Feb 23, 2026 City Commission

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:03]

GOOD EVENING. THIS MEETING, A REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COMMISSION, IS CALLED TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. NANCY SYKES-KLEIN. HERE. BARBARA BLONDER. HERE. CYNTHIA GARRIS. HERE. JIM SPRINGFIELD. HERE. JOHN DEPRADER. HERE. ALL RIGHT, THEN. WE WILL NOW OBSERVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, LED BY VICE MAYOR BARBARA BLONDER.

THANK YOU. SOMETIMES THAT IS JUST A MARVELOUS SOUND.

PLEASE RISE IF YOU CAN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT WAS ONCE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[2. ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS]

THERE IS GOING TO BE AN ADDITIONAL ITEM THAT I SPEAK ABOUT. UNDER CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS RELATED TO A STATUE THAT THE STATE OF FLORIDA WILL BE INSTALLING IN THE PLAZA. MOST LIKELY TOMORROW. IN HONOR OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH. WONDERFUL.

WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THAT ABOUT THAT.

COMMISSIONERS, DO WE HAVE ANY MODIFICATIONS TO THE AGENDA? ALL RIGHT. HEARING NO MODIFICATIONS, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED. SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE. AYE. THANK YOU. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. ALL RIGHT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO.

WE HAVE SOME WONDERFUL THINGS TO DO TONIGHT. FIRST, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION FOR BLACK HISTORY

[3. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, RECOGNITIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS]

SORRY FOR THE COMMERCIAL BREAK. AND THE PROCLAMATION READS, WHEREAS IN 1926, VISIONARY HISTORIAN CARTER G. WOODSON AND THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF NEGRO LIFE AND HISTORY ESTABLISHED NEGRO HISTORY WEEK. TO ENSURE THAT THE STORIES, STRUGGLES, AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF BLACK AMERICANS WOULD BE TAUGHT, REMEMBERED, AND HONORED, ESPECIALLY BY FUTURE GENERATIONS. AND WHEREAS WHAT BEGAN AS A SINGLE WEEK OF RECOGNITION GREW INTO A GLOBAL OBSERVANCE IN 1976, DURING THE NATIONAL BICENTENNIAL, UNTIL WAS FORMALLY RECOGNIZED AS BLACK HISTORY MONTH, AFFIRMING THE CENTRAL ROLE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY IN THE AMERICAN STORY. AND WHEREAS ST. AUGUSTINE HOLDS A PROFOUND PLACE IN THAT HISTORY, AS DURING 1963 AND 1964, PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS, BLACK AND WHITE, LOCAL RESIDENTS, AND SUPPORTERS FROM ACROSS THE NATION. AND SIT TOGETHER IN THE STRUGGLE OF CIVIL RIGHTS, ADDING NEW CHAPTERS OF COURAGE, AND RESOLVE TO MORE THAN 450 YEARS OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN PRESENCE IN THE CITY, AND WHEREAS BLACK HISTORY MONTH INVITES REFLECTIONS ON THE RESILIENCE,

[00:05:01]

HAVE SHAPED OUR NATION AND ENRICHED EVERY ASPECT OF SOCIETY, INCLUDING THE ARTS, SCIENCES, EDUCATION, BUSINESS, INDUSTRY, AND CIVIL LIFE. AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE... PROUDLY HONORS THE ENDURING LEGACY OF AFRICAN AMERICANS WHOSE VOICES, LABOR, CREATIVITY, AND VISION COME TO STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY, OUR STATE, AND OUR NATION.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 2026 AS BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND CALLS UPON ALL CITIZENS TO CELEBRATE OUR DIVERSE HERITAGE AND CULTURE. AND TO CONTINUE WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE A COMMUNITY IN A WORLD THAT IS MORE JUST, PEACEFUL, AND PROSPEROUS FOR ALL. A WITNESS, THEREFORE, I HEREBY SET MY HAND AND SEAL, DO CAUSE THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, TO BE AFFIXED THIS 23RD DAY OF FEBRUARY IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD, 2026, 416TH YEAR OF THE FOUNDING OF ST.

AUGUSTINE, THE NATION'S OLDEST CITY, SIGNED BY OUR HONORABLE MAYOR, NANCY SYKES-KLEIN. THIS PROCLAMATION IS GOING TO FIND ITS HOME IN WHAT IS CALLED THE ZORA NEALE HOUSE. I HAVE ASKED LAVARDIS AND DEWALLA ANDERSON TO COME AND ACCEPT THIS PROCLAMATION FOR BLACK HISTORY SO IT CAN BE PUT UP IN THEIR ESTABLISHMENT. NOT TOO LONG AGO, PEOPLE WERE ASKING US, THE CITY, TO BUY THE ZORA NEALE HOUSE, AND WE COULD NOT MAKE THAT PURCHASE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT IN THE CITY LIMITS.

AND THIS YOUNG COUPLE EMPOWERED THAT PROPERTY AND HAS IT. IT IS AMAZING AND I ENCOURAGE MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS TO GO OUT AND SEE ALL THE HARD WORK THAT THEY PUT INTO EFFORTS TO RECLAIM THIS PROPERTY AND MAKE IT A HISTORICAL SPOT. THAT TELLS NOT ONLY ABOUT ZORA NEALE THURSTON, BUT OTHER RESIDENTS, OTHER PEOPLE OF COLOR TO BE ESTABLISHED. SO IF Y'ALL CAN JOIN ME FOR A PICTURE UP FRONT WITH THE ANDERSONS.

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING. I GREW UP IN LINCOLNVILLE, ORIGINALLY OVER ON WHEN IT WAS CENTRAL AVENUE. SO I'VE SEEN THE TRANSITION OVER THE YEARS AND SO FORTH.

AND WHEN 791 WEST KING STREET CAME ON THE MARKET, I JUST TOLD MY WIFE, I SAID, LOOK, I SAW THE TRANSITION IN LINCOLNVILLE. I SEE THE TRANSITION GOING TO NEW WEST.

AUGUSTINE. I SEE IT IN HISTORIC WEST AUGUSTINE.

AND I WAS LIKE, IT'S NO WAY WE CAN SIT BACK TO ALLOW THIS PROPERTY TO BE TAKEN DOWN BY INVESTORS OR GET TORN DOWN TO BUILD SOMETHING. WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. SO I SAID, IT'S GOING TO BE A LOAN SACRIFICE. WE CAME TOGETHER. WE USED OUR OWN RESOURCES, OUR OWN FUNDING, SPENDING LIKE 20 TO 16-HOUR DAYS OVER IN THAT PROPERTY, LIKE DOING IT BY HAND. AND IT MEANS IT'S VERY DEAR TO US BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE WATCHED YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN INSIDE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. AND WE'RE SAYING THAT IF YOU HAVE TWO COUPLES FROM THESE COMMUNITIES THAT WAS ABLE TO COME TOGETHER, HUSBAND AND WIFE TEAM.

TO BE ABLE TO PULL SOMETHING LIKE THIS OFF, NO MATTER WHAT. WE CAN DO AS A WHOLE, BY BRINGING ALL THE COMMUNITIES TOGETHER. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY WE DEFINITELY THANK THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, COMMISSIONER GARRIS, FOR JUST COMING OUT THERE, SITTING DOWN, SEEING OUR VISION. AND WE JUST WANT EVERYONE TO JUST COME OVER THAT WAY, JUST TO EMBRACE US, TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING. AND I JUST, I JUST THANK GOD THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GO AHEAD. AND JUST, YOU KNOW, TWO YEARS LATER, TO BE ABLE TO OPEN UP THE DOORS TO LIKE THE MASSES, JUST TO COME TOGETHER, SOCIALIZING

[00:10:01]

AND WE APPRECIATE YOU GUYS.

THANK YOU.

AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH BLACK HISTORY, THERE'S A YOUNG MAN THAT JUST ARRIVED HERE STRAIGHT OFF THE FLIGHT, AND WE'RE SO GLAD THAT YOU PRESSED YOUR WAY HERE TODAY. WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION FOR DEMARIO POP DOUGLAS, BORN IN JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, AND RAISED IN ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AS A PROUD PRODUCT OF THIS COMMUNITY, WHOSE JOURNEY AMPLIFIES PERSEVERANCE, EXCELLENCE, AND HOMETOWN PRIDE. AND WHEREAS DEMARIO ATTENDED CATALINA'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, SEBASTIAN MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND PEDRO MENENDEZ HIGH SCHOOL IN ST.

AUGUSTINE BEFORE CONTINUING HIS EDUCATION AT MANDARIN HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE HE EMERGED ONE OF THE NORTHEAST FLORIDA'S MOST DYNAMIC AND ACCOMPLISHED HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES. AND WHEREAS IN 2018, DEMARIO DELIVERED A HISTORIC PERFORMANCE IN THE FHSAA CLASS A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. CATCHING FOUR TOUCHDOWN PASSES, A STATE TITLE GAME RECORD TO LEAD MANDARIN HIGH SCHOOL TO ITS FIRST EVER STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, SOLIDIFYING HIS LEGACY AS AN ELITE PLAYMAKER FROM THE 904 AREA. AND WHEREAS DEMARIO CONTINUES HIS SUCCESS AT LIBERTY UNIVERSITY, FROM WHICH HE GRADUATED, RECORDING OVER 2,000 CAREER RECEIVING YARDS AND EARNING NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR HIS SPEED. VERSATILITY AND WORTH ETHIC. AND WHEREAS SELECTED BY THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS IN THE 2023 N.FL DRAFT. DEMARIO QUICKLY MADE HIS MARK AT THE PROFESSIONAL LEVEL BY LEADING THE TEAM IN RECEIVING YARDS AS A ROOKIE, EARNING RESPECT THROUGHOUT THE LEAGUE FOR HIS PERFORMANCE AND DETERMINATION. DEMARIO AND THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS EARNED THEIR WAY TO THE 2026 SUPER BOWL, AND WHEREAS DEMARIO PROUDLY WEARS JERSEY NUMBER THREE IN HONOR OF THE THREE WOMEN. WHO RAISED HIM, HIS MOTHER, ANJANIKA OXENDINE, HIS GRANDMOTHER, YOLANDA MACK, AND HIS GREAT-GRANDMOTHER, GLENNY HALE JAMES, ALL OF ST. AUGUSTINE.

AND WHEREAS, DESPITE HIS SUCCESS, DEMARIO REMAINS DEEPLY COMMITTED TO HIS ROOTS, RETURNING HOME REGULARLY TO GIVE BACK THROUGH YOUTH FOOTBALL CAMPS, TOY DRIVES, BACK-TO-SCHOOL INITIATIVES, AND TURKEY GIVEAWAYS, INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION TO DREAM BIG AND GIVE BACK.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE HEREBY RECOGNIZES AND HONORS DEMARIO POP DOUGLAS FOR HIS OUTSTANDING ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENTS, HIS CHARACTER, AND HIS CONTINUED DEDICATION TO THE COMMUNITY THAT RAISED HIM.

AND CELEBRATES HIM AS A TRUE HOMETOWN HERO AND ROLE MODEL.

AND WITNESS WHEREOF I HEREUNTO SET IN MY HAND AND DO CAUSE THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, BE AFFIXED THIS 23RD DAY OF FEBRUARY.

IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD, 2026, AND 416TH YEAR OF THE FOUNDING OF ST.

AUGUSTINE, THE NATION'S OLDEST CITY. SIGNED BY YOURS TRULY, COMMISSIONER CYNTHIA GARRIS.

WE CAN COME FORWARD. YOU GUYS COME ON UP. YOU GOTTA BRING THE THREE THAT. TAKE SOME PICTURES AND THEN WE'LL LET THEM SPEAK.

[00:15:06]

THIS BEAUTIFUL SOUL HERE I HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH AT THE CLERK OF COURT'S OFFICE. SHE WORKED THERE OVER 30 YEARS AND THEN THEY ASKED HER TO COME BACK.

SO SHE RETIRED AND WENT BACK BECAUSE SHE'S COMMITTED TO OUR CITY AND OUR COUNTY.

AND THIS BEAUTIFUL WOMAN OVER TO THE LEFT OF HIM IS HIS GREAT-GRANDMOTHER. SHE ACTUALLY NAMED ME MISS GLENNIE HALE.

SHE WROTE MY MOM A LETTER WHEN SHE WAS PREGNANT WITH ME.

PRAISE THE LORD. THAT LETTER DIDN'T GET LOST IN THE MAIL.

AND SHE TOLD HER TO NAME ME CYNTHIA ANNETTE, AND MY MOM LISTENED. SO SHE WILL ALWAYS BE DEAR TO MY HEART. AND THIS WOMAN HERE IS THE MOTHER OF THE SUPERSTAR. HOW ABOUT THAT? WELL, I'M NOT TOO MUCH GOOD AT SPEAKING. WELL, I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, THE SUPPORT. YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A VILLAGE. YOU KNOW, SHOUT OUT TO MY VILLAGE, YOU KNOW, THAT GOT ME THROUGH EVERYTHING. AND DEFINITELY, LIKE I SAID, IT TAKES A VILLAGE. SO, YOU KNOW, MY VILLAGE IS STRONG.

AND, YOU KNOW, I PRAY THAT, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL HAVE KIDS. Y'ALL POUR INTO Y'ALL KIDS. YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE FUTURE. SO, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE GOD PUT ME ON THIS EARTH TO SERVE. I'VE BEEN SERVING, YOU KNOW, BACK TO MY COMMUNITY BECAUSE I WANT TO SEE EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, REACH THEIR, YOU KNOW, FULL POTENTIAL. AND I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY GOT SOMEBODY STRONG BEHIND THEM, THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN, YOU KNOW, STOP THEM FROM KEEP GOING. SO I WANT TO APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, MY THREE, YOU KNOW, STRONG LADIES THAT, YOU KNOW, GOT ME THROUGH THIS AND, YOU KNOW, GOT ME TO WHERE I'M AT. AND THEN, DON'T GET ME WRONG, I GOT A WHOLE VILLAGE TOO, YOU KNOW. I GOT A WHOLE VILLAGE, YOU KNOW. BUT, MAN, IT'S A BLESSING TO BE HERE AND BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, SPEAK IN FRONT OF Y'ALL. IT IS A BLESSING TO HAVE A YOUNG PERSON BE A ROLE MODEL BECAUSE WE ALWAYS LOOK BACK AT HISTORY. BUT THIS YOUNG MAN IS CURRENT HISTORY. AND WE HAVE TO ENCOURAGE HIM AND KEEP HIM LIFTED UP IN PRAYER AS HE CONTINUES TO GO NEW HEIGHTS IN THE FOOTBALL NFL ARENA.

THEY QUIET NOW, BUT THEY AIN'T NORMALLY QUIET.

AND WE'RE NOT QUITE FINISHED WITH THE HONORING TONIGHT.

MS. WHISTLE. GOOD EVENING.

GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR, MADAM VICE MAYOR, AND COMMISSIONERS. WE HAVE THE HONOR THIS EVENING OF HAVING THE DAUGHTER AND SON-IN-LAW AND GRANDDAUGHTER OF MS. PATTY RANG WITH US THIS EVENING TO ACCEPT THE FLAG ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILY. AND MAYOR, YOU HAVE REMARKS TO... I'LL COME TO THE PODIUM AND GIVE MY REMARKS.

THANK YOU. SOMETIMES THE BEST PART OF THE MEETINGS COME RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. AS PART OF THE CITY'S PROTOCOL TO HONOR FORMER CITY COMMISSIONERS AND NOTABLE FIGURES UPON THEIR DEATH, WE FLY THE FLAG IN FRONT OF CITY HALL IN THEIR HONOR. THIS EVENING, WE TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO REMEMBER OUR DEAR FRIEND.

PATTY RANG, ALSO ALONG WITH HER HUSBAND CARL, WAS THE CITY'S 2016 RECIPIENT TO 2016.

THANK YOU. RECIPIENT OF THE DIAVELIS AWARD. FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS, PATTI RANG PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN BRINGING THE COLONIAL HISTORY OF ST. AUGUSTINE TO LIFE. HER JOURNEY INTO LIVING HISTORY BEGAN SHORTLY AFTER SHE AND HER HUSBAND, CARL, RELOCATED TO ST.

AUGUSTINE IN 1972, WHEN SHE SOUGHT INSTRUCTION IN MAKING HISTORICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS FOR A VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL CLASS THAT SHE WAS TEACHING.

THAT'S IT. SIMPLE PURSUIT SPARKED A LIFELONG DEDICATION TO PRESERVING AND SHARING OUR CITY'S PAST. PATTY IMMERSED HERSELF IN LIVING HISTORY. SHE BECAME AN ACCOMPLISHED SEAMSTRESS, CREATING HISTORICALLY ACCURATE CLOTHING AND PARTICIPATING IN EVENTS LOCALLY AND REGIONALLY. AS A LEADER AND CONTRIBUTING MEMBER OF THE EAST FLORIDA RANGERS AND THE 60TH REGIMENT OF FOOT, SHE TOOK PART IN NUMEROUS BATTLE REENACTMENTS AND PUBLIC

[00:20:02]

AUGUSTINE'S MOST BELOVED HERITAGE TRADITIONS, WHICH ARE STILL ONGOING, INCLUDING THE BRITISH GRAND ILLUMINATION AND THE SPANISH NIGHT WATCH PARADES AND COLONIAL CHRISTMAS CAROLING IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.

IN MID-1990S, SHE ALSO HELPED PRODUCE VOICES OF THE PAST, FURTHER ENRICHING THE EXPERIENCE FOR THE MANY VISITORS DRAWN TO THESE EVENTS. PATTY BECAME WIDELY KNOWN FOR HER WELL-RESEARCHED DEMONSTRATIONS OF COLONIAL CLOTHING AND COOKING. IN 1977, SHE AUTHORED A COOKBOOK FEATURING CAMPFIRE RECIPES INSPIRED BY HER REENACTMENT EXPERIENCES.

THROUGH HER INVOLVEMENT WITH THE ST. AUGUSTINE TEXTILE GUILD, WHICH WAS FOUNDED IN 1995, SHE PRESERVED AND PASSED ALONG TRADITIONAL WEAVING AND SEWING TECHNIQUES TO FUTURE GENERATIONS. PATTY SHARED HER KNOWLEDGE THROUGH ENGAGING PROGRAMS THAT BLENDED STORIES, SONGS, AND HISTORIC RECIPES, EDUCATING AND ENTERTAINING AUDIENCES WHILE DEEPENING THEIR APPRECIATION FOR ST. AUGUSTINE COLONIAL HERITAGE. IN 2013, PATTY WAS RECOGNIZED FOR HER ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ARTS IN ST. JOHN'S.

WITH THE FIFTH ANNUAL ROITA AWARD, AND IN 2016, PATTY AND HER HUSBAND, CARL, WERE PRESENTED WITH THE CITY'S DIAVALESE AWARD.

THROUGH DECADES OF LEADERSHIP, SCHOLARSHIP, AND SERVICE, PATTY ENRICHED OUR COMMUNITY AND ENSURED THAT THE STORIES, SKILLS, AND TRADITIONS OF OUR PAST REMAIN VIBRANT PARTS OF OUR PRESENT. HER LEGACY WILL CONTINUE TO LIVE ON. RIGHT NOW, I'D LIKE TO INVITE PATTY'S FAMILY TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND JOIN US.

GOOD TO SEE YOU. YOU HAD A VERY, VERY... AND I'LL READ THIS INSCRIPTION HERE THAT WE HAVE ON THE FLAG. THIS IS A LONG TRADITION THAT WE'VE HAD.

WE'LL SAY THAT AGAIN. WE'LL DO THAT AGAIN. WE'LL HOLD HANDS IF YOU LIKE. THIS FLAG WAS FLOWN AT CITY HALL ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 1ST, 2025 IN HONOR OF PATTY RANG, RECIPIENT OF THE 2016 DIABELESE AWARD.

IT'S OKAY TO CRY. WE'LL CRY WITH YOU. YES? OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WE THINK PATTY WAS SPECIAL, TOO, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.

WE'LL GET A PICTURE.

LIKE I SAID, SOMETIMES THE FIRST PART OF THIS MEETING IS THE BEST PART OF THE MEETING. THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL. BEAUTIFUL MOMENT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENTS. AND WE'LL HOLD

[00:25:03]

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

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. I WILL CALL TWO NAMES AT A TIME. THERE ARE SEATS IN THE FRONT IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP AND BE ON DECK SO THAT WE CAN GET THROUGH. WE HAVE QUITE A FEW CARDS FOR TONIGHT. FIRST SPEAKER.

WILL BE NANCY MURPHY, FOLLOWED BY DEVONNA BELL. AND IF EACH ONE OF YOU WOULD GIVE US YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS, IF YOU SO DESIRE. WELCOME.

HI, I'M NANCY MURPHY, 22, VERONESE. I'VE NEVER GOTTEN TO BE FIRST BEFORE, SO THIS IS KIND OF FUN. I COULDN'T EVEN BE ON DECK, BUT THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK. I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO BE HERE TO REMIND MADAM MAYOR, MADAM VICE MAYOR, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THOSE PRESENT THAT WE ARE THE FIRST COMPASSIONATE CITY IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, THE 20TH IN THE WORLD. AND THE COMPASSIONATE MOVEMENT BEGAN WITH THE DECLARATION OF THE CHARTER IN NOVEMBER OF 2009, SO I'LL READ YOU AN EXCERPT FROM THE CHARTER. THE PRINCIPLE OF COMPASSION LIES AT THE HEART OF ALL RELIGIOUS, ETHICAL AND SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS. CALLING US ALWAYS TO TREAT ALL OTHERS AS WE WISH TO BE TREATED OURSELVES.

COMPASSION IMPELS US TO WORK TIRELESSLY TO ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERING OF OTHERS, TO DETHRONE OURSELVES FROM THE CENTER OF OUR UNIVERSE, AND TO PUT ANOTHER THERE, AND TO HONOR THE INVOICABLE 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 PRINCIPLED DETERMINATION TO TRANSCEND SELFISHNESS, COMPASSION CAN BREAK DOWN POLITICAL, IDEOLOGICAL, DOGMATIC, 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 THE CREATION OF A JUST ECONOMY AND A PEACEFUL GLOBAL COMMUNITY. AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO REMIND YOU THAT THERE IS A DEMOCRACY CONFERENCE THAT'S COMING UP CALLED THRIVE, MARCH 4TH AND 5TH. I DID... SEND A LINK TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT TO THE MEMBERS. AND ALSO, I'M VERY EXCITED THAT LAST WEEK I GOT TO PARTICIPATE IN A NEW TRAINING THAT'S BEING OFFERED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CHARTER FOR COMPASSION. IT'S CALLED TLC, AND TYPICALLY THAT DOES STAND FOR, YES, TENDER, LOVING CARE. WE CAN USE IT THAT WAY. BUT IN THIS CASE, THIS TRAINING IS TALK, LISTEN, AND CONNECT. AND I'LL BE SENDING YOU MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT AS I'LL BECOME QUALIFIED AS A TRAINER IN MY NEXT SESSION. AND I WOULD LOVE TO OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYBODY TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT TRAINING. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. DEVONNA BELL, FOLLOWED BY SUSAN GREGORY.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK. IT WAS SUCH A LOVELY CEREMONY YOU GUYS JUST HAD. I WANT TO MAKE... TWO DIFFERENT POINTS HERE, BUT SUPER QUICKLY, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE NUMBERS THAT WERE DISCUSSED AT THE LAST MEETING. THE WAY THEY WERE PRESENTED WAS ONE WAY TO LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, THE DATA AND THE NUMBERS.

BUT ANOTHER WAY IS TO LOOK AT IT IS THAT FROM 2020 TO 2025, THE CITY'S BUDGET AND EXPENDITURES HAVE INCREASED BY 52%. SO LET'S JUST SAY THEY

[00:30:01]

THERE'S BEEN A LOT VERBALIZED ABOUT BIG CONCERNS ABOUT THE WELFARE OF HORSES THAT ARE DOING THE HORSE AND BUGGY BUSINESS.

