Mar 09, 2026 City Commission

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:04]

GOOD EVENING. THE CITY COMMISSION OF ST. AUGUSTINE REGULAR MEETING 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. OKAY, THANK YOU. WELCOME EVERYBODY. WE WILL OBSERVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, LED BY VICE MAYOR BARBARA BLONDER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

PLEASE STAND IF YOU ARE ABLE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG. ALL RIGHT. FIRST

[2. ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS]

COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY MODIFICATIONS TO OFFER? MR. CITY MANAGER, NO MODIFICATIONS TO OFFER. I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE REGULAR AGENDA.

I'LL SECOND IT. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. THANK YOU.

MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. SO

[3. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, RECOGNITIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS]

IT'LL BE NICE. SO WE'LL START WITH THAT. I'LL READ THE PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAS DESIGNATED MARCH AS FLORIDA ARCHAEOLOGICAL MONTH TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE VITAL ROLE OF ARCHAEOLOGY IN UNDERSTANDING THE HISTORY OF OUR STATE AND THE NATION.

AND HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING THE STATE'S CULTURAL RESOURCES. AND WHEREAS FOR MILLENNIA, PEOPLE OF DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND ORIGINS HAVE INHABITED FLORIDA, LEAVING BEHIND A RICH ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORD OF THEIR PRESENCE. AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE HAS RECOGNIZED THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE OF ITS ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE AND HAS COMMITTED TO RECORDING EVIDENCE OF ALL PAST PEOPLES, BY ESTABLISHING AN ARCHAEOLOGY PROGRAM AND ENACTING ONE OF THE FIRST ARCHAEOLOGICAL PRESERVATION ORDINANCES IN THE COUNTRY. AND, WHEREAS THE CITY IS FURTHER REAFFIRMING ITS DEDICATION TO PRESERVING THE PAST FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS BY PLANNING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE DR. SUE A. MIDDLETON HOUSE ARCHAEOLOGY CENTER, WHICH WILL SERVE AS A NEW FACILITY FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS AND CURATION. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM... CLAIM THE MONTH OF MARCH 2026 AS ARCHAEOLOGY MONTH IN ST. AUGUSTINE AND URGES ITS CITIZENS TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING THE PAST BEFORE IT IS LOST AND SUPPORT ARCHAEOLOGICAL ENDEAVORS AIMED AT PROTECTING ST. AUGUSTINE'S UNIQUE CULTURAL HERITAGE.

WITH THAT, WOULD DR. WHITE PLEASE COME UP FRONT AND JOIN US? THERE YOU ARE. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. I ALWAYS WANT TO THANK THE CITY COMMISSION WHEN WE GET TO RECOGNIZE ARCHAEOLOGY MONTH, BECAUSE HISTORIC PRESERVATION, ARCHAEOLOGY, WE ALL RECOGNIZE, I THINK, ESPECIALLY EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM, HOW IMPORTANT.

IT'S REALLY ONE OF THE CORNERSTONES, I THINK, TO OUR CORE VALUES, AND THE ARCHAEOLOGY PRESERVATION ORDINANCE IS REALLY UNIQUE AND HELPS TO FOSTER THESE CORE VALUES.

AND ACTUALLY, THE ORDINANCE IS GOING TO BE TURNING 40 IN DECEMBER, WHICH IS A LITTLE SHOCKING, BUT EXCITING. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN I WAS REREADING THE SORT OF FINDINGS OF THE ORDINANCE, THERE'S ALWAYS A DISCUSSION OF HOW IMPORTANT ST. AUGUSTINE IS TO THE NATION'S FOUNDING.

AND ALL THIS INFORMATION THAT WE CAN GET FROM ARCHAEOLOGY AND

[00:05:02]

THANK YOU.

TO THE ECONOMIC WELL-BEING OF THE CITY. SO IT REALLY IS SOMETHING IMPORTANT THAT CONTRIBUTES TO OUR ECONOMIC ENDEAVORS AS WELL HERE. AS THERE WAS A HINT OF IN THIS YEAR'S PROCLAMATION, WE'RE EMBARKING ON A VERY NEW, EXCITING ENDEAVOR. WE'RE TRYING TO DESIGN AND BUILD THE MIDDLETON HOUSE THROUGH A GENEROUS DONATION FROM DR. SUE A. MIDDLETON, AND I THINK SHE RECOGNIZED HOW IMPORTANT ARCHAEOLOGY WAS TO THIS COMMUNITY, AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED.

EXCITED, AND VERY OPTIMISTIC THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO BRING THAT PROJECT TO COMPLETION. AND THEN, FINALLY, I WANT TO THANK THE CITY COMMISSION. I WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY. I WANT TO THANK OUR ARCHAEOLOGICAL STAFF WHO ARE STILL AT THE LAB, PROCESSING SOIL SAMPLES AND DOING ALL THE THINGS THAT COME WITH EACH DAY. THAT WE HAVE TO DO OUR WORK.

BUT WE ALSO WANT TO THANK BOTH OUR VOLUNTEERS.

WE HAVE A WONDERFUL CADRE OF VOLUNTEERS THAT HELP US, AND ALSO THE CITY STAFF, BECAUSE IT TRULY IS A TEAM EFFORT. WE NEED ALL THE CITY STAFF TO ALL DO OUR JOBS EVERY DAY.

SO THANK YOU EVERYONE. OUR NEXT FOR A VERY SPECIAL ISSUE. AND WE HAVE HONORARY CONSULATE GENERAL PATRICK DELANEY AND HIS BEAUTIFUL WIFE HERE THIS AFTERNOON TO ACCEPT THIS. SO I'LL READ THIS AND THEN WE CAN ALL JOIN IN THE FRONT. AND PERHAPS WE'LL HEAR A FEW WORDS, MAYBE, MAYBE NOT, AND THEN TAKE A PICTURE.

WHEREAS IRISH CAME TO SPANISH L.A. FLORIDA IN THE 1500S, FIRST AS MISSIONARIES AND MERCENARY SOLDIERS, THEN AS PLANTERS, TRADERS, BUSINESSMEN, DOCTORS, AND ADMINISTRATORS.

AND WHEREAS FATHER RICHARD ARTHUR, AN IRISH-BORN PRIEST FROM LIMERICK, WHO WAS APPOINTED PARISH PRIEST FOR ST. AUGUSTINE IN 1597, AN ECCLESIASTICAL JUDGE OF L.A.

FLORIDA, ESTABLISHED THE FIRST PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE UNITED STATES. SCHOOL IN AMERICA AND OPENED IT TO BOTH BOYS AND GIRLS OF ALL RACES. WHEREAS IN 1776, NEARLY 300,000 IRISH NATIONALS HAD IMMIGRATED TO AMERICA, PLAYING A CRUCIAL ROLE IN AMERICA'S WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE. FIVE OF THE SIGNERS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE WERE IRISH DESCENT, WITH THREE OF THOSE BEING IRISH BORN. AND 22 PRESIDENTS HAVE PROUDLY PROCLAIMED THEIR IRISH AMERICAN HERITAGE. WHEREAS IN 1792, IRISH BORN JAMES HOBAN PROVIDED THE ARCHITECTURAL PLANS FOR THE WHITE HOUSE AND SERVED AS ONE OF THE SUPERVISING ARCHITECTS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CAPITOL. WHEREAS IRISH BORN COMMODORE JOHN BARRY FOUGHT THE LAST SEA BATTLE OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION OFF THE COAST OF FLORIDA, BEING RECOGNIZED BY THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS IN SEPTEMBER OF 2002 AS THE FIRST FLAG OFFICER OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY. AND WHEREAS IN 1813, CAPTAIN OLIVER PERRY, AN IRISH AMERICAN, ACHIEVED A MAJOR NAVAL VICTORY IN THE BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE IN 1942, THE FIVE SULLIVAN BROTHERS MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM DURING THE NAVAL BATTLE OF GUADALCANAL, AND LATER HAD THE DESTROYER U.S.S. SULLIVAN COMMISSIONED IN THEIR MEMORY.

WHEREAS THREE OF THE SPANISH GOVERNORS OF L.A. FLORIDA WERE IRISH MILITARY OFFICERS, AND ANDREW JACKSON, WHOSE FAMILY CAME FROM COUNTRY AND TRIM, SERVED AS FLORIDA'S MILITARY GOVERNOR. FOLLOWING ITS ACQUISITION BY THE UNITED STATES, LATER SERVING AS THE SEVENTH PRESIDENT. WHEREAS IRISH AMERICANS HAVE CONTINUED TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE TO THIS NATION'S POLITICAL, BUSINESS, AND RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENTS,

[00:10:02]

IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

ALL RIGHT. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? WE HAVE A FEW WORDS. OKAY. MADAM MAYOR, DISTINGUISHED COMMISSIONERS, IT'S MY DISTINCT HONOR TO ACCEPT THIS PROCLAMATION.

ON BEHALF OF THE IRISH GOVERNMENT, CONSUL GENERAL SARAH CAVANAUGH, AND MINISTER NEVE SMITH, WHO JOINED US LAST NIGHT. AS WAS STATED, IRISH ROOTS IN NORTH AMERICA GO BACK MORE THAN 400 YEARS, WITH THE FIRST ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE IN NORTH AMERICA, OCCURRING IN ST. AUGUSTINE IN 1600. IT DID NOT OCCUR IN BOSTON, SO WE HAVE THAT FEATHER IN OUR CAP, MUCH TO THEIR CHAGRIN. IRISH HISTORY, AS YOU'VE NOTED, EXTENDS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, INTO EVERYWHERE FROM ST.

AUGUSTINE IN THE 1500S TO EVEN THE ALAMO, WITH SEVEN MEMBERS WHO PERISHED AT THE ALAMO BEING IRISH-BORN CITIZENS. SO NOW 39 MILLION AMERICANS CLAIM IRISH HERITAGE.

IT IS THE LARGEST DIASPORA BY FAR, OF A SINGLE OF A SINGLE. COUNTRY. AND WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THAT AND ARE PROUD OF THE CONTINUED INFLUENCE THAT WE WILL HAVE IN THE STATES. I WANT TO WISH, WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO FIRST VISIT THE FATHER MIGUEL O'REILLY HOUSE, VISIT THE TOLOMATO CEMETERY AS WELL.

AND THE NEW EXHIBIT AT THE VISITOR CENTER, WHICH CHRONICLES FATHER ARTHUR'S JOURNEY OVER HERE FROM 1595 AND THEN TO 1850, I BELIEVE IS IT.

CORRECT? YES. I THINK IT'S 1595 TO 1850, IS THE...

NEVERTHELESS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT, OUR LAST PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE'S FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT SERVES THE COMMUNITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE, BY SAFEGUARDING THE CITY'S ASSETS, MAXIMIZING THE USE OF CITY REVENUE, AND EFFICIENTLY PROVIDING ACCURATE AND TIMELY INFORMATION TO THE CITY COMMISSION, CITY MANAGER, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

WHEREAS THE CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE'S FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT PROVIDES CUSTOMER SERVICE TO ALL CUSTOMERS OF ITS THREE UTILITIES, WATER, SEWER, AND SOLID WASTE.

IN ADDITION TO ASSISTING THE PUBLIC WITH BUSINESS TAX RECEIPTS, LICENSING, PARKING, AND VENDOR PERMITS. WHEREAS, THE FLORIDA GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION IS A PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION FOUNDED IN 1937 AND SERVES MORE THAN 3,300 PROFESSIONALS FROM STATE, COUNTY, AND CITY GOVERNMENTS, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, SPECIAL DISTRICTS, AND PRIVATE FIRMS. WHEREAS THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE PROFESSIONALS WEEK, SPONSORED BY THE FGFOA AND ALL OF ITS GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION MEMBERS, IS A WEEK-LONG SERIES OF ACTIVITIES AIMED AT RECOGNIZING GOVERNMENT FINANCE PROFESSIONALS AND THE VITAL SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE TO OUR STATE AND OUR COMMUNITY.

WHEREAS THE CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE ACKNOWLEDGES THE HARD WORK, DEDICATION, AND LEADERSHIP OF ITS FINANCE STAFF, AND EXTENDS APPRECIATION TO ALL GOVERNMENT FINANCE.

PROFESSIONALS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. NOW, THEREFORE, CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH 16TH THROUGH THE 20TH OF 2026 AS GOVERNMENT FINANCE

[00:15:01]

ON BEHALF OF HER DEPARTMENT, AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BRING YOUR WHOLE DEPARTMENT AND EVERYONE, ACTUALLY, WILL THEY ALL COME, PLEASE? THANK YOU, ALL OF Y'ALL. AND YOU CAN INTRODUCE THEM, COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU'LL JOIN ME. YAY, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING EVERYBODY. SO WE'LL GET TO SEE THEIR BEAUTIFUL, SHINING FACES. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? ALL RIGHT.

FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE COMMISSION FOR PROCLAIMING NEXT WEEK AS GOVERNMENT FINANCE PROFESSIONALS WEEK. I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE WHO I HAVE WITH ME HERE TONIGHT. I HAVE AILEEN LORIA, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYROLL, AMONG OTHER THINGS. ASHLEY RAINES IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ACCOUNTS PAYABLE. WE HAVE JUDY WESTERFIELD-MORRIS, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DAILY CASH RECONCILIATION AND FIXED ASSETS. OUR NEWEST ADDITION IS REAGAN BROWN, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR... DAILY CASH RECEIPTS, RECEIVING THEM FROM THE DIFFERENT CASH CENTERS AND ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE. AND BEHIND ME, I HAVE BRIANNA WILLIS, WHO'S TRYING TO HIDE.

SHE'S OUR ASSISTANT CUSTOMER SERVICE SUPERVISOR. NOT WITH US HERE TONIGHT IS JOHN AUGUSTUS, WHO IS OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE SUPERVISOR, AND OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE REPS OF SARAH BAKER, LISEY HUNTER, KIARRA WHITE, AND DYLAN HUNTER. SO THANK YOU. REALLY? THAT'S GOING TO BE NICE, SIR.

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

THAT'S A LOT OF CARDS.

AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON MATTERS THAT ARE NOT SCHEDULED FOR A PUBLIC HEARING. ANY PERSON WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION SHOULD FILL OUT A SPEAKER CARD, AND I WILL CALL YOU TO THE PODIUM WHEN IT IS YOUR TURN TO SPEAK. YOU CAN TURN THOSE IN IN THE BACK. YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND SHALL COMPLY WITH THE CITY'S RULES OF DECORUM. COMMENTS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE COMMISSION AS A WHOLE, AND NOT INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS. COMMISSIONERS WILL NOT ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM... SPEAKERS. NO PERSON MAY ADDRESS THE COMMISSION WITH PERSONAL, IMPROPER OR SLANDEROUS REMARKS OR WITH BOISTEROUS BEHAVIOR.

MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE WILL REFRAIN FROM ANY CLAPPING OR DISRUPTIVE DEMONSTRATIONS OF APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF ANY COMMENTS. AND 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. SO WHAT I'LL DO IS I'LL CALL TWO NAMES.

AND THERE ARE PLENTY OF EMPTY SEATS UP FRONT, SO I'LL CALL THE FIRST NAME TO COME UP TO THE PODIUM AND THE SECOND ONE TO KIND OF GET ON DECK AND READY. SO THAT SINCE WE HAVE SO MANY SPEAKER CARDS, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET THROUGH THEM EFFICIENTLY. THE FIRST SPEAKER I HAVE IS CULLEN AUDREY BREVER, AND I'M SORRY IF I DIDN'T READ THAT CORRECTLY. WELL, LET'S JUST LEAVE IT AT COLIN. MR. COLIN, HOW'S THAT? WELCOME. THANK YOU, GUYS. I GO BY MY MIDDLE NAME, FORREST. AND THEN I HAVE A PICTURE FOR THE CLERK TO PRESENT. OKAY. I THINK THAT YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE PROJECTOR. YES, MA'AM.

[00:20:10]

AUGUSTINE SAILING CENTER AS THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR. I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, JUST ABOUT GENERAL. UNSAFE BOATING IN THE AREA KNOWN AS SALT RUN, WHICH IS PRESENTED RIGHT HERE. THE SAILING CENTER IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON TEACHING THE NEXT GENERATION OF SAILORS AND WATERMEN, SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT IN PRESERVING THE LEGACY OF ST. AUGUSTINE AS A WHOLE. AS MUCH AS THIS JOB IS FUN, I TAKE THE WORK AND THE SAFETY OF THE CHILDREN UNDER MY CARE VERY SERIOUSLY.

AND LATELY, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON THAT ARE JUST NOT QUITE UP TO PAR WITH WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPENING. WE ARE OPENING OUR BRAND NEW SAILING CENTER OVER THE COURSE OF THE SUMMER, AND WE'RE EXPECTING MORE CHILDREN THAN EVER BEFORE TO BE OUT THERE IN SMALL BOATS OUT ON THE WATER. BOATERS A LOT OF THE TIMES JUST SPEED THROUGH THIS AREA WITHOUT MUCH CARE. AND IT NOT ONLY DISRUPTS OUR OPERATIONS, BUT IT ALSO DISRUPTS THE MOORED SAILBOATS AND YACHTS OUT IN SALT RUN THAT ARE PRESENTED IN THIS PICTURE RIGHT HERE. AS WELL AS ANY LOCAL KAYAKING TOUR COMPANIES AND JUST ANYONE WHO'S GENERALLY ON THE WATER. THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WAKING THROUGH THIS AREA OF SALT RUN ARE NOT THE LOCAL ST.

AUGUSTINE BOATERS AND PEOPLE LIKE THAT. IT'S TOURISTS WHO COME, I'M SORRY, NOT JUST TOURISTS, BUT ANYBODY WHO COMES AND RENTS A BOAT THROUGH CHARTER MEANS OR RENTS A JET SKI. AND IS JUST UNAWARE OF THE PROPER SIGNAGE AND ETIQUETTE OF THE WATERWAYS. THEY CAN COME AND SPEED THROUGH, CAUSING MASSIVE WAKE THAT DISRUPTS EVERYTHING OUTSIDE OF THE CHANNEL. HERE, I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU GUYS THE PICTURE.

UP HERE IS CONCAST. THAT'S ONE OF THE BUSIEST SECTIONS OF SALT RUN. THEN THIS IS THE ST. AUGUSTINE YACHT CLUB, SAILING CENTER DOCK, AND THEN A RESIDENTIAL DOCK, AND THEN ANASTASIA BEACH LODGE. THIS YELLOW LINE IS THE 1.5-MILE PROPOSED STRETCH THAT I WOULD LIKE TO BE RECLASSIFIED AS A NO-WAGE ZONE INSTEAD OF A MINIMUM-WAGE ZONE.

OVERALL, THERE'S NOT EVEN REALLY MUCH OF A REASON TO SPEED THROUGH THIS ZONE, AS IT'S A DEAD END AT THE END OF THE STATE PARK. AND IT...

PRETTY MUCH DOES NOTHING BUT CAUSE UNNECESSARY HAZARDS ON THE WATER, WITH MASSIVE WAKES AND WAVES.

AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NO WAY RECREATIONAL BOATERS CAN RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE TO SPEED THROUGH.

THERE'S SIGNAGE DESIGNATED AS A MINIMUM WAKE ZONE, BUT THEY DON'T SEEM TO LISTEN VERY MUCH. THE PILINGS THAT CAN BE USED FOR SIGNAGE ARE ALREADY IN THE WATER. ALL IT NEEDS IS A SIGN, SWAP AND... FOR YOU, THE COMMISSIONERS, TO INFORM THE LOCAL MARINE LAW ENFORCEMENT OF THIS CHANGE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR. CITY MANAGER. MR. FORREST, ON YOUR WAY BACK TO THE BACK OF THE ROOM, THERE'S A STAFF MEMBER NAMED COREY SACKRED, AND HE CAN GIVE YOU HIS CONTACT INFORMATION, AND WE CAN GET WITH YOU AND FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON THE DETAILS OF THE REQUEST. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS FRANCES RYAN, FOLLOWED BY ED SWIFT. YES, PULL IT DOWN.

YES, SIR. WELCOME. MY NAME IS FRANCES RYAN, AND I'M A FIFTH GRADER AT R.B. HUNT. I'VE BEEN SAILING AT THE YOUTH CENTER FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AND I LOVE BEING ON THE WATER. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ASK THE COMMISSIONERS TO SUPPORT A NO-WAKE ZONE FOR SALT RUN. I KNOW IT'S ALREADY A MINIMUM WAKE ZONE, BUT BOATERS DON'T LISTEN OR PAY ATTENTION.

OFTEN I'M ON THE DOCK AND A BOAT GOES ZOOMING PAST ME, WHICH PUTS ME AND THE EQUIPMENT AT RISK. AND THERE'S NO REASON TO ZOOM THROUGH THE AREA BECAUSE IT'S A DEAD END. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THERE'S A NEW SAILING CENTER OPENING. THERE WILL BE A LOT MORE KIDS SAILING ON THE WATER, AND SAFETY IS CRITICAL FOR THE SAILORS AND BOATERS.

THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING A NO-WAKE ZONE ON SALT RUN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR. RYAN, IF YOU'D LIKE TO ALSO GIVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION TO THE GENTLEMAN IN THE BACK, WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE KEPT UP TO DATE WITH THE INFORMATION. ED SWIFT, FOLLOWED BY JOSHUA LIU. OH, I APOLOGIZE. FOLLOWED BY JOANNE ENGEL. GOOD EVENING.

GOOD EVENING. HELLO, MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT. I APPRECIATE IT. APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO FOR THE CITY AND THE CITY STAFF, WHAT THEY DO. OF COURSE, FOR THE CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE. YOU MIGHT KNOW ME. I WORK FOR OLD TOWN TROLLEY TOURS, PART OWNER AND ALSO VP OF OPERATIONS AT THE MOMENT.

[00:25:02]

UNDER 9A, THERE'S A FRANCHISE ORDINANCE FOR FIRST READING THAT'S COMING UP. IN THAT ORDINANCE, THERE IS BEING CREATED A TIER 2. FRANCHISE INSIDE OF THE CITY. AND I HAD FOUR POINTS I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT. I KNOW I HAVE LIMITED TIME, SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO RUSH THROUGH THEM. I APOLOGIZE TO YOU IN ADVANCE. SO, THE EXISTING SIGHTSEEING CODE ALLOWS ANYONE UNDER EIGHT PASSENGERS, ONE DRIVER, A TOTAL OF NINE PEOPLE TO BE EXEMPT FROM THE CODE.

AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN RECENTLY IS A PROLIFERATION OF A LOT OF SMALLER SPECIALTY VEHICLES OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS THAT HAVE COME INTO THE CITY. AND THE STAFF HAS WORKED SO HARD, WORKING WITH ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING MYSELF AND THE RED SIGHTSEEING TRAIN, AS WELL AS ALL OF THE GOLF CARTS AND SPECIALTY VEHICLES THAT WE SEE AROUND TOWN TO TRY TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYONE. AND I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT'S GONE A LITTLE TOO FAR IN THE ORDINANCE, ESPECIALLY WITH NUMBER OF VEHICLES. SO RIGHT NOW, WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED TO YOU IS A LIMIT OF THREE VEHICLES FOR TIER 2, THE SMALLER VEHICLES. AND AN EXPANSION OF THE SEATING FROM EIGHT SEATS TO 11 SEATS PLUS THE DRIVER, OR 12, FOR A TOTAL OF 45 VEHICLES.

THAT'S MORE THAN THE SIGHTSEEING TROLLEYS, TRAINS COMBINED, FAR MORE THAN ARE OUT THERE TODAY. AND THE CORE REASON FOR THAT IS, AGAIN, I THINK, JUST TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE. AND MY QUESTION REALLY IS, IS, CAN THE CITY STAND THAT KIND OF INCREASE IN NUMBER OF VEHICLES DOWNTOWN? SO IF YOU CONSIDER THAT THE TRAINS AND THE TROLLEYS TODAY HAVE 31 LICENSES, THIS IS 45 VEHICLES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. I UNDERSTAND THE NEED, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS, TO CHANGE THE REGULATIONS, TO BETTER REGULATE THIS BECAUSE OF THE PROLIFERATION.

BUT I WOULD ASK YOU TO LOOK AT THIS VERY CAREFULLY BECAUSE THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO DO SO.

AND 45 VEHICLES IS A LOT OF EXTRA VEHICLES, YOU KNOW, TO PUT ON TO THE CITY STREETS. WE HAVE SOME OF THOSE ALREADY. THIS WOULD BE AN EXPANSION OF WHAT'S ALREADY ON THE STREETS TODAY. I'D ASK FOR A MORATORIUM FOR ANY NEW LICENSES UNTIL YOU GET THROUGH THIS FIRST READING AND SECOND READING. I WOULD ASK FOR THAT STRONGLY BECAUSE THERE JUST SEEMS TO BE MORE AND MORE EVERY MONTH. AS THIS HAS MOVED ITS WAY FOR THE LAST YEAR THROUGH THE CITY STAFF. SO I'D LIKE YOU TO LOOK AT THAT.

INSURANCE LIMITS SEEM TO BE A LITTLE ON THE LIGHT SIDE. I'M A COMMERCIAL CARRIER.

I CARRY $10 MILLION WORTH OF INSURANCE. THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE APPRECIATE THAT.

AND WE ALSO HAVE A LETTER FROM YOUR ORGANIZATION, AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.

JOANNE ENGEL IS THE NEXT SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY WYNDHAM YANCEY. HI, I AM JOANNE ENGEL.

I AM THE CO-OWNER OF THE TASTING TOURS, AND IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU GUYS AGAIN. IT'S BEEN A WHILE. WE'VE BEEN DOING CART TOURS AND FOOD TOURS FOR 15 YEARS IN THIS CITY, SO WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING.

WE'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME. THIS IS OUR HOME. DURING NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, OUR GUESTS GET TO GO ON BOARD ONE OF OUR CARTS AND LOOK AT THE LIGHTS AND TOUR THE CITY. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL, WONDERFUL TIME.

BUT OVER THE YEARS, AS TOURISM HAS GROWN, WE HAVE ALSO WITNESSED SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S GROWN, OPPORTUNIST.

DURING NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, THEY BRING THEIR CARTS TO OUR CITY TO SIMPLY MAKE A QUICK BUCK OFF OUR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS SEASON. AND THEN TAKE THAT MONEY BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITIES. LOCAL BUSINESSES LIKE OURS AND MANY OTHERS REPRESENTED IN HERE THAT ALSO HAVE CART COMPANIES. WE WORK VERY HARD TO KEEP THOSE DOLLARS CIRCULATING IN OUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS OUR HOME. BECAUSE OF THAT, I DO SUPPORT 100% THE FRANCHISE SYSTEM FOR CARTS IN THE CITY.

TODAY, I WOULD LIKE TO RAISE, THOUGH, A KEY POINT.

HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES ARE FRANCHISED. IF AN UNLICENSED CARRIAGE SUDDENLY APPEARED ON THE BAYFRONT OFFERING RIDES, IT WOULD BE IDENTIFIED QUICKLY AND KATIE BAR THE DOOR. DEAR LORD, THINGS WOULD START SHAKING UP. THEY'RE GOING TO COME OUT THERE. THEY'RE GOING TO REMOVE THAT, RIGHT? THE TROLLEYS ARE FRANCHISED.

IF ANOTHER COMPANY, ANOTHER CITY CAME IN HERE AND JUST DUMPED THEIR TROLLEY OFF, YOU WOULD KNOW IMMEDIATELY.

YOU COULD IDENTIFY AND GO, NOPE, OUT OF HERE. YOU'RE NOT A FRANCHISE. BUT GUYS, CARTS ARE DIFFERENT. CARTS CAN ARRIVE HERE FROM ALL OVER FLORIDA WITH FLEETS. WE'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN. THE TRAILERS COME IN RIGHT BEFORE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, AND YOU WATCH THEM UNLOAD THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX CARTS.

JUST FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS.

NOW, SOME OF THEM HAVE MEDALLIONS.

THEY'VE COME DOWN HERE AND THEY'VE GOT THEIR LITTLE MEDALLION PUT ON THE BACK OF THEIR CAR, SO THEY'RE FREE TO RIDE AROUND, YOU KNOW, TALK TO OUR TOURISTS, TRY

[00:30:02]

THEY BLEND INTO THE TRAFFIC.

THEY OPERATE FREELY ON OUR STREETS, OFTEN APPROACHING OUR VISITORS.

WE'VE SEEN IT WITH OUR OWN EYES. THEN ADD THE CART RENTAL OPERATIONS INTO THE MIX. YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE NUMBER OF CARTS. I MEAN, IT WAS JUST EXPRESSED EARLIER, JUST ADDING 45. WE ALREADY HAVE WAY MORE THAN THAT. WAY MORE. I CAN ATTEST TO THAT BECAUSE WE SEE IT. SO MY QUESTION TONIGHT IS SIMPLE.

IF CARTS BECOME FRANCHISED, HOW WILL THE CITY REALISTICALLY ENFORCE AND PROTECT THAT FRANCHISE? HOW WILL YOU PROTECT ME? BECAUSE I WANT TO BE ONE.

I'VE BEEN HERE. I'M LOCAL. I WANT ONE OF THOSE FRANCHISES, BUT I ALSO WANT TO BE PROTECTED. FROM ALL THESE OTHER CARTS COMING IN, STEALING ALL OF OUR BUSINESS. I WOULD ASK THAT ENFORCEMENT BE CONSIDERED AS SERIOUSLY AS THE FRANCHISE ITSELF. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WYNDHAM YANCEY WILL BE FOLLOWED BY JOSHUA LUKE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS WYNDHAM YANCEY. I LIVE AT 2365 ROLLING HILLS DRIVE.

GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS.

I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE MAKING A LITTLE BIT OF... HEADWAY WITH SOME OF THESE ANIMAL DRAWN CARRIAGE FRANCHISES. UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO BRING UP SOME ADDITIONAL POINTS, WHILE, WHILE WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO, UM, THE LAST I HEARD. WITH THE CONSTRUCTION THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ON THE BAYFRONT, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, REROUTING THE CARRIAGE HORSES TO THE CLOCK TOWER, WHICH ADDS ON 0.8 TO 0.9 MILES EACH DIRECTION FOR EACH ROUTE THAT THEY'RE PULLING, WHICH IS TWO MILES. PER RIDE THAT'S NOW BEING ADDED ON. I KNOW THAT WE'RE LIMITING THE AMOUNT OF HOURS THAT A HORSE CAN WORK, BUT I THINK THAT REALLY. MILES AND ROUTES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED INSTEAD, BECAUSE THEY COULD KNOCK OUT AN ABSURD AMOUNT OF MILES, PULLS, AND LIKE TOWING, AND THEN STILL HAVE FIVE, SIX HOURS LEFT ON THE CLOCK, AND THEN TWO MORE MILES TO WALK BACK TO THE BARN, AND THEN ANOTHER HOUR GETTING TOWED OUT TO WHERE THEY CAME FROM.

IT'S REALLY A LONG DAY. I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE ENFORCEMENT. IT HAS NOT REALLY BEEN ADDRESSED.

WE'VE LOST NOW A FRANCHISE OWNER, WHICH IS GREAT. BUT WHERE IS THIS MONEY COMING FROM? LIKE, WE'RE GIVING OUT MORE TOKENS, BUT HOW ARE WE REGULATING THIS? SURELY NOT OFF THE $15,000 A YEAR THAT THE TOKENS BRING IN.

AND THAT CANNOT COME OUT OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS. WE CANNOT SUBSIDIZE A CITY-OWNED FRANCHISE. AND, TRUTHFULLY, IT'S... IT'S ALWAYS POORLY BEEN REGULATED, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE HERE EVERY OTHER WEEK, AND THEN WE'RE BOGGING DOWN THE SYSTEM, AND YOU HAVE TO SIT HERE AND LISTEN TO US, AND THEN YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT US BEING HERE, AND THEN COMPLAIN ABOUT PUBLIC RECORDS BEING USED, AND IT'S YOUR FRANCHISE THAT'S NOT BEING REGULATED, WHICH IS EXHAUSTING, I THINK, FOR ALL OF US. MOST OF THE ORDINANCES FOR THE ANIMAL-DRAWN FRANCHISE WERE WRITTEN IN 2010 OR BEFORE, AND ST. JOHNS COUNTY HAS SEEN ALL OF ITS MAJOR GROWTH.

SINCE 2010 AND AFTER. SO IT'S REALLY JUST INAPPROPRIATELY WRITTEN AND NOT OPERATING TRULY OUT OF CONCERN FOR THE CITIZENS AND THE ANIMALS. I CAN'T. NOT PUT MY FINGER ON WHAT YOUR CONCERN IS, BUT IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE THE WELL-BEING OF ALL OF US. THESE UPDATES THAT YOU HAVE PROPOSED FEEL A LITTLE BIT LIKE ITCHING YOUR FOOT WHILE STANDING IN THE ANTHILL. SO I THINK THERE'S SOME BIGGER THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JOSHUA LUKE, FOLLOWED BY TOM REYNOLDS. AND MR. LUKE, I APOLOGIZE THAT I PUT YOU BEHIND A COUPLE SPEAKERS.

YOUR CARD DID COME BEFORE, BUT I MISREAD THE CARD. THIS IS THIS ITEM THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING ON IS NOT A PUBLIC ADVERTISED HEARING, BUT YOU ARE VERY WELCOME TO SPEAK DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.

I'M SO SORRY, MADAM MAYOR, IF I FAILED TO DO THAT APPROPRIATELY. IT'S ALL GOOD. IT WAS MY FIRST ONE, FORGIVE ME. WELL, IT'S ALL GOOD. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU.

WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS JOSHUA LUKE. I'M FROM VALDOSTA, GEORGIA, ORIGINALLY. AND MY WIFE AND I MOVED HERE IN AUGUST, PRIOR TO 20 YEARS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. AND WE'VE BEEN COMING HERE SINCE 2002 AND DECIDED... WE EVENTUALLY WANTED TO LAND HERE AND MOVE, AND ONE OF MY DREAMS IN VISITING HERE WAS I WANTED TO BE A TOUR GUIDE WHEN I WAS DONE IN ST. AUGUSTINE. SO THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'VE DONE.

I'M OWNER-OPERATOR OF A PAIR PATROL. I HAVE A SIX-SEATER, A LOW-SPEED VEHICLE, AND I'M LICENSED FOR TOURS. I HAVE MY CERTIFIED TOUR GUIDE LICENSE, AND LIKE IT'S BEEN MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY BEFORE, I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT...

JUST SHOW UP FROM OUT OF TOWN, EITHER. THERE WERE PEOPLE HERE THAT LIKE TO DO IT RIGHT, THAT WERE HERE DURING THE SLOW TIMES, WERE HERE DURING NIGHT SLIDES, WERE HERE DURING THE SLOW TIMES. AND I SEE THEM DAILY. AND THOSE ARE PEOPLE THAT WE WANT HERE.

[00:35:01]

WE DON'T MAKE A LOT OF MONEY OFF OF BULK TOURS. WE DON'T HAUL AROUND A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE. PEOPLE SEEM TO LIKE THOSE SMALLER, MORE INTIMATE TOURS LIKE MINE. AND WE MAKE THAT UP WITH SHORT RIDES FROM, SAY, HOTELS, OR IF SOMEONE CALLS US FROM THEIR AIRBNB, HAVE LICENSES FOR ALL THAT. AND I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE A FEW SUGGESTIONS ABOUT THAT. IN ADDITION TO, IT'S BAD ENOUGH HAVING TO PAY THAT EXTRA $2,000.

THAT'S GOING TO BE UNDERSTANDABLE, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE... TOUGH ON US.

WITH THE INSURANCE INCREASES, I ALREADY PAID $12,000 A YEAR FOR INSURANCE. AS IT IS, AND MAKING THAT MORE EXPENSIVE IS GOING TO BE PAINFUL.

BUT I'M WILLING TO DO IT BECAUSE I LOVE THIS PLACE. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT MAYBE THE FRANCHISE VEHICLES CAN ALSO APPLY FOR A VEHICLE FOR HIRE PERMIT, SO THEY CAN OPERATE AS BOTH.

IN BETWEEN TOURS, MAYBE GET SOME RIDES. ALSO, IN THE THE TIER ONE AND TIER TWO CATEGORIES, MAYBE CONSIDER ADDING A THIRD TIER FOR SIX OR LESS PASSENGERS.

AND MAYBE KEEP THE INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS THE SAME. BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A SMALL OPERATION.

THAT INCREASE IS GOING TO BE TOUGH ON US. SO I GUESS I WILL FINISH BY TELLING YOU WHAT, I DON'T LIKE, I LIKE ALL THESE NEW CHANGES. I DON'T LIKE ALL THESE FOLKS COMING FROM OUT OF TOWN THAT DIDN'T DO IT RIGHT, THAT DON'T WANT TO PUT THE FACE ON ST.

AUGUSTINE. LOVE THIS PLACE AND SHARE OUR HISTORY LIKE I DO.

THERE'S A LOT OF WONDERFUL PEOPLE THAT RUN WONDERFUL OPERATIONS AROUND HERE, AND THEY NEED TO BE THE ONES WE PRIORITIZE, AND WE NEED TO KEEP OUR SMALL OPERATIONS AS WELL AS THE LARGE ONES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NEXT SPEAKER IS TOM REYNOLDS, FOLLOWED BY AMITHA KENDRICK.

TOM REYNOLDS, 112 RE AI 32080.

FIRST OF ALL, COMMISSION, I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED IN... YOU AT THE LAST MEETING, ALL OF YOU, THERE'S A MAN CAME TO THIS PODIUM AND HE CALLED PEOPLE IN THIS AUDIENCE UGLY, NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE. IT REALLY GOT TO ME. I THOUGHT, WOW, WHAT'S WRONG WITH THEM? AREN'T THEY GOING TO CORRECT HIM? SO I GUESS IT'S OK TO CALL PEOPLE NAMES. IT WON'T EVER COME OUT OF MY MOUTH BECAUSE I'M NOT INTO CALLING NAMES.

BUT IT REMINDED ME OF WAY BACK WHEN THAT CRIMINAL THUG AND A FAKE REVEREND, RON RAWLS, HE DROPPED THE N-WORD IN HERE EIGHT TIMES. THAT WAS WHEN NANCY PHONY BALONEY SHAVER WAS MAYOR. WELL, ANYWAYS, FOLKS, REALLY TRY TO CORRECT IT. THE SECOND THING I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED IN TONIGHT IS THE PROCLAMATIONS.

NO PROCLAMATION FOR WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH? COME ON. BE SERIOUS. I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW SOMETHING. THE TOP FOUR SMARTEST PEOPLE I EVER MET IN MY LIFE. I'VE LIVED IN THREE STATES. ALL WOMEN. MY LATE MOM, MY LATE WIFE, AND MY TWO SISTERS. ALL OF THEM, SUPER SHARP. AND THIRD, TONIGHT, FOLKS... I'M AN AIRPORT SHUTTLE DRIVER AND MY BUSINESS IS TERRIBLE. I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LOT OF YEARS. I HAVE A LOT OF HEAVY COMPETITION. IT'S OKAY. I'M REINVENTING MYSELF.

AND I WANT TO TELL YOU, I RODE A VETERINARIAN TO THE AIRPORT. I PICKED HER UP AND RODE HER HOME. AND THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I RODE HER. SO I SPOKE TO HER ABOUT THE HORSES. AND I ASKED HER IF EIGHT PEOPLE IN A WAGON WITH A DRIVER AND ONE HORSE WAS OKAY. SHE SAID, ABSOLUTELY NOT. SHE SAID, IS THAT REALLY HAPPENING? SHE SAID, THAT IS ANIMAL ABUSE.

ABSOLUTELY. I SAID, WELL, HOW MANY HORSES SHOULD BE CARRYING THAT MANY PEOPLE? FOUR HORSES SHOULD CARRY IT. BUT AS I SIT HERE TONIGHT AND I LISTEN TO ALL THIS FRANCHISE STUFF.

AND I DID READ A LITTLE TINY BIT ABOUT IT. IT'S TIME TO DO AWAY WITH THE HORSES.

GET RID OF THEM. THEY STINK.

THEY STINK UP THE WHOLE BOULEVARD. YOU CAN'T WALK DOWN THAT IN THAT WATER AND HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE IN THE MORNING. IT STINKS OVER THERE. THE ANIMALS ARE BEING ABUSED. AND IN THE TOP, IT ALL OFF, PEOPLE SAID, OH, SEPTEMBER 30TH, THE LEASE IS UP. WHAT DO YOU MEAN SEPTEMBER 30TH? YOU SHOULD END IT RIGHT NOW.

IN THE WHOLE THING. IT IS ANIMAL ABUSE. BUT FINALLY, FOLKS, IF ANYBODY SAYS TO YOU, CALLS YOU,

[00:40:01]

AMIKA KENDRICK, FOLLOWED BY AARON JOCKERS. GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS ANNIKA. PLEASE SPEAK UM CLOSER, A LITTLE BIT CLOSER, HON. MY NAME IS ANNIKA AND I'M 11 YEARS OLD. AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO THE CITY COMMISSION ABOUT WHY SALT RUN SHOULD BECOME A NO-WAKE ZONE. I SAIL WITH OTHER KIDS OUT OF THE ST. AUGUSTINE YACHT CLUB SAILING CENTER. WE SAIL SMALL, NON-MOTORIZED BOATS CALLED OPTIS. THEY DON'T HAVE ENGINES, THEY DON'T GO VERY FAST, AND WHEN THE WIND DROPS, THEY REALLY DON'T GO FAST.

SALT RUN IS AN AMAZING PLACE TO LEARN. IT'S BEAUTIFUL, CLOSE TO SHORE, AND IT'S WHERE MANY KIDS HAVE THEIR VERY FIRST EXPERIENCE SAILING. WE LEARN CONFIDENCE, TEAMWORK, AND RESPONSIBILITY, AND HOW TO RESPECT THE WATER. FOR SOME OF US, IT'S THE FIRST TIME WE'VE EVER STEERED A BOAT BY OURSELVES. WHEN WE'RE OUT THERE, WE TRY TO STAY AWAY FROM THE MAIN CHANNEL, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE BIGGER BOATS TRAVEL. BUT SOMETIMES, IF THE WIND CHANGES OR DROPS, WE CAN GET PUSHED TOWARD THE CHANNEL. WHEN FAST POWERBOATS COME THROUGH, IT CAN BE SCARY BECAUSE WE'RE SMALL AND SLOW. WHEN THOSE BOATS PASS, THEY LEAVE BIG WICKS BEHIND.

FOR ADULTS IN POWERBOATS, THAT MIGHT JUST FEEL LIKE A BUMP. BUT FOR KIDS AND LITTLE OPTIES, IT CAN FEEL LIKE A ROLLERCOASTER WE NEVER SIGNED UP FOR. THE WAVES CAN TIP OUR BOATS, FILL THEM WITH WATER, AND MAKE IT REALLY HARD TO STEER. WE WEAR LIFE JACKETS AND HAVE SAFETY BOATS NEARBY, BUT WE'RE STILL LEARNING.

WE'RE TRYING TO FOCUS ON SAILING SAFETY, NOT AVOIDING HUGE WAVES FROM SPEEDING BOATS. AND NO WAKE ZONE AND SALT RUN WOULDN'T STOP PEOPLE FROM ENJOYING THEIR BOATS. IT JUST MEANS SLOWING DOWN.

SORRY. SORRY ABOUT THAT. LESS WAKE MEANS SPACE. SALT RUN IS ONE OF THE BEST CLASSROOMS WE HAVE, AND IT JUST HAPPENS TO BE ON THE WATER. I'M ASKING YOU TO HELP PROTECT THAT CLASSROOM BY MAKING IT A NO-WAKE ZONE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND PATIENCE, AND IF YOU DECIDE TO SUPPORT THIS, YOU'LL BE HELPING KEEP KIDS LIKE ME SAFE. WHILE WE ALL LEARN TO SAIL. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SPEAKER AARON JOCKERS, FOLLOWED BY PATRICIA RAMOS. AND MS. KENDRICK, IF YOU'D LIKE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH CORY SACCHARID IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM ON YOUR WAY OUT. HE CAN GIVE YOU INFORMATION ON HOW TO CONTACT US TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR REQUEST. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. GOOD EVENING.

GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU. UM, I'LL KEEP THIS BRIEF AS I HAVE CARRIAGE RIGHTS TO HELP WITH THIS EVENING. I'VE SPOKEN WITH MANY COMMISSIONERS HERE AND CITY STAFF NUMEROUS TIMES AND I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S TIME. I REALLY DO, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO FUTURE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT OUR INDUSTRY. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE RAISE THE STANDARDS TOGETHER AS WE HAVE A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO FINALLY MAKE THIS WHOLE BUSINESS.

SOMETHING THAT NOT ONLY THE CITY, BUT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY IN THE WORLD CAN LOOK ON AS AN EXAMPLE, AND WE SHOULD BE AS THE OLDEST HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE COMPANIES IN AMERICA.

