[00:00:07] >> GOOD EVENING. THIS MEETING [1. CALL TO ORDER] OF THE CITY COMMISSION IS CALLED TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> NANCY SIKES-KLINE. >> HERE. >> BARBARA BLONDER. >> HERE. >> CYNTHIA GARRIS. >> HERE. >> TIM SPRINGFIELD? >> HERE. >> JON DEPRETER. >> HERE. >> TODAY IS FOUNDERS DAY. WE ARE RECOGNIZING 460 YEARS OF THE EXISTENCE OF ST. AUGUSTINE, WHICH IS THE OLDEST CONTINUOUSLY OCCUPIED EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT IN THE LAND TO BECOME THE UNITED STATES. WITH THAT SAID, WE WILL OBSERVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY VICE MAYOR BARBARA BLONDER. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. PLEASE RISE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. >> FIRST ITEM IS MODIFICATION AND APPROVAL OF THE REGULAR AGENDA. [2. ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS] MR. CITY MANAGER. >> WE HAVE NO MODIFICATIONS TONIGHT. THANK YOU. >> MS. CITY CLERK. >> MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, I REQUEST THAT WE ADD AN APPROVAL OF A PROCLAMATION, RECOGNITION OF 100 YEARS OF DAVIS SHORES NEIGHBORHOOD, SO WE CAN PRESENT FORMALLY AT THE NEXT MEETING. >> WE CAN ADD THAT UNDER CONSENT AGENDA, AND WE CAN MAKE THAT ITEM CA10. WE WILL DO THAT. I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONERS. ANYONE TO HAVE MODIFICATIONS? NO. GREAT. I MOVE THAT WE PASS THE REGULAR AGENDA AS AMENDED. >> I'LL SECOND THAT. >> THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> THANK YOU. SO DELIGHTFUL. WE HAVE FOUR PROCLAMATIONS THIS EVENING. [3. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, RECOGNITIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS] WHAT I WILL DO IS I WILL READ THEM FOR THE DAIS. I'LL ASK OUR INVITED GUESTS TO COME AND JOIN ME WITH THE COMMISSION IN THE FRONT, AND WE'LL PRESENT THE PROCLAMATION, TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH, AND ALL TOGETHER, AND CONGRATULATE EVERYONE ALL AROUND. THE FIRST PROCLAMATION THAT WE HAVE THIS EVENING IS NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH. THE PROCLAMATION READS. WHEREAS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF HEALTH AND ONE'S OVERALL WELLNESS, AND WHEREAS MENTAL AND/OR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS AFFECT ALL COMMUNITIES NATIONWIDE, BUT WITH COMMITMENT AND SUPPORT, PEOPLE WITH THESE DISORDERS CAN ACHIEVE HEALTHY LIFESTYLES AND LEAD REWARDING LIVES IN RECOVERY. WHEREAS PREVENTING AND OVERCOMING MENTAL AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS IS ESSENTIAL TO ACHIEVING HEALTHY LIFESTYLES BOTH PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY. WHEREAS WE MUST ENCOURAGE RELATIVES AND FRIENDS OF PEOPLE WITH MENTAL AND/OR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS TO IMPLEMENT PREVENTATIVE MEASURES, [00:05:01] RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS OF A PROBLEM, AND GUIDE THOSE IN NEED TO APPROPRIATE TREATMENT AND RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES. WHEREAS THE IMPACT OF SUBSTANCE USE AND/OR MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS IS APPARENT IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY, AND TREATMENT AND RECOVERY PROGRAMS HELP MORE PEOPLE ACHIEVE AND SUSTAIN LONG TERM RECOVERY. WHEREAS, TO HELP MORE PEOPLE ACHIEVE AND SUSTAIN LONG TERM RECOVERY, THE US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, AND THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY AND THE OXFORD HOUSE NETWORK IN FLORIDA, INVITE ALL RESIDENTS OF ST. AUGUSTINE TO PARTICIPATE A NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE HEREBY PROCLAIMS THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2025 AS NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH AND ENCOURAGES ALL CITIZENS TO OBSERVE THIS MONTH WITH APPROPRIATE PROGRAMS, ACTIVITIES, AND CEREMONIES. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK DESIREE RIOS. I HOPE I SAID THAT CORRECTLY. IF YOU WILL PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE FRONT WITH THE COMMISSION AND WE'LL PRESENT THE PROCLAMATION TO YOU. IT'S ON. GREAT. DESIREE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE A FEW WORDS? DO YOU HAVE ANYONE YOU WISH TO BRING? >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> THEY CAN COME. WE LOVE CHILDREN. CHILDREN NEED TO SEE HOW GOVERNMENT RUNS TOO. [LAUGHTER] COME ON, BRING THEM UP. ABSOLUTELY. I'LL HOLD THIS FOR YOU IF YOU WANT TO READ THAT. COME ON UP HERE. YOUNG LADY, YOU'RE LOOKING VERY SPECIAL TONIGHT. I THINK I GOT IT. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DESIREE RIOS. I'M A PERSON IN LONG TERM RECOVERY. WHAT THAT MEANS FOR ME IS THAT I HAVEN'T FOUND IT NECESSARY TO USE ANY MIND OR MOOD ALTERING SUBSTANCES SINCE OCTOBER 15TH OF 2020. ON BEHALF OF OXFORD HOUSE, I DO WANT TO THANK THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE FOR RECOGNIZING NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH AND FOR ISSUING THIS PROCLAMATION. THIS MOMENT IS NOT ONLY AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE STRUGGLES MANY OF US HAVE FACED, BUT ALSO A CELEBRATION OF THE HOPE, STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE THAT COMES WITH RECOVERY. RECOVERY IS NOT EASY, AND IT DOES TAKE DAILY COMMITMENT, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND SUPPORT. FOR MANY OF US, OXFORD HOUSE HAS BEEN THAT SAFE PLACE WHERE WE LEARNED HOW TO REBUILD OUR LIVES, TO LIVE RESPONSIBLY, AND TO LEAN ON ONE ANOTHER AS A FAMILY. IT HAS GIVEN US SECOND CHANCES AND IN SOME CASES THIRD OR EVEN FOURTH CHANCES. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT HAS GIVEN US THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCOVER WHO WE TRULY ARE WITHOUT DRUGS OR ALCOHOL. TODAY, THIS PROCLAMATION TELLS OUR COMMUNITY THAT RECOVERY IS POSSIBLE. IT TELLS THE PERSON THAT IS STILL STRUGGLING THAT THEY'RE NOT ALONE AND THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE AND RESOURCES READY TO WALK WITH THEM ON THEIR JOURNEY. I WANT TO THANK THE LEADERS OF ST. AUGUSTINE FOR STANDING WITH US FOR HELPING US BREAK THE STIGMA AND FOR SENDING A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT BEING A MOTHER IS NOT EASY. [LAUGHTER] FOR SENDING A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT RECOVERY DESERVES TO BE SEEN, HEARD, AND CELEBRATED. TO MY FELLOW BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN RECOVERY, THIS PROCLAMATION IS A REMINDER OF WHAT WE DO MATTERS. EVERY DAY WE CHOOSE TO STAY CLEAN AND SOBER. WE NOT ONLY CHANGE OUR LIVES, BUT WE ALSO CHANGE OUR FAMILIES, OUR COMMUNITIES, AND OUR FUTURE. THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN RECOVERY, AND THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN US. [APPLAUSE] >> WE'LL HOLD THE PROCLAMATION FOR YOU. WE ARE REMINDED THAT THOSE IN RECOVERY NOT ONLY DO THEY CHANGE THEIR LIVES, BUT THEY ALSO CHANGE THE LIVES OF THEIR FAMILIES AND THAT'S SO IMPORTANT. THANK YOU FOR COMING. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING YOUR CHILDREN AND SHOWING US HOW DELIGHTFUL THEY ARE, [00:10:03] AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR VERY WISE WORDS. I'VE HAD MY CHANCE. THANK YOU. I'VE HAD MY DAY. [LAUGHTER] THIS WAY. PERFECT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> IT'S WONDERFUL. >> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. >> HANG IN THERE. CONGRATULATIONS. >> THANK YOU. >> CONGRATULATIONS. >> THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. >> OUR NEXT PROCLAMATION IS THE 460TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST MUSTER OF FLORIDA AND MILITIA. WHEREAS THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, ALONG WITH THE FLORIDA NATIONAL GUARD, HONOR SEPTEMBER 16TH, 1565, AS THE FIRST MUSTER OF A COLONIAL MILITIA AND THE DATE ON WHICH GOVERNOR DON PEDRO MENENDEZ DE AVILES LED 500 REGULAR SOLDIERS IN DEFENSE OF SPAIN'S CLAIM TO LA FLORIDA. WHEREAS SINCE SEPTEMBER 16TH, 1565, THE RESIDENTS OF THE NEW SETTLEMENT STOOD READY TO PROTECT AND DEFEND THEIR HOME. WHEREAS THE COLONISTS OF ST. AUGUSTINE REGULARLY SERVED THE PRESIDIO DURING FLORIDA'S EARLIEST YEARS, WHEN SUBJECTS VOLUNTEERED THEIR SERVICE TO MAINTAIN THE AUTHORIZED STRENGTH OF THE GARRISON, THEREBY DEMONSTRATING PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO THIS COMMUNITY, AND WHEREAS THE FLORIDA NATIONAL GUARD CONTINUES THIS SERVICE AS THE MILITARY ARM OF THE GOVERNOR AND THE PEOPLE OF THE GREAT STATE OF FLORIDA. WHEREAS IN 2025, NEARLY 12,000 HIGHLY TRAINED SKILLED AND DEDICATED MEN AND WOMEN CURRENTLY SERVE AS SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN FOR THE FLORIDA NATIONAL GUARD, CONTINUING THE TRADITION OF BEING ALWAYS READY, ALWAYS THERE. NOW, THEREFORE, THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2025, THE 460TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST MUSTER OF FLORIDA'S MILITIA, AND URGES ALL CITIZENS TO GIVE PROPER RECOGNITION TO THE SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN OF THIS ORGANIZATION FOR THEIR DEDICATED SERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY, STATE, AND NATION IN TIMES OF WAR AND PEACE. IF MAJOR GENERAL HOUST AND HIS FELLOWS WILL PLEASE JOIN THE COMMISSION IN THE FRONT OF THE ROOM, AND WE'LL SAY A FEW WORDS AND PRESENT THE PROCLAMATION. >> GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, SIR. THANK YOU FOR COMING. WONDERFUL, GOOD TO SEE YOU, SIR. HERE IS YOUR PROCLAMATION. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? >> NO. YOU DID A WONDERFUL JOB. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> EXCELLENT. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. IT'S VERY SPECIAL. I GUESS WE'LL SEE YOU ON FRIDAY. THE NEXT PROCLAMATION IS SPINAL CORD INJURY AWARENESS MONTH. WHEREAS A SPINAL CORD INJURY IS AN INJURY TO AN INDIVIDUAL'S SPINAL CORD RESULTING IN TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT CHANGES, [NOISE] IN THE SPINAL CORD'S NORMAL MOTOR SENSORY OR AUTOMATIC FUNCTION. WHEREAS THOSE WHO SUSTAIN SPINAL CORD INJURIES OFTEN FACE PERMANENT AND PROFOUND NEUROLOGICAL DEFECTS IN ACCOMPANYING PRO PARALYSIS. WHEREAS THESE INJURIES OFTEN RESULT FROM CAR ACCIDENTS, BUT THEY CAN OCCUR DUE TO FALLS, ACTS OF VIOLENCE, SPORTS INJURIES, AND NON-TRAUMATIC INJURIES, SUCH AS A SPINAL DISEASE. REGARDLESS OF THE CAUSE, SPINAL CORD INJURIES CAN ALTER AN INDIVIDUAL'S LIFE FOREVER. [00:15:03] WHEREAS CURRENTLY, APPROXIMATELY 285,000 AMERICANS ARE LIVING WITH SPINAL CORD INJURIES AND ROUGHLY 17,500 NEW CASES, A SPINAL CORD INJURIES OCCUR EACH YEAR. EACH CASE IS UNIQUE AND AFFECTS EACH PERSON'S LIFE IN A DIFFERENT WAY. WHEREAS IN SEPTEMBER 2014, THE US SENATE RESOLUTION 533 ESTABLISHED SEPTEMBER AS NATIONAL SPINAL INJURY AWARENESS MONTH, AND WHEREAS SPINAL CORD INJURY AWARENESS MONTH PROVIDES FOR NUMEROUS ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE UNITED SPINAL ASSOCIATION'S FLORIDA CHAPTER TO GENERATE GREATER AWARENESS REGARDING INJURY. EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE AND PROMOTE RESEARCH EFFORTS TO HELP THOSE AFFECTED REGAIN MOBILITY. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE CITY COMMISSION HEREBY PROCLAIMS SEPTEMBER 2025 A SPINAL CORD INJURY AWARENESS MONTH AND RECOGNIZES THE ACHIEVEMENTS MADE AND TO CONTINUE THESE EFFORTS BY PROMOTING THE PREVENTION AND EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE DANGERS OF SPINAL CORD INJURY. WITH THAT SAID, MISS KIM HARRISON, IF YOU'LL JOIN YOU AND YOUR TEAM OR ANYONE GUESS YOU WISH TO JOIN US IN THE FRONT, WE'LL HAVE A PHOTOGRAPH AND PRESENT THE PROCLAMATION TO YOU. >> MS. KIM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS, PLEASE? >> AS THE NORTH FLORIDA CHAPTER ADVOCACY REPRESENTATIVE FOR UNITED SPINAL ASSOCIATION, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE HONORABLE MAYOR SIKES-KLINE AND OUR DISTINGUISHED CITY COUNCIL FOR RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER AS SPINAL CORD INJURY AWARENESS MONTH. WE APPRECIATE UNITED SPINAL ASSOCIATION AND THE SUPPORT AND DEDICATION FOR BETTERING OUR LIVES. SPECIAL THANK YOU, AND I WANT TO REALLY THANK YOU ST. JOHN'S COUNTY PARKS, RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND OR BEACHES. OUR BEACHES, WE HAVE SARAH DEAN AND PAUL AND OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT KELLY THAT I'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH, AND THEY HAVE POSITIVE EFFECTS ON OUR COMMUNITY FOR THOSE WITH DISABILITIES AND SPINAL CORD INJURIES. I CAN'T THINK OF ENOUGH FOR THE INCLUSION FROM ALL OF [INAUDIBLE] SPORTS EVENTS THAT THEY HOLD TO MAINTAINING, ACCESSIBLE ACCESS TO OUR BEACHES AND OUR PARKS. WHEN BILLING PARKS AND REDOING OUR PARKS HERE IN THE COUNTY, THEY ARE TAKING TIME TO MAKE THEM ACCESSIBLE FOR CHILDREN AND ALL ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT A PARENT CAN ALSO JOIN THEIR CHILD ON A PLAYGROUND. I THINK IT'S VERY POSITIVE, LIVING IN ST. AUGUSTINE IN THE CITY TO SEE THE EFFORTS THEY'RE MAKING TO BRING US FORWARD TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS WITH OUR FAMILIES. NO ONE EVER THOUGHT 20 YEARS AGO, I WOKE UP. MY RIGHT FOOT WAS ASLEEP, AND WITHIN FOUR HOURS I WAS PARALYZED. IT'S NOT ALWAYS A ACCIDENT OR SOMETHING TERRIBLE OR TRAUMATIC THAT HAPPENS TO US. WE'RE ALL IN THIS BUILDING, ONE STEP AWAY AND ONE MINUTE AWAY FROM BEING IN ALL OF OUR SITUATIONS. I LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING AWARENESS AND FOR BRINGING OUR COMMUNITY UP TO THE STANDARDS THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES DESERVE. YOU GUYS HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB AND I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH. [APPLAUSE] >> OUR FINAL PROCLAMATION FOR THE EVENING IS PROCLAIMING SEPTEMBER 17TH THROUGH SEPTEMBER 23RD IS CONSTITUTION WEEK. WHEREAS OUR FOUNDING FATHERS DID DECREE AND ESTABLISH A CONSTITUTION FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO ACQUIRE THE GOOD FORTUNES ASSOCIATED WITH PERSONAL FREEDOM FOR THEIRS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. WHEREAS IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE TERMS, CONDITIONS, AND MEANING OF THE CONSTITUTION BE FULLY UNDERSTOOD [00:20:02] BY ALL CITIZENS AND THAT WE MAY UPHOLD, PROTECT, AND DEFEND IT AGAINST POSSIBLE INFRINGEMENT. WHEREAS SEPTEMBER 17TH IS THE 237TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SIGNING OF OUR CONSTITUTION, WHICH PROVIDES A MOMENTOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL AMERICANS TO DISCOVER AND RECOGNIZE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR FOREFATHERS AND TO PONDER THE RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES OF CITIZENSHIP, AS WELL AS ITS RESPONSIBILITIES THEREOF. WHEREAS THE REGENTS COUNCIL OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA, DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, JOIN THE NATIONAL CELEBRATION, THIS ANNUAL OBSERVANCE SERVES AS A TIME FOR ALL CITIZENS TO HOLD DEAR AND CELEBRATE THE RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES THIS DOCUMENT AFFORDS US AS AMERICANS. WHEREAS, ALL AMERICAN CITIZENS SHOULD RESPECT INDEPENDENCE AS GUARANTEED BY OUR CONSTITUTION WITH FITTING CEREMONIES AND COMMEMORATIVE ACTIVITIES DURING CONSTITUTION WEEK AS ORDERED AND PROCLAIMED IN 1956 BY PRESIDENT DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER AND THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 17TH THROUGH SEPTEMBER 23RD AS CONSTITUTION WEEK IN THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, AND URGES ALL OF OUR CITIZENS TO PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION DURING THIS WEEK TO OUR CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT AND THE ADVANTAGES OF AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP AND FURTHER INVITE EVERY CITIZEN AND INSTITUTION TO JOIN IN THIS NATIONAL COMMEMORATION. IF THE DAR WOULD PLEASE JOIN ME AT THE FRONT WITH THE COMMISSION, WE'LL PRESENT THE PROCLAMATION AND TAKE A PHOTO. MS. BETH, WILL YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? >> FIRST, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE. THEY'RE ALWAYS SO HELPFUL ON SEPTEMBER 17TH. IT IS A BIG DEAL, AND IF YOU'VE NEVER COME DOWN TO THE PLAZA ON SEPTEMBER 17TH TO CELEBRATE THE RINGING OF THE BELLS, AND THE HONORABLE MAYOR WILL BE THERE TO BRING GREETINGS, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ALL OF YOU TO PARTICIPATE. WE WILL HAVE THE FLORIDA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF & BLIND WILL BE THERE TO SING. WE ALSO HAVE A COLOR GUARD FROM ST. AUGUSTINE HIGH SCHOOLS JUNIOR ROTC PROGRAM. JUST WE ARE ON THE THRESHOLD OF CELEBRATING AMERICA'S 250TH BIRTHDAY, AND DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION HAS PLACED HISTORICAL MARKERS FROM MAINE TO KEY WEST, FROM CALIFORNIA TO BOSTON, AND WE HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU WILL FIND SOME WAY TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS WONDERFUL CELEBRATION FOR THE BIRTH OF OUR NATION. >> WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE] I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT I WILL BE TRAVELING TO WASHINGTON, DC TO JOIN THE NATIONAL DAR FOR THE QUEEN SOPHIA SUMMIT ON THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. I WILL BE REPRESENTING ST. AUGUSTINE AND JOINING IN THE FESTIVITIES PRIMARILY ABOUT SPAIN'S ROLE. THE DAR, WE LAUD THEM FOR BRINGING THAT FORWARD. SO YES, I'LL BE PROUD TO REPRESENT YOU AS WELL. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. [00:25:04] >> THAT CONCLUDES OUR SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, RECOGNITIONS, AND PROCLAMATIONS. THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENT. [4. PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS OR FOR AGENDA ITEMS NOT REQUIRING A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING] THIS IS FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT ARE FOR AGENDA ITEMS NOT REQUIRING A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING. THERE YOU ARE. I'LL JUST READ THE DECORUM. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON MATTERS THAT ARE NOT SCHEDULED FOR A PUBLIC HEARING. ANY PERSON WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION SHOULD FILL OUT A SPEAKER CARD, AND I WILL CALL YOU TO THE PODIUM WHEN IT IS YOUR TURN TO SPEAK. YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND SHALL COMPLY WITH THE CITY'S RULES OF DECORUM. THOSE ARE COMMENTS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE COMMISSION AS A WHOLE AND NOT INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONERS DO NOT RESPOND TO QUESTIONS FROM SPEAKERS DURING PUBLIC COMMENT. NO PERSON MAY ADDRESS THE COMMISSION WITH PERSONAL, IMPROPER, OR SLANDEROUS REMARKS, OR WITH BOISTEROUS BEHAVIOR. MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE WILL REFRAIN FROM ANY CLAPPING OR DISRUPTIVE DEMONSTRATIONS OF APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF ANY COMMENTS. FINALLY, I WOULD ASK THAT ANY SPEAKER WHO USES THE OVERHEAD PROJECTOR TO PLEASE SUBMIT THOSE ITEMS TO THE CITY CLERK TO BE ENTERED INTO THE PUBLIC RECORD. THE FIRST SPEAKER IS JESSE SABO, FOLLOWED BY HEATHER WILSON. >> HI, COMMISSIONERS. >> GOOD EVENING. >> SOME OF YOU MAY RECOGNIZE ME. I'VE BEEN DRIVING HORSE CARRIAGES HERE FOR OVER 20 YEARS. I STARTED IN 2004. [NOISE] A COUPLE OF YEARS LATER, I MET A PASSENGER ON THE CARRIAGE. I ASKED HER TO HAVE COFFEE WITH ME, AND MY COFFEE IS REALLY GOOD. A YEAR AND A HALF LATER, WE GOT MARRIED. OUR HORSE WAS THE BEST MAN AT THE WEDDING. COUPLE YEARS LATER, WHEN WE DID THE ORDINANCE AND MURPHY WENT OUT OF BUSINESS, I WAS ABLE TO BUY MY HORSE FROM THAT COMPANY, SCOUT, AND EVENTUALLY PURCHASE A NICE SIZED PIECE OF PROPERTY, SO THAT I COULD PUT UP A BARN AND PADDOCKS AND HAVE HIM RUN AROUND, EAT GRASS AND HAVE FUN. MY WIFE INSISTED THAT WE PUT THE HORSE FIRST ALWAYS. LATER ON, SHE WANTED TO OPEN AN ANTIQUE STORE, WHICH WAS ALWAYS A DREAM OF OURS. I TOOK SOME TIME OFF TO HELP HER. LATER SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER AND UNFORTUNATELY, I LOST HER IN 2020. SHE DIED JUST BEFORE COVID SHUT DOWN THE DREAM OF THE STORE THAT WE HAD. A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER, WHEN THE CITY GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO LET BUSINESSES START TO REOPEN, WE WERE PRIVILEGED TO BE ONE OF THE FIRST BUSINESSES TO START OPENING AND TAKING PEOPLE AROUND DURING THE PANDEMIC. I THINK WE BROUGHT IN QUITE A LOT OF TOURISM AND BUSINESS DURING THAT TIME. ON THE SUBJECT OF HORSES WORKING. I HAVE NEVER LEFT THE BARN BEFORE 5:00 PM. I DON'T WORK DURING THE DAY AND I NEVER HAVE IN MY WHOLE CAREER. EVER SINCE I LEFT MURPHY, I'VE ALWAYS DECIDED WHAT TIME TO COME IN, AND IF IT'S TOO HOT, WE JUST DON'T GO OUT. THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE CLAIMS THAT WE'RE OUT THERE WHEN IT'S TOO HOT ARE POORLY INFORMED AND THEY CERTAINLY HAVE NEVER SEEN MY FACILITY FOR KEEPING AND TAKING CARE OF HORSES. THEY'RE FAR TOO VALUABLE TO RISK. THEY CAN'T JUST BE REPLACED. WE DON'T HAVE EXTRAS LAYING AROUND, AND SO WE NEED TO TAKE THE BEST POSSIBLE CARE OF OUR ANIMALS. MOST OF THE PROVIDERS ARE VERY SMALL AND HAVE ONLY SMALL NUMBER OF ANIMALS, AND WE HAVE TO KEEP THEM IN THE BEST HEALTH POSSIBLE, AND THEY SEE THE VET MORE OFTEN THAN I I SEE THE DOCTOR. I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT. I HAVE ALWAYS WORKED FIVE HOURS A DAY FROM 5:00 PM TO AROUND 10:00 PM, FOUR DAYS A WEEK. I FIND THAT TO BE A BALANCE AND IT WORKS FOR THE DRIVER AND IT WORKS FOR THE HORSES AS WELL. ON THE SUBJECT OF PROTESTERS. THE FIRST THING IS, I RESPECT THAT THEY HAVE A POSITION BECAUSE THE FIRST RULE OF DEBATE IS TO ACCEPT THAT YOUR OPPONENT HAS A POSITION. I APPRECIATE THAT THEY CARE FOR THE ANIMALS. BUT I THINK THAT THEY ARE NOT COMPLETELY INFORMED. THEY DON'T HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION ON THE SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING OUR SITUATION, AND HOW LONG AND IMPORTANT WE'VE BEEN A PART OF ST. AUGUSTINE'S HISTORY, AND THE TOURISM INDUSTRY THAT WE REPRESENT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS HEATHER WILSON, [00:30:01] FOLLOWED BY NANCY MURPHY. >> GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. MY NAME IS HEATHER. I LIVE ON STATE ROAD 13 IN JACKSONVILLE. FROM THE ST. AUGUSTINE MUNICIPAL CODE, ARTICLE 5, TRANSPORTATION BY ANIMAL DRAWN VEHICLES FOR PURPOSES OF TOURING. SECTION 27-147, CERTIFICATE OF HEALTH OF ANIMALS REQUIRED. "THE HOLDER OF EACH PERMIT TO DRIVE OR OPERATE AN ANIMAL DRAWN VEHICLE WITHIN THE CITY AS A CONDITION TO SUCH PERMIT REMAINING IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT, SHALL HAVE EACH ANIMAL INSPECTED BY A CITY APPROVED DOCTOR OF VETERINARY MEDICINE TWICE PER YEAR. NO LATER THAN THE 15TH DAY OF NOVEMBER AND THE 15TH DAY OF MAY OF EACH YEAR AT THE PERMIT HOLDERS EXPENSE." WHEN LOOKING AT THE VET RECORDS 2020-2025, THE MAJORITY OF THESE CARRIAGE COMPANIES ARE OUT OF COMPLIANCE. THERE WAS ONLY A VERY SMALL HANDFUL OF HORSES THAT GOT TWO VET EXAMS IN ONE YEAR, AND THAT WAS IN 2021. IN A RECENT MEDIA ARTICLE DATED AUGUST 15TH, MS. CUSHING STATED HER BUSINESS WAS DOWN, 40 TO 50%, WHICH WAS CONCERNING BECAUSE SHE'S GOT 23 HORSES TO FEED. I'M TRYING TO SHOW SOMETHING ON THE PROJECTOR. I GUESS I'LL JUST TURN IT IN. IT IS NOW SEPTEMBER. WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE MAJORITY OF THE HORSES THAT ARE REQUIRED TO BE EXAMINED. I ONLY HAVE EXACTLY FIVE VETERINARY EXAMINATIONS FOR COUNTRY CARRIAGES AND THEY'RE DATED JUNE 26TH. THAT IS OVER A MONTH LATE. WHERE ARE THE REMAINDER OF THESE 18 HORSES? ALL FIVE HORSES ARE RED SORREL BELGIAN, FOUR GELDINGS, AND ONE MARE. THEIR NAMES ARE SAM, PETE, DREAM, DAVE, AND TITAN. EVERY OTHER HORSE IN MS. CUSHING'S FLEET HAS NOT SEEN A VETERINARIAN SINCE 2024. THAT IS A HUGE LIABILITY OF THE CITY WHEN THESE CARRIAGE COMPANIES CANNOT EVEN COMPLY WITH THE MUNICIPAL CODE REQUIREMENTS THAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO FULFILL IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN AN ACTIVE LICENSE. ST. AUGUSTINE HAS SEEN ENOUGH CRUELTY ON DISPLAY, AND NOW WE ARE STARTING TO SEE CORRUPTION AND NON COMPLIANCE, AND THIS IS VERY CONCERNING WHEN THESE ANIMALS HAVE NOT SEEN A VETERINARIAN IN QUITE SOME TIME, WHICH IS CLEARLY REQUIRED BY THE FLORIDA ST. AUGUSTINE MUNICIPAL CODE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> NANCY MURPHY, FOLLOWED BY KATHERINE ZODA. >> IT'S ME, NANCY MURPHY, 22 FERN CRES. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO HAVE THESE THREE MINUTES, MADAM MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. I'M REPRESENTING THE, I MOVED HERE FROM ST. LOUIS A LONG TIME AGO, ST. AUGUSTINE COMPASSION. I'M GOING TO READ EXCERPTS FROM THE CHARTER FOR COMPASSION. THE PRINCIPLE OF COMPASSION LIES AT THE HEART OF ALL RELIGIOUS, ETHICAL, AND SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS, CALLING US ALWAYS TO TREAT ALL OTHERS WITH ABSOLUTE DIGNITY AND RESPECT. COMPASSION IMPELS US TO WORK TIRELESSLY TO ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERING OF OUR FELLOW CREATURES, TO DETHRONE OURSELVES FROM THE CENTER OF OUR WORLD, AND PUT ANOTHER THERE, AND TO HONOR THE VOIDABLE SANCTITY OF EVERY SINGLE HUMAN BEING, TREATING EVERYBODY WITHOUT EXCEPTION WITH ABSOLUTE JUSTICE, EQUITY, AND RESPECT. >> WE URGENTLY NEED TO MAKE COMPASSION A CLEAR, LUMINOUS AND DYNAMIC FORCE IN OUR POLARIZED WORLD. ROOTED IN A PRINCIPLE DETERMINATION TO TRANSCEND SELFISHNESS, COMPASSION CAN BREAK DOWN POLITICAL, DOGMATIC, IDEOLOGICAL AND RELIGIOUS BOUNDARIES. BORN OF OUR DEEP INTERDEPENDENCE, COMPASSION IS ESSENTIAL TO HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS AND TO A FULFILLED HUMANITY. IT IS THE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT AND INDISPENSABLE TO [00:35:03] THE CREATION OF A JUST ECONOMY AND A PEACEFUL GLOBAL COMMUNITY. THE CHARTER FOR COMPASSION WAS INTRODUCED IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, IN NOVEMBER OF 2009. ST. AUGUSTINE BECAME A COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY 12 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK. SO AS WE CELEBRATE 460 YEARS OF THE CITY AND 12 YEARS OF BEING INTENTIONAL IN OUR COMPASSION, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT I BELIEVE THE ELEMENT OF COMPASSION BEING INTENTIONALLY INCLUDED OVER THESE LAST 12 YEARS HAS ADDED TO THE CITIZENS' LIVES IN THIS GREAT COMMUNITY, AND I HOPE THAT THE LESSONS OF THE LAST 460 YEARS AND THE LESSONS OF THE LAST 12 WILL HELP US TO GROW IN COMPASSION OVER THE NEXT YEARS AND THE NEXT DAYS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS KATHERINE ZODA, FOLLOWED BY PATRICIA RAMOS. >> I'M KATHERINE ZODA. I LIVE A 48 SOIYA DRIVE. ST. AUGUSTINE. I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TODAY ABOUT THE HORSES AND CHAOS IN THE STREETS OF DOWNTOWN, ST. AUGUSTINE. IS THIS THE YEAR ST. AUGUSTINE EXPERIENCES A TRAGEDY THAT WAS COMPLETELY PREVENTABLE? THE CITY IS KNOWINGLY ALLOWING UNLICENSED CARRIAGES AND UNVERIFIED DRIVERS TO OPERATE ON THE MOST CONGESTED CITY STREETS IN VIOLATION OF MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 27-27. THIS INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD OF UNTRAINED DRIVERS HANDLING OVERWORKED HORSES AND CHAOTIC TRAFFIC USING HARSH BITS TO CONTROL THEM. THIS NOT ONLY ENDANGERS PEOPLE, BUT SUBJECTS THE ANIMALS TO UNNECESSARY PAIN AND CONFUSION AND ENVIRONMENT THEY WERE NEVER MEANT TO ENDURE. MEANWHILE, DRIVERS ARE ROUTINELY SEEN TURNING AROUND TO CHAT WITH PASSENGERS, OFTEN ONE HAND OFF THE REINS AND DISTRACTED FROM THE ROAD AS THE HORSE CONTINUES DOWN THE CONGESTED STREET. I HAVE WITNESSED FIRSTHAND OUTRAGEOUS RECKLESSNESS ON OUR STREETS. I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW A PHOTO. THANK YOU. HERE YOU SEE A CARRIAGE DRIVER WITH BOTH HANDS RAISED IN THE AIR TURNING HER BACK COMPLETELY TO THE ROAD AS THE HORSE MOVES UNGUIDED DOWN AVENIDA MENENDEZ. THIS ISN'T JUST NEGLIGENCE. IT'S BILATENT DISREGARD FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. IN SUCH A HIGH RISK AREA, EVEN THE SLIGHTEST DISTRACTION COULD END IN TRAGEDY. HORSES ARE NOT MACHINES. THEY CAN SPOOK OR BOLT WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THE RESULTS CAN BE CATASTROPHIC. WAS THIS AN UNLICENSED DRIVER? THE CITY STATED IT DOES NOT TRACK DRIVERS DESPITE A MUNICIPAL CODE REQUIRING IT. JUST LAST WEEK, ANOTHER NEW YORK CITY CARRIAGE HORSE BOLTED THROUGH CENTRAL PARK AND DURING SEVERAL AND SPARKING CHAOS. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A CITY DISREGARDS AN OBVIOUS RISK. WE'RE SEEING MAJOR CITIES RESPOND TO THE MOUNTING RISKS OF HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGES. EVEN THE CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY NOW SUPPORTS A BAN. OUR OWN CITY MANAGER TRIED TO REDUCE CARRIAGE PERMITS, EXCITING CONCERNS OVER PUBLIC SAFETY AND UPCOMING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, BUT WAS OVERRULED. TOURISM, TRADITION, AND PROFIT WERE PRIORITIZED OVER PUBLIC AND ANIMAL WELFARE. THIS DANGEROUS CRUEL INDUSTRY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER IS PATRICIA RAMOS, FOLLOWED BY LENA RUSSELL. [00:40:01] >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS PATRICIA, 18 RAM SHAM PLACE, AND I AM BRINGING TO YOUR CONCERN A WELL KNOWN COMPANY THAT IS PLANNING ON COMING TO ST. AUGUSTINE FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS TO SOLICIT UNSUSPECTING PUBLIC TO TAKE A HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGE RIDE. LAST MONTH, I CALLED CELEBRATION CARRIAGE AND I SPOKE WITH SOMEONE NAMED TEE. WHEN I INQUIRED ABOUT BOOKING A RIDE, SHE INFORMED ME THAT SHE WAS OUT OF TOWN, BUT THAT SHE WOULD DEFINITELY BE BACK IN ST. AUGUSTINE IN NOVEMBER FOR THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, AND TO LOOK FOR A BLUE CARRIAGE. NOW, ACCORDING TO ST. AUGUSTINE MUNICIPAL CODE, ARTICLE 5, TRANSPORTATION BY ANIMAL DRAWN VEHICLES FOR PURPOSES OF TOURING SECTION 27 TO 127. NO PERSON SHALL OPERATE OR CAUSE TO BE OPERATED FOR HIRE ANY VEHICLE OR WHATEVER NATURE DRAWN BY ANIMALS FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONDUCTING TOURS WITHIN THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE WITHOUT FIRST ENTERING INTO A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY YET THIS PERSON RIGHT HERE. SHE DOES. FOR THE CITY CLERK OF ST. AUGUSTINE, CELEBRATION CARRIAGES DOES NOT HAVE A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY. I HAVE A NICE LITTLE E MAIL HERE. HOWEVER, CELEBRATION CARRIAGE IS STILL ADVERTISING FOR RIDES ON FACEBOOK AND YELLOW. IN 2023, AS MENTIONED, THE CITY MANAGER DENIED CELEBRATIONS LICENSE BECAUSE IT IS NOT TRANSFERABLE FROM ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL, AS WELL AS HIS CONCERNS OVER TRAFFIC AND THE CONSTANT CONSTRUCTION WITHIN THE CITY. BASICALLY, HE DID IT FOR SAFETY. YOU VOTED AGAINST THE CITY MANAGER ALL BECAUSE YOU FELT THAT AGAIN SHE HAD ALREADY MADE RESERVATIONS FOR THE NIGHTS OF LIGHT. THERE SEEMS TO BE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST SOMEWHERE. REMEMBER NIGHTS OF LIGHTS IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST TIMES IN ST. AUGUSTINE. AND IF YOU READ UNDER HER OWN PICTURES, WHICH I WILL SUPPLY LATER. DURING THAT MEETING, EVEN SHE MADE A GOOD ARGUMENT AGAINST HER OWN BUSINESS AND THE DANGERS OF HORSE AND CARRIAGE WITHIN OUR CITIES. BASICALLY ADMITTING THAT NO ONE EXPECTS TO SEE A SLOW MOVING CARRIAGE, AS WELL AS MOST DRIVERS, ESPECIALLY DURING THAT TIME, ARE EXTREMELY DISTRACTED, AND THEY ARE NEWCOMERS TO ST. AUGUSTINE VISITORS. SO WORSE. DURING THE BUSIEST TIME, PLEASE DON'T FORGET THAT. FURTHERMORE, THE LAST TIME CELEBRATION CARRIAGE HAD A VET EXAM IN ST. AUGUSTINE WAS IN 2024. THIS WAS IN MAY 29, TWO HORSES NAMED PLATYPUS AND STELLA, NOVEMBER 8, TWO HORSES NAMED SID AND DUKE. RIGHT HERE. SO NOT ONLY ARE YOU FOLLOWING OR ALLOWING, EXCUSE ME, ALLOWING ON PUBLIC SAFETY, CRUELTY ON DISPLAY, AS WELL AS CORRUPTION IN OUR BELOVED ST. AUGUSTINE. WHEN CELEBRATION CARRIAGES SHOWS UP ILLEGALLY NOVEMBER, WHAT WILL HAPPEN? THERE ARE CURRENTLY RENEGADE AND UNKNOWN AND UNEXAMINED HORSES. PLEASE, WE ARE ASKING FOR YOU TO PLACE THE HORSE CARRIAGES ON THE AGENDA. THANK YOU. >> THE NEXT SPEAKER IS LENA RUSSELL, FOLLOWED BY TOM REYNOLDS. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK IN THIS FORUM. SO I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT AN ISSUE WHICH DEEPLY AFFECTS BOTH THE CHARACTER OF OUR CITY AND THE WELL BEING OF LIVING BEINGS WHO CANNOT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. THE USE OF THE HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGES IN ST. AUGUSTINE. I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE CARRIAGE DRIVERS THEMSELVES. I'D LIKE THE FOCUS TO REMAIN ON THE HORSES. HORSES ARE SENSITIVE, INTELLIGENT ANIMALS WHO DESERVE DIGNITY, SAFETY, CARE, AND FREEDOM TO LIVE AS NATURALLY AS POSSIBLE. YET HERE IN THE HEART OF FLORIDA'S HEAT AND HUMIDITY, THEY'RE FORCED TO PULL HEAVY CARRIAGES DAY AFTER DAY, OFTEN ON HARD PAVEMENT SURROUNDED BY TRAFFIC, NOISE, AND DANGER FROM VEHICLES. THIS IS NOT A NATURAL LIFE FOR THEM. IT'S EXHAUSTING LABOR IN CONDITIONS THAT ARE UNSAFE AND QUITE FRANKLY SCARY FOR THE HORSES. THE ETHICAL PROBLEM IS CLEAR TO ME. WE'RE USING ANIMALS FOR ENTERTAINMENT IN A WAY THAT COMPROMISES THEIR HEALTH AND SAFETY. HORSES HAVE NO CHOICE. THEY CANNOT CONSENT TO THIS. WHILE SOME ARGUE THAT THE ANIMALS ARE WELL CARED FOR, NO AMOUNT OF WATER OR REST CAN CHANGE THE REALITY THAT PULLING CARRIAGES IN 90 DEGREE HEAT AND SWELTERING HUMIDITY IS CRUEL. STANDING FOR HOURS AT A TIME, HAULING A LOAD BEHIND THEM. MOST OF THE TIME THE HORSES ARE JUST STANDING THERE WITHOUT WATER. I DRIVE FREQUENTLY THAT DIRECTION PAST THE HORSES USUALLY A COUPLE OF TIMES PER DAY, AND I BARELY SEE THEM WITH WATER, AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE ONLY REQUIRED TO HAVE WATER BETWEEN RIDES. AND OFTEN WHEN THERE'S LONG BREAKS BETWEEN RIDES, [00:45:02] THEY'RE JUST STANDING THERE IN THE BOILING HEAT WITHOUT WATER. BEYOND THE MORAL ISSUE, THERE'S A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE. HORSES SPOOK EASILY, AND IN CROWDED STREETS FILLED WITH CARS, BIKES, AND PEDESTRIANS. A SINGLE STARTLED HORSE COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT THAT ENDANGERS BOTH PEOPLE AND ANIMALS. I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT YEAR IT IS, MAYBE 2016 OR '17, BUT I KNOW THERE WAS A HORSE THAT COLLAPSED IN ST. AUGUSTINE BECAUSE OF THE HEAT. WE DON'T NEED TO WAIT FOR A TRAGEDY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THESE RISKS. ST. AUGUSTINE IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, HISTORIC CITIES IN AMERICA, AND I AM TRULY GRATEFUL TO LIVE HERE. BUT THE HISTORY OF A CITY SHOULD NOT BE USED AS AN EXCUSE TO CONTINUE ANIMAL CRUELTY. THERE'S SO MANY ALTERNATIVES SUCH AS E-BIKES, TROLLEY TOURS, WALKING TOURS, WHICH CAN HONEST AND OR TRADITIONS AND SHOW TOURISTS THE BEAUTY OF THE CITY WITHOUT HARMING ANIMALS. TOURISTS COME HERE FOR THE CULTURE, THE ARCHITECTURE, THE BEACHES, THE BEAUTY OF THE CITY AND THE WATERFRONT AND NOT REALLY TO WATCH HORSES STRUGGLE IN UNBEARABLE FLORIDA HEAT. BANNING HORSE CARRIAGES IS NOT ABOUT TAKING AWAY FROM ST. AUGUSTINE, IT'S ABOUT MOVING FORWARD WITH COMPASSION, SAFETY, AND RESPECT FOR THE HORSES AND ANIMALS. ST. AUGUSTINE CAN. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THE LAST CARD I HAVE TONIGHT. I HAVE ONE MORE CARD. I HAVE THE NEXT SPEAKER IS TOM REYNOLDS, WHO WILL BE FOLLOWED BY JENNIFER CUSHION. >> I'M REYNOLDS, 352A1832080. JUST REAL QUICK ON THE HORSES. THEY SMELL. THE WHOLE PLACE THINGS DOWN THERE. I GOT TO CONSTANTLY ROLL UP MY WINDOWS EVERY TIME I GO BY THERE. AND THEN HONESTLY, WHEN I SEE A FAMILY ON ONE OF THOSE CARRIAGES, I GOT TO SOCK MYSELF RIGHT IN THE FACE BECAUSE I WANT TO START SCREAMING AT HIM HAVING A HORSE PULL YOU AROUND. THE GUY SAYS 85 DEGREES, HE DOESN'T LEAVE HIS HOUSE. HE'S A LIAR. I CHECKED MY TEMPERATURE EVERY TIME I COME DOWNTOWN. I GOT MY CAR IN THE PARKING LOT WITH 308,000 MILES. I'VE BEEN IN THIS CITY A LOT. I BOUGHT THAT CAR BRAND NEW IN 2019. I KNOW ALL ABOUT THOSE HORSES. THOSE HORSES SHOULD NEVER BE ON THESE STREETS, NEVER, NOT EVEN IN COOL WEATHER. BUT WHY I'M REALLY HERE TONIGHT IS BECAUSE YOU DID THAT PROCLAMATION ON THE ANTI SEMITE. I FIND IT A LITTLE BAFFLING. I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU, 62,000 PALESTINIANS ARE DEAD. WE'VE HIT OVER 500 HAVE BEEN STARVED TO DEATH, 243 CHILDREN. THOSE LITTLE KIDDIES THAT WERE UP HERE TODAY, THAT'S ALL I COULD THINK OF. IS THE ISRAELIS ARE STARVING TO DEATH THEM. THAT WOULD BE A GOOD PROCLAMATION TO BE AGAINST GENOCIDE, TO BE AGAINST BOMBING OF HOSPITALS, BOMBING APARTMENT BUILDINGS. THAT'S WHO THE ISRAELIS ARE. DO I DISLIKE JEWS? NO, MY SONS ARE PART JEWISH. BUT RIGHT NOW, CAN YOU IMAGINE THIS? THE NATION'S OLDEST CITY DOES A PROCLAMATION AGAINST GENOCIDE IN ISRAEL. THAT'S THE HEADLINE I WANT TO SEE. THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO BE PROUD OF. THE ANTI SEMITE PROCLAMATION IS BIZARRE AT BEST. BUT THEY DO HAVE TWO GOOD LINES AT THE END. YOU CAN STILL BE CRITICAL OF ISRAEL, AND WE STILL HAVE THE FIRST AMENDMENT. BUT STARVING BABIES, STARVING WOMEN AND CHILDREN, BOMBING APARTMENT BUILDINGS, BOMBING HOSPITALS. THE FIRST PERSON I THINK OF IS VLADIMIR PUTIN. THAT'S WHAT HE DOES. AND THEN BENJAMIN NET AND YAHU. THE WORLD'S NUMBER ONE WAR MONGER. SINCE 1996, HE'S HAD AMERICA DOING HIS DIRTY WORK. STAND UP, AND IF NOT IN YOUR ELECTED OFFICIAL CAPACITY, YOU HAVE A PRIVATE CITIZEN CAPACITY. EMAIL RICK SCOTT. EMAIL MOODY, EMAIL AND TELL HIM TO STOP THE GENOCIDE. WE CAN'T WAIT FOR TRUMP TO STOP IT BECAUSE THE BOSA, CIA, ISRAEL CIA, THEY HAVE ALL OF THAT PEDOPHILES FILES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I HAVE ONE MORE SPEAKER CARD. JENNIFER KUSHAN. I THINK WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE COMING FORWARD TOO. [00:50:07] SO WE WILL HAVE JENNIFER CUSHION FOLLOWED BY MR. JOGGERS. >> HELLO, AGAIN. THANKS FOR LISTENING TO US. JENNIFER CUSHION 4201 NEW HAMPSHIRE ROAD, ELKTON, FLORIDA. AGAIN, BACK TO BREAKDOWN WHAT THEY'RE CLAIMING ON THE HORSES. AS FAR AS TERESA HENEGER GOES, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HER DEAL IS, WHAT HER PLANS ARE. I KNOW SHE TURNED HER LICENSE IN EARLIER THIS YEAR. I KNOW SHE'S LIVING IN LAKELAND, FLORIDA. SHE SOLD HER BUGGIES. SHE SOLD HER HORSES, SO PLANS ON HER COMING BACK DON'T MAKE ANY SENSE. AS FAR AS MY HORSES, EVERY ONE OF MY HORSES IS INSPECTED. THE FIVE THAT THEY'RE SHOWING YOU THAT WERE DONE IN JUNE AS BEING LATE ARE NEW HORSES THAT I BROUGHT IN. THAT'S WHY THEY WERE DONE IN JUNE. I DIDN'T HAVE THEM IN MAY. WE INSPECTED ALL 16 OF OUR WORKING HORSES ON MAY THE EIGHTH. I MEAN, TO SAY THAT WE'RE NOT COMPLYING, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GETTING THEIR INFORMATION. BUT JUST TRYING TO CLEAR THINGS UP FOR YOU GUYS. WE DO AS FAR AS THE HEAT THAT WE HAVE REGULATIONS. WE FOLLOW THOSE REGULATIONS. THIS SUMMER, I THINK SIX 7:00 WAS OUR AVERAGE FOR GOING OUT IN THE HEAT. WE'RE NOT OUT THERE. WHAT THESE PEOPLE ARE SEEING, I DON'T KNOW. BUT AS FAR AS THE WATER, THE HORSES ARE OFFERED WATER WHENEVER THEY WANT IT, HOWEVER THEY WANT IT. THEY PLAY GAMES IN THE BUCKET IF THEY GET BORED, THEY DUMP IT OVER. THAT'S A COOL GAME FOR THEM TO PUT IT ON OUR FEET. SO IT'S NOT THAT THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE WATER. IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T GIVE THEM WATER. YOU'LL SEE EIGHT TO TEN BUCKETS OUT THERE AT ANY TIME. JUST BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN FRONT OF A HORSE DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY DON'T GET IT. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS AARON JOCKERS. MR. DOCKERS IS OUR FINAL SPEAKER. >> HELLO, EVERYONE. >> GOOD EVENING. JOCKER, BY PALM ROAD. THAT THERE. >> I DIDN'T PLAN ON TALKING TONIGHT, BUT I FEEL LIKE THERE'S SOME MISINFORMATION. I'VE BEEN IN THE TOUR INDUSTRY NOW WITH THE HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGES, THAT'S HOW I STARTED ABOUT 16 YEARS NOW. LET ME JUST COVER A FEW THINGS IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER. I KNOW THE CITY HIRED JABARI WHITE RECENTLY. HE'S DOING AMAZING JOB, AND HE WILL TELL YOU THAT ALL THE CARRIAGE DRIVERS ARE LICENSED WITH THE HACK LICENSES THROUGH THE NECESSARY PROTOCOL THROUGH THE CITIES. WE DO NOT HAVE UNTRAINED DRIVERS IN ANY COMPANY. THEY'RE ALL REGISTERED, AND YOU CAN LOOK US ALL UP. HACK LICENSES AND TOUR GUIDE LICENSES. I'M CERTIFIED, BUT NOT EVERYONE IS. LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE. HARSH BITS, WE DO NOT USE THOSE. YOU HAVE SOMETIMES AN EXTRA BATTLE HALTER IN A NEW HORSE, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, WE DO NOT USE THE PAINFUL BITS. THERE'S NO REASON TO. THIS IS A LARGER ISSUE, AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE THE INFORMATION IS OUT THERE IN THE RECORD. OUR HORSES, FIRST OF ALL, WE DO NOT BREED HORSES. WE BUY THEM. WE BUY THEM FROM THE AMISH, TYPICALLY IN THE NORTH OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA. THEY'RE EXTREMELY WELL-TRAINED. NOT ONLY ARE THEY CONSIDERED BOMB PROOF, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE NOT AFRAID OF CARS, BORDER CYCLES, CONSTRUCTION, SCREAMING CHILDREN, DOORS, BACHELORETTES, WHATEVER. THEY'RE USED TO IT AND IF YOU WATCH, THEY'LL ACTUALLY DO THE TURRET ON THEIR OWN. THE LAST THING A HORSE WANTS TO BE MICROMANAGER AND BOSS AROUND. THEY GET REALLY ANNOYED ABOUT THAT. THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS THE POINT, AND THEY'VE BEEN HUMAN TRAFFICKED THEIR ENTIRE LIFE. THESE ARE NOT HORSES THAT ARE JUST TAKEN SOMEWHERE. THEY ARE PURCHASED BECAUSE THEY CAN DRIVE. WE DON'T TEACH A HORSE HOW TO DRIVE, WE TEACH IN THE TOWN, AND THEY CAN MAKE IT BATCH FOR THE BARN AND DO THE WHOLE ROUTE BY THEMSELVES. MY JOB IS TO WATCH OUT FOR BAD DRIVERS IN FLORIDA WHICH IS A FULL TIME JOB. YES, YOU WILL SEE US LOOKING BACK, LOOKING AROUND, LOOKING AT THIS GUY BACKING OUT OF THE BUSH. THIS GUY DON'T UNDERSTAND ONE-WAY STREETS. IT HAPPENS. BUT YES, THE HORSES ARE PERFECT. THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. THAT'S WHY THEY'RE WITH US. MY HORSE NORMAN HAS BEEN WITH ME FOR SEVEN YEARS. OUR HORSE HAPPY HAS BEEN HERE FOR FIVE. AGAIN, THEY ARE BOMB PROOF, THEY KNOW THE AREA. YES, OF COURSE, THEY'RE ANIMALS, THINGS HAPPEN. BUT THE CONCERNS ABOUT HORSES BEING DANGERS IN TRAFFIC, THEY'RE JUST NOT. THESE ARE PROFESSIONAL ANIMALS IN THOSE CITY ROUTE. LET'S SEE, THEY ARE CAREER ANIMALS. IF YOU WOULD TAKE A HORSE OR PUT IN A FIELD, THEY GET REAL BORED AND THEY WOULD DIE FASTER. HORSES LOVE ACTIVITY LIKE THINGS TO DO. AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MANY TIMES HERE, THE TEMPERATURES ARE REGULATED BY VETERINARIANS WHO HAVE ALL OF OUR MEDICAL RECORDS ON RECORD, AND THEY'VE DECIDED THE TEMPERATURE LIMITS, AND THOSE CAN BE REVISITED, THAT'S UP TO YOU GUYS. YOU'RE THE ONES WHO SET THE STANDARD OF THE ORDINANCE YEARS AND YEARS, WHICH WE DO ABIDE BY AS REQUIRED BY LAW. LET'S SEE ANYTHING ELSE. FOR THE MOST PART, YES, EVERYTHING IS RECORDED WITH THE CITY. I KNOW THERE ARE GENERAL SERVICES, AND CITY MANAGER HAS INFORMATION ON EVERYTHING, AND I KNOW WE'VE UPDATED A LIST TO EVERYONE. LET'S SEE. YES, LIGHTS IS IN ITS 31ST YEAR OF OPERATION. [00:55:02] OUR SAFETY RECORD IS STELLAR. WE DO NOT HAVE ACCIDENTS. WE DO NOT HAVE INCIDENTS, AND QUITE FRANKLY, THAT'S AMAZING. THE FACT THAT OUR DRIVERS AND CARRIAGE COMPANIES ARE SO GOOD AT FOLLOWING THE LAWS AND HAVE HAD NO INCIDENCES IS REMARKABLE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. NEXT ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. [5. CONSENT AGENDA] ANY COMMENTS ON THAT? >> I NEED TO READ IT. >> YEAH. THEN YOU GOT THE ADDITION TOO AS WELL. >> YES. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS TONIGHT'S CONSENT TO AGENDA INCLUDES A REMINDER OF UPCOMING MEETINGS, THE SEPTEMBER 11TH, 04:00 PM SHADE MEETING. WE HAVE A SEPTEMBER 11TH, 05:00 PM COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY'S SPECIAL BUDGET MEETING. WE HAVE A SEPTEMBER 11TH, 05:05 PM CITY COMMISSION SPECIAL BUDGET MEETING. WE HAVE A SEPTEMBER 22ND, 05:00 PM REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING AND A SEPTEMBER 25TH, 05:05 CITY COMMISSION SPECIAL BUDGET MEETING. WE HAVE RATIFICATION OF THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE AND THE PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS OF ST. AUGUSTINE. WE HAVE AUTHORIZATION FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE COMBINED SUBDIVISION PARTICIPATION FORM REGARDING THE OPIOID LITIGATION SETTLEMENT BETWEEN THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND THE SECONDARY MANUFACTURERS. FINALLY, WE HAVE PROCLAMATION FOR THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DAVIS SHORE SUBDIVISION. THAT CONCLUDES THE CONSENT AGENDA. >> THANK YOU. >> I'LL MOVE WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. >> I'LL SECOND THAT. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE. >> THANK YOU. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. LET'S SKIP TO, WE HAVE RESOLUTIONS. FIRST ITEM, WE HAVE, [9.B.1. Resolution 2025-31: Approval of updated FDOT Reimbursement Agreement for the Removal, Preservation, and Replacement of the Historic Medici Lions. (J. Webber, Grants Administration Coordinator)] UNLESS I'VE SKIPPED ANYTHING, I DON'T THINK SO, RESOLUTION 2025-31, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL AND UPDATED FDOT REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT FOR THE REMOVAL, PRESERVATION, AND REPLACEMENT OF THE HISTORIC MEDICI LIONS. DID I PRONOUNCE THAT CORRECTLY? >> MEDICI. >> MEDICI >> YOU GOT TO JUST RIGHT. >> MEDICI, AS MY HUSBAND WOULD SAY. >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR. MADAM VICE MAYOR, FELLOW COMMISSIONERS. I'M JACOB WEBBER, GRANTS ADMINISTRATION COORDINATOR, GENERAL SERVICES. FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, I HAVE RESOLUTION 2025-31, WHICH AUTHORIZES THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN UPDATED AGREEMENT AND ALL OTHER DOCUMENTS NECESSARY WITH FDOT FOR THE REMOVAL, CONSERVATION, AND REINSTALLATION OF THE HISTORIC LION STATUES ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE BRIDGE OF LIONS. AS THE CITY MOVED FORWARD AFTER THE INITIAL APPROVAL, PRICES CAME IN HIGHER THAN THE ESTIMATED $100,000 FOR THE REQUIRED SERVICES. THIS NEW AGREEMENT ONLY REFLECTS A FUNDING UPDATE THAT INCREASES THE TOTAL ASK TO $152,315. EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE AGREEMENT REMAINS THE SAME AS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION, AND THE CITY IS STILL REQUIRED TO MOVE THE LINES AFTER THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. BEFORE JANUARY 31ST, 2026, HOLD THEM OFF SITE DURING FDOTS SEA WALL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, AND THEN RETURN THEM TO THEIR CURRENT LOCATION AFTER THE PROJECT IS CONCLUDED OR BY DECEMBER 31ST, 2028. IT'S STAFF RECOMMENDATION THAT THIS NEW RESOLUTION BE ADOPTED IN AGREEMENT SIGNED AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THIS NEW AGREEMENT. >> EXCELLENT. COMMISSIONER GARRIS, ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? >> NO. THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER. >> NO, I'M GOOD. [OVERLAPPING] >> I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. WHAT HAPPENS IF THE COST GOES UP AGAIN? >> THIS AGREEMENT COMES AFTER SOME GOOD RESEARCH WITH SOME PREVIOUS VENDORS WE WORKED WITH IN THE PAST ON THESE PROJECTS. IF IT WERE TO COME IN AGAIN, IDEALLY, WE COULD HANDLE THIS INTERNALLY, BUT THIS WAS A REQUIREMENT FROM FDOT SO WE ARE WORKING WITH FDOT HOWEVER THAT COMES THROUGH. >> THANK YOU. >> WONDERFUL. WELL, I DO HAVE A COMMENT. THESE LINES ARE SYMBOLS OF THE CITY, AND I KNOW $152,000 SEEMS LIKE A LOT, BUT THEY'RE COMPLETELY IRREPLACEABLE. THEY'RE THE MARBLE LIONS. THEY ARE THE REAL DEAL. LIKE YOU SAID, THEY ARE THE COPIES OF THE MEDICI LIONS. THE CONSERVATORS ARE JOE SEGAL AND ENZO TORCOLETTI, WHO WERE VERY PROUD OF IN OUR COMMUNITY INCREDIBLE ARTISTS. THEY HAD THEIR HANDS ON THE LIONS BEFORE, AND THEY WILL BE WORKING ON THEM AGAIN. [01:00:02] I 100% SUPPORT THIS. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE CARE FOR THESE LIONS. WITH THAT SAID, I MOVE WE PASS RESOLUTION 2025-31. >> SECOND. >> ANY COMMENTS? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL,. >> NANCY SIKES-KLINE? >> YES. >> JIM SPRINGFIELD? >> YES. >> JON DEPRETER? >> YES. >> CYNTHIA GARRIS? >> YES. >> BARBARA BLONDER? >> YES. >> GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >> RESOLUTION 2025-29 IS THE NAMING OF [9.B.2. Resolution 2025-29: Naming of the Environmental Impact Award (M. Wissel, Communications Director)] THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AWARD AND THAT WILL GO TO MS. WISSEL. >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR. VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. MELISSA WISSEL, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR. HERE TO JUST FINALIZE THE BUSINESS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD TO BE NAMED AT YOUR APPROVAL OR DISCUSSION THIS EVENING. THE MAYOR RECOMMENDED WHEN YOU ALL APPROVED THE INITIAL ROUND OF THE AWARD ITSELF AND THE ROSEATE SPOONBILL AS THE APPROPRIATE PHOTOGRAPH TO BE USED FOR THE PHYSICAL MATERIAL AWARD. I SPOKE WITH VICE MAYOR BLONDER, AND SHE HAS RECOMMENDED THE RED CEDAR AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT TO BE THE NAME OF THE AWARD. OTHERWISE, PERHAPS THAN JUST KEEPING IT SIMPLY THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AWARD. FOR YOUR DISCUSSION. >> EXCELLENT. SINCE YOU ARE THE LEADER OF THIS EFFORT, DO YOU HAVE ANY WORDS TO KICK THIS OFF WITH? >> A FEW. I DIDN'T THINK MUCH. THANK YOU FOR ASKING. THE RED CEDAR AFTER CONSIDERABLE CONTEMPLATION ABOUT WHETHER TO USE THE SCIENTIFIC NAME, WHICH DIDN'T WORK. BUT DEFINITELY WANTED TO USE SOMETHING THAT THE CITY HAD ALREADY RECOGNIZED AS A SYMBOL OF THE CITY. THINKING ABOUT IT AND LOOKING AROUND, AND I KNOW WE HAVE ALL NOTICED THIS, THIS IS A TREE SPECIES THAT'S NATIVE TO OUR AREA. IT'S RESILIENT. IN FACT, THESE TREES WEAR THEIR SCARS RIGHT ON THEIR TRUNKS, THE TWISTING, AND THEY'RE JUST BEAUTIFUL. YOU CAN SEE WHAT THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH IN THEIR LIVES JUST BY LOOKING AT THEM. THEY PROVIDE HABITAT FOR A BUTTERFLY SPECIES THAT'S VERY RARE AND PRETTY MUCH LIMITED TO OUR AREA, BUT ENTIRELY DEPENDENT ON THE RED CEDAR. IF THE RED CEDAR DISAPPEARS, THE ST. AUGUSTINE HAIR STREAK WOULD DISAPPEAR AS WELL. IT'S JUST A MAJESTIC TREE, AND I THINK IT'S A NICE WAY TO RECOGNIZE FOLKS WHO WORK HARD, FACE CHALLENGES AND PERSIST IN THE FACE OF THOSE CHALLENGES TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT. >> LOVELY. WELL SAID. COMMISSIONER GARRIS, COMMENTS? >> I LIKE IT. [LAUGHTER]. >> COMMISSIONER DEPRETER? >> I HAVE SOME IN MY YARD. I LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU SAID THEY SHOW THEIR SCARS AND THEY'RE IMPORTANT. I KNOW WHEN WE WERE REPLACING THEM WHEN YOU CUT ONE DOWN, YOU GOT TO PUT TWO UP, SO I KNOW THEY'RE IMPORTANT. I THINK IT'S A GREAT NAME, AND THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> WE HAD ONE IN A YARD TO GET BLOWN OVER AND CRIPPLED SO WE IT CALL MR. LIPPY WHO EVERYBODY KNOWS. MRS. LIPPY SAID, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. THAT THING IS SO TOUGH SO I THINK IT'S A BEAUTIFUL CONCEPT TO HAVE THE AWARD NAMED AFTER RED CEDAR. >> I LOVE IT, TOO. MY COMMENTS ARE I HAVE TWO MATURE, ONES IN MY YARD AND A BABY GROWING THAT I'VE NURTURED FROM A SEED. BASICALLY, IT'S A CHILD OF THE ONES THAT WE HAVE THERE, SO IT'S VERY SPECIAL TO US. YES, I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL NAME. >> I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT SUGGESTION AT OUR LAST MEETING WHEN WE WERE CONSIDERING THE TITLE OF THE AWARD. THAT MADE ME AND MELISSA WORK REALLY HARD BUT I THINK WE CAME TO A GOOD SOLUTION. >> WELL, YOU DID AN AMAZING JOB. WE'RE GOING TO LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE AWARD PRESENTATIONS FOR THAT AWARD AS VERY COOL. WITH THAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THE HONOR? >> YES. I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT RESOLUTION 2025-29 BE APPROVED. >> I'LL SECOND. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> BARBARA BLONDER? >> YES. >> NANCY SIKES-KLINE? >> YES. >> JON DEPRETER? >> YES. >> CYNTHIA GARRIS? >> YES. >> JIM SPRINGFIELD? >> YES. >> WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. THE NEXT ITEM ARE STAFF REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS AND WE HAVE PROPOSED [10. STAFF REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS] [01:05:03] CHANGES TO THE ST. AUGUSTINE RIDER THAT IS THE STAR ROUTE FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, MR. FRANKLIN. >> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS. THIS EVENING, I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE A CHANGE TO THE STAR CIRCULATOR ROUTE, I WANT TO PROVIDE A PRESENTATION AND GET YOUR FEEDBACK ON IT. BUT WE HAVE HEARD SOME FEEDBACK ABOUT THE STAR CIRCULATOR, AND IT MAY NOT BE AS EFFECTIVE GOING AROUND IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. WELL, THAT IS DEFINITELY TRUE DURING NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. THE CONGESTION THAT BUILDS UP, WE JUST CAN'T EFFECTIVELY RUN THE STAR CIRCULATOR IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE. WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS FLIP IT AND USE IT ON THE BEACH TO CONNECT THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH TO THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE. WHAT WE PROPOSE A CHANGE IS THAT FROM NOVEMBER 16TH TO JANUARY 11TH, WE WOULD RUN THE STAR CIRCULATOR FROM 5:00 PM TO 11:00 PM AND SERVICING THE BEACH AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN KEEP PEOPLE, RESIDENTS AND VISITORS OF ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH PARKED THERE AND SHUTTLE THEM INTO TOWN. I'D BE MAKE EVERY 30-MINUTE INTERVAL SO THERE'D BE A SHUTTLE THAT WOULD COME BY AT YOUR STOP EVERY 30 MINUTES DURING THAT TIME. WE HAVE 16 STOPS. THIS IS A FLYER THAT WE HAD PROPOSED TO PUT TOGETHER. WE HAD MORNING TIMES ON THERE, BUT THOSE WOULD GET CHANGED TO EVENING TIMES. [NOISE] HERE'S A MAP SHOWING THE PROPOSED ROUTE WITH THE LOCATIONS OF THE STOPS. ESSENTIALLY, WHAT IT WOULD DO IS IT WOULD COME DOWN ANASTASIA BOULEVARD. IT WOULD STOP. WE TRY TO MIRROR IT AFTER THE BEACH BUS HAS THE SAME ROUTE. THEY'D BE RUNNING THAT DURING THE DAY BUT IT STOPS AT 5:00 PM SO THERE'S NOTHING SERVICING IT AFTER 5:00 PM. ESSENTIALLY, WE'D COME DOWN TO WHERE THE KOA CAMPGROUND IS, STOP AT THE KOA CAMPGROUND, THEN STOP AT THE CITY HALL AT THE BEACH AND THEN GO DOWN 16TH STREET AND RUN SOUTH, PICKING UP FOLKS ON THE WEST SIDE OF BEACH BOULEVARD AND THEN TURN AROUND AND HEAD NORTHBOUND PICKING UP FOLKS ON THE EAST SIDE OF BEACH BOULEVARD. THEN HEADING BACK INTO TOWN, WE HAVE A STOP AT THE AMPHITHEATER. WE COULD WORK WITH THE AMPHITHEATER TO MAYBE USE THAT AS SATELLITE PARKING WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE EVENTS, AND THEN COME DOWN TO THE BASE OF THE BRIDGE. WE'RE NOT PROPOSING TO CROSS THE BRIDGE OF LIONS BECAUSE WE WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE 30-MINUTE HEADWAYS WITH THE CONGESTION AND WITH THE BRIDGE OF LIONS GOING UP. WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS TO DROP PEOPLE AS CLOSE AS WE CAN GET TO THE BASE OF THE BRIDGE SO THEY CAN WALK INTO TOWN. RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE THINKING OF IS GERARDO IN SOUTH DAVIS SHORES. WE WERE TRYING TO GET A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE BASE OF THE BRIDGE, BUT WE DID GET SOME FEEDBACK THAT THE HOTEL THERE AND THERE WAS A RESIDENT THAT CAME OUT WHEN WE WERE SCOUTING IT. WE PULLED BACK, AND WE THINK THAT THIS IS A GOOD STOP ON THE CORNER OF ANASTASIA AND GERARDO BECAUSE IT'S NEXT TO AN OPEN PARKING LOT, THAT'S A PAY TO PARK LOT NOW. THE REASON WE'RE COMING DOWN, WE'RE THINKING THAT DURING THE CONGESTION, WE CAN USE THE LIGHT AND MATANZAS AND TURN INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO GO USE ARCOLA AND WHAT THAT ALLOWS US TO DO IS WE CAN STOP ON THE SIDE STREET AND THEN MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN AND GO BACK TO START TO HEAD BACK TOWARDS THE BEACH. WE THINK WITH THAT, WE CAN REALLY KEEP THESE 30-MINUTE INTERVAL TIMES GOING FOR THIS THING. THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO DO FOR THIS UPCOMING NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. IT'S ACTUALLY FUNDED THROUGH THE FDOT GRANT THAT WE HAVE SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO RUN THIS, GET SOME GOOD RIDERSHIP NUMBERS. AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING IT OUT SO IF WE HAVE TO ADJUST OR MOVE IT BASED ON FEEDBACK THAT WE GET, WE CAN LOOK AT THAT TOO. WITH THAT, I'M OPEN FOR ANY SUGGESTIONS, FEEDBACK. >> COMMISSIONER GARRIS. >> I LIKE IT, BUT ARE WE GOING TO HAVE SOME BUSES THAT COME FROM THE PARKING GARAGE TO BRING THEM DOWNTOWN? IS THERE GOING TO BE ANY RIDER BUSES? >> WE'LL HAVE SATELLITE PARKING AT THE NORTH END OF TOWN COMING FROM THE COUNTY ADMIN BUILDING AND 301 SAN MARCO, AND THEY'LL BE TAKING PEOPLE FROM THE NORTH END TO THE VISITOR CENTER PARKING GARAGE, BUT THERE'LL BE NOTHING RUNNING FROM THE PARKING GARAGE DOING THE LOOP THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING DONE. >> WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY BUS THEY'RE ALL JUST GOING TO GO TO THE ISLAND, IS THAT CORRECT? >> WE'LL TAKE THE BUSES THAT WE'RE RUNNING FOR THE STAR CIRCULATOR, AND THEY'LL ALL GO TO THE ISLAND. [01:10:01] YEARS PAST, WE'VE ACTUALLY STOPPED RUNNING THE STAR CIRCULATOR BECAUSE IT TAKES OVER AN HOUR SOMETIMES TO GET THROUGH THAT LOOP THAT IT'S DOING BECAUSE OF THE CONGESTION FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. >> THANK YOU. >> HI. COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD. >> YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS. THOSE ARE MOSTLY HOTEL STOPS, AND A LOT OF THOSE HOTELS RUN THEIR OWN SHUTTLE. IF YOU ALL TALK TO THEM ABOUT TRYING TO COORDINATE WITH THEIR SHUTTLES? >> I'VE NOT PERSONALLY TALKED TO THEM, BUT THE BEACH RIDERS, THE SHUTTLE THAT THEY'RE PRIMARILY USING, SO IT'S THE SAME CONTRACTOR. IT'S HISTORIC HTC THAT'S RUNNING OUR STAR CIRCULATOR. THEY HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL OF THESE PLACES. >> THE HOTELS DON'T HAVE THEIR OWN, THEY CONTRACT WITH THIS GUY OR THEY HAVE THEIR OWN BECAUSE THAT ONE HAS ONE'S UP ON US ONE AND SAN MARCO AREA, HAVE A SHUTTLE. >> THEY DO, BUT THIS ONE IS PRIMARILY SERVICED WITH THE BEACH RIDER OR THE BEACH BUS THAT YOU'LL SEE, AND THAT'S OLD TOWN TROLLEYS. THEY'RE DOING THIS ROUTE. THAT'S WHY WE GOT THIS IDEA THAT WE COULD CONTINUE TO RUN THIS INTO THE EVENING TIME. BUT WE WILL REACH OUT TO THE HOTELS AND THERE'LL BE A CAMPAIGN. WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE REACHING OUT TO RESIDENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW THAT THE SERVICE IS AVAILABLE TOO. >> I WAS GOING TO ASK THAT NEXT ABOUT RESIDENTS BECAUSE THIS IS MOSTLY FOR TOURISTS AND ARE LOCALS GOING TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE TO THOSE HOTELS AND PARK AND GET ON THE SHUTTLE. THEY WILL, WHETHER IT'S ALLOWED OR NOT. WE GOT TO BE CAREFUL HOW WE'RE OFFERING THE BUSES TO PLACES WHERE THE RESIDENTS WANT TO GET ON. >> YES, AND SO SOME OF THESE STOPS ARE NOT IN THE HOTELS THEMSELVES. THEY'RE ON THE BEACH BOULEVARD, BUT THE HOPE IS THAT WE CAN ADVERTISE THE CITY HALL, PARKING THERE. IF A RESIDENTS WANT TO DRIVE OR BIKE, THEY COULD PARK THERE AND HOP ON THE SHUTTLE THERE OR HOPEFULLY THEY CAN WALK OUT OR BIKE OUT AND HOP ON THE SHUTTLE ALONG THE WAY. BUT AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, WE'LL LEARN FROM THIS AND YOU CAN TRY TO TWEAK IT OVER TIME, BUT THIS MIGHT BE PROVIDING A BETTER PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE. >> I LIKE IT. IT'S A GOOD IDEA. THE ONLY OTHER CONCERN I HAVE IS THOSE BUSES ARE SMALL, AND THAT'S A LONG ROUTE WITH A LOT OF STOPS. IT SEEMS LIKE THAT BUS MAY GET FILLED UP ON TWO OR THREE RUNS, AND THEN WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? YOU GOING TO TURN AROUND AND GO. I HAD MENTIONED THIS TO THE MANAGER, AND I JUST WANT TO MENTION IT TO YOU TWO AND TO THE PUBLIC. I RECENTLY WENT TO A FESTIVAL IN A PRETTY SMALL TOWN. A LOT OF TRAFFIC. THEY USE THE HIGH SCHOOL AND THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PARKING, AND THEY USE SCHOOL BUSES. THEY HAD A STOP EVERY 10 MINUTES. THE COMMENT WAS THAT THOSE SCHOOL BUSES ARE CHEAPER THAN ANY CONTRACTOR BECAUSE YOU'RE PAYING A LIMITED AMOUNT, AND OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM DOES LEASE OUT THEIR BUSES AND I JUST THINK IT'D BE WORTH IT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THIS DISTRICT TO SEE IF WE COULD USE THEM. I KNOW IT'S NOT COOL TO RIDE IN A SCHOOL BUS, BUT IF YOU HAVE TO WALK TWO MILES, IT'S PRETTY COOL TO GET ON A SCHOOL BUS. WE ENJOYED THE SHUTTLE IN THAT TOWN. IT WAS A GREAT SERVICE. THEY WERE LITERALLY ON EVERY 10 MINUTES. THAT WAS A GOOD THING. THAT'S IT. >> THANKS. >> COMMISSIONER DE BRADER. >> I'M GLAD TO SEE THIS. AT THE PCB MEETINGS, THE REPRESENTATIVE, COUNCILMAN SAMORA HAS TALKED ABOUT LINKING IT IN. I THINK THAT'S GOOD. THEY EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN DOING THAT, SO I'M GLAD WE REACHED OUT TO THEM. I THINK IT IS GOOD TO SEE THIS IS A LARGER METRO AREA BECAUSE JUST DOING IT RIGHT IN THE TOWN IS REALLY NOT GOING TO WORK. THIS IS A MUCH BIGGER EVENT. LINKING ALL THESE DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES UP IS A POSITIVE THING. I'D SAY AS A RESIDENT OF LIGHTHOUSE PARK, I'M GLAD TO SEE YOU CLEARED RED COX OUT OF THIS. THAT'S THE FIRST THING I LOOKED AT BECAUSE IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS INTERSECTION COMING OUT IN AND OUT OF RB HUNT WITH A BUS LIKE THAT, WITH EVERYTHING ELSE GOING ON. OTHERWISE, I'M LOOKING AT IT FUNCTIONALLY AS A RESIDENT ON THE ISLAND. IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO STOP AT THE AMPHITHEATER. MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OR SOMEWHERE THERE, YOU CAN GET OVER THE AMPHITHEATER. IT'S NOT HARD. YOU RIDE YOUR BIKE OVER THERE, GET ON THE SHUTTLE, AND THERE'S AMPLE PARKING THERE FOR SOMEBODY THAT WANTS TO JUMP ON IT. THEN YOUR NEXT STOP IS DOWN BY THE BRIDGE. CANDLE LIGHT SOUTH. THEN YOU COME BACK TO THE ALLIGATOR FARM ON THE WAY BACK, WHICH ALSO HAS PARKING, WHICH IS, I THINK A BETTER STOP BE COMING RUNNING SOUTH, PULLING INTO THE OLKARI ROAD PARKING THERE AND THEN PULLING BACK OUT. >> OH, THEY'D BE PARKING, I THINK, JUST STOPPING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD RIGHT THERE. >> YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE GOING THROUGH THE RED COX INTERSECTION, REALLY. GOOD. NO, I THINK THIS IS A VERY GOOD PLAN. IT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT DOING IS SHUTTLING PEOPLE AROUND, SO I THINK IT'S VERY POSITIVE. >> THANKS MAYOR. >> I WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHAT COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD SUGGESTED JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW THE VOLUME OF THE RIDERSHIP, [01:15:03] JUST SO THAT WE HAVE A CHANCE, BUT I THINK A GREAT IDEA. IT'S OUT OF THE BOX THINKING IN A LOT OF WAYS. IT ALSO SHOULD REDUCE TRAFFIC CONGESTION ON THE ISLAND COMING INTO THE CITY. I SUPPORT IT FULLY. THANK YOU. >> I JUST HAD A QUESTION. THE MAP SHOWS THE ROUTE GOING TO THE CANDLE LIGHT RESTAURANT, BUT THE OTHER MAP SHOWS IT GOING TO HORATIO. IT'S HORATIO, AM I RIGHT? >> YES. THE FLYER WAS MADE BEFORE WE GOT SOME FEEDBACK. WE WERE OUT THERE SCOUTING THE SITES AND STUFF AND TALKING TO PEOPLE, AND THAT'S WHERE WE GOT FEEDBACK TO MAYBE MOVE IT BACK A LITTLE BIT. >> I APPRECIATE YOU LISTENING TO THE FEEDBACK BECAUSE I HEARD IT TOO. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. I THINK HORATIO MAKES SENSE. I DON'T REALLY LIKE THAT INTERSECTION THERE IN FRONT OF THE CANDLELIGHT ANYWAY. IT'S JUST TOO MUCH GOING ON THERE. BUT I SUPPORT THE PLAN. I THINK IT'S GREAT. I APPRECIATE YOUR FLEXIBILITY AND THAT FACT THAT IT'S A TRIAL RUN AND THAT ADJUSTMENTS CAN BE MADE AND ADDING THE SUGGESTION OF BUSES DEFINITELY IS A GOOD THING SINCE THIS IS OUR FIRST YEAR TRYING IT. THE DOT HAS APPROVED IT. THE BIGGEST PART. >> WHERE [INAUDIBLE] GRANT FUNDING FOR THIS. IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. >> DOT'S PAYING FOR IT? >> YES. >> IT'S GOOD. >> IF THE COMMISSION APPROVES TO MOVE FORWARD, WE'LL ALSO GO TO THE BEACH IN OCTOBER TO PRESENT TO THEIR COUNSEL SO THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON TOO. EXCELLENT. WITH THAT SAID, I MOVE THAT WE PASS RESOLUTION. NO, SIR. WE'RE NOT TAKING PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS, SIR. NO, SIR. WHOA, WHOA. YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER, SIR. SIR, PLEASE SIT DOWN. HOLD ON ONE SECOND, IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF YOU'LL JUST HOLD ON ONE SECOND. COMMISSIONERS, ARE WE AGREED THAT WE SHOULD TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT? I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. >> I WANT TO CLARIFY THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WAS AT THE BEGINNING AND THE AGENDA WAS PUBLISHED AT THAT TIME. IF WE DO THAT AT THIS POINT, I WANT TO MAKE VERY CLEAR THAT WE DON'T DO THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS. THAT WE TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR AGENDA ITEMS THAT REQUIRE PUBLIC COMMENT DURING THEIR HEARING, BUT OTHERWISE, ALL OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT OCCURS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING. >> YES, SIR. COMMISSIONERS, ARE YOU OKAY WITH TAKING THAT? THIS IS A STAFF REPORT, AND WE DON'T USUALLY TAKE PUBLIC ON PUBLIC COMMENT ON THAT. BUT YOU'RE WELCOME TO SPEAK IF YOU'LL COME TO THE PODIUM, GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES. >> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS EDWARD WESTFIELD. I LIVE AT 201 ARCOLA AVENUE, CORNER OF ZARETA. DO YOU WANT ME TO BE SWORN? >> YOU DON'T NEED TO BE SWORN, SIR. >> VERY GOOD. I'M HERE ON PROCEDURAL GROUNDS AND SUBSTANTIVE GROUNDS. PROCEDURAL GROUNDS ARE THAT THE CHANGE TO THE STAR ROUTE IS IMPROPERLY INCLUDED ON TODAY'S AGENDA. SECTION 341.052C OF THE FLORIDA STATUTES PROVIDES THAT ANY RECOMMENDATION OR APPLICATION RELATING TO PUBLIC TRANSIT PROJECTS MUST BE APPROVED BY A TWO THIRDS VOTE OF THE TRANSIT AUTHORITY BOARD IN A PUBLIC MEETING TO BE HELD AFTER A 30-DAY PUBLIC NOTICE. AS THIS PROGRAM WAS NOT PROPOSED UNTIL AUGUST 27, I BELIEVE, THERE HASN'T BEEN COMPLIANCE WITH THE 30-DAY NOTICE REQUIREMENT. THAT'S PROCEDURAL. ON THE MERITS, I OBJECT TO THE UTILIZATION OF ARCOLA AVENUE FROM HARATIO AVENUE TO SOUTH MATANZAS AVENUE AS PART OF THE ROUTE BECAUSE BUS TRAFFIC WOULD WORSEN THE ALREADY HIGH LEVELS OF CONGESTION ON ARCOLA AVENUE DURING NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, WHICH IS IN ADDITION TO THE ALREADY HIGH DENSITY DUE TO THE MANY RESTAURANTS THAT WE HAVE IN THE AREA. ALSO, THE NOISE OF BUSES COMING DOWN ARCOLA AVENUE TO 11:00 P.M. EVERY NIGHT FOR NEARLY TWO MONTHS WOULD ALSO BE A SIGNIFICANT NUISANCE TO THE RESIDENTS. ALSO, THE USE OF ARCOLA AVENUE AS PART OF THE PROPOSED ROUTE IS UNNECESSARY. THERE REALLY ISN'T ANY COMPELLING REASON WHY THE STAR BUSES SHOULD NOT BE RESTRICTED TO ANASTASIA BOULEVARD. HEADING WESTBOUND TOWARDS THE BRIDGE, THERE'S A TURNING LANE AT ARCOLA AVENUE, WHICH WOULD ALLOW THE BUSES TO U-TURN UTILIZE THE PARKING LANE ON THE EASTBOUND SIDE OF ANASTASIA BOULEVARD AS THEY'RE STOPPED TO PICK UP AND DISCHARGE. [01:20:01] IF THE BUSES HAVE TO SPEND A VERY FEW MORE MINUTES IN WESTBOUND TRAFFIC ON THE BOULEVARD, THAT'S A SMALL PRICE TO PAY FOR A LESS HECTIC, NOISY, AND ANNOYING TWO MONTHS FOR THE RESIDENTS OF ARCOLA AVENUE. FOR THAT REASON ON THE MERITS, I THINK THE PROPOSAL SHOULD BE REJECTED. I APPRECIATE YOUR INDULGENCE. >> THANK YOU, SIR. >> THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE VOTE ON, IS IT? >> YES, WE DO NEED TO APPROVE A ROUTE CHANGE. IT WILL REQUIRE A RESOLUTION OF SOME SORT, CORRECT? NO? >> NO. >> IT'S NOT A FORMAL RESOLUTION. >> I'M SORRY. NO RESOLUTION. WE ARE BEING ASKED TO APPROVE A ROUTE CHANGE. >> YES, MA'AM. >> I HAVE A COMMENT. THE GENTLEMAN, I AM SYMPATHETIC TO HIS POINT ABOUT ARCOLA AND INCREASED TRAFFIC. WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND RETURN BACK TO US AS TO WHETHER THIS MAKES SENSE OR NOT WITH THE PROPOSED ROUTE? >> WE CAN MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO STAY ON ANASTASIA BOULEVARD, IF IS JUST WITH THE AMOUNT OF CONGESTION THAT'S GOING TO BUILD UP, WE CAN TRY TO UTILIZE THAT MERGE LANE AS WE'RE GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER, AND I'LL TALK TO THE SHUTTLES ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF MAKING THE U TURN THERE. WE CAN GIVE EVERY EFFORT. I JUST WANTED TO PRESENT WHAT I THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE APPROACH BECAUSE IF WE GET STUCK AND THE INTERVAL TIMES START TO PILE UP, THEN WE'RE GOING TO NOT PROVIDE THE EFFECTIVE SERVICE. BUT I DO UNDERSTAND GOING ON ARCOLA INTO A RESIDENTIAL AREA IS NOT IDEAL. WE DO DO IT FOR FOURTH OF JULY ON FLAGLER BOULEVARD. THAT WAS WHERE THE THINKING WAS COMING, BUT WE CAN MAKE AN ATTEMPT TO STAY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ON ANASTASIA BOULEVARD. EVEN IF IT'S SHORTENING, AND WE HAVE TO GET DOWN CLOSER TO GERARDO TO MAKE THAT TURN. WE COULD DO THAT. BUT I'LL TALK TO HIM ABOUT MAKING YOU TURN TO SEE IF THAT WOULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE. >> I HAD ONE OTHER POINT I WANTED TO MAKE AND THAT'S JUST ABOUT THE U-TURN. I RECENTLY RODE ON ONE OF THOSE BUSES ON A SPECIAL TRIP, AND THEY HAVE A HUGE TURNING RADIUS, SO THAT'S NOT AN EASY THING TO ACCOMPLISH. I UNDERSTAND THAT TOO. >> WE DID GO THROUGH THE ROUTE WITH THE SHUTTLE COMPANY AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE TOO EXCITED ABOUT MAKING THAT U TURN THERE. THE OTHER THING WE WERE TRYING TO DO IS AVOID HAVING POLICE, ANOTHER PERSON THAT HAS THE DIRECT TRAFFIC BECAUSE WE MIGHT GET INTO THAT, BUT I CAN GO BACK HOME AND WE CAN TRY TO MINIMIZE IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. >> ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER DEPRETER. >> IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT, I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE SHOULD DO THIS, BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT, MAYBE WHEN THE ANASTASIA BOULEVARD IS NOT CONGESTED, THAT'S THE PRIMARY ROUTE. THEN WHEN IT IS CONGESTED, YOU HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE. MAYBE THAT'LL SAVE IT DURING THE WEEK OR SOMETHING. MY UNDERSTANDING IS FROM WHAT YOU SAID THAT THE TIMING OF A BUS, SOMEONE WOULD SEE ON ARON DONDO IS A BUS EVERY 30 MINUTES, IS THAT RIGHT? ALL DAY LONG OR? >> NO, FROM 5-10, BUT TO YOUR POINT, IF IT'S NOT CONGESTED, AND WE DON'T HAVE TO USE IT, WE DON'T HAVE TO USE. >> THAT'S WHAT I THINK. >> THERE'S NO STOP IN BETWEEN HERE THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE, SO WE CAN BE MORE FLEXIBLE OF HOW WE GET TO THAT STOP. BUT IF CONGESTION BUILDS UP AND WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THE 30-MINUTE HEADWAY. >> YOU HAVE THAT AS ITS THE ALTERNATE NOW BECAUSE THE FLYER IS STILL GOING TO HAVE THE SAME PLACES TO PICK PEOPLE UP WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE ON THAT ROAD? >> CORRECT. >> I WOULD JUST HAVE THAT BE A LITTLE FLEXIBLE, AND THAT WOULD BE I THINK A MORE WORKABLE SITUATION FOR THE RESIDENTS TOO. >> MR. GARRIS. >> I DON'T SEE YOU BEING ABLE TO MAKE A U TURN WITH THE TRAFFIC COMING ACROSS THE BRIDGE BECAUSE THE BRIDGE IS STILL GOING TO BE OPEN, CORRECT? >> YES. >> ESPECIALLY IF THE BRIDGE HAS BEEN UP, I DON'T SEE PEOPLE BEING WILLING TO STOP TO LET THE RIDER GO THROUGH. THAT'S JUST MY PERCEPTION ON THAT. THAT'S GOING TO BE A NIGHTMARE. THANK YOU. >> THE BOULEVARD IS. I'M SORRY. >> I THINK FLAGER AVENUE IS PROBABLY A BETTER ALTERNATIVE FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS IS THAT YOU CAN GET ONTO FLAGER AVENUE WAY BACK ON ANASTASIA BOULEVARD AND THEN GET BACK ON IT WITH THAT TURN. BUT ALSO, I THINK WE OUGHT TO REALLY LOOK AT THE U TURN IDEA. [01:25:04] SOME OF THOSE BUSES PROBABLY CAN MAKE THAT TURN, BUT I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER GARRIS, IT CAN BE HARD TO MAKE THAT LEFT HAND TURN IN THAT TRAFFIC UNLESS SOMETHING'S STOPPING ON THE BRIDGE. THE OTHER PART IS, I DON'T SEE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF CONGESTION GOING OUT OF TOWN. TRAFFIC SEEMS TO MOVE PRETTY WELL GOING OUT OF TOWN. IF YOU MAKE THE U TURN ON ANASTASIA, YOU'RE GOING OUT OF TOWN AND YOU DON'T HAVE ANOTHER STOP FOR A WHILE, SO YOU JUST IN TRAFFIC MOVING WITH HIM OUT. I DON'T SEE A PARTICULAR NEED TO GO BACK INTO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE I DON'T LIVE ON THE ISLAND AND I DON'T TRAVEL THAT DURING NIGHT OF LIGHT, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TRAFFIC PATTERN IS LIKE. BUT I DO LIKE MR. DEPRETER'S IDEA OF IF THERE'S NO TRAFFIC, TURN AROUND, EVEN ON THE FIRST BLOCK. >> WE CAN STAY ON ANASTASIA BOULEVARD AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO WAS COME DOWN ANASTASIA BOULEVARD. AT SOME POINT WHEN TRAFFIC BUILDS UP, WE'D BE MAKING A LEFT TO GET TO ARCOLA AND THEN HEAD WESTWARD ON ARCOLA TO GET TO GERARDO SO WE CAN TURN RIGHT. WITH THAT WAY, WE HAVE A RIGHT TURN TO GET BACK ONTO ANASTASIA BOULEVARD BECAUSE WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT FLAGLER, IF WE WERE GOING TO RUN FLAGLER, WE'D HAVE TO COME ALL THE WAY BACK DOWN TO MATANZAS TO GET TO THE TRAFFIC LIGHT, SO WE WOULD HAVE A PROTECTED TURNOUT. OTHERWISE, WE'D NEED SOMEBODY, THEN WE'D BE TRYING TO MAKE THAT LEFT HAND TURN ACROSS THE CONGESTION THAT WE KNOW IS BUILDING UP ON ANASTASIA BOULEVARD TRYING TO GET INTO TOWN. I UNDERSTAND I'LL GET THE GENTLEMAN'S CARD AND HAPPY TO TALK WITH THEM MORE, BUT WE CAN GIVE EVERY EFFORT TO TRY TO KEEP IT ON ANASTASIA BOULEVARD. >> THANK YOU. YOU HAD ANOTHER COMMENT? >> NO, I JUST I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE U TURN. I KNOW ANASTASIA IS PRETTY WIDE. IT'S ONE OF THE WIDER ROADS WE HAVE. THERE'S A LOT OF CAPACITY THERE. THE U-TURN WOULD BE THE BIG THING. OTHER THAN THAT. >> IT'S 14 FOOT LANES. THERE'S TWO 14 FOOT WIDE LANES PLUS A TURN LANE. IT'S AS WIDE AS IT GET. >> YOU LIVE ON THERE. THE COMMENT ON PEOPLE COMING OUT OF TOWN. THERE'S STILL A LOT. I TOOK THIS SHUTTLE ON FLAGLER FOR THE FIREWORKS, SOON TO BE THE DRONE WORKS, HOPEFULLY. JULY 4, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF TRAFFIC COMING OUT OF TOWN AND HE GOT STUCK IN THERE. BUT THAT WAS AT THE END OF AN EVENT. PROBABLY IT'LL BE LESS, BUT JUST THE U-TURN FINDING, AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO US, AM I ASSUMING OR THAT'S JUST IT. >> I WILL LOOK AT IT IF YOU WANT TO COME BACK AND UPDATE YOU ON WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN MAKE THE U TURN ON. >> IT'S UP TO YOU. >> [INAUDIBLE] MAKE A MOTION AND HE CAN BRING THIS BACK WITH A REPORT BECAUSE WE DO NEED TO MOVE THIS ALONG. >> HE WANTS TO MAKE THE MOTION. >> I'LL MAKE A MOTION. I'M SORRY. >> I THOUGHT I DIDN'T NEED A MOTION. >> WE NEED TO APPROVE A ROUTE CHANGE. >> WE NEED TO HAVE A CONSENSUS THAT YOU'RE APPROVING THIS. >> [OVERLAPPING] I'LL JUST MAKE A LOOSE STATEMENT THAT WE APPROVED THIS EITHER TWO WAYS. ONE IS THAT WE SAY IF THE U TURN IS DEEMED SAFE, THAT HE GOES AND MOVES IT, OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE IT HE COMES BACK AND TELL US? I THINK IF HE TELLS US, IF HE FINDS OUT THE U TURN SAFE, THAT'S GOOD WITH ME, THAT'S ALL I NEED. IS ANYBODY ELSE FEEL ABOUT THAT? >> SECOND. [LAUGHTER] >> THERE YOU GO. THAT'S ALL I NEED. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. THANK YOU. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU, MR. FRANKLIN, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU WORKING WITH US SO THAT WE CAN GET THE BEST POSSIBLE SITUATION. NEXT ITEM IS GOING TO BE 10B, AMENDMENT TO THE FEASIBILITY COST SHARE AGREEMENT FOR THE BACK BAY FEASIBILITY STUDY WITH THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, AND WE HAVE MS. JESSICA BEACH. >> GOOD MORNING, MADAM MAYOR, MADAM VICE MAYOR, FELLOW COMMISSIONERS. JESSICA BEACH, CHIEF RESILIENCE OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE. I'M HERE TO COME BEFORE YOU TONIGHT WITH AN AMENDMENT TO OUR FEASIBILITY COST SHARE AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE WITH THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS. WE ACTUALLY ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT BACK IN 2023, BUT PRIOR TO THAT, WE HAD ENGAGED THE ARMY CORPS IN SOLICITING THEIR HELP AND LOOKING AT COASTAL STORM RISKS FOR THE CITY AND WHAT ARE ALTERNATIVES AND STRATEGIES THAT WE COULD IMPLEMENT TO MITIGATE RISKS, REDUCE THOSE DAMAGES, PROTECT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, CULTURAL-HISTORICAL RESOURCES IN OUR ECONOMY. ONCE WE ENTERED INTO OUR FEASIBILITY COST SHARE AGREEMENT FOR THE STUDY, THAT WAS JANUARY 9TH, 2023, WE DID A SPECIAL SIGNING CEREMONY. WE KICKED OFF THE STUDY AND LOOKED AT A NUMBER OF ALTERNATIVES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE BRIEFLY SHARING WITH YOU TONIGHT. WE HAD AN INITIAL 50/50 COST SHARE AMOUNT FOR THE CITY AND THE ARMY CORPS, [01:30:01] IT WAS AT $1.5 MILLION, AND THAT WAS BEING FUNDED THROUGH THE CITY'S ARPA FUNDS. THEN AFTER WE'VE DONE OUR SCOPING, SET OUR PRIORITIES, AND STARTED DOING OUR ANALYSIS, WE'RE NOW AT A COMPLETION DATE FOR SEPTEMBER OF 2028. THE TOTAL STUDY COST IS 7.5 MILLION. WE HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS TONIGHT TO SHARE THAT THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING BECOMING AVAILABLE THAT WE NEED TO CODIFY WITH THIS AMENDMENT THAT'S BEFORE YOU TONIGHT. NOW WE HAVE A FULLY FUNDED STUDY, IT'S WITH DISASTER RELIEF SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS, AND THIS ELIMINATES THE NEED FOR THE CITY TO CONTRIBUTE THE ANTICIPATED ADDITIONAL A LITTLE OVER TWO MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE STUDY. WE HAVE BEEN SETTING THIS ASIDE EACH FISCAL YEAR, A CERTAIN AMOUNT, SO WHERE WE WOULD HAVE THOSE FUNDS AVAILABLE AT THE TIME THAT THOSE BECOME DUE. WHAT'S BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS TO AUTHORIZE THE USE OF THE DRSAA FUNDS AND BASICALLY ALLOWING FOR FORMAL EXECUTION OF THAT AMENDMENT. WITH THAT, I DID WANT TO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR JASON HARRAH, OUR PROJECT MANAGER, TO GIVE JUST A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE STUDY. WE HAVE A FEW SLIDES THAT WE WERE GOING TO PRESENT TONIGHT, AND I'M GOING TO LEAD THAT OFF AND LET HIM TAKE OVER FROM HERE, BUT WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT AS WELL. >> EXCELLENT NEWS. MR. JASON, WELCOME. GOOD TO SEE YOU. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SPEAK. IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE. JESSICA STOLE MY THUNDER. I WAS COMING WITH GREAT NEWS, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE OF WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THINGS. THE BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT, REAL FAST, I GOT TO GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE. CONGRESSMAN RUTHERFORD HAS BEEN A BIG PROPONENT FOR THE STUDY. THE CONGRESSMAN HAS BEEN WORKING TO GET THE FEDERAL SHARE THAT WAS REQUIRED TO FINISH THE STUDY FROM 2025 BEYOND, BUT IN DOING SO, HE WAS ABLE TO WORK WITH OUR CORE HEADQUARTERS IN WASHINGTON NOT ONLY TO SECURE THE FEDERAL FUNDING THAT'S REQUIRED FROM '25-'28, BUT HE ALSO SECURED YOUR NON-FEDERAL SHARE AS FEDERAL MONEY AS WELL. THE CITY DOESN'T OWE ANYTHING ELSE FOR COMPLETION OF THE STUDY THROUGH 2028. I WON'T BELABOR THE TABLE TOO MUCH, BUT ULTIMATELY WHAT THAT MEANS IS IT'S ABOUT A TWO MILLION DOLLAR SAVINGS FOR THE CITY THAT YOU'RE NOT REQUIRED TO FUND THE COMPLETION OF THE STUDY OF THE 7.5 MILLION THAT JESSICA MENTIONED, SO GOT TO GIVE THE CONGRESSMAN HIS CREDIT THERE. I WILL SAY THAT THAT ALLEVIATES YOUR REQUIREMENT TO GIVE US CASH TO FINISH THE STUDY THROUGH '28. HOWEVER, THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CITY THAT WILL STILL BE REQUIRED OF JESSICA AND HER TEAM, AS FAR AS REVIEWING THE ALTERNATIVES THAT WE PUT TOGETHER AND SHARING THOSE WITH THE COMMISSION, THE MAYOR, THE VICE MAYOR, SO YOU'RE FULLY AWARE OF WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING. ALSO, THE BIGGEST PIECE OF THIS ENTIRE STUDY IS WHAT YOU EVENTUALLY PRESENT TO THE PUBLIC IN A PUBLIC FORUM. YOU'RE GOING TO SHOW THEM WHAT ALTERNATIVES YOU'RE DEVELOPING BEHIND THEIR HOME OR THEIR BUSINESS. THAT REALLY IS IMPORTANT TO THE STUDY AND GETTING REALLY GOOD ARCHITECTURAL RENDERINGS OF THAT, A LOT OF STUDIES. THE NORTH AND SOUTH OF US GOT OFF ON A BAD FOOT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T REALLY HAVE THOSE GOOD RENDERINGS. I KNOW JESSICA AND HER TEAM ARE WORKING TO GET A CONTRACT POTENTIALLY TO GET THOSE RENDERINGS SO THAT WHEN WE PUT THOSE ON POSTER BOARDS AND WE PRESENT THIS TO THE PUBLIC, THEY TRULY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING. THAT IS ONE BIG PIECE OF THIS AS WE MOVE FORWARD. BUT OVERALL, THE MAYOR WILL BE SIGNING A FEASIBILITY COST SHARE AGREEMENT AMENDMENT TONIGHT, BASICALLY SAYING, WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY YOU ANY MORE MONEY, WE'RE WILLING TO TAKE THE FEDERAL MONEY AND FINISH THE STUDY WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING COMMITMENT FOR THE CITY. I THINK THAT'S A USED CAR THAT YOU WANT TO BUY, I BELIEVE. STUDY OVERVIEW REAL QUICK, YOU'VE SEEN THIS. THE STUDY AUTHORITIES FROM A UMBRELLA AUTHORITY THAT WE HAVE FROM BACK IN JUNE OF 2000. EVERY CORE STUDY HAS TO HAVE AN AUTHORIZATION, AND WE HAVE TO HAVE APPROPRIATIONS. THE TOP-RIGHT TABLE JUST SHOWS YOU WHAT THAT STUDY AUTHORITY IS. THIS WAS A GREAT AUTHORITY THAT WE HAVE, IT'S CALLED AN UMBRELLA AUTHORITY. I'VE BEEN ABLE TO RENOURISH ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH. WE RENOURISHED VILANO BEACH. WE JUST GOT AUTHORIZED FIVE MILES IN PONTE VEDRA BEACH, AND WE'RE DOING THE STUDY FOR ST. AUGUSTINE ALL UNDER THIS SAME UMBRELLA AUTHORITY. ALL OF OUR BEACHES IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY ARE BEING RENOURISHED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN ADDITION TO PROTECTING THE NATION'S OLDEST CITY, SO IT'S A REALLY GREAT AUTHORITY. EVERY PROJECT HAS TO HAVE A NON-FEDERAL SPONSOR. MS. JESSICA BEACH IS OUR SPONSOR, DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB, HER AND CAITLYN AND STAFF, ASSISTING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN GETTING THROUGH THIS. OUR STUDY AREA, ALL THE COMMISSIONERS MADE A REALLY GOOD DECISION. SOME CITIES HAVE MADE THE DECISION JUST TO LOOK AT THAT SMALL PORTION OF AN AREA. YOU GUYS MADE THE ULTIMATE DECISION. LET'S LOOK AT THE ENTIRE MUNICIPAL BOUNDARY. I THINK THAT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION WE'RE GETTING ALL IN ONE. THAT'S OVER 17 DISTINCT NEIGHBORHOODS, BOTH SIDES OF THE SAN SEBASTIAN NEAR THE INLET AS WELL, THREE SEPARATE LAND MASSES AND MULTIPLE INTERCONNECTED BODIES OF WATER. WHY IS IT TAKING UNTIL 2028? THAT IS A MASSIVE STUDY TO UNDERTAKE, ALL THE MODELING, THE ENGINEERING, THE ENVIRONMENTAL THAT WE HAVE TO DO TO GET THIS RIGHT. THAT'S ADDED SOME MORE TIME, BUT AGAIN, I'LL STICK BY, I THINK THAT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION. THE ULTIMATE OBJECTIVES OF THIS STUDY, WE ALWAYS DEVELOP THOSE ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT, THE FOUR. WHAT DO WE WANT TO SOLVE WITH THE STUDY? WE WANT TO MANAGE RISK OF COASTAL FLOOD DAMAGES, MANAGE RISK OF THE HEALTH AND LIFE SAFETY, [01:35:02] MANAGE RISK OF THE CULTURAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES, AND NUMBER 4, MANAGE FLOODING IMPACTS TO LOCAL ECONOMY, AS WE FLOOD RIGHT NOW WITH SOME NUISANCE FLOODING THAT IMPACTS BUSINESS. BUSINESS SHUT DOWN EARLY, THEY CAN'T GET PEOPLE IN. WE WANT TO ALLEVIATE THAT IN THE FUTURE SO WHEN WE HAVE THESE FLOOD EVENTS, WE DON'T HAVE THAT FLOODING THAT'S IMPACTING THE LOCAL ECONOMY. STUDY SCHEDULE AND BUDGET, THE OVERALL COST, 7.3 MILLION. YOU HEARD 7.5, I WON'T GET INTO THE NUANCE. THERE'S A REQUIRED REVIEW ON THE FEDERAL SIDE THAT'S 100% PAID BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH MAKES IT THE 7.5, BUT THE COST SHARED AMOUNT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE 7.3. AS JESSICA INDICATED, THE FIRST THREE MAIN OF THAT WAS SPLIT 50/50, 1.5, 1.5. HOWEVER, THE REMAINING 4.3 MILLION WILL NOW BE PAID 100% BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THE GREEN ARROW SHOWS YOU THE KEY FACES OF THE STUDY. EVERYTHING IN GREEN WE HAVE COMPLETED. WE ARE RIGHT WHERE THE GOLD STAR IS, AND THAT IS WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THE FINAL ARRAY OF ALTERNATIVES. I'LL SHOW THOSE TO YOU IN A MINUTE. THOSE ARE THE ALTERNATIVES NOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO ALIGN IN THE DAVIS SHORE AREAS, THE DOWNTOWN PENINSULA, AND THE WESTERN SAN SEBASTIAN. I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT THOSE ARE MOMENTARILY. OUR NEXT MAJOR MILESTONE IS WHAT WE CALL A LITTLE BIT TO THE RIGHT OF THE GOLD STAR, IS IDENTIFYING THE TENTATIVELY SELECTED PLAN. WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN BETWEEN NOW AND MAY OF 2026, WE'VE GOT THE ALTERNATIVES IDENTIFIED. WE'RE RUNNING THE COST AND THE ECONOMICS AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL ON THOSE ALTERNATIVES. WE'RE ESSENTIALLY GOING HOUSE BY HOUSE, PLOT BY PLOT, AND LINING WHAT THIS IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE BEHIND EVERYBODY'S HOMES AND BUSINESSES. WE'RE GOING TO SHARE THAT WITH JESSICA. SHE'S ULTIMATELY GOING TO SHARE THAT WITH ALL THE COMMISSIONERS SO THAT YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING, AND THEN JESSICA AND YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP WHAT WE CALL A LOCALLY PREFERRED PLAN. YOU MAY SAY, I DON'T LIKE THE HEIGHT OF THIS IN THIS AREA, WE WOULD LIKE IT LOWER, OR COULD YOU CONSIDER DOING THIS IN THIS AREA? YOU HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. THE COST SHARE GETS ADJUSTED ACCORDINGLY, BUT THAT WILL BE HAPPENING BETWEEN NOW AND AS WE MOVE INTO THE MAY OF 2026. THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND THOSE DISCUSSIONS WILL OCCUR TO COME UP WITH THAT TENTATIVELY SELECTED PLAN. THE NEXT MAJOR MILESTONE IS ALL THE WAY OUT ON APRIL 27. THAT'S WHEN WE PUT THE REPORT TOGETHER, WE PUBLISH IT IN ALL THE LIBRARIES, WE PUT IT ELECTRONICALLY. THE PUBLIC GIVES AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK TONS OF QUESTIONS, PROVIDE US COMMENTS ON THE REPORT. THEN ULTIMATELY, WHAT WE WANT TO GET TO, THE GOAL POST IS THAT SHEESH REPORT IN SEPTEMBER OF 2028. THAT'S WHEN WE GIVE THE REPORT TO THE THREE-STAR GENERAL IN WASHINGTON. HE SIGNS OFF ON THE REPORT SAYING, WE'VE ANSWERED ALL THE MAIL IN THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL SIDE, ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCIES. EVERYBODY AGREES WITH THAT, THE TRIBAL NATIONS AGREE WITH WHAT WE PROPOSED, AND THE REPORT THEN GOES TO CONGRESS FOR AUTHORIZATION TO GO TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION. THE ALTERNATIVE ELEMENT, WE STARTED THIS BACK IN AUGUST 2024, JUST LOOK TO THE LEFT. THAT'S WHEN WE CAME UP WITH AN INITIAL ARRAY OF ALTERNATIVES. THAT'S WHAT I CALL THROW IT ON THE WALL, SEE IF IT STICKS. WE CAME UP WITH HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES THAT WE WANTED TO LOOK AT. WE ESSENTIALLY NARROWED THOSE DOWN THAT YOU SEE IN THE RED AND GREEN. RED MEANS WE DID NOT MOVE IT FORWARD, GREEN MEANS WE ARE CONTINUING TO MOVE IT FORWARD. STARTING AT THE TOP, SYSTEM OF SURGE BARRIER GATES AT THE INLETS, THIS IS REALLY BIG IN EUROPE. VENICE, OTHER PLACES, THE DUTCH, THEY USE SURGE GATES EXTENSIVELY. THE PROBLEM WITH THE STATES, WHEN YOU PUT THESE GATES IN, THEY'RE ASTRONOMICALLY EXPENSIVE TO BUILD AND EVEN MORE ASTRONOMICALLY EXPENSIVE TO MAINTAIN. THE CITY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO HAVE THE MECHANICS, THE WELDERS, THE ELECTRICIANS, EVERYBODY OUT THERE OPERATING THESE 24/7. THE OTHER DOWNFALL IS THEY'RE OPEN FOR 363 DAYS A YEAR. THEY DON'T HELP YOU WITH NUISANCE FLOODING, THEY DON'T HELP YOU WITH KING TIDES, LIKE SOME OF THE FLOOD WALLS, ETC. THEY'RE GREAT WHEN THE BIG ONE COMES, BUT THE OTHER 364 DAYS A YEAR, YOU'RE OPERATING AND MAINTAINING GATES THAT ARE NOT REALLY FUNCTIONAL. THOSE WERE NOT CARRIED FORWARD. FLOOD WALLS, EARTHEN LEVEES, PUMP STATIONS, AND NATURAL AND NATURE-BASED FEATURES WERE CARRIED FORWARD. THE LAST ONE THAT WASN'T WAS ELEVATING STRUCTURES AND FLOOD PROOFING. THE CITY ALREADY HAS A PRETTY EXTENSIVE PROGRAM RAISING IN PLACE, AND WE THINK THAT PROGRAM IS WORKING PRETTY WELL. I THINK THAT'S WITH FEMA, JESSICA, IS THAT RIGHT? FEMA'S MOVING THAT FORWARD. SOME STUDIES HAVE TAKEN THAT APPROACH WHERE THE FLOOD WALLS, THE LEVEES, ETC. ARE SO HARD. THE PUBLIC FEEDBACK TO THAT IS NOT THE BEST, SO TO FINISH THE STUDY, WE'RE JUST GOING TO SAY FLOOD PROOF EVERYTHING. WELL, WE KNOW IN REALITY IS SOME PEOPLE WILL PARTICIPATE IN THAT, A LOT WON'T. ULTIMATELY, WE JUST DIDN'T FEEL THAT WAS THE BEST APPROACH TO CONSIDER AN ALL NON-STRUCTURAL RAISING OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES. THE FOUR THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH ARE THE FLOOD WALLS, THE EARTHEN LEVEES, THE PUMP STATIONS, AND THE NATURAL AND NATURE-BASED FEATURES. MOVING TO THE RIGHT, THAT MAKES UP OUR FINAL ARRAY OF ALTERNATIVES THAT WE IDENTIFIED IN JUNE 2025. WHAT ARE WE DOING NOW? WE ARE DEVELOPING THE FINAL ALIGNMENTS. AS I SAID, WE'RE GOING HOUSE BY HOUSE, ROAD BY ROAD. WHERE COULD WE PUT A WALL IN? WHERE COULD WE PUT OUR EARTHEN LEVEE? HOW DOES THE NATURAL AND NATURE-BASED FEATURES FIT INTO THAT? [01:40:02] WHERE DOES PUMP STATIONS NEED TO BE? WHERE DO ROAD CLOSURE GATES NEED TO BE? LITERALLY LINE BY LINE, HOUSE BY HOUSE ON THAT DAVIS AREA, THE DOWNTOWN, AND THE WESTERN SAN SEBASTIAN. THE ARCHITECTURAL RENDERINGS, MS. JESSICA IS WORKING ON THAT. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY GOING TO BE KEY. EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE BEHIND MY HOUSE? GETTING THOSE POSTERS PUT TOGETHER BY A REALLY GOOD LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT-TYPE FIRM WILL BE CRUCIAL AS WE PRESENT THIS TO THE PUBLIC. WHEN ARE WE GOING TO ROLL IT OUT? WE'RE SAYING IN THE SPRING OF 2026. I LIKE TO DO A SOFT LANDING ON THESE, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THEM QUITE A WHILE. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT ONCE WE GET THAT FINAL ARRAY DONE, WE GET THE MAPS DRAWN OF WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE, YOU CAN SEE WHERE THERE'S A WALL OR A LEVEE, ETC. IT GETS ROLLED OUT TO THE COMMISSION, THE MAYOR, THE VICE MAYOR SEE THAT. THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO FLOAT THAT TO THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. ALL THE VARIOUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, ALL THE GROUPS GET TO SEE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT BEFORE YOU DO THE BIG ROLLOUT TO THE PUBLIC AT A HOTEL, WHATEVER VENUE THAT MAY BE. THAT WOULD BE THE SPRING OF 2026 IS WHAT WE'RE SAYING. SEARCH BARRIERS, I WON'T GO INTO THAT. A LOT OF PEOPLE SEE JUST THE GATES THERE. YOU CAN SEE THE GATES THAT WOULD OPEN CLOSE, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PRETTY EXTENSIVE NETWORK OF WALLS TO THE EAST AND WEST OF THAT. YOU CAN IMAGINE HAVING SOME OF THESE CONCRETE WALLS EXTEND ALL THE WAY DOWN ANASTASIA STATE PARK, GOING TO THE NORTH AND VILANO WHERE THAT FLOOD WALL WOULD BE. ENVIRONMENTALLY, I DON'T THINK WE WOULD GET THERE. THE COST OF IT WAS WELL OVER SEVERAL BILLION DOLLAR JUST TO BUILD THESE, NOT EVEN THE COST TO MAINTAIN THEM. YES, THEY WORK IN SOME APPLICATIONS, BUT ST. AUGUSTINE, WE JUST DON'T THINK THEY FIT. NOT ONLY THAT, YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE ONE AT THE ST. AUGUSTINE INLET, YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE ONE AT MATANZAS AS WELL, AND POTENTIALLY ON THE INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY, SO THERE HAVE TO BE A SERIES OF GATES. FLOOD WALLS IS ONE OF THE ALTERNATIVES WE ARE CONSIDERING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH. YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT SOME CONCRETE T-BASED FLOOD WALL. THEY'VE BEEN AROUND THE CITY FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS. THEY WORK, THEY'RE JUST NOT AT THE HEIGHT THAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW. THEY ARE THE ALTERNATIVE THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH. THE DOWNSIDE, THEY'RE CALLED GRAY INFRASTRUCTURE, THEY'RE A CONCRETE WALL. THE GOOD SIDE IS THEY TAKE UP LESS FOOTPRINT. YOU'LL SEE THAT WE'RE PROPOSING THE CONCRETE FLOOD WALLS IN AREAS WHERE WE HAVE A NARROWER FOOTPRINT, AND WE DON'T HAVE THE AREA TO PUT OUT A BIG EARTHEN LEVEE A WIDE SPACE. THE FLOOD WALL IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING MOVING FORWARD WITH. HORIZONTAL EARTHEN LEVEES, THESE ARE MUCH MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY. IT'S BASICALLY AN EARTHEN LEVEE. THE EARTHEN LEVEE PORTION CANNOT HAVE TREES, ETC. ON IT. WE DON'T WANT ROOTS GOING IN THAT COULD MAKE AREAS WHERE WATER COULD GO THROUGH. IT WOULD BE A GRASS LEVEE THAT GETS MOWED ROUTINELY BY THE CITY, BUT ON THE SEAWARD SIDE OF THAT, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THIS IS GOING INTO THE INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY. BASICALLY, IT'S AN ENVIRONMENTAL LOVER'S DREAM. THEY CAN PUT IN SUBMERGED AQUATIC VEGETATION, THEY CAN PUT IN GRASSES, THEY CAN PUT IN OYSTER REEFS. I DIDN'T THINK YOU PAID THE POWER BILL. YOU CAN BASICALLY PUT ANYTHING YOU WANT ON THE SEAWARD SIDE OF THAT LEVEE. THAT BECOMES A NATURAL AND NATURE-BASED FEATURE AREA ON THAT HORIZONTAL LEVEE. AREAS AROUND THE CITY THAT WE HAVE A BIGGER FOOTPRINT, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO PROPOSE MOVING FORWARD WITH. NATURAL AND NATURE-BASED FEATURES, TONS OF DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES OUT THERE. WHAT I DO WANT TO SAY IS NATURAL AND NATURE-BASED FEATURES, BY THEMSELVES, DO NOT PREVENT A 10, 12-FOOT LEVEL OF WATER COMING INTO THE CITY. WHAT THESE CAN DO IS THEY CAN DISSIPATE WAVE ENERGY. AS THE SURGE IS COMING IN, THEY CAN LESSEN THE WAVES BEFORE THEY GET TO THAT EARTHEN LEVEE OR TILL THEY GET TO THAT FLOOD WALL, AND IT CAN HELP WITH THAT SCOUR PROTECTION FROM KEEPING THE WALL FROM GETTING UNDERMINED IN THE SOIL LAYERS. THESE ARE GREAT ADDITION TO WALLS AND LEVEES, BUT THEY ARE NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR, SO JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. THESE DO NOT PROTECT AGAINST HURRICANE MATTHEW AND NINE FEET OF WATER 90 MILES OFFSHORE, JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN. BUT WE ARE ABSOLUTELY MOVING FORWARD WITH THESE. THE BOTTOM RIGHT IS SOMETHING YOU COULD ENVISION. IN SOME OF THE AREAS OF ST. AUGUSTINE, YOU HAVE SOME OF THOSE GRASSES, TREES, SOME OF THE OYSTER REEFS AS YOU WORK YOUR WAY UP, AND THEN THAT FLOOD WALL OR THAT EARTHEN LEVEE AS YOUR MAIN PROTECTING AREA, YOUR ICING ON THE CAKE, PER SE, FOR THE FLOODING. PUBLIC OUTREACH, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE MONTHLY PUBLIC WEBINARS, THOSE HAVE BEEN RECEIVED VERY WELL. I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO KEEP PUSHING THOSE OUT. WE PUSH THEM ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, THE CITY DOES AS WELL. WE DO PRESS RELEASES. THE QR CODE THERE, YOU CAN SCAN. THIS IS OUR PUBLIC WEBSITE. EVERY PUBLIC MEETING WE HAVE, EVERY MONTHLY WEBINAR WE HAVE, EVERY MILESTONE WE HIT, EVERY SINGLE PDF THAT WE COME UP WITH, YOU CAN GO AND CLICK A TAB AND SEE WHAT ENGINEERING DOCUMENTS WE'VE PRODUCED, ECONOMICS, ENVIRONMENTAL, CULTURAL