BUT SPECIFICALLY, IT SEEMS TO ME, FROM THE RESEARCH AND THE DISCUSSIONS I'VE BEEN HAVING, THAT. THERE'S CONSIDERABLE CONCERN ABOUT THE HORSES AT THE CITY'S LEAST STABLES ON RIBERIA. IT SEEMS THAT, UNFORTUNATELY, FIVE OF THEIR HORSES HAVE DIED SINCE NOVEMBER. THAT'S ABOUT 20 TO 25 PERCENT OF THE STOCK I THINK THAT IS THERE, IF YOU WANT TO CALL HORSES STOCK. IT LOOKS LIKE THESE HORSES LIVE ON DIRT LOTS. 24-7 AT THOSE LEASED STABLES, UNLESS THEY'RE MOVED AROUND, WHICH I DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE OR NOT. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS CREATING AN UNEVEN PLAYING FIELD FOR THE OTHER BUSINESSES THAT THE CITY SHOULD BE CONSIDERING. MAYBE CREATING A MORE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR ALL THE BUSINESSES, NOT TO HAVE LEASING CITY PROPERTY TO ONE, BUT THEN TO MAKE IT A TRANSFER STATION.

AND I URGE THE CITY TO HAVE AN INDEPENDENT VET.

COME OUT AND GIVE A DETERMINATION OF HORSE HEALTH AND THE REGULATION CRITERIA. AND LASTLY, I URGE THE CITY TO CONSIDER A VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE TO HELP THE CITY TO OVERSEE THIS. THAT WAY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A HIRE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SEAN GREGORY, FOLLOWED BY TOM REYNOLDS. I'M SORRY, SUSAN.

SUSAN GREGORY. I KNEW THAT.

SUSAN GREGORY, 23, 23 INLET, 23. LOCUST PLACE. ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK AGAIN. I'M GLAD I STAYED. THAT WAS A GOOD BEGINNING. I JUST WANT TO SPEAK ONE MORE TIME ON BEHALF OF 16,400 RESIDENTS.

WE ARE FACING A DEFICIT, POTENTIALLY OF $7,820,000. WE HAVE ABOUT $7,820,000 VISITORS. THIS MOMENT CREATES AN OPPORTUNITY AND I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT OTHER REVENUE SOURCES, EVEN IF IT MEANS ASKING $1 FROM SOMEBODY WHO COMES TO VISIT US. SO I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THE SITUATION, NOT FROM FEAR, BUT FROM A POINT OF OPPORTUNITY. WE HAVE TO STRUCTURE OUR BUDGET DIFFERENTLY. WE ONLY HAVE 16,000 PEOPLE. WE CANNOT GROW IN THIS CITY, SO WE HAVE TO GROW REVENUE IN ANOTHER WAY, IN THE SAME WAY THAT ALL OF US HAVE TO GROW REVENUE IN ANOTHER WAY IN OUR PERSONAL LIVES. SO, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. TOM REYNOLDS, FOLLOWED BY JASON JUDGE. FAMILIAR WITH HOW TO WORK THIS. DO YOU NEED ASSISTANCE IN THE OVERHEAD? YEAH. CAN YOU GET THAT PICTURE BIGGER? I THINK IT'S GOT IT.

THERE WE GO. THANK YOU. TOM REYNOLDS, 112, REAI 32080. THE FIRST THING I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT IS I SEE WHERE MICHAEL GOLD'S HISTORIC CITY NEWS IS REPORTING. ED SLAVIN PASSED.

WELL, THAT'S ONE GUY I WON'T MISS ANYWAYS. THANK YOU, FOLKS, FOR THAT. ALSO, TOO, I HAVE TO GET THIS BACK UP HERE, BECAUSE I TELL YOU, I NEARLY FELL OUT OF MY SEAT WHEN I HEARD THAT LADY SAY.

THIS IS SOME KIND OF CITY OF COMPASSION. MR. REYNOLDS,

[00:35:04]

ALL RIGHT. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PHOTO HERE. AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS A HORSELESS CARRIAGE.

THIS IS FROM FERNANDINA BEACH. THERE IS NO NEED...

PERIOD. FOR HORSES TO BE PULLING PEOPLE AROUND.

IT'S LONG OVERDUE TO END IT.

AND WHEN I'VE SEEN THAT VIDEO OF THAT GUY HITTING THE HORSE, I THINK IT REMINDS ME OF WHEN I SAW THE GUY HIT THE HORSE AT FRANCIS FIELD. BUT IT'S OVER, FOLKS, AND IT'S UP TO YOU.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHERE'S THE TIMER? OH, OKAY.

THERE'S A GREEN LIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU. OKAY, THANK YOU. WHEN IT TURNS TO ORANGE, IT'S... I DON'T LIKE TO GO OVER TIME, BUT, YOU KNOW, FOLKS, IT REALLY IS UP TO YOU, BECAUSE TRULY, YOU'RE LIKE AN ACCESSORY AT THIS POINT. THOSE SUMMER NIGHTS, ONE HORSE PULLING A WAGON, EIGHT PEOPLE, I JUST DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW THEY'RE NOT EMBARRASSED, BUT I THINK IT'S TIME.

HORSELESS CARRIAGES, THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL. I LOOKED THEM UP ONLINE. THOSE HORSES SHOULD ALL GO RIGHT NOW SOMEPLACE WHERE THERE'S GRASS AND ENJOY THEMSELVES. I HEAR THIS STUFF, THE HORSES ARE DYING DOWN THE ROAD. HOLY COW.

FOLKS, IT'S UP TO YOU. EACH ONE OF YOU. AND TRULY, IF YOU WERE CALLED TONIGHT AND THE FATHER ALMIGHTY TOMORROW WAS TO ASK YOU, WHAT DID YOU DO FOR THE LESS FORTUNATE? THE HORSES ARE THE LESS FORTUNATE.

COMPASSION FOR ANIMALS.

ANYWAYS, FOLKS, I GET TIRED OF NOT SEEING ANYTHING DONE ON CERTAIN ISSUES. OTHER ISSUES I CAN UNDERSTAND. I HEAR THAT LADY SAY $7 MILLION SHORTAGE.

THAT'S THE EASIEST ONE IN THE WORLD TO OVERCOME. IT SHOULD BE A 1% RESORT TAX. THE CITY IS ENTITLED TO IT. WITH ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT ALL THE EMPLOYEES DO HERE. ANYWAYS, THANK YOU. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ON THE HORSES BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A BAD THING. NEXT SPEAKER IS JASON JUDGE, FOLLOWED BY KATIE ZOTA. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COMMISSION. HAPPY NEW YEAR.

YOU'RE THE HORSE. MY NAME IS JASON. I LIVE IN JACKSONVILLE.

I WORK HERE IN ST. AUGUSTINE. I DRIVE A HORSE AND CARRIAGE. I HAVE THE FORTUNE OF BEING ABLE TO DO SOMETHING THAT I LOVE. I UNDERSTAND THERE'S HORSE ISSUES ON THE AGENDA TODAY. I'M NOT HERE TO DISCUSS THAT. TODAY, I AM HERE TO SHARE WITH YOU AN EXPERIENCE I HAD THIS WEEK. I SAW THESE THREE GUYS WALKING UP THE BAY FRONT. THAT IS, THAT IS A RETIRED MASTER SERGEANT, THAT IS A FORMER SERGEANT, AND A CURRENT ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY, AND I WROTE ABOUT THE RIDE WE TOOK. LAST WEEK, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF TAKING THREE ENLISTED SOLDIERS FROM ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY'S CAISSON PLATOON ON A PRIVATE TOUR. THESE GUYS ARE PART OF THE OLD GUARD, THE 3RD U.S. INFANTRY REGIMENT, USES HORSE-DRAWN CAISSONS TO PROVIDE FALLEN SERVICE MEMBERS WITH THEIR FINAL RESTING SPOT, PAY THEIR LAST RESPECTS, SOMETIMES MULTIPLE A DAY. I OFFERED TO TAKE THEM FOR A RIDE. WE WERE HAVING A GOOD TIME. WE WERE SWAPPING STORIES ABOUT HORSES, THEIR WORK, TALKING ABOUT BLACK JACK, THE RIDERLESS HORSE FOR JOHN F. KENNEDY, AND THE SOLDIERS STILL MAINTAIN A MUSEUM TO THIS HORSE. THEY WERE TELLING ME ABOUT AFTER HOURS, IF AN NCO WAS GETTING MARRIED, THEY COULD TAKE THE CARRIAGE OUT AND USE THE HITCHHORSES.

THE WHEEL TEAM OF THE HITCHHORSES AND GIVE THESE PEOPLE A RIDE. AND AS WE NEARED THE SOUTH END OF THE OLD TOWN, THERE WAS A TRAFFIC FLOW PROBLEM COMING NORTH. SO I DETOURED DOWN MARINE STREET, PAST THE ST.

FRANCIS BARRACKS ON THE RIGHT, THE SALUTING BATTERY OF THE FLORIDA NATIONAL GUARD ON THE LEFT, THE OFFICER HOUSING ON THE RIGHT, AND THEN THAT LITTLE BUILDING, A LITTLE BUILDING, IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW, IT'S A STABLES. IT'S AN OLD HORSE STABLES. AND THAT NEXT MOMENT, YOU COME TO... ST.

AUGUSTINE NATIONAL CEMETERY, OUR NATIONAL CEMETERY. AND I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING IN THIS MOMENT WITH THESE THREE SOLDIERS. ONE ACROSS THE SACRED GROUNDS IS

[00:40:01]

SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I WANTED TO SHARE.

JUST SHOWING THE GRACE AND RESPECT AND BEAUTY AND CARE THAT ANIMALS BRING TO PROFOUND TRADITIONS. THAT RIDE MEANT THE WORLD TO ME. A REMINDER OF MEANINGFUL BONDS HORSES CREATE HERE IN OUR CITY, AROUND THE WORLD. AS ALWAYS, I RESPECTFULLY URGE YOU TO CONTINUE YOUR SUPPORT OF HORSE CARRIAGES IN ST.

AUGUSTINE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, KATIE ZOTA, FOLLOWED BY HEATHER WILSON. MY NAME IS CATHERINE ZOTA. DEATH BY STRANGLES SHOULD NEVER BE THE NORM. YET STRANGLES HAS CLAIMED THE LIFE OF A CARRIAGE HORSE NAMED GHOST, A PREVENTABLE TRAGEDY THAT EXPOSES SERIOUS FAILURES IN OVERSIGHT AND ENFORCEMENT.

GHOST DIED AT THE CITY STABLE, OPERATED BY COUNTRY CARRIAGES UNDER CITY AUTHORITY. HE WAS UNDER QUARANTINE AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN MONITORED DAILY.

INSTEAD, HIS CONDITION DETERIORATED UNTIL IT ENDED IN DEATH.

OVER THE PAST EIGHT MONTHS, DOCUMENTED VIOLATIONS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE CITY, WITH LITTLE CORRECTIVE ACTION.

THE DOCUMENTATION INCLUDES EVIDENCE THAT HORSES WERE RETURNED TO CITY STREET WORK JUST TWO DAYS AFTER QUARANTINE BEGAN. THIS OUTBREAK WAS NOT UNAVOIDABLE.

IT WAS MISMANAGED, AND NOW AT LEAST TWO HORSES ARE DEAD. I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW A PHOTO OF GHOST. WELL, THERE IT WAS.

ANYWAY, HIS DEATH WAS NOT AN ISOLATED EVENT. IT REFLECTS A SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS NON-COMPLIANCE TO CONTINUE WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE. HORSES IN THIS INDUSTRY ARE FREQUENTLY MOVED FROM INVENTORY WITH NO OVERSIGHT OR ACCOUNTABILITY.

CARRIAGE COMPANIES PERPETUATE THE CYCLE OF BREEDING, USING, AND DISCARDING HORSES. THIS NEXT PHOTO SHOWS GHOST WITH HIS DRIVING PARTNER, PHANTOM, NINE DAYS BEFORE GHOST'S DEATH.

WITHOUT HIS PARTNER, WILL PHANTOM SOON BE DROPPED OFF THE INVENTORY, TOO? MEANWHILE, THE CITY CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THIS OPERATION.

SCARCE PARKING IS RESERVED FOR CARRIAGE USE. VALUABLE PUBLIC LAND IS LEASED FOR STABLING. LOW FRANCHISE FEES SHIFT COSTS ON TO TAXPAYERS, AND ENFORCEMENT REMAINS NEGLIGIBLE. I'D LIKE TO SHOW A PHOTO OF THE LEASED PROPERTY.

ACCUMULATED MANURE PILES, FLOODING, AND DETERIORATING SHEDS. WHILE THERE HAS BEEN A ONE-TIME CLEANUP RECENTLY, THESE PHOTOS REFLECT THE CONDITIONS THAT EXISTED THROUGHOUT 2025 AND LEADING UP TO THE STRANGLES OUTBREAK. THIS NEXT PHOTO SHOWS ADDITIONAL ANIMALS KEPT ON SITE IN VIOLATION OF THE LEASE, INCREASING OVERCROWDING AND DISEASE EXPOSURE. THIS INDUSTRY REQUIRES CONSTANT SUPERVISION JUST TO PREVENT CRISIS. THAT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE OVERSIGHT AND IT IS NOT RESPONSIBLE GOVERNANCE. HOW LONG WILL OUR CITY CONTINUE ALLOCATING PUBLIC RESOURCES TO A REPEATEDLY NON-COMPLIANT INDUSTRY? IT'S TIME TO BEGIN A STRUCTURED PHASE-OUT OF CARRIAGE OPERATIONS AND REDIRECT THESE PUBLIC ASSETS TO USES THAT SERVE THE GENERAL COMMUNITY. GHOST DEATH IS ONE AMONG TOO MANY PREVENTABLE TRAGEDIES, A CYCLE THAT MUST STOP. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HEATHER WILSON, FOLLOWED BY JENNIFER CUSHION. GOOD EVENING. I SUBMITTED PHOTOS TO THE CLERK PRIOR TO TODAY.

TONIGHT, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME MISSING AND DECEASED CARRIAGE HORSES FROM ST.

AUGUSTINE, BASED ON CONTENT PROVIDED FROM PUBLIC RECORDS ACT REQUESTS.

ONE, BEAUTY IS OR WAS A FEMALE BELGIAN ROAN, PER HER VET RECORDS, ON 11-14-25 BY DR.

GRACE CLARK. BEAUTY WAS PHOTOGRAPHED FOR HER COUNTRY CARRIAGE'S INVENTORY IN DECEMBER, AND THEN SHE DISAPPEARED. WHERE IS SHE? TWO, SPRINKLES IS OR WAS A FEMALE BELGIAN STRAWBERRY ROAN, ALSO SEEN BY DR. CLARK ON THE SAME DAY. SPRINKLES HAD HER PHOTOS ADDED TO THE COUNTRY CARRIAGE'S INVENTORY THE FOLLOWING MONTH, JUST LIKE BEAUTY. SPRINKLES HAS NOT RESURFACED ON ANY CITY DOCUMENTS SINCE.

WHERE IS SHE? BOTH OF THESE HORSES WERE DEEMED FIT FOR DUTY TO PULL CARRIAGES

[00:45:01]

AUGUSTINE CARRIAGE HORSE, ALWAYS SEEN WITH PHANTOM. THIS STRIKING PAIR OF GRAY, STANDARD BRED GELDINGS PULLED CARRIAGES TOGETHER AND THEY WERE STABLED TOGETHER. HORSES ARE SOCIAL HERD ANIMALS. AND THERE IS NO DOUBT THESE TWO WERE VERY BONDED. GHOST WAS RELEASED FROM QUARANTINE ON 1-26-26. HE WAS RELEASED BECAUSE HE DIED. A SOCIAL MEDIA POST FROM MISS CUSHION STATES IT WAS BASTARD STRANGLES. PERHAPS THIS QUARANTINE SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN A LITTLE BIT MORE SERIOUSLY. FOUR, TITAN WAS A STRIKING RED SORREL GELDING WITH HIS THICK WHITE BLAZE AND HANDSOME BLONDE MANE. TITAN WAS ALSO RELEASED FROM QUARANTINE AFTER IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT HE BE EUTHANIZED. IT SOUNDS LIKE TITAN WAS SUFFERING FROM COLIC, WHICH IS A HORRIFIC, AGONIZING DEATH. THE STRESS OF CONFINEMENT PLUS DEHYDRATION ARE KNOWN CONTRIBUTING FACTORS OF COLIC. GHOST AND TITAN WERE RELEASED FROM QUARANTINE, BUT THEY WERE ALSO RELEASED FROM AN EXISTENCE OF OBJECTIFICATION AND COMMODIFICATION. THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE NEEDS TO STOP SUBSIDIZING THE OUTDATED AND CRUEL PRACTICE OF HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE RIDES. I WOULD LIKE TO FINISH MY TIME WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR LISA, GHOST, TITAN, AND ALL THE OTHER HORSES WHO HAVE BEEN LIBERATED IN DEATH. THANK YOU.

A FEW MONTHS BACK, YOU SAID YOU SUPPORT THE CARRIAGES. PLEASE STAND BY YOUR WORDS AND NOT GIVE IN TO THESE BULLIES WITH MISINFORMATION. AN UNEDUCATED HORSE. BACKGROUND. I FEEL WE'VE HAD A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY, AND I HAVE PROVIDED CARRIAGES FOR MANY CELEBRATIONS AND SPECIAL EVENTS. I DON'T THINK THIS IS ABOUT THE CARRIAGES IN GENERAL. THEY ARE AFTER ME AND BILL. WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY TO CARE FOR OUR HORSES. DOING IT RIGHT TAKES MONEY. IT IS $5,000 EVERY TWO MONTHS TO BRING IN OUR AMISH FARRIER JUST FOR THEIR HOOF CARE. EVERY TWO MONTHS TO BRING IN, OH SORRY, I SPEND $60,000 TO $80,000 A YEAR ON VETS. THE SECOND A HORSE BECOMES SICK OR SHOWS ANY SIGNS OF ANYTHING BEING WRONG, THE VET'S THERE. AND IF THEY CAN'T HANDLE IT, I GO IMMEDIATELY TO A VET HOSPITAL IN OCALA OR THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA. WE FEED GOOD ALFALFA HAY. WHICH IS BETWEEN $1,700 AND $2,000 EVERY 10 TO 14 DAYS. WHAT HAPPENED TO TITAN WAS WHEN IT WAS COLD, YOU FEED YOUR HORSES EXTRA TO KEEP THEM WARM. WE DID FEED EXTRA. WE USED A DIFFERENT TYPE OF HAY. HE WAS GIVEN ELECTROLYTES MORNING AND NIGHT TO HELP HIM DRINK, AND HE JUST DIDN'T DRINK AS MUCH AS HE NEEDED TO. HE DIED BECAUSE OF AN IMPACTION FROM THAT HAY. WE DID RUSH HIM TO GAINESVILLE IMMEDIATELY WHEN WE FOUND OUT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. HE RECOVERED SOMEWHAT IN THE FIRST NIGHT AFTER BEING ON FLUIDS AND MEDICATIONS.

HOWEVER, THE NEXT DAY, WHEN THEY STARTED TO FEED HIM AGAIN, HE WENT DOWNHILL AGAIN. THE FLUIDS DID NOT BREAK UP THE IMPACTION, AND FOR HUMANE REASONS, THE VET SUGGESTED WE PUT HIM DOWN. WE FEED VARIOUS SUPPLEMENTS TO OUR HORSES TO KEEP THEM HEALTHY. VIATIN FOR THEIR FEET. ELECTROLYTES TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO DRINK, AND THEN OTHER THINGS FOR THEIR JOINTS AND OTHER HEALTH CARE. I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS, I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE SITUATION OF HURRICANE MILTON, WHICH COREY WILL BRING UP IN A BIT. I WAS IN OHIO AT THE TIME AND NOT ABLE TO GET BACK IN TIME. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE OUTSIDE HORSES MOVED OUT, BUT THE STALLED HORSES STAYED. I KNEW THEY WOULD BE SAFE AS WE HAD HAD NO FLOODING OR ISSUES WITH THE TWO PREVIOUS STORMS. I WAS ALSO IN CONTACT WITH STAFF THE ENTIRE TIME. I WOULD LIKE

[00:50:01]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

PATRICIA RAMOS, FOLLOWED BY PAT BOZ. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS PATRICIA, AND BEFORE ANYTHING, I'D LIKE TO HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

FOR THE DEATHS OF LISA, GHOST, AND TITAN, AND FOR THOSE WE HAVE YET TO UNCOVER. MA'AM, THESE ARE YOUR THREE MINUTES. I KNOW, SO DON'T TAKE UP ANY MORE. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT OFFICIALS ADMIT THAT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT OCCURS ON THE PROPERTY THEY LEASE.

AND ONLY SHOW CONCERN AFTER INSURMOUNTABLE VIOLATIONS ARE EXPOSED BY THE UNPAID PUBLIC.

IT'S NOT OVERSIGHT, IT'S NEGLECT. NOT KNOWING SOMEONE DIED THERE, YES, THREE HORSES RAISES SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT STEWARDSHIP AND OVERSIGHT. I'M HOLDING A STACK OF DOCUMENTED, HIGHLIGHTED CODES OF VIOLATIONS, MANY OF WHICH ALONE JUSTIFY TERMINATING THESE FRANCHISES. THREE MINUTES ISN'T ENOUGH TO READ THEM ALL, BUT THE PATTERN IS UNDENIABLE.

YOU'D THINK A DRIVER ON DECEMBER 4TH LEAVING A CARRIAGE ON A BUSY STREET WITH CUSTOMERS ABOARD, WHO THEN GOT HURT. TRYING TO CONTROL A SPOOKED HORSE, FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT IN HAND, WOULD BE ENOUGH TO END THIS OPERATION. WE ALSO FOUND OUT THAT NEW COMPANY, LEGACY, WAS GIVEN A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT ON NOVEMBER 24TH. AS OF JANUARY 10TH, PER CITY RECORDS, STILL NO HORSE. YET ON THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT, IN SECTION 1B, IT STATES THAT THE FRANCHISE SHALL PROVIDE ALL SUPPLIES NECESSARY TO SATISFY THE REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO VEHICLES AND ANIMALS. WHY IS A CRUEL, DANGEROUS, AND UNPROFITABLE OPERATION BEING SHIELDED WITH LENIENCY WHILE THE PUBLIC AND THE HORSES PAY THE PRICE? THE EVIDENCE IS HERE. THE QUESTION IS WHETHER YOU HAVE THE DECENCY TO ACT.

NOW EVERYONE CAN SEE HOW UNCHECKED THIS INDUSTRY HAS BEEN. ALSO AN ENTERPRISE IN WHICH THE TOWN IS OBVIOUSLY NOT WELL VERSED. CARE IS A CONCERN NOW BECAUSE OF FORCED ACCOUNTABILITY. SO WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR THIS ANTIQUATED INDUSTRY TO END? ANOTHER LIFE? AND THIS TIME, POSSIBLY A TOURIST? A CONSTITUENT? HOW WILL YOU ANSWER WHEN ASKED, WHY DIDN'T YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT? TO PREVENT IT? JENNIFER CUSHON REITERATED STRANGLES IS LIKE STREP, THROAT, LOW MORTALITY, NOTHING FOR US TO MAKE A BIG DEAL ABOUT. THEN EXPLAIN HOW TWO HORSES DIED IN 10 TO 12 DAYS APART. ALSO ILLEGALLY EXPOSING OLDER HORSES. AND IT SHOULDN'T BE A HOLDING STATION. IF IT'S TRULY LOW RISK, THIS ISN'T HYSTERIA, IT'S INCOMPETENCE. SICK HORSES NEED AGGRESSIVE HYDRATION AND CAREFUL MANAGEMENT, ESPECIALLY IN THE COLD. POLLOCK DOESN'T APPEAR OF NOWHERE. IF ONE OF THE HORSES TIGHTENED DID SUFFER, BOTH, THAT'S NOT BAD LUCK, THAT'S FAILURE.

ON FINAL NOTE, ONE FINAL NOTE, I FIND IT ABSOLUTELY APPALLING THAT. SECONDS AFTER HEARING CONFIRMATION THAT A HORSE DIED ON TOWN LEASE PROPERTY, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, SEEMINGLY UNFAZED, WERE ABLE TO LAUGH, EVEN IF IT WASN'T SOMETHING ABOUT... THE TOPIC AT HAND. I'LL HAVE TO HAND THAT IN. THE BLOOD OF THESE HORSES, DUE TO ALL THE ENABLING, IS ON YOUR HANDS. P.S. YOU DON'T GET A PAT ON THE BACK FOR BASIC CARE. NEXT SPEAKER, PAT DUBOSE, FOLLOWED BY PAM YELVINGTON. GOOD EVENING, PAT DUBOSE, 243 CHARLOTTE STREET. I AM... INVOLVED IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY AND THE HORSES ARE VERY MUCH A PART OF IT. I MEAN, YOU THINK ABOUT THE AVALANCHE CARRIAGE COMPANY THAT STARTED WITH HENRY FLAGLER TRANSPORTING THE GUESTS FROM THESE TRAIN STATIONS TO HIS BEAUTIFUL HOTELS VIA HORSES. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT THE HORSES STAY IN OUR CITY, THAT THEY ARE WELL MAINTAINED AND TAKEN CARE OF, AND THAT WE COME TO SOME LEVEL OF AGREEMENT WITH THE FRANCHISEES THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL STAY TO FRUITION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PAM VELVINGTON, FOLLOWED BY WILLIAM CUSHION. THANK YOU.