IN MY 17 YEARS OF DOING THIS.

STAFF AND THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY COMMISSIONERS HAVE NEVER DONE MORE WORK THAN THEY ARE RIGHT NOW. IT IS NOT UNNOTICED, IT IS APPRECIATED. I KNOW WE DEBATE A LOT, BUT THE POINT IS YOU ARE APPRECIATED.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR WORK. I MYSELF HAPPEN TO GET THE HONOR OF BECOMING A HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE FRANCHISE OPERATOR. AND I WOULD NOT HAVE ACCEPTED THAT COMMITMENT WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING THE LEVEL OF WORK, DEDICATION, AND COMMITMENT YOU HAVE TO HAVE AS A LIFETIME PURSUIT.

THAT'S WHAT THE HORSES DESERVE.

BECAUSE OF OUR LOVE OF COMMITMENT IN OUR CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, WE WOULD LIKE TO, WELL, I GUESS I WOULD LIKE TO ENSURE OUR CONTINUED RELATIONSHIPS GOING FORWARD.

I'D LIKE TO ASK THE CITY TO CONSIDER PERHAPS AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF SUPPORT, JUST SOMETHING FOR THE PUBLIC. AND FOR ALL THOSE FROM OUT OF TOWN AND THOSE THAT ARE ALL CONCERNED, TO REALLY SEND THE MESSAGE THAT WE ARE HERE TO STAY. WE SUPPORT THE HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES, AND WE LOVE OUR BELOVED HORSES, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO SO.

WE'LL ALSO TRY TO KEEP THE SPELL DOWN,

[00:45:02]

THESE DISCUSSIONS ARE GOING TO BE GREAT, AND THEY DEFINITELY NEED TO HAPPEN. HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

PATRICIA RAMOS, FOLLOWED BY CATHERINE SODA. GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS PATRICIA AND I AM HERE ONCE AGAIN TO SPEAK UP FOR THE HORSES OF ST.

AUGUSTINE. A MIRACULOUS FEAT, CONSIDERING THREE MINUTES IS NOT ENOUGH FOR THE PLETHORA OF VIOLATIONS WE RECORD.

DESPITE THE CLAIMS BY UF, MANY OF THESE HORSES ARE LAME AND IN NEED OF CARE, WHICH MANY TIMES, THANKFULLY, IS POINTED OUT. NOT ONLY BY THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AS THEY PASS THE HACK LINE, BUT IN HORSE COMMUNITY POSTS AS WELL, SEEN HERE. THIS HORSE IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE, DEEP HOOF CRACKS AND HEAVY CORRECTIVE SHOEING, CLEAR SIGNS OF OVERWORK. MORE VIOLATIONS. MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 27 OF 26 STATES DRIVERS SHOULD NOT BE AT A GREATER DISTANCE THAN 10 FEET OF THEIR HORSE-DRAWING VEHICLE.

THAT IS WAY MORE THAN 10 FEET.

ANOTHER DRIVER, MORE THAN 10 FEET. THIS NEGLIGENCE ENDANGERS EVERYONE, HORSES, CONSTITUENTS, AND TOURISTS. THERE'S EVEN A SMALL HORSE IN THAT CARRIAGE.

IMAGINE IF THAT HORSE SPOOKED AND BOLTED. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THAT HORSE? DRIVER BEHIND HIM WAS ALSO MORE THAN 10 FEET AWAY. THIS IS NOT ONE BAD ACTOR. IT'S EVERY COMPANY REPEATEDLY COMMITTING DANGEROUS VIOLATIONS. LET'S NOT FORGET THE ACCIDENT ON DECEMBER 4TH, WHERE A DRIVER LEFT AN OCCUPIED CARRIAGE IN A BUSY STREET. AND A CUSTOMER HURT THEIR BACK, HAVING TO GRAB THE REINS OF THE SPOOKED HORSE. THIS WAS A CUSTOMER. THIS IS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT. SPEAKING OF DANGER, LOOK AT THE CONDITIONS OF THE CARRIAGES. WARPED RUBBER TIRES, EXTREME RUST IN MOVING PARTS, AS WELL AS THE CONNECTORS. THE LIST GOES ON. THIS VIOLATION IS OF MUNICIPAL CODE 27-139 AND FRANCHISE AGREEMENT SECTION 05, PART B, 2 AND 3. THERE'S WAY TOO MANY, SO I CAN'T GO THROUGH THEM ALL. WHAT'S NEXT, ST. AUGUSTINE? INSTEAD OF SEVEN HORSES DYING IN FOUR MONTHS, WHICH SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO END THE CARRIAGE INDUSTRY, ARE YOU WAITING FOR A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT? OR, WORSE, A DEATH IN SAID ACCIDENT. THESE HORSES SUFFER AT THE HANDS OF THOSE WHO KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THEIR CARE OR THE INDUSTRY.

TURNOUT MEANS FREEDOM TO MOVE IN A PADDOCK OR PASTURE. A HORSE TIED TO A CARRIAGE IS NOT TURNOUT.

IT IS RESTRAINED. THAT BEING SAID, SINCE IT WAS SO RUDELY INTERRUPTED AT THE LAST MEETING, I'D LIKE TO CLOSE MY COMMENT WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

FOR THREE OF THE SEVEN VICTIMS THAT HAVE DIED IN THE LAST FOUR MONTHS. REST IN PEACE, LISA, GHOST, AND TITAN. ARE YOU FINISHED SPEAKING? OKAY, THANK YOU.

YOU'RE EXCUSED. THESE HORSES, LET ME REMIND YOU THAT TITAN WAS DIED FROM COMPLICATIONS OF STRANGLES, THE MAIN ONE BEING COLIC.

SYMPTOMS ALSO OF POOR TURNOUT, LACK OF PASTURE, LACK OF GRAZING, AND DEHYDRATION. THANK YOU.

NO, I WASN'T DONE. I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN I'M DONE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CATHERINE ZOTA IS THE NEXT SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY SCOTT YORK. I'M CATHERINE ZOTTO. I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE FATE OF CARRIAGE HORSES IN THIS CITY. THE CURRENT SYSTEM IS PROVING INEFFECTIVE AT PROTECTING BOTH THE HORSES AND THE PUBLIC. VETERINARY OVERSIGHT IS ONE CONCERN.

RIGHT BEFORE A STRANGLES OUTBREAK, A HORSE WAS APPROVED FOR WORK WITHOUT A COMPLETED HEALTH CHECK. THIS IS A PHOTO OF THE BLANK FORM SIGNED BY THE VET. PROPER VETERINARY EXAMS ARE ESSENTIAL TO ENSURE HORSES ARE FIT FOR THE DEMANDS OF CARRIAGE WORK. INCOMPLETE HEALTH CERTIFICATES MUST BE ADDRESSED.

BEFORE HORSES ARE PUT INTO SERVICE. THE CITY ALSO HAS NO AGE LIMITS FOR CARRIAGE HORSES, DESPITE THE INCREASED RISK OF INJURY IN OLDER WORKING ANIMALS.

AT THE JANUARY COMMISSION MEETING, A 21-YEAR AGE DISCREPANCY INVOLVING A CARRIAGE HORSE NAMED BOSCO, OWNED BY C.B. HINSON, WAS RAISED AND SUPPORTED BY VIDEO EVIDENCE. THE ISSUE WAS LATER DISPUTED DURING PUBLIC COMMENT. AND APPEARED TO BE DISMISSED BY THE COMMISSION WITHOUT ANY VERIFICATION. THIS RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT HOW

[00:50:01]

AFTER BEING USED ON CITY STREETS FOR TOURISM AND PROFIT, CITY CODE STILL ALLOWS THEM TO BE SOLD AT AUCTION. WHERE MANY ENTER THE SLAUGHTER PIPE ON. AS LONG AS THE CITY ALLOWS THIS INDUSTRY TO OPERATE, IT MUST ALSO ENSURE THESE HORSES ARE HUMANELY RETIRED, NOT SOLD TO SLAUGHTER, AND NOT PUT BACK INTO CARRIAGE WORK. OVERSIGHT CONCERNS ALSO... EXTEND PUBLIC SAFETY. EXTEND PUBLIC SAFETY.

EXTEND PUBLIC SAFETY. A REVIEW OF INSURANCE POLICIES A REVIEW MULTIPLE DEFICIENCIES.

FOR EXAMPLE, C.B. HINSON'S POLICY LIMITS LIABILITY. POLICY LIMITS LIABILITY. POLICY LIMITS LIABILITY FOR INJURIES CAUSED BY ANIMALS. THIS SHOWS THE LIMITED LIABILITY ENDORSEMENT THAT SUGGESTS THE CITY'S INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS ARE NOT BEING MET. THIS COULD EXPOSE THE CITY AND ITS TAXPAYERS FINANCIALLY AND LEAVE THE PUBLIC WITHOUT COMPENSATION FOR INJURY. THE CHALLENGES FACING THIS INDUSTRY ARE INCREASING. HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES ARE NOT A SUSTAINABLE PATH FORWARD FOR THE CITY.

SAFER ALTERNATIVES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT. SPEAKER IS SCOTT YORK, SPANISH STREET, THE MOST CHARMING STREET IN ST.

AUGUSTINE. I BEAT YOU TO THE PUNCH. GOOD, THAT SAVED ME ABOUT FOUR SECONDS. I TOOK YOUR PUNCH. SCOTT YORK, 29 SPANISH STREET, THE MOST CHARMING STREET IN ST.

AUGUSTINE. IN 1668, WE HAD 300 PEOPLE LIVING HERE IN ST.

AUGUSTINE. WE HAD ALREADY SUFFERED A DROUGHT, WHICH IS WORSE THAN THE ONE THAT WE'RE SUFFERING NOW. WE HAD LOST TWO SUPPLY SHIPS TO STORMS THAT YEAR. WE'RE DESPERATELY AWAITING THE ARRIVAL OF THE SPANISH SUPPLY SHIP COMING FROM CUBA. AND AS SOON AS THAT SHIP LEFT HAVANA, IT WAS CAPTURED BY ROBERT SEARLES AND HIS CREW.

THEY SAILED IT TO OUR HARBOR.

WE HAVE A VERY SHALLOW HARBOR HERE, AND THEY ALWAYS SENT A PILOT AND HIS CREW OUT TO MEET THAT SHIP AND GUIDE IT INTO THE HARBOR TO MAKE SURE IT DIDN'T GET STUCK. IF THAT SUPPLY SHIP GETS STUCK, NO OTHER SUPPLY SHIPS GET INTO TOWN, AND THE TOWN DOESN'T SURVIVE.

FORTUNATELY, WE HAVE. ROBERT SEARLES AND HIS CREW CAPTURED THAT PILOT AND HIS CREW, KICKED HIM BELOW DECK AND HELD HIM FOR RANSOM. WE JUST CELEBRATED A REENACTMENT OF SEARLES SACK HERE. HUNDREDS OF REENACTORS, THANK YOU TO THE HISTORIC FLORIDA MILITIA, THE MEN OF MENENDEZ, AND DOZENS OF PIRATE CREWS WHO CAME IN TO CELEBRATE.AND REENACT THAT MOMENTOUS OCCASION. IT WAS A LITTLE SAD TO ME TO WALK UP THERE AND SEE NEARLY 150 TO 200 REENACTORS. AND LESS THAN THAT IN THE NUMBER OF VISITORS WHO ATTENDED IT.

GETTING THE WORD OUT IS TOUGH, BUT OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY CAN HELP WITH THAT.

ON MY SHOP FOR THREE DAYS BEFORE THE REENACTMENT, WE HAD A POSTER UP ON THE DOOR. WE TALKED TO AS MANY VISITORS AS WE COULD. AND WHEN I WALKED UP THERE, TO WATCH THE REENACTMENT, I WAS GLAD TO SEE AT LEAST 10 OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT I TALKED TO STANDING THERE. WHEN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY COMES BEFORE YOU AND ASKS FOR FAVORS AND ASKS TO LEAVE THE LIGHTS ON LONGER, LET'S REMEMBER THAT THEY CAN DO THEIR PART, TOO, TO IMPROVE THEIR BUSINESSES. I THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO TO KEEP THIS CITY GROWING AND TO MANAGE THAT GROWTH AS WELL.

THE CITY'S JOB IS TO MAINTAIN THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND MAINTAIN OUR PUBLIC SAFETY. IT'S NOT TO BRING BUSINESS TO THE CITY. THAT'S OUR JOB AS BUSINESS OWNERS. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CHLOE. CHLOE, I'M GOING TO TRY. SORRY, BUTCHERED THAT. WELCOME. THANK YOU. CHLOE CRACOLICCI. HI, COUNCIL. FIRST OF ALL, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF PINEAPPLE RIDE AND TOUR. WE ARE ONE OF ST. AUGUSTINE'S PREMIER RIDE SERVICE AND HISTORICAL TOUR COMPANIES, AND WE HAVE BEEN IN THE AREA FOR YEARS. THIS IS OUR HOME.

WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON OFFERING SOME OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE TOURS AND COMFORTABLE TRANSPORTATION DOWNTOWN, WITH EXTRA EMPHASIS ON PROVIDING SERVICES THAT CAN ACCOMMODATE THE ELDERLY AND

[00:55:01]

WE OFFER FREE PARKING, PICKUP SERVICES, AND OTHER TRANSPORTATION NEEDS FOR OUR GUESTS. OUR VEHICLES ARE ECO-FRIENDLY, CARBON NEUTRAL AND REDUCE THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES ON THE ROAD BECAUSE PEOPLE PARK ONCE AND RIDE WITH US ALL DAY. WHILE WE APPRECIATE THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO INCREASING MOBILITY AND LOWERING CONGESTION IN THIS HISTORIC DISTRICT. WE HAVE RECOGNIZED, THROUGH READING THESE ORDINANCE CHANGES, THAT THERE ARE SOME INHERENT FLAWS IN THE LANGUAGE USED. WE CONSIDER OURSELVES TO BE THE MOST FRIENDLY, AFFORDABLE, AND CONVENIENT WAY TO EXPERIENCE ST. AUGUSTINE, AND WE FEEL THAT LIMITING OUR ABILITY TO GROW. IS ANTITHETICAL TO THE GOALS OF THE CITY IN REGARDS TO THEIR MOBILITY PLAN, AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC'S BEST INTEREST.

WHILE THE TIER 1 FRANCHISES HAVE HAD THEIR CAPACITY EXPANDED IN THE NEW REVISION, TIER 2 FRANCHISES HAVE HAD THEIR CAPACITY CAPPED OUTRIGHT.

WE FEEL THE CITY'S BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT SHOWS NO JUSTIFICATION FOR LIMITING OUR BUSINESS'S ABILITY TO GROW.

BECAUSE, AS PREVIOUSLY STATED, WE ACTIVELY REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF VEHICLES ON THE ROAD, REDUCING TRAFFIC OVERALL. FOR EVERY ADDITIONAL VEHICLE THAT WE ADD TO OUR FLEET, WE REMOVE THREE TO FIVE VEHICLES FROM DOWNTOWN TRAFFIC AND COMPLETELY ELIMINATE THEIR CARBON EMISSIONS. WE WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE ARE NOT THE PROBLEM, BUT WE ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION. WE LOOK FORWARD TO COOPERATING WITH THE CITY AS A PARTNER IN SOLVING THESE MOBILITY ISSUES AND WOULD LIKE TO OFFER OUR INPUT IN HOW WE CAN ACHIEVE THESE GOALS TOGETHER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

I HAVE NO MORE SPEAKER CARDS.

SOMEONE ELSE WISHES TO SPEAK.

PLEASE COME FORWARD AND FILL OUT A CARD WHEN YOU LEAVE THE PODIUM, AND AFTER THAT, WE'LL BE MS. KALATE, MS. B.J.

KALATE. YOU CAN FILL THE CARD OUT AFTER YOU SPEAK.

AFTER YOU SPEAK. JUST, YES, PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM AND SPEAK. WELCOME. YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES. THANK YOU. I'M JOANNE WORLING WITH JBL PETTY CAB. YES, I'M A LITTLE BIT FUZZY ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CABS, SO I'M JUST GOING TO SAY I WOULD RECOMMEND KEEPING THE CABS FOR THE PETTY CAB.

ON THE LOWER END OF THE SPECTRUM. I AGREE WITH SOME OF THE FORMER POINTS. WHERE PIRATE CABS, AS THEY'RE CALLED, WILL COME IN, AND THE CITY, THE CABS NEED TO BE TOWED WHEN THEY SHOW UP.

AND IT NEEDS TO PROVIDE A STRONG POINT TO OTHER BAD ACTORS WHO WOULD LIKE TO DO SIMILAR THINGS. AND MY THIRD AND FINAL POINT WOULD BE I'VE SEEN NUMEROUS.

INSTANCES WHERE PEDICAB DRIVERS SPECIFICALLY ARE PULLED OVER AND ARE VISIBLY INTOXICATED OR REEK OF ALCOHOL AND DO NOT RECEIVE A DUI. SO IN THE FUTURE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. LAST SPEAKER IS B.J. COLLADY. YES, MA'AM. IF YOU'LL FILL OUT THAT CARD AND TURN IT IN TO THE OFFICER IN THE BACK.

MS. DUNN, B.J. COLLADY, WEST CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE. AT THE FEBRUARY 23, 3.30 MEETING, A SOLUTION ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES WAS TO CUT 73 POSITIONS IN THIS BUILDING. THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO BE ASKING FOR PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS FOR THE APPEARANCE OF THE PARK AT U.S. 1 AND EAST, NOT WEST, KING STREET. 20,000 PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE PURPLE BENCH ORGANIZATION. AT THE SEPTEMBER 09, 2024, CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE MEETING, THE MINUTES STATED NO. PURPLE BENCH AT U.S. 1 AND EAST KING STREET PARK.

ACCORDING, AND THIS IS WHAT THIS IS ABOUT, ACCORDING TO FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, 833,610,806 PROPERTY TAXES ARE NOT COLLECTED IN THE CITY LIMITS OF ST.

AUGUSTINE. THIS INCLUDES FLAGLER COLLEGE, WITH AN ENDOWMENT OF $99.05 MILLION TO SPEND AS THEY CHOOSE.

OVER THE YEARS, THIS INSTITUTION HAS REFUSED TO MAKE PAYMENT IN LIEU OF PROPERTY TAXES. PILOTS. MY QUESTION, WILL CITY DIRECTORS BE PART OF THE 73? THERE ARE SOLUTIONS.

FREE SALARIES EFFECTIVE MARCH 9 TODAY. PROPERTY TAXES SHOULD

[01:00:02]

THIS CITY PROPERTY DOES NOT NEED TO BECOME ANOTHER WASHINGTON STREET. LIVING OVER THERE, GOING UP AND DOWN THE STREET, I SEE THESE THINGS. I'M BRINGING IT TO YOU OVER AND OVER, AND I'M NOT GOING TO STOP. WE NEED TO KEEP THAT PLACE CLEAN AND PROTECT OUR HISTORY IN THAT PART OF THE CITY. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO 121 CEDAR STREET FOR CLEANING IT UP. 127 RIBERIA STREET AND 45 ANDERSON STREET CAN CLEAN THEIR OVERGROWN LOTS, TOO. YOU DON'T NEED AN ORDINANCE. BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR, WHOEVER YOU ARE AND WHEREVER YOU ARE IN THIS CITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE NEED MORE STUDENTS TO COME IN HERE AND BE DIRECTED BY MR. BURCHAM TO HELP IN THE BACK. IT WOULD BE NICE IF SOME OF US GOT DIRECTED TO WHO'S GOING TO HELP WITH OUR PROBLEMS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MS. COLETTI, IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO INTO THE BACK AND MEET WITH ONE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS, I CAN GIVE YOU THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION AND THEY CAN HELP YOU WITH ALL YOUR ISSUES.

THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? I THINK THAT'S OUR LAST SPEAKER.

[5. CONSENT AGENDA]

LET'S MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA NOW, PLEASE. MR. CITY MANAGER.

MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND COMMISSIONERS, TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDES A REMINDER OF THE UPCOMING MEETINGS. I'M SORRY, FOLLOWING ORDINANCES, OUR 10-HOUR REVIEW SCHEDULE FOR SECOND READING ON MARCH 23RD. ORDINANCE 2026-08.

AMENDING THE EXISTING PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT AT 24 CATHEDRAL PLACE IN THE CORNER OF CHARLOTTE AND TREASURY STREETS, WE'D LIKE TO TENTATIVELY SCHEDULE SECOND READING FOR ORDINANCE 2026-10, WHICH AMENDS THE VEHICLE FOR HIRE ORDINANCE, AND ORDINANCE 2026-11, AMENDING THE FRANCHISE ORDINANCE. FOR THE APRIL 27TH CITY COMMISSION MEETING. WE HAVE A REMINDER OF UPCOMING MEETINGS. WE HAVE A REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING ON MARCH 23RD. 3RD AT 5 P.M.

ON APRIL 13TH AT 4 30 P.M. WE HAVE THE AWARD PRESENTATION TO JEN LOMBERT, THE RED CEDAR AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. AND ON APRIL 13TH AT 5 P.M. A REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING. WE HAVE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR THE JANUARY 26TH REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING AND A SATISFACTION OF LIEN. MORTGAGE AT 116 KINGS FERRY WAY. AND THAT CONCLUDES TONIGHT'S CONSENT. I MOVE THAT WE PASS THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. I'LL SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE. AYE. THANK YOU. MOTION

[Items 9.A.1 & 9.A.2]

WE HAVE OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS A FIRST READING. WE HAVE TWO FIRST READINGS.

ORDINANCE 2026-10, AMENDING VEHICLES FOR HIRE.

MR. FRANKLIN. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS. RUBEN FRANKLIN AND PRIOR TO DOING THE INTRODUCTION FOR THE FIRST READING, DO YOU MIND IF I JUST GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THIS? CHAPTER 27 AND CHAPTER 14? BECAUSE THEY'RE KIND OF INTERTWINED. SO WE HAVE TWO FIRST READINGS TONIGHT, CHAPTER 27, WHICH WILL BE VEHICLES FOR HIRE, AND CHAPTER 14, FRANCHISES. THERE WAS A LOT OF CROSSOVER WITH THE EXISTING ORDINANCES.

