT, AND THAT'S A SIMPLE MAJORITY. THE INTRODUCTION OF THE SUPERMAJORITY MEANS THAT YOU REALLY HAVE TO GET TO 80% CONSENSUS. MY PROBLEM WITH THAT IS I'M GAMING THIS THING OUT BECAUSE THIS IS, FIRST OF ALL, MY OTHER QUESTION IS, HAVE WE EVER DONE THIS IN THIS TOWN BEFORE SUPERMAJORITY ON ANY ISSUE AT ALL? >> NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF. NO. >> THIS IS A PRECEDENT SETTING THING, AND I THINK IT JUST NEEDS SOME GAMING. IF I GO TO FOUR PEOPLE THAT NEED IT, YOU NEED FOUR PEOPLE TO GET TO THE 80%. I THINK THERE'S A FEELING THAT THE FOURTH PERSON IS GOING TO ADD ON TO WHAT THE THREE PEOPLE ARE SAYING FROM THE WAY I'M HEARING THIS SPOKEN. [01:05:02] BUT YOU COULD HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S JUST ADAMANTLY AGAINST IT, AND TO GET THEIR FOURTH VOTE, THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE VOTED FOR 60% WILL HAVE TO MAYBE BACK OFF ON WHAT THEY WANTED. BECAUSE THEY COULD, ANOTHER PERSON COULD GAME THIS, AND THEY COULD SAY, WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU YOUR FOURTH VOTE UNLESS THE 60% MAKE SOME QUALIFICATIONS THAT I WANT. YOU'RE WORKING BACKWARDS FROM THE 60% FROM A GAMING STANDPOINT. THAT'S MY GENERAL IDEA ABOUT THE SUPERMAJORITY IS ITSELF. I THINK IT WORKS PROBABLY BETTER IN A LARGER SCALE BECAUSE IF YOU GO TO A SEVEN BOARD MEMBER, YOU NEED 71%. IF YOU GO TO A NINE BOARD MEMBER, YOU GET A 66. I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY WHY MOST SUPERMAJORITY VOTES ARE WITH A LARGER NUMBER THAN FIVE, SO SPECIFICALLY TO THE PUD. IF THIS DOES GO TO A SECOND HEARING AND MY COMMISSIONERS RESPECTFULLY DECIDE TO VOTE FOR THAT, I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED TO HAVE THESE CONCERNS ANSWERED BEFORE I COULD PROBABLY SUPPORT IT. I WOULD NEED A RATIONALE WITH SOME EVIDENCE OF WHY WE'RE DOING SOME FINDING OF FACTS, LIKE WHAT IS IT THAT WE'RE DOING IS FIT IS IT TO PROTECT RESIDENTIAL QUALITY. AS WE MENTIONED, PUDS CAN ACTUALLY HELP RESIDENTIAL QUALITY. I THINK IF WE'RE DOING SOMETHING UNPRECEDENTED AND WE'RE PUTTING IT OUT IN THE SECOND HEARING AND WE'RE GETTING PUBLIC COMMENT, I THINK WE OWE IT TO THE PUBLIC TO ACTUALLY HAVE A CLEAR RATIONALE WHY WE'RE DOING IT, AND HAVING THAT SUPPORTED WITH SOME EVIDENCE OR FACTS. ALSO NEED TO HAVE A RATIONALE EXPLAINING WHY THIS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING ELSE WE'VE EVER DONE IN THE CITY BECAUSE THIS IS AN UNPRECEDENTED MOVE WHEN IT COMES TO THE SUPERMAJORITY. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME EXPLANATION FOR THAT. I THINK GAMING IT OUT A BIT, BEING THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE HERE IS THAT IF THIS DOES PASS, VERY LIKELY THAT MORE APPLICANTS WILL NOT CHOOSE A PUD PROCESS BECAUSE THE BAR IS GOING TO BE HIGH OR AT LEAST AT FIRST BLUSH. I'M A LITTLE AFRAID THAT THEY'RE GOING TO ABANDON THAT, AND THEY'RE JUST GOING TO USE OTHER ZONING TECHNIQUES LIKE REZONING OR VARIANCES. >> THE THING WITH THE REZONING AND VARIANCES IS, THERE'S LESS NEGOTIATION IN THOSE, AND THEY SET PRECEDENT. IF I MADE A VOTE ON THIS POT BILLY'S APPLICATION OVER HERE, CALL IT TO POT BILLY'S A STORE OVER THERE. THAT WAS GOING TO BE A REZONING. FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK DOG ROSE BREWERY CL2, THIS WANTED TO GO TO CL2. I WAS HESITANT TO DO IT BECAUSE THAT CREATES A PRECEDENT ON BOTH ENDS OF THAT, AND I THINK MY OTHER PLANNING BOARD MEMBERS WERE HESITANT. THEN THAT MEANS THAT SOMEBODY ELSE COMES IN. THERE'S SOME PARKING LOTS THERE, THEY COME IN AND SAY, IT'S ON EITHER SIDE, A PUD DOES NOT SET THAT PRECEDENT. I WOULD NEED TO KNOW HOW THAT IS GOING TO PLAY OUT SOMEHOW OR AT LEAST HAVE THAT DISCUSSION. THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THE CHANGES TO IT. THEN I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE DISCUSSION FROM THE PLANNING BOARD BECAUSE THESE ARE THE GUYS THAT, WELL, THEY ALL DO, GUYS, GIRLS, WE DO IT TOO, BUT A LOT OF THE HEAVY LIFTING IS DONE AT THAT LEVEL AND WITH STAFF. THOSE ARE ALL THE CONDITIONS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AND I'M JUST BEING HONEST THAT THOSE THINGS WOULD HAVE TO BE ANSWERED FOR ME TO APPROVE THIS. I'M TRYING TO BE AS STRUCTURED WITH MY CONCERNS AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COMMISSIONERS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? >> I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR COMMENTS. I JUST THINK PUDS ARE CRITICAL. I THINK ALL OF REZONINGS ARE CRITICAL. BUT IN THIS INCIDENT, I THINK THAT PUDS CAN MAKE SOME OF THE BIGGEST IMPACT WHEN THEY TAKE A PIECE OF PROPERTY AND CHANGE. OF COURSE, I AGREE THAT THE NEGOTIATIONS IS CRITICAL. BUT MOST TIMES ANYBODY APPLYING FOR A PUD IS LOOKING TO DO SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. THAT'S WHY THEY NEED THE PUD. ON THE ONSET RIGHT NOW FOR PASSING IT THE FIRST TIME AND THEN HEARING THE ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS, I AM IN FAVOR OF PASSING THIS THROUGH ON THE FIRST READING AND GETTING THOSE ANSWERS FROM THE QUALIFIED SOURCES AND HEARING FROM THE PCB. >> I RESPECT YOUR COMMENTS. I THINK YOU HAVE SOME GOOD POINTS AND I AGREE WITH [01:10:04] COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD THAT THESE POINTS CAN BE ADDRESSED AFTER WE PASSED THIS AT FIRST READING. I HAVE BEEN REALLY FRUSTRATED WITH HAVING TO DEAL WITH PUDS THAT WERE PASSED LONG BEFORE I CAME ON THIS BOARD. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN LINCOLNVILLE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHO LIVE THERE WHO ARE DEEPLY IMPACTED BY THE PASSING OF THOSE PUDS. THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY AND WILL CONTINUE TO CHANGE DRAMATICALLY FOR THE WORST. AS A RESULT OF THAT, A PUD GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY WEIGH THE PUBLIC BENEFIT, AS WE AND TO PUSH TOWARD THE GREATEST POSSIBLE PUBLIC BENEFIT. WHAT? CITY MANAGER, WE'RE OVER 90% BUILT OUT? >> YES, MA'AM. SOMETHING LIKE THAT. >> THE ZONING THAT WE HAVE IN MANY CASES, ON THE BOOKS, AND THE LAND USE THE LAND USE CODES PROTECT US FROM OVERDEVELOPMENT AND HIGHER INTENSITY WHERE IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE. I WAS THRILLED TO SEE THE MAYOR COME UP WITH THIS IDEA AND ADVOCATE FOR IT. I THINK IT'S A GREAT MOVE AND THE RIGHT MOVE IN THE RIGHT TIME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I AM CERTAINLY GOING TO PASS IT AT FIRST READING AND I SUPPORT IT. >> THANK YOU. WITH THAT SAID, THANK YOU, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND VERY GOOD COMMENTS AND FROM SO MANY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES. I THINK THAT I PROBABLY I MIGHT HAVE MENTIONED THIS. I'M JUST JUMPING ON WHAT YOU SAID. NOTHING IN MY EXPERIENCE HAS CHANGED THE FACE OF THIS CITY MORE THAN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PUDS BECAUSE IT WASN'T UNTIL MAYOR GEORGE GARDNER'S COMMISSION THAT PUDS WERE ALLOWED TO BE USED FOR ANYTHING UNDER TEN ACRES. AM I RIGHT? IT WAS 10 ACRES? I BELIEVE IT WAS A 10 ACRE. >> OH GOSH, I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. >> AS I RECALL. THEY WERE REALLY THE PUD ORDINANCE WAS REALLY ONLY WRITTEN TO USE FOR RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISIONS. >> IT DID COME INTO FASHION IN ITS OWN RIGHT AND WE SAW A SURGE OF PUD REZONINGS IN THE EARLY 2000S, YES, MA'AM. >> THAT'S RIGHT. LIKE YOU SAID, WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THESE PUDS EVER SINCE, AND SO I'M NOT OPPOSED TO PUDS BECAUSE I CAN THINK THEY CAN BE WONDERFUL AND THEY CAN BE TERRIBLE. BUT I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT ON THE RECORD TOO. AS FAR AS PRECEDENT SENSING, AND I AGREE, WE CAN HAVE A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS, BUT THIS IS WE ARE THE PRECEDENT SETTING BOARD. THAT IS WHAT WE DO. THAT IS OUR JOB. WE ARE HERE TO SET PRECEDENT AND DO THINGS THAT HAVE NEVER DONE BEFORE AND GOES FORWARD BOLDLY. I MIGHT JUST ADD THAT EXCLAMATION POINT, AND GO FORWARD BOLDLY. WITH GRIT. [LAUGHTER] BUT JUST, THAT'S ME TALKING. THAT'S MY PERSPECTIVE ON THINGS. WITH THAT, [OVERLAPPING]. ABSOLUTELY. >> MY IDEA WITH THE PRECEDENT IS NOT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PROVE WHY THIS IS. I KNOW WE SET PRECEDENT, BUT I THINK IT'S A HIGHER BAR. YOU'RE DOING THAT. NOT TO SAY THAT WE AREN'T THE PRECEDENT. WE AREN'T THE PRECEDENT SETTING BAR. BOARD, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO STRESS IT AS A HIGHER BAR AND NEEDS TO BE GAMED OUT TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, SO. >> WONDERFUL. WITH THAT SAID, I WILL MOVE THAT WE PASS ORDINANCE 2025-01 ON FIRST READING AND MOVE IT TO PUBLIC HEARING ON A SECOND READING. THAT'S IT. >> SECOND. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE CALL THE ROLL. >> ORDINANCE NUMBER 2025-01, AND ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AMENDING SECTION 28-2 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, PROVIDING DEFINITIONS FOR SIMPLE MAJORITY AND SUPERMAJORITY, AMENDING SECTION 28-289 OF THE CODE, PROVIDING FOR A SIMPLE MAJORITY AND SUPERMAJORITY VOTING TO ESTABLISH OR AMEND A PUD, PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. >> THANK YOU. I'LL GO BACK TO WHAT I SAID. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE MOVE ON? NO. >> I DO HAVE A QUESTION THAT IS RELATED TO IT, BUT NOT DIRECTLY. IF I COULD ASK THAT AFTER? >> ABSOLUTELY. AFTER. OH, SURE. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> NANCY SIKES-KLINE? >> YES. >> JIM SPRINGFIELD? >> YES. >> JON DEPRETER? [01:15:01] >> YES. >> BARBARA BLONDER? >> YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> YES. THE QUESTION IS, AND THIS IS ACTUALLY FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY. I DON'T REMEMBER IF THERE IS A STATE PREEMPTION FOR A COMMISSIONER TO ATTEND REMOTELY A MEETING. SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, AS COMMISSIONER GARRIS, RIGHT NOW IS ABSENT BECAUSE OF ILLNESS, IF A COMMISSIONER IS ABSENT BECAUSE OF ILLNESS OR OTHER REASON AND WOULD OTHERWISE BE ABLE TO ATTEND REMOTELY AND PARTICIPATE IN THE SUPERMAJORITY. ARE WE PREEMPTED FROM DOING THAT? >> I'D HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK, BUT OFF THE CUFF, IF SOMEONE HAS GENERALLY A MEDICAL CONDITION WHERE THEY CANNOT OFTENTIMES IT'S FOR CONTAGION. THEY CANNOT ATTEND IN PERSON. THEY CAN ATTEND IF TECHNOLOGICALLY POSSIBLE, AND WE'VE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH THAT IN THIS ROOM, BUT THEY CAN ATTEND, BUT NORMALLY THEIR VOTE CANNOT MATTER. BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT PHYSICALLY PRESENT.. FLORIDA LAW REQUIRES PHYSICAL PRESENT. >> THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING. BECAUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, SOMEBODY WHO TRAVELS A LOT OR WHATEVER FOR BUSINESS. NO CAN DO. JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, WE HAVE RESOLUTIONS, [9.B.1. Resolution 2025-01: Grants an ad valorem tax exemption for a historic property located at 121 Kings Ferry Way and provides an effective date. (J. Courtney, Historic Preservation Officer)] OUR NEXT RESOLUTION 2025-01, AND THAT IS MRS. SKINNER? >> YES. GOOD EVENING. JULIE COURTNEY, OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER, CANNOT BE HERE THIS EVENING. I AM PLEASED TO PRESENT THIS RESOLUTION TO YOU, 2025-01 AND THE ASSOCIATED HISTORIC PRESERVATION TAX EXEMPTION COVENANT FOR AN AD VALOREM TAX EXEMPTION AT 1:21 KINGS FERRY WAY. THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION AD VALOREM TAX EXEMPTION IS A FINANCIAL INCENTIVE THAT PROVIDES A 10 YEAR EXEMPTION TO THE INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES THAT WOULD RESULT FROM QUALIFIED IMPROVEMENTS TO A HISTORIC BUILDING. THIS DOES NOT EXEMPT THE OWNER FROM ALL PROPERTY TAXES, BUT ONLY THE INCREASE TO THE ADDITIONAL ASSESSED VALUE RESULTING FROM THE IMPROVEMENTS MADE WITH THE REHABILITATION PROJECT. REHABILITATION WAS COMPLETED IN 2024 ON THE FOLK VICTORIAN STYLE RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE THAT WAS CONSTRUCTED BETWEEN 1885, AND 1894 IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE LINCOLNVILLE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT AND IS RECORDED IN THE MASTER SITE FILE. THE HARB REVIEWED THE PROPOSED WORK FOR PARTS 1 AND 2 OF THE AD VALOREM APPLICATION IN THIS PAST OCTOBER AND COMPLETED THE WORK FOR PART 3 IN NOVEMBER. EXCUSE ME. WITH THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COMMISSION THAT THE TAX EXEMPTION BE GRANTED, THE HARB NOTED THAT THIS WAS PERHAPS THE BEST AD VALOREM TAX EXEMPTION APPLICATION THEY HAVE REVIEWED IN REGARD TO BOTH THE DOCUMENTATION AND THE AMAZING WORK THAT WAS COMPLETED. THE HARB COMMENDED THE OWNERS FOR RECYCLING SALVAGED HISTORIC MATERIALS FROM OTHER BUILDINGS FOR USE ON THIS HOUSE, AND FOR BEING ON THE CUTTING EDGE TO REHABILITATE THIS HOUSE SO THAT WOULD BE RESILIENT TO FLOODING AND FOUND THAT BOTH THE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR REHABILITATION MET THE SECRETARY OF STATES INTERIOR STANDARDS. IN ADDITION TO THE RESOLUTION TO FORMALLY APPROVE THE EXEMPTION ALONG WITH THE REQUIRED COVENANT, THE DOCUMENTATION IN YOUR PACKETS PROVIDES THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT WAS COMPLETED TO THE BUILDING AND PROPERTY, A COST BREAKDOWN FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS AND BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOGRAPHS. THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WILL HEAR THE APPLICATION TO CONSIDER THE AD VALOREM TAX EXEMPTION FOR THE COUNTY'S PROPERTY TAXES AT A MEETING IN FEBRUARY. THE PROPERTY OWNERS ELAINE AND KENNETH DONALD WHO DID THE WORK TO THIS HOUSE ARE HERE, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THEM FOR THEIR