[00:55:14]

AND NOW IT'S PRETTY MUCH COMMERCIAL AFTER THAT. NOW THE LIONS ARE GONE, TOO. SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS THEY DRAW THE TOURISTS. A LITTLE GIRL'S FIRST TOUCH ON A HORSE'S MUZZLE A LOT OF TIMES HAPPENS RIGHT THERE, AT THE BAYFRONT. THERE'S SO MUCH POSITIVE WITH IT. YES, THERE DOES NEED TO BE OVERSIGHT. THERE DOES NEED TO BE ACCOUNTABILITY.

BUT NOT... TAKE THEM AWAY, NOT TAKE AWAY FROM THE AMBIANCE OF DOWNTOWN, OF THE BAYFRONT.

AND AS FAR AS SOME OF THESE ACTIVISTS OR PEOPLE THAT HAVE THEIR OWN FEELINGS, I KNOW MY SON WORKS DOWNTOWN AND HIS THING IS THE SMELL, THE HORSE'S SMELL. OKAY, IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE SMELL, DON'T GO AROUND THERE. THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER. EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN OPINION, BUT THE OPINION THAT IT'S PART OF DOWNTOWN, IT'S PART OF ST.

AUGUSTINE, AND IT'S A NECESSARY PART TO KEEP OUR CITY AS WELCOMING AS IT IS. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. AS A HORSE OWNER. KEEP THE CARRIAGES. ALL RIGHT. BYE-BYE. THANK YOU.

NEXT SPEAKER IS WILLIAM CUSHON, FOLLOWED BY B.J.

KALADY IS OUR LAST SPEAKER.

HELLO, WILLIAM CUSHON, 2945, STRATTON BOULEVARD. SOME OF THE HORSES, YES, THEY'RE NOT HERE IN TOWN.

SPRINKLES AND BEAUTY, THE DRIVER THAT DRIVES THEM OWNS THEM. SHE BRINGS THEM WITH HER WHEN SHE COMES TO TOWN, AND THEY LEAVE WHEN SHE LEAVES.

SO WHEN WE DID HAVE TO BE QUARANTINED, WE BROUGHT HORSES THAT WERE NEVER IN THE AREA WHERE THE SICK HORSE WAS.

SO WE'D HAD NO PROBLEMS. WE'VE BEEN ACCUSED BY SEVERAL PEOPLE OF RUNNING ILLEGAL HORSES IN TOWN WHEN EVERYTHING WAS DONE.

WE TOOK FOUR HORSES TO GAINESVILLE TO HAVE A TEST DONE. TO PROVE THEY DID NOT HAVE STRANGLES.

AND THEY ARE ON A SEPARATE PIECE OF PROPERTY OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, AND WE'RE TRAILERING THEM BACK AND FORTH RIGHT NOW. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WITH THEM SAYING THAT WE SHOULD BE GIVING YOU ACCOUNTABILITY ON EVERY SINGLE HORSE. I'VE NEVER HEARD OF A RESTAURANT TELLING YOU WE HAD TO REPLACE A STOVE, WE HAD TO FIX A REFRIGERATOR.

BUSINESSES TAKE CARE OF WHAT THEY DO AS FAST AND AS ETHICAL AS POSSIBLE. IT'S JUST SAD THAT A SMALL GROUP OF UGLY PEOPLE, AND WHEN I SAY THAT, I MEAN IT TO THE BONE. I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE OUTSIDE. ARE YOU SURE WHEN THE ONE WOMAN SPOKE UP HERE AND SNAPPED, YOU KIND OF SEE A LITTLE PIECE OF WHAT WE DEAL WITH? IF ONE OF Y'ALL WOULD LOVE TO COME SIT ON THE BAYFRONT A LITTLE BIT AWAY, WHEN THEY SHOW UP AND THEY SCREAM AT THE CUSTOMERS, YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO GET LUCKY TONIGHT BECAUSE YOU'RE TAKING HER ON A ROMANTIC CARRIAGE RIDE? OR THAT YOU'RE STUPID TALKING TO THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THIS TOWN WHAT IT IS, THE TOURISTS? THEY'RE RIGHT, STUFF NEEDS TO BE DONE, BUT IT ALSO NEEDS TO BE DONE TO PROTECT EVERYBODY. THESE PEOPLE ARE THE SAME ONES THAT WILL STAND ON DIFFERENT AREAS, WITH TVS SHOWING BUTCHERING.

IF I'M WALKING MY CHILD DOWN THE STREET, THAT IS NOT SOMETHING I WANT HER TO SEE. THEY'RE MAKING NOT ONLY THE COMMISSION AND THE STAFF HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT. BUT THEY'RE MAKING OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S RIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. ALL

[01:00:02]

AUGUSTINE HAS TALKED ABOUT REPLACEMENT OF THE KING STREET BRIDGE. THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE IS NOW TALKING ABOUT REPAIR, NOT REPLACEMENT. PLEASE LOOK UP CASE NUMBER CA25-1172. WHICH WAS FILED AUGUST 22, 2025, BY FLAGLER COLLEGE AGAINST STELLAR GROUP INCORPORATED, WHO CONSTRUCTED THE DORMS ON MALAGA. ON FEBRUARY 10, 2026, THE CASE WAS TO BE BEFORE JUDGE MALTZ. AGAIN, PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS YOU ALL WHO REPRESENT US, NEED TO LOOK AT CA. 251172, FLAGLER COLLEGE VERSUS STELLAR. MY QUESTION, DOES THIS AFFECT THE REPLACEMENT VERSUS THE TALK OF REPAIR OF OUR KING STREET BRIDGE? WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS. WE NEED TO KNOW IF IT'S BEING HELD UP BECAUSE OF THIS LAWSUIT. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. HAVE NO MORE SPEAKER CARDS. PUBLIC COMMENT IS.

CLOSED. NEXT ITEM WE HAVE

[7.A. General Public Presentations]

JOHN'S COUNTY CULTURAL EVENTS AND SING OUT LOUD. LET'S WHISTLE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.

MELISSA WESSEL, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR. I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE DIANA MARKOVITS. SHE IS THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS AT ST. JOHN'S COUNTY CULTURAL EVENTS, INC., AND SHE WILL BE PRESENTING THE PRESENTATION TONIGHT.

WELCOME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

GOOD TO SEE YOU THIS EVENING. I SEE YOU'VE BROUGHT OTHERS WITH YOU. I SEE WE HAVE OUR FORMER POLICE CHIEF, LAUREN LUTERS.

IT'S AN HONOR TO SEE YOU AGAIN, SIR. LET'S SEE IF THIS SHOWS UP. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR, MADAM VICE MAYOR, CITY COMMISSIONERS, AUDIENCE MEMBERS, CITY STAFF. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME HERE TONIGHT. MY NAME IS DIANA MARKOVITS. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS FOR SJC CULTURAL EVENTS, INC.

WE ARE THE 501C3 NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT PRODUCES THE SING OUT LOUD FESTIVAL. I'M HERE TODAY TO REVIEW SING OUT LOUD FESTIVAL 2025, TO ALSO SEEK CONSENSUS TO MOVE THE FRANCIS FIELD WEEKEND TO THE THIRD WEEKEND IN MAY, AND ALSO TO SEEK APPROVAL FOR A FIVE-YEAR EXTENSION TO OUR CURRENT CITY AGREEMENT.

LET'S BEGIN WITH A REVIEW OF SING OUT LOUD. SING OUT LOUD IS THE ANNUAL MONTH OF MUSIC, AND 2025 WAS ITS NINTH YEAR. WE'VE CREATED A POWERFUL MUSIC ECOSYSTEM HERE, ONE THAT CELEBRATES OUR LOCAL MUSIC SCENE AND BOOSTS THE ECONOMY DURING A HISTORICALLY SLOW TIME OF YEAR. FOR 2025, WE HAD FOUR WEEKENDS WITH 16 DAYS OF PROGRAMMING THROUGHOUT SEPTEMBER. WE FEATURED 202 ARTISTS, 13 NATIONAL HEADLINERS, 157 LOCAL ARTISTS, AND 32 SINGER-SONGWRITERS. 17 VENUES PARTICIPATED IN SING OUT LOUD FESTIVAL, AND WE HAD 165 EVENTS, THE MAJORITY OF WHICH, 157 OF THEM, WERE FREE LOCAL ARTIST PERFORMANCES.

WE ALSO HAD A NIGHT MARKET, MUSIC BUSINESS PANEL, ST.

AUGUSTINE, RECORD FAIR, AND THE ST. AUGUSTINE SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL, IN ADDITION TO THE

[01:05:01]

THROUGH TICKET SALES, 87.5 PERCENT OF TICKET PURCHASERS CAME FROM OUTSIDE ST. JOHN'S COUNTY AND TICKET SALES FROM ALL 50 STATES AND 12 COUNTRIES. WE GENERATED OVER $130,000 FOR LAND CONSERVATION IN ST.

JOHN'S COUNTY AND CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE THROUGH TICKET SALES. WE HAD AN ESTIMATED ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR THE WEEKEND OF $9 MILLION.

AND WE ARE NOW IN OUR THIRD YEAR. WE KNOW THAT WE RECEIVED RAVE REVIEWS FROM PATRONS AND BUSINESSES, AND WE ARE COMPLETELY DIALED IN ON THE OPERATION. HERE ARE SOME OBSERVATIONS FROM OUR DIRECTOR OF PATRON SERVICES, LAUREN LUTERS. SING OUT LOUD FESTIVAL THIS YEAR WENT VERY SMOOTHLY. WE REARRANGED SEVERAL TRAFFIC PATTERNS AND CLOSED CERTAIN ROADS TO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE OVERALL CONGESTION.

THE SHUTTLE SYSTEM WORKED VERY WELL. WE ALSO OPERATED AN EARLY SHUTTLE FROM THE BROWDY SHUTTLE LOT FOR DOWNTOWN EMPLOYEES WHO WERE DISPLACED DUE TO OUR RENTAL OF THE PARKING GARAGE.

OVERALL, TRANSPORTATION RAN EXTREMELY SMOOTHLY THIS YEAR, BOTH FOR INGRESS AND EGRESS FROM THE FESTIVAL. SAFETY AND SECURITY EFFORTS WERE ALSO VERY SUCCESSFUL. WE WERE ABLE TO INCREASE THE SECURITY PRESENCE AT THE VENUE. AND WE WERE PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THERE WERE NO ARRESTS RELATED TO THE FESTIVAL. IN ADDITION TO OUR STANDARD MEDICAL STAFF, WE ALSO HAD DOCTORS AND NURSES ON SITE, PROVIDED BY UF HEALTH. SING OUT LOUD FESTIVAL IS MEANT TO DRIVE TOURISM DURING A HISTORICALLY SLOW TIME OF YEAR. SO DID IT, IN FACT, IMPACT TOURISM AND VISITATION? WE KNOW THAT IT DID THROUGH VCB DATA. THIS IS DATA OVER 2022 THROUGH 2025, SHOWING OCCUPANCY RATES. THROUGHOUT SEPTEMBER. EACH WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER, DURING A SING OUT LOUD SHOWCASE, WE KNOW THERE ARE PEAKS, WITH THE FRANCIS FIELD LIVE WILDLY SHOWCASE. OCCUPANCY RATE PEAKING AT 76.1%. PLEASE REMEMBER, THE AVERAGE OCCUPANCY RATE IN SEPTEMBER IS JUST 54%. WE ALSO KNOW THAT 2025 WAS A TOUGH YEAR FOR THE ECONOMY AND BUSINESSES.

TOLD US THAT SING OUT LOUD WAS EVEN MORE IMPACTFUL BECAUSE EVERY WEEKEND HAD ACTIVITIES AND WE BROUGHT PEOPLE OUT.

THERE IS ONE WE KNOW THAT IS A WELL-OILED MACHINE. WE KNOW THAT IT SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTS TOURISM, BUT THERE IS ONE GLARING ISSUE THAT WE CAN NO LONGER AVOID, AND THAT IS HURRICANE SEASON.

OVER THE PAST 171 YEARS OF DATA COLLECTED, SEPTEMBER SHOWS NEARLY A 50% CHANCE OF A CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE OR STRONGER. SEPTEMBER IS PEAK HURRICANE SEASON, AND WE CAN NO LONGER IGNORE THAT FACT. OUR HURRICANE INSURANCE ALONE COST US OVER $500,000. SO IT IS FAR TOO RISKY, SO WE BEGIN LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVE DATES TO SEPTEMBER. WHAT ARE SOME CONSIDERATIONS? FIRST AND FOREMOST, IT'S WEATHER. WE HAVE TO STAY OUTSIDE OF HURRICANE SEASON, WHICH AUTOMATICALLY ELIMINATES THE MONTHS OF JUNE THROUGH NOVEMBER. WE ALSO WORKED WITH THE VCB TO DETERMINE WHAT IS THE SHOULDER SEASON. WHEN IS TOURISM LOW? BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT SING OUT LOUD IS. THERE TO DRIVE, IS TOURISM AND VISITATION. SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE DURING A SHOULDER SEASON.

LASTLY, WE HAVE PROGRAMMING CONGESTION CONCERNS. IT CANNOT HAPPEN DURING SPECIAL EVENTS OR HOLIDAYS, OR COMPETE WITH OTHER FESTIVALS. SO THAT LED US TO DETERMINE THAT MAY WAS A GREAT MONTH TO HAVE THE FRANCIS FIELD WEEKEND. WE ALSO, BACKING UP WITH OUR DATA, WITH VCB DATA, WE REVIEWED THE HOTEL OCCUPANCIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ON A 2021 THROUGH 2025 AVERAGE. YOU CAN SEE THAT MAY DEMANDS IS LESS THAN 70%.

WE KNOW THAT WE CAN DRIVE MORE DEMAND. WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE AVERAGE DAILY RATE FOR THE HOTELS, AND WE SAW THAT IT WAS JUST $180 IN MAY. THAT WAS ITS AVERAGE. SO WE KNOW THAT IT'S LESS DURING THE SHOULDER WEEKEND THAT WE'RE IDENTIFYING.

SO WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SHIFTING FRANCIS FIELD WEEKEND TO THE THIRD WEEKEND IN MAY, WHILE KEEPING OTHER SING OUT LOUD FESTIVAL ELEMENTS IN SEPTEMBER? MAY IS THE IDEAL MONTH FOR WEATHER. IT REDUCES THE PROBABILITY OF CANCELLATION, REDUCES POTENTIAL STRAIN ON EMERGENCY SERVICES, IT IMPROVES ATTENDEE COMFORT, AND IT INCREASED ARTISTS' AVAILABILITY. IT SPREADS THE TOURISM SPIKES ACROSS THE YEAR. AGAIN, WE LOOKED AT VCB DATA AND DETERMINED THAT THIS WAS DEFINITELY A SHOULDER SEASON.

SO IT BALANCES VISITOR VOLUME ACROSS SEASONS. AND STILL SUPPORTS OUR RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, AND SMALL BUSINESSES.

LASTLY, IT CONTINUES TO PRESERVE SEPTEMBER'S MONTH OF MUSIC. IT RETAINS THE LOCAL ARTIST PROGRAMMING THAT IS SO BELOVED. IT RETAINS THE FREE COMMUNITY EVENTS. ACTIVATION VISITATION REMAINS DURING THE SLOWEST TIME OF YEAR, AND IT CONTINUES TO BUILD THE LOCAL ARTIST

[01:10:01]

AND THEN THESE ARE THE PROPOSED DATES THROUGH 2033. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE ARE AIMING TO EVOLVE INTO A THREE-DAY FESTIVAL FORMAT. OUR DATA HAS SHOWN THAT ADDING A FRIDAY EVENING WOULD MEANINGFULLY BENEFIT LOCAL LODGING AND TOURISM-RELATED BUSINESSES. ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE HERE TO SEEK AGREEMENT OR CONSENSUS TO EXTEND OUR CONTRACT. IT IS NOW SET TO EXPIRE IN SEPTEMBER 2028. WE'RE SEEKING APPROVAL FOR AN EXTENSION OF FIVE YEARS THAT WILL PROVIDE STABILITY AND PLANNING HORIZON NECESSARY TO EFFECTIVELY STEWARD. SING OUT LOUD FESTIVAL AT FRANCIS FIELD. I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, AS IS OUR DIRECTOR OF PATRON SERVICES, LAUREN LUTHERS, AND OUR DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION, CARL LIBERTORY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEW SPEAKER, THANK YOU. I HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU. WHAT YEAR WOULD THE CONTRACT EXTEND THROUGH WITH THE ADDITION OF THE REQUESTED YEARS? 2033.

2033. OKAY. THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONERS, QUESTIONS? ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER GARRETT. THANK YOU. WELL, I HAVE ATTENDED SOME OF THE SING OUT LOUD EVENTS IN THE PAST, AND I CAN ACTUALLY SAY THE SECURITY THAT THEY HAVE IS FANTASTIC. AND ALSO, IT DOESN'T PUT ANY CONSTRAINTS ON THE CITY, I FIND, AS FAR AS THE TRAFFIC FLOW.

AND I'VE SEEN, I'VE BEEN THERE, I WENT LAST SEPTEMBER. AND I CAN IDENTIFY WITH THE RAIN. IT WAS A LOT OF RAIN AND DIFFERENT THINGS, AND THEY HAD TO KEEP MOVING THE PEOPLE. AND THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THEY WERE GETTING THE GARAGE, SO THAT THEY COULD JUST MOVE THE PEOPLE SAFELY OVER TO ANOTHER PLACE. AND THEN WHEN THE RAIN STOPPED, THEN THEY COULD COME BACK ONTO THE FIELD.

SO I BELIEVE THAT IT'S A GREAT IDEA. AND I REMEMBER THEM COMING BEFORE SAYING WHY THEY NEEDED THE TIME, BECAUSE IN ORDER FOR THEM TO GET...

TOP-NOTCH PERFORMERS. THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY OF HAVING THE TIME TO SET, YOU KNOW, TO PUT PEOPLE IN LINEUPS FOR YEAR AFTER YEAR. THEY HAVE PROVEN THAT THEY ARE AN ASSET AND WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WITH LOSING MONEY, THEY DONATE A GOOD AMOUNT OF INCOME TO THE CITY FOR HOSTING THESE EVENTS. SO I THINK IT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS SING OUT LOUD ACTIVITY. THANK YOU.

YES, I LOVE SINGING OUT LOUD, TOO. HOGTOWN CREEK WAS NOT IN YOUR PRESENTATION, BUT I'LL FORGIVE YOU FOR THAT. ONE THING, WHEN WE MADE THE FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT, IT WAS BASED ON THE FACT THAT YOU NEEDED TIME TO GET ARTISTS SIGNED.

AND NOW YOU'RE ASKING US TO MOVE IT WITH NO ARTISTS IN SEPTEMBER, AND YOU'LL BOOK ARTISTS IN MAY, IN LESS THAN A YEAR AND A HALF.

SO I'M NOT REALLY IN FAVOR OF MOVING IT ANOTHER FIVE YEARS, EXTENDING ANNUALLY FIVE YEARS, KEEPING IT ROLLING FIVE YEARS, I'D BE OKAY WITH, BUT NOT EXTENDING IT OUT SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS.

ON YOUR SLIDE, IF YOU COULD PUT THE SLIDE UP ABOUT THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY RATES, I DID A LITTLE HOMEWORK TODAY. I DISCOVERED THROUGH HOTEL TECH REPORT, WHICH IS A RESEARCH PLATFORM FOR HOTEL OWNERS. THAT ANYWHERE FROM A 60 TO 70 PERCENT HOTEL OCCUPANCY IS REALLY GOOD. THAT EXCELLENT IS OVER 70. AND THAT THE BREAKING POINT IS 37.3.

37.3 PERCENT. YOU START LOSING MONEY WHEN YOU'RE BELOW 37.3%. SO I'M NOT SO CONCERNED ABOUT THE HOTELS MAKING MONEY.

THEY'RE MAKING GOOD MONEY WITHOUT SAYING OUT LOUD. AND I ALSO AM CONCERNED THAT TRYING TO MEASURE AVERAGE MONTHLY IS NOT GOING TO BE AN ACCURATE MEASURE.

BECAUSE YOU'RE ONLY ADDING TWO NIGHTS TO 31 IF YOU DO IT IN MAY. AND AN INCREASE OF FOUR OR 5% OF HOTELS FOR TWO NIGHTS IS NOT GOING TO ADJUST THE AVERAGE. VERY MUCH SO. I WOULD SUGGEST WE FIND SOME OTHER WAY TO MEASURE THE OCCUPANCY RATE BASED ON PAST MAY WEEKENDS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, JUST SO WE CAN HAVE REAL DATA. I'VE ASKED EVERY TIME, AND I REALLY WANT TO SEE IT. I WANT TO SEE A MAJOR, ON THE MAJOR STAGE,

[01:15:01]

YES, WE HAD TWO LOCAL HEADLINERS PERFORM THIS PAST THING OUT LOUD, AND WE DEFINITELY PLAN TO KEEP THAT A TRADITION.

THANK YOU. EXCELLENT. OKAY, I'M GOING TO FOLLOW UP ON SOMETHING THAT COMMISSIONER GEYER SAID, AND WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT. AND THAT WAS, MY UNDERSTANDING IS, WHEN YOU DID IT IN SEPTEMBER, YOU RENTED PART OF THE GARAGE. SO IS THAT, ARE YOU GOING TO PLAN TO RENT PART OF THE GARAGE WHEN YOU MOVE IT TO MAY? YES, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO BRING UP CHIEF, I'M SORRY, FORGIVE ME, DIRECTOR OF PATRON SERVICES, LAUREN LUTERS, TO ADDRESS FURTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PARKING GARAGE. THE REASON WE HAVE TO HAVE THE GARAGE IS, AS COMMISSIONER GARRIS WAS SAYING, IS IF WEATHER COMES IN, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO EVACUATE THE FIELD. WE DO PLAN ON RENTING THE GARAGE TO DO IT ALL THREE DAYS, AND THAT'LL GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE TO DO THAT. WE CAN PUSH THE PEOPLE INTO THE GARAGE UNTIL THE WEATHER'S PASSED.

OKAY, SO YOU'RE DOING THE GARAGE THING IS THE SAME.

YOU'RE MOVING THE SAME SYSTEM TO MAY. OKAY, THAT WAS MY QUESTION. I THINK I WOULD, AS OF NOW, HEAR OTHER COMMENTS. I DO LIKE IT'S NOT ANYTHING AGAINST THE FESTIVAL, BUT FIVE-YEAR REVIEW IS GOOD. I'M A LITTLE AFRAID OF RUNNING THINGS TOO LONG. I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT FOR NOW. NOT JUST ABOUT THESE GUYS. SO I THINK THAT'S GOOD. I THINK IT KEEPS THINGS EVEN. SO I WOULD, UNLESS OTHER COMMISSIONERS CAN CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE RIGHT NOW. AND I WOULD JUST SAY, NOT TO YOU GUYS, BUT TO THE COMMUNITY, JUST BECAUSE WE'RE OPENING UP SOMETHING IN SEPTEMBER, IT'S NOT LIKE AN OPEN TICKET TO RUSH IN THERE AND FILL IT.

BUT OTHERWISE, I SUPPORT THIS. LOVELY. VICE MAYOR. YES, HI. I LOVE WHAT YOU ALL DO WITH THE SING OUT LOUD FESTIVAL, AND WITH THE LIVE WILDLY PARTNERSHIP IN PARTICULAR. I'VE TOLD YOU I DON'T LOVE THE IDEA OF MOVING TO MAY, BECAUSE MAY IS SUCH A LOVELY MONTH HERE. AND THAT WOULD BE EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND IN MAY. NOW WE HAVE AN EVENT OF SOME SCOPE. SO, HAVING SAID THAT, I ALSO AGREE THAT IT'S PINS AND NEEDLES EVERY YEAR ABOUT HURRICANES. AND I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU FAIL. SO I'M OKAY WITH MAY. I'LL GET OVER IT AND I'LL STILL ATTEND THIS FESTIVAL. BUT WHAT I DO WANT TO SAY IS THAT I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD. I THINK FIVE YEARS IS GOOD, A ROLLING FIVE YEARS. I WANT TO SEE HOW IT PLAYS OUT IN MAY, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

I HAVE LOCALS SAYING WE'RE A YEAR-ROUND TOURIST DESTINATION, AND I AM SYMPATHETIC TO THAT. I DON'T WANT TO OVER OVERUSE OUR, OUR CITY, WHERE WE'RE ALWAYS IN A STATE OF TOURISM. IT'S NOT JUST YOU ALL, IT'S IT'S ALL OF IT. AND SO I DO WANT TO TEST ME AS TO SEE, LIKE, HOW, HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT THAT HAS ON COMING INTO SUMMER SEASON.