SO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO, WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING, AND YOU'LL SEE THIS IN THE AMENDED. PROPOSALS BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING, IS VEHICLES FOR HIRE IN CHAPTER 27 IS JUST GOING TO BE FOR VEHICLES FOR HIRE. THAT'S PURELY TRANSPORTATION, PICKING SOMEBODY UP FROM POINT A, DROPPING THEM OFF AT POINT B FOR A FEE. THEN FRANCHISES, ANYBODY THAT GIVES A TOUR IN THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE NEEDS TO BE A FRANCHISE OF THE CITY IN ORDER TO DO SO, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE PEDICABS. WHICH WE CURRENTLY STILL HAVE HOUSED IN VEHICLE FOR HIRE. AND I CAN EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE AS WE GET INTO IT.

BUT THAT'S GENERALLY. THE DISTINCTION IS, IF YOU'RE GIVING A TOUR, YOU BECOME A FRANCHISE OF THE CITY, AND VEHICLE FOR HIRE IS GOING TO BE PURELY

[01:05:02]

I ALSO PROVIDED A GRAPHIC THAT KIND OF BREAKS DOWN AS WE GET INTO THE NUMBER OF LICENSED BUSINESSES THAT ARE CURRENTLY OPERATING IN THE CITY. AND AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME, I'M HAPPY TO GO THROUGH THAT.

FOR YOU. WE HAVE IN THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT OUR MOBILITY CONSULTANT, JONATHAN PAUL, TO ANSWER ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS THAT COME UP DURING THE CONVERSATION. AND LATER, WE ALSO HAVE DIRECTOR SACRED HERE AS WELL TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HORSES. WITH THAT, THE NEXT ITEM IS A PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 27 OF THE CITY CODE GOVERNING VEHICLES FOR HIRE. THIS ORDINANCE UPDATES AND STRENGTHENS THE CITY'S REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR PASSENGER SERVICE VEHICLES OPERATING WITHIN ST.

AUGUSTINE, INCLUDING TAXIS, SHUTTLES, PEDICABS, AND OTHER FOR HIRE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES. THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS ENHANCE DRIVER QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS, VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS, AND OPERATIONAL RULES. THIS IS THE FIRST READING OF THE ORDINANCE. STAFF IS SEEKING CITY COMMISSION DIRECTION. AND, IF APPROPRIATE, APPROVAL TO PROCEED TO SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THE SECOND READING WILL BE HELD AT THE APRIL 27, 2026, CITY COMMISSION MEETING. I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

WELL, CAN YOU GIVE US, SO LET'S, TO GET STARTED, COULD YOU JUST GIVE US A SUMMARY OF THOSE CHANGES, LIKE BULLET POINTS? IS THAT? YES, I'M HAPPY TO. SO IN THIS ORDINANCE, WE ALSO DID A LOT OF STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, AND I DEFINE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE SCENARIO OF PEOPLE THAT ARE OPERATING A BUSINESS IN THE CITY, AS A VEHICLE FOR HIRE OR A FRANCHISE. AND SO WITH THAT, WE CONDUCTED A STUDY. WE GOT THEIR INPUT. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP FROM THAT WAS THERE WAS A LOT OF CONFUSION JUST HOW TO OPERATE AND WHAT THE RULES ARE AND THE PROCESS WITH THE CITY. SO ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT THIS ORDINANCE DOES IS IT KIND OF CLEANS UP THE APPLICATION PROCESS. IT DESIGNATES A VEHICLE FOR HIRE ADMINISTRATOR. SO FOLKS THAT ARE OPERATING WILL HAVE ONE POINT OF CONTACT WITH THE CITY THAT WILL USHER THEM THROUGH. THAT POINT OF CONTACT ALSO NOW IS FAMILIAR WITH ALL OF THE APPROVED OPERATORS, WHICH THEN, IN TURN, HELPS WITH ENFORCEMENT. THINGS THAT WE DID CHANGE, WE UPDATED SOME DEFINITIONS FOR DRIVERS, PEDICAB, VEHICLES FOR HIRE. AND AS THE NEW DEFINITION FOR VEHICLE FOR HIRE ADMINISTRATOR, VEHICLES FOR HIRE ARE PROHIBITED FROM PROVIDING TOURS, EXCEPT FOR PEDICABS. PENALTY AND ENFORCEMENT WERE UPDATED TO PROVIDE CLEAR PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS AND DETAIL AN INCREASE IN PENALTIES WITH VIOLATIONS. ONE DISTINCTION HERE IS THAT IN THIS PENALTY PROCESS, IT'S REALLY THE FRANCHISE, THE VEHICLE FOR HIRE ADMINISTRATOR. THAT HANDLES THE PENALTY PROCESS, AND THAT IS A DISTINCTION WITH THE FRANCHISES THAT I'LL GET INTO IN THE SECOND IN CHAPTER 14. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE, WE'RE PROPOSING TO CAP. THE NUMBER OF PERMANENT OPERATORS AT 25 FOR MOTOR VEHICLES, SO THERE COULD BE 25 OPERATORS RUNNING SHUTTLES, TAXIS PERMITTED WITHIN THE CITY.

FOR PEDICABS, WE HAVE THAT CAPPED AT 20 PER OPERATOR, AND AT 20 IT WOULD BE THE EACH OPERATOR WOULD BE ALLOWED FIVE CABS UNDERNEATH THAT. SO THERE COULD BE A TOTAL AT ANY GIVEN TIME OF 100 PEDICABS ON THE STREET WITH THE NEW PROPOSAL. A VALID FLORIDA DRIVER'S LICENSE IS REQUIRED FOR ALL DRIVERS, INCLUDING PEDICABS. WE'RE REQUIRING BACKGROUND CHECKS ANNUALLY FOR OPERATORS AND DRIVERS. THE VEHICLES MUST BE DISTINCT AND NOT LIKE OTHER APPROVED OPERATORS.

INSURANCE IS REQUIRED, BUT WE DID KEEP THAT AT THE STATE MINIMUM FOR VEHICLE FOR HIRE. WHICH IS $125,000 PER SINGLE INJURY, $250,000 FOR MORE THAN ONE INJURY, AND $50,000 FOR PROPERTY DAMAGE.

SO THAT'S JUST WHAT THE STATE MINIMUM REQUIRES FOR VEHICLES FOR HIRE. WE ALSO HAVE THAT THE CITY COMMISSION CAN RESTRICT CONGESTED AREAS. SO IF WE DEEM AN AREA THAT IS CONGESTED BY RESOLUTION, YOU CAN IDENTIFY THAT AREA AND RESTRICT MOVEMENTS. AGAIN, WHERE ANNUAL RENEWALS AND INSPECTIONS ARE REQUIRED. FEES IN THIS CHAPTER ARE NOT PROPOSED TO CHANGE. WE PLAN TO KEEP THE FEES THE SAME. AND ALL SECTIONS RELATED

[01:10:01]

AND THAT IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE CHANGES MADE TO THE ORDINANCE.

COMMISSIONERS, LET'S START WITH YOU. COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD, ARE YOU READY? YES, I'M READY. AND UBER IS NOT REGULATED? UBER IS CONSIDERED A TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COMPANY, NOT REGULATED BY THE CITY.

HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE A PROVISION THAT IF THEY WANT TO USE OUR TAXI STANDS, THEN THAT REQUIRES THEM TO GET A MEDALLION AND INSPECTION.

OKAY, DO WE HAVE DESIGNATED PLACES FOR THOSE RIDES? YES, SO WE, GOING INTO THIS PAST NIGHT OF LIGHTS, WE IMPLEMENTED WITH UBER AND LYFT, WE ACTUALLY CREATED A PROHIBITED AREA THAT THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO ENTER ON FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS, AND WE PROVIDE PICKUP DROP-OFF LOCATIONS ON THE PERIPHERY OF THE HISTORIC DOWNTOWN. SO EVEN THOUGH WE'RE PROVIDING THEM WITH A SPOT LIKE A TAXI STAND, THEY'RE NOT REGULATED. IS THAT JUST TEMPORARY FOR NIGHT OF LIGHTS? THAT IS YEAR-ROUND ON FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS FROM, I BELIEVE, IT'S 5 P.M. TO...

MIDNIGHT. OKAY. A HUNDRED PEDICABS SEEMS LIKE A LOT. I KNOW THERE'S A LOT AT THE AMPHITHEATER, AND THAT'S STILL CITY PROPERTY.

THEY OPERATE A LOT OF THEM OUT THERE IN A VERY DANGEROUS MANNER, I MUST ADMIT. IT'S DARK. I JUST BELIEVE THAT A HUNDRED SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF PEDICABS. CAN WE BE NOTIFIED IF AN APPROVED DRIVER GETS A DUI LATER? I KNOW THE SCHOOL. SCHOOL SYSTEM DOES HAVE THAT SYSTEM SET UP, WHERE IF WE APPROVE A BUS DRIVER, HE GETS A DUI, WE GET NOTIFIED ACTUALLY THAT NIGHT.

OH, WE HAVE IN HERE. THE OPERATOR THAT HAS THE PERMIT ISSUED IS SUPPOSED TO NOTIFY US, BUT THE CATCH-ALL WOULD BE THAT ANNUAL INSPECTION. IF WE DON'T GET NOTIFIED, WE WOULD CATCH THAT ON THE NEXT BACKGROUND CHECK.

OKAY. I THINK WE REALLY OUGHT TO CHECK INTO THAT. ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT TAKES FOR US TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT NOTIFICATION, BUT IT SEEMED LIKE IF THE SCHOOL BOARD COULD GET IT, WE COULD GET THE SAME NOTIFICATION. AND THAT'S ALL I GOT. OKAY. COMMISSIONER GARRIS? I AGREE WITH A HUNDRED PEDICABS IS WAY TOO MANY TO HAVE. THEY HOLD UP TRAFFIC FOR ONE THING. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THAT'S A WHOLE LOT.

ALSO, ARE WE DISCUSSING THE TIERS RIGHT NOW, TOO? THIS IS JUST VEHICLE FOR HIRE. OKAY.

THE VEHICLES, THE HIRES, ISN'T THAT ALSO INCLUDED, THE TIERS AND THE THINGS, OR IS THIS THE HORSES? WHICH ONE ARE YOU AT? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. SO THE VEHICLE FOR HIRE IS JUST YOUR SHUTTLES, YOUR PEDICABS, AND TAXIS.

OKAY. THE FRANCHISES WITH TOURS WOULD BE... UH, THE HORSE CARRIAGES AND TROLLEYS.

SO THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY THAT SPOKE IN PUBLIC COMMENTS ABOUT THE TASTING TOURS, AND MR. SWIFT ALSO SPOKE ABOUT THE INCREASE OF VEHICLES. IS THAT WHERE WE'RE AT? NO, THAT WILL BE THE NEXT CHAPTER, CHAPTER 14. THEN I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS AT THIS TIME. I'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE. OKAY, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. I'M GLAD THERE ARE. MOBILITY CONSULTANTS HERE, TOO.

FOR THE SAKE THAT IT KIND OF STARTED, JUST TO REMIND MYSELF, THIS KIND OF STARTED WITH OUR MOBILITY PLAN, GENERALLY SPEAKING. SO I GOT THE NUMBERS. I HAD A HARD TIME GOING FROM 49 AND NOW I REALIZED THAT IT JUST BROKE INTO 14, 19, AND 16. SO THAT'S WHY IT WENT DOWN TO 33, BECAUSE WE MOVED IT AROUND IN THE FRANCHISES. AND I DID ASK YOU FOR... GOOD NUMBERS ON THIS, SO I THANK YOU. THIS WILL BE EASIER FOR ME TO THINK ABOUT THIS IF I HAVE WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE OUT THERE. SO MY MAIN QUESTION RIGHT NOW, AND MAYBE FOR SECOND HEARING, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION NOW, IS THERE'S A LOT OF NEW ENFORCEMENT HERE.

THERE'S A LOT OF INSPECTIONS.

THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PULL PEOPLE OVER AND SEE IF THEY GOT A...

LICENSE OR NOT, PARTICULARLY WITH ALL THE TALK ABOUT THESE ROGUE PEOPLE COME OUT OF TOWN. SO BETWEEN NOW AND MAYBE THE SECOND HEARING, IF WE COULD HAVE SOME UNDERSTANDING IF THIS CODE'S GOING TO PAY FOR ITSELF. BEFORE WE GET INTO TALKING ABOUT FEES, WHETHER IT'S THIS MUCH OR THAT MUCH. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN DO THAT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT THIS IS GOING TO PAY FOR ITSELF. AND MAYBE WHEN WE GET TO THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT, I THINK THE QUESTION IS,

[01:15:01]

THAT'S SOMETHING I'M GOING TO THINK ABOUT BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT, THE SECOND HEARING. THE OTHER THING WAS THE SECTION 2713 SEEMED POSSIBLY A LITTLE BIT TOO LENIENT TO ME. THAT'S THE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM. THERE'S A LOT OF LEEWAY THERE. AND MY CONCERN, BESIDES THE MONEY, IS IF WE'RE GOING TO PASS A CODE THAT WE HAVE TO ENFORCE IT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHEN WE GET IN TROUBLE SOMETIMES, OR NOT US SPECIFICALLY, BUT JUST ANY CITY. YOU PASS A CODE, BUT IF YOU CAN'T ENFORCE IT, IT'S NOT REALLY WORTH THAT. SO BETWEEN NOW AND THE SECOND HEARING, I'LL BE LOOKING AT THOSE RESTRICTIONS A LITTLE BIT CLOSER. AND WHEN YOU'RE DOING, THIS IS NOT AS BIG A CHANGE FOR ME AS THE FRANCHISES. THE FRANCHISES HAVE MORE. I THINK THIS WHOLE THING IS GOOD. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH 100 PEDICABS. I THINK IN OUR MOBILITY PLAN, IT SPELLS OUT PRETTY CLEARLY THAT ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION ARE GOOD.

AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT JUST BECAUSE I'M A BICYCLIST. I'M SAYING THAT BECAUSE, WELL, I AM IN A WAY, BECAUSE IF THEY'RE ON THE ROAD, THEN PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET USED TO BIKES ON THE ROAD. SO IT HAS A SPILLOVER FOR ME. I KNOW I SEE THOSE GUYS AT THE AMPHITHEATER ALL THE TIME. IT LOOKS VERY DANGEROUS.

I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING. I GO BY THERE ALL THE TIME. THOSE BIKES, BECAUSE THEY'RE ELECTRIC, CAN DO UP TO 20 MILES AN HOUR. I DRIVE MY ELECTRIC BIKE AROUND TOWN AT 20 MILES AN HOUR. AND MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, I HAVE HAD PEOPLE BEHIND ME THAT ARE PRETTY RESPECTFUL, AT LEAST FROM WHAT I CAN SEE.

BUT THERE ARE TIMES I'M LIKE, THE GUY IN FRONT OF ME AND A CAR HAS GOT TO GO FASTER. SO I DON'T THINK THAT THEY'RE... I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GOING TO CAUSE A PROBLEM. THAT MAYBE WE MIGHT IMAGINE THEY WOULD BE IF THEY'RE SPREAD OUT OVER THE WHOLE DISTANCE OF THE TOWN, WHICH THEY PROBABLY WILL BE.

SO ANYWAY, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS FOR NOW. THANKS, VICE MAYOR. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, MADAM MAYOR. PROCESS AND PREFERENCE-WISE, I STARTED OUT BY SEPARATING EVERYTHING INTO EACH DIFFERENT ORDINANCE DRAFT, AND THEN I JUST... FOUND A WHOLE BUNCH THAT OVERLAPPED OF MY COMMENTS SO I CAN START WITH THAT WHICH IS SINGLE SPACED AND ALMOST A WHOLE PAGE.

AND SO I'M GOING TO YOUR PREFERENCES HERE. OR I CAN JUST TARGET THE INDIVIDUAL ORDINANCES AND THEN DO A SUMMARY OF THE THINGS THAT I STILL HAVE ISSUES ON. UM, I, YOU, I WOULD PREFER YOU DO THE INDIVIDUAL ORDINANCES AND THEN THE SUMMARY. OKAY, SURE.

OKAY, SO FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO THANK STAFF. THIS IS NECESSARY TO CLEAN THIS UP AND TO GET A BETTER CONTROL, AND I THINK THAT THIS FIRST STAB AT IT IS MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IN A LOT OF WAYS. SO MY COMMENTS FOR THIS SPECIFIC ORDINANCE, 2026-10, I'M JUST GOING TO LIMIT RIGHT NOW TO TWO OF THEM. THERE ARE, 100 IS, WAY TOO MANY PEDICABS. IF THEY WERE GOLF CARTS OR ANYTHING ELSE, IT'S JUST A WHOLE LOT.

SO I RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE OVER HERE AND AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE OVER HERE.

SO THAT'S, I THINK THEY SHOULD BE, THAT SHOULD BE REDUCED BY AT LEAST 50%. AND THEN THE SECOND COMMENT IS KIND OF AN OVERALL THING. YOU DID MENTION THAT YOU WOULD EXPLAIN WHY PEDICABS WERE CARVED OUT TO BE ABLE TO DO TOURS. THAT'S NOT THE ONLY THING I'M COMMENTING ON ABOUT THE PEDICABS. IT FEELS LIKE THEY ARE GETTING SOME PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT BY BEING TREATED IN THIS CLASS OF VEHICLES FOR HIRE, AND THAT MAYBE THERE IS A TIER THREE OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR THE FRANCHISES AND PEDICABS, AND SO I'D LIKE FOLKS TO CONSIDER THAT. OKAY, THAT'S IT? OKAY, FOR THIS PART.

OKAY, FOR THIS PART FOR ME,

[01:20:06]

BUT I DO AGREE THAT THERE ARE, THAT 100 IS TOO MANY TOTAL. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN PARSE THAT OUT, BUT THAT IS A LOT FOR THE STREET. AND I THINK MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT I HEAR ABOUT THEM REALLY JUST ARE THE BAD BEHAVIOR. YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ENFORCE THAT, BUT I AM. I'M A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED ABOUT ADDING A STAFF POSITION AS WE MOVE INTO THIS PHASE.

WITH THE STATE, WHO IS POTENTIALLY REMOVING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF REVENUE FROM US, THE ABILITY TO COLLECT REVENUE ON PROPERTY TAX. SO I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, BUT I DON'T, UNTIL WE KNOW MORE, I GUESS WE SHOULD JUST PROCEED.

AS IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT, BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO TAKE SOMEONE TO. COORDINATE AND ADMINISTER. APPRECIATE THE BACKGROUND CHECKS. MAYBE THAT CAN HELP WITH THE BAD BEHAVIOR. AND I WAS VERY CONCERNED TO HEAR ABOUT ALCOHOL, POTENTIAL ALCOHOL AND THE DRIVERS. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN DEAL WITH THAT, BUT IT CONCERNS ME.

I'M NOT SURE IF THE INSURANCE AT THE STATE LEVEL IS ENOUGH, BUT IT'S... THAT'S WHAT YOU RECOMMEND, AND IT WORKS FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES. I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T HAVE ANY DATA THAT SHOWS ME WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE DOING HERE. SO THAT KIND OF I FEEL KIND OF BLIND ON THAT SCORE. I AGREE WITH THE ANNUAL INSPECTIONS. I THINK THAT OUR BIGGEST CONCERN SHOULD ALWAYS BE ABOUT SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN OUR CITY AND MAKING THEM FEEL SAFE.

AND I'M QUESTIONED AS TO WHETHER... YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO JUSTIFY KEEPING THESE FEES AT THE SAME PRICE, SAME LEVEL. IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE ADDING STUFF AND ADDING COSTS TO THE TAXPAYERS, I REALLY THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO LOOK AT SOME KIND OF DATA THAT CAN HELP US DETERMINE WHAT A FAIR FEE WILL BE. SO WITH THAT... I HAD ONE OTHER THING, JUST ONE OTHER THING, AND SURE, PLEASE. I DO BELIEVE THAT WE WILL ALSO NEED A LIST OF ALL OF THE REGISTERED BUSINESSES AS OF TODAY MOVING FORWARD. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO THEY ARE AND HOW MANY PERMITS THEY HAVE EACH, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. I'D LIKE TO KNOW ALL OF THOSE CURRENTLY LICENSED AND REGISTERED. SO THAT I FEEL LIKE I CAN MAKE A BETTER DECISION WITH THAT INFORMATION. YES. I FORGOT ONE THING, AND THAT IS THAT THE NOISE.

SOME OF THESE PEDICABS BLAST THEIR BOOM BOXES, THEY CALLED THEM BACK WHEN I WAS YOUNG, REALLY LOUD. AND IT'S HARD TO CATCH THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE MOVING AROUND. BUT I WISH WE COULD PUT SOMETHING IN THE ORDINANCE THAT SAYS LIMITED OR NO AMPLIFIED MUSIC. THEY'RE A TAXI. THEY'RE NOT ENTERTAINMENT. I THINK THAT'S REASONABLE. DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH? YES. MAYOR, I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT. STAFF WOULD LIKE TO IMPOSE A FREEZE ON ALL APPLICATIONS FOR VEHICLE FOR HIRE AND FRANCHISEES DUE TO THE PENDING. I HAD THAT DISCUSSION WITH CITY ATTORNEY TODAY. I'M WONDERING IF THAT'S NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT A FREEZE OR MORATORIUM. ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING? NO. I THINK, WHAT, MR. FRANKLIN IS.

SUGGESTING IS BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CREATE NEW FORMS, GET NEW INSURANCE, THERE'S A LOT OF, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TRAIN OUR OWN PEOPLE. I BELIEVE, AS I UNDERSTAND, WE'VE CHATTED OFFLINE ON THIS. HIS REQUEST IS TO JUST CONFIRM THE COMMISSION'S INTENT THAT WE NOT PROCESS ANYONE NEW BETWEEN TODAY AND FINAL READING, BECAUSE THERE'S JUST TOO MANY THINGS CHANGING AND WE DON'T WANT TO HALF APPROVE SOMEONE. AND THEN CHANGE THE RULES ON THEM WHEN THEY'RE NOT QUITE ISSUED YET A PERMIT. SO HIS SUGGESTION IS, ADMINISTRATIVELY, WE DON'T FINALIZE ANYTHING UNTIL WE REALLY KNOW WHAT THE RULES WILL BE. WE'LL HAVE TO TRAIN UP OUR FOLKS AND HAVE NEW FORMS FOR THE APPLICANTS.

[01:25:01]

WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF FEEDBACK FOR YOU, IF YOU COULD GIVE US A... A MOTION AND AN AFFIRMATIVE VOTE FOR MOVING THIS TO SECOND READING. I'LL MAKE A MOTION.

DO YOU HAVE CHANGES YOU WANT TO SEE? I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. I HAVE LOTS OF CHANGES I WANT TO SEE. WELL, YOU COULD...