RESOURCES. EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE IS OUT THERE, PDF FORM. THERE'S MAPS TO LOOK AT THAT WILL SHOW WHERE THESE WALLS ARE, YOU CAN ZOOM DOWN ON YOUR STREET LEVEL. BUT THIS STUDY WEBSITE WILL BE WITH US FOR THE DURATION THROUGH '28. THAT'S ALL I HAVE, SUBJECT TO YOUR QUESTIONS. >> EXCELLENT. >> COMMISSIONER GARRIS, ANY QUESTIONS? [01:45:02] >> NO. IT LOOKS LIKE EVERYTHING IS LOOKING GOOD. THANK YOU BOTH FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. >> EXCELLENT. COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD. >> I WAS EXCITED FOR THE GATE. NOT REALLY. >> WE'VE DECIDED HE'S ON A ROLL TONIGHT. >> YEAH, I'M GLAD IT'S GONE. I THINK THAT WAS A SMART THING TO DO. LIKE YOU SAY, TWO DAYS OUT OF THE YEAR, MAYBE. RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON, SO WE'LL KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED. BUT THANK YOU FOR THIS. THIS IS GOOD INFORMATION, AND I APPRECIATE THE WEBSITE, I'LL JUST SAVED IT SO I CAN KEEP IT GOING. >> MR. GARRIS, WE HAD YOU, COMMISSIONER DEPRETER. >> THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I'M THE NEWER COMMISSIONER HERE. A LOT OF THE TECHNIQUES I'M FAMILIAR WITH, BUT IT WAS REALLY VERY HELPFUL FOR ME TO GET THE TIMING, WHAT TO EXPECT IN NEXT MAY 25 AND HAVE THAT TIMING SO THAT I CAN ADJUST IT IN MY MIND, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> APPRECIATE IT. >> VICE MAYOR. >> I WANT TO BUY THIS USED CAR, FOR SURE, AS YOU PUT IT. I'M DEFINITELY SUPPORTIVE OF ACCEPTING THIS. THE PRESENTATION ITSELF, I LIKE HOW YOU'VE REPRESENTED THE HORIZONTAL THEN LEVEES, HOW YOU'VE HIGHLIGHTED THE MIX OF THE NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS WITH THE GRAY INFRASTRUCTURE. IT STRIKES ME WHEN I LOOK AT THE MARSHES OUT THERE AND I THINK ABOUT SEA LEVEL RISE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY WAY FOR THEM TO MIGRATE AND WITH THE HORIZONTAL EARTHEN LEVEES, WE DO, AND THAT'S REALLY APPEALING TO ME BECAUSE WE CAN MAINTAIN THAT EROSION RESISTANCE ALONG THE WAY. ALL IN ALL, I'M VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF US CONTINUING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS. >> THANK YOU. >> WONDERFUL. MY COMMENTS, THIS FUNDING NEWS IS VERY GOOD NEWS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WORKING DILIGENTLY FOR THAT. IT'S GOING TO SAVE THE CITY CLOSE TO $2 MILLION IN THE MATCH. I'M CURIOUS AS TO KNOW, WHEN YOU SAID WE WERE HOLDING THAT BACK OUT OF THE ARPA FUNDS, HOW DOES THAT WORK? >> THE 1.5 MILLION HAS ALREADY BEEN PAID TO THE ARMY CORPS, AND THAT IS ARPA FUNDS. BUT BEYOND THAT, WE WERE ACTUALLY BUDGETING EACH YEAR OF THE CITY BUDGET A SET AMOUNT THAT WE COULD SET ASIDE, SO IT WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE WHEN THE TIME WAS DUE AT A FUTURE DATE. THAT SCHEDULE, THAT TABLE THAT JASON SHOWED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION, WE WERE PREPARING TO HAVE TO ALLOCATE SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO THE STUDY AT THAT POINT IN TIME. WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT NOW WITH THE DRSA FUNDS AVAILABLE ON THAT, TOO. >> EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. I JUST GOT A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT THE ARPA FUND AND I MISSED THAT. THERE WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION VERY MEATY PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. I'M VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF THIS. I WILL BE TRAVELING WITH THE CITY MANAGER NEXT WEEK, COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR, TO DC, WE HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH CONGRESSMAN RUTHERFORD, AND WE WILL THANK HIM APPROPRIATELY ON YOUR BEHALF. >> THAT WILL BE GREAT. >> HE'S A BIG, BIG PART OF THIS. WE HAVE TO TAKE ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES TO THANK HIM FOR HOW WELL HE TREATS US HERE. THE REQUEST HERE IS TO AUTHORIZE THE AMENDMENTS TO THE COST SHARE AGREEMENT. DO I HEAR A MOTION? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> SECOND. ANY FINAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> BARBARA BLONDER? >> YES. >> JON DEPRETER. >> YES. >> CYNTHIA GARRIS? >> YES. >> JIM SPRINGFIELD. >> YES. >> NANCY SIKES-KLINE. >> YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AGAIN. >> THANK YOU. >> SEE YOU, MR. JASON. NEXT ITEM IS VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER, CERTIFIED AUTISM CENTER RECERTIFICATION. IS IT TIME ALREADY? >> YES. >> GOOD EVENING. [OVERLAPPING] >> THE TIME WENT BY FAST. >> GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR. MADAM VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS JESSICA JOYCE, AND I'M THE VISITOR SERVICES SUPERVISOR FOR THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE. THERE WE GO. I'M PLEASED TO PRESENT TO YOU THIS EVENING THAT THE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER HAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE RECERTIFICATION PROCESS TO MAINTAIN BEING A CERTIFIED AUTISM CENTER. THIS COMES AFTER COMPLETING TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION FOR AT LEAST 80% OF OUR GUEST FACING STAFF. TRAINING ENSURES OUR TEAM MEMBERS HAVE THE SKILLS AND UNDERSTANDING TO BETTER [01:50:03] INTERACT WITH AUTISTIC INDIVIDUALS AND THOSE WHO EXPERIENCE SENSORY SENSITIVITIES. OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY GUEST FEELS WELCOME, UNDERSTOOD AND SUPPORTED WHEN THEY VISIT ST. AUGUSTINE. WE ARE CERTIFIED THROUGH IBCCES AND CERTIFICATION MUST BE RENEWED EVERY TWO YEARS. BEING CERTIFIED, ENSURES THAT OUR FRONTLINE STAFF CAN BETTER ASSIST AUTISTIC INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THIS CERTIFICATION REFLECTS THE CITY'S ONGOING COMMITMENT TO INCLUSION. THERE'S A SMALL DIFFERENCE, CLERICAL ERROR ON THE PRESENTATION, BUT I HAVE THE CORRECT STATUS FOR YOU. A TOTAL OF 24 OF OUR FRONTLINE TEAM MEMBERS COMPLETED THE AUTISM SENSORY AWARENESS TRAINING. IN ADDITION, FOUR CITY STAFF MEMBERS, INCLUDING MYSELF, HAVE COMPLETED THE CERTIFIED TRAVEL PROFESSIONAL TRAINING. TOTAL RECERTIFICATION COST WAS $3,540, AND WE RECEIVED MATCHING GRANT FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,770 FROM THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND TDC. WE'RE PROUD TO PLAY A ROLE IN THIS MEANINGFUL INITIATIVE. THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO HAVE ST. AUGUSTINE RECOGNIZED AS A CERTIFIED AUTISM DESTINATION. TO GET THERE, THE CHAMBER IS STILL LOOKING FOR ONE HOTEL, THREE RESTAURANTS, AND TWO ADDITIONAL ATTRACTIONS AND THAT WOULD COMPLETE THAT PROGRAM TO CERTIFY US AS A DESTINATION. TOGETHER, WE CAN ALL MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO MAKE ST. AUGUSTINE A MORE INCLUSIVE AND WELCOMING PLACE FOR EVERYONE, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. >> COMMISSIONER GARRIS, ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? >> I WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR GETTING CERTIFIED. I HAVE A GRANDSON THAT'S AUTISTIC, AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THEY BE ABLE TO GO PLACE AND GET THE SAME AS SOMEONE THAT DOESN'T HAVE THAT ISSUE. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> IT'S REALLY NICE TO KNOW THAT WE ARE GETTING CERTIFIED AND WE HAVE PEOPLE IN PLACE AT THE VIC BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, WE GET A LOT OF VISITORS THAT COME TO OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY. THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF. >> THANK YOU. >> MR. DEPRETER. >> YES. THANK YOU. I KNOW THAT UNLESS I'M WRONG, THE FORT WAS ALSO CERTIFIED AS AN AUTISM CENTER? >> YES. >> THE TWO OF THEM TOGETHER, THEY'RE CLOSE TO EACH OTHER, THEY'RE BIG DRAWS, SO I THINK JUST CUMULATIVELY, WE'RE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> VICE MAYOR. >> I THINK YOU'RE DOING A WONDERFUL JOB. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. THIS IS IMPORTANT. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> MR. SPRINGFIELD. >> I GO TO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. THE CONTRACTORS THAT ARE THERE FOR THE TOUR TRAINS, ARE THEY INCLUDED IN THIS? >> OLD TOWN TROLLEYS? >> THERE'S TWO OR THREE VENDORS IN THERE THAT HAVE THE BOOTHS AND THEY. >> FOR OLD TOWN TROLLEYS SELLS TICKETS IN THE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER, AND YES, THEY ARE CERTIFIED. >> THAT'S GOOD. HAVE YOU HAD ANY COMMENTS FROM THE STAFF WITH INTERACTIONS THAT THEY WERE BETTER ABLE TO HANDLE OF YOU? >> WELL, A LOT OF OUR STAFF HAS EXPRESSED THAT THEY HAVE RELATIVES AND LOVED ONES THAT ALREADY HAVE AUTISM, AND IT WAS A REALLY SPECIAL THING FOR THEM TO BECOME A CERTIFIED CENTER BECAUSE THEN THEY'RE ALREADY PROUD OF WHAT THEY DO EVERY DAY BUT THEY UNDERSTAND EVEN MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY SEE IN THEIR FAMILIES AS WELL. IT WAS JUST MORE THAN JUST WORK TRAINING. >> THAT'S GREAT. I'VE BEEN IN THERE SEVERAL TIMES AND IT'S A WELL RUN. YOU-ALL ARE DOING A GREAT JOB AND IT'S ALWAYS GOT PEOPLE IN THERE AND IT'S SERVING WHAT WE WANTED TO SERVE, AND I APPRECIATE IT. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. I ALSO HAVE TWO NEPHEWS THAT HAVE AUTISM AND IT'S AMAZING WHAT YOU CAN DO IN THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT. I APPRECIATE THAT YOU WORKED HARD. I APPRECIATED YOU SAYING TO MAKE THEM FEEL WELCOME AND UNDERSTOOD, BUT ALSO TO TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER AND RECOMMEND PLACES THAT THEY CAN GO OR MAYBE WOULDN'T WANT TO GO. PERHAPS, THEY WOULD NOT WANT TO GO TO THE CASTILLO, WHEN THE CANNON FIRE GOES OFF AT 3:00 PM. TO BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH A STAFF THAT CAN HELP THEM FIND THE RIGHT PLACES IN THE RIGHT FIT IN THE COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT TO US. I DO HOPE THAT THIS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PROGRAM CONTINUES AND THE FUNDING CONTINUES. BUT THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE DO MAKE EVERYONE FEEL, LIKE YOU SAID, WELCOME AND UNDERSTOOD. BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY MOTION ASSOCIATED WITH THIS. IS JUST AN UPDATE, SO WE APPRECIATE IT. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. MOVING ALONG, ITEMS BY CITY ATTORNEY. [01:55:03] >> I HAVE NONE. >> ITEMS BY CITY CLERK. [12. ITEMS BY CITY CLERK] >> YES. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR. MADAM VICE MAYOR. COMMISSIONERS, I HAVE ONE ITEM THIS EVENING, AND IT'S A REQUEST FOR ONE APPOINTMENT TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD. WE NOTIFIED YOU PREVIOUSLY THAT WE HAD UPCOMING TERM EXPIRATIONS, WHICH DO EXPIRE AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER. WE HAVE BEEN ADVERTISING AND WE RECEIVED AN APPLICATION FROM OUR CURRENT BOARD MEMBER, DR. ASHLEIGH BARNES. SHE IS ELIGIBLE FOR REAPPOINTMENT, SO STAFF REQUESTS AND RECOMMENDS HER REAPPOINTMENT. >> COMMISSIONERS, YOU HAVE AN OPENING, AND WE HAVE AN EXISTING MEMBER WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR REAPPOINTMENT. UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, NORMALLY, I ONLY REMEMBER ONE CASE IN THE PAST. WE HAVE NOT DONE SO, UNLESS YOU HAVE COMMENTS. >> NO. >> YES, I'VE WORKED WITH DR. BARNES ON THE. >> YES, YOU HAVE. >> CAN I GO? I DIDN'T KNOW IF I JUMPED ON JIM THERE. >> I DIDN'T WANT MAKE A MOTION. I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT, DEPRETER YOU WANTED TO MAKE A MOTION? >> NO, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT I'VE WORKED WITH HER FOR. I THINK SHE'S VERY CAPABLE, AND I STILL FOLLOW THE MEETINGS. I WILL SAY FROM EXPERIENCE THAT THERE'S A PRETTY STEEP LEARNING CURVE ON THERE AND IF YOU GOT SOMEBODY THAT'S ON THERE FOR THREE YEARS, IT'S GENERALLY PRETTY GOOD TO KEEP THEM ON. >> YEAH, THAT WAS SOMETHING I WAS GOING TO SAY WAS, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. THIS IS A VERY TOUGH ASSIGNMENT, AND SHE'S VOLUNTEERING FOR IT. THEY DO A GREAT JOB. WE GET VERY FEW APPEALS WHICH MEANS THEY'RE DOING IT RIGHT BY THE BOOK, AND THEY SPEND THE TIME. I SUPPORT THIS. >> IS THERE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? >> NO. >> IF WE HAVE EXPERIENCE, WE NEED TO LEAVE IT ALONE. >> EXCELLENT. I MOVE WE REAPPOINT ASHLEIGH BARNES. >> I'LL SECOND THAT. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE.>> AYE. >> MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. CONGRATULATIONS, MS. BARNES. THEN YOU HAVE ONE OTHER ANNOUNCEMENT? >> YES. WE ARE STILL ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR TWO OPEN POSITIONS ON THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD SO WE'LL JUST KEEP PLUGGING AWAY AND BRING THEM BACK WHENEVER WE GET THEM. >> GREAT. MR. CITY ATTORNEY. I'M SORRY, MANAGER. I MISSPOKE. WE ALREADY DID THE CITY ATTORNEY. SORRY, I WAS LOOKING RIGHT AT YOU AND SPEAKING IMPROPERLY. SO SORRY. >> WE DO HAVE SOME WEATHER COMING TOWARDS US. AS YOU SAW EARLIER TODAY, WE HAD SOME HEAVY RAINS, AND WE SHOULD SEE HEAVY RAINS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. WE'VE GOT SOME HEAVY OFFSHORE WINDS, 20-30 MILE PER HOUR OFFSHORE WINDS, AND A KING TIDE. FOR THOSE OF US, I SAY US, BECAUSE I'M ONE OF THESE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN A LOW LYING FLOOD PRONED AREA, YOU CAN EXPECT LOCALIZED FLOODING FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK, AND YOU SHOULD PLAN ACCORDINGLY AND WE WILL RESPOND ACCORDINGLY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. >> EXCELLENT. MAY WE PLEASE PUT THE WORD OUT TO DON'T BE THAT GUY CAMPAIGN AS WELL. I SAW A YOUNG LADY GET COMPLETELY COVERED IN WATER SPLASHED BY A TRUCK ON KING STREET YESTERDAY. IT WAS VERY PAINFUL TO WATCH. THERE'S A LOT OF PUDDLES AND I KNOW IT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD TO THE PEDESTRIANS, BUT ALSO TO PEOPLE THAT AN INCH CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF THE FLOODING GETS SO HIGH. PEOPLE CAN END UP WITH WATER IN THEIR HOMES. >> SURE WILL. >> CAN WE WORK ON THAT, PLEASE. COMMISSIONER GARRIS, ANY COMMENTS ON THAT? >> I HAVE HAD THAT FEET WHEN I WAS WORKING DOWNTOWN, GETTING SPLASHED. IF THE TIDES GET HIGH, ARE YOU ANTICIPATING CLOSING CITY HALL? >> NO, WE'RE NOT. >> I JUST WANTED TO KNOW THAT. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. >> ANY OTHER COMMENTS? QUESTIONS? WE'LL MOVE ON, DID YOU WANT TO COMMENT ABOUT MR. CITY MANAGER REPORT? BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON. EVERYBODY GOOD THERE? GREAT. ITEMS BY MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. COMMISSIONER GARRIS. [14. ITEMS BY MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS] >> FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR GIVING US THE $850,000 TO HELP US WITH NIGHTS AND LIGHTS. I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A GOOD YEAR THIS YEAR, BASED ON YOUR PLAN AND JUST HAVING MORE FUNDING FOR THE EVENT, [02:00:02] SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING A SUCCESS. I THANK EVERYBODY, I THANK RUBIN TOO FOR HAVING A PLAN FOR THE ISLAND SO WE WON'T HAVE ALL THOSE CARS COMING OVER THE BRIDGE TO BOTTLENECK. EVAN MENENDEZ, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION, AND I THINK IT WAS GOOD AND IT WAS THOROUGH AND YOU WERE AVAILABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS. YOUR TEAM SHINED FOR YOU WHEN YOU DIDN'T HAVE SOMETHING, THEY STEPPED FORWARD, CARLOS, MEREDITH, AND ALL OF THEM. THAT'S WHAT IT BASICALLY TAKES AT THE END OF THE DAY, TEAMWORK TO MAKE THE DREAM WORK. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU GUYS A SHOUT OUT FOR THAT. THANKS, OUR COMMISSION SHOWED UP, AND IT'S GOOD TO SEE ALL FIVE OF US THERE IN THE ROOM PUSHING FOR THIS ENDEAVOR TO GO FORWARD. THANK YOU. >> I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS COMING UP HERE WITH THE ANESTASIA BOULEVARD ON NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ADDRESS IT OTHER THAN PERSONALLY, I THINK LOOKING AT WHAT'S GOING ON, THAT WE NEED TO MAYBE START HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT A TRANSIT LANE ON SAN MARCO, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE SERIOUSLY, LIKE A SHADOW FOR SHUTTLES AND BICYCLES. I BROUGHT IT UP AT THE LAST MEETING AND WE FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS SOME FUNDING THAT'S GOING ON. THERE ARE SOME PROJECTS. BUT I THINK IT'S A FUNDAMENTAL COMPONENT TO OUR MOBILITY STRUCTURE AND I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY START HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE SERIOUSLY. WE KNOW IT'S NOT GOING TO GET DONE ANY YEAR, EVEN IF IT DOES. IT'S A COMPLICATED SITUATION, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD START THAT CONVERSATION SOMEHOW IN SOME WAY. SECOND THING, WHEN WE WERE HAVING THE BUDGET MEETING LAST TIME, I HAD SAID THAT I HAD WAS GOING TO REQUEST $300,000 FOR A WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN AND THEN I WAS MISTAKEN BECAUSE I THOUGHT WHEN WE GOT THE CLASS 4 RATING THAT WE HAD ACTUALLY GOTTEN THAT. BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE PLANNING BOARD. MISS SKINNER WAS SPEAKING, SAID, WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THAT YET. COULD YOU LET ME KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON? >> WE DO NOT HAVE A WATERSHED MASTER PLAN, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF THE COMPONENTS FOR THE PLAN ALREADY DONE, WHICH WE'D DONE IN DIFFERENT RESILIENCY INITIATIVES. IT'S NOT PUT TOGETHER AS ONE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, BUT A LOT OF THE WORK'S ALREADY DONE. I'M NOT SURE IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION OR NOT. >> NO. WELL, MY QUESTION WAS, IF WE NEED FUNDING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT, SOMEHOW, THAT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THROW IT OUT THERE FOR PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT THAT. WE SAVED $2 MILLION ON THE ONE SIDE AND THEN WE GOT TO OUR CLASS 4. ORIGINALLY, I THOUGHT IT WAS $300,000. WE THOUGHT WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN. I JUST THROW IT OUT THERE FOR CONSIDERATION THAT IF WE HAVE SOME OF IT AND WE HAVE $200,000 WORTH THAT I DON'T WANT THAT PROGRESS ON THE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN TO BE DELAYED BY FUNDING. I GUESS I'M JUST MAKING THAT AS A STATEMENT AND IF WE NEED TO COME BACK TO THAT CONVERSATION. THIRD THING WAS I GUESS THERE'S A QUOTE ATTRIBUTED TO MIKE TYSON. EVERYBODY'S GOT A PLAN UNTIL THEY GET PUNCHED IN THE NOSE. I WENT OUT TO THE RTIC CENTER, THE REAL INFORMATION POLICE CENTER. WHAT'S THAT? THIS ACRONYM IS RTIC, SO THAT'S REAL. >> IT'S THE REAL TIME INTELLIGENCE CENTER. >> INTERESTING. >> DID YOU GO? >> I WENT OUT WITH CITY MANAGER AND CHIEF MITCHELL LIKE LAST WEEK AND I WAS VERY IMPRESSED. I HAD NO IDEA IT WAS THERE. I KNOW THAT THERE'S THESE CAPABILITIES BECAUSE AFTER 911, A LOT OF THE STUFF WAS DONE IN THE METRO AREA, IN NEW YORK. BUT IT'S VERY REASSURING TO KNOW THAT THERE'S SO MUCH CAPABILITY THERE IF IT'S NECESSARY. ANYWAY, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. >> INTERESTING. COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD. >> I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS. I'D LIKE TO ASK THE ATTORNEY. ONE OF THE SPEAKER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT NOTIFICATION FOR THE ROUTE CHANGE. IS THAT SOMETHING WORTH RESEARCHING OR DO YOU KNOW THE ANSWER? >> WELL, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, THERE ARE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR LIKE JTA AND FOR WHAT'S KNOWN AS THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS FDOT. BUT I CAN CERTAINLY LOOK INTO IT. THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS LOOKING AT AND LETTING MR. FRANKLIN KNOW THAT WE'D CIRCLE BACK IN THE MORNING. IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, WE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT. >> IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS FOR A DIFFERENT ORGANIZATION THAN WHAT WE'VE GOT. I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE SPEAKERS THAT COME EVERY WEEK. [02:05:03] WE LEARN A LOT AND IT ENCOURAGES US TO RESEARCH. I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO COME AND SPEAK. WE DON'T NECESSARILY ENJOY IT, BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE THE SPEAKERS. THE LAST THING THAT'S MOST IMPORTANT, I MENTIONED THIS IN DECEMBER OR JANUARY, I WANT US TO BE IN THE CHRISTMAS PARADE. YOU ALL NODDED BACK IN THE DAY. I'M NOT GOING TO BE SANTA. BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU'RE AT ALL INTERESTED. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THE CITY WOULD PAY FOR. IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE HANDLED OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, SIMPLY RIDING IN A CAR AND WAVING. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE CAN RECOGNIZE US. I GO PLACES AND PEOPLE DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHO I AM, NOT THAT I WANT TO BE RECOGNIZED. BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE SHOW OUR FACES. IF IT'S NOT THE CONSENSUS TO DO THIS, I'LL JUST LET IT GO. THAT'S FINE WITH ME. I'M NOT GOING TO BE IN THE PARADE BY MYSELF. >> WELL ENOUGH. I ASKED ABOUT BEING IN THE PARADE, AND THEY SAID, GET YOUR OWN THING. GO AND GET YOUR OWN TRANSPORTATION. IT'D REALLY BE UP TO US. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, BUT I'M OPEN TO THE IDEA, PERSONALLY, PARTICIPATING IN THE CHRISTMAS PARADE. >> I'M AMBIVALENT. THAT'S THE TIME THAT I LIKE TO TRAVEL BECAUSE THAT'S MY WORK BREAK. >> IF YOU'RE NOT HERE, YOU'RE NOT HERE. >> BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH THE IDEA. >> I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS [LAUGHTER] COMMITMENT AT A TIME. I THINK IT'S A REALLY GOOD INTENTION. I JUST LIKE TO KNOW WHAT MY COMMITMENT, WHAT WOULD I BE. I'M NOT DESIGNING A FLOAT OR WORKING ON A FLOAT. >> YOU SHOW UP AT EIGHT OR WHATEVER TIME AT EIGHT AND YOU'RE OFF BY NOON, AND YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING. >> THIS SOUNDS LIKE A GIG. >> YOU COULD WALK. >> I WOULD CONSIDER IT. MOSTLY BECAUSE YOU'RE JUST SO JOYFUL ABOUT IT. >> WE COULD ALL WALK. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> I'VE ALREADY GOT A PLAN, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT. >> DEFINITELY COMMISSIONER GARS, I THINK YOU NEED TO TURN YOUR SPEAKER. >> I THINK WE SHOULD ALL RIDE A VEHICLE TOGETHER AND JUST WAVE AT PEOPLE. >> THERE YOU GO. THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT POSSIBLY USING THE ANTIQUE FIRE TRUCK. >> IT'S ON A TRAILER. >> IT'S NOT ACTUALLY RUNNING RIGHT NOW, BUT I HAVE SOME OTHER OPTIONS. BUT IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH ME PURSUING IT, I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING. >> WELL, I HAVE FUN WITH IT. >> THIS IS NOT A CITY EXPENSE. WE'RE GOING TO BE DONE. THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE CAMPAIGNING CAN USE CAMPAIGN FUNDS IF YOU WANT TO CHIP IN BUT IT'S NOT EXPENSIVE. THIS IS NOT AN EXPENSIVE THING TO DO. THANK YOU. >> VICE MAYOR. >> I HAVE A LIST. NUMBER 1 E-BIKES I BROUGHT THAT UP, AND THE CITY ATTORNEY REMINDED ME THAT WE ALREADY HAVE AN ORDINANCE IN EFFECT THAT PROHIBITS THEM FROM SIDEWALKS. HOWEVER, IN THE PAST WEEK, I HAVE HAD JUST WALKING TO AND FROM WORK OR GOING FOR A RUN THIS MORNING. I'VE HAD NUMEROUS E-BIKES PASS ME ON THE SIDEWALK GOING THE WRONG DIRECTION, SO I CAN'T HEAR THEM COMING UP BEHIND ME UNTIL THEY'RE ON ME. GOING TOO FAST AND ON OUR SIDEWALKS AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SOLUTION IS, WHETHER IT'S MESSAGING OR ENFORCEMENT. IT'S VERY HARD TO ENFORCE BECAUSE BY THE TIME SOMEBODY CALLS IT IN, THEY'RE GONE. EVEN WITH OUR BIKE PATROL FOLKS, IF THE E-BIKE HAS GOT ENOUGH SOUP TO IT, IT'S GOING TO OUTPACE THEM TOO. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SOLUTION IS. I KNOW THAT FLAGLER COLLEGE, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES THERE HAS BEEN TRYING TO RAISE AWARENESS AND IS JUST STARTING A PROGRAM. MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN JOIN IN ON OR PARTICIPATE IN OR EXPAND FROM. BUT I DO THINK WE NEED ATTENTION TO IT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SAFETY IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS, AND THIS IS AN AREA THAT WITH THE GROWING E-BIKE POPULATION USE, WE'RE GOING TO SEE INCREASING PROBLEMS WITH IT. I'D LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. I MENTIONED FLAGLER COLLEGE. I FOUND OUT THAT I'M TAKING NO CREDIT FOR THIS BECAUSE I HAD ZERO INVOLVEMENT IN IT. BUT ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES DID IS NOW A FORMALLY DESIGNATED TREE CAMPUS BY THE ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION. THAT'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP AND CELEBRATION. COMMISSIONER DE PRIOR MENTIONED THE SAN MARCO AT TRANSIT LANE, AND THAT'S ON MY LIST AS WELL. THAT'S IN HEARING THE TWO COUNTY MEETINGS AND THE FOLKS TALKING AND CONVERSATIONS WE'VE ALL HAD. THAT IS THE LINCHPIN. WITHOUT THAT TRANSIT LANE, [02:10:03] ALL OF OUR PLANS ARE GOING TO FALL SHORT IN MANAGING THE TRAFFIC CIRCULATION ON SAN MARCO DURING NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. IN PARTICULAR, BUT ALSO ANY BUSY WEEKEND OR HOLIDAY, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOUR SUPPORT IN DIRECTING STAFF TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO GET SOME ACTION ON THE TRANSIT LANE ON SAN MARCO. I AM WILLING TO GO TO TALLAHASSEE. I AM WILLING TO WORK WITH THE TDC. I AM WILLING TO WORK WITH THE CHAMBER. ALL OF US WANT THIS. I THINK I SPEAK FOR EVERYBODY ON THIS BOARD, THAT IF WE PUT OUR FORCES TOGETHER, COMBINE OUR FORCES, THAT WE CAN GET SOME ACTIONS. IF WE CAN GET SOME STAFF HELP WITH THAT, AM I SEEING. >> ONE HUNDRED PERCENT. IF YOU WANT TO MAKE THAT MOTION, I'LL SECOND IT. >> YES. I'M MAKING A MOTION. >> I'LL SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. THEN THAT'S A SEGUE FROM WHAT COMMISSIONER PRETER HAS BEEN SAYING. I'LL END WITH THAT BECAUSE I BROUGHT UP NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. IN SOME WAYS, I FELT LIKE WHEN WE PARTICIPATED AS PARTNERSHIPS IN THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS DISCUSSIONS THAT WERE HELD BY THE COUNTY, I FELT WE WERE BEING CHASTISED FOR OUR DECISION TO SHORTEN THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT WE'RE OPENING UP NIGHTS OF LIGHTS A WEEK EARLY IN NOVEMBER. SOME OF THE CALCULATIONS, I THINK ARE QUESTIONABLE. BUT WHAT WAS SAID OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS THAT MARTIN LUTHER KING HOLIDAY IS A THREE DAY WEEKEND, AND WE TOOK THAT AWAY FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. I STRUGGLE WITH THIS BECAUSE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR COMMEMORATION AND HOLIDAY IS A THREE DAY WEEKEND, CELEBRATING HIS LIFE, HIS ACHIEVEMENTS, THE CHALLENGES THAT HE WENT THROUGH, AND IT'S A CALL TO SERVICE. FOR ME, THAT'S A WEEKEND TO CELEBRATE THOSE THINGS, HIGHLIGHT THOSE THINGS, NO OFFENSE TO WEDDINGS, BUT THE FOCUS IN MY MIND SHOULD BE THAT PART OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR NATIONAL IDENTITY. I WOULD SAY FURTHER THAT, COMMISSIONER GARRISON, I DON'T BELIEVE ANYBODY ELSE WAS AT THE OPENING PARTY FOR THE BLACK HERITAGE TRAIL. BUT IN MY OPINION, THAT'S A PIECE OF VISION THAT SO MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE EXPANDING ON THAT WE CAN HIGHLIGHT OUR BLACK HERITAGE, BRING IN THE CELEBRATION LOCALLY, HIGHLIGHT THAT ON MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR WEEKEND, HIGHLIGHT OUR BLACK HERITAGE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND PROMOTE IT AS CHARLESTON IS DOING SO SUCCESSFULLY. I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT HOLIDAY STAY FREE OF NIGHTS OF LIGHTS AND CELEBRATE THAT. I'M PUTTING THAT OUT THERE. I KNOW IT MAY BE CONTROVERSIAL, BUT THAT'S HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT. >> EXCELLENT POINTS,100%. I AGREE THE RESPECT TO MARTIN LUTHER KING WEEKEND. THERE ARE PLENTY OF ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT WE CAN BUILD ON. I AGREE. I ALSO WANTED TO JOIN MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AND THANKING THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE $450,000 IN BED TAX FUNDING. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTICE THAT BECAUSE I THINK THAT. IN THE CITY, I THINK WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT BED TAX AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BED TAX AND PROPERTY TAX FOR ENOUGH TIME. WE'RE SO DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE BED TAXES HERE THAT I THINK WE HAVE A PRETTY EDUCATED POPULATION. BUT OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, I THINK PEOPLE THINK THEY HEAR $850,000 AND THEY THINK THAT IT'S COMING OUT OF THEIR PROPERTY TAXES. I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A BED TAX. IF THE MEDIA IS EVEN LISTENING, PLEASE, PUSH THAT POINT FORWARD, THAT HELP THE BCC OUT, HELP THE COUNTY OUT ARTICULATING THAT THOSE ARE BED TAXES NOT PROPERTY TAXES. ALSO THE TDC, THEY PLAYED A HUGE ROLE ON THIS. IT WAS IMPORTANT. THEY HEARD THIS PRESENTATION FROM DAVID, AND THEY ALL 100% SUPPORTED THE FUNDING. IT WAS AN INTENSE WEEK, I WILL SAY, EXTREMELY INTENSE. A LOT WAS GOING ON, BUT I THINK THAT THE BED TAX IS APPROPRIATE. THESE IMPROVEMENTS, I'VE HEARD PEOPLE ASK, WHAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO HAPPEN. THE PRESENTATION HAS BEEN MADE NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT I GUESS THE WORD IT TAKES A WHILE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO GET THE WORD. [02:15:04] BUT JUST SUMMING IT UP, WE'RE GOING TO IMPROVE WORKFORCE PARKING. WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE THE EFFECTIVE USE OF SHUTTLING. WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE MOBILITY FOR PEDESTRIANS AND AUTOMOBILES IN THE CITY. WE'RE TRYING TO IMPROVE THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE AND MAKE IT MORE SAFE AND MORE COMFORTABLE FOR THE VISITOR. WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT BETTER FOR THE BUSINESSES. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, I THINK THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN MISSING AND FEEL LIKE THEY'RE NOT HEARD ARE THE ONES THAT LIVE HERE. I THINK THAT WE NEED TO ALWAYS BE SURE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT MORE LIVABLE FOR THE RESIDENTS. THAT WAS THE POINT OF SHORTENING NIGHTS OF LIGHTS I'VE HEARD LOTS OF DISCUSSION ABOUT WHY DID WE DO IT AND IT WAS A BAD MISTAKE AND THIS AND THAT. BUT TRUTHFULLY, MY MOTIVATION WAS TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE RESIDENTS. BECAUSE GIVE THEM A BREAK, THEY'RE JUST WONDERFUL TO THE VISITORS IN SPITE OF THE FACT OF HOW MUCH THEIR LIVES HAVE TO BE CHANGED AND HOW THEY HAVE TO ADAPT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. FINALLY, I WANTED TO THANK THE STAFF BECAUSE IT WAS AN INTENSE WEEK. CITY ATTORNEY, I THINK YOU'RE AN UNSUNG HERO. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DID WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT. OF COURSE, CITY MANAGER, DAVID, YOU'RE JUST ROCKSTAR. I GAVE HIM HIS EVALUATION LAST WEEK AND IT WAS VERY GOOD BECAUSE I THOUGHT HIS PERFORMANCE WAS VERY INCREDIBLE. IT IS TIME, BY THE WAY, THE SEGUE, IT IS TIME FOR HIS EVALUATION, SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT NEXT TIME. BUT IT WAS GOOD, AND I'M GLAD THAT WE WERE SUCCESSFUL, AND I THINK THAT THERE IS STILL WORK TO DO. I THINK THE TDC HAS SOME DISCUSSIONS TO HAVE ABOUT THOSE BATHROOM FUNDING. STILL YET. WE'LL SEE HOW THAT GOES. THAT WAS A PUZZLE IN MY MIND WAS HOW THAT DID NOT KNOW BATHROOMS FOR VISITORS DOESN'T QUALIFY FOR BED TAX. I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION AT THE TDC AND THE COUNTY ABOUT THAT. HOPEFULLY, I'LL HAVE AN ANSWER, I CAN BRING THAT BACK TO YOU. WE HAVE A TDC MEETING NEXT WEEK. WITH THAT SAID, I AM FINISHED AND THANK YOU. THE MEETING IS CONJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.