SO, WITH THAT SAID, I SUPPORT THE OVERALL PLAN.

THANK YOU. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. I AM A BIG FAN OF KEEPING SEPTEMBER WITH THE LOCAL TALENT, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS TO DO THAT AND KEEP THAT. I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

IT WAS A PROMISE THAT WE MADE TO THE COMMUNITY. I AM OKAY WITH THREE NIGHTS. I AM FINE WITH GARAGE. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. I AM FINE WITH CHANGING THE DATE. I THINK THAT... MY REASON WOULD BE, I THINK IT HAS THE LESS POTENTIAL DRAIN ON OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES THAT TIME OF YEAR. I MEAN, IT'S PENS AND NEEDLES, AS WE ALL KNOW, THAT TIME OF YEAR. IT'S JUST HURRICANE SEASON IS ROUGH ON ALL OF US.

IT'S A STRESSFUL TIME, ANYWAY. SO WITH THAT, I HAD ONE OTHER REASON, AND I'M BRINGING IT FORWARD, BUT I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF GIVING YOU THE EXTENSION TO THE 2033. I'M A BIG FAN OF SING OUT LOUD AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DO, Y'ALL DO AT THE AMPHITHEATER.

AND I ALWAYS FEEL SAFE. I FEEL LIKE IT'S AN EVENT THAT'S FOR THE COMMUNITY. IT'S ONE OF THE FEW THINGS ON...

FRANCIS FIELD, THAT. IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE AS RESIDENTS ARE REALLY WELCOMED AND ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND, AS WELL AS PARTICIPATE IN THE SEPTEMBER EVENT. SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT THING MOVING FORWARD. AND WITH THAT, I MOVE THAT WE, IS THERE AN APPROVE? YOU'RE APPROVING THE CONTRACT MODIFICATION. OKAY. I APPROVE,

[01:20:02]

OKAY. I SECOND THAT. ALL RIGHT.

OKAY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DEBATE BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE? CAN I AMEND IT? I'LL HEAR YOUR... PROPOSED. I PROPOSE WE AMEND TO CONTINUE TO ALLOW FIVE-YEAR ROLLING YEARS INSTEAD OF EXTENDING IT TO 2033.

EVERYTHING ELSE IS FINE. I'LL SECOND THAT IF THAT'S THE WAY YOU DO IT. NOPE. I WOULD HAVE TO AGREE TO AMEND THE MOTION.

AT THIS POINT, I CHOOSE NOT TO AMEND THE MOTION. I AM FOR 2033. BUT THANK YOU FOR THE, I THINK IT WAS A FRIENDLY EMOTION. I THINK IT WAS A POSITIVE EFFORT. ALL RIGHT.

ANY OTHER DEBATE OR DISCUSSION? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. NANCY SYKES-KLEIN. YES.

CYNTHIA GARRIS. YES. JOHN DEPRADER. NO. JIM SPRINGFIELD. NO. BARBARA BLONDER. YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON.

CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT YOU DO. WE SKIPPED

[5. CONSENT AGENDA]

MARCH 23RD, 5 P.M. REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING, AND APRIL 13TH, 5 P.M. REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING. APRIL 27TH, WE HAVE A 3 P.M. CRA AGENCY MEETING AND A 5 P.M.

REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING, AND WE HAVE THE APPROVAL OF THE JANUARY 12TH, 2026 REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES. ALL RIGHT. I MOVE WE PASS THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PROPOSED. SECOND. ALL RIGHT.

WE DO HAVE A QUORUM. I DIDN'T KNOW. I THINK WE NEEDED A BREAK. I GUESS NOBODY SUGGESTED A BREAK. I WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY TO TAKE A BREAK, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEBODY TOOK A BREAK.

ANY DEBATE? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. NANCY TEICHBEIN? YES. JIM SPRINGFIELD? YES. CINDY GERS? YES. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ITEM, AND FOR TWO COMMISSIONERS TO NOT BE PRESENT. I'M WONDERING IF MAYBE WE SHOULD TAKE A SHORT BREAK JUST SO THAT WE CAN ALL BE AT THE TABLE FOR THIS. THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL THINGS THAT OUR COMMISSION WILL SEE BEFORE US. SO WITH THAT, I WILL RECESS FOR JUST A BIT.

FOR NOW, AND MISS SKINNER, YOU

[9.A.1. Ordinance 2026-08: Amending an existing Planned Unit Development (PUD) at 24 Cathedral Place and the corner of Charlotte and Treasury Streets (A. Skinner, Planning and Building Director)]

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS AMY SKINNER. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT. THIS IS THE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING FOR ORDINANCE 2026-08. THIS ORDINANCE PROPOSES TO AMEND AN EXISTING PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT, OR PUD.

THANK YOU. AT 24 CATHEDRAL PLACE. THE REFERENCE TO 24 CATHEDRAL PLACE IS THE FORMER BANK BUILDING AND ALSO INCLUDES THE BUILDING WITH THE ADDRESS 22 CATHEDRAL PLACE, AS WELL AS THE EXISTING PARKING LOT BEHIND THESE BUILDINGS.

FRONTING THE CORNERS OF CHARLOTTE AND TREASURY STREETS. THE PROPOSED AMENDED PUD HAS BEEN A TWO-YEAR PROCESS, INITIATED IN 2023, WITH THE PZB POSITIVE RECOMMENDATION ON JULY 2ND, 2024. AND AFTER MANY PUBLIC MEETINGS, INCLUDING THE OPINION IN FEBRUARY OF 2025, THE FINAL HAARP CERTIFICATE RECOMMENDATION WAS APPROVED ON DECEMBER 18, 2025. THE PUD TEXT INCORPORATES SOME OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE EXISTING PUD, INCLUDING EXISTING CONFIGURATIONS AT 22 AND 24 CATHEDRAL PLACE. THE PROPOSED PUD INCLUDES RESTORING

[01:25:01]

BECAUSE ORDINANCE 2026-08 IS A REZONING, WE DO NEED THE CITY COMMISSION TO STATE ANY EX PARTE COMMUNICATION. THIS IS AN INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING.

THANK YOU AND I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. SO, ANY QUESTIONS FROM STAFF BEFORE WE GO ON TO THE PRESENTATION BY THE APPLICANT? NO? ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS. ELLEN AVERY-SMITH, ROGERS TOWERS, 100 WHETSTONE PLACE HERE IN ST. AUGUSTINE. AND WELCOME TO THE 24 CATHEDRAL PLACE MARATHON. LET ME, I WILL, I AM NOT TECH SAVVY, SO LET ME OPEN THIS PRESENTATION BEFORE I START SPEAKING. SORRY ABOUT THAT. MS. AVERY-SMITH, DID YOU PLAN ON HAVING ANY OF YOUR FOLKS TESTIFY TODAY? WELL, I THINK THAT WE WERE GOING TO JUST, I WAS GOING TO RUN THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, AND IF THERE WERE QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS ON THE TECHNICAL SIDE, THEN THE TEAM WOULD BE AVAILABLE, BUT WE MIGHT AS WELL GET THEM SWORN IN JUST IN CASE. RIGHT HERE, GUYS. DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THE TESTIMONY YOU WOULD GIVE IS THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH? OKAY, I HAVE SOMEHOW, LET ME GO BACK BECAUSE I'VE DONE SOMETHING WRONG. HERE WE GO.

OKAY, SO JUST BY WAY, YOU HAVE SEEN YOUR STAFF REPORT, WHICH IS SEVERAL HUNDRED PAGES IN SIZE. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT IS EVIDENCE OF HOW MUCH EFFORT THIS COMMISSION AND THEN YOUR LOWER BOARDS HAVE PUT INTO THIS PROJECT SO FAR. JUST TO ORIENT YOU AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, THE PROPERTY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, AS MS. SKINNER TALKED ABOUT, IS AT, I CALL IT 24 CATHEDRAL PLACE. THAT'S WHERE THE HISTORIC BANK BUILDING HAS SAT SINCE 1927.

BUT THE BUILDING TO THE EAST OF IT IS 22 CATHEDRAL PLACE.

THAT'S ALSO A HISTORIC BUILDING. SO WHEN I REFER TO THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. AND YOU SEE THE PARKING LOT BEHIND IT. AND SO HERE'S 24, 22, AND THEN THIS EXISTING PARKING LOT. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. AS FAR, THAT PROPERTY IS ALREADY IN A PUD THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION 2013.

AND WE ARE SEEKING TO MODIFY THAT PUD. SO THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THIS APPLICATION. SO.

MENTIONING THE 2013 PUD ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THIS SLIDE, AND I'LL ZOOM IT IN JUST A LITTLE BIT. SO, HANG ON, CAN'T ZOOM IT VERY WELL, BUT LET ME, HOPEFULLY THAT'S A LITTLE BIT CLEARER. SO YOU SEE ON THE LEFT SIDE, AGAIN, WHAT'S EXISTING IN THE 2013 PUD, AND THEN WHAT'S PROPOSED IN THIS PUD REVISION. SO EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THE BLUE COLOR. USE IS CONSISTENT

[01:30:01]

CONSTRUCTION OF A PARKING GARAGE WITH A MINIMUM OF... 155 SPACES. AGAIN, THAT PARKING GARAGE WILL BE WRAPPED BY THE NEW HOTEL BUILDING, WHICH I'LL SHOW YOU IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. GETTING INTO MORE TECHNICAL THINGS THAT WE REVIEWED WITH HAARP, THE LIGHTING COLOR, YOU KNOW, IN THE KELVIN, THAT IS NOT MY AREA OF EXPERTISE, BUT THAT'S A CERTAIN QUALITY AND I GUESS, COLOR OF LIGHTING. AND WE CAN GET FREMONT TO TALK ABOUT THAT IF YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS. THE OWNER USING ENERGY EFFICIENT, YOU KNOW, COMPONENTS IN THE BUILDING. CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW BUILDINGS TO COMPLY WITH THE HAARP APPROVALS.

AGAIN, WE HAVE APPROVAL FROM HAARP OF THE OPINION OF APPROPRIATENESS AND THEIR CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS. AND I'LL SHOW YOU THE ELEVATIONS IN JUST A MINUTE. WITH RESPECT TO TRANSIT, A BIKE SHARING PROGRAM. WE TALKED EXTENSIVELY WITH THE PZB ABOUT THINGS LIKE TRANSIT OTHER THAN ARRIVING BY CAR AND GETTING AROUND TOWN ONCE YOU'VE ARRIVED BY CAR. AND THEN BICYCLE AREAS AVAILABLE TO EMPLOYEES.

ON-SITE AND OFF-SITE EMPLOYEE PARKING, AND IF IT'S OFF-SITE EMPLOYEE, THERE BEING A SHUTTLE SERVICE.

AND THEN FOR THE STREETSCAPE, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THIS PUBLIC STREETSCAPE ALONG 24, OR ALONG CATHEDRAL PLACE AND ALONG CHARLOTTE, THE TRASH COMPACTOR ALONG CHARLOTTE STREET, AND I'LL SHOW YOU THE LOCATION OF THAT IN THE SITE PLAN IN A MINUTE.

AND THEN AGAIN, THE STREETSCAPE, HARDSCAPE AND LANDSCAPING BASED ON THE HARB APPROVALS. I'M GOING TO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. OKAY, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE NEW SITE PLAN, YOU SEE THE EXISTING BUILDING ALONG CATHEDRAL PLACE, AND THEN YOU SEE IN MORE THE GRAY COLOR IN THE MIDDLE, IT SAYS.

PROPOSED BUILDING HOTEL SLASH, COMMERCIAL SLASH, RESTAURANT SLASH, PARKING GARAGE. SO THE NEW BUILDING SHOWN IN THE GRAY WILL INCLUDE ALL OF THOSE USES, AND YOU SEE IN THIS AREA, REALLY, WHERE THE PARKING AREA WILL BE.

AND THEN THIS WHAT THAT SAYS? PROPOSED ADDITION THAT IS IN THE YELLOW COLOR IS ACTUALLY THE NEW HOTEL ROOMS, WHICH AGAIN WILL WRAP AROUND THE PARKING GARAGE. SO IT'S NOT VISIBLE FROM THE STREETSCAPE. AND THEN YOU SEE THE PUBLIC PARKING GARAGE ENTRANCE HERE. HERE'S THE PUBLIC TRASH COMPACTOR IN THAT AREA. SO ALL THE BUSINESSES IN THAT AREA ALONG CHARLOTTE STREET. CAN USE THAT TRASH COMPACTOR. HERE IS THE ARCHITECTURE THAT WAS APPROVED BY HAARP. AND YOU SEE, AGAIN, KEEPING THE CHARACTER OF THE EXISTING HISTORIC BUILDING, DOING SIGNIFICANT RENOVATION.

HAARP TOOK GREAT EFFORT IN ANALYZING THE COLORS, THE MATERIALS OF THE EXISTING BUILDING, AND MAKING SURE THEY'RE MATCHED.

AND THEN WENT OVER IN GREAT DETAIL THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE NEW BUILDINGS AND MAKING SURE IT CONFORMED WITH THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD DOWNTOWN. I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH A NICE-LOOKING PROJECT, AND I THINK I CAN SAY THIS, THAT THE OWNERS HAVE ACTUALLY RECEIVED INVITATIONS FROM THE WALDORF, ASTORIA AND THE ST.

REGIS, FOR A POSSIBILITY OF LOCATING ONE OF THOSE HOTELS IN THIS, YOU KNOW, LOCATING ONE OF THOSE FLAGS ON THIS HOTEL, WHICH IS QUITE AN HONOR FOR ST. AUGUSTINE BECAUSE THOSE ARE RARE HOTEL CHAINS, IF YOU WILL, OR FLAGS TO HAVE, PARTICULARLY IN A CITY OF THIS SIZE. SO THAT IS A GOOD HONOR. AND REFLECTS THE HARD WORK OF THE OWNERS AND THE ARCHITECTURE TEAM TO DATE. JUST GOING AND LOOKING AT THE STREETSCAPE, YOU SEE AGAIN THE EXISTING 24 CATHEDRAL PLACE TOWER. AND AS YOU LOOK DOWN CHARLOTTE STREET, YOU CAN GLANCE AT, THIS IS TAKEN FROM ANDERSON CIRCLE, YOU CAN SEE THE RENDERING OF THE NEW BUILDINGS AS YOU GO DOWN, DOWN CHARLOTTE STREET. HERE'S A CLOSER VIEW,

[01:35:01]

AND IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, WE'LL HAVE OUR ARCHITECTURAL EXPERTS COME UP AND TALK ABOUT. HERE'S AGAIN, HERE'S THE VIEW ON TREASURY STREET. THAT'S THE CORNER OF CHARLOTTE AND TREASURY.

AGAIN, THE BUILDING ON THE LEFT BLENDING IN WITH THE EXISTING BUILDING ON THE RIGHT. SO THAT WAS THE WHOLE IDEA IS TO MAKE THOSE USES AND THOSE BUILDING STYLES, ARCHITECTURE COMPATIBLE WITH ONE ANOTHER. AND, LASTLY, THE PUBLIC BENEFITS, AND THIS IS ALL IN THE PUD TEXT IN GREATER DETAIL. BUT AGAIN, WE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE PARKING IN THE PARKING GARAGE. THE TRASH COMPACTOR, WHICH WILL BE ACCESSIBLE TO BUSINESSES IN THAT WHOLE AREA, SO NO MORE BIG TRASH CANS AND AND BAGS OF TRASH OUT.

ALONG THE STREETSCAPE ALONG CHARLOTTE STREET, FREMONT AND HIS TEAM HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB WITH THE STREETSCAPE AND LANDSCAPE NOT ONLY ADJACENT TO THIS BUILDING, BUT ALL THE WAY UP CHARLOTTE.

AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THAT, THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL, OBVIOUSLY. THE MAINTAINING THE HISTORIC NATURE OF THE EXCHANGE, THE 24 CATHEDRAL PLACE, AND THEN INCREASED TAX REVENUE. AND MR. REGAN HAS DONE QUITE AN ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OR ANALYSIS THAT IS INCLUDED AS AN EXHIBIT IN THE PUD TEXT. SO WITH THAT, I'LL BE QUIET AND SEE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

AND THEN I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND JUST RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU MOVE THIS APPLICATION ALONG TO A SECOND READING.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANTS.

REPRESENTATIVE, ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANTS? I DO. YOU DO? OKAY. OH, LET'S START WITH... OH, I'M SORRY. NO, NO, NO, YOU GO AHEAD. ALL RIGHT, VICE MAYOR. OKAY. I THINK IT'S PRETTY QUICK. COULD YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT WHY THE LANGUAGE FOR THE PUD WOULD SAY A MINIMUM OF 155 PARKING SPACES AS OPPOSED TO A MAXIMUM OF X NUMBER? BECAUSE MINIMUM JUST MEANS TO ME IT'S OPEN-ENDED. RIGHT, AND THAT WAS NEGOTIATED WITH THE PCB BECAUSE THE PARKING GARAGE IS TUCKED IN. AND AT THAT POINT, WE HAD NOT FINALIZED, OR I AM NOT THE ARCHITECT, BUT THE ARCHITECTS HAD NOT FINALIZED THE PARKING GARAGE AND THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE BUILDINGS TOGETHER. AND SO, MIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU OR LES WANT TO COME UP AND TALK ABOUT JUST THE ITERATION OF THE GARAGE AND HOW YOU LANDED ON WHAT WILL PROBABLY BE 155 SPACES. BUT COULD WE NOT CHANGE THE LANGUAGE TO REFLECT THAT ON SECOND READING, SO THAT WE HAVE A MAXIMUM RATHER THAN A MINIMUM? THAT'S MY SUGGESTION.

SO YOUR PROPOSAL WOULD BE TO SUPPORT, TO SAY, A MAXIMUM OF 155 SPACES? OR 170, IF THAT'S WHAT IT WOULD BE, BUT I DON'T WANT IT OPEN-ENDED AS A MAXIMUM.

BUT IF IT'S A MAXIMUM, THEN THEY COULD THEORETICALLY PROVIDE MUCH LESS PARKING, WHICH IS ONE OF THE BENEFITS.

OKAY, SO A MINIMUM AND A MAXIMUM, THEN. I'M OKAY WITH THAT, TOO. I JUST DON'T WANT AN OPEN-ENDED MAXIMUM.

MAY I ASK A QUESTION? ARE YOU CONCERNED? THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE TOO MUCH? ARE YOU CONCERNED THERE'S TOO LITTLE, OR YOU JUST WANT A NUMBER? I JUST WANT A NUMBER. OKAY.

YEAH. OKAY, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT. I MEAN, I AM NOT THE ARCHITECT, AND I AM NOT THE OWNER, SO THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE'S A NUMBER WE CAN LIVE WITH, BUT IT WILL BE ABOUT 155 SPACES. OKAY. IT'S A SUGGESTION, ESSENTIALLY, FOR THE SECOND READING. AND THEN, IF YOU DO MAXIMIZE THE PARKING IN THERE, WITH WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS THAT YOU HAVE, HOW MUCH PUBLIC PARKING MIGHT WE ACTUALLY SEE AVAILABLE? WELL, I BELIEVE THAT'S GOING TO DEPEND ON THE OCCUPANCY OF THE HOTEL AND THE USE OF THE PARKING GARAGE AT THAT TIME. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE OWNERS THAT IN THERE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE SEVERAL HOTELS IN THE CITY, THAT THEIR PARKING LOTS ARE NEVER FULL.

RIGHT. OK, THANK YOU. GOES YOUR DEPARTOR. I DON'T KNOW PROCEDURALLY HOW YOU WANT TO GO. SO I WAS ON THIS WHEN IT CAME TO THE PLANNING BOARD, SO A LOT OF IT I WAS FAMILIAR WITH. AND I'VE BEEN KEEPING UP WITH IT WITH HARB. I DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS I RAN BY THE APPLICANT THIS WEEK WITH THE CITY MANAGER THAT I KNOW THE ANSWERS TO, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE PUBLIC.

BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT ME TO DO THOSE NOW OR SECOND HEARING, EITHER, ANYTHING ANYBODY WANTS TO DO, HOWEVER. WELL, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS DETERMINE WHETHER WE WANT TO SEND IT. IS IT READY TO GO

[01:40:01]

TAKE YOUR TIME, TAKE YOUR TIME. YEAH, OKAY, NO, I MEAN, I JUST... I HAVEN'T DONE IT AT THE COMMISSION AS MUCH AS I HAVE AT THE PLANNING BOARD. SO I DID HAVE THIS DISCUSSION IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, LIKE I SAID, FOR A PUBLIC RECORD. MY UNDERSTANDING IS DURING THE REVIEW OF THIS, THERE WAS A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW THE PIERS WOULD BE INSTALLED, AND THERE WAS SOME CONCERN ABOUT VIBRATIONS. SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THESE ARE GOING TO BE DUG, AND SO I JUST WANT TO HAVE THAT BE. THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING, TOO, AND I WANT SOMEBODY WHO IS MORE OF AN EXPERT, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S MIKE OR LES, TO COME UP AND TALK ABOUT, I BELIEVE THEY'RE CALLED AUGER DRILLED. WE DON'T NEED TO GET TOO TECHNICAL, BUT THE CONCERN WAS THERE WOULD BE VIBRATIONS, AND MY UNDERSTANDING WAS YOUR SOLUTION WAS AUGERING THOSE. AM I CORRECT? YES, SIR. YOU ARE CORRECT. IT'S AN AUGER CAST PILE. SO INSTEAD OF POUNDING A PILE IN, LIKE YOU MIGHT SEE AT A DOCK OR SOMETHING, IT'S JUST LIKE A GIANT DRILL BIT SCREWING INTO THE GROUND. THAT IS THEN THAT THE EARTH IS EXTRACTED IN STEEL AND REINFORCING AND CONCRETE GOING INSIDE OF IT.

OKAY. SO I JUST WANTED TO, BECAUSE THAT WAS A CONCERN.

DOES THAT MEAN THERE WOULD BE NO VIBRATION? THERE'S NO, SO THE WAY THAT THEY'RE DOING IT, THERE WAS A, I KNOW WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION HERE, I THINK, TOO, ABOUT THE VIBRATION. WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT. YEAH. SO IT WOULD BE, THIS IS WHY I WANT TO GET IT ON A RECORD AS WE GO TO SECOND HEARING. SO IF PEOPLE COME, MAYBE THERE'S MORE INFORMATION.

THAT WOULD BE, SO THEY WOULD BE AUGER-BITTED, WHICH WOULD REDUCE THE VIBRATIONS. REDUCE OR ELIMINATE. REDUCE OR ELIMINATE.

SO IT WOULD GREATLY REDUCE.

THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE A TRACTOR OR SOMETHING MOVING ACROSS THE GROUND THERE. I THINK YOU ALL, THE COMMUNITY HAS MADE US VERY AWARE THAT THE IDEA IS NOT TO VIBRATE THESE OLD BUILDINGS HERE, AND WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO DO THAT. SO, IN TERMS OF, LITERALLY, AN AUGER-CAST PILE IS A GIANT DRILL BIT. WIDE DIAMETER. YES, SIR, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT MY QUESTION IS, I SUPPOSE WE'RE LEADING IS, WILL IT BE MONITORING OF VIBRATIONS DURING CONSTRUCTION? THAT'S MAYBE THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING BACK FOR SECONDARY.

THAT'S WHY I'M, THAT'S WHY I'M BRINGING THIS STUFF UP NOW.

THAT WAS THE CONCERN, I THINK, WAS THE MONITORING. BECAUSE YOU DO ACTUALLY HAVE A FRAGILE COLONIAL STRUCTURE DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM YOU. A HUNDRED PERCENT.

THAT'S MY CONCERN. AND MAYBE THEY CAN COME BACK ON SECOND HEARING AND ADDRESS THAT.

SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT YEAH.

NO, NO, NO. FINE. THIS IS WHY I WANT TO GO THROUGH THIS NOW.