WHAT WOULD YOUR MOTION BE? MY UNDERSTANDING OF FIRST READINGS, AS WE TELL THEM, I MEAN, I HAVE A COUPLE REQUESTS IN MYSELF. LIKE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE FINANCIALS, IF IT'S GOING TO PAY FOR ITSELF, MOSTLY. YES, THIS DOESN'T END THE REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. MY READING OF IT IS WE ASK THE STAFF TO GIVE US THE INFORMATION WE NEED TO COME TO SECOND HEARING. AND ON THAT LEVEL, I'M READY TO MOVE AHEAD. OKAY, WELL, THEY'RE ASKING FOR A MOTION TO PROCEED TO SECOND HEARING.

SO MY CONCERN IS, IS IT READY FOR US TO PROCEED TO SECOND HEARING? IF I MAY, I'M CONCERNED THAT THE SECOND HEARING IS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR JUST OVER A MONTH FROM NOW, AND THAT, JUST WITH MY FEW COMMENTS AND THE ONES YOU'VE HEARD, WILL BE NOWHERE NEAR THAT. I THINK YOU HAVE A LOT ON YOUR PLATE. SO I'M NOT SURE IF WE MOVE THE SCHEDULE. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE MIGHT DO THAT. BUT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE TIMELINE IN GETTING TO A SECOND HEARING AND STILL NOT HAVING A LOT OF INFORMATION. I AGREE. I THINK SOME CORRECTIONS NEED TO BE MADE BEFORE WE MOVE IT ON TO SECOND READING. SO WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS WE'D LIKE TO SEE THE FIRST, THE CHANGES, AND SEE THE FIRST READING AGAIN. EITHER WAY. AS LONG AS THEY COME BACK WITH THE INFORMATION THAT I WANT PERSONALLY, THEN IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S A SECOND HEARING OR CONTINUING THE FIRST.

BUT I'LL LEAVE THAT TO YOU GUYS TO FIGURE OUT. I MIGHT WANT TO SUGGEST, THOUGH, THAT IF THERE ARE SPECIFICS, I'M SURE, MR. FRANKLIN WOULD LOVE TO HEAR THEM NOW, BECAUSE I DIDN'T HEAR A LOT OF SPECIFIC CHANGES. A FEW, BUT NOT MANY. I MEAN, I'D BE HAPPY TO GO WITH MY LAUNDRY LIST, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT ON IT, AND I THINK WHEN WE GET TO THE FRANCHISES, THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE DISCUSSION AS WELL. I THINK THE FIRST, THE VEHICLES FOR HIRE, PROBABLY IS THE EASIER ONE, MINUS THE PEDICAB QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW. ALL RIGHT. I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED. YOU HAVE A MOTION. YEAH, A MOTION. LET'S GO. LET'S TRY AND SEE WHAT YOU'VE GOT. I WOULD JUST SAY.

BECAUSE I FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE.

NOW. WE'VE GOT A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. WE DON'T HAVE A SECOND, BUT. OKAY. MAY I ASK THE STAFF A QUESTION? AFTER WHAT YOU'VE HEARD TODAY, HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT WOULD TAKE TO PREPARE FOR YOU TO COME BACK AND ANSWER EITHER THE QUESTIONS OR THE COMMENTS? ONE WOULD BE APPARENTLY REMOVING 15 PEDICABS FROM IT. BUT IN TERMS OF GATHERING INFORMATION, HOW MUCH TIME WOULD YOU NEED FOR, SAY, FOR ME TO KNOW THAT? THERE'S SOME KIND OF FINANCIAL PLAN THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE PAID FOR BY THE TAXPAYERS, IT'S GOING TO PAY FOR ITSELF, THAT KIND OF THING? HOW LONG WOULD YOU TAKE? OTHER THAN THAT, I DIDN'T HEAR ANY DIRECT REQUEST. I HAVE A LOT. OH, OKAY. WELL, THEN MAYBE I THINK THAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT. THEN YOU COULD ANSWER THAT QUESTION, POTENTIALLY.

SURE. WELL, BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT I DID HEAR, I WAS COMFORTABLE WITH. A SECOND READING ON THE APRIL 27TH. I DON'T BELIEVE IT CHANGED ANYTHING WITH THE SHORT TITLE. AND THEN WE COULD ALWAYS HAVE A CONTINUE A SECOND READING. YEAH. IF WE BROUGHT TO YOU AND THEN THAT WAY YOU GET TO THE PUBLIC HEARING AND YOU CAN HEAR FROM THE STAKEHOLDERS AS WELL.

YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM. IT MAY TAKE TWO SECOND READINGS OF THIS ORDINANCE AND THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCE, BECAUSE THEY'RE REALLY TIED TOGETHER.

SO THEY SHOULD BE DONE IN IN TANDEM. BUT. I FELT COMFORTABLE WITH THAT TIMELINE TO GET THAT INFORMATION BACK, BARRING WHAT WE HEAR FROM THE INPUT FOR CHAPTER 14.

CHAPTER 14 MIGHT BE A BIGGER LIFT. DO YOU GUYS WANT TO SEPARATE THE TWO? WELL, I'M JUST NOT SUPER THRILLED WITH MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT NUMBER THAT WE ALL DISAGREE WITH. WHAT NUMBER IS THAT? THE 100. MAY I HELP WITH THAT?

[01:30:01]

OKAY. BUT FOR DISCUSSION'S SAKE, AS WE... WAIT TO DO THAT. WE HAVE 14 LICENSED PEDICAB COMPANIES RIGHT NOW, OPERATORS IN THE CITY THAT HAVE THEIR LICENSE UP TO DATE AND ACTIVE. SO IF YOU'RE ASKING ME RIGHT OFF THE BAT, ONE THING WE TRIED TO DO WAS TO ACCOMMODATE THE EXISTING OPERATORS THAT WE HAVE. BOTH ORDINANCES TRY TO ACCOMMODATE THE EXISTING OPERATORS THAT WE HAVE, AS LONG AS THEY'RE IN GOOD STANDING. SO YOU COULD REDUCE THE 25 TO 15. OPERATORS AND REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CABS TO FROM FIVE TO THREE. THAT WOULD BE A DRASTIC REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF PEDICABS ALLOWED TO OPERATE. OR YOU COULD REDUCE IT JUST TO 15 OPERATORS AND ALLOW UP TO FIVE CABS. THAT'S WHERE MY HEAD IS AT. OKAY, SEE THIS WAY, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SEPARATE THE NUMBERS FROM THE NUMBERS. IT'S LIKE, IF WE'RE GOING TO CHARGE EACH BICYCLE, IT'S GOING TO CREATE MORE MONEY AND IT'S SPREAD OUT OVER A DISTANCE. SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY ISSUE. I ALSO THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE MONEY AS A TOTAL PACKAGE, NOT PEDICABS PAYING FOR THEMSELVES. NO, I MEANT, THAT'S WHAT I MEANT. SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE TOTAL INCOME WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FROM ALL OF THESE FRANCHISES AND THESE VEHICLES FOR HIRE. MAY I? THAT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION. SO DO WE JUST DO THE FOR HIRE AS ONE THING AND THE FRANCHISES AS ANOTHER? I FEEL JUST DOING THE... FOR HIRE IS ONE THING, AND THE FRANCHISES IS ANOTHER.

THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.

SO INTERLAPPING THEM, AGAIN, SEEMS KIND OF CONTRADICTORY TO THE PURPOSE. ONE IS VEHICLES FOR HIRE, TOTALLY SEPARATE THING. ONE OF THEM IS FRANCHISES. SO THAT'S WHY I'D BE MORE COMFORTABLE MOVING THIS ONE FORWARD, MAYBE, THAN THE NEXT ONE. THAT'S JUST MY THINKING. BUT I THINK IT'S A FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES. ARE WE TRYING TO DO THEM BOTH TOGETHER, OR CAN WE DO THEM SEPARATELY? I THINK THEY MAY HAVE TO BE DONE. TOGETHER, ULTIMATELY FOR THE FINAL ADOPTION. AND IF I'M INCORRECT, I KNOW MR. FRANKLIN WILL CORRECT ME BECAUSE I THINK THE FIRST ORDINANCE ACTUALLY REMOVES.

SECTIONS THAT WOULD APPLY OTHERWISE. SO YOU DON'T WANT TO LEAVE A VACUUM. BUT FOR PURPOSES OF FIRST READING, YES, YOU COULD. IF THE COMMISSION FEELS COMFORTABLE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE FIRST READING ON ORDINANCE 2026-10, YOU CERTAINLY CAN. I WOULD SUGGEST, THOUGH, THAT WHEN THERE'S FINAL ADOPTION, THAT IT BE SYNCHRONIZED SO THAT THE EFFECTIVE DATES ARE THE SAME FOR THE TWO. I DID WANT, AND FORGIVE ME. I HOPE I'M NOT OVERSTEPPING, BUT I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER OR VICE MAYOR BLONDER HAD A LIST, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT. I'VE HEARD IT. YOU HAVEN'T, AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, IS THAT. I DON'T FEEL LIKE I CAN CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION WITHOUT BRINGING UP THESE ISSUES, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION. LET'S GO AHEAD.

IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU. CAN I MAKE A SUGGESTION THAT WE DON'T MOVE FORWARD THIS ONE? UNTIL AFTER WE HEAR THE TOTAL PACKAGE TONIGHT, AND THEN WE DECIDE IF WE MOVE ONE OR THE OTHER FORWARD. GOOD. YEAH, I ALMOST FEEL LIKE THIS, AT THIS POINT, IT FEELS LIKE A WORKSHOP. HONESTLY, IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE A COMMISSION ANYMORE. IT FEELS LIKE A WORKSHOP. RIGHT.

IT'S WHAT WE REALLY NEED FOR THIS KIND OF, THIS MAJOR OF AN EVENT IS TO TALK IT OUT. OKAY. WELL, LET'S TRY. OKAY. WE SHOULD TRY BECAUSE WE'RE HERE. SO IF I COULD, GO AHEAD. I WANT TO FRAME THIS. OKAY.

AROUND MOBILITY, BECAUSE IT WASN'T THAT LONG AGO THAT WE PASSED THIS MASSIVE MOBILITY PLAN. AND IN ORDINANCE 2026-11.

SPECIFICALLY, IT STATED THAT THE MOBILITY PLAN EMPHASIZES STRATEGIES THAT INCLUDE, QUOTE, REDUCING CONFLICTS BETWEEN MOBILITY MODES, UNQUOTE, AND, QUOTE, REDUCING ADVERSE IMPACTS ON THE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK, END QUOTE. THERE'S SIMILAR LANGUAGE IN... ORDINANCE 2026-10. SO WITH THAT FRAMEWORK, 100 PEDICABS IS WAY TOO MANY. IT'S GOING TO INCREASE CONFLICTS BETWEEN MOBILITY MODES, AND IT WILL INCREASE ADVERSE IMPACTS ON THE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK.

FOR THIS FIRST ORDINANCE, AS

[01:35:04]

BUT THERE WAS THIS A YUGA HORN, APOLOGIZE FOR THE WORD OR WHATEVER, THAT A YUGA HORN, AND THEY COME UP BEHIND PEOPLE AND THEY DO THIS TO PEDESTRIANS. THEY SOUND THE HORN. IT'S VERY, VERY LOUD.

AND EVERYBODY ON THE TOUR STARTS LAUGHING.

THAT'S ALSO NOT AN ACCEPTABLE RANGE OR AN ACCEPTABLE EXPRESSION OF WHATEVER. AND I'D LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING RELEVANT TO THAT. THANK YOU. 2026-10.

FOR ALL OF THESE VEHICLES FOR HIRE AND FRANCHISES, OTHER THAN TIER ONE, I THINK IS ADEQUATE, INSURANCE MINIMUMS NEED TO BE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY.

MY PERSONAL VEHICLES THAT I DRIVE FOR NON-COMMERCIAL PURPOSES ONLY, I NEVER MAKE ANY MONEY WHEN I DRIVE MY VEHICLE, NEITHER DOES ANYBODY IN MY FAMILY. I PERSONALLY HAVE DOUBLE THE MINIMUM FOR PEDICABS. AT $250,000, $500,000, AND $100,000. TIER 2 IS ONLY DOUBLE THAT OF MY PERSONAL INSURANCE COVERAGE.

AND THEY'RE CARRYING PEOPLE AROUND, A LOT MORE PEOPLE AROUND THAN I COULD FIT IN ANY OF MY VEHICLES. SO I THINK THAT IS WAY UNDERSHOOTING FOR 11 PASSENGERS. AGAIN, FEES FOR, THIS HAS BEEN ALLUDED TO, FEES FOR PERMITS AND FRANCHISES SHOULD BE PROPORTIONATE TO THE COST OF THE ADMINISTRATION. SO WE NEED THAT INFORMATION, HOW MUCH TIME AND ENERGY IS SPENT.

MANAGING PERMITS, TAKING IN PERMIT APPLICATIONS, REVISING THE PERMIT FORMS, THE FRANCHISE APPLICATION PROCESSING, THE BACKGROUND CHECK VERIFICATIONS ANNUALLY, THE INSPECTIONS OF THE VEHICLES BY THE FLEET. ENFORCEMENT, YOU KNOW, CODE ENFORCEMENT, WHATEVER, POLICE. I THINK THAT ANY OF THE PROPOSED FEES THAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW WOULDN'T EVEN COME CLOSE TO COVERING THESE COSTS, AND THOSE ARE HIDDEN COSTS FOR THE MOST PART. I'M MORE THAN HALFWAY DONE. THOSE ARE GOOD.

PLEASE KEEP GOING. OKAY, SURE.

FRANCHISE AND VEHICLE FOR HIRE TERMS ARE, IN MY OPINION, TOO LONG, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ANIMAL-DRAWN CARRIAGES, WHICH WE HAVE NOW AT FIVE YEARS RENEWABLE.

REDUCE ALL THE OTHERS BY AT LEAST ONE HALF OF THE PROPOSED TERM. 20 YEARS IS A VERY, VERY LONG TIME, AND LOTS OF THINGS CAN CHANGE.

I WOULD REDUCE THAT TERM TO HALF OF THAT TIME FOR EACH OF THE TIERS AND EACH OF THE VEHICLES FOR HIRE AND SO FORTH. THERE SHOULD BE EXCLUSION ZONES FOR WHERE THESE TOURS CAN TAKE PLACE, WHETHER THEY BE PEDICABS OR WHETHER THEY BE ANY OF THE TIERS IN THE IN THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT. I MEAN, FRANCHISE ORDINANCE. WE'VE BEEN GETTING, I DON'T KNOW, COMMISSIONER DEPREETOR, YOU'VE HAD A RUN-IN, I HEAR, IN LIGHTHOUSE PARK WITH ONE OF THE TOUR OPERATORS. I'M JUST— ARE WE TALKING FRANCHISES NOW, OR ARE WE TALKING VEHICLES FOR HIRE? I SAID, BOTH. I SAID BOTH BECAUSE THEY BLEED OVER.

SO I THINK THERE SHOULD BE EXCLUSION ZONES FOR BOTH, FOR VEHICLES FOR HIRE, THE PEDICABS, IF THEY'RE DOING TOURS. YEP. I THINK THAT THE VIOLATIONS IN ALL THE SECTIONS ARE FAR TOO LENIENT. IF I HAD... FOUR STRIKES BEFORE I EVEN HAD TO SHOW UP TO DO SOMETHING. IF I HAD FOUR STUDENT COMPLAINTS, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, I'D BE LOOKING AT MY JOB.

PEOPLE WOULD BE LOOKING AT MY JOB AND HAVING MY HEAD.

SO THAT'S WAY TOO MANY. AND WITHIN SIX MONTHS, IF YOU'VE GOT THREE, THAT'S A BAD SIGN THAT YOU'RE NOT DOING BUSINESS WELL. SIX AND 12 MONTHS, THERE SHOULD BE FAR FEWER. I'VE SAID THE THING ABOUT PERHAPS A TIER THREE, MOVING THE TOUR PEDICABS OVER THERE. ANOTHER THING, THERE WAS A SUGGESTION THAT INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS MAYBE BE COMPLEMENTARY 0 TO WHAT THE COUNTIES ARE, WHERE THEY'RE APPROPRIATE, SO THAT PEOPLE CAN GET THE COVERAGE. IT MIGHT BE HARDER TO GET THE COVERAGE THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR VERSUS WHAT THE COUNTY'S ASKING FOR. AND THE SCOOTERS AND DOODLEBUG RENTALS, I THINK IF WE COULD LOOK AT WHETHER THERE'S A WAY TO REGULATE THEM. I WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT. OVERALL, I THINK

[01:40:01]

WELL... I ALSO BROUGHT UP THE INSURANCE LEVELS, AND I'M LIKE, WELL, HOW DID I KNOW? YOU SAID THIS IS WHAT THE STATE, THE INSURANCE IS WHAT THE STATE REQUIRES. I HAPPEN TO KNOW THAT RIGHT NOW THERE'S A LOT GOING ON AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE ABOUT LIABILITY AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS, LEVELS. SO THEY ARE EVEN LOOKING AT CHANGING. SO THE WAY WE HAVE IT WRITTEN IN THE ORDINANCE NOW IS IT REFERENCES THE STATE STATUTE FOR MINIMUM INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS. SO IF THE STATE RAISED THEIR INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS, THEN THE INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS WOULD GET RAISED IN VEHICLES FOR HIRE. WE DECIDED TO KEEP THAT AT THE STATE MINIMUM. THAT'S HOW IT WAS BEFORE. AND THEN, WITH THE TIER TWO, WE'LL GET INTO THAT NEXT. BUT WE DIDN'T RAISE IT NOT ALL THE WAY TO THE TIER ONE BECAUSE THERE ARE SMALLER OPERATORS. BUT WE DID GET STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK ABOUT THE EXPENSE, OVERALL EXPENSE OF. THE INSURANCE. SO WE WERE TRYING TO STRIKE A BALANCE, BUT THAT'S ALL OPEN FOR DISCUSSION. WE CAN MAKE THEM ALL HAVE THE SAME INSURANCE AS TIER ONE OPERATORS, BUT I'M LOOKING FOR GUIDANCE AND I CAN BRING BACK OPTIONS TO CONSIDER. OKAY.

WELL, I WOULD GO FOR THAT. I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR SOME OPTIONS. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HEAR SOMETHING, HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THIS. AUDIBLE SLASH AMPLIFIED. ISSUE, I CALL IT AN AUDIBLE ISSUE BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE OOGA HORNS.

AND YES, CORRECT. HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS THAT? THE TERMS, I THOUGHT THAT WAS A VERY COMPELLING ARGUMENT THAT YOU MADE ABOUT THE TERMS BEING TOO LONG.

YOU DID BRING UP THE EXCLUSIONS OF WHERE THEY CAN GO. I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA. I MEAN, I'M JUST NOT COMFORTABLE WITH IT RIGHT NOW TO SAY, WELL, WE'LL ADDRESS THAT IN THE FUTURE. I DON'T KNOW. I JUST FEEL LIKE THIS JUST FEELS...

KIND OF LOOSE TO PUSH IT ON TO SECOND READING, HONESTLY, FOR ME. THAT'S FOR ME.

AT THIS POINT, THE ONE, YEAH, I KNOW. I KNOW. EVEN THIS ONE.

SO THAT'S JUST ME. AND IF I MAY, I DON'T WANT THE COMMISSION TO FEEL RUSHED. WE HAVE, THIS IS A COMPLICATED TOPIC. I'VE LEARNED THAT OVER THE YEAR AND A HALF. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO MAKE CHANGES TO THIS AND ENGAGING WITH STAKEHOLDERS. SO IF YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE, WE CAN TAKE OUR TIME. AND BRING THIS BACK. EITHER WAY, WORKS FOR US. CAN I ASK A QUESTION AGAIN? OH, I THINK YOU SHOULD.

BACK TO MY ORIGINAL QUESTION, NOW THAT YOU'VE HEARD THIS, HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT WOULD TAKE YOU TO PUT THAT TOGETHER? I DON'T WANT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, OR SHOULD WE JUST SAY, LEAVE IT AT A FIRST HEARING? AND THEN THEY COME BACK TO US AT THE NEXT MEETING AND SAY, WHEN WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, OR? WE'LL JUST EXTEND IT. WE CAN EXTEND IT. CAN I MAKE A SUGGESTION? YEAH, PLEASE. CAN WE HAVE MR. FRANKLIN JUST COMPLETE HIS PRESENTATION OF THE NEXT ORDINANCE, AND THEN YOU CAN MAKE A DECISION WHETHER YOU WANT TO HAVE HIM OR THE CITY.

SCHEDULE A WORKSHOP, COME BACK FOR ANOTHER FIRST READING WITH YOUR COMMENTS ADDRESSED, OR SCHEDULE SECOND READING.

OKAY, THANK YOU. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. OKAY. READY? YEAH. THANK YOU. THE ITEM BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING IS A PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 14 OF THE CITY CODE RELATING TO FRANCHISES. THIS ORDINANCE... REPRESENTS A TARGETED UPDATE TO MODERNIZE THE CITY'S FRANCHISE REGULATIONS, WITH A FOCUS ON PUBLIC SAFETY, DRIVER ACCOUNTABILITY, ANIMAL WELFARE, AND THE ORDERLY USE OF THE PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS STRENGTHEN STANDARDS FOR DRIVER QUALIFICATIONS AND CONDUCT, ENHANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE HUMANE CARE AND TREATMENT OF ANIMALS USED IN FRANCHISE OPERATIONS, AND ESTABLISH CLEAR OPERATIONAL EXPECTATIONS. EXPECTATIONS FOR FRANCHISE SERVICES OPERATING WITHIN THE CITY. THE ORDINANCE ALSO INTRODUCES A CAP

[01:45:01]

STAFF ARE SEEKING CITY COMMISSION DIRECTION AND, IF APPROPRIATE, APPROVAL TO PROCEED TO SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING. IT'S ANTICIPATED THAT WE WOULD HOLD THAT SECOND HEARING ON APRIL 27, 2026. I'M AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS. WE ALSO HAVE COREY SACKRIT, OUR DIRECTOR OF GENERAL SERVICES, TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND OUR MOBILITY CONSULTANT, WHO ASSISTED IN AMENDING THESE ORDINANCES.

IN THE STUDY THAT LED TO THIS.

I'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE HIGH-LEVEL BULLET POINTS. WE INCLUDED DEFINITIONS FOR SIGHTSEEING, MOTOR VEHICLE SIGHTSEEING, TIER ONE FRANCHISEES, TIER TWO FRANCHISEES, AND A FRANCHISE ADMINISTRATOR.