EFFORTS WITH THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE AND GREATLY APPRECIATED. WITH THAT, WE ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS RESOLUTION. >> COMMISSIONERS? >> WELL, THIS IS ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS WE GET TO DO TO LOWER TAXES. [LAUGHTER] I GUESS NOT LOWER, BUT HOLD ON. I'VE WATCHED THE ARNOLD'S WORK OVER THE YEARS, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT THEY DO FOR THE CITY AND RESTORING AND THEY DO INCREDIBLE WORK. I THINK THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT. I'M DEFINITELY IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THIS. >> YES. I'M IN FAVOR OF APPROVING IT. IT WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS. MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT WENT THROUGH A LONG AND LENGTHY PROCESS BY THE LOOKS OF IT, HARB APPROVED IT, SO I'M IN FAVOR OF IT. [01:20:01] >> EXCELLENT. >> THIS IS A POSTER CHILD FOR THE PROGRAM. >> YES. >> YES. >> IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE, AND IT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW OUR STAFF WILL WORK WITH APPLICANTS TO ASSIST THEM GET THROUGH THE LENGTHY PROCESS BECAUSE IT IS A LOT. IT'S JUST A LOT. I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GOOD ABOUT MR. ARNOLD AND THE WORK THAT SHE'S DONE AND HERE IN THE COMMUNITY. IT'S JUST WONDERFUL TO HAVE HER IN OUR COMMUNITY WORKING. I CAN'T IMAGINE A COMMUNITY WITHOUT HER WORK. JUST SUCH AN IMPACT THAT SHE'S MADE HERE, AND WE CERTAINLY DO APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT SHE'S DONE. I AM 100% IN FAVOR OF THIS AND SO PROUD TO SEE WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE BROUGHT US TONIGHT. WITH THAT, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE PASS RESOLUTION-2025-01. >> SECOND. >> ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> NANCY SIKES-KLINE? >> YES. >> JIM SPRINGFIELD? >> YES. >> JON DEPRETER? >> YES. >> BARBARA BLONDER? >> YES. >> WONDERFUL. CONGRATULATIONS. MOVING ON TO THE NEXT ITEM AND WE HAVE ANOTHER RESOLUTION. [9.B.2. Resolution 2025-02: Approves the purchase of Approximately 1.18 Acres of Land located on the South Side of May Street next to Hospital Creek. (R. Franklin, Assistant City Manager)] IT'S 2025-02, WHICH IS THE DISCUSSION REGARDING THE PROPERTY PURCHASE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF MAY STREET NEXT TO HOSPITAL CREEK. THAT IS 1.1 ACRES OF LAND. WE HAVE MR. FRANKLIN. [NOISE] MR. FRANKLIN. WELCOME. >> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR. COMMISSIONERS RUBEN FRANKLIN, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. BEFORE YOU IS RESOLUTION 2025-02, WHICH IS FOR THE PURCHASE OF APPROXIMATELY 1.18 ACRES OF LAND LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF MAY STREET NEXT TO HOSPITAL CREEK. THE PROPERTY OWNER HERE, MR. VAN DYKE IS IN ATTENDANT. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HIM, HE'S HAPPY TO COME TO THE PODIUM. WE DID THIS WAS PART OF THE CONSERVATION PROGRAM, ONE OF THE THREE PROPERTIES THAT WE BROUGHT TO THE COMMISSION FOR RANKINGS. THROUGH THAT DISCUSSION, WE PROPOSE TO TAKE THAT OUT OF THE CONSERVATION PROGRAM AND USE GENERAL FUNDS TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY. WE DID MOVE FORWARD WITH A PROPERTY APPRAISAL. THE APPRAISAL WAS FOR $1.4 MILLION. MR. VAN DYKE PROVIDED AN OFFER TO THE CITY MANAGER AND I FOR $1.3 MILLION FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY, AND THAT'S THE OFFER THAT'S BEFORE THE COMMISSION THIS EVENING. THE SITE IS LOCATED ON A ENTRY POINT TO THE CITY. IT WILL PROVIDE DEEP WATER ACCESS AND PRESERVE A VISTA OF THE MARSH AS WELL. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COMMISSION HAS. AGAIN, MR. VAN DYKE IS ALSO HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION THAT THE COMMISSION MAY HAVE. >> MY UNDERSTANDING IS JUST SO THAT WE CAN GET CLEAR ON THIS AND THE REASON THAT IT'S ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT IS TO RESPECT THE NUMBER 1 RANKING? NO. IT'S BECAUSE THE APPRAISAL AND THE ASKING PRICE ARE NOT THE SAME. >> WE HAVE A POLICY TO PURCHASE REAL ESTATE. THERE'S DIFFERENT TIERS IN WHICH WE CAN PURCHASE REAL ESTATE AND DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS FOR EACH TIER. IN THIS CASE, THE CONSERVATION PROGRAM WAS COMMITTED TO PURCHASING CONSERVATION LANDS ONLY AT THE APPRAISED VALUE. THIS PROPERTY WAS OFFERED TO US ABOVE THE APPRAISED VALUE. WHEN THE CITY COMMISSION CONSIDERS PURCHASING REAL ESTATE ABOVE APPRAISED VALUE, THEY HAVE TO FIND A PARAMOUNT PUBLIC PURPOSE. YOU DID THIS RECENTLY WHEN YOU PURCHASED THE PROPERTY FOR THE FIRE STATION ON THE ISLAND. WE PURCHASED PROPERTY THROUGH RESOLUTION, AND THAT'S WHY THAT'S THE VEHICLE THAT COMES TO YOU. >> TO CONSIDER, AND THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION EARLIER ABOUT THE RANKING OF THIS PROPERTY AND TWO OTHER CONSERVATION APPLICATIONS THAT CAME BEFORE YOU. THOSE OTHER TWO PROPERTIES WILL BE COMING BACK TO YOU WITH THEIR APPRAISALS AT THE NEXT MEETING, AND THEY'RE BEING OFFERED AT THE APPRAISED VALUE. BECAUSE THIS WAS BEING OFFERED AT ABOVE APPRAISED VALUE, AND THERE WAS DISAGREEMENT ABOUT THE RANKING THAT WAS DONE BY STAFF. [01:25:05] WE USED THIS STRAIGHT UP REAL ESTATE PURCHASE MECHANISM TO PRESENT THE OFFER TO YOU. >> REALLY, WE'RE IN THE POSITION NOW. I DIDN'T REALLY EXACTLY FIT THE WAY WE ENVISIONED THE PROGRAM. WE PULLED IT OUT OF THE PILE, SO TO SPEAK, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER IT INDIVIDUALLY. DOES IT RISE TO THE LEVEL? IT DID GIVE THE NUMBER 1 RANKING THAT WE WANT TO LOOK AT WITH FRESH EYES AND SAY, IS THIS REALLY WHAT IN OUR PRECEDENT SETTING HATS THAT WE'RE PUTTING ON. AT OUR DISCRETION, WE CREATED THE PROGRAM, IS THIS WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH IT? >> YOU HAVE TAKEN PROPERTIES OUT OF CONSIDERATION FROM THE CONSERVATION PROGRAM BEFORE AND PURCHASED THEM THROUGH UTILITIES FUNDS, FOR EXAMPLE ON CHRISTOPHER STREET. THIS IS NOT UNPRECEDENTED. >> NOT PRECEDENT SETTING, BUT YES. THAT'S A GOOD WORD, THANK YOU. >> MAYOR IF I CAN ADD, WE HAVE AN UNRESTRICTED RESERVE AMOUNT OF APPROXIMATELY $3 MILLION OF THE GENERAL FUND. WE WOULD BE USING THAT TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY IF YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH IT AT 1.3 MILLION, THAT WOULD LEAVE $1.7 MILLION LEFT IN THE UNRESTRICTED BALANCE FOR THE GENERAL FUND. >> A QUESTION ON THAT. MY QUESTION TO THIS CITY MANAGER WAS IF WE BUY THIS, ARE WE CONSTRAINING OURSELVES FROM BUYING THE TWO THAT MIGHT BE UP NEXT MONTH? >> NO. BUT WE WILL BE USING ALL OF OUR UNRESTRICTED RESERVES. >> WELL, WHILE I HAVE YOU HERE. I KNOW IT WAS TAUGHT. MAY I GO AHEAD? >> PLEASE. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY ONE THING. YOU SAID WE'LL BE USING ALL OF OUR UNRESTRICTED RESERVES. RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE THREE MILLION. >> THE QUESTION WAS IF YOU CONSIDER PURCHASING THE OTHER TWO PROPERTIES. >> ALL THREE BECAUSE WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE PICTURE. >> YES. >> IF WE PURCHASE ALL THREE OF THE PROPERTIES, WE WILL HAVE NO- >> IF WE PURCHASE ALL THREE OF THE PROPERTIES, WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IN UNRESTRICTED RESERVES AND WHAT WE HAVE IN THE CONSERVATION FUND CURRENTLY. WE COULD PURCHASE ALL THREE. BUT AFTER WE DID SO- >> WE WOULD HAVE A ZERO IN OUR UNRESTRICTED RESERVE. >> I'LL BRING MR. BRIDENSTINE UP HERE TO GIVE YOU THE. >> IF I MAY, IN THE CONSERVATION LANDS, THE OTHER TWO PARCELS, THEY WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR GRANT REIMBURSEMENT AS PREVIOUS PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN. IT WOULDN'T BE IMMEDIATE BACK TO THE UNRESTRICTED RESERVES, BUT WE COULD FUNNEL IT BACK IN THERE ONCE WE RECEIVE IT. >> THAT IS CORRECT. WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL ON RECEIVING 50% REIMBURSEMENTS FROM THE STATE THROUGH THEIR CONSERVATION ACT. >> I DID RUN THE NUMBERS FOR IF WE PURCHASED ALL THREE OF THE PROPERTIES. THERE'S ABOUT $600,000 IN THE CONSERVATION PROGRAM RIGHT NOW THAT WOULD COVER THE 100 ACRE MARSH PROPERTY. IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH AVERY STREET, WHICH WAS $1.8 MILLION FOR THE APPRAISED VALUE, THAT WOULD LEAVE APPROXIMATELY UNRESTRICTED FUNDS AT $520,000. >> THANK YOU FULL FUND BALANCE. THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR. >> I DID A LITTLE INVESTIGATION ON THIS. FIRST OF ALL, I DID READ THE APPRAISAL, I'M NO PROFESSIONAL APPRAISER. BUT THE APPRAISAL DID USE SALES COMPARISON APPROVAL, AND IT DID THAT BASED ON THE PRICE PER FOOT FOR THE CREEK FRONTAGE, WHICH I THINK IS WHAT METRIC WAS. THERE'S A PROPERTY ACROSS THE STREET THAT SOLD FOR 810,000, BUT IT'S SMALLER AND IT DOESN'T HAVE WATER ACCESS. WE COULD GO DOWN HERE, THE RESIDENTIAL USES ON THE APPRAISAL WERE THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE WAS A RESIDENTIAL USE. I KNOW THAT FROM BEING THE PLAN BOARD, I'LL GET TO A SECOND. I DID LOOK AT THE APPRAISAL, THAT THAT SEEMED PRETTY GOOD TO ME. I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE PROPERTY BECAUSE I DID REVIEW IT ON THE PLANNING BOARD AGAIN, A LOT OF THESE THINGS. I THINK MISS RICANS BROUGHT THAT UP. THIS PROPERTY WAS IN FRONT OF US BEFORE AND THAT DID GET TAKEN, THAT WAS DENIED. THE PART OF THE ATTRACTION TO THIS FOR ME IS THE FACT THAT IT COULD BECOME RESIDENTIAL, AND IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THAT PARTICULAR AREA. I AM SUPPORTING IT, BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE COUPLE THINGS I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT. AS AS I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THE DOT ACCESS FROM THE ROAD, WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD GET OR HOW WOULD THAT WORK, [01:30:04] WOULD THAT BE AN EXTRA COST FOR IT? >> THAT WOULD BE A DOT RIGHT OF WAY PERMIT BECAUSE IT'S THEIR RIGHT OF WAY. I BELIEVE THERE ALREADY IS A DRIVEWAY. WE WOULD APPLY TO DOT FOR ACCESS OFF OF MAY STREET. WE ALSO HAVE A CITY RIGHT OF WAY ON THE SOUTH SIDE, WHICH IS SAN CARLOS AVENUE. THE DESIGN OF THE PARK, IF YOU CHOOSE TO PURCHASE IT AND IF YOU CHOOSE TO CREATE A PUBLIC PARK THERE, THAT DESIGN WOULD OF COURSE BE CREATED AND VETTED THROUGH THE COMMUNITY AND YOU WOULD APPROVE THAT DESIGN. THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE ACCESS POINTS. >> THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY. I KNEW WHEN WE DID THE OTHER PROPERTY THAT SOME OF THE RESIDENTS ON SAN CARLOS, WE'RE A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRAFFIC. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ACCESS FROM THE DOT OFF OF MAZE. YOU MIGHT NOT USE IT AS A FUTURE PROJECT, JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S AVAILABLE. >> I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE DOT. I'M ASSUMING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE US ACCESS FROM THEIR RIGHT OF WAY, BUT THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN. >> SECOND, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IF I SHOULDN'T BE TALKING ABOUT THAT, BUT IS THIS INVOLVED IN A LAWSUIT OF ANY KIND? >>YES. THE CITY HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN A LAWSUIT WHERE WE ARE DEFENDANTS. MR. VAN DYKE IS ALSO A DEFENDANT AND SO ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS ALONG HOSPITAL CREEK, AND THAT'S BEEN A LONG RUNNING LAWSUIT AND INVOLVES AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS SUING BOTH THE CITY AND HIS NEIGHBORS, ESSENTIALLY FROM MR. VAN DYKE ON SOUTH REGARDING THE PLACEMENT OF HIS DOCK OR HIS REQUESTED DOCK ON HOSPITAL CREEK. THAT'S STILL PENDING AND YOUR ACTION TODAY WOULDN'T NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE CITY'S POSITION IN THAT CASE, IF THAT'S THE CONCERN. >> IF WE DID BUY THE LAND USE, WOULD PROBABLY STAY THE SAME, I UNDERSTANDING. >> I DON'T SEE ANY NEED TO CHANGE THE UNDERLYING LAND USE. >> OPEN LAND. GOOD. I DID GET SUPPORT, JUST FOR THE RECORD, I GOT SUPPORT E MAILS FROM ROGER AND TRACY VAN DUSEN. THEY SPOKE DAVID HOUSE, MELINDA RICANS, A COUPLE OF PEOPLE HERE TODAY. I THINK THAT THIS IS A REALLY GREAT PLACE PARTICULARLY FOR WATER ACCESS, PARTICULARLY FOR NON MOTORIZED VEHICLES, BUT THAT'S JUST MY OWN PERSONAL OPINION. AS FAR AS THE APPRAISAL VALUE, I HAVE TO. I CAN'T REALLY GO ABOVE WHAT THE APPRAISED VALUE IS PERSONALLY. I THINK THE APPRAISAL WAS GOOD, AND I WOULD HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO SOMEBODY WHY, I WOULD HAVE TO GO HIGHER AND I REALLY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT. THAT'S MY COMMENTS. >> I HAVE SEVERAL COMMENTS TOO, AND I AGREE WITH WITH COMMISSIONER D PRATER THAT I'D BE MORE WILLING TO STAMP THIS APPROVED WITH THE APPRAISAL PRICE. I'M DEFINITELY FOR BUYING THIS PROPERTY. THERE'S NO DOUBT, IT'S A GREAT PIECE OF PROPERTY FOR US TO OWN. IT DOES TAKE IT OFF THE TAX ROLLS, AND IT'S $1,000,000 PIECE OF PROPERTY. THAT'S ONE THING WE NEED TO CONSIDER. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE SERIOUSLY TALK ABOUT THE PURCHASE THAT WE TRY NOT TO DESIGNATE THE PURPOSE OF THE PROPERTY AT THIS POINT. I THINK WE NEED TO DO A LOT OF RESEARCH ON WHETHER A KAYAK LAUNCH WOULD ACTUALLY BE A GOOD THING. I'VE SPOKEN TO PEOPLE. I'VE BEEN ON THAT CREEK A LOT AND I'VE SPOKEN TO PEOPLE THAT LIVE ON THAT CREEK BECAUSE OF THIS PURCHASE, AND THEY'RE MORE WORRIED ABOUT SOMEBODY PUTTING A KAYAK IN RIGHT NEXT TO THE BRIDGE WHERE PEOPLE SWIM UNDER THE BRIDGE. IT BECOMES A HAZARD. WE'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL IN PLANNING AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE A GOOD DESIGN FOR THAT. MY DREAM WOULD BE TO BUY THIS PROPERTY AT THE APPRAISED PRICE AND FILL IT FULL OF TREES AND A NICE SIGN, AND JUST LEAVE IT LIKE IT IS WITH TREES ON IT. I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S MAJORITY FILL. IT'S BEEN FILLED FOR DECADES AND SO IT'S NOT VALUABLE PROPERTY FOR ARCHOLOGICAL REASONS. I'M IN FAVOR. I PREFER TO PAY THE APPRAISED PRICE AND I PREFER NOT TO DESIGNATE WHAT THE PURPOSE WOULD BE AT ALL IN THIS VOTE. >> I HAVE A LOGISTICAL QUESTION FOR OUR CITY ATTORNEY. I ALSO SUPPORT THE PURCHASE OF THIS PROPERTY, BUT CANNOT SUPPORT PURCHASING IT OVER APPRAISED VALUE. I READ EVERY WORD OF THE APPRAISAL. I AM NOT A APPRAISER OR A REAL ESTATE PERSON EITHER, BUT I DON'T SEE ANY FAULT FAILING IN THE APPRAISAL WHATSOEVER THAT I COULD USE TO JUSTIFY GOING OVER APPRAISED VALUE. MY QUESTION TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY IS, IF I MAKE A MOTION TO DENY THIS RESOLUTION ON THAT BASIS, [01:35:03] IS THERE SOME CONDITIONAL RECOURSE OR COULD WE ASK TO BRING IT BACK FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO CONTINUE TO NEGOTIATE AND IF IT COMES BACK AT THE APPRAISED VALUE THAT WE WOULD RECONSIDER IT. WHAT WOULD THAT PROCEDURE BE? >> WELL, MY SUGGESTION IS, I KNOW MR. VAN DYKE SOMEWHERE BEHIND ME AND HE MAY OR MAY NOT WANT TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION. BUT IF THERE'S A CONSENSUS THAT THE CITY HAS INTEREST IN THE PROPERTY, PERHAPS TABLEING THIS ITEM AND WAITING AND GIVING DIRECTION TO YOUR STAFF TO FOLLOW UP SEPARATELY AND PRIVATELY IN THE UPCOMING DAYS AND WEEKS WITH MR. VAN DYKE TO SEE IF HE'S WILLING TO DROP HIS ASKING PRICE AT ALL AGAIN. I DON'T KNOW. HE'S SOMEWHERE BEHIND ME AND HE MAY OR MAY NOT WANT TO ANSWER THAT RIGHT NOW. AS TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU NEED TO FIND FAULT WITH THE APPRAISAL, YOU DON'T. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS MADE CLEAR OR NOT, BUT WHAT MR. BURCHAM WAS TALKING ABOUT IS WE HAVE IN OUR CODE, THE ABILITY OF THE COMMISSION TO BUY PROPERTY EVEN THOUGH IT IS BEYOND WHAT IT'S APPRAISED AT. FROM A STRICTLY PROCEDURAL BASIS THERE'S NO ISSUE THERE. WHETHER OR NOT THE COMMISSION WANTS TO DO THAT OR NOT AS A WHOLE OTHER QUESTION. >> WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS, I DON'T WANT TO MOVE THIS FORWARD IF THAT MEANS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE PURCHASING THIS AT ABOVE THE APPRAISED VALUE. >> UNDERSTOOD. >> MR, WOULD YOU WANT TO INVITE HIM TO SPEAK TO US OR NO? >> NO. I DON'T THINK. >> I'M JUST ASKING A QUESTION. >> IT'S A GOOD QUESTION, CERTAINLY WORTH ASKING. BUT I PREFER NOT TO TAKE THIS OUT HERE AND LEAVE IT TO THE DISCRETION, AS I THINK YOU WOULD PROBABLY AGREE WITH THE CITY MANAGER TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS. I HEAR WHAT'S BEING SAID AT THE TABLE. I DON'T NECESSARILY FEEL AS STRONGLY AS ALL DO ABOUT THE APPRAISED VALUE, BUT I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND YOU'RE THE MAJORITY. MY POSITION IS I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT PIECE OF PROPERTY, NOT NECESSARILY AS PARK, OR I AGREE WITH YOU, MAYBE JUST MORE BENIGN IS JUST LET'S NOT JUST DETERMINE A USE FOR IT. I DO HAVE OPINIONS ABOUT WHAT IT COULD BE USED FOR, BUT I THINK THAT IT COULD BE USED FOR CREATING THAT SENSE OF ARRIVAL THAT WE TALK ABOUT. WE DON'T HAVE AN ENTRY POINT INTO THE CITY, A WELCOMING SIGN, SO TO SPEAK. I THINK IT COULD BE SOMETHING LIKE THAT THERE. I LOVE THAT THERE IS ACCESS TO THE WATER. YOU CAN USE IT AND THAT'S DEEP WATER ACCESS. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. I THINK AESTHETIC PART OF IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO TEST. I GUESS THAT SPEAKS TO THE SENSE OF ARRIVAL AND THAT SORT OF THING. I GUESS I'M MORE FEAR DRIVEN ON THIS AND THAT WHAT IT COULD BE OUTSIDE OF CITY OWNERSHIP. I THINK WE'VE SEEN WE'VE ALREADY SEEN AN APPLICATION. FOR ALL THE REASONS WE'VE ALL LISTED, IT COULD BE DEFINITELY MORE THAN WHAT WE'RE SEEING IT IN OUR MINDS. >> MADAM MAYOR, THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS REQUESTED TO SAY SOMETHING. >> WELL, COMMISSIONERS, I'M OPEN TO THAT. I'M VERY OPEN. I MEAN, IF HE WISHES TO. I DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT. BUT IF YOU VOLUNTEER, PLEASE. >> MAYOR, MADAM VICE MAYOR, AND COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU FOR A SECOND. MY NAME IS KEVIN VAN DYKE. I LIVE AT 133 ON NITA STREET. JUST A QUICK COMMENT. I PUT MY SALE'S HAT ON A LITTLE BIT. THE APPRAISAL, APPRAISED IT AS A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY. THE ZONING OF OL, ALTHOUGH IT DOES HAVE ONE LINE ON IT ABOUT RESIDENTIAL, MOST OF THE ZONING INSIDE OL IS COMMERCIAL. I DON'T BELIEVE THE APPRAISAL GAVE FULL CREDIT TO THAT PLUS ALL THE THINGS THAT THE MAYOR JUST MENTIONED IN TERMS OF THE ENTRYWAY, THE WATER FRONTAGE. LASTLY, THE VALUE POTENTIALLY OF A GOING CONCERN OF HAVING A BUSINESS THERE IS REALLY NOT PART OF THAT APPRAISAL. AS A VACANT LOT, IT'S A PRETTY VALUABLE SINGLE RESIDENCE, BUT I BELIEVE THAT WAS ONE OF THE WEAKNESSES. AS YOU I'M NOT AN APPRAISER EITHER, BUT WHEN I SAW THAT, [01:40:01] I WAS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED THAT THERE WAS NO CONSIDERATION FOR THE COMMERCIAL VALUE AND THE POTENTIAL OF THE ONGOING VALUE. IT'S TOUGH WHEN I UNDERSTAND GOING ABOVE APPRAISED VALUE, MAYBE WE'LL CREATE OTHER CHALLENGES. BUT I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT WE'VE COME TO THIS POINT. I THINK IT'D BE A GREAT ASSET FOR THE CITY. I APPRECIATE THE PEOPLE WHO STOOD UP AND SPOKE EARLIER TODAY, I THINK THEY RECOGNIZE WHAT IT COULD BE LONG TERM. I HOPE YOU FIND A WAY TO PERHAPS RECONCILE THE DIFFERENCE IN YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NOW, THAT MAKES ME HAVE A QUESTION. CAN YOU TALK TO US ABOUT THE USES? JUST RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, I'M SURE YOU HAVE IT ALL MEMORIZED. >> OPEN LAND IS A FUNNY ANIMAL BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S RESERVED FOR CONSERVATION TYPE USES, BUT IT REALLY IS A MIXED USE COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL ZONING CATEGORY. WHEN IT WAS CREATED, I THINK THE CITY AT THAT TIME WAS LOOKING AT PROPERTIES THAT THEY WOULD THINK OF IN THE FUTURE PRESERVING, AND THEY JUST LISTED WHAT WAS GOING ON AT THE TIME ON THOSE PROPERTIES. IT ALLOWS FOR RESTAURANTS, MARINAS, THOSE TYPES OF MARINA USES, OFFICES, SOME STRANGE CHURCH TYPE USES. IT ALLOWS RESIDENTIAL USE, BUT IT DOESN'T ALLOW PLATTING FOR SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES. I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY LOTS EXIST ON THIS PROPERTY, BUT YOU COULD GET ONE HOUSE ON EACH LOT. YOU WOULD HAVE TO AMEND THE LAND USE AND REZONE THE PROPERTY IF YOU WANTED TO PLAT A SUBDIVISION AND GET MORE HOUSES ON THE PROPERTY. BUT THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR DEVELOPMENT. >> I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE APPRAISER, BUT HE MAY HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT THE DEVELOPMENT OF MAY STREET AND WHAT WOULD BE THE MOST LIKELY PATTERN OF DEVELOPMENT ON MAY STREET, AND THEN THE ACCESS THAT WE TOUCHED ON EARLIER ON MAY STREET, WHICH IS CONTROLLED BY DOT AND WHAT THEY WOULD ALLOW ON THIS PROPERTY. I'M NOT SURE IF THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION OR NOT? >> I THINK IT'S HELPFUL. >> COMMENT. OH, GO AHEAD. >> I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO ASK YOU A QUESTION. WASN'T A PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT PUT IN FRONT OF THE PCB AND FAILED? >> YES. >> MAYBE COULD HE SPEAK TO THAT A BIT? IS THAT OKAY? >> YES. >> I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH I WANT TO GO INTO IT BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND REALLY LOOK AT THE NOTES. IT'S BEEN A WHILE BUT THE ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO ADD IS OPEN LAND IS 20% LOT COVERAGE. THE WAY I LOOKED AT IT WAS THE APPRAISAL WAS MADE BY THE APPRAISER AT THE BEST AND HIGHEST VALUE AS THE APPRAISER CONCERNED WAS RESIDENTIAL. I DON'T KNOW HOW RESIDENTIAL WOULD WORK WITH OPEN LAND. IF A 20%, IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT. BUT THE LAST PROPOSAL WAS A MARINA WITH ACCOMPANYING STRUCTURES THAT WENT WITH IT. AS I RECALL, MY CONCERN THERE WAS AS MUCH THE STRUCTURES THAT CAME WITH THE MARINA AS THE ACTUAL MARINA ITSELF. BECAUSE UNLESS I'M WRONG, AND DAVID, FORTUNATELY, WE HAVE A CITY MANAGERS KNOWS A LOT ABOUT PLANNING. MY CONCERN WAS IF YOU HAVE THE MARINA, THEN ACCESSORY USES COULD INCLUDE BUNGALOWS THAT GO WITH LODGING FOR THE MARINA. IT EXPANDED FROM A MARINA TO SOMETHING THAT WAS, I THINK, CONCERNED THE PLANNING BOARD MORE WITH JUST WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS YOU NOW HAVE THIS ENTRYWAY CORRIDOR AND YOU HAVE GOT MORE COMPLICATED THAN IT NEEDED TO BE AND PLANNING BOARD DENIED IT. AS I RECALL, THEY WERE NOT THERE FOR A REZONING OF ANY KIND. I THINK MR. BERTRAM'S RIGHT, THEY COULD COME IN AND REZONE AND TRY TO REZONE IT. IT WOULD BE A COST FOR THEM. BUT THEN THEY COULD PUT MORE STUFF ON IT. BUT THERE'S A COST FOR THEM TO DO THE REZONING, AND THEN THEY HAVE TO GET A PASS, BUT IF THEY DID, IT COULD PROBABLY EVEN BE DENSER. THAT'S A CONCERN. WE GOT TO GAME THIS THING OUT. >> ONE OF MY REASONS FOR TRYING TO BE CONSERVATIVE ON THIS IS TO LEAVE MONEY FOR THE OTHER TWO SITES. THOSE TWO SITES ARE REALLY VALUABLE TO ME AS FAR AS CONSERVATION AND HAVING THE MONEY TO PURCHASE THEM WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME. ALL THREE ARE VALUABLE, BUT THE OTHER TWO ARE TRUE CONSERVATION PROPERTIES THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE MONEY TO SPEND WHEN THE TIME COMES. >> WE'LL JUMP OVER HERE. I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM MAYOR, MS. BRIDENSTINE. >> JUST ONE POINT OF CLARIFICATION. [01:45:02] I DID HAVE THE CITY ARCHAEOLOGIST TAKE A LOOK AT THE SITE, AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF IT IS FILL, BUT THE WESTERN BANK HAS BEEN THERE, AND THAT IS, IN FACT, PART OF THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE KNOWN AS THE MIRAMAR VILLAGE, WHICH IS A NATIVE AMERICAN NATIVE INDIAN VILLAGE. THERE IS BELIEVED TO BE SOME RESOURCES ON THE WESTERN BANK AREA PORTION OF THE SITE. I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT. >> THAT'S A SMALL PORTION OF IT THAT WAS UNDISTURBED. >> YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE BANK OF THE WATER. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE VERY WESTERN PART OF THE PROPERTY? >> YES. IT WAS FILLED IN, IF YOU LOOK AT HISTORICAL AERIALS, THERE WAS A CREEK THAT RAN THROUGH THERE. THEY FILLED IT IN WAVE FURTHER OUT TOWARDS THE RIGHT WHERE THE EXISTING WATER BANK IS TODAY. THE BANK THAT EXISTED BEFORE WAS ABOUT A THIRD OF THE SITE HAS DATED BACK TO 2,500 YEARS, THE HUMAN ACTIVITY IN THE AREA. >> WITH THAT SAID, AND I HAVE A THOUGHT ON THAT BECAUSE WE DID PUT MONEY ASIDE FOR IMPORTANT HISTORIC AND ARCHOLOGICAL PROPERTY, AS YOU RECALL, WE DO. TO MAKE YOU FEEL A LITTLE BIT MORE COMFORTABLE ABOUT THE MONEY AND THE RESERVES. CITY MANAGER AND I DID DISCUSS THAT. I DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A NUMBER ON WHAT THAT NUMBER STANDS AT. BUT KEEP IN MIND, IT WASN'T A VERY LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY, BUT IT WAS ENOUGH TO START A FUND TO BUILD UPON. BUT GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF THIS SITE, WHICH IS YES, WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY, BUT WE DO KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THE RIVER BANK WAS IN THAT AREA WAS IN THE VILLAGE OF SULOY AND THOSE THINGS. BUT I'LL BE QUIET NOW AND I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM MISS BRIDENSTINE ABOUT THE ACTUAL DOLLARS. >> YES, MEREDITH BRIDENSTINE, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, MR. BERTRAM, AND MR. FRANKLIN WERE CORRECT WHEN THEY GAVE YOU THE ESTIMATES OF OUR GENERAL UNRESTRICTED RESERVES AMOUNTS. THE BOOKS ARE NOT CLOSED AND AUDITED FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024, BUT BASED ON FISCAL YEAR 2023'S RESERVES, AND WHAT WE USED IN '24, 1.9 MILLION, I BELIEVE WAS PULLED FROM RESERVES FOR THE LAND PURCHASE EARLIER IN THE YEAR. BASED ON WHAT WE BELIEVE WILL GO BACK INTO RESERVES FOR '24, THAT'S THE $3 MILLION ESTIMATE THAT WAS GIVEN TO YOU IN THIS DOCUMENT. THAT IS WHERE WE ARE NOW, JUST OVER 600,000 THAT WAS MENTIONED IS WHAT IS REMAINING IN THE CONSERVATION FUND. I WAS MENTIONED FOR A FUTURE PROPERTY. THEN THE FINAL PROPERTY THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED WOULD BRING RESERVES DOWN TO ABOUT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IF ALL THREE PURCHASES WERE MADE. NOW, THAT IS UNRESTRICTED RESERVES, WHICH MEANS YOU CAN USE THAT ON WHAT YOU ALL DETERMINE ALSO FOR EMERGENCIES, BUT I WILL JUST STATE THAT WE DO SET ASIDE FOUR MONTHS OF REVENUE. FOR TRUE EMERGENCY PURCHASES, WE ARE NOT GOING IN TO THAT FOR THIS. THESE ARE TRULY UNRESTRICTED RESERVES THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING. OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I BELIEVE THAT WE PUT 100,000 INTO TO START THE HISTORIC PROPERTIES AND THAT WAS COMING FROM THE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER FUND, SINCE WE DO TRANSFER MONEY FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION THERE. AGAIN, VERY SMALL AMOUNT, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE STARTED WITH VISITOR DOLLARS. I HOPE THAT HELPS THE CONVERSATION. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WITH THAT SAID, AND I KNOW THE SENTIMENTS OF THIS BOARD AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE WANT TO GO WITH THIS, BUT I DO MAKE A STAB AT IT. I DO THINK 1.3 MILLION IS A FAIR PRICE. I THINK LOOKING AT JUST WHAT I KNOW ABOUT WHAT I SEE ON WATERFRONT PROPERTY, THE LAND ITSELF, WITHOUT ANY BUILDINGS ON IT, 1.3 SEEMS VERY FAIR TO ME. I'M NOT AN APPRAISER, BUT I'M JUST SAYING OBSERVING WHAT I SEE AROUND TOWN. I DON'T HAVE THE HEARTBURN ABOUT THE APPRAISE VALUE VERSUS THE NOT, WHICH IS THAT ALL DO, BUT I RESPECT YOU FOR THAT. WITH THAT SAID, HOW WOULD YOU WISH TO PROCEED WITH THIS. WE HAVE A COUPLE OPTIONS. >> WELL, YOU COULD MAKE A MOTION, RIGHT? >> YES. >> IF NOT GET SECONDED, THAT'S A POSSIBILITY, RIGHT? >> YEAH. WE TAKE A STAB AT. OH, YOU WANT ME TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE A 100% STAB AT IT? >> I'M SAYING THAT'S ONE OPTION. >> THAT IS ONE OPTION. WELL, I'LL TAKE THAT OPTION. I'LL TAKE THAT DARE. LET'S SEE HOW THIS GOES. >> I MOVE THAT WE PASS RESOLUTION 2025-02. ANYONE READY TO MAKE? NO SECONDS. [01:50:04] THAT MOTION FAILS. NOW, WHAT SHALL WE DO? >> I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COUPLE MORE COMMENTS. I'VE SPOKEN TO THE MANAGER ABOUT THIS. WE'RE REALLY NOT IN THE PARK THE FUNCTIONING PARK BUSINESS. ONE OF MY FEARS, AND ALTHOUGH I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A KAYAK PARK LAUNCHED RIGHT THERE BECAUSE I'D LOVE TO USE IT. BUT THE BOAT RAMP IS NEARBY, AND THERE IS A SPACE ON THE OTHER SIDE ON DOT PROPERTY. BUT IF WE START ADDING FACILITIES AND USE, WE'RE GOING TO ADD A DEPARTMENT. WE DON'T HAVE A RECREATION DEPARTMENT. WE'RE GOING TO PUT A STRESS ON THE DEPARTMENT WE ALREADY HAVE SO NOT ONLY ARE WE SPENDING 1.3 MILLION, WE'RE GOING TO BE SPENDING ON MAINTENANCE AND ON PICKING UP GARBAGE AND REPAIRING PARKING LOTS AND REPAIRING DOCKS AND RUNNING PEOPLE WHO ARE SLEEPING THERE OVERNIGHT OFF. IT'S JUST GOING TO INVOLVE ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, AND THAT'S ONE OF MY CONCERNS ABOUT TRYING TO PROMISE PEOPLE WE BUILD A PARK. WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO MAKE A DEAL WITH THE COUNTY TO LET THEM BUILD AND RUN A PARK, AND THAT WOULD BE A GREAT THING FOR THE CITY. THAT'S STILL POSSIBLE IF WE DO PURCHASE THIS IN THE LONG RUN. THAT WAS ONE OF MY CONCERNS ABOUT TRYING TO NOT DESIGNATE IT AS A PARK RIGHT NOW. >> I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. I THINK THE QUESTION NOW FOR ME IS DOES IT IS A LISTING THE OPTIONS THAT COULD BE AND NOT PROMISING? I'M VERY GLAD YOU SAID THAT YOU CAN'T PROMISE STUFF THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DELIVER ON. BUT JUST NAMING SOME OF THE OPTIONS TO GIVE IT THE IMPORTANCE THAT IT NEEDS TO PURCHASE. I THINK AT THE PRICE THAT THE APPRAISAL CAME BACK WITH, I THINK WE CAN FIND WAYS TO DO IT. I THINK THE PROPER WAY IS TO PURCHASE IT BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE IT'S AN IMPORTANT PROPERTY AND THEN GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF TALKING TO NEIGHBORS AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT IT AND HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE HAVING NOW. FOR ME, THE PERTINENT QUESTION IS, DO WE BUY IT AT THE APPRAISED VALUE OR NOT? BUT THANK YOU FOR MAKING HIS COMMENTS, IMPORTANT. >> IS THERE A POSSIBILITY OF ONE OF US INTRODUCING A MOTION TO PURCHASE THIS PROPERTY AT THE APPRAISED VALUE IF THE OWNER IS SO WILLING. SURE, YOU COULD DO THAT IF YOU LIKE, OR YOU COULD IN THE ALTERNATIVE, ALSO AUTHORIZE YOUR CITY MANAGER AND CITY STAFF TO CONTINUE NEGOTIATIONS WITH MR. VAN DYKE. I DON'T KNOW IF HE ENTERTAIN SOMETHING IN BETWEEN OR HE WOULD ACCEPT AT APPRAISED VALUE IN THE FUTURE, I DON'T KNOW. >> I THINK THE BEST OPTION, IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE WHAT WE WOULD WANT TO DO IS TAKE THE ORIGINAL SUGGESTION OF CITY ATTORNEY AND TABLE THIS AND INSTRUCT THE CITY MANAGER TO GO BACK AND SEE IF HE CAN BRING US A BETTER OFFER KNOWING THAT WE PUT IT ALL ON THE TABLE AND THEN GIVE THE COMMUNITY A CHANCE ALSO TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON AND OUR REASONING AND THOUGHTS ON THE MATTER. PERHAPS THE COMMUNITY HAS SOME THOUGHTS ON HOW VALUABLE THEY THINK THE PROPERTY IS. COULD I MAKE ANOTHER COMMENT? >> YES, I WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE THE PATH FORWARD. >> COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD RAISED A REALLY CRITICAL POINT ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE AND ABOUT MAINTENANCE, AND THAT COMES DOWN TO WHAT MY FORMER CAREER WAS WAS STEWARDSHIP OF CONSERVATION LANDS. WHAT WE'RE SEEING HAPPENING IN CALIFORNIA RIGHT NOW AS AWFUL AND AS TRAGIC AS IT IS, IS PARTIALLY DUE TO INSUFFICIENT STEWARDSHIP OF PRESCRIBED FIRE OF LAND MANAGEMENT. AS WE ACQUIRE MORE PROPERTIES, WE HAVE TO CONSIDER HOW WE'RE GOING TO MANAGE THEM. WE'RE ALREADY DEVOTING A LOT OF MONEY TO REMOVING INVASIVE SPECIES. THAT IS ALL PART OF MY ARGUMENT FOR NOT WANTING TO GO ABOVE APPRAISED VALUE BECAUSE EVERY PURCHASE COMES WITH A COST. THAT'S NOT JUST THE PURCHASE COST. >> WELL HEARD. LET'S GO AHEAD. >> A MOTION TO TABLE THE RESOLUTION. >> WELL, I THINK THE RESOLUTION WASN'T SECONDED. IF YOU JUST WANT TO TABLE THE WHOLE CONCEPT, I'LL ALLOW. JUST MAKE A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO CONTINUE NEGOTIATIONS. >> I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ENGAGED THE CITY MANAGER TO CONTINUE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER TO FIND ON THE PROPERTY VALUE. >> SECOND. >> FOR PURCHASE. >> WE DID HEAR A SECOND. WE HAD A MOTION, AND WE HAD A SECOND. ANY OTHER FURTHER DISCUSSION. [01:55:02] ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE. >> MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE NEXT ITEM IS RESOLUTION 2025-03. [9.B.3. Resolution 2025-03: Requires review and consideration of the use of Floridafriendly landscaping and permeable infrastructure for city capital improvement and maintenance projects. (A. Skinner, Director Planning and Building)] THEN AFTER WE HEAR THIS, I'D LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION. WOULD YOU ALL LIKE A SHORT BREAK? I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE A SHORT BREAK AFTER THIS RESOLUTION. >> YEAH, FINE. >> IF THERE'S ANY LEFT. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS AMY SKINNER. THIS IS A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY TO ENSURE THAT DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF CITY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND MAINTENANCE PROJECTS, THAT SITE SPECIFIC APPROPRIATE FLORIDA FRIENDLY PLANTS AND NATIVE TREES, AS WELL AS PERMEABLE INFRASTRUCTURE IS REVIEWED, CONSIDERED AND MAXIMIZED WHERE WE CAN. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE CITY'S RESILIENCY EFFORTS AND ADDS TO OTHER PROGRAMS BY THE CITY TO ENCOURAGE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY DEVELOPMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS RESOLUTION, 2025-03, AND I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU. MR. BLONDER, THIS IS YOUR BRAIN CHILD. >> THANK YOU. I'M SO PLEASED THAT WE GOT TO THIS POINT. I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL. I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ON THE SECOND PAGE OF THE RESOLUTION. THIS IS ACTUALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT PART TO ME. THERE IS WHERE AS THAT SAYS PUBLIC PROJECTS CAN BECOME A SHOWCASE OF TECHNIQUES AND DESIGN THAT CAN INSPIRE PRIVATE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS TO BETTER INTEGRATE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY DEVELOPMENT. THIS IS NOT A BLACK AND WHITE. EVERYTHING MUST HAVE ONLY NATIVE LANDSCAPING AND ALL PERMEABLE PAVERS. WE'RE GOING TO MAKE OUR BEST EFFORT WITH THIS, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THESE SHOWCASE EXAMPLES SCATTERED ALL AROUND OUR COMMUNITY. PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, NATIVE LANDSCAPING IS ACTUALLY REALLY PRETTY, AND I SEE A LOT OF BUTTERFLIES AND I SEE A LOT OF BIRDS AND MAYBE I CAN DO THAT. HEY THESE AREAS WHERE THERE ARE PERMEABLE PAVERS, THERE'S FLOODING RIGHT NEXT TO THEM IN THIS PARKING LOT, THAT'S ASPHALT AND THERE'S NOT RIGHT THERE. THAT'S REALLY WHAT I WANT TO COME OUT OF THIS. >> EXCELLENT. THAT SPARKED THE IMAGINATION OF EVERYONE ELSE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR A COMMENT? >> WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST COMMENT THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT. I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT IT. IT MAY HAVE BEEN DURING THE CAMPAIGN. BUT I'VE TALKED ABOUT GOING A STEP FARTHER THAN THAT AND TRYING TO REWARD YARDS, TRYING TO REWARD EVEN AS A DESIGNATION, BUT ALSO IN SOME KIND OF REWARD FOR HOMES THAT TAKE THIS TO HEART AND REDO THEIR PAVING AND REDO THEIR LANDSCAPING. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND WE'VE DONE IT AT OUR HOME. >> I WOULD FULLY SUPPORT A RESOLUTION FROM YOU TO THAT END. >> TO CREATE AN AWARDS PROGRAM OR SOMETHING OR RECOGNITION PROGRAM? >> YEAH. >> THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. ANYTHING ELSE? >> I WANT TO COMMEND COMMISSIONER BLONDER FOR COMING UP WITH THIS. I JUST HAVE THIS KIND OF STUFF IN MY OWN YARD. I THINK IT'S A GOOD FIRST STEP FOR US. I THINK WE CAN DO MORE WHEN IT COMES TO RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND BUILDING ON PEERS AND INCENTIVES, LIKE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. THIS IS ALL GOOD STUFF. BUT FOR ME, THIS IS LIKE THE BEGINNING OF THE CONVERSATION. WE NEED TO KEEP PUSHING FORWARD. WE HAVE A LOT OF RESIDENTIAL LAND, AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE TOWN IS RESIDENTIAL AND WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING IT UP. >> I THEREFORE MOVE THAT WE PASS RESOLUTION 2025-03. >> I'LL SECOND. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE. >> MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MISS SKINNER. WE WILL TAKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK AND SEE YOU BACK AT 7:10. WE ARE BACK TO ORDER. THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS 10A, [10.A. 100th Anniversary of Sister City Relationship Presentation. (M. Wissel, Director Communications)] 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF OUR SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP PRESENTATION, AND THAT IS MISS WHISTLE. WE ARE EXCITED TO HEAR THIS PRESENTATION WRAP UP. >> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. I'M VERY EXCITED TO GIVE THIS PRESENTATION, AND I WILL MAKE A DISCLAIMER UP FRONT. IT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT LONG. [02:00:02] IT WAS A LONG AND EXCITING YEAR OF THE, YEAR OF SPAIN, I LIKE TO CALL 2024. I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THE FIRST SEVEN MONTHS OF THE YEAR AND THEN I'VE INVITED PAUL WEAVER, OUR HISTORIAN WHO PARTICIPATED IN OUR TRIP TO SPAIN IN AUGUST AND ALSO DOCUMENTED THE DELEGATION VISIT HERE IN SEPTEMBER. WITHOUT ANY FURTHER ADO, WE WILL PROCEED TO OUR 2024 YEAR IN REVIEW, CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP WITH AVILES, SPAIN. WELL, THAT WAS EXCITING. WHY IS IT NOT WORKING? WELL, START AGAIN. I KNOW YOU'RE ALL BATED BREATH. WELL, THE COMPUTER FELL ASLEEP. HERE WE GO. FEBRUARY OF 2024, STARTED WITH OUR NAO TRINIDAD, WHICH IS ONE OF THE FLEET VESSELS OF THE NAO VICTORIA FOUNDATION. THEY CAME AND VISITED AND PROVIDED TOURS THROUGH THE END OF APRIL. THEY WERE AT THE MUNICIPAL MARINA, AND WE DID OFFER A BRIEF SHORT MEDIA EVENT ON FEBRUARY 2ND. WHEN THEY ARRIVED, OUR COMMISSIONER JIM SPRINGFIELD WAS THERE. WE HAD THE HONORARY CONSUL GENERAL OF SPAIN, MS. SONIA SAN JUAN AS WELL AS MAYOR NANCY SIKES-KLINE WAS WITH US, THE CREW OF THE NAO TRINIDAD, AS WELL AS HISTORIC FLORIDA MILITIA. FURTHER IN FEBRUARY, CELEBRATING OUR MENENDEZ DAY, WHICH WE DO EVERY YEAR ON FEBRUARY 15, CELEBRATING THE BIRTH OF PEDRO MENENDEZ. WE HAD THE WREATHING CEREMONY AT CITY HALL. AGAIN, HISTORIC FLORIDA MILITIA CAME, THE WHOLE REENACTOR GROUP CAME AND WE DID OFFER COMMUNITY CUPCAKE WITH OUR 100TH ANNIVERSARY. GOING INTO MARCH, THE CORVERA PIPE BAND CAME. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS WAS THAT THIS IS AN AUTHENTIC PIPE BAND FROM ASTORIA, SPAIN, WHICH IS THE REGION WHERE AVILES IS. THEY CAME AND PERFORMED FOR US IN THE PLAZA, THEY ALSO PERFORMED THAT AFTERNOON ON THE MARINA LAWN, AND THEN THEY ALSO PERFORMED ON THE NOA TRINIDAD. I'M GOING TO PLAY FOR YOU JUST A BRIEF RENDERING OF ONE OF THEIR PERFORMANCES ON THE NOA TRINIDAD. [MUSIC] I WANT YOU TO HOLD THAT IN YOUR THOUGHT BECAUSE I'M GOING TO BRING BACK ANOTHER PERFORMANCE IN A LITTLE BIT FURTHER INTO OUR YEAR OF CELEBRATING. THEY STAYED FOR THE CELTIC FESTIVAL. THEY MARCHED IN THE PARADE AND CAME IN FIRST PLACE. I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU CAN GET MUCH MORE AUTHENTIC THAN THAT, THAN A PIPE BAND FROM ASTORIA, SPAIN. INTO APRIL. OF COURSE, WE TRAVELED TO SPAIN WITH VICE MAYOR ROXANNE HORVATH, THE CITY MANAGER, COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD WENT WITH US, AND MADI LOPEZ CAME WITH US AS OUR INTERPRETER. THE VICE MAYOR OFFERED REMARKS AT THEIR PRESS CONFERENCE. MAYOR MARIVI MONTESERIN GAVE US A TOUR OF HER OFFICE AS WELL AS THE COUNCIL QUARTERS THERE WHERE THEY MEET. THERE'S A PHOTO OF COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD, VICE MAYOR ROXANNE HORVATH AS WELL AS YOLANDA ALONZO AND THE MAYOR. YOLANDA IS OUR CULTURAL LIAISON. THEN, THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE SEEN THE YEARS AND YEARS OF PICTURES, IT'S THE REQUISITE SHOT ON THE STAIRCASE IN CITY HALL, WHICH IS REALLY QUITE FRANKLY JUST A FUN PICTURE TO BE A PART OF IN MAKING HISTORY. WE ALSO HAD A VISIT TO THE MUSEUM OF AVILES, WHERE THEY HAVE A RATHER EXTENSIVE EXHIBIT OF ST. AUGUSTINE IN THEIR MUSEUM. I'LL POINT OUT THAT YOU'LL SEE ROMAN ALVAREZ IN MANY OF OUR PICTURES. ROMAN IS THE HISTORIAN WHO LITERALLY WROTE THE BOOK ON OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH AVILES, AND HE COMES TO VISIT US LATER IN THE YEAR. I'LL SHOW YOU THAT AS WELL. BUT HE GAVE US A GUIDED TOUR OF THE MUSEUM OF AVILES. THEN WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO TOUR THE NIEMEYER INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL CENTER, WHICH IS REALLY QUITE A FASCINATING SPACE. THEY HAVE AN EXHIBIT HALL FOR ART, THEY ALSO HAVE A PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, AND THEY WERE GIVING US A BACKSTAGE TOUR OF THAT FACILITY AS WELL. THE PHILLIPPE COUSTEAU ANCHOR MUSEUM WAS REALLY A FASCINATING PLACE TO VISIT. [02:05:02] I'M GOING TO POINT OUT ON THIS PICTURE. IT'S AN OUTDOOR OPEN AIR MUSEUM AND THERE'S OVER A DOZEN ANCHORS ON EXHIBIT. THEY HAVE SOME MURAL EXHIBITIONS, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO A SCULPTOR OF PHILIPPE COUSTEAU, HIS HEAD ON THE END OF A ROCK FORMATION. BUT THE ANCHOR THAT WE GIFTED TO AVILES IN 1999 IS ON DISPLAY THERE, THE ATOCHA ANCHOR. IT WAS REALLY EXCITING TO GO BACK AND STAND IN FRONT OF THAT ANCHOR. IF ANY OF YOU RECALL, MAYOR LEN WEEKS. AT THE TIME, LEN WAS OUR MAYOR SO IT WAS FUN TO GO BACK AND SEE THIS ANCHOR MUSEUM, AND IT IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THEIR MORE VALUABLE PIECES ON DISPLAY AT THE MUSEUM. WE ALSO GOT TO VISIT A PLACE CALLED SOTO DEL BARCO. IT WAS A SITE THAT WAS FIRST VISITED IN 2024 AND I WANT TO POINT OUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS. YOU'LL SEE THIS ALSO IN PAUL'S PRESENTATION. THIS WAS ALSO THE SIMILAR LOCATION THAT WAS VISITED IN 1924 AND IF YOU NOTICE THERE, IS THE SAME PIECE OF LANDMARK IN THE PHOTO, AND I'VE JUST ALWAYS BEEN INTRIGUED BY BEING ABLE TO GO BACK TO THAT SAME PLACE AND STAND THERE WHERE 100 YEARS PRIOR OUR DELEGATION FROM AMERICA WENT. ON EASTER SUNDAY, WE ATTENDED CHURCH AT THE CHURCH THERE IN TOWN. IF YOU NOTICED, THERE'S A PAINTING IN THE BACK OF OUR COMMISSION ROOM, THERE'S A PAINTING OF PEDRO MENENDEZ AND THIS CHURCH IS IN THE BACKGROUND, AND YOU SOMETIMES WONDER WHERE THAT CHURCH IS, AND IF YOU LOOK NOW, YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THAT THAT'S THAT CHURCH. THEIR CHIEF OF POLICE WAS THERE. WE ATTENDED MASS AS WELL, AND THEN IT WAS DULY NOTED IN THEIR COMMUNITY THERE THAT IT WAS A RATHER BIG DEAL TO HAVE OUR DELEGATION THERE, AND SO WE POSE FOR A PHOTO WITH THE CHURCH CLERGY, AS WELL AS THE OTHER OFFICIALS FROM AVILES. LATER THAT DAY, WE EXPERIENCED THE PARADE OF FLOATS. I'M JUST GOING TO FLIP THROUGH HERE SOME PHOTOS. I THINK IT JUST TELLS THE STORY OF HOW SIGNIFICANT EASTER AND THIS CELEBRATION, THIS FESTIVAL OF EL BOLLO IS. THEY HAVE EVERYTHING FROM THE REGION. THEY HAVE THEIR DANCERS, FOLKS REPRESENTING THE CULTURE AND HISTORY OF THE REGION. THIS IS A FLOAT OF ONE OF THEIR CHURCHES THAT'S THERE IN AVILES, AS WELL AS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE OCEAN. THEN THIS WAS SOMETHING OF NOTE THAT IF YOU HAVE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION, A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY, THIS PICTURE IS THE SYMBOLIC IMAGE OF THAT DELEGATION ARRIVING IN AVILES 100 YEARS AGO, AND TO SIT THERE AND THEN TO SEE A FLOAT COME DOWN THE STREET WITH THAT COME TO LIFE WAS REALLY EXCITING. ALSO, IF YOU NOTICE THERE, THEY DO HAVE THE CITY CREST, WHICH I'LL HAVE TO TALK TO THEM BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF THEY GOT PERMISSION TO DO THAT. [LAUGHTER] WE'LL LET IT SLIDE. THEN THIS, I HAVE TO SAY, WAS ALSO VERY EXCITING. THE NEXT UP FLOAT WAS COMING DOWN THE STREET. AS YOU WATCH, WHAT YOU COME TO REALIZE IS THEY ACTUALLY REBUILT OUR AVILES ARCH AND WHAT YOU DON'T SEE ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE ARCH IS TWO AMERICAN FLAGS, ON THIS SIDE IS THE SPANISH FLAGS RIGHT DOWN TO THE MARKER AT THE TOP OF THE ARCH, WHICH WAS REALLY VERY TOUCHING AND IMPRESSIVE TO SEE THAT COMING THROUGH THEIR CENTER PLAZA. I PLAYED FOR YOU BEFORE THE VIDEO OF THE BAGPIPE BAND PLAYING ON THE NAO TRINIDAD, AND I JUST WANT TO NOTE FOR YOU, AGAIN, THEY PLAYED IT THERE. THIS WAS RATHER MOVING AS WELL. [MUSIC] TILL SOMEBODY GOT IN MY SHOT. [LAUGHTER] IT WAS REALLY QUITE SOMETHING TO EXPERIENCE. THAT AFTERNOON, ROMAN TOOK US ON A WALK. FOR US TO GO AND SEE OUR SYMBOLS OF OUR RELATIONSHIP, THE TILE MOSAIC THAT'S ON DISPLAY IN THEIR PARQUE DE FERRERA. THIS WAS THE MOSAIC THAT'S IN AVILES, WHICH IS THE TWIN OF THE ONE THAT WE PRESENTED THE MARKER FOR IN OUR 100TH THAT'S DOWN ON AVILES STREET HERE IN ST. AUGUSTINE. THE CONSTITUTION MONUMENT THAT WE GIFTED TO THEM IN 2015, AND THEN THE ORIGINAL STATUE OF PEDRO MENENDEZ THAT WAS IN AVILES THAT THEY GIFTED TO US IN 1969 THAT STANDS IN FRONT OF CITY HALL. THE ACTUAL COFFIN OF PEDRO MENENDEZ, WHERE HIS REMAINS ARE IN AVILES AT THE CHURCH AND THEN, OF COURSE, THIS WAS A PIECE OF THAT RELIC THAT WE NOW HAVE AT THE MISSION IN THE MUSEUM THERE OF HIS OUTER COFFIN. THEN WE WERE ABLE TO SEE RIGHT OUTSIDE OUR HOTEL [02:10:03] THE FOUNTAIN OF FACES THAT WE HAVE A REPLICA AT THE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER. THE CROWNING MOMENT OF THE WEEKEND WAS THE FESTIVAL OF EL BOLLO, AND IT'S IMPORTANT HERE THAT Y'ALL SEE, THERE MAY SEEM LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF PICTURES, BUT AT EVERY TURN, ON EVERY STREET IN AVILES, ROWS AND ROWS, MILES, LITERALLY MILES OF TABLES AND CHAIRS, AND THAT'S THE CENTER WHERE YOU JUST SAW THE PARADE. THIS IS THE SAME PLACE THE NEXT MORNING WITH TABLES READY FOR EL BOLLO. WHAT'S SO EXCITING TO SEE WITH THAT IS THAT BY AFTERNOON, PEOPLE COME OUT, THEY SIT, THEY SHARE A MEAL. IT'S VERY FESTIVE. IT WAS JUST REALLY SOMETHING TO SEE. THERE'S VICE MAYOR ROXANNE HORVATH. THEN IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY WE CONNECTED. THIS YOUNG MAN WAS ONE OF OUR EXCHANGE STUDENTS. THEN THE GENTLEMAN HERE PICTURED WITH MAYOR MARIVI AND VICE MAYOR IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE ASTORIAN REGION, WHICH WOULD BE SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TO OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. THAT WAS THE END OF EL BOLLO IN APRIL. WHEN WE CAME BACK IN MAY, THE CREW OF THE NAO TRINIDAD GETTING READY FOR THEIR DEPARTURE, THE END OF APRIL. WE GAVE THEM A SENDOFF WITH A PLAQUE AND A FLAG, THANKING THEM FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION AND SUPPORT OF ALWAYS COMING, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THEM AFTER THEY REHAB ALL OF THEIR BOATS. MAY WAS THE HISTORY FESTIVAL. AS I MENTIONED, ROMAN CAME OVER AND DID A TWO DAY PRESENTATION ON THE HISTORY OF OUR CITY AND TALKED ABOUT THE BOOK THAT WAS WRITTEN ABOUT THE 100 YEARS OF OUR RELATIONSHIP. WITH THAT, THAT BRINGS US TO AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, AND I WILL PASS THIS OVER TO MR. PAUL WEAVER, OUR HISTORIAN. >> WHY IS THAT OVER THERE? >> MARIN. >> FOR SOME REASON, MY MOUSE IS ON THE WRONG SCREEN. HERE WE GO. I THINK WE GOT IT NOW. >> IT'S? >> DOWN. >> DOWN. >> PAUL WEAVER, 5, MILTON STREET, ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. I WAS THE HISTORIAN FOR THIS EVENT. I LIKE ALMOST THE SPANISH T TERM FOR IT, CRONISTA, BECAUSE WHAT I DID WAS BOTH IN AVILES AND HERE IN ST. AUGUSTINE, DOCUMENTED ALL OF THE EVENTS THROUGH VIDEOTAPE AND MY ARM IS STILL SORE FOR. I THINK ABOUT AN HOUR ON SEPTEMBER 7 OUT HERE ON THE PLAZA, IN 97 DEGREE HEAT. I DID WORK. IT WAS LIKE GOING TO YOUR OWN PARTY, SOMETIMES YOU DON'T HAVE ANY FUN BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO DOCUMENT AND ENTERTAIN PEOPLE. I'VE DONE VIDEOTAPING, I'VE DONE PHOTOGRAPHY, AND I THINK I'VE GOT ABOUT 500 OR SO PHOTOGRAPHS. IN ADDITION TO A LOT OF PHOTOGRAPHS, I'VE GOTTEN FROM OTHER PEOPLE, I'VE GOT A LOT OF MEMORABILIA. I STOLE THE PLACE CARDS FROM THE DINNER, THE LUNCHEON IN AVILES AND ALSO HERE AND COLLECTED A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT I THINK WILL BE ARCHIVED. I'VE SPOKEN TO THE ST. AUGUSTINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND THEY'RE GOING TO SET UP A FILE FOR THE COLLECTION I PUT TOGETHER AND ALSO WE'LL BE GIVING EVERYTHING TO THE CITY CLERK, SO WE CREATED, I THINK, A COMPREHENSIVE RECORD OF THIS EVENT. I GUESS, I WAS GOING TO TELL YOU, SHARE WITH YOU THE TITLE OF THIS, WHICH IS ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF HISTORY IN 10 MINUTES, SO GOT A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER. I THINK THIS OPENING SLIDE AND THIS IS COMPLIMENTS OF RAPHAEL COSME OF OLA NEWS. THIS EXPLAINS THE ESSENCE OF THE RELATIONSHIP, WHICH IS PEOPLE TO PEOPLE, AND IT REALLY STARTED WITH OUR TWO MAYORS. MAYOR NANCY SIKES-KLINE AND MAYOR MARIVI MONTESERIN AND IS EXTENDED, I THINK, TO ANYONE THAT WAS REALLY INVOLVED IN IT. I KNOW COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD WAS VERY MUCH INVOLVED. ONE OF THE REAL, I THINK, ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THIS IS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PEOPLE TO PEOPLE RELATIONSHIP. I WAS REALLY HONORED, HOW MANY HISTORIANS GET TO PARTICIPATE IN A HISTORICAL EVENT? THIS REALLY WAS. WE ARE CELEBRATING THE CENTENNIAL OF THE SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP, BUT IT REALLY HAD STATE AND NATIONAL IMPLICATIONS. [02:15:04] IT WAS LIKE WHEN I WAS A KID, PING PONG DIPLOMACY. THIS WAS PEDRO MENENDEZ DIPLOMACY. THAT CULTURAL CONNECTION BETWEEN AVILES AND ST. AUGUSTINE REALLY OPENED UP NATIONAL AND DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND SPAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR OF 1898 SO IT REALLY REALLY WAS A VERY IMPORTANT EVENT THAT HAPPENED IN 1924. ALSO SOME OF THE GOALS OF IT, NOT JUST GOVERNMENTAL, BUT INVOLVING THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, BUSINESS, FLAGLER COLLEGE, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND ALSO AGAIN, THE PEOPLE TO PEOPLE RELATIONSHIP. I HAVE TO AGAIN, RECOGNIZE ROMAN ALVAREZ. HE'S BEEN MENTIONED BEFORE. WE REALLY NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO RECOGNIZE HIM, I THINK, IN THE CITY BECAUSE HE'S BEEN WORKING ON THIS A LOT LONGER THAN I HAVE GOING BACK TO THE EARLY 2000S AND THIS IS PART OF A SLIDE SHOW THAT HE SHARED WITH ME. BUT SOMETHINGS IN CITIES THAT TREASURE THEIR HISTORY, SOMETHINGS DON'T CHANGE, AND YOU CAN SEE FROM THE SLIDE, THE AVILES CITY HALL STILL THERE AND OUR OWN CITY HALL, FORMERLY THE ALCAZAR HOTEL. THIS IS A SLIDE THAT SUMMARIZES SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES IN AVILES, PARTICULARLY THE RE ENTOMBMENT OF PEDRO MENENDEZ, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE MAJOR EVENTS, THE PARADE AND KEEP THIS IN MIND LOOKING AT THE CARS. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE DID, STARTED WITH THE CENTENNIAL VISIT TO AVILES AND THE COMMEMORATION OF THE 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP AND THEN A TOUR, ROGER KLINE WAS THE CHAUFFEUR. BUT WITH THE MAYOR MADI LOPEZ AND MAYOR SIKES-KLINE, GOING TO LAS MEANES PARK AND I WAS HONORED TO BE PART OF THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE CONSTITUTION OBELISK IN 2015 AND NOW IT'S BECOME REALLY A LOCAL LANDMARK IN AVILES, AND THEN THE PEDRO MENENDEZ STATUES, SO WE HAD CEREMONIES AT BOTH OF THOSE LOCALES. >> THE REALLY BIG EVENT, AND THE REASON FOR THE VISIT WAS THE ENTOMBMENT OF THE REMAINS OF DON PEDRO MENENDEZ IN AUGUST 1924. WE VISITED THE CHURCH OF SAN ANTONIO DE PADUA AND THE MAUSOLEUM OF PEDRO MENENDEZ, THE GREAT PICTURE OF DON ALVARO ALMADA, WHO'S THE COUNT OF GUEMES AND REVILLA-GIGEDO. NOT ONLY DESCENDANT OF PEDRO MENENDEZ, BUT THE COUNT OF GUEMES GIGEDO WAS A TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT VICEROY OF MEXICO, AND DON ALVARO HAS THE MENENDEZ PAPER AND A LOT OF VERY IMPORTANT PAPERS IN AN ARCHIVE RELATING TO THE HISTORY OF ST. AUGUSTINE AND SPANISH AMERICA. WE HAVE A CENTENARY MEAL AT THE HOTEL MELIA. HERE'S MAYOR SIKES-KLINE AND MAYOR MONTESERIN, WITH LOCAL POLICE OFFICIALS, AND AGAIN, THE PLACE GUARDS ACTUALLY HAVE THOSE, SO IT'S PART OF OUR COLLECTION. THEN, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, NOT ONLY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS BUT BUSINESS, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY WAS INVOLVED. THIS WAS THE RECEPTION THAT WE HAD AT THE LIGHTHOUSE WITH SANTIAGO RODRIGUEZ VEGA, A GREAT FRIEND OF ST. AUGUSTINE, AND I THINK ONE OF THE BEST MAYORS AVILES EVER HAD. NOW HE'S THE HEAD OF THE PORT. WE HAD SCOTT MAYNARD AND ISABELLE RODRIGUEZ REPRESENTING THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. THEY'RE PARTICIPATING AS PART OF THE DELEGATION. THEN WE HAD AN EVENT, THE INAUGURATION OF A PHILATELIC BASICALLY STAMPS, COMMEMORATING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AVILES AND ST. AUGUSTINE. MELISSA SHOWED THIS PICTURE. INTERESTING TO SEE HOW TIMES CHANGE. [02:20:01] HERE WE'VE COME A LONG WAY, BABY. THESE ARE REALLY, I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT MEMBERS OF OUR DELEGATION, ALL WOMEN AS OPPOSED TO IT WAS AN ALL MALE DELEGATION FROM ST. AUGUSTINE 100 YEARS AGO. WE WENT TO THE SANTANDER, PALACIO DE LA MAGDALENA, AND THE DELEGATION COMMEMORATING THE VISIT IN 2024, WHICH WAS HOSTED BY KING ALFONSO XIII AND MARIO ENA VICTORIA EUGENIE, HIS WIFE. HERE WE ARE AGAIN, THE MAYORS OF ST. AUGUSTINE, AVILES AND SANTANDER GEMA IGUAL ORTIZ, AND IT'S A PICTURE IN FRONT OF THE PALACE OF THEIR DELEGATION, AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CITY OF AVILES. THERE WERE A COUPLE OF REALLY KEY MEMBERS FROM THE FLORIDA SIDE OF THE DELEGATION. ONE WAS ANGEL GUESTA LAMADRID, A VERY IMPORTANT TAMPA BUSINESSMAN, BORN IN ASTURIAS. WE WERE ABLE TO GO TO PANES FOR A VISIT. THIS IS A STATUE OF DON ANGEL IN THE BACKGROUND AND THE TWO