AND WE DID HAVE ON PAGE 14 OF THE CLEAN VERSION OF THE PUD TEXT, IT DOES TALK ABOUT. PILINGS FOR NEW BUILDINGS WILL BE CONSTRUCTED ON THE PROPERTY, WILL BE AUGER CAST WITH BEAMS CONNECTING THE PILINGS ON THE GROUND SURFACE TO MINIMIZE CONSTRUCTION VIBRATION. SO WE'LL ADD TO THAT LANGUAGE. YOU COULD DO THAT AND MAYBE HAVE A LITTLE MORE LANGUAGE IN THE CONVERSATION SO THE PUBLIC CAN GET THAT. THE FINANCING OF THIS, SO, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THERE IS THE BENEFITS THAT YOU... LISTED IN TERMS OF THE ENTIRE CHARLOTTE STREET AND THEN A THIRD OF THE STREET GOING NORTH, RIGHT? SO YOU HAVE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE COST AND THEN YOU HAVE A MOBILITY FEE IN ADDITION TO THAT. AM I CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. AND ALL OF THAT IS IN THE PUD TEXT. OKAY. AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THE PAGE BECAUSE THERE IS A PUBLIC BENEFIT SECTION OF THE TEXT.

AND I THINK THAT MR. REGAN'S ANALYSIS, TOO, IS IN EXHIBIT E OF THOSE THINGS. I'M JUST, REALLY, I'M DOING THIS JUST TO GET THIS OUT.

FOR PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE, IS THAT THERE IS, FROM YOUR BULLET POINTS, I'M HAVING A BULLET POINT CONVERSATION. YES. SO THERE'S THAT, AND THEN, JUST FOR THE RECORD, THERE'S GOING TO BE MOBILITY FEES ATTACHED BEYOND THAT. YES, AND THAT STARTS ON PAGE 15 OF THE TEXT. THERE WILL ALSO BE A CONTRIBUTION OF $464,640 TO THE CITY FOR THE COMPLETE STREET IMPROVEMENTS TO CHARLOTTE BETWEEN TREASURY AND AVENIDA MENENDEZ. OKAY. AND THEN ALL OF THOSE DETAILS ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS TO ANDERSON CIRCLE AND EVERYTHING ELSE ARE ON PAGES 15 AND 16 OF THAT TEXT. OKAY. CAN I INTERJECT REAL QUICK? YEAH, GO AHEAD. THAT INCLUDES THE 437.

PLUS, WHAT'S GOING TO BE DONE TO ANDREW CIRCLE, ANDERSON CIRCLE. THAT'S CORRECT. THERE ARE ITEMS NUMBER D AND THEN FOLLOWING WITH F. SO ANDERSON

[01:45:01]

OKAY. AWARDS, OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT. YES.

DESIGNATION. OKAY. OKAY. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR NOW.

THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. OTHER QUESTIONS? I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I GUESS WE'RE JUST GOING TO... ALRIGHT. I DON'T MEAN TO DOUBLE-CHECK.

HAS EVERYONE FINISHED ASKING QUESTIONS? WHO'S GOING TO OWN THE COMPACTOR AND WHO BUYS IT? WE'LL LET TROY ANSWER THAT. HE WASN'T SWORN IN.

OKAY, HE'S GOING TO TELL ME AND I'LL ANSWER IT.

THE OWNER IS GOING TO BUY IT AND THE CITY WILL OPERATE IT, BECAUSE I GUESS YOU'RE THE GARBAGE COLLECTOR OF THE CITY. RIGHT. SO WE'LL REPAIR IT. WE'LL REPLACE IT OR MAINTAIN IT. THEY MAINTAIN THEY'RE MAINTAINING IT. I KNOW IT'S A MINOR THING COMPARED TO THE WHOLE SHOE, BUT IT'S A QUESTION THAT NEEDS TO BE ANSWERED. APPARENTLY, THE CITY, ONCE IT IS PURCHASED, THE CITY WILL MAINTAIN IT.

THANK YOU. OK, COMMISSIONER GARRETT. OKAY, I DID MEET WITH CONTI AND JOHN REAGAN, AND SO I BASICALLY GOT AN OVERVIEW OF THIS WHOLE NEW HOTEL, THE PUD AND ALL THAT. AND ALSO, THEY TOLD ME ABOUT THE COMPACTOR, AND THEY TOLD ME DIFFERENT THINGS ABOUT HOW THEY WERE GOING TO CREATE A PARKING GARAGE UNDERNEATH. AND SO FORTH, WHICH IS GOOD. AND ALSO THAT WITH THE HOTELS BEING MINIMUM.

IT WILL HAVE MORE SPACES FOR STAFF AND PEOPLE COMING AND GOING BECAUSE STAFF ARE SUPPOSED TO GET OFF AT A CERTAIN TIME, THE ONES THAT COME IN EARLY.

SO BASED ON ALL THE INFORMATION, I KNOW THEY PASSED HARP ALREADY AND THEY PASSED PLANNING AND ZONING ALREADY. I SAY THAT WE JUST MOVE THIS ON TO SECOND READING. OKAY, GREAT.

COMMISSIONERS? YES, WE RECENTLY WENT TO A DOCUMENTARY SHOWING OF FLAGLER COLLEGE, WHERE THEY FLOODED IT BY MISTAKE AND THEY HAD TO REPAIR IT. AND WHEN THEY OPENED UP ALL THE WALLS, IT WAS A DISASTER. SO ONE OF THE EXCITING THINGS ABOUT THIS PROJECT IS THAT THE HOTEL IS GOING TO BE COMPLETELY GUTTED AND REMODELED IN ORDER TO SAVE IT. BECAUSE FLAGLER HAD NO IDEA. THAT THEIR SECOND FLOOR WAS ABOUT TO CAVE THROUGH. SO IT'S A GOOD THING FOR THE SKYLINE. IT'S A GOOD THING FOR THE CITY AT THEIR EXPENSE. I AM ALSO EXCITED THAT OF THE SIX FIRMS INVOLVED IN THIS, ONLY ONE'S FROM JACKSONVILLE. THE REST ARE FROM ST. AUGUSTINE AND ST.

JOHNS COUNTY. SO THEY'VE KEPT ALL THE DESIGN AND THE WORK LOCAL. I WAS A NON-COMMISSIONER A FEW YEARS AGO AND I HEARD ABOUT THIS. I SAID, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? BUT NOW I SEE IT.

AND I KNOW I'VE BEEN SPEAKING ABOUT THIS FOR A LOT OF, WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF THINGS, BUT I REALLY SEE THE IMPROVEMENT MADE TO CHARLOTTE STREET, THE ADDITIONAL TAX REVENUE AND A USE FOR THAT BUILDING. I AM A BIT DISAPPOINTED WE'RE LOSING OFFICE SPACE IN THE CITY OF

[01:50:01]

SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT I WISH WE WERE ABLE TO KEEP SOME OF, BUT IT DIDN'T WORK OUT IN THE PLAN. BUT OVERALL, I'M IN FAVOR OF MOVING TO SECOND READING. OKAY. I'LL MAKE A MOTION. I HAVEN'T SPOKEN YET. OH, I'M SORRY. VICE MAYOR, ARE YOU FINISHED? EVERYBODY GOOD? OKAY. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COUPLE COMMENTS.

I DO LIKE THE PROJECT VERY MUCH, BECAUSE, AS I SAID WHEN I MET WITH, THIS IS MY EX-PARTE, MR. PATEL AND JOHN REGAN, THAT I DO BELIEVE. A PROJECT LIKE THIS ENCOURAGES, HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN THE CITY, AND I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE A GREAT MODEL IN HOW TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.

IS IT PERFECT? NO, BUT I THINK IT'S A GREAT STAB.

AND I APP AND I APPRECIATE THAT, MR. PATEL. HAS WORKED EXTREMELY HARD WITH THE COMMUNITY ONCE AGAIN TO DELIVER WHAT IT IS THAT WE THINK IS RIGHT FOR US. AND JUST LIKE YOU POINTED OUT, IT'S, UM, IT'S LOCAL TALENT DOING IT FOR THE MOST PART. UM, IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE THE HCRA IS GONNA BE REAPING A CLOSE TO A MILLION DOLLARS. I THINK MAYBE I MAY.

DOES HE HAVE THE NUMBER, RIGHT? WRONG? WE WILL BE GETTING A MOBILITY FEE AND I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WOULD ADD 100 JOBS, WHICH IS VERY NICE TO HEAR. I THINK ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT I LIKE ABOUT IT IS HOW IT IMPROVES.

TREASURY STREET. THE SLIDE THAT YOU SHOWED REALLY SHOWS THAT REALLY WELL.

FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF A PERSON STANDING ON THE STREET. BECAUSE I'VE SEEN A LOT OF PICTURES THAT WEREN'T NECESSARILY ABOUT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEONE STANDING ON THE STREET.

BUT THAT WAS REALLY NICE, SO I APPRECIATE THAT. I DO WONDER ABOUT THIS LANGUAGE. ON PAGE 15 ABOUT PROVIDING A CONTRIBUTION OF $464,640. IF THIS PLAYS OUT LIKE THE PUD DOCUMENT PROVIDES FOR, THIS COULD BE 10 YEARS FROM NOW THAT THIS ACTUALLY GETS DONE. AND THREE YEARS BEFORE, ON TOP OF THAT, ACTUAL FINISHED CONSTRUCTION.

SO I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S A GOOD NUMBER, IF IT'S MAYBE A GOOD POLICY TO NEGOTIATE A NUMBER LIKE THAT. I MEAN, WE KNOW COSTS GO UP. I WOULD, MAYBE, I APPRECIATE THE EFFORT, BUT I'M NOT SURE. IT'S A GREAT IDEA TO PUT IN A PUD DOCUMENT THAT COULD BE 10 YEARS FROM NOW EXECUTED.

RIGHT, AND MADAM MAYOR, THE REASON WE HAVE THAT 10-YEAR HORIZON IS SIMPLY BECAUSE, AND I'M LEARNING MORE AND MORE ABOUT ARCHITECTURE FROM HANGING OUT WITH THIS TEAM, BUT APPARENTLY IT TAKES AN INORDINATE OF TWO OR THREE YEARS TO EVEN COME UP WITH A DESIGN. WHAT YOU SEE IS THAT WHAT YOU'VE BEEN PRESENTED IN THE EXHIBITS IS THE EXTERIOR, BUT NOW THE DESIGN OF THE INTERIOR AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS START. AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. ALSO, ONCE THE HOTEL COMPANY OR FLAG IS, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN SET OF RULES. AND SO WE JUST HAD TO BUILD IN FLEXIBILITY TO ALLOW FOR GOOD DESIGN. SO THE CITY AND THE OWNER GET WHAT THEY BARGAINED FOR, IF YOU WILL, AND THEN ALLOW FOR CONSTRUCTION. BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF MATERIALS THAT HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW, MANUFACTURED, ESSENTIALLY. I MEAN, WE GOT DOWN WITH HAARP TO TALKING ABOUT WINDOW DETAILS AND TRIMS AND ALL OF THAT. I MEAN, THAT'S THE LEVEL OF DETAIL THAT'S GONE INTO THIS SO FAR. AND I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE WHAT THE ARCHITECTS AND PLANNERS ARE GOING TO BE DOING FROM HERE ON OUT. BUT I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE $464,640 THAT ARE BEING ALLOCATED, AND I ASSUME THAT THAT'S WHAT HE'S GOING TO PUT IN A FUND AND THEN PROVIDE TO THE CITY. AND THEN, IN POTENTIALLY 13 YEARS, THE CITY WILL BE RESPONSIBLE, AND THE COST COULD BE WELL OVER $1 MILLION TO DO IT BY THAT TIME. THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. SO. AND THEN AGAIN, THAT DOESN'T EVEN GET INTO THE IDEA THAT EVERY SINGLE TIME THERE'S A HURRICANE OR AN EMERGENCY DECLARATION OR WHATEVER, YOU'RE COMING BACK TO US AND SAYING, I WANT AN EXTENSION BECAUSE THE STATE ALLOWS YOU TO EXTEND YOUR PHASING ANOTHER.

HOW MANY YEARS? I DON'T KNOW.

HOW MANY? INDEFINITELY. THEY CAN DO IT INDEFINITELY. WELL, THERE'S MY QUESTION. MY QUESTION. I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT THERE FOR YOU.

[01:55:01]

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A DOLLAR FIGURE THAT.

BUT I'D LIKE A COMMITMENT FROM THE APPLICANT THAT THEY WILL BEAR THE FULL COST OF THAT COMPLETE STREET WHENEVER THIS PROJECT IS ACTUALLY EXECUTED.

THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.

WELL, AND LET ME JUST CLARIFY FOR THE RECORD, NOW THAT I'M LOOKING AT THE TEXT, THAT MONEY IS PAID WITHIN 90 DAYS OF THE CITY COMMISSION'S APPROVAL. SO THE CITY COMMISSION GETS THE $464,000.

OKAY, WELL, GOOD. THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT. THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT. I APPRECIATE THAT. THAT WAS SOMETHING THE PLANNING BOARD HAD WORKED ON. OKAY, GREAT.

BECAUSE THEY WERE AFRAID OF EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID.

WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE THAT. SIMPLE ANSWER.

ON THE STREETSCAPE, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A QUICK CLARIFICATION ON THE FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS.

SO, IN THE PD TEXT, THE APPLICANT IS RESPONSIBLE.

CAN YOU BRING THAT QUICK? I CAN'T QUITE HEAR YOU. IS THAT BETTER? YEAH. SO, THE APPLICANT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CONSTRUCTION FROM ANDERSON CIRCLE ALL THE WAY TO TREASURY STREET ENTIRELY.

SO THAT PORTION THAT'S ADJACENT TO THE HOTEL AND STREETSCAPES THAT YOU SAW IN THE PICTURE, THAT'LL BE TAKEN CARE OF ALONG THE CONSTRUCTION. SO THAT GOES FIRST. THAT GOES FIRST, AND THAT COST IS WHATEVER THAT IS AT THE TIME. THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO ME. THE ADDITIONAL $400,000 CHANGE IS... FOR THE CONSTRUCTION.

IT'S A CONTRIBUTION FOR THE REMAINDER OF CHARLOTTE STREET, GOING FROM TREASURY NORTH TO AVENIDA MENENDEZ. WHENEVER THAT STREETSCAPE, YOU KNOW, IS GOING TO BE DONE, SINCE THAT'S OUTSIDE OF THE APPLICANT'S CONTROL. SO THAT'S FOR THE, ALL THE WAY UP TO AVENIDA MENENDEZ.

HYPOLITA? KUNA? WELL, IT'S WHATEVER REALLY THE CITY DECIDES TO DO AT THAT POINT, BECAUSE THOSE DESIGNS AREN'T DONE. BUT I'M PRESUMING THAT THE STREETSCAPE FROM THE NORTH, THE NORTHERN EDGE OF THE TREASURY INTERSECTION, ALL THE WAY TO AVENIDA MENENDEZ, WILL BE DONE AT THAT POINT. OKAY. THAT WILL BE SEVERAL PROJECTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE THAT.

ALL RIGHT. PARKING FOR EMPLOYEES. MY QUESTION ABOUT THAT IS, I AGREE WITH THE VICE MAYOR ABOUT GIVING US A KIND OF NAILING DOWN, A MINIMUM, MAXIMUM FOR US. I SEE YOU'RE GOING TO USE STACKING. THE TEXT SAYS YOU'RE GOING TO DO STACKING, SO THAT GIVES YOU A LITTLE FLEXIBILITY IN HOW YOU DO YOUR VALETS, PARK YOUR CARS, WHICH I THINK IS EFFICIENT.

THE IDEA, THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS IN THERE. IT SEEMS LIKE I READ THAT AT SOME POINT YOU SEEM LIKE THERE IS SOME PUBLIC PARKING.

AND THEN ALSO IT SEEMS LIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT PUBLIC PARKING IS TIED TO JUST INDIVIDUALS, OR IS IT PUBLIC PARKING FOR TENANTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT? WELL, THE PARKING GARAGE IS FOR PEOPLE WHO VISIT THE HOTEL OR THE RESTAURANT, OR, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE OTHER ACTIVITIES. AND IF THE PARKING GARAGE IS NOT FULL, THEN WITH EMPLOYEES AND GUESTS AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE DINING OR WHATEVER, THEN IT WILL BE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE. SO IF, FOR EXAMPLE, I DRIVE UP AND I WANT TO WALK AROUND DOWNTOWN AND THERE ARE 10 SPACES AVAILABLE, I CAN PARK MY CAR THERE AND TAKE ONE OF THOSE 10 SPACES AND WALK AROUND DOWNTOWN. OH, OKAY. SO IT'S SORT OF LIKE AN AIRPORT HOTEL PARKING GARAGE.

SOMETIMES THERE'S VACANCY AND SOMETIMES, OKAY. THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

BUT YOU DO INTEND TO PARK YOUR EMPLOYEES THERE.

IF THAT WORKS OUT, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, AND AGAIN, I'M NOT THE OPERATING PERSON, SO IF I GET THIS DETAIL WRONG, CORRECT ME.

BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING AT THE EXISTING HILTON AND THE RENAISSANCE. THAT. THE GUESTS CHECK OUT AT 11, THEN THE STAFF COMES IN TO DO THE CLEANING AND GET READY FOR THE DAY, THEN THE NEW GUESTS CHECK IN AT 3 OR 4 O'CLOCK, AND THE STAFF IS GONE BY THAT TIME. SO THERE'S THE, AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING ALSO THAT THOSE HOTEL PARKING LOTS AND THOSE TWO SPECIFIC HOTELS THAT ARE OWNED BY THE SAME OWNER ARE NEVER COMPLETELY FULL. SO IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THERE WILL BE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE PARKING, I WOULD SAY ALL, OR MOSTLY ALL OF THE TIME IN THIS GARAGE. THAT SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'M INTERESTED IN HEARING WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY. I'M INTERESTED IN MOVING IT ALONG TO SECOND READING. THANK YOU.

ANYONE READY TO MAKE A MOTION? CYNTHIA SAID SHE DID. I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION, THOUGH, AFTER WHAT YOU JUST SAID. SO YOU HAVE, IT'S A GREAT IDEA TO HAVE THE EMPLOYEES PARK IN THESE OTHER HOTELS, BUT I HAVE TO LOOK AT THE LANGUAGE BETWEEN NOW AND THEN. WHAT HAPPENS IF ONE OF THESE OTHER HOTELS ARE SOLD?

[02:00:01]

WELL, I MAY HAVE MISSPOKEN, COMMISSIONER. OKAY. I MEANT, BY WAY OF EXAMPLE, THEY OWN THOSE TWO HOTELS AND THE EMPLOYEES WHO WORK, FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE HILTON PARK, AT THE HILTON. AND, FOR EXAMPLE, USING JUST STAYING WITH THE HILTON. THERE IS NEVER A PROBLEM WITH PARKING AT THE HILTON FOR GUESTS AND EMPLOYEES.

YOU'RE USING IT AS A COMPARISON. YOU'RE NOT USING IT IN THE CONTEXT YOU SAID. IT WASN'T AS EXTRA CAPACITY FOR THIS HOTEL. CORRECT. OH, I'M SORRY. I MISUNDERSTOOD YOU.

THANK YOU. I WASN'T BEING CLEAR. I APOLOGIZE. OH, WELL, I HAVE TO LISTEN BETTER, MAYBE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. MS. CITY ATTORNEY, DO WE NEED TO DO, DOES EVERYONE NEED TO DO EX PARTE? WELL, YOU DO HAVE TO DO EX PARTE. I THINK YOU'VE HAD A FEW. I THINK WE'LL JUST GO AND BE, THANK YOU. I MET WITH THE OWNER AND THE CITY MANAGER AND MR. REGAN. I DID NOT MEET WITH ANY OF THE PARTIES FOR THIS APPLICATION. OKAY, MR. PATEL, MR. REGAN, AND MR. BURCHEL. SAME THREE, THIS GO AROUND, AND THEN ON THE PLANNING BOARD, PRETTY MUCH SAME THING. I MET WITH MR. REGAN. AND MR. PATEL AND THE CITY MANAGER OFFERED TO GO, BUT HE HAD ALREADY BEEN TO VARIOUS ONES, SO I LET HIM OFF THE HOOK.

OKAY, THEN. ALL RIGHT.

NO. SO THIS IS NOT SO, THIS IS NOT SO, PUBLIC HEARING.

DOES ANYONE WISH TO OFFER A MOTION? I THINK, MS. GO AHEAD. I MADE A MOTION THAT WE GO TO SECOND READING.

OKAY.

THERE YOU GO.

ORDINANCE NUMBER 2026-08, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE ZONING FOR APPROXIMATELY 1.06 ACRES OF PROPERTY LOCATED AT 24 CATHEDRAL PLACE. PARCEL ID NUMBER 197-160-0000 AND CHARLOTTE STREET. PARCEL ID NUMBER 197-200-0000 IS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED HERE AND AFTER. TO AMEND ITS CURRENT PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT PUD CLASSIFICATION, ADOPTING A NEW PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT PUD, PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES, PROVIDING FOR SEVERANCE OF INVALID PROVISIONS, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

ANY FINAL DEBATE OR DISCUSSION? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. CYNTHIA GARRIS? YES.

JOHN DEPRADER? YES. JIM SPRINGFIELD. YES. BARBARA BLONDER. YES. NANCY SEXKLINE.

YES. THANK YOU. WE'LL SEE YOU

[9.B.1. Resolution 2026-02: Temporary Easement Florida Department of Transportation Shared Use Path Construction along A1A Anastasia State Park from Pope Rd to Red Cox Drive (R. Franklin, Assistant City Manager)]

APPRECIATE IT. MOVING ON TO ITEM 9B1, RESOLUTION 2026-02.

MR. FRANKLIN. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS. BEFORE YOU, THIS EVENING IS RESOLUTION 2026-02.

THIS IS APPROVAL OF A TEMPORARY EASEMENT FOR A MULTI-USE TRAIL THAT FDOT IS CURRENTLY DESIGNING. THIS WILL RUN FROM POPE ROAD TO REDCOX TO THE CITY'S ROAD AT REDCOX DRIVE. THE TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT IS IN THE VICINITY OF REDCOX DRIVE. THEY REALLY JUST NEED TO GET ONTO CITY PROPERTY TO BE ABLE TO DO SOME GRADING. ONCE THE CONSTRUCTION'S OVER, THE TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT EXPIRES. AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THERE WILL BE AN OPEN HOUSE FOR THIS PROJECT AT ANASTASIA ISLAND LIBRARY ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH, FROM 5 TO 7 P.M.

THAT'S THIS THURSDAY AT THE ANASTASIA PUBLIC LIBRARY. AND THIS PROJECT IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR LONG-RANGE MOBILITY PLAN FOR MULTI-USE TRAILS. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? YEAH. COMMENT. AS FAST AS WE CAN GET THIS DONE, LET'S GET BETTER LATE THAN NEVER. MY COMMENT IS, I THINK RUBEN AND I, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AS A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT. I THINK DINOSAURS WERE ROAMING THE WORLD AT THE TIME.

BUT YOUR PERSISTENCE HAS BEEN, REALLY. GREAT. THE CITY HAS, I KNOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND PEOPLE ON THE ISLAND ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS. SO, THANK YOU.

WELL, THE GOOD NEWS IS IT'S FUNDED. THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S ALWAYS A NICE POINT. ALL RIGHT.

I MOVE WE PASS RESOLUTION 2026-02. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. NANCY

[02:05:02]

[9.B.2. Resolution 2026-03: Authorizing the City Manager to execute a Construction and Maintenance Agreement between FDOT and the City of St. Augustine for SR A1A/Avenida Menendez Bridge of Lions Intersection (R. Franklin, Assistant City Manager)]

YES. CYNTHIA GARRIS. YES. JIM SPRINGFIELD. YES. ALL RIGHT.

ITEM 9B2, RESOLUTION 2026-03, MR. FRANKLIN. YES, ANOTHER RESOLUTION. THIS IS ANOTHER RESOLUTION TO APPROVE A CONSTRUCTION MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

THIS IS FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS AT THE BASE OF THE BRIDGE OF LIONS, THE INTERSECTION, AND THE CONSTRUCTION MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT. JUST DEFINES THE LIMITS OF WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT. IT'S CONSISTENT WITH OUR TRANSFER AGREEMENT AND OVERALL PROJECT FOR KING STREET AND THE BRIDGE OF ALLIANCE INTERSECTION. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THE PROJECT IS CURRENTLY UNDER DESIGN BY DOT AND IS AT 60% PLANS. EXCELLENT.