TIER ONE FRANCHISES CAN OPERATE MOTOR VEHICLES WITH 11 OR MORE PASSENGERS. TIER ONE OPERATORS ARE CAPPED AT TWO OPERATORS, AND THOSE WOULD BE OUR EXISTING TWO OPERATORS, THE OLD TOWN TROLLEYS AND THE RED TRAINS.

THEY ARE ALLOWED UP TO 16 VEHICLES PER FRANCHISE AGREEMENT. SO EACH ONE CAN HAVE UP TO 16 VEHICLES ON THE STREET AT ANY GIVEN TIME. AND THEIR FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS ARE GOOD.FOR 20 YEARS. TIER 2 FRANCHISES IS A NEW CATEGORY, AND THEY ARE MOTOR VEHICLES WITH 11 OR LESS PASSENGERS.

TIER 2 OPERATORS ARE CAPPED AT 15 FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS, WITH UP TO THREE VEHICLES ALLOWED PER FRANCHISE AGREEMENT. FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS FOR TIER TWO ARE GOOD FOR 10 YEARS. BACKGROUND CHECKS ARE REQUIRED FOR APPLICANTS AND ANY OWNERS OR DRIVERS. A GRANTEE MAY NOT OWN, OPERATE, OR HAVE ANY FINANCIAL, LEGAL, OR OWNERSHIP INTEREST IN MORE THAN ONE TIER ONE FRANCHISE AND ONE TIER TWO FRANCHISE. THIS WAS PUT IN TO PREVENT ONE OWNER FROM OWNING MULTIPLE FRANCHISES, AND THEN THEY END UP HAVING A LION'S SHARE OF THE FRANCHISES IN TOWN. APPEARANCE AND DESIGN SHALL BE UNIQUE AND DISTINCT FROM OTHER OPERATORS. ANNUAL RENEWALS FOR VEHICLE INSPECTIONS AND DRIVERS ARE REQUIRED. TIER ONE AND TWO LOADING ZONES SHALL BE LOCATED A MINIMUM OF 100 FEET AWAY FROM EACH OTHER TO AVOID CONFUSION AND OVERLAP.

SO WE WILL, WITH THE CREATION OF A TIER TWO FRANCHISE, WE WILL ACTUALLY CREATE CURBSIDE SPACE FOR THEM IN THE HISTORIC DOWNTOWN AREA SO THEY CAN LOAD AND UNLOAD. AND THAT WILL BE SEPARATE AND DISTINCT FROM OUR TIER ONE LOADING ZONES AND UNLOADING ZONES. THE INSURANCE, OUR TIER ONE INSURANCE, IS NOT LESS THAN $1 MILLION FOR ONE PERSON INJURED OR KILLED, AND $1 MILLION FOR ALL PROPERTY DAMAGE OR DESTROYED IN ANY ONE INCIDENT. AND NOT LESS THAN $4 MILLION FOR MORE THAN ONE PERSON INJURED OR KILLED IN ANY ONE INCIDENT, OR A $4 MILLION COMBINED SINGLE LIMIT PER OCCURRENCE. THAT ESSENTIALLY STAYS THE SAME.

OUR TIER 2, OUR NEW CATEGORY, AND ALSO ANIMAL-DRAWN VEHICLES, WHICH WE'LL RAISE FROM. THE MINIMUM, IS NOT LESS THAN $500,000. FOR ONE PERSON INJURED OR KILLED. AND $500,000 FOR ALL PROPERTY DAMAGE OR DESTROYED IN ANY ONE INCIDENT ACCIDENT, AND NOT LESS THAN $1 MILLION FOR MORE THAN ONE PERSON INJURED OR KILLED IN ANY ONE ACCIDENT. OR A $1 MILLION COMBINED SINGLE LIMIT PER OCCURRENCE. DRIVERS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A VALID FLORIDA DRIVER'S LICENSE. TIER 1 OPERATORS HAVE FIXED ROUTES AND TIER 2 OPERATORS DO NOT HAVE FIXED ROUTES. LOADING AND NON-LOADING ZONES WILL BE ESTABLISHED FOR BOTH TIERS.

THEY'LL BE SEPARATE AND DISTINCT. ONE REASON FOR TIER 2 NOT HAVING FIXED ROUTES IS THEY'RE SMALLER OPERATORS. AND THROUGH STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, THAT'S PART OF THEIR TOUR IS THEY CAN GO INTO SMALLER NOOKS AND CRANNIES OF THE CITY AND GIVE A MORE PERSONALIZED TOURING EXPERIENCE. THE FRANCHISE FEE.

WE'RE NOT CHANGING THE TIER 1 FEES. TIER 2 FEES WILL BE $2,000 PER YEAR FOR EACH FRANCHISE AGREEMENT.

SO 15 FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS, WE WOULD BE PULLING IN ANNUALLY $30,000 A YEAR IF WE HAD ALL 15 FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS IN PLACE.

[01:50:02]

OPERATIONS, PART OF THAT WAS AT THREE PENALTIES, THE REQUEST WAS TO HAVE A HEARING IN FRONT OF THE CITY COMMISSION.

BECAUSE IF WE PUT, LET'S SAY, THE RED TRAINS SUSPENDED THEM, THAT WOULD PUT ALL OF THEIR EMPLOYEES OUT. SO THE REQUEST WAS TO HAVE A HEARING IN FRONT OF THE COMMISSION TO GO OVER THE VIOLATIONS. AND ALSO THAT WE'RE NOT NITPICKING VIOLATIONS THAT WERE JUST OVER THERE FROM A STAFF POINT, BEING OVERLY. BURDENSOME.

THAT'S WHERE THAT CAME FROM.

ON TO ANIMAL DRAWN VEHICLES.

THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT FOR THE TIER ONE AND TIER TWO FRANCHISES. THE ANIMAL DRAWN VEHICLES. WE UPDATED DEFINITIONS TO INCLUDE A FRANCHISE ADMINISTRATOR, A MEDALLION, AND A TRANSFER STATION. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MEDALLIONS ALLOWED TO BE ISSUED IS CHANGED FROM 30 TO 15. YOU HAD ALREADY SET A POLICY OF 15. WE'RE JUST CHANGING THE ORDINANCE TO REFLECT THAT POLICY. EACH FRANCHISE AGREEMENT IS ALLOWED UP TO FIVE MEDALLIONS PER AGREEMENT, AS LONG AS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MEDALLIONS DOES NOT EXCEED 15. FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS FOR THIS CATEGORY ARE CHANGED FROM 20 TO 5 YEAR PERIODS. SO A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT FOR HORSE CARRIAGES WOULD BE A 5 YEAR AGREEMENT. WE CHANGE THE INSURANCE TO MATCH THE TIER 2.

DRIVERS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A VALID FLORIDA DRIVER'S LICENSE. ROUTES ARE FIXED AND ADOPTED BY RESOLUTION.

WITH THE EXCEPTION, THERE'S EXCEPTION FOR CHARTERS AND PRE-BOOKED.

THEY CANNOT ASK FOR AUTHORIZATION TO GO OFF ROUTE. THE FRANCHISE FEE IS CURRENTLY SET AT $1,000 PER YEAR PER MEDALLION. SO IF WE HAD ALL 15 MEDALLIONS, THAT WOULD BE $15,000 A YEAR.

WE DID REMOVE THE GROSS REVENUE SHARE JUST BECAUSE OF THE AUDITING. STAFF WOULD RATHER HAVE A FLAT FIXED RATE FOR THE TIER 2 AND FOR THE HORSE CARRIAGES. CARE OF ANIMALS HAS BEEN UPDATED TO ADDRESS ABUSE OF ANIMALS AND THEIR HEALTH.

THE CITY MAY REQUEST AN OPERATOR TO FORMALIZE AND CREATE A TRAINING PROGRAM FOR DRIVERS. CERTIFICATE OF HEALTH OF ANIMALS REQUIRED. WE UPDATED THAT SECTION. THE EQUINE HEAT GUIDELINES. AND THIS HAS BEEN A POINT THAT WE'LL HAVE SOME DISCUSSION OVER.

BUT WE'VE CHANGED THAT RIGHT NOW TO AN 85-DEGREE THRESHOLD. SO AT 85 DEGREES, YOU HAVE TO START TAKING THE ANIMAL'S TEMPERATURE. AND THEN, IF IT.

TO ENSURE THAT THE ANIMAL'S INTERNAL TEMPERATURE IS NOT OVER 102 DEGREES. AND IF IT GETS TO 90 DEGREES, THEN ALL OPERATIONS HAVE TO CEASE. THAT WAS REDUCED FROM 95 DEGREES, SO WE DROPPED IT FIVE DEGREES TOTAL TO A 90-DEGREE CUTOFF INSTEAD OF 95 DEGREES. PENALTIES HAVE BEEN UPDATED TO MATCH THE MOTOR VEHICLE SECTION. SO AGAIN, THIS WOULD FALL IN LINE WITH AFTER THE THIRD VIOLATION OF HEARING IN FRONT OF THE CITY COMMISSION. AND A GRANTEE MAY NOT OWN OR OPERATE, OR HAVE ANY FINANCIAL, LEGAL, OR OWNERSHIP INTEREST IN MORE THAN ONE FRANCHISE.

BACKGROUND CHECKS ARE REQUIRED FOR APPLICANTS AND ANY OWNERS OR DRIVERS. AND ANNUAL RENEWALS FOR VEHICLE INSPECTIONS AND DRIVERS ARE REQUIRED. THAT WAS A LOT. AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. AND WE ALSO HAVE OUR OTHER STAFF HERE AS WELL AND CONSULTANTS. WHO WANTS TO TALK? I'LL GO AHEAD.

GET IN TROUBLE FIRST. OKAY, SO I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. THIS IS TO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, AS MUCH AS IT IS TO RUBEN.

AGAIN, THIS IS, I DON'T WANT TO STRAP THIS COST ON OUR TAXPAYERS, NUMBER ONE, PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF ALL THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. AND NUMBER TWO,

[01:55:01]

WHAT'S THE METHODOLOGY FOR SELECTING COMPETING REQUESTS? THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN THE FIRST ONE. FOR ME, THE FIRST ONE IS JUST A MOBILITY GOAL, GETTING PEOPLE AROUND TOWN EASIER. WE CAN DIFFER ON HOW THAT WORKS, YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S A MOBILITY GOAL THING.

THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

SO CURRENTLY, WE HAVE HOW MANY FRANCHISES? I HAVE IT HERE. I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK THAT AS WE MOVE AHEAD, MAYBE THINK ABOUT IF WE GET MORE PEOPLE REQUESTING, THEN WE HAVE MEDALLIONS FOR WHAT'S... WHAT KIND OF METHODOLOGY WE'RE GOING TO USE. I THINK THAT YOU HAVE SOME INFORMATION ON THAT, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY A QUESTION, BUT IF YOU WANT TO COMMENT ON IT, I'D BE HAPPY TO. WELL, I HAVE, I THINK NOW, IF IT'S OKAY, IT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO GO THROUGH THE CHART. THAT MIGHT EXPLAIN SOME THINGS OF HOW I GOT TO SOME OF THE CAPS AND NUMBERS. YEAH.

BUT THE FIRST PAGE THAT YOU HAVE, THE FIRST SLIDE, IS YOU HOW I VIEW CHAPTER 27, VEHICLES FOR HIRE, AND CHAPTER 14. SO THIS IS WHO'S EXISTINGLY OPERATING BASED ON INFORMATION THAT I GOT FROM OUR DATABASE ON FRIDAY.

SO WHAT YOU HAVE IS CHAPTER 27, WHICH IS VEHICLES FOR HIRE. WE HAVE RIGHT NOW 49 OPERATORS IN THE CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE. THAT CHAPTER INCLUDES 14 PEDICABS, ABOUT 19... TAXIS AND SHUTTLES, THOSE ARE FOLKS THAT ARE JUST DOING PURELY TRANSPORTATION, POINT A TO POINT B. AND 16 COMPANIES THAT DO TOURS. THOSE 16 IDENTIFIED HERE ARE THE ONES I'VE IDENTIFIED THAT WOULD ROLL OVER INTO THE TIER TWO TOUR.

AND YOU CAN SEE, I'VE GOT 16 HERE AND I'VE GOT A CAP AT 15 RIGHT NOW. THAT'S A DISCUSSION TO HAVE. WE DID HAVE SOME FOLKS THAT HAVE SET UP NEW BUSINESSES. THE LATE 2025, EARLY 2026 THAT ARE OPERATING.

SO WE DO HAVE 16, BASED ON FRIDAY'S ANALYSIS, THAT WOULD QUALIFY TO BECOME A TIER TWO FRANCHISE.

AND WE'RE GOING TO ONLY ISSUE 15, RIGHT? AM I RIGHT? BASED ON THE CAP THAT I HAVE, BUT THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT...

THERE'S ONE PERSON, AND BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, OTHER PEOPLE MAY COME. SO I THINK IT'S A CONVERSATION THAT WE NEED TO HAVE, HOW DO WE...

WHAT'S THE METHODOLOGY THAT WE... IT'S A LOTTERY.

LOTTERY? YES. OH, OKAY. SO IF MORE PEOPLE APPLY THAN WE HAVE FRANCHISES OR MEDALLIONS, WE WOULD HAVE AN APPLICATION DEADLINE, A FRANCHISE APPLICATION DEADLINE. WE'D RECEIVE ALL THOSE APPLICATIONS.

IF THE APPLICATIONS WERE VALID, THEN WE WOULD HAVE A LOTTERY.

OKAY. AND EVERYONE WOULD BE GIVEN A RANDOM NUMBER, RANDOMLY ASSIGNED NUMBER, AND WE WOULD SPIN THE WHEEL, AND WHOEVER GOT THAT RANDOM ASSIGNED NUMBER THROUGH THE LOTTERY WOULD...

ACHIEVE A FRANCHISE. OKAY.

SAME METHOD WE USE TO ASSIGN SPACES AT THE PUBLIC MARKET FOR VENDORS. OKAY, THANK YOU.

THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION. AND COMMISSIONER DUPRE, I'M SORRY, ON THE RIGHT. UNDER CHAPTER 14, WHAT WE HAVE TODAY IS SEVEN FRANCHISE OPERATORS. TWO OF THEM ARE OUR OLD TOWN TROLLEYS AND RED TRAINS. RIGHT. AND THEN WE HAVE FIVE FRANCHISEES WITH THE HORSE CARRIAGES.

WITH THE HORSE CARRIAGES. AND THEN WE'RE ADDING THESE OTHER TIER TWO AND THAT'S WHAT GETS US UP TO THE FINAL NUMBER. AND SO IF YOU LOOK THROUGH IT THROUGH THE LENS OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE, THAT'S WHAT THE SECOND SLIDE DOES, AND YOU CAN SEE HOW IT SHIFTS OVER. NOW WE HAVE THE TIER ONE, TIER TWO, UH, THE HORSE CARRIAGES, UH, AND THE CAP LIMITS AS WELL. SO WE WOULD HAVE A TOTAL IF IT PASSED, AS IS TONIGHT, WHICH I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO.

WE'D HAVE 33 VEHICLE FOR HIGHER OPERATORS RIGHT NOW, THOSE CAPS. OUR MAXIMUMS, THAT'S NOT WHAT'S CURRENTLY OPERATING IN THE CITY. FOR ALL OF THEM, EVEN THE TIER 2 FRANCHISES, THEY'RE ALLOWED TO GO UP TO THREE. MOST OF THE TIME DURING THE YEAR, IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM, THEY WOULDN'T RUN THREE.

THERE'S ONLY ONE OPERATOR, I KNOW FOR SURE, THAT RUNS THREE, MAYBE TWO, THAT ARE RUNNING THREE CARTS OF VEHICLES ON THE STREET RIGHT NOW. YOU AND I HAD THAT. SO THERE'S TWO THAT MAYBE HAVE THREE, AND THEN THE REST OF THEM HAVE BETWEEN TWO AND ONE. THAT'S CORRECT. JUST LOOSELY SPEAKING.

THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY, THANK YOU. AND HOW MUCH, SOMEWHERE

[02:00:01]

WE CAN GET THAT TO YOU. I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD TALKING ABOUT IT, JUST HOLISTICALLY, ABOUT FUNDING AND STUFF. THIS IS AN AREA I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN RESTRICTING. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT STUFF FOR ME BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THE SMALL SCALE IS WHAT MAKES THIS A GOOD BUSINESS OPTION FOR PEOPLE.

BUT WE DO HAVE ISSUES IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THESE ARE GOING THROUGH AND THEY'RE GOING TO CAUSE A PROBLEM. AND I THINK THAT WHEN I'M HEARING PEOPLE SAYING PEOPLE ARE TOOTING HORNS OR HAVE LOUD MUSIC, WE'RE KIND OF PICTURING THAT. GOING THROUGH RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS. I THINK THAT'S THE GIST. I MAY BE WRONG. AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S PEOPLE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, THERE IS A KIND OF A ROGUE GUY, BUT THAT'S MORE OF AN ENFORCEMENT ISSUE. SO I WOULD BE OPEN TO THAT CONVERSATION, AND I'LL BE THINKING ABOUT IT MYSELF AS WE MOVE ON HERE. SO WHERE DO WE RESTRICT THESE? SOMETIMES THERE'S A LONG ROUTE TO GET SOMEWHERE, SO A LOT OF THESE OPERATE IN AND AROUND THE DOWNTOWN.

BUT WE HAVE PEOPLE COME IN A LIGHTHOUSE, BUT THEY HAVE TO MAKE IT ALL THE WAY OVER THERE. AND OFTENTIMES, DO NOT WANT TO GO THROUGH RED COX DRIVE, SO THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE SMALL STREETS, AND THAT'S WHERE THE CONFLICT IS AT, AND I THINK THAT PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE TALKED ABOUT SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE. COSA REVIEW AFTER THIS, AND THIS IS SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO REVIEW AFTER THREE TO FIVE YEARS. I THINK THIS WOULD BE A BIG DIFFERENCE. SO THAT'S ME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

GOOD QUESTIONS. OKAY, A COUPLE OF THINGS. I THINK ON THIS HERE, FRANCHISE OPERATORS AND SO FORTH, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A TIER 3. ALSO, IF SOMEBODY ALREADY HAS, I THINK WE SHOULD LIMIT THESE VEHICLES BECAUSE IT'S CAPPED AT 15, AND THAT'S A LOT MORE VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. BASED ON THE INFORMATION, WHEN I HAD MY MEETING, WITH YOU AND THE CITY MANAGER AND THE DIRECTOR, THEY WERE SAYING A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE FOR TIER 2 DID NOT HAVE THREE. YOU KNOW, THEY DIDN'T HAVE A LOT. AND I THINK THAT THEY SHOULD BE GRANDFATHERED IN, AND I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE TASTING TOURS, IF MEMORY SERVES ME, CORRECT.

IN MY STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, TASTING TOURS DOES OPERATE THREE. OKAY. SO I THINK THEY SHOULD BE GRANDFATHERED IN, AND WE SHOULD LIMIT. FUTURE TROLLEYS? BECAUSE ONE THING I KNOW IS OUR STREETS ARE NOT GOING TO GET ANY WIDER. AND IT'S NOT EVEN NIGHTS AND LIGHTS RIGHT NOW. AND THERE'S SO MUCH TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD JUST GETTING DOWN HERE. DEPENDING ON WHAT TIME OF DAY YOU TRY TO NAVIGATE DOWNTOWN, THAT IT IS A LOT ON THE ROAD.

AND I THINK WHEN PEOPLE COME IN GENERAL TO OUR CITY, NINE OUT OF TEN TIMES THEY ARE EITHER ON THE OLD TOWN TROLLEY OR THE RED TRAIN. AND SO THEY, AND WE GET GOOD MONEY FROM THEM. I REMEMBER A NUMBER BEING GIVEN AT THAT MEETING, AND I DON'T KNOW IT EXACTLY, BUT THEY GET A LOT OF MONEY FROM THEIR FEES. WE GET SOME MONEY TOWARD EVERY TIME THEY SELL A TICKET. AND THE FEES WERE REALLY GOOD DURING NIGHTS TO LIFES, AND I'M SURE GENERALLY YEAR-ROUND THAT THEY'RE GOOD. SO I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD DOWNSIZE. THERE SHOULD BE A TIER 3 OR SOMETHING, AND OTHER VEHICLES GO OVER THAT WAY. AS FAR AS THE HORSES AND THE MEDALLIONS AND SO FORTH, WITH ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS. AND SEEING HOW WE WEREN'T MONITORING AS MUCH AS WE SHOULD WHEN WE SAW ALL THE VIOLATIONS, AND THAT'S WHY WE MOVED FORWARD. THE WAY WE DID AT THE LAST MEETING, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THE GOING FORWARD.

FORWARD THAT WE REALLY MONITOR ALL THE INDUSTRY JUST TO MAKE SURE WE NEVER FALL TRAPPED TO THAT SITUATION AGAIN. I ALSO THINK THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO RECOGNIZE WHO DOES RUN THE OPERATIONS CORRECTLY AND WHO DOESN'T.

ALSO THAT I DID GET AN EMAIL, I'M SURE SOME OF YOU RECEIVED IT ALSO, ABOUT THE GENTLEMAN THAT HAS THE LITTLE RED TRAIN. BEING AGGRESSIVE AND, YOU KNOW, ACTING OUT A LITTLE BIT. AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY SEND HIM A LETTER, OR HE SHOULD BE SPOKEN TO FROM CONDUCTING THAT KIND OF NEGATIVITY. BECAUSE IT'LL GET ASSOCIATED WITH THE OTHER RED TRAIN, AND THEN THAT WOULDN'T BE CORRECT TO DO SO. I THINK THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THESE HERE, FRANCHISES OPERATING. IF SOMEBODY'S GOING TO BE TIER ONE, IF SOMEBODY'S GOING

[02:05:01]

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON THIS? A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW. OKAY, SO YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS TWO YEARS, AND WE GOT IT LAST WEEK. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS. HE'S BEEN WORKING VERY HARD AT THIS. HE'S BEEN MEETING WITH HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE.

THAT'S WHY I THINK WE NEED TO SLOW DOWN. WE NEED TO SLOW DOWN.

TO ALL THE POINTS WE'VE MADE, WE NEED TO SORT OF SLOW DOWN.

BECAUSE WE JUST GOT THIS LAST WEEK. AND I'M LEARNING THINGS TONIGHT THAT I DIDN'T PICK UP.

SO, THAT BEING SAID, ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT FEES THAT I THINK WE DEFINITELY OUGHT TO WORK ON IS TRYING TO MAKE SURE THE FEES NOT ONLY COVER AN EMPLOYEE. TO SUPERVISE THIS, BUT ALSO COVER THE ROAD DAMAGE AND THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH. THAT'S WHY THE TIER ONE OPERATORS PAY SUCH A HIGH RATE. THEY PAY A PERCENTAGE OF THEIR INCOME.