MAYORS WITH THE MAYOR OF PANES, JOSE MANUEL FERNANDEZ DIAZ, AND A LITTLE RECEPTION THAT WE HAD THERE WITH THE MAYOR. A COUPLE OF THE REALLY OTHER KEY INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE ASSOCIATED WITH THE VISIT IN 2024. YOU'VE HEARD OF VAILL POINT. THIS IS FREDERICK VAILL. HE WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE ST. AUGUSTINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY IN 1924. IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE VISIT, HE ACTUALLY CAME BACK AND BUILT A HOUSE AT VAILL POINT IN ANTICIPATION OF A VISIT FROM ALFONSO XIII, WHICH BECAUSE OF THE POLITICAL AFFAIRS IN SPAIN NEVER HAPPENED. BUT IT'S A BEAUTIFUL HOUSE DOWN THERE AT VAILL POINT AND A RESULT OF THIS RELATIONSHIP. I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH JULIE VAILL GATLIN, WHO WAS MR. VAILL'S GRANDDAUGHTER ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PUTTING THIS HOUSE ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES. VERY IMPORTANT. AGAIN, THE PEOPLE TO PEOPLE ASPECT OF THE SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP. THIS IS JULIE VAILL AND ME WITH A DIPLOMA THAT MR. VAILL, HER GRANDFATHER GOT FROM ALFONSO XIII, THE RECOGNITION OF THE WARD OF ISABELLA LA CATOLICA. THIS IS MARIAN AND ALEJANDRO, WHO WERE PART OF THE DELEGATION THAT CAME HERE FROM AVILES INTERVIEWING JULIE. SHE'S SHOWING THEM SOME OF THE MEMORABILIA THAT SHE'S COLLECTED. THIS IS SOMETHING ELSE I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DOCUMENT THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHS AND WILL BECOME PART OF THE PERMANENT RECORD OF THIS EVENT. THEN ANOTHER ONE, I THINK YOU PROBABLY MIGHT HAVE HEARD SENATOR WILLIAM MCWILLIAMS. HE WAS ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE DELEGATION, A STATE PRESIDENT OF THE FLORIDA SENATE, AND HE WAS A FOUNDER OF THE BAILEY UPCHURCH FIRM. THAT'S WHERE I KNOW HIM. HE WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL PARTNERS. HERE WE GO, AGAIN, I THINK A REALLY NEAT PART OF THIS RELATIONSHIP ARE THE LEGACY FAMILIES, AND AGAIN, THE PEOPLE TO PEOPLE RELATIONSHIPS THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED. HERE IS JULIE VAILL GATLIN, WHO WAS THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF FREDERICK VAILL, WITH NANCY CALHOUN, BIRCHALL AND JUDY PIERCE VANCE, WHO ARE THE GRANDDAUGHTERS OF SENATOR MCWILLIAMS, AND THERE WITH TARYN RODRIGUEZ, WHO GAVE US A GUIDED TOUR OF THE FATIO HOUSE AND BOTH THE MAYORS OF ST. AUGUSTINE AND AVILES. ONE OF THE REALLY COOL THINGS, I KNOW MAYOR SIKES-KLINE ENJOYED THIS, WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE A VISIT TO TAPIA DE CASARIEGO ASTURIAS, WHICH IS A HOME. MANY OF US THINK OF PEDRO MENENDEZ AS THE FOUNDER OF ST. AUGUSTINE, BUT THE PHYSICAL ABOVE GROUND PART OF ST. AUGUSTINE WAS THE PLAN OF GOVERNOR GONZALO MENDEZ DE CANCIO. THIS IS JAVIER CONSIO-DONLEBUN WHO IS HIS DIRECT DESCENDANT. WE WERE ABLE TO GO TO THE ANCESTRAL HOME OF DON GONZALO MENENDEZ, [02:25:03] AGAIN, GOVERNOR OF FLORIDA, RESIDENT HERE IN ST. AUGUSTINE. THE SLIDE ON THE RIGHT IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT. THIS IS A TABLE. I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY MAYBE ONE OF THE OLDEST, IF NOT THE OLDEST PIECE OF INTACT MATERIAL CULTURE IN EXISTENCE. THE TABLE WAS BUILT HERE IN ST. AUGUSTINE, AND THE [SPANISH]. I CAN'T THINK OF THE NAME. >> CHEST. >> THE CHEST WAS USED TO TRANSPORT CORN FROM ST. AUGUSTINE, BACK TO ASTURIAS, TO THIS AREA, AND YOU GO ALL AROUND THE AREA AND THERE ARE CORN FIELDS THERE. THIS IS PART OF THE COLUMBIA NEW OLD WORLD EXCHANGE, WHERE SO MANY THINGS, OUR ORANGES, OUR PALM TREES, EVERYTHING CAME FROM EUROPE. BUT THERE WAS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE EXCHANGE WHERE THINGS SUCH AS CORN WERE TAKEN BACK IN TOMATOES, FOR EXAMPLE, ANOTHER THING THAT WAS BROUGHT FROM THE NEW WORLD TO EUROPE. PART OF AN INTERVIEW I DID WITH THE JOURNALISTS THAT I MENTIONED MARIAN AND ALEJANDRO, THEY ASKED ME ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE IN AVILES. THE BEST WAY I CAN EXPLAIN IT IS YOU CAN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND FULLY ST. AUGUSTINE UNTIL YOU GO TO AVILES, THE FEAST OF ST. AUGUSTINE AND THINGS LIKE THIS, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF ST. AUGUSTINE IN THE NEW WORLD TO THE ASTORIANOS, IS SO IMPORTANT. I THINK ONE OF THE REALLY NICE BYPRODUCTS OF THIS IS JUST A BETTER UNDERSTANDING BY EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATES IN BOTH OUR ROLE AND THEIR ROLE IN OUR RESPECTIVE HISTORY. HERE WE ARE. WE GOT A VISIT TO THE TOMB OF GOVERNOR GONZALO MENDEZ DE CANCIO. AGAIN, ON THE SLIDE ON THE RIGHT IS RIGHT OUT THERE IN THE PLAZA. HE'S THE ONE THAT LAID OUT THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, AS WE KNOW IT TODAY, WITH A CENTRAL PLAZA, THE KEY BUILDINGS AROUND IT, ALL OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE. WE DON'T OFTEN APPRECIATE IT, BUT THAT'S REALLY, ALONG WITH THE CASTILLO, I THINK, THE MOST HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE CITY IS OUR SPANISH TOWN PLAN. IT WAS DONE BY GOVERNOR MENDEZ CANCIO. AGAIN, MELISSA SHOWED THIS SLIDE. ANOTHER ONGOING PART OF THE EXCHANGE WAS THE PRESENTATION OF THE MONUMENT OF THE ANCHOR OF THE GALEON NUESTRA SENORA DE ATOCHA. I BELIEVE THAT RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE IS DR. EUGENE LYON, WHO WAS REALLY THE ONE THAT DOCUMENTED IT. AGAIN, ALONG WITH THE CONSTITUTION [INAUDIBLE], THERE ARE THINGS FROM ST. AUGUSTINE AND FLORIDA THAT ARE IN THAT AREA THAT ARE PART OF THE MUTUAL HISTORY OF THE TWO CITIES. HERE WE ARE. WE WERE ABLE TO PAY A VISIT TO THE PARK THERE IN SALINAS. I THINK AGAIN, ANOTHER ASPECT OF THIS SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP HAS BEEN THE STUDENT EXCHANGES. I THINK, SO IMPORTANT. IT WAS STARTED IN 2001 BY MAYOR LEN WEEKS. WE ABLE TO GO. I THINK THIS IS TRUE, THE CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE. WE'VE REALLY LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO CONTINUE, I THINK THIS WONDERFUL AND IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP. THEN BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 4TH THROUGH 10TH, WE RECEIVED MAYOR MARIVI MONTESERIN RODRIGUEZ AND HER DELEGATION. WE HAD THE INSTITUTIONAL WELCOME HERE. QUITE A HOT DAY, AS WE ALL REMEMBER. CORD BYRD, SECRETARY OF STATE PARTICIPATED. THIS IS SONIA SAN JUAN WHO'S BECOME A FRIEND SINCE THIS VISIT, CONSUL OF SPAIN IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA. WE HAD A VISIT AT THE COFFIN OF PEDRO MENENDEZ. OTHER ASPECTS OF THE RELATIONSHIP, [02:30:01] EDUCATIONAL THROUGH FLAGLER COLLEGE, SIGNING OF A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH PRESIDENT JOHN DELANEY OF FLAGLER COLLEGE THERE. I THINK ONE OF THE NEATEST THINGS OF YOU, THIS IS THE GIFT PAINTING THAT COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD WAS INVOLVED WITH, THE LIGHT MUSEUM. I THINK IT WAS LISA O'NEILL, CORRECT, WHO WAS THE ARTIST, SOMETHING THAT AGAIN, WAS A PEOPLE TO PEOPLE PROJECT, NOT FUNDED AT ALL BY THE CITY, BUT BY PRIVATE DONATIONS. WE HAD THE PRESENTATION AND THEN THE SLIDE ON THE RIGHT IS THE PAINTING IN THE AVILES CITY HALL. IT'S IN PLACE NOW IN AVILES. THEN OF COURSE, OUR WONDERFUL FOUNDER'S DAY REENACTMENT. THE DELEGATION FROM AVILES PARTICIPATED, AS FATHER LOPEZ IN THE BACKGROUND AND THE MASS WITH THE BISHOP OF ST. AUGUSTINE, SONIA SAN JUAN, THE MAYOR OF AVILES YOLANDA, ATOCHA, AND SEVERAL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SPANISH DELEGATION. THE UNVEILING OF THE INTERPRETIVE MARKER AND THE REDEDICATION OF A TILE MOSAIC. ON SEPTEMBER 8TH, ALL THE CITY COMMISSIONERS WERE THERE AND PARTICIPATED. THE GIFT EXCHANGE, A WONDERFUL PAINTING PRESENTED BY ARTIST SAMUEL FERNANDEZ ARMAS, AN INCREDIBLE TALENT. HE PAINTS SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH BOTH HANDS. THEN THE CITY COMMISSION MEETING AT THE END, THE PROCLAMATION AND PAINTING PRESENTATION. ADIOS CONCLUSION OF THE VISIT ON SEPTEMBER 9TH AND THE FINAL GATHERING, WHICH WE HONORED MELISSA WISSEL, WHO DID A WONDERFUL JOB, REALLY WENT BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY. THEN THE END, THIS I HOPE, AND I'VE SPOKEN TO ROMAN ALVAREZ, THE LAST CHAPTER IS TO BE WRITTEN. HOPEFULLY, I MADE A CONTRIBUTION TO THAT. BUT IN 2015, HE WROTE A 90 YEAR HISTORY. I THINK HOPEFULLY THE WORK THAT I'VE DONE AND WORKING WITH HIM AND SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE LAST CHAPTER BEING WRITTEN. HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR JUST A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY. [APPLAUSE]. >> BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE. [LAUGHTER] A GROAN FROM THE AUDIENCE. I'M SORRY. I TOLD YOU IT WAS GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN USUAL, BUT IT WAS A BIG YEAR. WE'RE ALMOST FINISHED. WE DID WRAP UP THE YEAR HERE. LET ME SEE IF I CAN'T GET TO THAT SLIDE QUICKLY. COMING BACK IN SEPTEMBER, JUST TO CLOSE OUT THE YEAR, WE DID HAVE TWO SPECIAL CONCERTS IN SEPTEMBER TO COMMEMORATE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, CARRY THE DAY, EDWIN BARBOSA AS WELL AS ZAZA FLAMENCA IN THE PLAZA. WE EXTENDED THE CONCERTS IN THE PLAZA SERIES. IN NOVEMBER, THE ST. AUGUSTINE ART ASSOCIATION HOSTED AN EXHIBIT OF NARDO VILLABOY AND FAVILA, TWO VERY WELL KNOWN AND FAMOUS ARTISTS FROM SPAIN FROM AVILES, WITH AN ART EXHIBIT AT THE ST. AUGUSTINE ARTS ASSOCIATION, WHICH DID CLOSE AT THE END OF DECEMBER. THERE ARE STILL PAINTINGS AND PHOTOGRAPHS FOR SALE. IT IS A FUNDRAISER FOR SISTER CITIES, AS WELL AS THE PROCEEDS, ALSO, WILL GO BACK TO THE ART ASSOCIATION, BUT IT WAS A CONTRIBUTION REALLY FROM THE HEART OF NARDO VILLABOY AND FAVILA, RECOGNIZING THE ART BETWEEN OUR CITIES. I'LL SHOW YOU THAT PICTURE THERE OF THE ART ASSOCIATION. IT WAS A PICTURE AND A PHOTOGRAPH OF NOTABLE PLACES IN ST. AUGUSTINE AND REALLY COOL EXHIBIT. THEN THAT'S A WRAP, TO BE CONTINUED AS PAUL SAID. THAT'S JUST LAST YEAR'S CHAPTER. MY BIGGEST TAKEAWAY WAS JUST I THINK PAUL SAID IT REALLY WELL AND I THINK THOSE OF YOU THAT WENT THIS YEAR WOULD AGREE, YOU REALLY START TO UNDERSTAND OUR CITY WHEN YOU GO TO AVILES. HOPEFULLY, I'VE SHARED SOME OF THAT WITH THOSE OF YOU WHO COULDN'T GO SO FAR WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. [APPLAUSE] [02:35:04] >> REALLY AMAZING EFFORT. TO BOTH OF YOU, PAUL, I CAN SAY, WHEN WE WERE IN AVILES HE WORKED SO VERY HARD DESPITE A NAGGING COUGH AND THE HEAT, WHICH IT WAS WARM, BUT HE WAS OUT TAKING PICTURES AND EVERY SINGLE THING. IT WAS JUST WONDERFUL TO HAVE HIS CONTEXT TOO AND TO BE ABLE TO TRAVEL TO THE FORMER GOVERNOR CANCIO'S HOMESTEAD WITH HIM WAS AN AMAZING TREAT FOR ME PERSONALLY. I'VE ALWAYS ADMIRED GOVERNOR CANCIO'S THE MOST BECAUSE HE LAID DOWN THE TOWN PLAN, AND THAT IS THE STAGE UPON WHICH WE LIVE. WE LIVE IN THIS GREAT CITY. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SAYING THAT I LOVE WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT YOU HAVE TO GO THERE REALLY TO GET A SENSE OF WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT AND GET TO KNOW THE PEOPLE ABOUT BEING PEOPLE TO PEOPLE. VERY MUCH. THAT WAS WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO WITH THE DELEGATIONS WAS TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE EXPOSED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE POND, SO TO SPEAK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND MELISSA. >> I WAS JUST GOING TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF A SHOUT OUT TO THE SISTER CITIES. WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE ALL OF THIS WITHOUT SISTER CITIES AND TO FOLLOW ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT GOING TO SPAIN. I KNOW THAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO BRING IN NEW MEMBERS, YOUNG MEMBERS TO PLAN A TRIP TO SPAIN LATER THIS SPRING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE THEY HAVE GOING ON, BUT I WILL GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO SISTER CITIES FOR ALL OF THEIR WORK. WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THAT WE DO WITHOUT THEM EITHER. >> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT PARTICIPATED THAT REALLY MADE THIS SUCCESS, AND I THINK WE REALLY DID ACHIEVE THE GOALS THAT WE'D OUTLINED AT THE BEGINNING. >> THIS IS SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT CITIES HAVE AND DO. WE ARE A BIT UNIQUE AND WE HAVE THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HOME OF OUR FOUNDER. THAT CONNECTION IS STILL REALLY HERE AND REALLY DEEP. MELISSA, I THINK YOU DID A TREMENDOUS JOB KEEPING US TOGETHER AND PULLING IT OFF. IT WAS A TREMENDOUS YEAR. I KNOW A LOT OF IT WAS ON YOU, AND WE DO APPRECIATE THAT. VERY MUCH. VERY FOR YOU. [APPLAUSE] WE DO LOVE YOUR WORK SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HEADING UP THE DONATION. THAT WAS OUR LEGACY GIFT OF YEAR 2024. THAT WAS A BIG MOMENT IN HISTORY, TOO. IT'S IMPORTANT. I KNOW TO YOU THAT IT WAS MADE BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY, NOT FROM OUR CITY GOVERNMENT, IT WAS FROM THE PEOPLE. OF THE CITY, TO THE PEOPLE OF THEIR CITY. THAT'S THE SPIRIT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CONVEY TO EVERYONE. WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS BUILD THAT PEOPLE TO PEOPLE RELATIONSHIP. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THAT. THANK YOU FOR GOING AND CITY MANAGER. YOU WERE ALSO THERE. YOU WENT ALONG AND GOT TO EXPERIENCE TOO FOR THE FIRST TIME. THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME LAST YEAR IS THE FIRST TIME I EVER GOT AFTER 16 YEARS OF BEING A COMMISSIONER, I NEVER HAD BEEN TO SPAIN. I WISH NOW THAT I'D GONE SOONER, BUT IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE, AND I DO HOPE THAT YOU COMMISSIONERS WILL ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT OUR SISTER CITY SO THAT YOU CAN ALSO EXPERIENCE WHAT WE'VE SEEN AND HEARD AND FELT. WITH THAT SAID, UNLESS ANYONE ELSE HAS READ THE COMMENTS. >> I WON'T TELL ANY STORIES NOW, BUT THERE'S SO MANY GREAT STORIES ABOUT LOSING THE COFFIN, LOSING THE PLAQUE. THAT ARE REALLY FUN TO LISTEN TO AND. >> LOSING OUR LUGGAGE. >> LOSING THE LUGGAGE. [LAUGHTER] THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT, BUT LOSING THE PLAQUE THAT'S ON THE RIGHT OUT FRONT. IT WAS LOST FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS. HOW IT GOT BACK TO US IS JUST A MIRACLE AND SO MANY THINGS LIKE THAT HAVE HAPPENED AND IT'S JUST FUN. I DID HAVE A GREAT TIME. YOU DO APPRECIATE ST. AUGUSTINE SO MUCH MORE BY SEEING THE HERITAGE AND HOW MUCH THEY LOVE ST. AUGUSTINE. IT'S A WONDERFUL FEELING. >> IT IS. LOOKING FORWARD, I REALLY DO HOPE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE SISTER CITIES ORGANIZATION, WHICH BY THE WAY, GOT A HUGE SHOT IN THE ARM BECAUSE OF WHAT WE DID, AND A LOT OF ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE COMMUNITY. I THINK YOU'RE SEEING EXPANDED MEMBERSHIP AND A NEW FERVOR WITH THAT ORGANIZATION, BUT WITH THEIR LEADERSHIP, I THINK THAT WE HAVE A BRIGHT FUTURE IN MAYBE DRUMMING UP SOME TOURISM FROM THEM COMING HERE. I HEAR FROM THE VCB THAT WE CAN EXPECT MORE INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS MOVING FORWARD SINCE COVID IS OVER AND THE COUNTRIES ARE OPEN [02:40:01] AND PEOPLE ARE GETTING VISAS ACTUALLY BECAUSE APPARENTLY IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO GET A VISA. THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE EXPECTING MORE INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS MOVING FORWARD, SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE MORE VISITORS FROM AVILES. WITH THAT SAID, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS, WE SHOULD SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THIS, BUT THANK YOU. AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT WAS WONDERFUL. MOVING ON TO THE NEXT ITEM. [12. ITEMS BY CITY CLERK] WE'RE ALMOST THERE. ITEM 12A1 IS THE REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION FOR THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE POET LAUREATE APPLICATIONS, AND THAT IS MS. GALAMBOS. >> GOOD EVENING. MADAM MAYOR, MADAM VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING, I HAVE A REQUEST FOR ONE APPOINTMENT FOR OUR NEXT CITY POET LAUREATE. WE ADVERTISE THIS POSITION AND WE RECEIVE TWO APPLICATIONS. BOTH ARE TALENTED AND QUALIFIED. WE COULD EITHER DO IT VIA BALLOT OR NOMINATION. >> I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY JUST DO A NOMINATION. IF EVERYBODY'S AGREEABLE TO THAT, WE'VE GOT TWO APPLICANTS, SO WE DON'T HAVE A HUGE NUMBER OF VOTING THINGS, BUT ANYONE FEEL I'M READY TO MAKE A NOMINATION IF ANYONE FEEL STRONGLY? YOU LIKE TO MAKE A NOMINATION? NO, I JUST SAY HOW MY PROCESS WAS. I KNOW YOU SAY IT'S HARD TO JUDGE SOMETHING THAT'S NOT QUANTIFIABLE. SO WHAT I DID IS I JUST I'M A BIG FAN OF JUST SEE IN THE ART WITHOUT ANY CONTEXT OR HEARING IT. I READ BOTH OF THE APPLICANTS. I FOUND MISS ST. JEAN'S APPROACHABLE, VERY OPEN, MORE MELODIC, MAYBE A RHYMED. IT WAS ABOUT CONTEMPORARY THINGS THAT I THINK EVERYONE COULD IDENTIFY WITH IN A WAY. HAD A SONG QUALITY TO IT. THEN MS. BROWNING MASTERS WAS HISTORICALLY VERY INTERESTING. TOLD A STORY, AN IMPORTANT STORY HERE IN THE CITY. I WENT BACK TO THE RESOLUTION AND I BECAUSE I'D NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE. I NEVER NOMINATED BEFORE. TO BE FAIR, I AM AN ARTIST AND I HAVE BEEN ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS. I PUT MONEY IN FOR APPLICATIONS. I'VE BEEN IN APPLICATIONS, AND I'VE BEEN ON ART ADVISORY BOARDS. I WENT BACK TO THE RESOLUTION TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE WERE APPLYING FOR AND WHAT THEIR JOB IS AND SO I HAVE A QUESTION, WHAT ACTUALLY, WILL THEY DO, AND THEN I'LL GO AHEAD. >> MS. WHISTLE. MR. CITY MANAGER, ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH MS. WHISTLE ADDRESSING THAT QUESTION? >> OH, SURE. COME ON UP. >> I DON'T WANT TO COMPOUND THAT NO LONG NIGHT, BUT I GOT TO FIGURE OUT. >> THE QUESTION IS WHAT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COURT OF FLORIDA? >> YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT, BUT I'M NOT. >> THE POET LAUREATE IS INVITED BY THE CITY TO ATTEND ANY NUMBER OF OUR PUBLIC EVENTS AND TO WRITE ORIGINAL POETRY FOR SUCH AN EVENT. THE FIRST RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PERSON WHO'S SELECTED THIS EVENING WILL BE TO READ A POEM OR AN ORIGINAL PIECE WRITTEN FOR ARBOR DAY ON FRIDAY. MENENDEZ DAY IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE. WHEN WE DO THE NEW COMMISSION, RESTRUCTURING, ANYTHING THAT WE REALLY FEEL IS AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO HAVE POETRY WRITTEN AND TO PARTICIPATE. THE OTHER PIECE OF IT THAT I WOULD SAY, MAYBE WE DIDN'T QUITE GET AROUND TO NOT FOR ANY PARTICULAR REASON. PART OF THE OTHER RESPONSIBILITY OR OPPORTUNITIES IS FOR THE POET LAUREATE TO BE ABLE TO DO OUTREACH WITH THE SCHOOLS OR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS. I KNOW THAT NORA SHERRY WAS INVITED SEVERAL TIMES BY ORGANIZATIONS TO COME. MARTIN LUTHER KING. I THINK THERE WAS A CHURCH, DEDICATION, BIRTHDAY. THERE WAS SOMEONE WHO TURNED 100, IN TOWN AND SHE WAS INVITED TO WRITE A POEM. IF ANY TYPE OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION REACHES OUT TO THE POET LAUREATE FOR THEM TO WRITE POETRY, IT'S BOTH WOMEN. SHE WOULD BE GOING REPRESENTING THE CITY. THAT WORK HAS TO BE SENT TO MY OFFICE AND I JUST LOOK THROUGH IT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NOTHING THAT WOULD BE CONTESTED. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? >> I HAD THAT. THERE'S NO SPECIFIC PROPOSAL BECAUSE USUALLY. >> THERE'S A RESOLUTION. >> NO. I MEAN, A PROPOSAL FOR A SET AMOUNT OF WORK OR OUTREACH AND STUFF. [02:45:02] IT'S JUST NOT THAT FORMAL.. >> IT'S WHAT THEY MAKE OF IT AS WELL. THEN IF THERE'S CREATIVE IDEAS FROM THE POET LAUREATE THAT COMES TO ME, I WOULD THEN MEET WITH CITY MANAGER OR THE COMMISSION IF THERE WAS SOME OTHER LARGER SCALE OF PROGRAMMING, BUT, IF THE POET LAUREATE CAME AND SAID, I WANT TO GO OUT TO THE SCHOOL DURING APRIL DURING THE MONTH OF NATIONAL POETRY MONTH. I WOULD EITHER HELP THAT PERSON TO COORDINATE IT OR SHE COULD COORDINATE IT IF SHE HAD THOSE CONTACTS, BUT IT'S REALLY JUST TO FACILITATE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING REPRESENTED THROUGH THAT POET LAUREATE APPROPRIATELY. >> THANK YOU. MAKE THIS BRIEF. SO MS. ST. JEAN, I LOOKED IN THE RESOLUTION AND I FELT LIKE THAT ONE OF THE THE GOALS WAS SPREADING THE LOVE OF POETRY. I THINK IN A WAY, THAT'S HOW I RESPONDED TO HERS BECAUSE OF THE RHYMING AND THE SOUND OF IT. I TENDED TO READ THOSE A LOUD MORE. WHEN I CAME TO MS. BROWNING MASTERS, I THOUGHT IT WAS MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY. THERE'S A THING IN THE RESOLUTION ABOUT THE HISTORY, THE CULTURE, DEFINITELY. I HAVE TO SAY I CAME DOWN THE SIDE OF MS. BROWNING MASTERS A LOT BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT SHE HAD SUCH SUPPORT FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY IN THE HISTORIC BOARDS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. THAT IS A PART OF WHAT WE DO HERE IS TRY TO TELL OUR UNIQUE STORY. BUT IT WASN'T AN EASY CHOICE. I'LL TELL YOU MS. ST. JEAN WROTE SOME GREAT POEMS, PARTICULARLY THAT ONE ABOUT AUGUST. I THINK I'M JUST GOING TO KEEP THAT POEM ABOUT AUGUST SITTING AROUND, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE HER TO CONTINUE WRITING AND MAYBE COME BACK TO US IN TWO YEARS. >> WELL, I'LL SAY, I THINK YOU SAID IT SO WELL. I REALLY ENJOYED THE POEM ABOUT THE ST.JEAN'S POEM ABOUT K BURTON. THAT REALLY CAPTURED ME, AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS DELIGHTFUL AND VERY CONTEMPORARY. BUT I DID DIG A LITTLE BIT INTO MS. BROWNING MASTERS RESUME AND WENT BACK TO MY DUG UP MY 2007 VERSION OF ELIS GRAVANO, AND READ WHAT SHE WROTE ABOUT HER CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OF ST. AUGUSTINE, AND I WAS SMITTEN. FASCINATING THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD, THE COMMUNITY, AND HOW MUCH WE ARE THE SAME, HOW MUCH WE HAVEN'T CHANGED. AND HOW MUCH WE HAVE CHANGED. BUT I THOUGHT SHE WOULD BE A GREAT CANDIDATE AND I AGREE THAT SHE HAD A GREAT SUPPORT, NOT THAT THAT'S THE ONLY REASON, BUT IT TELLS A STORY ABOUT HER FRIENDSHIPS THAT SHE'S MADE IN THE COMMUNITY OVER THE YEARS, AND IS VERY WELL SUPPORTED. SO I AM VERY MUCH APPRECIATIVE MS. ST. JEAN AND I HOPE THAT IF IT GOES THE WAY THAT I WOULD VOTE, SHE WOULD APPLY AGAIN IN THE FUTURE. MY CHOICE WOULD BE MS. MASTERS. >> I'M RIGHT THERE WITH YOU. I'VE NOT BEEN SHY ABOUT MY ABILITY TO JUDGE POETRY. [LAUGHTER] I READ BOTH. I PARTICULARLY LOVES MS. AVERY ST. JEAN'S 911. OF COURSE, WE WERE ALL MOVED BY 911 IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND TO HAVE SOMEONE WRITE THAT RIGHT THERE. BUT FOR US TO HAVE SOMEONE REPRESENT ST. AUGUSTINE WRITING POETRY ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES AND PEOPLE OF ST. AUGUSTINE, I COULD NOT THINK OF A BETTER APPLICANT THAN DR. BROWNING MASTERS. I THINK ALTHOUGH THE POETRY TO ME WAS WORDS ON A PAPER MOST OF THE TIME, I ENJOYED READING BOTH. I'M NOT A JUDGE OF POETRY. THEREFORE, I THINK THAT SHE HAS THE LINEAGE TO HELP PROVIDE US WITH GREAT POETRY REPRESENTING US AND THE CITY AND THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY. >> I REALLY DON'T HAVE MUCH MORE TO ADD. YOU'VE ALL BEEN SO EXPRESSIVE AND CLEAR AND ARTICULATE ABOUT THIS. I DO HAVE A BIAS TOWARD ACADEMICS. BUT BOTH ARE EXCELLENT POETS. WE HAVE SUCH A GREAT POOL OF ARTISTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THEY REALLY ADD SO MUCH. THEY'RE ESSENTIAL TO THE FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY. BUT THAT MULTI GENERATIONAL TIE TO THIS PLACE. I THINK THAT PERSUADE ME. I WOULD ALSO SUPPORT DR. MASTERS. >> TO GET A LITTLE READY, I'LL MAKE IT BRIEF. IT'S INTERESTING CONVERSATION BECAUSE DO YOU PRESENT THE CITY AS IT IS NOW WITH CONTEMPORARY STUFF OR OLD, [02:50:04] AND I THINK IF I'M HERE, GOING BACK AND FORTH A LITTLE BIT. I SAW THERE WAS SPOKEN WORD IN THERE TOO, BUT THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER CONVERSATION FOR A WHOLE ANOTHER DAY. >> THAT'S FUN. IF IT'S DONE WELL, IT IS SUPER COOL [OVERLAPPING]. >> WELL, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. IT CAN EVEN CHANGE GENRES LIKE THAT. ANYWAY. >> WELL, GREAT. I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A VOTE. WOULD YOU PREFER IF WE TAKE A VOTE AND MAKE IT OFFICIAL? >> SURE. >> TO DO THAT. >> ASKING THE ATTORNEY. [LAUGHTER]. >> IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO MEET THE MOTION >> I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT DR. BROWNING MASTERS AS OUR POET LAUREATE, FOR 2025. IS IT TWO YEARS OR ONE? >> TWO. >> IT'S TWO YEARS UNTIL JANUARY OF 27. BELIEVE IT OR NOT. >> ANY SECOND? >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE. >> WONDERFUL. CONGRATULATIONS. WE'RE STILL ON DEBT. >> YEAH. JUST A BRIEF NOTIFICATION THAT WE DO HAVE ONE VACANCY ON OUR ST. AUGUSTINE POLICE OFFICERS RETIREMENT BOARD SYSTEM BOARD OF TRUSTEES. WE WILL ADVERTISE AND HOPEFULLY GET A FLOOD OF APPLICANTS FOR THIS POSITION, AND WE'LL BE BRINGING THEM BACK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. >> WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. >> YOU KNOW ANYBODY THAT'S INTERESTED? >> GOOD QUESTION. MR. CITY MANAGER. [13. ITEMS BY CITY MANAGER] >> QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT. WE WILL BE REPLACING THE CITY'S WATER MAIN ON THE KING STREET BRIDGE AND PUTTING THAT WATER MAIN UNDER THE ST. SEBASTIAN RIVER STARTING IN FEBRUARY SO THE COMMUNITY WILL SEE CONSTRUCTION WORK BEING DONE RIGHT THERE AT THE KING STREET BRIDGE. WE DIDN'T WANT TO PANIC ANYONE. THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. WE WILL HAVE A MORE CONCERTED COMMUNICATION OUTREACH EFFORT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THE WORK WE'RE DOING THERE. WE'RE DOING THAT IN ANTICIPATION OF THE SUMMERS PROJECT BY DOT TO REPLACE THE KING STREET BRIDGE. THEY HAVE COMMITTED TO HOLDING OFF ON THAT CONSTRUCTION PROJECT UNTIL RIGHT AFTER 4TH, JULY. THE OTHER THING IS, THE CITY WOULD LIKE TO HONOR MR. TOM RAHNER WHO WAS A 2019 ORDER OF LA FLORIDA AWARD WINNER WHO RECENTLY PASSED AWAY. WE'RE SORRY ABOUT THAT. I'M SORRY. ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 11TH, ST. AUGUSTINE FLEW AN AMERICAN FLAG IN HIS HONOR. BECAUSE OF THE HALF STAFF-FLAG THAT IS FLYING NOW FOR PRESIDENT CARTER, WE WILL BE DELAYING THE PRESENTATION OF THE FLAG FOR MR. RAHNER'S FAMILY. WE WOULD NORMALLY BE DOING THAT RIGHT AFTER THE DEATH OF THE RECIPIENT, BUT WE WILL BE HAVING THAT FLAG PRESENTATION BY THE CITY COMMISSION TO THE RAHNER FAMILY AT A REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. LET ME UNDERSTAND IT. THE FLAG HAS NOT FLOWN YET AND WILL BE FLOWN AFTER THE 30 DAYS IS UP FOR PRESIDENT CARTER AND THEN WE'LL SCHEDULE THE PRESENTATION AFTER THAT? >> YES. >> THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. I WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT CORRECTLY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MOVING ON TO MAYOR AND COMMISSIONER COMMENTS. [14. ITEMS BY MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS] WOULD YOU LIKE TO START HERE? >> YEAH, I'D LOVE TO GO FIRST. >> OKAY. >> I DON'T KNOW WHY. I WOULD LOVE TO ELIMINATE ALL VENDORS DURING NIGHT OF LIGHTS. I THINK THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD HELP. I'VE HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO WALK ON THE SIDEWALKS BECAUSE; THEIR WORDS, NOT MINE, OF THE JUNK THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO SELL. IT JUST IS ANNOYANCE. ALSO, I'VE TALKED TO MAYOR WEEKS ABOUT THE ORIENTATION OF THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF NIGHT OF LIGHTS. THERE WAS A BIG PUSH FROM THE CITY NOT TO DO IT BECAUSE THEY WERE AFRAID THAT THERE WOULD BE TACKY LIGHTING, THAT THE INTENT WAS TO REPRESENT THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE CITY WITH SINGLE ROWS OF WHITE LIGHTS. WE NOW HAVE TACKY LIGHTS ALL OVER THE CITY. ALTHOUGH PEOPLE LOVE IT AND TAKE PICTURES, [02:55:03] WE HAVE TACKY LIGHTS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT. IT'S THEIR PROPERTY AND WE'RE ALLOWING THE LIGHTS, BUT I'M DISAPPOINTED IN THE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE STEPPED OVER THAT LINE FROM THE ORIGINAL INTENT. MAYBE THEY DON'T KNOW. MAYBE WE NEVER HAVE REALLY CODIFIED THAT, BUT IT SURE WOULD BE NICE. I KNOW THE CITY MANAGER IS WORKING WITH THE TEAM TO DEVELOP SOME IDEAS ABOUT NIGHT OF LIGHTS AND I'M ANXIOUS TO SEE THAT REPORT. WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING. LIKE MS. MICHAEL SAID, THERE'S NOT ANY GREAT IDEAS. WE GOT TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING TO HELP THE RESIDENTS IN TOWN WHO CAN'T GET TO THEIR HOUSES ON PARTICULAR NIGHTS IN NIGHT OF LIGHTS OF LIGHTS. IT'S A REALLY GOOD THING FOR THE BUSINESSES, A REALLY GOOD THING FOR THE EMPLOYEES. THE CITY DOES NOT PROFIT THAT MUCH FROM THAT BECAUSE IT'S MOSTLY SALES TAX REVENUE THAT'S GENERATED. WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE IT ACCEPTABLE TO THE RESIDENTS. WE'VE DONE THAT WITH THE CONCERTS. THE AMPHITHEATER HAS MANAGED THOSE CONCERTS IN A WAY. IT'S VERY LEAST AS RESTRICTIVE. OF COURSE NIGHT OF LIGHTS IS 10 TIMES THE CONCERT, BUT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY. I BELIEVE WE NEED TO HAVE THAT HAPPEN. I WOULD LIKE THE MANAGER TO PAT EVERYBODY ON THE BACK THAT GETS UP AT FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND CLEANS THE STREETS. I HEARD SO MANY COMMENTS ABOUT HOW THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE OUT TILL TWO O'CLOCK AT NIGHT AND THEY WALKED IN THE MORNING AND IT WAS LIKE NOBODY WAS THERE. AMAZING WORK THEY DO AND THEY TAKE PRIDE IN IT. YOU DON'T DO WORK LIKE THAT WITHOUT HAVING PRIDE IN YOUR WORK AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. >> YES, MA'AM. >> I'M GOING TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES HERE. I WILL DEFER A LOT OF THE RESPONSES TO THE REPORT THAT STAFF IS PREPARING THAT WILL BE EXTENSIVE GIVEN TO US SOMETIME IN FEBRUARY, I BELIEVE. >> THE FIRST MEETING IN FEBRUARY. >> THE FIRST MEETING IN FEBRUARY. I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING ON A LOT OF SPECIFIC IDEAS ABOUT HOW WE CAN DO THINGS BETTER, BUT I THINK ALL OF US ON THIS BOARD RECEIVED A LARGE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FROM OUR RESIDENTS ABOUT NIGHT OF LIGHTS. I DID MY HOMEWORK AND WALKED DOWNTOWN AS A CITY COMMISSIONER WHICH I DON'T LIKE TO DO DURING NIGHT OF LIGHTS BECAUSE OF THE CROWDING AND SO FORTH AND I TOOK A LOT OF NOTES. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT POPPED OUT TO ME MOST WAS THERE WAS SOMEBODY WHO SIDESWIPED ANOTHER CAR AND KEPT GOING. THE TRAFFIC WAS SO BAD. PEOPLE WERE SO FRUSTRATED THAT IT JUST WAS CHAOS AND THEN THE PEDESTRIANS CROSSING WITHOUT THE LIGHTS. ALL OF THIS STUFF CONTRIBUTED. WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT MY HUSBAND AND I WERE ABLE TO WALK PROBABLY FIVE TIMES AS FAST AS ANY CAR OUT THERE AT A SLOW PACE WE WERE WALKING BECAUSE THESE SIDEWALKS WERE SO CROWDED. WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY IN 2017 AND WE HAD A UNANIMOUS COMMISSION; YOU WERE ON IT, THAT SUPPORTED A PLAN FOR MAKING SAN MARCO MAKE MORE SENSE. THAT WAS DEFEATED BY A VERY SMALL MINORITY THAT GOT VERY VOCAL WITH THE STATE LEGISLATURE. IF WE HAD A TRANSIT LANE, IF WE HAD AN EMPHASIS ON PEDESTRIAN AND MICRO-TRANSPORTATION WHICH IS WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO IN 2017. I SHOULDN'T SAY WE ALTHOUGH I WAS BEHIND THE SCENES AS A RESIDENT TRYING TO SUPPORT THAT EFFORT. I WANT THAT PLAN PULLED OFF THE SHELF, DUSTED OFF, AND REINVIGORATED. WE HAVE SUPPORT IN OUR COMMUNITY. SEVERAL OF THEM ARE SITTING HERE AND HAVE SAT HERE FOR SEVERAL HOURS TONIGHT. THEY'RE READY TO GO AND THEY'RE READY TO HELP US. I KNOW MR. FRANKLIN IS AND I THINK THE STAFF IS, AND I HOPE I CAN GET SOMETHING FORMALLY IN SUPPORT FROM THIS COMMISSION. I THINK I SEE SOME NODS AROUND. I'M GOING TO SAY SOMETHING PROVOCATIVE AND I'M DOING IT ON PURPOSE. LET'S LEAVE THE SUPPORT FOR THE REVISITING SAN MARCO AND SEPARATE THAT OUT. EVERY YEAR, WE SIT HERE; WHETHER YOU'RE SITTING AT HOME OR WHETHER YOU'RE SITTING ON THIS DESK AND WE SAY, WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT NIGHT OF LIGHTS. IT'S GREAT FOR THE BUSINESSES. THAT'S GREAT. I AM DEFINITELY SUPPORTIVE OF BUSINESSES, BUT NOT AT THE COST OF OUR TAXPAYERS [03:00:02] WHO ARE FOOTING THE BILL AND NOT AT THE COST OF OUR QUALITY OF LIFE. IF WE DON'T GET HELP SIGNIFICANT HELP FOR THE ACTUAL COSTS FOR SUPPORTING THE INFRASTRUCTURE, FOR THE MAINTENANCE, FOR THE DAY-TO-DAY CLEANUP, FOR THE PORTA-POTTIES THAT WE NEED, FOR THE DIRECTIONAL SIGNS THAT WE NEED, IF WE DON'T GET THAT SUPPORT, I DON'T THINK WE CAN SUSTAIN IT. I DON'T THINK WE CAN SUSTAIN 12 WEEKS OF NIGHT OF LIGHTS OR EIGHT WEEKS OR SIX WEEKS. I DON'T THINK THAT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY. I WANT TO SEE THE COUNTY STEP UP AND STOP SPENDING ALL THE MONEY ON TRYING TO GET MORE TOURISTS HERE AND HELP US HELP THIS CITY WITH THE COSTS THAT THE TAXPAYERS ARE SHOULDERING. I WANT TO SEE THE BUSINESSES STEP UP AND HELP US WITH THOSE COSTS BECAUSE EVERYBODY NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE ON THE GROWTH. AT THE POINT WE'VE REACHED ALREADY, THAT'S CLEAR, BUT ON THE TRAJECTORY THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO GO WHICH IS MORE AND MORE AND MORE VISITORS. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I CANNOT SUPPORT KEEPING NIGHT OF LIGHTS GOING FOR AS LONG AS WE DO IF WE DON'T GET SOME SIGNIFICANT HELP IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. >> GREAT. >> TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO TALK ABOUT NIGHT OF LIGHTS WHEN THE TIME CAME UP. BUT I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE IDEA. THE THINGS THAT I HEARD, I GOT THE SAME CALLS ABOUT THE VENDORS ON THE STREET; VERY DISTURBING. WE WERE DRIVING HOME FROM WATCHING A FRIEND'S GIRL IN BASKETBALL GAME IN NICE AND MY WIFE POINTED OUT. IT WAS LIKE, "I CAN'T BELIEVE THE THINGS SITTING THERE." I DID GET CALLS ON THAT. THE SAN MARCO THING, ABSOLUTELY 100%. I WAS QUIETLY BEHIND THE SCENES WORKING ON THAT. IT WAS A VERY BIG LOST OPPORTUNITY AND WE'RE PAYING THE PRICE FOR IT NOW. THE PART THAT GOT ME ABOUT WHAT I'VE HEARD SO FAR AND I DON'T WANT TO GET AHEAD OF THE GAME IS, ACTUALLY THERE'S TOO MANY PEDESTRIANS DOWNTOWN CROWDED. IT'S USUALLY HERE ABOUT THE CARS, BUT NOW I THINK I'M VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO A CONVERSATION AROUND CAPACITY PERIOD. THERE'S PHYSICAL CAPACITIES TO THE TOWN. YOU BRING UP THE WORD SUSTAINABLE AND I THINK THAT THAT APPLIES BEYOND THE ENVIRONMENTAL SENSE. AS WE DISCUSSED DIVISION PLAN, MAYBE THE WORD BALANCE IS NOT AS APPROPRIATE NOW AS SUSTAINABILITY. I THINK WHEN WE TRY TO BALANCE, I THINK SOMETIMES YOU GET THE MINDSET THAT YOU CAN PUT A LITTLE BIT MORE HERE, A LITTLE BIT MORE HERE, AND A LITTLE BIT MORE HERE. I JUST THINK THAT CAPACITY CONVERSATION IS SUSTAINABILITY CONVERSATION WILL HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THAT STUFF. THE OTHER COMMENTS I WAS GOING TO MAKE WAS JUST ON WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE DISCUSSED ON THE PUD AND THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. >> OH WELL, EXCELLENT. THESE ARE GREAT CONVERSATIONS. I'M SO RELIEVED TO HEAR EVERYBODY WEIGH IN ON THIS BECAUSE I'VE BEEN GETTING THE SAME. THIS YEAR WAS VERY DIFFERENT FROM PAST YEARS. I HAVE A PROBABLY GOOD IDEA OF KNOWING WHY. THE TDC MEMBERS DID REQUEST TO THE BCC; BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONER SPEND AN EXTRA $400,000 ON ADVERTISING FOR THE NIGHT OF LIGHTS SPECIFICALLY STARTING BACK IN THE SUMMER WHICH IS EARLIER THAN WHAT THEY NORMALLY DO TO SPECIFICALLY THE DRIVE MARKET WHICH IS THE LOCAL AREA WHERE PEOPLE CAN DRIVE IN. I DO BELIEVE THAT IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL TO THE POINT WHAT WE SEE. CITY MANAGER IMMEDIATELY I THINK HE WAS WAY AHEAD OF ME EVEN AND ALL OF US AND PULLED HIS TEAM TOGETHER AND HAS BEGUN WORK. WE'LL HEAR A REPORT IN FEBRUARY AFTER NIGHT OF LIGHTS IS OVER. I'VE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY AS YOUR CITY MANAGER HAS BEEN DOING. HE'S DOING A GREAT JOB OF HOLDING IT TOGETHER AND GETTING US THROUGH THIS SEASON. IT'S LIGHTER THAN IT WAS AFTER NEW YEAR'S. IT SEEMS THE CROWD HAS CHANGED. THE VISITORS' MAKEUP, DEMOGRAPHIC HAS CHANGED SINCE THE HOLIDAYS ARE OVER SO IT'S MUCH MORE WE'RE BACK TO THE GIRL FRIEND TRIPS AND THE BACHELORETTE PARTIES AND THE SMALLER WEDDINGS AND THE ROMANTIC COUPLES AND GIRLS GET AWAY, KIND OF THING. THIS IS MORE OF OUR NORMAL PACE. BUT IT WAS INTENSE. IT WAS INTENSE. WHEN I SAW DIFFERENT, THIS TIME WAS GRIDLOCK. USUALLY YOU'VE GOT GRIDLOCK THAT MOVES. THERE'S MOVING CARS. THEY DO; THEY MOVE VERY SLOWLY. THIS DID NOT MOVE. WE'RE DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO OVER-TOURISM. [03:05:02] I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THAT. THAT BEING SAID, I HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION WITH THE VCB DIRECTOR TODAY, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE TDC DIRECTOR. I THINK EVERYBODY'S WILLING TO COME TO THE TABLE AND WE JUST NEED TO PROVIDE THE LEADERSHIP THERE. I THINK WHAT WE HEAR FROM THE CITY MANAGER IS GOING TO DETERMINE WHERE WE GO WITH PROVIDING SOLUTIONS AND A PLAN MOVING FORWARD. IT'S PROBABLY PRETTY COMPLEX. IT'S PROBABLY NOT ONE THING. IT'S PROBABLY NOT JUST FIXING THE VENDORS THING. IT'S GOING TO ENTAIL ALL OF US BEING AT WORK AND THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY LIKE YOU SAID, THE TOURISM COMMUNITY IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT. HOW TO ATTACK THE VENDORS FOR EXAMPLE. I DON'T THINK WE CAN ACTUALLY OUTLAW VENDORS CITYWIDE, BUT MAYBE THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN DO SINCE WE CAN PROVE THAT THIS IS BLOCKING OUR SIDEWALKS AND MAKING IT UNSAFE ETC. MAYBE WE'VE GOT SOME SOLUTIONS THERE. WE CAN TALK MORE ABOUT THAT. BUT WITH THAT, WE CAN PROBABLY GO ON AND ON ABOUT EVERY SINGLE PROBLEM. WE HEAR WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS SAYING. WE HEAR WHAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE SAYING AND WE WANT A LIVABLE CITY. WE STILL WANT TO BE ABLE TO LIVE IN THIS REAL CITY. IT IS NOT DISNEY WORLD. EVERYBODY SAYS IT'S DISNEY. IT IS NOT DISNEY WORLD BECAUSE PEOPLE REALLY LIVE HERE. WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO LIVE HERE AND BUSINESSES NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET THEIR EMPLOYEES IN AND OUT. I'VE HEARD COMPLAINTS ABOUT PEOPLE TRYING TO GET TO WORK, COULDN'T GET TO WORK, ALL KINDS OF THINGS. WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK GOING THROUGH TOGETHER. NOW, I THINK THAT THE VCB WILL CHANGE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE DONE AS FAR AS ADVERTISING. WE CAN'T TURN THE ADVERTISING OFF. THE BED TAX, IT'S STATUTORILY REQUIRED THAT A PERCENTAGE OF ADVERTISING GOES OUT WITH THOSE DOLLARS AND IT GOES OUTSIDE OF THE COMMUNITY AND SOME CAN BE SPENT INSIDE THE COMMUNITY. BUT WE CAN'T JUST SAY NO MORE ADVERTISING. THAT IS NOT THE FIX. BUT THEY CAN ADVERTISE TO A DIFFERENT MARKET THAT WILL STAY LONGER AND MAYBE SPEND THE NIGHT INSTEAD OF POP IN FOR THE DAY, GET AN ICE CREAM CAN, AND PAY FOR PARKING AND LEAVE OR A SLICE OF PIZZA OR A CHUNK OF FUDGE AND I HEARD OR A [INAUDIBLE] OR A PRETZEL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US SINCE WE'RE ALL SAYING THE SAME THING AND WE ALL FEEL THE SAME WAY. WE DO THIS EVERY YEAR. WE HEAR THE SAME COMPLAINTS, BUT I THINK IT HAS REACHED A NEW LEVEL. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE CITY MANAGER GOING TO WORK. WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT, WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY'VE SHOULDERED SO MUCH OF THIS. WHAT HAS HAPPENED, THEY'VE REALLY BEEN IN CHARGE OF KEEPING US SAFE AND EVERYBODY SAFE THAT'S VISITING OUR CITY. MOVING FORWARD, WE JUST LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR REPORT. WITH THAT SAID, I HAVE ONE OTHER THING. THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR WHEN WE DO APPOINTMENTS FOR BOARDS. WE MAY NOT ACCOMPLISH THAT TONIGHT BECAUSE COMMISSIONER GARRIS IS NOT HERE. >> MADAM MAYOR, I DO HAVE THAT SET FOR THE NEXT MEETING. >> YOU HAVE THAT SET? >> YES. >> IF YOU'LL PUT YOUR THINKING CAPS ON AND DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING, IF YOU WANT TO SWITCH ROLES, WHATEVER THAT, AND YOU CAN HAVE CONVERSATIONS OFFLINE WITH THE CITY MANAGER AS TO WHAT THOSE BOARDS ARE. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> YEAH. >> I CAN SEND OUT THE CURRENT ASSIGNMENTS TOMORROW. >> THAT'LL BE VERY HELPFUL. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. THAT WAS ALL I HAD. I DON'T BELIEVE I'VE SAID ENOUGH. THAT'S IT. ANYTHING ELSE? THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.