COMMISSIONERS, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? I GET ASKED ABOUT THIS A LOT. WHEN DO YOU, I KNOW THIS IS TOUGH, BUT WHEN DO YOU THINK THE STARTING DATE WOULD BE. I DON'T KNOW. I'M ANTICIPATING IT'S GOING TO BE LATE 2027, 2028. IT'S ONLY AT 60% PLANS, SO IT'S FUNDED THROUGH DESIGN, AND WE'LL FIND OUT FROM DOT THEIR CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE, AND AS SOON AS I HAVE THAT, I WILL LET YOU KNOW.

OKAY, THANK YOU. EXCELLENT.

UNLESS THERE'S NO DISCUSSION, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO PASS.

RESOLUTION 2026- 0-3, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT. I'LL SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

JOHN DEPRADER? YES. NANCY SYKES-KLEIN? YES. CYNTHIA

[9.B.3. Resolution 2026-04: Nuisance, Appeals, and Adjustment Board Members (I. Lopez, City Attorney)]

RESOLUTION 2026-04? WOULD PROVIDE FOR A MORE EFFICIENT WAY FOR THE CITY CLERK TO IMPANEL A NUISANCE APPEAL AND ADJUSTMENT BOARD MEMBER PANEL TO HEAR ANY CHALLENGES OR APPEALS. THAT PARTICULAR BOARD IS CREATED TO HEAR APPEALS BY PROPERTY OWNERS REGARDING DISPUTES WITH THE FIRE MARSHAL OR THE BUILDING OFFICIAL, AS WELL AS NUISANCES. AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WASN'T A LONG GAP FOR ADVERTISING AND SELECTION OF MEMBERS TO THIS PARTICULAR BOARD. SO THAT FOLKS WHO REQUESTED AN APPEAL WOULD GET HEARD FAIRLY QUICKLY. SO WE CAME UP WITH A CREATIVE SOLUTION, WHICH WAS TO ALLOW THE CLERK TO SELECT OR VERIFY THEIR AVAILABILITY OF VARIOUS FORMER BOARD MEMBERS. WHO HAD ALREADY RECEIVED ALL SUNSHINE AND PUBLIC RECORDS TRAINING, HAD SAT ON BOARDS PREVIOUSLY, AND COULD QUICKLY DO.

ESSENTIALLY A ONE-DAY, ONE-OF HEARING TO HEAR THESE KINDS OF APPEALS. SO THAT IS THE RESOLUTION. QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? I HAVE A CLARIFICATION TO ASK OF THE CITY ATTORNEY. MS. KALADY RAISED A POINT. COULD YOU CLARIFY? YES, SHE ASKED...

IF WE WERE CHANGING ANYTHING IN THE ACTUAL CODIFIED ORDINANCE, AND WE ARE NOT. THE NUISANCE APPEALS AND ADJUSTMENT BOARD CONTINUES TO BE EXACTLY AS WAS CREATED IN THE CODE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD CATCH. I WONDERED WHAT 24-06 WAS ABOUT, SO OKAY. ANYONE WILLING TO MAKE AN OFF MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO PASS RESOLUTION 2026-04.

SECOND. ALL RIGHT, ANY COMMENTS, DEBATE? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. JOHN DEPRETER? YES. ZIM SPRINGFIELD?

[10. STAFF REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS]

NANCY SYKES-KLEIN? YES. ALL RIGHT, ON TO STAFF REPORTS. WORK. YEAH, WE HAVE STAFF REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS. ITEM 10A IS THE CITIZENS ACADEMY. MR. FRANKLIN. YES, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS. HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE ARE READY TO KICK OFF YEAR TWO OF THE CITIZENS ACADEMY. AND WE'RE GOING TO RUN THROUGH THE SAME AGENDA WE'LL HAVE STARTING MARCH 25TH. WE'LL HAVE GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CITY. AND MAYOR, IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE, WELCOMING MARKS BY THE MAYOR.

UH, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1ST, EXAMINING SAFETY AND SECURITY IN THE CITY, THAT'S GOING TO OUR POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS, AND UH.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8TH WILL BE UNDERSTANDING THE INNER WORKINGS OF UTILITIES AND PUBLIC WORKS.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15TH, WILL BE

[02:10:01]

OPENING APPLICATIONS STARTING TOMORROW. I AM 100% A-OK WITH THAT. YEAH, YES, THAT'S BEEN A REAL GOOD THING. I REQUESTED BEFORE A COUPLE OF TIMES THAT WE TAKE THE DOCUMENTS THAT ARE PRODUCED AND SOME BULLET POINTS AND PRODUCE SOMETHING ONLINE FOR A CITY GOVERNMENT, ONE-ON-ONE. WE CAN CONSTANTLY GET ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OUTLET MALL. WE GET QUESTIONS AT YOU, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WE DO, WHAT THE CITY AND HOW IT OPERATES. THEY STILL THINK THE MAYOR RUNS THE CITY IN SOME CASES. SO I JUST REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT AVAILABLE FOR NEWCOMERS AND FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DIRECT PEOPLE TO THAT KIND OF A DOCUMENT.

AND THIS WOULD COVER IT IF WE HAD SUMMATIONS OF THOSE PRESENTATIONS.

SOMETHING I'M HAPPY TO WORK ON. GREAT. GREAT SUGGESTION. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU WANT OUR APPROVAL? I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE SCHEDULE AND MOVE FORWARD WITH IT. SECOND. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. ON TO ITEM 10B, UPDATE OF 650 RIBERIA STREET LEASE STABLES AND COUNTRY CARRIAGES AGREEMENT. MR. SACKRED. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR. COMMISSIONERS, COREY SACKRED, DIRECTOR OF GENERAL SERVICES. TONIGHT, I'M HERE TO GIVE COMMISSIONERS AN UPDATE ON THE 650 RIBERIA STREET STABLES AND THE COUNTRY CARRIAGES AGREEMENTS. SO IN OCTOBER, I WAS IN FRONT OF THE COMMISSION TO BRIEF YOU ON OUR TRANSFER STATION, OUR ONE-ACRE FACILITY. AND THEN I ALSO BRIEFED YOU ALL ON THE LEASE AGREEMENTS AND OUR FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS.

TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION WILL INCLUDE SOME PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE AND OBSERVATIONS WE MADE WITH INSPECTIONS AT THAT LOCATION AND THE REPAIRS THERE.

I'M ALSO GOING TO GO OVER THE STRANGLES OUTBREAK, THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES, AND COUNTRY CARRIAGES AGREEMENTS AND COMPLIANCE. SO, HERE IN NOVEMBER OF 2024. NOVEMBER 18TH, STAFF REQUESTED A WALKTHROUGH OF THE TRANSFER STATION AND 650 RIBERIA STREET FROM ST.

JOHN'S SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AGRICULTURE DEPUTIES. NOW, THIS WAS A FOLLOW-UP INSPECTION TO ONE THAT WE ACTUALLY HAD ON NOVEMBER 4TH. AND DOWN HERE IN MY PRESENTATION, I NOTICED IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OFF.

BECAUSE WHEN WE WERE THERE ON NOVEMBER 4TH, YOU KNOW, OUR STAFF WAS REALLY GREAT. WE CAN IDENTIFY ISSUES WITH BUILDINGS AND REPAIRS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

BUT WHEN WE WERE THERE, WE REALIZED WE NEEDED SOME ASSISTANCE. AND THAT'S WHEN WE REACHED OUT TO SHIT. ST. JOHN SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE DEPUTIES WERE, THREE DEPUTIES CAME OUT AND THEY WALKED THE TOUR WITH US ON NOVEMBER 18TH. ON NOVEMBER 4TH, WE ACTUALLY PROVIDED A PUNCH LIST OF ITEMS TO COUNTRY CARRIAGES, AND THEY STARTED WORKING ON THOSE. BUT WE CAME OVER AFTER THAT EVENT, WE WENT THREE MORE TIMES TO LOOK AT THOSE PUNCH LIST ITEMS. SO WHEN THE DEPUTIES WERE THERE, YOU KNOW, WE WERE LOOKING FOR THEM TO ASSIST ON THINGS WITH MAINTENANCE. OPERATIONAL GUIDANCE AND INSIGHT FOR ALL OF OUR LEASED FACILITIES, WHETHER IT BE AT THE TRANSFER STATION OR AT THE ONE ACRE FACILITY.

DEPUTIES DID MENTION THE CONDITION OF THE HORSES AT 650, RIBERIA WERE WELL CARED FOR, HEALTHY, AND THEY WERE RECEIVING ADEQUATE TURNOUT.

AND WHAT THAT MEANT WAS IS THAT THE DEPUTIES WERE LIKE, WELL, THIS IS FOR A ONE ACRE FACILITY, 20 HORSES IS A LOT. BUT THEY NOTED THAT THE HORSES WERE GETTING GREAT TURNOUT AND GETTING THE EXERCISE BY GOING BACK AND FORTH TO THE BAYFRONT, BACK AND FORTH TO THE BAYFRONT. AND THEN BACK DOING TOURS. AND AGAIN, I MENTIONED THE PUNCH LIST OF ITEMS. SO A YEAR LATER, WE THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT IDEA TO CONTINUE TO COME OUT AND DO AN ANNUAL INSPECTION AT THAT FACILITY. SO THIS YEAR, WE REACHED OUT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA'S DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SCIENCES, AND THAT INSPECTION OCCURRED ON OCTOBER 16, 2025.

FROM THERE, THEIR OBSERVATIONS ALSO CONFIRMED THE HORSES HERE WERE WELL CARED FOR, FOUND IN. GOOD CONDITION,

[02:15:02]

SO I PROVIDED THE COMMISSIONERS WITH A COUPLE OF MAPS. ONE'S A TOPOGRAPHIC MAP, AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS AN AERIAL VIEW.

AND IT MIGHT SEEM A LITTLE COUNTERINTUITIVE, BUT I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO FLIP THE AERIAL VIEW UPSIDE DOWN AND THEN PUT IT SIDE BY SIDE WITH YOUR TOPOGRAPHIC VIEW.

AND I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF REFERENCE POINTS. SO RIGHT THERE, I DO TWO RED CIRCLES THERE, AND BASICALLY THAT'S THE TOP OF HAILING PARK, AND YOU CAN SEE THE SIDEWALKS THERE, AND THAT ORIENTATES THE MAP RIGHT THERE FOR YOU. AND WHAT IT SHOWS IS, AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO SHOW IS, IS THAT I DO BELIEVE COUNTRY CARRIAGES HAS ADDRESSED SOME OF THE STANDING WATER ISSUES, BUT AS WE ALL KNOW, WE'RE IN A DROUGHT SITUATION RIGHT NOW, AND WE HAVEN'T HAD THE NORMAL RAINFALL WE'VE HAD.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DATES OF THESE TWO MAPS, SO THE TOPOGRAPHIC MAP WE WENT OUT WITH, I WENT OUT WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR AND WE WALKED AROUND WITH THAT MAP.

AND THEN THE AERIAL, WE WALKED AROUND THAT WHOLE AREA THAT YOU SEE OUTLINED IN RED, IN RED BOXES, RED RECTANGULAR BOXES. AND WHAT WE NOTICED IS, IS THAT THAT'S THE HIGHEST SPOT WHERE I DREW THE CIRCLES AND THAT ALL DRAINS DOWN. BUT THE TOPOGRAPHIC MAP SHOWS THE PASTURE OR THE PENS HERE AND HERE. ARE AT THE SEVEN FOOT LEVEL.

THEY'RE AT SEVEN FEET ABOVE.

AND WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU CAN SEE THE DARK AREAS THERE WHERE THERE WAS A RECENT RAINFALL.

SO YOU SEE, THAT'S WHERE WATER PUDDLES THERE. LIKE I SAID, I DO BELIEVE COUNTRY CARRIAGES HAS MADE AN EFFORT TO RENOVATE THAT AREA. THEY FIXED SOME OF THE FENCES. THEY REMOVED THE MANURE.

BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT FURTHER DOWN THE THE ROAD THAT THIS WILL BE CONTINUING. PROJECT, I'M SURE. WITH THAT, THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS AND I WALKED AROUND AND WE NOTICED. SEE ON THE TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP, AS I'M DRAWING THE LINE RIGHT HERE, THAT IS A DITCH, A MAINTENANCE, A DITCH THAT NEEDED SOME HEAVY MAINTENANCE.

AND THE HEAVY MAINTENANCE WAS JUST REMOVING A LOT OF OVERGROWN SHRUBS AND STUFF.

AND OUR DETERMINATION WAS, IS CLEAR, THAT OUT. THE DITCH SEEMED TO LOOK LIKE IT WAS WORKING BECAUSE COMMISSION ASKED US. ASK STAFF TO SEE WHAT WE COULD DO TO ASSIST COUNTRY CARRIAGES WITH WATER DRAIN OFF. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE, AND WE'RE SITTING MONITORING THE SITUATION NOW. ADDITIONALLY, AT TWO DIFFERENT TIMES, WE DECIDED TO GO A STEP FURTHER AND HAVE BUILDING AND CODE ENFORCEMENT COME OUT. AND JUST TAKE A LOOK, BECAUSE, OF COURSE, THIS IS A CITY PROPERTY. ON DECEMBER 15TH, MYSELF AND THE BUILDING INSPECTOR WENT OUT AND WE WALKED THE FACILITY.

BUT HE WANTED TO COME BACK A SECOND TIME BECAUSE HE IDENTIFIED A COUPLE POTENTIAL ISSUES WITH ELECTRICITY. AND THEN WE BROUGHT OUT SOMEONE MORE EXPERIENCED WITH THE ELECTRICAL WORK. AND WE IDENTIFIED THESE FIVE AREAS HERE. SO THE BUILDING INSPECTOR WENT AHEAD AND CREATED A LETTER OF ACTION ITEMS TO FIX, BUT HE HAS TO PRESENT THAT TO THE OWNER, AND THAT WOULD BE THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE. IT'S AT THIS SAME TIME WHEN HE HANDED ME THE LETTER, I WAS GOING TO DEVELOP A LETTER TO COUNTRY CARRIAGES.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR LEASE AGREEMENT, TO CARRY OUT THE REPAIRS OF 15 DAYS. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THEN THE FACILITY GOT QUARANTINED.

IT WAS INITIATED AT THE STABLES BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL SERVICES, AND THEY ACTUALLY REQUESTED THAT WE LIMITED STAFF OR CONTRACTORS COMING ON BOARD. YOU KNOW, THE IDEA OF V&S IS IT'S CALLED QUARANTINE FOR A REASON. KEEP AS MANY PEOPLE OFF OF THE PROPERTY AS POSSIBLE.

SO I WORKED WITH A BUILDING OFFICIAL TO HOLD THAT LETTER IN ABEYANCE UNTIL THE QUARANTINE IS LIFTED.

BUT AS A COURTESY TO COUNTRY CARRIAGES, WE PROVIDED THEM A... WE PROVIDED THEM A COPY OF THE BUILDING INSPECTOR'S LETTER STATING THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO COME AND LOOK FOR THESE REPAIRS. FOLLOWING THE LIFT OF THE QUARANTINE.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU REFER TO YOUR MAP REAL FAST, I'LL NOTICE TWO AREAS THAT ARE

[02:20:01]

SO STRANGLES IS A HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS UPPER RESPIRATORY DISEASE. KIND OF THINK OF IT AS, OH MY GOSH, IT'S BEEN MENTIONED SO MANY TIMES AND IT'S ESCAPING ME NOW. THANK YOU, STREP THROAT IN HUMANS.

BUT IT'S HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS TO THE HORSES. POSITIVE CASES OF STRANGLES IN HORSES MUST BE A... MUST BE REPORTED TO THE STATE VETERINARIAN'S OFFICE. NOW, THE INCUBATION PERIOD IS REALLY UNIQUE ON THIS BECAUSE IT LASTS FROM TWO TO SIX DAYS, BUT IT MAY LAST UP TO 14 DAYS. AND THEN THE QUARANTINE PERIOD, THAT BEGINS WHEN THERE ARE NO OTHER, NO OTHER, I GUESS, SIGNS ARE SHOWN IN THE HORSE.

SO IT CAN TAKE UP TO 14 DAYS AND THEN 21 DAYS BEYOND THAT.

SO RIGHT NOW, FORTUNATELY, IT WAS NOT. NOT IDENTIFIED AT THE TRANSFER STATION AND QUARANTINE WAS NOT RECOMMENDED BY THE FDACS, BUT IT WAS IDENTIFIED AT THE 650 RIBERIA STREET STABLES AND A QUARANTINE WAS INITIATED.

SO, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE FDACS IS THE LEAD AGENCY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DETECTION, CONTROL, QUARANTINE, AND MANAGEMENT OF REPORTABLE AND CONTAGIOUS HORSE DISEASES. ON JANUARY 13TH, THE CITY WAS NOTIFIED OF THE STRANGLES OUTBREAK BY COUNTRY CARRIAGES. FDA CS INITIATED THE QUARANTINE JANUARY 8TH WITH 21 HORSES ON PREMISES. I CAN SAY THAT FDA CS IS CONDUCTING WEEKLY CHECKUP VISITS AND STAFF ATTENDS THOSE. NOW WHEN I SAY WEEKLY, IT IS CALENDAR WEEK.

THEIR SCHEDULE CHANGES, SO IT'S NOT LIKE EVERY FRIDAY. SO FDACS AUTHORIZED THE RELEASE OF QUARANTINE FROM FOUR HORSES THAT COMPLETED TESTING PROTOCOLS. AND THESE HORSES WERE WARNED NOT TO RETURN TO THE FACILITY AND TO BE TAKEN ELSEWHERE AFTER THEY COMPLETED THEIR TESTING.

FDACS ALSO AUTHORIZED THE RELEASE OF TWO ADDITIONAL HORSES. AS YOU HEARD THIS EVENING, THOSE TWO HORSE FATALITIES WERE IDENTIFIED. ONE BEING RECOMMENDED BY EUTHANASIA BY THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.

WE'RE CURRENTLY MONITORING THE HEALTH OF 15 HORSES STILL LOCATED AT THE QUARANTINE FACILITY, AND THE FDACS STILL NOTES EVERY WEEK THAT COUNTRY CARRIAGES, THE LEASEHOLDER, IS MAINTAINING COMPLIANCE WITH THE QUARANTINE PROTOCOLS.

THE GOOD NEWS IS IN THIS IS THAT ON FEBRUARY 11TH, THAT VISIT MARKED THE BEGINNING OF THE 21-DAY QUARANTINE PERIOD, AND THEN WE LOOK TO BE OUT OF IT ON MARCH 3RD.

WITH NINE DAYS LEFT. SO, OUR CURRENT AGREEMENTS AND COMPLIANCE. SO RIGHT NOW, OUR LEASE AGREEMENT IS SET TO EXPIRE WITH COUNTRY CARRIAGES FOR THE ONE ACRE FACILITY.

IT'S SET TO EXPIRE SEPTEMBER 30TH OF THIS YEAR AT MIDNIGHT. AND THE LEASEE SHALL HAVE THE OPTION TO RENEW THIS AGREEMENT FOR ONE ADDITIONAL FIVE-YEAR PERIOD, CONTINGENT UPON ADHERENCE TO THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT. THE FRANCHISE ALSO THANK YOU. IS DUE TO EXPIRE AT THE SAME DATE.

AND ON THIS ONE, SECTION C, EITHER PARTY TO THIS FRANCHISE MAY TERMINATE THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT AT THE END OF THE INITIAL TERM OR ANY RENEWAL TERM BY GIVING THE APPROPRIATE ADVANCE WRITTEN NOTICE. IN THIS CASE, IT WOULD BE SIX MONTHS PRIOR.

SO, HERE ARE SOME OF THE DOCUMENTED COMPLIANCE ACTIONS THAT THE CITY HAS TAKEN, ISSUING VIOLATION LETTERS OR ASKING FOR SOME TYPE OF COMPLIANCE FROM OUR TOUR OPERATOR. THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS.

COMMISSIONERS, QUESTIONS? YEAH, I DO HAVE ONE.

ON THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT, IT SAYS... SIX MONTHS PRIOR TO THE END OF THE INITIAL TERM, OR THREE MONTHS PRIOR TO THE END OF A RENEWAL TERM.

IS THIS A RENEWAL TERM? NO, THIS WILL BE THE INITIAL TERM.

THE NEXT ONE WOULD BE THE RENEWAL TERM. CORRECT. OF COURSE, THAT MAKES SENSE.

OKAY, THE MATH. OKAY, THANK YOU. SOME QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? YEAH, QUESTIONS ARE APPROPRIATE NOW. CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE AERIAL FOR ME? PLEASE. AND I GUESS THAT SIDE BY SIDE WOULD BE HELPFUL, ACTUALLY, OF THE TOPOGRAPHIC MAP IN THE AREA. SO I KNOW JUST ENOUGH ABOUT HYDROLOGY

[02:25:05]

THAT HAYLING PARK IS A CAPPED LANDFILL, SO IT HAS A CEMENT CAP OVER THE ENTIRE LANDFILL WITH...

MODERATE AMOUNT OF TOPSOIL, WHICH IS WHY THE TREES CAN'T REALLY GET WELL ESTABLISHED, BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PLACE FOR THE ROOTS TO GROW. SO IN THINKING ABOUT RAINFALL, IT'S NOT GETTING PERCOLATED IN THROUGH THE GROUND LIKE ANY OTHER OPEN AREA WOULD BE. IT'S RUNNING DIRECTLY OFF TO THE LOWEST LEVEL, WHICH WOULD BE THE THE SITE OF THE HORSE STABLES. AND THAT WOULD EXPLAIN NOT ONLY PARTLY THE LOW TOPOGRAPHIC ELEVATION OF THE STABLES HAVING A WATER ISSUE, BUT ALSO THE INCREASED RUNOFF FROM THE ADJACENT HIGHER ELEVATION PARK. WITHOUT THE PERCOLATION. I DON'T THINK THAT'S A GREAT PLACE FOR A HORSE STABLE. GIVEN THOSE TWO PARAMETERS, IT'S GOING TO FLOOD. AND LIKE YOU SAID, WE'RE IN A SEVERE DROUGHT, AND ACTUALLY A REALLY SEVERE DROUGHT. AND SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING OUT THERE RIGHT NOW ISN'T INDICATIVE OF A NORMAL CONDITION. I THINK THAT WE CAN EXPECT TO SEE CONTINUED FLOODING IN THAT AREA. AND PROBABLY NOT A WHOLE LOT OF REMEDY FOR IT, NO MATTER WHAT COUNTRY CARRIAGES DOES, OR WHAT WE DO FOR IT. IT'S JUST NOT A GOOD PLACE TO PUT CERTAIN... USES.

THAT'S NOT A QUESTION, IT'S A STATEMENT. SO YOU'RE, AND THEN THE QUESTION I HAVE, THOUGH, IS THAT YOUR PUNCH LIST OF ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE ON THAT SITE INCLUDES THINGS THAT, TO ME, AS A FORMER VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER, ARE VERY CONCERNING. AND THAT'S A LONG TIME AGO THAT I DID THAT. BUT I'M STILL CONCERNED ABOUT THINGS LIKE SEEING EXTENSION CORDS BEING USED AS A PERMANENT POWER SOURCE. I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT A BROKEN CONDUIT ON THE BARN. I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT A SWITCH BOX. ANY OF THOSE COULD CAUSE A BARN FIRE.

AND SO ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE HORSE'S WELL-BEING, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS A HIGH RISK. AND I DON'T, AGAIN, I KNOW LESS ABOUT ELECTRICITY THAN I DO ABOUT HYDROLOGY, BUT THAT REALLY CONCERNS ME.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE GOING IN AND OUT ISN'T A GOOD IDEA DURING A QUARANTINE, BUT IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE HAS TO BE SOME VERY FAST REMEDY ON THAT IF IT HASN'T BEEN DONE ALREADY. DO YOU HAVE A, CAN YOU HELP ME WITH THAT? I CAN SAY THAT I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH COUNTRY CARRIAGES AND THEY'VE SAID THEY'VE ALREADY HAD AN ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR OUT, BUT I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY REPAIRS MADE TO THOSE ITEMS. OKAY, THAT'S A PROBLEM FOR ME. THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE, IN MY OPINION. ALL RIGHT, QUESTIONS, OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE ON? OKAY, READY TO MOVE ON? WELL, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, LOOKING AT THIS. THIS SITE PICTURE THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED FOR US. IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THERE'S ANY GRASS ON THIS PROPERTY. IS THAT ACCURATE? I WOULD SAY IN THE PENS, THAT WOULD BE ACCURATE. OKAY.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. OH, I'M SORRY. WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS IT, THOUGH, RIGHT? WE JUST HAVE QUESTIONS. I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GO ON TO THE NEXT PHASE. AM I RIGHT? AGREEMENTS AND COMPLIANCE. I CAN GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE, MA'AM. I HAVE AGREEMENTS AND COMPLIANCE AND THEN DOCUMENTED COMPLIANCE AND VIOLATION LETTERS. YEAH, WE HAVE THAT.