WHICH, AS AN OPEN DEMOCRAT, I'M GOING TO SOUND REPUBLICAN RIGHT HERE. I DON'T THINK THAT WE OUGHT TO BE IN THE BUSINESS OF GOING INTO PEOPLE'S BOOKS.

NOW WE HAVE A RIGHT TO AUDIT THEIR BOOKS BY THIS ORDINANCE, BUT I JUST DON'T THINK WE OUGHT TO HAVE THAT. I THINK WE NEED TO DETERMINE WHAT IT IS GOING TO COST FOR A TIER 1 OR A TIER 02, AND WE SHOULD CHARGE THEM THAT. THEN THAT IS THE FEE.

AND IF THEY CHOOSE NOT TO PARTICIPATE, THEN THAT IS A LOTTERY SYSTEM.

FOR SOMEBODY WHO IS WILLING TO RUN A BUSINESS THAT THEY CAN AFFORD IT. I ALSO THINK THE TIER 1, BECAUSE OF THEIR INVESTMENT IN THE TOWN WITH PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, THAT A 20-YEAR COMMITMENT IS NOT UNREASONABLE FOR THEM. WE ACTUALLY WENT WITH A 100-YEAR LEASE AGREEMENT TO MAKE SURE WE COULD BUILD A GARAGE FOR A VERY GOOD REASON. SO I THINK A 20-YEAR IS REASONABLE.

THE MEDALLIONS THAT WE HAVE, FOR ALL OF THEM, FOR ALL THE FRANCHISES... I BELIEVE THEY SHOULD USE THEM OR LOSE THEM. I THINK THERE OUGHT TO BE A REQUIRED REQUIREMENT THAT YOU TAKE THE MEDALLION, YOU USE IT. PEOPLE IN THE PAST HAVE USED SOME OF THOSE MEDALLIONS AS A LEVERAGE TO TAKE AWAY BUSINESS FROM SOMEBODY ELSE BY HOLDING THEM BACK. SO I THINK IF YOU'RE GOING TO BUY ONE, WE'RE GOING TO COUNT ON YOU, THEN YOU NEED TO USE IT OR LOSE IT. I ALSO THINK THAT IN SELECTING THE TIER TWO AND HORSE CARRIAGE, FRANCHISES, THAT IT REALLY OUGHT TO BE A COMMITTEE WHEN WE HAVE A VACANCY. AND I REALLY BELIEVE THE CITY COMMISSION OUGHT TO DECIDE WHEN WE'RE GOING TO HOLD BACK MEDALLIONS FROM BEING ISSUED. WE ACTUALLY ASKED THE MANAGER TO HOLD IT BACK TO 15, AND HE'S DONE THAT. BUT ON OCCASION, WE'VE HELD THEM BACK FOR MULTIPLE GOOD REASONS, BUT IT'S NEVER BEEN MADE. PUBLIC.

IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE MANAGER SAYING TO SOMEBODY, WELL, IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE CONSTRUCTION. I THINK THAT OUGHT TO BE A COMMISSION DECISION. I'M NOT OPPOSED TO LOOKING AT THE TIER THREE FOR THE SMALLER CARTS. THE TEMPERATURE, THE 90 DEGREES, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF TAKING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE HORSE. THAT'S KIND OF OVERKILL TO ME. ONCE IT HITS 90 DEGREES AND WE TAKE THEM OFF THE ROAD, I THINK THAT'S FINE. I ALSO, THIS IS ONE THAT I THINK WE HAVEN'T EVEN BROUGHT UP, AND IT'S NOT IN THERE, IS THAT I THINK? THE OWNERSHIP OF ANY FRANCHISE, TIER ONE OR TIER TWO, OR HORSE CARRIAGE, OUGHT TO BE A PERSON, OR AT LEAST BE AN INCORPORATED BUSINESS WITH A CEO. THAT WAY, WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT WE CAN HOLD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THOSE ISSUES, NOT THE DRIVERS OR THE MANAGER.

SO, I WOULD PROPOSE THAT WE NO LONGER ALLOW A TRUST OR AN INDIVIDUAL COMPANY THAT DOES NOT ACTUALLY HAVE A CEO, OWN A FRANCHISE OR A MEDALLIONS. ONE QUESTION, ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO SPOKE SAID THAT WE WOULD BE ADDING A MILE TO THE ROUTE IF WE MOVED THE HORSES TO THE PARKING GARAGE, WHICH I DON'T THINK WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

BUT THAT DOES NOT ADD ANY DISTANCE TO THE ROUTE,

[02:10:01]

BUT WE WOULD BRING BACK A RESOLUTION. THOSE ROUTES GET APPROVED BY RESOLUTION. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING BACK IN A FUTURE DATE PROPOSED ROUTE MODIFICATIONS TO ACCOMMODATE.

AND AS PART OF THAT, WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE THE ROUTE THE SAME PLUS OR MINUS DISTANCE. OKAY. AND I MENTIONED TO YOU AND TO MR. SACKRED THAT THE 24-HOUR DAY WITH TWO, EIGHT HOURS, WITH AN HOUR AND A HALF WOULD... WOULD ALLOW A HORSE TO WORK WAY MORE THAN EIGHT HOURS WITHIN A 24-HOUR PERIOD. SO I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THAT REWARDED FOR A 24-HOUR PERIOD, AN EIGHT-HOUR WORKDAY MAX FOR ANY SINGLE HORSE. I DON'T THINK ANY OPERATOR IS DOING THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S CLEAR. I THINK THE HORSE MEDALLIONS SHOULD BE LIMITED TO THREE AND NOT FIVE. MORE OPERATORS, LESS MEDALLIONS PER OPERATOR.

THANK YOU. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. OKAY. I'VE GOT A FEW THINGS. IF WE'RE GOING TO LIMIT THE NUMBERS OF FRANCHISEES IN EACH OF THE TIERS, I THINK THAT THE GRANTEES SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO HAVE BOTH A TIER 1 AND A TIER 2 FRANCHISE. AS WRITTEN. I THINK THAT LIMITS COMPETITION BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT BUSINESS MODELS. AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT TAKEN OUT. EXCUSE ME, I REALLY APOLOGIZE. I THINK THAT THE TIER, IN ORDER TO ENABLE A BETTER DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN TIER ONE, TWO, AND POTENTIALLY THREE, AS I SUGGESTED EARLIER, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF MAXIMUM, MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PASSENGERS IN EACH OF THOSE TIERS, MAYBE BRING DOWN TIER TWO TO NINE AS A MAXIMUM. THANKS.

SECTION 14-21, IT SPECIFICALLY INCLUDES, SO THIS IS A QUESTION. GOLF CARTS IS ONE OF THE PROHIBITED USES, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT A LOT OF THESE THINGS ARE IN FACT GOLF CARTS. IF THEY AREN'T, COULD YOU TELL ME WHAT THEY ARE AND WHY THEY'RE DIFFERENT FROM GOLF CARTS? GOLF CARTS, PER SE, ARE NOT STREET LEGAL. OKAY.

WHAT APPEARS LIKE A GOLF CART IS ACTUALLY CALLED, UNDER FLORIDA LAW, SLOW MOVING VEHICLE. OKAY.

THANK YOU. THAT HELPS. THAT'S MY IGNORANCE FOR YOU. I THINK THAT WITHIN THE PROHIBITED USE SECTION, THAT'S 14-21, WE SHOULD GET OUT AHEAD OF SOME THINGS. THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OTHER CITIES, WHICH ARE CALLED PARTY BIKES, WHICH HAVE LIKE 11 PEOPLE SEATED AT BENCHES ON AN ELECTRIC BIKE, AND THEY'RE JUST DRINKING WHILE THEY'RE ON TOUR AND MAKING NOISE. SO I THINK THAT A PARTY CART, PARTY BIKES, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH TOURS. THEY'RE GETTING OFF AND ON. THEY'RE GOING INTO BUSINESSES.

BUT HAVING SOMETHING LIKE WE HAVE WITH THE LITTLE HUTS ON THE RIVER THAT ARE JUST COMPLETELY, IT'S A PARTY EXPERIENCE. IT'S NOT A TOUR. AND IT'S NOT TRANSPORTATION EITHER. SO I'D LIKE TO EXCLUDE THOSE AS WELL.

POTENTIALLY, AND I'M ADDRESSING THE FOLKS WHO SPOKE ABOUT THE KNIGHTS OF LIGHTS PIRATE.

CARTS THAT COME IN. I THINK THAT THESE ARE SOME IDEAS THAT I GOT FROM OTHER PEOPLE AND I APPRECIATE THAT. ADD A REGULAR USE CLAUSE REQUIRING THE TIER TWO AND PROBABLY TIER THREE, IF WE DO THAT, TO OPERATE GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO SIX MONTHS A YEAR.

AND NOT JUST HAVE THEM COME IN DURING PEAK TIMES. OKAY, NOW I'M MOVING ON TO HORSES.

OVERALL, BIG IMPROVEMENT. I WOULDN'T WANT ANIMALS TO BE MOVED FROM ONE CARRIAGE TO ANOTHER WHILE THEY'RE ON A PUBLIC STREET. BECAUSE THEY COULD YOU BE SPOOKED AND THEY'RE NOT ATTACHED TO ANYTHING, THAT COULD BE A REAL PROBLEM.

THE 15-MINUTE HORSE BREAKS ARE APPARENTLY BEING, BETWEEN RIDES, ARE APPARENTLY BEING STRETCHED, OR, I SHOULD SAY THE OTHER WAY AROUND, REDUCED. SO THAT'S ANOTHER ENFORCEMENT ISSUE.

SOMEBODY OUT THERE CHECKING THE TIME TO SEE THAT THEY'RE GETTING THEIR 15 MINUTES. SIMILARLY, I MIGHT WORK A SEVEN-DAY WORK WEEK, BUT I REALLY LIKE WHEN I GET A DAY OFF.

EVEN BETTER WHEN I GET A WHOLE WEEKEND OFF. AND I THINK THAT IT'S NOT UNREASONABLE TO GIVE HORSES WITHIN A SEVEN-DAY PERIOD, ONLY WORKING FIVE DAYS. AND THEN, LASTLY, I HAVE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE, WHERE THE HUMIDITY CAN BE AS BIG OF AN ISSUE AS THE HEAT.

WHEN I'M SWEATING AND IT'S 90% HUMIDITY OUTSIDE, I'M NOT COOLING OFF. AND SO I LOOK AT JIM BECAUSE I KNOW HIS WIFE DOES A LOT OF YARD WORK.

[02:15:01]

THEY ALSO SWEAT. AND SO, A BETTER METRIC FOR WHEN TO LIMIT HORSE TOURS AT ALL WOULD BE TO USE A HEAT INDEX NUMBER RATHER THAN JUST THE DRY BULB TEMPERATURE, WHICH IS WHAT YOU SEE ON A THERMOMETER. I THINK THAT'S REGULARLY AVAILABLE FROM THE NOAA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. AND THEY SEND OUT WARNINGS ALL SUMMER LONG.

HEAT INDEX OF WHATEVER, WHATEVER. AND SO I THINK WE CAN ACTUALLY PROGRAM IT BASED ON THE FORECAST FOR THE HEAT INDEX. AND NOT ACTUALLY HAVE TO GO OUT THERE AND MEASURE IT OURSELVES. IF WE CAN GET A DECENT NUMBER. AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE GOT. GREAT.

WELL, THANK YOU. I THINK IT'S AN AFFIRMATION THAT WE DO SUPPORT THE CARRIAGE INDUSTRY AND THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT BETTER. SO WITH THAT, WE'VE SAID THAT.

WE'RE GOING TO KEEP SAYING THAT, DESPITE SOCIAL MEDIA AND WHAT IT THINKS. SO I'M LISTENING TO THE CONVERSATION HERE, AND I'M HEARING A WHOLE LOT OF SMORGASBORDS, YOU KNOW, LISTS OF I LIKE THIS, I DON'T LIKE THIS. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'RE PROCESSING THAT. THAT'S MY QUESTION IS, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE THAT INFORMATION? IT'S HARD ENOUGH FOR ME TO TRACK FIVE COMMISSIONERS AND TRYING TO DECIDE, LIKE MY JOB A LOT OF TIMES, IS REALLY JUST FINDING THE CONSENSUS. AND IT'S JUST... HOW? HOW? HOW? HOW? I COULD MAKE A LIST. I COULD MAKE WE COULD JUST GO AROUND THE ROOM AGAIN, AND I COULD MAKE A PUT IT ON A CHART, BUT THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH GOING ON HERE. SO I'M AT A LOSS TO DECIDE HOW TO MOVE FORWARD, EXCEPT TO SAY THAT IT'S BECOME OVERWHELMING AND COMPLICATED. WELL, THEN LET'S SIMPLIFY IT. OKAY. SO WE WILL TAKE BOTH OF THESE ORDINANCES AND BREAK THEM DOWN BY ALL THEIR COMPONENT PARTS.

AND THEN TAKE EACH OF YOUR COMMENTS AND ALSO THE COMMENTS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

AND ASSIGN THOSE COMMENTS TO EACH COMPONENT PART. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SCHEDULE A WORKSHOP, BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE'S TOO MUCH INFORMATION RIGHT NOW TO MAKE A DECISION. WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION, KIND OF. IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE MORE OF A DISCUSSION RATHER THAN A... WELL, THIS IS A GOOD STARTING POINT FOR A WORKSHOP, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT. OKAY. WE COULD LOOK AT A CALENDAR AND COME BACK AT THE NEXT CITY COMMISSION MEETING AND PROPOSE A WORKSHOP DATE. USING THE INFORMATION WE'VE HEARD TONIGHT... WE CAN BRING THAT TO YOU, AND THOSE WOULD BE DISCUSSION POINTS, POINT BY POINT. OKAY.

AND YOU COULD MAKE DECISIONS THAT WOULD LEAD TO A NEW DRAFT FOR BOTH OF THESE ORDINANCES THAT WOULD COME BACK TO YOU FOR A BRAND-NEW FIRST READING.

OKAY. THAT'S AN OPTION. WE'VE DONE THAT BEFORE. YES, MA'AM.

OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SAVING THE DAY. CITY MANAGER, BECAUSE I'M HONESTLY FEELING QUITE OVERWHELMED.

BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I THINK THAT, DOES THE COMMISSION FEEL LIKE THAT'S A GOOD OPTION MOVING FORWARD? I THINK THAT'S A GREAT OPTION. WOULD YOU FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH IT? I STILL GET BACK TO, SO YOU WANT TO SEPARATE THE TWO, OR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THIS ALL AS ONE? I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE ONE. NO, I MEAN, THE DISCUSSION DOES, BUT CONCEPTUALLY, AND I KNOW WHEN WE PASS IT. SO YOU'RE GOING TO JUST DO BOTH OF THEM, RIGHT? YES, SIR.

WE'LL INCORPORATE BOTH ORDINANCES INTO A WORKSHOP.

YEAH. AND SO TONIGHT, YOU WOULD JUST BE INSTRUCTING US TO COME BACK WITH A DATE.

WORKSHOP. INSTEAD OF COME BACK FOR SECONDARY, COME BACK TO WORKSHOP. YEAH, I MEAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S PRECISELY WHAT WE NEED. I DO WANT TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT COMMISSIONER BLONDER. YOU HAD PROHIBITED VEHICLES. I REMEMBER READING IN HERE 1421, IT DOES SAY PEDAL PUBS ARE SIMILAR TYPE VEHICLES, BUT YOU MAY WANT TO LOOK AT THAT AND CLARIFY THAT MORE.

YEAH, IT'S JUST THAT A PEDAL PUB IS A BICYCLE, BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT A CART, TOO. YEAH, EXACTLY. MAYBE THAT'S A SPOT YOU CAN PUT THAT IN. I SAW THAT. SOME LANGUAGE IN THERE. JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS, DRINKING ALCOHOL IN A VEHICLE ON CITY STREETS IS ALREADY A CRIMINAL VIOLATION.

BUT WE CAN WORK ON THE PHRASEOLOGY FOR YOU TO CLARIFY. EVEN IN THE FRANCHISE? I THINK I'VE SEEN THAT. ONLY THE HORSES CAN DO IT, AND THERE'S A SEPARATE SECTION FOR HORSE CARRIAGES. OKAY, THANK YOU. OKAY. YES. SORRY, NOT THE HORSES, THE PEOPLE ON THE HORSE CARRIAGE RIDE.

DON'T SAY THAT OUT LOUD. DON'T START DOWN THERE. ALL RIGHT.

SO WHAT WE PROBABLY NEED TO DO IS TO, WE DON'T WANT TO, MS. CITY ATTORNEY, WHAT IS OUR PROCEDURE HERE? SHOULD WE JUST EXTEND THESE? RIGHT. I THINK THE CONSENSUS, UNLESS I'M WRONG, IS THAT THE CITY MANAGER AND YOUR CITY CLERK LOOK AT POTENTIAL DATES.

TO DO A WORKSHOP ON BOTH OF THESE? IS THAT YES? YES, BUT WE HAVE TWO FIRST READING ORDINANCES. I'M JUST

[02:20:01]

YOU DON'T HAVE TO VOTE UNLESS YOU'RE READY TO SET IT FOR SECOND READING.

SO WHAT I'M HEARING IS YOU'RE NOT READY TO SET IT FOR SECOND READING. MAYBE I'M MISUNDERSTANDING. IS ANYONE INTERESTED IN MAKING A MOTION TO DO SECOND READING? I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TABLE THE DISCUSSION UNTIL WE HAVE A WORKSHOP AND THEN WE SCHEDULE A SECOND HEARING. WHEN WE THINK IT'S... OH, YOU'LL HAVE TO HAVE A FIRST READING, RIGHT? FIRST READING, I'M SORRY. AND THEN WE HAVE A FIRST READING AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A SECOND. THAT'S MY MOTION. AS AMENDED BY ISABEL.

SECOND. ALL RIGHT.

DISCUSSION. AND THAT IS ON ORDINANCE 2026-10. WE'RE GOING TO DO BOTH. WE'LL DO EACH SEPARATELY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

SO ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. JOHN DEPRADER. YES. JIM SPRINGFIELD. YES. CYNTHIA GARRIS. YES. BARBARA BLONDER.

YES. NANCY SYKES-COYNE. YES.

ALL RIGHT. ORDINANCE 2026-11.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION UNTIL WE HAVE A WORKSHOP, AND THEN WE WILL CONTINUE TO GO TO ANOTHER FIRST HEARING.

SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

JOHN DEPRADER. YES. BARBARA BLONDER. YES. CYNTHIA GARRIS.

YES. JIM SPRINGFIELD. YES.

NANCY SYKES-KLEIN. YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GREAT START. IT HAD TO BE QUITE A LOT, BUT WE APPRECIATE EVERYBODY WORKING TOGETHER TO KEEP IT MOVING.

AND EVERYONE THAT IS PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE, I DO HOPE THAT YOU'LL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE YOUR INPUT TO US.

YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO COME TO PUBLIC COMMENT.

THERE'S LOTS OF OTHER WAYS TO CONTACT US. ALL OF OUR EMAILS ARE PUBLISHED.

OUR PHONE NUMBERS ARE PUBLISHED. THEY'RE ON THE WEBSITE. AND WE ARE AVAILABLE TO TALK AND MEET INDIVIDUALLY WITH EVERYONE. YOU CAN SEND EMAILS, MAKE PHONE CALLS, AND MEET WITH US INDIVIDUALLY

[9.B.1. Resolution 2026-05: Florida Inland Navigation District, Waterways Assistance Program, Salt Run Navigation Channel Maintenance Dredging 2026 (J. Webber, Grant Administration Coordinator)]

LET'S SEE. ALL RIGHT, NEXT ITEM. MOVING RIGHT ALONG, RESOLUTION 2026-04, AND THAT IS... 05. WHERE IS OUR GRANT ADMINISTRATION? 05. OH, SORRY, 05. THAT'S WHAT I WAS CONFUSING YOU. SO SORRY. ALL GOOD. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR, MADAM VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS. I'M JACOB WEBER. GRANTS ADMINISTRATION COORDINATOR WITH GENERAL SERVICES. FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL, I HAVE RESOLUTION 2026-05, WHICH AUTHORIZES THE CITY MANAGER TO APPLY FOR AND EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO SEEK AND RECEIVE. GRANT FUNDING FROM THE FLORIDA INLAND NAVIGATION DISTRICT'S WATERWAY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR A NEW SALT RUN MAINTENANCE DREDGING PROJECT. OUR MOST RECENT SALT RUN PROJECT FINISHED AT THE END OF LAST YEAR. REMOVING OVER 10,000 CUBIC YARDS OF MATERIAL TOWARD OUR TEMPLATE DEPTH OF MINUS 8.5 FEET TO MEAN LOW WATER. EXCUSE ME.

THIS REMOVAL IS CRUCIAL TO MAINTAINING RECREATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL ACCESS TO SALT RUN, THE INTRACOSTAL, AND SURROUNDING WATERWAYS.

LIKE OUR MOST RECENT PROJECT, THIS NEW EFFORT WILL BE FUNDED THROUGH MULTI-YEAR GRANTS TO MAXIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF MATERIAL REMOVED WHILE MINIMIZING THE FIXED COSTS.

THIS GRANT REQUEST IS FOR $300,000 AND WILL REMOVE APPROXIMATELY... APPROXIMATELY 04,000 CUBIC YARDS OF MATERIAL TOWARD OUR PERMITTED DEPTH OF MINUS 10 FEET MEAN LOW WATER. IN ADDITION TO THIS RESOLUTION, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL, I HAVE AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE ST. AUGUSTINE PORT WATERWAY AND BEACH DISTRICT, WHICH PROVIDES $100,000 TO THE CITY FOR THE REQUIRED GRANT MATCH TO THE WATERWAYS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL AND SIGNATURE OF BOTH THE RESOLUTION AND THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT. AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONERS, QUESTIONS? NO, I KNOW I LIVE THERE. YOU DO, TOO. I KNOW SALT RUN IS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT PART, WITH THE BOAT TRAFFIC COMING IN AND OUT, AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD CAUSE.

AND WHEN ANYONE'S READY, I'LL BE PREPARED TO MAKE A MOTION. PLEASE, YES.

WE SHOULD NOT BE TURNING DOWN THIS MONEY. NO, EXACTLY.

VERY IMPORTANT. 100%. SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO... APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 2026-05.