WE HAVEN'T GONE OVER THAT.

SURE. SO THE AGREEMENTS AND COMPLIANCE. THE NEXT PAGE AFTER THAT. THAT ONE. YES, MA'AM. SO HERE IS WHEN WE BEGAN OUR GENERAL SERVICES STAFF, WHEN WE HAD A RATHER LARGE TURNOVER. WE STARTED INITIATING A REVIEW OF A LOT OF OUR LEASE AGREEMENTS IN AND AROUND THE CITY. AND OF COURSE, THAT WORKED OUT WITH BOTH THE TRANSFER STATION AND THE ONE ACRE FACILITY. WE REALIZED THAT WE DID NOT, AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE OCCURRENCE, WE NEVER REALLY HAD A REAL INSPECTION AT THAT SITE. AND US AS CARETAKERS, WE NEED TO BE IN OUR LEASED BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES TO SEE IF... OUR LEASEHOLDERS ARE MAINTAINING THEM. AND THIS IS THE EXAMPLE

[02:30:01]

YES, THERE ARE. TEN OF THOSE ARE WITH COUNTRY CARRIAGE? THAT IS CORRECT. AND THERE'S THREE OTHER INDEPENDENT ONES, AND THEN ONE PERSON HAS TWO? THAT IS CORRECT.

AT THE TRANSFER STATION, THERE ARE A TOTAL OF FIVE MEDALLIONS. ONE OPERATOR HAS TWO MEDALLIONS, AND THEN THREE OPERATORS HAVE A SINGLE MEDALLION. THREE INDIVIDUALS, AND THEN THE LION SHARES EXCLUSIVELY WITH COUNTRY CARRIAGES. THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS BEGINNING WITH THIS YEAR. I MEAN, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF VIOLATIONS LAST YEAR, A LOT MORE THE YEAR BEFORE.

CODE ENFORCEMENT VIOLATION, JANUARY 13TH. WHAT WAS THAT FOR? SO THAT IS THE CODE ENFORCEMENT VIOLATION THAT I SAID THAT RIGHT NOW WAS HELD IN ABEYANCE BY THE BUILDING INSPECTOR.

BECAUSE THE FACILITY IS UNDER QUARANTINE UNTIL AT LEAST MARCH 3RD. THAT LETTER WILL GO OUT TO THEM OFFICIALLY ONCE THAT QUARANTINE IS LIFTED BY THE FDACS, AND THEN THEY WILL HAVE TWO WEEKS TO COMPLY WITH THOSE FIVE ACTION ITEMS ON THAT LETTER. NOW, THE CITY HAS 30 DAYS TO COMPLY WITH IT, BUT WE WERE JUST HOLDING TIGHT TO OUR LEASE AGREEMENT WITH COUNTRY CARRIAGES. THAT SAYS CORRECTIVE ACTIONS WILL BE MADE IN 15 DAYS. OKAY, WELL, LET'S JUST GO BACK THEN, TO 2025. LET'S SEE, FEBRUARY 6TH, THE YEAR BEFORE THAT, CARRIAGE ROUTE VIOLATION.

YES, SO. A CARRIAGE WAS NOTICED FOLLOWING A TROLLEY RIGHT THROUGH THE FRONT OF THE CITY HALL BUILDING. AND WE WENT AHEAD AND FORWARDED A VIOLATIONS LETTER AND THEY CORRECTED THEIR ROUTES. THEY INFORMED THEIR DRIVERS AND CORRECTED THEIR ROUTES. AND NUMEROUS TIMES, I SEE FOLLOW-UPS REPEATED IN 2024, REPEATED FOLLOW-UPS TO INSPECTION VIOLATIONS. SO IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE YOU HAD NOVEMBER 4TH OF 2024, YOU HAD AN INSPECTION, AND THEN YOU HAD ONE, TWO, NOVEMBER, AND TWICE. CORRECT.

THAT WAS THE NOVEMBER 4TH, THE INITIAL NOVEMBER 4TH INSPECTION THAT CITY STAFF DID.

AND THEN WHEN WE WERE THERE, THE NOVEMBER 4TH, WE REALIZED THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT, WHY NOT REACH OUT TO SOMEONE WHO HAS EQUINE EXPERIENCE AND WOULD HELP US DEVELOP BETTER THINGS TO LOOK AT. SO WE BROUGHT THEM OUT. AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE HAD THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME PUNCH LIST. THEY ADDED A COUPLE OF ITEMS, THE AG OFFICERS, BUT WE WENT AHEAD AND HAD THREE SUBSEQUENT FOLLOW UP INSPECTIONS TO OUR INITIAL ON NOVEMBER 4TH. OKAY. AND HOW HAS THE TREATMENT AND COMPLIANCE BEEN AT THE TRANSFER STATION? I SEE YOU HAVE HORSES LEFT OVERNIGHT GOING BACK TO 2015, AND THEN STORAGE OF A TRAILER AT THE TRANSFER STATION IN 2024. YES, THAT'S WHAT...

STABLING OF HORSES AT THE TRANSFER IN 2024.

STABLING OF HORSES AT THE TRANSFER STATION? YES.

YES, THE OPERATOR TOOK THEIR HORSES FROM THE ONE-ACRE FACILITY AND THEN WENT AHEAD AND PLACED THEM IN OUR TRANSFER STATION. SO THAT WAS DURING THE HURRICANE. OKAY.

BECAUSE IT WAS FLOODED. WELL, WE DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY FLOODING IN THAT AREA DURING THE HURRICANE. BUT, YOU KNOW, ACCORDING TO THE CONTRACT AMENDMENT, THE OPERATOR WAS ASSIGNED A YEAR BEFORE, IN 2023, THAT THEY WERE REQUIRED TO, YOU KNOW, EVACUATE THE HORSES DURING TIME OF INCLEMENT.

YEAH. SO THE HORSES WERE NOT EVACUATED DURING THE HURRICANE IN THE FLOODING AREA? THAT'S CORRECT. AND THAT LETTER WAS SIGNED, WELL, SEVERAL OF THE LETTERS YOU SEE THERE, WHEN IT COMES TO THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT, PLAN AGREEMENT, THOSE WERE AUTHORED. YOU KNOW, WE GOT THOSE OUT OF FINANCE.

AND THEN ACTUALLY, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE CITY MANAGER, WE SENT OUT THAT LETTER, LEAVING HORSES DURING HURRICANE MILTON. WELL, YOU HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF NONCOMPLIANCE HERE AND VIOLATIONS. MORE SO THAN I WOULD SAY ANY OTHER LEASEHOLDER

[02:35:01]

TO THE TERMS OF THAT AGREEMENT. AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE FRANCHISE, EITHER PARTY TO THIS FRANCHISE MAY TERMINATE THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT AT THE END OF THE INITIAL TERM OR ANY RENEWAL TERM BY GIVING THE OTHER PARTY ADVANCE WRITTEN NOTICE TO TERMINATE. SUCH NOTIFICATION SHALL BE SIX MONTHS, IN THIS CASE FOR THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT.

OR, IF THEY WERE TO, IF NOT, IT WOULD. RE YOU KNOW IT WOULD, IT WOULD RENEW, WHEN IS THE NOTIFICATION FOR SIX MONTHS? IT WOULD BE MARCH 30TH BY MY ACCOUNT OF THIS YEAR, SO WE WOULD NEED TO NOTIFY IF WE INTENDED TO NOT RENEW EITHER. THAT WOULD BE CORRECT WITHOUT BY THE END OF MARCH. YES, MAYOR, WITHOUT.

WITHOUT THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT, THE LEASE AGREEMENT AUTOMATICALLY TERMINATES.

THAT'S THE VERY NEXT. THE WAY I'M READING IT IS YOU, THE WAY I'M READING IT, YOU CAN'T TERMINATE THE LEASE AGREEMENT. WE CAN'T, WE CAN, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT THE, EVEN WITH ALL OF THE AGREEMENT ISSUES, IT MIGHT JUST BE BEST TO SUNSET. YOU KNOW, THE COMMISSION DECIDES EITHER TO CONTINUE OR NOT TO CONTINUE THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT.

CORRECT. IT WOULD SUNSET.

OKAY. SO WE WOULD, WE WOULD REMOVE THE 10 MEDALLIONS FROM COUNTRY.

CARRIAGES. YES. AND LET THEM KNOW THAT IN MARCH. THEY WOULD HAVE UNTIL SEPTEMBER 30TH.

THAT'S CORRECT.

TO CONTINUE THEIR BUSINESS.

AFTER THAT POINT, THERE WOULD BE 10 MEDALLIONS AVAILABLE OF THE 15 THAT WE COULD REASSIGN AND THEY COULD APPLY FOR. THAT WOULD BE CORRECT. OKAY. AND IT WOULD AUTOMATICALLY TERMINATE THE LEASE. CORRECT. YES, I UNDERSTAND. YEAH. THAT'S OKAY.

JUST TO BE CLEAR, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO REISSUE ALL THE 10 MEDALLIONS, RIGHT? I UNDERSTAND. YEAH, I UNDERSTAND. I THINK THAT'S ALMOST A SEPARATE DECISION.

MR. SACRID, COULD YOU PUT AN ESTIMATE ON THE NUMBER OF STAFF HOURS THAT HAVE BEEN DEVOTED TO INSPECTIONS, FOLLOW-UPS, THAT SORT OF THING? BECAUSE IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF STAFF TIME. MA'AM, I WOULDN'T HAVE A TOTAL NUMBER ON THAT, BUT I WOULD SAY IT'S CONSIDERABLY MORE THAN ANY OTHER LEASE AGREEMENT THAT WE MAINTAIN WITH THE CITY. SO IT'S COSTING THE CITY MONEY? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. THANK YOU. MADAM MAYOR, CAN I MAKE A PROPOSAL THAT STAFF BRING US THIS ITEM FOR A DECISION ON THE LEASE AGREEMENT, THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT AT OUR FIRST MARCH MEETING? DID I SAY THAT, RIGHT? YEAH.

WE COULD CERTAINLY BRING THAT BACK TO YOU ON THE FIRST MEETING IN MARCH. AND JUST SO I...

UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR, THIS WOULD BE A DECISION WHETHER TO RENEW THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT. YES, THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT. YEAH, A DECISION WHETHER TO RENEW THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT IN TIME TO OFFER A TERMINATION LATER, IF THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD, WHETHER WE CHOOSE THAT OR NOT.

OKAY. CAN I COME IN? GIVEN THE TIMELINE, I MEAN, I WOULD BE WILLING TO MAKE A MOTION JUST TO DISSOLVE. HAVE THE LAWYER, HAVE OUR STAFF WRITE UP PAPERS TO JUST DISSOLVE IT, AND THEN, THEREFORE, WE'RE ONE STEP CLOSER. WE HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT SOMETHING, AN ACTION ITEM, INSTEAD OF BRINGING IT BACK AND TALKING ABOUT IT. EITHER WAY, WHICHEVER WAY THE COMMISSIONERS WANT. I THINK WE'RE GOING IN THE SAME DIRECTION. IT'S JUST MORE OF A PROCEDURAL. I THINK THAT I'M VERY COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING.

LET'S JUST RUN IT BY THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS AND SEE. SUPPORT OF THEM IN MOVING FORWARD? I AM, TOO.

SOONER, THE BETTER? I AM, TOO.

OKAY, SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO HAVE STAFF PREPARE PAPERS TO DISSOLVE THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT. I'M SORRY. I THINK IT WOULD BE A LETTER OF INTENT TO TERMINATE. YES, LETTER, OKAY. IS THAT CORRECT? PERHAPS THE CITY ATTORNEY CAN HELP YOU.

HELP ME WITH THE LANGUAGE. RIGHT, SO YOU WANT TO BRING... YOU DON'T WANT TO DECIDE TONIGHT.

YOU'RE ASKING TO DECIDE

[02:40:02]

IT'S AN OPTIONAL RENEWAL AT THAT POINT AND SEND A NOTICE.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE INSTRUCTING ME TO DO? YEAH, INSTEAD OF WAITING. MY SENSE IS THAT THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE.

MY PERSONAL OPINION IS NOTHING ABOUT THEM. THE LIST OF VIOLATIONS ARE HIGH. WE'RE HEARING FROM OUR STAFF THAT THIS HAS BEEN DIFFICULT, AND A LOT OF THIS STUFF WAS NOT THERE UNTIL IT WAS CALLED TO OUR ATTENTION. BUT ALSO, REALLY, HONESTLY, AS A BUSINESS PERSON, I JUST THINK THAT ONE PERSON HAVING TWO-THIRDS OF THE MEDALLIONS IS NOT A PARTICULARLY HEALTHY SITUATION. IT'S NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY. AND I THINK IT MIGHT NOT EVEN BE IN THE BEST INDUSTRY OF THE INDUSTRY ITSELF. SO THAT'S MY REASON FOR IT. COULD I JUST ADD? SURE. TO BE CLEAR, I THINK WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS A TERMINATION OF THE LEASE AGREEMENT. ALL 10 MEDALLIONS. FRANCHISE.

FRANCHISE, SORRY. SORRY. THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME CLARIFY.

YOU UNDERSTAND. I DO. I'M JUST, I THINK THERE'S A MOTION FOR ME TO GO AHEAD AND GIVE THE...

FRANCHISE HOLDER NOTIFICATION PER THE FRANCHISE THAT THE CITY IS CHOOSING NOT TO RENEW THE FRANCHISE. YES, AND I'D LIKE TO SECOND THAT MOTION. OKAY.

COMMISSIONERS, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MATTER? NO.

NO. ALL RIGHT. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. JOHN PRATER? YES. ROBERT BLONDER? YES. CYNTHIA GARRIS? YES. JIM SPRINGFIELD? YES. NANCY SYKES? FINE. YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, WE HAVE ONE MORE ITEM BY, NO, WE DON'T, DO WE? YES, WE DO HAVE ONE MORE ITEM TO GO FORWARD, MR. CITY MANAGER. NO, WE DON'T. WE HAVE

[12. ITEMS BY CITY CLERK]

[13. ITEMS BY CITY MANAGER]

WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. OKAY.

AND NOW WE ARE TO ITEMS BY CITY MANAGER. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND COMMISSIONERS, THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAS NOTIFIED THE CITY, AND THEY DID SO ON FRIDAY, THAT THEY INTEND TO PLACE A COMMEMORATIVE STATUE HONORING FREDERICK DOUGLASS IN THE PLAZA DE LA CONSTITUCIÓN. THEY INTEND TO DO THIS MOST LIKELY TOMORROW, FOR A PRESS CONFERENCE RIBBON-CUTTING ON WEDNESDAY WITH THE GOVERNOR. THE STATUE DEPICTS MR. FREDERICK DOUGLASS, WHO WAS AN ABOLITIONIST WHO DID VISIT ST. AUGUSTINE AND MADE A SPEECH IN ST. AUGUSTINE IN 1889, ADVOCATING FOR CIVIL RIGHTS.

AND IT IS A STATUE DEPICTING THE MAN SITTING ON A BENCH.

THE STATE IS PLACING THIS STATUE SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO THE PUBLIC MARKET IN THE PLAZA. WE HAVE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE STATE SINCE THEY INFORMED US ON FRIDAY, AND WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE STATUE AND ITS IMPACT ON BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND OUR COMMITMENT FOR HONORING THE CIVIL RIGHTS ERA IN ST.

AUGUSTINE. I'M SORRY, I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE DETAILS TO SHARE WITH YOU. THIS WAS DONE QUICKLY BY THE STATE, AND IT'S PART OF AN OVERALL PROGRAM THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS FOR PLACING STATUES.

THROUGHOUT THE STATE, HISTORIC MARKERS AND STATUES.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO THIS EVENT, AND I WILL KEEP YOU INFORMED AS SOON AS I HAVE ANY UPDATES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE DO NEED TO, I THINK WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND APPROVE IT FOR THE PLAZA, ACCORDING TO POLICY. YES, THERE'S AN APPROVAL PROCESS. IT HAS TO GO TO HARB, AND IT HAS TO BE APPROVED BY... BY THE CITY COMMISSION. I WAS, IN MY MIND, IT WAS GOING TO GO

[02:45:03]

IT'S SUBVERTED ALL OF OUR PROCEDURES, OUR CODES.

I'M THRILLED THAT IT'S FREDERICK DOUGLASS. THAT'S GREAT. IF IT WERE, I LOVE THE SIMPSONS, BUT IF IT WERE BART SIMPSON, WOULD I FEEL THE SAME WAY? THAT WE JUST GET A STATUE? WE'RE TOLD THAT THERE'S A STATUE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PUT IN THE PLAZA.

WITHOUT GOING THROUGH OUR PROCEDURES, I THINK WE WOULD ALL FEEL DIFFERENTLY ABOUT THAT. WE'RE A PROPERTY RIGHTS STATE, AND WE OWN THAT PROPERTY. I'M NOT A LEGAL SCHOLAR, BUT THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED A TAKING. I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE TO APPROVE THIS BECAUSE I THINK IT SHOULD.

AFTER THE FACT, FINE, LET'S GO THROUGH THE PROCESS. IT'S A DONE DEAL, ANYWAY. WOULD YOU VOTE FOR IT AFTER IT'S INSTALLED? ON IT, AFTER THE FACT, BUT NOT TONIGHT. POTENTIALLY, I WOULD LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER IT. THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING FOR. I'M DONE. MAY I? VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO APPROVE SOMETHING I HAVEN'T SEEN. I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S GOING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. I HAVE TO. THAT'S BASIC. THAT'S JUST BASIC. I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE IT. AGAIN, LIKE COMMISSIONER BLONDER SAID, IT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH WHETHER I LIKE IT OR NOT. IT'S JUST I'M BEING ASKED TO APPROVE SOMETHING I HAVEN'T SEEN. AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S GOING.

OKAY. SO IF YOU WANT TO RUN THE PROCESS AND BRING IT BACK TO US, I CAN ACTUALLY SEE. I MEAN, I DON'T EVEN HAVE TO SEE DRAWINGS OF IT.

APPARENTLY, IT'LL BE IN THE PARK. THAT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER. AND YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? SO GOOD. THE REVIEW SHOULD BE PRETTY EASY. SO I JUST LIKE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. YEAH, I'M LIKE BARBARA AND JOHN. IT'S A GREAT THING TO PUT THIS STATUE. I SAW TODAY A FILM OF DESANTIS ON FEBRUARY 6TH, ANNOUNCING HE WAS PUTTING FREDERICK DOUGLASS IN OUR PLAZA AT HIS SPEECH IN MIAMI. THE STATE HAD TO HAVE AN ARTIST DESIGN IT AND HAD TO HAVE SOMEBODY FORGE IT. AND WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR OUR STATUE FOR MR. HALING, DR. HALING. AND THAT WAS TWO YEARS AGO. THIS HAS BEEN PLANNED FOR YEARS AND WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED. HAVING THE STATE SET A PRECEDENT OF BEING ABLE TO PLACE ANYTHING THEY WANT ON OUR PROPERTY. I'M GOING TO LET OUT SOME OF MY POLITICAL, I'M NOT GOING TO GO BART, I'M GOING TO GO FOR REAL. WE COULD HAVE STATUES OF DONALD TRUMP IN PLACE OF THE LIONS AND BE FORCED TO RENAME THE BRIDGE OF LIONS, DONALD TRUMP BRIDGE. WE TRIED TO HAVE A PIECE OF ARTWORK DESIGNED. IT TOOK A YEAR TO DESIGN IT. IT TOOK A LOT OF... EFFORT FOR PUBLIC INPUT. WE'VE NOT GONE THROUGH ANY PUBLIC INPUT.

WE'VE GONE THROUGH AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF EFFORT TO REMOVE ONE MONUMENT. THAT MAY NOW BE ABLE TO BE PLACED BACK AT THE WHIM OF A GOVERNOR OR A WHIM OF A LEGISLATURE. AND I DON'T THINK THE PEOPLE IN ST.

AUGUSTINE WANT THAT TO HAPPEN. THE PLAZA IS PROBABLY THE CENTERPIECE.

OF OUR HISTORICAL DESIGN OF A CITY, IT IS SOMETHING THAT CITIES THAT WERE DESIGNED AT THAT TIME ALL HAD A PLAZA.

AND WE'VE TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF THAT PLAZA OVER THE LAST 416, WAS IT? WE HAVE 466 YEARS.

AND I'M JUST REALLY DISAPPOINTED. I FEEL LIKE SOMEONE IN TALLAHASSEE... IS GOING TO GET FIRED WHEN THE GOVERNOR HEARS THAT? WE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I HOPE SO, ANYWAY.

THAT WAS A LOT. I DON'T KNOW WHO BART SIMPSON IS. I'M SORRY, I'M WAY BEHIND THE TIMES. I'VE NEVER SEEN SYMPTOMS. I DON'T KNOW WHO THAT IS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

FINE. TELL ME WHO HE IS. HE LIVES IN SPRINGFIELD, BY THE WAY. I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T, I'VE NEVER SEEN THE SHOWS. CAN

[02:50:01]

IN THE PLAZA. AND WE REJECTED THAT. THEY WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS. WE CONSIDERED THESE, AND WE CONSIDERED THEM IN LIGHT OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE TO PROTECT WHAT THE PUBLIC TRUST IS ON THE CENTERPIECE OF THE CITY. SUBVERTING THAT PROCESS IS MY PROBLEM WITH IT, AND NOT EVEN GETTING AN OPPORTUNITY TO... TO WEIGH IN ON IT. NO, I AM OPPOSED TO THIS PROCESS. I AM OPPOSED TO THE ACTION. I'M NOT OPPOSED TO WHO IS BEING REMEMBERED, BEING REMEMBERED APPROPRIATELY AT ALL. FREDERICK DOUGLAS DESERVES THAT AND MORE.

BUT I AM, THIS RANKLES ON EVERY LEVEL. AS AN ELECTED PUBLIC OFFICIAL. I HAVE... I DON'T HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE A DECISION THAT REPRESENTS MY PEOPLE. I DO KNOW ALSO, AS WELL, THE STATE OWNS PROPERTY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE AND BY THE BRIDGE OF LIONS, THAT THEY COULD PLACE THIS STATUE AT A MORE APPROPRIATE STATE WITHOUT ANY... WILL WE STILL HAVE AUTHORITY TO DENY SOMETHING ON STATE PROPERTY? NOT IN THE WEST PLAZA. BUT WE DO ON THIS. I MEAN, THEY DID GO TO HAARP JUST FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH FOR THE WEST PLAZA. SO IF UFHSA WANTS TO PLACE... A MONUMENT? THEY HAVE GONE TO HARM IN THE PAST, SO PRESUMABLY THEY WOULD COOPERATE. I WOULD ASSUME, OKAY, BUT WE CAN DENY THIS TECHNICALLY, LEGALLY, LEGALLY. YES, WE DON'T HAVE AN APPLICATION YET. ACTUALLY, WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO WOULD BE IF ONE YOU WANT TO STOP IT, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IS STOP IT. AM I RIGHT, OR YOU JUST? I THINK I'M HEARING THEY'RE JUST FRUSTRATED WITH THE PROCESS, BUT NOT SO MUCH THIS PARTICULAR STATUE, I THINK, IS WHAT I'M HEARING. CAN I SPEAK? CAN I HAVE A CHANCE? I THINK COMMISSIONER GARRIS HAS SOMETHING TO SAY. I HEARD ABOUT THIS RECENTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT I RECEIVED FROM THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT THE FREDERICK DOUGLAS STATUE COMING. AND THERE BEING A PRESS RELEASE. AND THE GOVERNOR COMING ON WEDNESDAY.

NO, I'M NOT IN 100% AGREEMENT HOW WE WERE GIVEN SHORT NOTICE ABOUT IT. BUT IF HE IS MOVING WITH THE CONCEPT OF BLACK HISTORY, THAT'S PROBABLY WHY IT'S COMING THIS QUICKLY. IT WOULDN'T MAKE, IT COULDN'T JUSTIFY PUTTING A STATUE IN THE PLAZA IN MARCH, AND BLACK HISTORY ENDS IN A MATTER OF DAYS. I THINK THAT WHAT THEY PLAN ON DOING, I DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HAD ANY CONTACT WITH ANYBODY FROM THIS. STATE THAT THIS STATUE WOULD GO SOMEWHERE NEAR THE MARKET. AND THE REASON WHY I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE I THINK THE MARKET WAS MORE DETRIMENTAL TO MY PEOPLE THAN THE STATUE THAT THEY REMOVED FROM THE PLAZA. THERE ARE PICTURES THAT SHOW PEOPLE BEING SOLD ON THAT MARKET. SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, DURING THAT ERA OF TIME, FREDERICK DOUGLASS CAME HERE AND APPEALED FOR THOSE PEOPLE. AND SO THEM BRINGING THE STATUE IS SHOWING THAT THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF HEALING FOR THE SLAVES. SO I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE STATUE COMING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE STATUE IS GOING TO LOOK. IT'S ALL BRAND NEW.

BUT WE ARE CONSTANTLY ASKING MONEY FROM THE STATE. WE ARE CONSTANTLY ASKING THEM TO CONSIDER OUR REQUEST AS FAR AS THE TAXES, TO TURN AROUND AND IRRITATE. THE GOVERNOR, WHEN HE PLANS ON SHOWING UP HERE ON WEDNESDAY, IT'S NOT A GOOD MOVE FOR THE COMMISSION. SO THAT'S JUST MY THOUGHTS ON IT. BE

[02:55:02]

THANK YOU. I JUST HAVE TO JUMP RIGHT IN HERE. I HAVE TO JUMP RIGHT IN THERE WITH COMMISSIONER GARETH. I REALLY LOOK AT IT A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY THAN Y'ALL ARE LOOKING AT IT.

UNFORTUNATE THAT IT'S COMING SO FAST AND FURIOUS, BUT I HAVE TO AGREE WITH YOU. IT IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH, AND THIS IS THE YEAR OF THE 250TH IN ITS PART. I SPOKE WITH SECRETARY OF STATE CORDBERT ON FRIDAY, AND HE SAID THAT THIS WAS UNDER BLACK LEADERSHIP OF THE BLACK CAUCUS OF THE...

LEGISLATURE WANTED THIS STATUE.

THEY WANTED IT IN ST.

AUGUSTINE. THEY WANTED IT NEAR THE MARKET. AND THEY WANTED TO DO IT DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH. AND THEY WANTED TO DO IT FOR THE 250TH. AND THE GOVERNOR'S PUTTING STATUES ALL OVER THE STATE. SO WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE. THEY'RE NOT PICKING ON US. WHATEVER THEY'RE DOING UP THERE AT THE STATE, AND THEY'RE TAKING THEIR TIME AND THEN HURRYING UP AND DOING THINGS, IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'RE NOT INTENTIONALLY TRYING TO RUFFLE FEATHERS HERE. THEY ARE TRYING TO DO A GOOD THING. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY I WAS HONORED TO BE ABLE TO BE AT THE DEDICATION OF BOTH OF THE PRIOR MARKERS THAT WE HAVE.

FOR FREDERICK DOUGLASS, THE ONE THAT'S ON ST. GEORGE STREET, AND THE ONE THAT IS DOWN BY THE COLLECTOR. AND IT IS DEFINITELY PART OF OUR CIVIL RIGHTS. WE ARE EARLY CIVIL RIGHTS, VERY EARLY CIVIL RIGHTS. THE READING OF THE, WE THINK.

HISTORIANS THINK THAT THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION WAS READ HERE BEFORE IT WAS READ ANYWHERE ELSE. I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORY AROUND THIS, AND IT'S A VERY SPECIAL THING.

AND SO I'M LOOKING AT IT A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY. I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT. I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL THING, AND I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL GIFT. AND I ALSO DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE IT WRONG. I DON'T WANT TO TAKE IT WRONG. AND MAYBE THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE. I MEAN, I CAN TOTALLY SEE WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM. MAYBE WE JUST HAD THE REVIEW THAT WE JUST... NEEDED TO HAVE. I THINK WE WANT IT. I THINK IN THE END, WE'RE GOING TO WANT TO SAY YES, WE WANT IT. WE LIKE IT. IT'S SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF. I THINK IT'S SOMETHING I GUESS I HAVE SEEN THE BENEFIT. I HAVE THE BENEFIT OF HAVING SEEN IT AND IT, IT IS BEAUTIFUL. HOW ABOUT HOW ABOUT MAY I SUGGEST THIS THAT WE DON'T SAY ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, AND IT'S GOING TO BE IS THE GOVERNOR HIMSELF COMING WEDNESDAY? HE'S PLANNING ON IT, YES. OKAY, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE UNDERSTANDING. SO MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE, THERE ARE SOME LIKE REAL LIFE THINGS GOING ON HERE. SO MY SUGGESTION THAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT WHAT WE DO IS WE DON'T APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE RIGHT NOW. IT GOES IN AND THEN WE HAVE A DISCUSSION. IT WOULD BE AN AFTER THE FACT DISCUSSION. AND THEN WE CAN HAVE THAT DISCUSSION AND THEN WE CAN GO THROUGH HARV, AND THEN WE CAN GO THROUGH OURSELVES. BECAUSE WHAT'S TRUE ON THE ONE SIDE IS TRUE ON THE OTHER. I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GOING TO LIKE IT, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I'M NOT GOING TO LIKE IT. SO IF IT'S THERE, AT LEAST WE CAN HAVE A COMMENTARY.

BUT I THINK COMMISSIONER GARRIS BROUGHT UP SOME VERY GOOD POINTS. I THINK YOU DID.

AND I WOULD BE PREPARED TO JUST LET THE THING GO IN AND GO BACK TO WHAT I THINK WE WERE ORIGINALLY SUGGESTING, WHICH IS JUST TALK ABOUT IT AFTER WEDNESDAY. I'D LIKE THAT SUGGESTION, BUT I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT. WHEN THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED THIS ON FEBRUARY 6TH, HE DID NOT MENTION BLACK HISTORY MONTH. HE ONLY MENTIONED HE'S TRAVELING THE STATE, PUTTING IN 250 YEARS.

HE PUT IN MONROE COUNTY. HE PUT IN PRESIDENT MONROE'S STATUE, AND HE DID THAT IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. AND HE'S DOING SOME OTHER PERTINENT AMERICANS THAT WEREN'T NECESSARILY PRESIDENT.

IT'S A GOOD THING, BUT HE'S ALSO SETTING A PRECEDENT THAT I JUST DON'T LIKE. WELL, UNDERSTOOD. AND I DIDN'T TALK TO THE GOVERNOR. I JUST TALKED TO THE SECRETARY. AND HE SAID, LIKE HE SAID, IT WAS A MOVE SUPPORTED AND SUGGESTED BY THE BLACK CAUCUS OF THE LEGISLATURE. AND THEN HE WAS RESPONDING TO THAT. SO I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION, EXCEPT THAT THEY'LL BE HERE ON WEDNESDAY. WE DON'T HAVE A TIME AND TIME SET YET. AS FAR AS I KNOW, I JUST GOT A TEXT FROM THE SECRETARY THAT HE WILL BE HERE ON WEDNESDAY. IT'S EVIDENTLY THEY DON'T LIKE TO ANNOUNCE. THE SPECIFIC TIME IN ADVANCE FOR SECURITY REASONS. I DON'T BLAME THEM, YEAH. BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST GOING TO LOOK FORWARD TO A COURTESY AFTER THE FACT REVIEW. THAT'S

[14. ITEMS BY MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS]

ALL RIGHT,

[03:00:02]

LET'S START WITH COMMISSIONER GARRETT. THANK YOU FOR BEING SUPPORTIVE OF ME HAVING THE BLACK HISTORY DAY. A PROCLAMATION DONE TODAY, I KNOW THAT THE ANDERSONS WERE DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO PUT THAT UP IN THEIR ESTABLISHMENT, HONORING ZORA NEALE THURSTON, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THAT PARK AND WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING WITH THAT SPACE. AND JUST SEEING THAT SOMEBODY HAS TAKEN THE INITIATIVE TO HONOR HER IS A BLESSING FOR THE CITY BECAUSE SHE RESIDED IN THAT SPACE. ALSO, TO SEE DEMARIO DOUGLAS ACTUALLY WALK INTO THIS BUILDING TO ACCEPT HIS CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION, IT WAS AMAZING. AND ALSO THE YOUNG LADY THAT RECEIVED THE FLAG. THIS IS THE KIND OF THING, THESE KIND OF MOMENTS MAKE ME PROUD.

TO BE A COMMISSIONER, TO INSPIRE SOMEONE THAT THEY MATTER, TO SUPPORT SOMEBODY WHILE THEY'RE GOING THROUGH IT. AND I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT. THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE YOUNG PEOPLE BECAUSE I KNOW WE'VE HAD GREAT LEADERS, KING, DR. HALING, AND ALL OF THOSE, AND THAT'S REFLECTING ON THE PAST. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE SHOW HISTORY BEING MAKING NOW, SO THAT FUTURE GENERATIONS KNOW THAT THERE'S POTENTIAL THAT THEY CAN MAKE HISTORY AS WELL. THANK YOU. I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING. SIGNIFICANT TO TALK ABOUT. OKAY. I'VE SAID ENOUGH. I'M SORRY, I HAVEN'T. I WANTED TO THANK COMMISSIONER GARRIS FOR BRINGING, CALLING OUR ATTENTION TO THOSE WONDERFUL PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, HIGHLIGHTING THEM AND CELEBRATING THEM. SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. IT'S SO IMPORTANT. AND I AGREE WITH YOU. THAT'S THE BEST PART OF OUR JOB. COMMISSIONER DEPREETER, THANK YOU FOR ASKING, MS. BRIDENSTINE TO PUT TOGETHER THOSE DATA.

AT OUR LAST MEETING ABOUT THE DAILY IMPACTS OF NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, SO WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE NUMBERS TO PUT AROUND THAT. I THINK THAT'S ESSENTIAL INFORMATION. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU DOING THAT. I HAVE SOME PHOTOS THAT I TOOK LAST WEEK THAT I ASKED TO BE POSTED. THIS IS THE LAST THING I PROMISED ON THE SCREEN. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE OVER THE LAST WEEK IN THE FULLERWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD.

I LOOK AT COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD. HE KNOWS WHAT I MUST BE TALKING ABOUT.

WITH REGARD TO SOME LOT DEVELOPMENT. AND I DON'T KNOW IF, MARIN, OF COURSE, ALWAYS PROVIDES. SO THERE IS A LARGE OAK TREE AND A LOT CLEARING. AND THERE'S SOME OTHER ONES THAT ARE WITH THE OAK TREE IN IT. MAYBE THE, NO, THERE'S A FAR, BUT ANYWAY, THAT OAK TREE HAS BEEN LIMBED AND THERE HAS BEEN SOME SITE PREP DONE WHERE THE, A TRENCH WAS DUG RIGHT NEXT TO, FROM WHAT I COULD TELL, I DIDN'T GO ON THE PROPERTY AND TRESPASS, BUT IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS AWFULLY CLOSE TO THE ROOTS OF THE TREE, WHICH I THINK I'D LIKE TO SEE. A REVIEW OF OUR TREE ORDINANCE WITHIN THE CONDITIONS THAT THE STATE IMPOSES ON US IN ORDER TO STRENGTHEN OUR TREE ORDINANCE, GET SOME MORE QUANTIFIABLE.

WAYS OF MEASURING TREE CANOPY LOSS DUE TO TRIMMING, AS WELL AS SOME MAYBE MORE STRINGENT RULES ABOUT HOW CLOSE TO A TREE'S ROOTS DIGGING CAN HAPPEN. SO I'M LOOKING TO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS TO SEE WHETHER THERE IS ANY INTEREST IN PURSUING SOMETHING LIKE THAT. WELL, HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO SIT DOWN AND DEVELOP A PLAN WITH STAFF ON THIS? I'VE JUST BROUGHT IT UP TO STAFF, BUT I WANTED TO KIND OF... BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT IT'S BEEN REALLY A BIG FOCAL POINT FOR THE FULLERWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD AS THEY SEE THIS HAPPENING. I DIDN'T SEE THAT. YEAH. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF UPSET PEOPLE ABOUT THIS TREE, IN PARTICULAR. SO I JUST WANTED TO SEE, I MEAN, I CAN CONTINUE TO WORK WITH STAFF ON BRINGING SOMETHING TO THE COMMISSION, BUT I WANTED TO JUST... RIGHT.

I WOULD THINK THAT, YEAH, I WOULD THINK MAYBE TAKE THIS PARTICULAR PARCEL. AND WORK WITH THE STAFF AND SEE MAYBE WHAT COULD BE DONE USING THIS AS A MODEL, PARTICULARLY IF THAT'S THE ONE YOU'RE INTERESTED IN. I DO KNOW THAT TROOPS HAVE, YOU PROBABLY KNOW BETTER THAN ME, THEY HAVE A CROWN, AND INSIDE THAT CROWN, THERE ARE SOME STEM WALL CONSTRUCTIONS THAT COMPACT THE SOIL. THERE'S THINGS.

BUT IF YOU JUST USE THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SEE A

[03:05:01]

LOST YOUR MIND. YOU HATE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN. SO, OKAY, SO I'M NOT REALLY CLEAR ON WHERE WE ARE. YOU'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO WORK WITH STAFF TO DEVELOP... TO KIND OF USE THIS AS A CASE STUDY TO DECIDE WHETHER THERE'S ANY THINGS THAT NEED TO BE CHANGED. AND THEN YOU CAN BRING BACK SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS WITH STAFF. IS THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE? YES, A CODE AMENDMENT HAS TO BE INITIATED BY EITHER THE CITY COMMISSION OR THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD. I THINK WHAT VICE MAYOR BLONDER IS DOING IS PROPOSING A CODE AMENDMENT THAT WOULD NOT BE MORE INTENSIVE THAN OUR EXISTING CODE, BUT WOULD GROUP. FURTHER, CLARIFY THE TREE PROTECTION ZONE THAT SHE'S CONCERNED ABOUT BECAUSE OF THE TRENCHING NEAR THIS LIVE OAK TREE. AND WE DO HAVE FOLKS ON STAFF, J.B.

MILLER AND GLABER SKIP, WHO CAN TALK TO VICE MAYOR BLONDER ABOUT HER SPECIFIC CONCERNS AND SEE IF WE CAN CRAFT A CODE AMENDMENT. THAT WOULD HAVE TO GO TO OUR PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD FOR REVIEW, AND ULTIMATELY WOULD COME BACK TO YOU FOR APPROVAL. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO THAT'S IT. WAS A PROCESS QUESTION, NOT A SUBSTANTIVE QUESTION. IT WAS A PROCESS. YEAH. IT'S A PROCESS QUESTION. SO I THINK THE PROCESS HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AND I THINK WE'RE ALL SUPPORTIVE OF THIS. OKAY. YES. ALL RIGHT.

GREAT. THANK YOU. OKAY. SO FOR ME, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I HAVE HEARD QUITE A BIT ABOUT NIGHTS OF LIGHTS DATES BEING SET ALREADY. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT IN THE PAST, ACCORDING TO THE CITY MANAGER, WE HAVE NORMALLY SET THE DATE OF NIGHTS OF LIGHTS ON THE 23RD OF MARCH. IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD, I'D LIKE TO JUST, CAN WE JUST AGREE ON THAT, THAT? THAT IS THE DATE THAT WE'RE GOING TO DECIDE, AND WE WILL MOVE FORWARD TO THAT. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YES, MA'AM. WE WERE PLANNING ON BRINGING THAT MATTER TO YOU ON THE 23RD OF MARCH. AND AT THE NEXT MEETING, WE'RE GOING TO BRING YOU A MEMO THAT FURTHER CLARIFIES THE CITY'S REVENUES DURING NIGHTS OF THE LIGHTS. I DIDN'T WANT TO BRING BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. OKAY, SO OUR NEXT MEETING, THE FIRST MEETING IN MARCH, IS GOING TO BE ABOUT FINANCES AND... IT'LL SHOW YOU THE REVENUES, WHICH IS WHAT YOU ASKED FOR WHEN WE HAD OUR LAST BRIEFING ON THE LAST KNIGHTS OF LIGHT SEASON. YOU WANTED MORE DETAILS ON THE CITY'S REVENUES. OKAY.

SORRY? I'M SORRY. WAS THAT THE... DID YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT? YEAH, JUST ONE QUESTION. DO YOU ANTICIPATE THE TDT JANUARY RECEIPTS BY...

THE MARCH MEETING. OH YEAH. I BELIEVE. YES. YES. OH, YOU WOULD BE THE ONE. OKAY. SO I WENT TO CLARA. I BELIEVE.

WE'LL HAVE JANUARY. I THINK WE ALREADY HAVE THOSE. YEAH. WE PROBABLY DO. NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER, WE'RE GOOD-ISH. I MEAN, I GOT. I'D HAVE TO CHECK. TODAY. AND THEY'RE LIKE, TOWN WAS SORT OF FLAT.

DOWNTOWN WAS SORT OF FLAT.

BUT. EVERYTHING OVERALL WAS BAD. NO, I SAW A 5 AND THEN A 10 PERCENT. SO I'M JUST LOOKING AT JANUARY BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN WE REALLY MADE THE MOVE ON. IT DEPENDS ON WHAT SECTOR YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. I WAS LOOKING AT THE ZIP CODE. OH, I'M SORRY.

I SPOKE TOO SOON. I'M NOT SURE IF WE DO HAVE THOSE YET, BUT I WILL FOLLOW UP. I'M TALKING ABOUT BY ZIP CODE, OR, OH, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOUR TIME, MA'AM.

NO, GO AHEAD, PLEASE. CAN WE ISOLATE THE TDT TO THE CITY? YES. I BELIEVE WE DO HAVE A NUMBER THAT ISOLATES. BED TAX REVENUES DURING OUR PAST NIGHTS OF LIGHT SEASON. GOOD. AND I'LL VERIFY THAT WE HAVE THAT, AND THAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE 1ST OF MARCH CITY COMMISSION MEETING WHEN WE GO OVER THE REVENUES. OKAY, THANK YOU. IF YOU COULD ALSO GET THE JANUARY NUMBER IN THERE, TOO.

THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

IF IT WAS NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, I THINK YOU HAD GIVEN US. YEAH. OR YOU HAD HAD AT ONE POINT, BUT THEN YOU DIDN'T HAVE JANUARY YET. OKAY, WELL, I'LL... YEAH, THAT'S IT.

OKAY, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, AND THEN... THE CLARIFICATION ON THE BRIDGE, THE SAN SEBASTIAN BRIDGE, WHAT CAN WE GIVE TO THE COMMUNITY? THERE'S SOME CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON ACROSS U.S. 1. THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO... BRAINS, AND ARE THEY REBUILDING THE RAILROAD TRACK? IS THAT WHAT THEY'RE DOING, OR WHAT? OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THE CONSTRUCTION PEOPLE ARE SEEING ALONG THE SAN

[03:10:01]

PROJECT OR THE SIGNALIZATION OF MALAGA STREET. OKAY. YEAH, BECAUSE I KNOW IN THE PAST, THE RAILROAD COMPANIES HAD TO REPLACE THAT BRIDGE WHERE THE TRACK GOES OVER THE WATER, GOES OVER THE RIVER. SO I DON'T KNOW. IT LOOKS LIKE MAYBE THEY'RE REPLACING.

MELISSA'S NODDING HER HEAD.

OKAY. SHE'S SAYING, YES. I THINK THEY'RE REPLACING THE RAILROAD BRIDGE. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THEY'RE DOING. WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS A CSX PROJECT, BUT OBVIOUSLY IT'S NOT A CSX LINE. IT'S A FLORIDA EAST COAST RAILROAD LINE.

BUT CSX RUNS STRAIGHT, I THINK. WE COULD FIND OUT MORE DETAILS AND TRY TO BRING THAT BACK. IT IS CONFUSING. BUT AS FAR AS THE SAN SEBASTIAN BRIDGE PROJECT, WE, THE CITY, ARE NOT CALLING THE SHOTS ON THAT. THE KING STREET BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT. I'M SORRY. YES. YES, THE KING STREET BRIDGE IS OWNED BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, OWNED BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AT LEAST THE DOT. THEY ARE WORKING ON STABILIZING THAT BRIDGE. WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN A FINAL WORD FROM THEM ON THEIR PLANS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE KING STREET BRIDGE. AS SOON AS WE DO, I PROMISE YOU, WE WILL LET EVERYONE KNOW.

THROUGH OUR COMMUNICATION CHANNELS. WE ARE EAGERLY AWAITING DOT'S ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE KING STREET BRIDGE. WE WOULD ALL BE HAPPY TO HEAR. WE HOPE THAT, BUT WE HAVE HEARD THAT THEY ARE MOVING, THEY THINK THAT THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE... YES, WITH A PROJECT TO STABILIZE THE EXISTING BRIDGE, WITH USING A METHODOLOGY WHERE THEY WILL ENCAPSULATE UNDERNEATH THE BRIDGE THE GIRDERS, THE BEAMS. SIMILAR TO, LIKE WHAT I CHARACTERIZE IT LIKE PUTTING A CAST ON A BROKEN ARM. AND THEY HOPE TO BE ABLE TO GET ANOTHER FIVE YEARS OR MORE OF LIFESPAN OUT OF THE EXISTING BRIDGE. AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEY WON'T HAVE TO SHUT IT DOWN FOR VEHICULAR TRAFFIC.

WHAT DOES THIS DO WITH OUR OWNERSHIP? BECAUSE I UNDERSTOOD THAT AFTER IT WAS REPLACED, WE WOULD OWN IT. THAT IS A QUESTION THAT I HAD BEEN ASKED.

DO NOT HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION. IS THAT GOING TO STOP THE KING STREET RENOVATIONS FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS? NO, IT WILL NOT ALTER THE TIMETABLE OF THE CITY'S KING STREET REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT.

BUT THE SPECIFIC ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, I DON'T HAVE THAT YET. WOW, THAT'S A LOT. OKAY, SO THANK YOU. I HOPE THAT WE CAN SEE THAT THEY WILL EXTEND THE LIFE OF THE KING STREET BRIDGE. AND THAT THEY WILL LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW AS SOON AS THEY CAN CONFIRM THAT. OBVIOUSLY, THERE WILL BE A PERIOD OF TIME WHERE THE BRIDGE WILL HAVE TO BE CLOSED, BUT IT WON'T BE FOR A VERY LONG TIME. THAT'S CORRECT. SO THEY'RE CARRYING ON WITH THE SIGNAL AT MALAGA STREET. SO THAT WHEN THEY DO HAVE TO SHUT DOWN THE KING STREET BRIDGE TO DESTABILIZE IT, THERE WILL BE THAT DETOUR IN PLACE. I PROMISE YOU, WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO TRY TO GET INFORMATION OUT OF DOT.

I KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY IS VERY, VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THAT BRIDGE. IF MEMORY DOESN'T SERVE ME, CORRECT, THAT BRIDGE IS HISTORIC. IT HAS 1949 ENGRAVED ON THE FRONT OF IT. SO THAT MIGHT BE ONE OF THE DELAYS ON THIS BRIDGE MOVING FORWARD.

THAT BRIDGE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST. BLACK COMMISSIONER PAPIAS, WHAT IS HIS NAME, DARLING? PAPINO? YES, HE MOTIONED TO HAVE THAT BRIDGE CREATED.

WELL, THE BRIDGE IS PAST ITS DESIGN LIFESPAN. THAT'S WHY THE REPLACEMENT IS BEING DONE BY DOT. THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT THE BRIDGE IS OLD, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW. RIGHT.

I THINK IT WOULD BE A NIGHTMARE, PERSONALLY, NOT TO BE ABLE TO COME DOWN KING STREET, LIVING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF US. 1, NOT TO BE ABLE TO COME THE NORMAL ROUTE TO GET DOWN HERE. JUST AS WELL AS EVERYONE ELSE. AND I WOULD HOPE THAT THEY DON'T TAMPER WITH THAT BRIDGE UNTIL AFTER THE BROWDY PARKING GARAGE IS UP AND RUNNING. I THINK THAT'S THE DIRECTION IT'S GOING, DEPENDING ON BROWDY.

ALL RIGHT, YOU ALL.

OKAY, WONDERFUL. THANK YOU.

IT'S BEEN A LONG MEETING, BUT A GOOD MEETING, AND APPRECIATE YOU ALL. AND WITH THAT, WE ARE ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.