GIVING THIS CITY... I'LL SECOND. OKAY. ANY DISCUSSION? JUST TO BE CLEAR, THAT INCLUDES THE INTERLOCAL AS WELL, YES? PARDON ME? THAT INCLUDES THE INTERLOCAL AS WELL, CORRECT? YES.

IN YOUR MOTION? YES. THANK YOU.

IT DOES, THANK YOU. OKAY. I'LL SECOND THAT. ANY DISCUSSION?

[02:25:01]

NANCY SEXPINE. YES. CYNTHIA

[9.B.2. Resolution 2026-06: Grant Funds for Firefighting Vessel (C. Pacetti, Deputy Chief St. Augustine Fire Department)]

YES. BARBARA BLONDER. YES. ALL RIGHT, GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT ITEM, RESOLUTION 2026-04, GRANT FUNDS FOR FIREFIGHTING VESSELS. AND WE HAVE THE CHIEF HIMSELF.

GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS. I'M HERE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT TO SEEK YOUR APPROVAL FOR RESOLUTION 2026-506. IS THAT WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR NOTES? YES. OKAY. IT'S ALLOWING THE DEPARTMENT TO PURSUE FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL GRANT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR A FIREFIGHTING VESSEL.

JUST FOR HISTORICAL, WE CAME BEFORE YOU LAST YEAR FOR THIS APPROVAL. IT'S A 75-25 SPLIT WITH THE PORT SECURITY GRANT. THE FLORIDA INLAND NAVIGATION DISTRICT WOULD KICK IN THE 25% MATCHING FUNDS. WE ALSO INTEND TO GO AFTER ANY ADDITIONAL MATCHING FUNDS THAT MAY BE REQUIRED THROUGH THE ST. AUGUSTINE, PORT AND WATERWAY COMMISSION. SO UNFORTUNATELY, LAST YEAR THERE WAS A DELAY IN THAT FEDERAL FUNDING PROGRAM.

IT WAS ON PAUSE. IT DID OPEN UP LATER IN THE YEAR, BUT WE HAD MISSED THAT WINDOW.

AND WE HAD ALREADY WENT TO FIND AND TOLD THEM, HEY, THE GRANT PROGRAM DIDN'T OPEN UP AND RELEASE THE FUNDS BACK TO THEM. SO THEY INTEND ON THE PROGRAM COMING BACK THIS YEAR, SO WE ARE HERE SEEKING APPROVAL TO PURSUE THAT PROGRAM AGAIN.

I'LL BE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE HIM GO OUT AND USE OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY TO GET US A FIREBOAT. IF THERE'S NO DISCUSSION, I WILL MAKE A MOTION OR APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 2026-06.

SECOND. ALL RIGHT, WONDERFUL.

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS.

I REMEMBER LAST YEAR YOU TALKED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF TIMES Y'ALL HAVE TO GO OUT IN LIEU OF COAST GUARD BECAUSE YOU'RE CLOSEST, BECAUSE I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED AT ALL THOSE NUMBERS. AND I'VE SORT OF BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO THAT AT THE BOAT RAMPS IN DIFFERENT PLACES. AND I APPRECIATE WHAT Y'ALL DO. IT'S HARD WORK. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. JOHN DEPRATER. YES.

JIM SPRINGFIELD. YES. CYNTHIA GARES. YES. BARBARA BLONDER.

YES. NANCY SYKES-KLEIN. YES.

[10. STAFF REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS]

ALL RIGHT, NEXT ITEM IS ZORA NEAL HURSTON PARK UPDATE. MS. PERKINS, GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, JAMIE D.

PERKINS, COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR. TONIGHT, I WILL BE PRESENTING TO YOU, THIS IS MORE OF A REFRESHER FOR THE BOARD, ZORA NEAL HURSTON PARK IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND PULL UP THE GRAPHICS THAT I HAVE HERE. TRY TO GET IT FULL SCREEN SO THAT YOU CAN SEE IT.

THERE WE GO. SO THIS PROJECT HAS GONE THROUGH SEVERAL PROJECT MANAGERS INTERNALLY.

DIFFERENT STAFF MEMBERS HAVE TOUCHED THIS PROJECT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. AND WITH ME RECENTLY ACQUIRING THE PROJECT IN THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT, I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPERATIVE THAT WE BRING IT BACK TO THE COMMISSION. SO THAT YOU ALL CAN SEE IT AGAIN.

PROVIDE ME WITH NEW UPDATES.

WE HAVE A NEW COMMISSIONER ON THE BOARD THAT HASN'T SEEN THIS PROJECT AT ALL. AND I JUST NEED TO GET SOME FEEDBACK AND DIRECT US FROM YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M ON THE RIGHT TRACK. AS FAR AS WHAT IT IS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN AT ZORA NEALE HURSTON PARK. SO THIS FIRST SLIDE IS THE EXISTING CONDITIONS. THESE CONCEPTS ARE FROM JUNE OF 2024. I THINK YOU ALL SAW THIS IN SEPTEMBER 24.

SO THIS WAS THE EXISTING CONDITION DURING THAT TIME.

SOMETHING OF IMPORTANT NOTE IS YOU SEE THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OUR NIGHTS OF LIGHT SIGNAGE THERE. A PART OF THIS IMPROVEMENT, WE WOULD BE ASKING FOR A DIRECTION ON HOW YOU WOULD LIKE US TO INTRODUCE THE NIGHTS OF LIGHT SIGNAGE AT THE PARK.

SOMETHING MORE STABLE, SOMETHING THAT COULD BE THERE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WHERE WE CAN EASILY REMOVE AND PLACE THE NIGHTS OF LIGHT SIGNAGE EACH SEASON.

THIS SECOND SLIDE IS, IT JUST KIND OF SHOWS THE OVERVIEW. IT CALLS FOR A PURPLE BENCH. MY

[02:30:01]

SO THIS IS THE EXISTING TREE EVALUATION, WHAT'S OUT THERE CURRENTLY, OVERHEAD LOOK. AND THIS CALLS FOR LEAVING SOME OF THE TREES, THE CEDAR TREE WOULD REMAIN.

WE WOULD RELOCATE ONE OF THE CEDAR TREES WITHIN THE PARK SPACE, AS WELL AS THE LIVE OAK. WE KEEP THOSE TREES, BUT TRY TO RELOCATE THEM WITHIN THE PARK SPACE TO GIVE IT A MORE CLEANER, DEFINED LOOK. AND WE CAN HAVE A MORE DETAILED TREE EVALUATION TO GET FEEDBACK ON IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS NECESSARY.

ESSENTIALLY, THE PARK SPACE WOULD BE ENHANCED.

WITH PLANTINGS, GROUND COVER, A SEAT WALL VERSUS JUST THE WALL, BUT MAYBE WITH SEATING FEATURES, A PLAQUE OR SHADOW BOX WITH INTERPRETIVE LANGUAGE ABOUT MS. HURSTON, WITH CONNECTIONS TO THE WEST AUGUSTINE PROPERTY, AND THEN PERMANENT PARK SIGNAGE THAT MATCHES FEATURES FROM OTHER CITY ENTRY CORRIDORS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION, WEST CASTILLO DRIVE, TRYING TO BRING SOME OF THE SYNERGY FROM THOSE ENTRY CORRIDOR SPACES. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE DID NOT HAVE A CONSENSUS ON THIS PARK SIGNAGE, SO THAT WOULD GO AWAY. AND THEN THAT WALL, AGAIN, WOULD JUST KIND OF BECOME A SEAT WALL. SO IF PEOPLE WERE WALKING THROUGH AND JUST NEEDED TO TAKE A BREAK THERE, THEY COULD, BUT WE WOULDN'T HAVE VERY MANY BENCHES AT ALL. IT WOULD JUST BE THE WALL FEATURE.

I DO ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT A QUESTION REGARDING THE MATERIAL FOR THE WALL CAME UP, AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION YET. IT'S CALLED OUT AS A COQUINA WALL, BUT THAT WOULD BE MORE DEFINED WHEN WE MOVE TO DESIGN. AND THEN ALSO WITH FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL. SO THAT IS THE BASIS OF THIS PROJECT. ESTIMATE AT THE TIME THAT THIS CONCEPT WAS DONE WAS $197,000. I THINK THAT IS PRETTY MUCH ON TRACK FOR WHAT PARK SPACES IMPROVEMENTS ARE COSTING. WE COULD, OF COURSE, TRY TO FIND WAYS TO INCREASE THAT BUDGET, MAKE IT MORE COMFORTABLE FOR THIS BODY. BUT AGAIN, I'M JUST LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK FROM YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M ON THE RIGHT TRACK. AS I BEGIN TO DEPLOY RESOURCES TO FINALLY COMPLETE THE DESIGN, CONCEPTUAL DESIGN, AND MOVE INTO CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS.

FOR IMPROVEMENT OF THIS PROJECT SPACE. AND I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. AND, OF COURSE, I'M INTERESTED IN YOUR FEEDBACK. VICE MAYOR.

YEAH, WE HAD A LENGTHY DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS WHEN IT WAS BROUGHT TO US AND THE MINUTES ARE IN OUR PACKETS AND I REVIEWED THOSE. WE'RE NOT HERE TO REVISIT ALL OF THAT, ARE WE? I WOULD HOPE NOT. SO I DID GO BACK AND WATCH THE MEETING. I ALSO DID READ THE MINUTES, WHICH IS WHERE I GOT... A BULK OF THIS INFORMATION FROM. AND THEN I HAD A DETAILED CONVERSATION WITH OUR CITY MANAGER, AS WELL AS OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, WHO WAS A PART OF THIS PROJECT INITIALLY. SO A LOT OF THE FEEDBACK THAT I'VE RECEIVED SO FAR, I THINK I'M ON THE RIGHT TRACK. I REALLY JUST WANTED TO GARNER THAT INFORMATION FROM YOU TO ENSURE THAT WHAT I'M THINKING, WHAT STAFF IS THINKING IS ACCURATE. YEAH, THAT'S MY RECOLLECTION. AND I APPRECIATE THAT WE'VE GOT A NEW MEMBER ON OUR COMMISSION, BUT... THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN A LOT FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. I WOULDN'T WANT TO REVISIT EVERY DECISION WE MAKE EVERY TIME WE GET A NEW MEMBER. NO OFFENSE, BUT I AM VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF THIS. I REMAIN IN FAVOR OF IT, AS YOU'VE DESCRIBED, WITH THE CHANGES. SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION WHENEVER WE'RE READY, IF WE NEED A MOTION OR JUST A RECOMMENDATION. WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR COMMENTS.

COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER GARRIS. OKAY, I REMEMBER US DOING THIS, AND WE HAD JUST APPROVED A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE DESIGN ON THE THING, AND THIS CAME UP RIGHT AFTERWARDS, AND THAT WAS LIKE, $500,000 GOING OUT THE WINDOW. SO I REJECTED THIS AND THAT MEETING BECAUSE, AND IF MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECTLY, COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY. WE WERE GOING TO HAVE THAT BIG ZORA WALL. I'M SAYING, ZORA. SO THE WALL WAS CANCELED,

[02:35:03]

IN THE MEANTIME, I HAVE THE PEOPLE THAT I CAME, THAT I GAVE THE BLACK HISTORY PROCLAMATION TO, I HAD A DISCUSSION WITH THE CITY MANAGER THAT WE SHOULD MAYBE CONSIDER SOMETHING LESS EXPENSIVE, LIKE A SHADOW BOX TO CONNECT THE WEST. CITY WITH THE EAST CITY. AND PUT THAT IN SOMETHING THAT'S DURABLE, SOMETHING THAT WHEN YOU WALK UP TO IT, IT LIGHTS UP. AND IT JUST TELL THE HISTORY OF ZORA, NEALE. AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE THAT WERE INFLUENTIAL, THAT WE HAVE NAMED PARKS AND THINGS AFTER, LIKE MAYBE THE TWINES AND JUST DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE PROMINENT, MAYBE SOME COMMISSIONERS. THAT MADE SOME SERIOUS IMPACT. AND THEN PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND WHY WE ARE THERE. AND THE REASON WHY I SUGGESTED HIM IS BECAUSE I'M SURE SOME OF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN PRIVILEGED TO GO SEE HIM. TOTALLY GO INTO A BUILDING THAT NEEDED TO BE TOTALLY GUTTED OUT AND CREATE THE MAGIC THAT HE HAS.

HE'S A LICENSED CONTRACTOR. HE HAS AN ATTACHMENT TO ZORA NEALE. THEY GO DOWN TO EATONVILLE. THEY HAVE ALL HER HISTORY AND THAT WE COULD USE SOME OF THAT KNOWLEDGE. IF IT'S GOING TO BE THE ZORA NEALE PART, THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE CAN IDENTIFY WHY WE NAMED IT THAT.

AND SO THAT WOULD NOT COST $200,000. WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT HALF OF THAT IF WE GET THE TREES AND TRY TO, EVEN IF IT'S NOT HIM, MAYBE HE CAN SHARE THE VISION WITH SOMEBODY THAT'S ALREADY ON OUR LISTING FOR A CONTRACTOR.

BUT I THINK WE NEED TO... ONCE THE PARKING GARAGE GETS IN PLACE, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE WALKING FROM THAT PARKING GARAGE TO GO DOWNTOWN, ACTIVE PEOPLE, AND THEY WILL GET A CHANCE TO GET A TASTE OF THE HISTORY.

OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO I DON'T LIKE THIS DESIGN. I DON'T LIKE THIS DESIGN FOR $200,000, AND I STILL STAND BY THAT. I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD PAY FOR A ZORRO WALL OR A BLANK WALL. I THINK WE SHOULD, WE NEED SOME MORE GREEN SPACE. I DEFINITELY AGREE THAT WE NEED MORE GREEN SPACE AND WE NEED IT TO BE, YOU KNOW, INVITING.

BECAUSE SO MUCH IS GOING TO GET BUILT UP IN THAT AREA THAT WE NEED A GREEN SPACE.

THAT PEOPLE CAN GO AND JUST ENJOY THE, AND IT ALSO GOES ALONG WITH OUR LAND PRESERVATION AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE A GREEN SPACE, BUT I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING THAT CATCHES THEIR EYE, THAT'S EYE APPEALING FOR THEM TO WALK OVER. AND PEOPLE ARE RUDE AND THEY THROW CANS OUT OF THEIR CAR. SO THAT'S WHY I SAY IT NEEDS TO BE DURABLE, SO THAT IT DOESN'T GET BROKEN.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. YEAH, I... WE DON'T NEED TO BEAT IT, BUT THE ZORA SIGN IS NOT APPROPRIATE, BUT SOME KIND OF A HISTORICAL MARKER. YOU MENTIONED PEOPLE WALKING IN FRONT OF THE WALL AND SITTING. DOES THAT MEAN THERE'S A SIDEWALK THAT GOES ALONG THE WALL? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE NEVER TALKED ABOUT, THAT I DON'T REMEMBER? SO THERE WASN'T A SIDEWALK MENTIONED IN THIS CONCEPTUAL DESIGN.

THERE WAS NO SIDEWALK FEATURE.

BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL ON, BECAUSE.

BASED OFF OF MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE REVIEW OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING AND PULLING THE MINUTES, THE HARDSCAPE FEATURE WITHOUT THE SIGNAGE SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN APPROVED, OR THERE WAS CONSENSUS ON THAT HARDSCAPE. AM I NOT CORRECT IN THINKING THAT? THAT'S WHAT THE MINUTES SAID, AND THAT'S MY RECOLLECTION.

OKAY, SO THAT'S WHAT I, SO IT WASN'T THE ZORA SIGN, BUT JUST THE WALL FEATURE ITSELF WAS, THERE WAS CONSENSUS AT THAT TIME THAT WE WANTED THE WALL, BUT JUST NOT SAYING ZORA NEALE HURSTON ON IT, OR ZORA IN THAT. THAT MEGA FASHION, WHICH I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND, SO OKAY, AND THEN THE WORD IS. I THOUGHT THE WALL WOULD ACT AS A SEATING SPACE SINCE WE DECLINED ANY BENCHES IN THAT RIGHT. YEAH, SO I, I'M MORE IN FAVOR OF THE IDEA OF IT BEING A SIDEWALK. WE HAVE A LOT OF FLAGLER STUDENTS IN THAT DORM THAT WALK THAT WAY.

AND GETTING THEM OFF THAT LITTLE INTERSECTION AND THAT CONFUSION ABOUT CROSSING TRAFFIC WOULD BE A GOOD THING AND IT WOULD ALSO. ONE OF MY COMPLAINTS WAS IT'S NOT A PARK, BUT HAVING PEOPLE PASS THROUGH IT WOULD MAKE IT A PARK. SO I THINK WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK. WE'RE JUST GOING STEP BY STEP. OH, I KNOW YOU WERE READY FOR A MOTION.

DID EVERYONE TALK? HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK? NO. I'M GLAD YOU'RE GETTING RID OF THE SIGN. THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT TO SAY.AND I DID BRING UP THE MATERIALS JUST AS A GUY USED TO PRICE THIS STUFF OUT FOR A LIVING. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A COQUINA WALL, PURE BLOCK, AND A BRICK WALL, I MEAN, A CINDER BLOCK, AND THEN FACING. BUT YOU GET TO THAT POINT. I DO LIKE THE CHANGE IS NO SIGN.

AND THE SIDEWALK IS A REALLY

[02:40:02]

AND SO GOING BACK, I WAS ON THE COMMISSION WHEN WE BOUGHT THE CAR WASH SO THAT WE COULD MAKE THIS PARK. IT WASN'T REALLY INTENDED TO BE A PARK. AT LEAST I WOULD SAY I WOULDN'T RESTATE THAT. IT WASN'T NECESSARILY OUR THINKING THAT IT WAS GOING TO BECOME A PARK. IT WAS REALLY... PART OF THE ENTRY CORRIDOR CONCEPT.

IT WAS REALLY PART OF THE SENSE OF CREATING A SENSE OF ARRIVAL AND OF IT BEING BEAUTIFUL INSTEAD OF AN UGLY CAR WASH. WE DIDN'T GET EVERYTHING DONE. THERE'S, YOU KNOW, YOU STILL HAVE THE POWER LINES. I MEAN, YOUR PICTURES ARE BEAUTIFUL, BUT THE POWER LINES ARE VERY JUST DISTRACTING. THEY'RE THERE. THEY'RE NOT IN THE PICTURES, BUT THEY'RE THERE. SO, I MEAN, THERE'S STILL THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE TO IMPROVE THIS PARK. WE LATER WE CAME BACK AND NAMED IT. WE HAD A CITIZEN COME FORWARD AND SAY, OH, YOU SHOULD NAME IT AFTER. YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN THE CITY NAMED AFTER ZORA NEALE HURSTON. AND SO WE NAMED IT THE PARK. SO NOW IT'S A PARK FOR ZORA NEALE HURSTON. SO THAT'S MY THING. I'D RATHER SEE US FOCUS ON A SIDEWALK TO MAKE IT A PARK, SOMEWHERE YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, TAKE A WALK THROUGH, READ A HISTORIC MARKER. I LOVE THE IDEA. COMMISSIONER GARRETT HAS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING ABOUT THAT CONNECTS THE TWO THAT HAVE BEEN DISCONNECTED BY US-1, FRANKLY. YEAH. YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A BIG THING THAT WAS DONE TO THIS COMMUNITY.

THE RAILROAD TRACKS RUNNING THROUGH AND DISCONNECTING US FROM OURSELVES, YOU KNOW, THAT'S BEEN AN ISSUE FOR A LONG TIME WITH ME.

BUT I WOULD LOVE, I LOVE THE IDEA OF THE NO SIGN. I LOVE THE IDEA OF HAVING THE MARKER. I THINK... MADAM MAYOR. THAT'S IT FOR ME. SO MOVING FORWARD, I THINK WE MIGHT HAVE A NEW CONCEPT. MAY I ASK A QUESTION? IT SOUNDS LIKE GREEN SPACE, TREE PLANTING, SIDEWALK, SIGNAGE, INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE IS WHAT I'M HEARING RIGHT NOW.

NOT SIGNAGE. MARKERS.

INTERPRETIVE MARKERS. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WANTS THE SIGNAGE. THE ONE THAT YOU PRESENTED, THIS. NO, NO, NO, NOT THAT. IT'S JUST... AN INTERPRETIVE PLAQUE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT MS. HURSTON, RIGHT? AND I WASN'T CLEAR ON THE SHADOW BOX. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'D LIKE ME TO REACH OUT TO THE ANDERSON FAMILY AND GET MORE FEEDBACK FROM THEM ON TO GET A BETTER IDEA? BECAUSE THE SHADOW BOX, I'M JUST NOT CLEAR. I'M SORRY.

WELL, I THINK YOU SHOULD REACH OUT JUST SO THAT WE CAN SEE IT AND DECIDE WHETHER WE WANT TO ADD THAT TO THE PARK OR NOT. I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO IMAGINE, BECAUSE YOU MIGHT THINK OF A LITTLE SHADOW BOX. I'M THINKING OF A STANDING BOX.

WITH LIGHTS THAT COME ON WHEN SOMEBODY WALKS UP TO IT. IT'S LIKE A DISPLAY SIMILAR TO WHAT THEY HAVE THEY USED TO HAVE DOWN THERE AT THE GALLIMORE CENTER FOR PEOPLE TO GET INFORMATION. THEY WOULD WALK UP TO IT AND THEY WOULD SEE THE CONTENTS OF WHAT WE WERE DOING AND WHEN THEY WERE MEETING. BUT THIS WOULD BE MORE DEFINED AND IT WOULD FIT IN WITH THE TREES THE WAY IT COULD BE DESIGNED TO BE WOOD AND TO BLEND IN. AND IT WOULD BE KNOWLEDGEABLE FOR THE FLAGLER COLLEGE STUDENTS. THERE IS ACTUALLY A SIDEWALK THAT GOES AROUND THAT CURVE, BUT THERE'D BE ONE THAT COULD CUT THROUGH THE AREA AS WELL. AND THEN THEY COULD JUST WALK UP TO THAT AND GATHER THAT INFORMATION. WE'RE A HISTORIC TOWN, AND THAT WOULD PROVIDE SOME HISTORY THAT MIGHT NOT, PEOPLE THAT COME HERE WOULD NOT KNOW. THANK YOU. AND SO I'LL FINISH MY REMARKS. YOU ASKED ABOUT, THAT'S FINE, NO, KNIGHTS OF LIGHT SIGN IS SOMETHING YOU ASKED ABOUT? YES. SO CURRENTLY AT THE PARK, THERE'S INFRASTRUCTURE BUILT IN, LIKE CONCRETE, CINDER BLOCK STYLE, WHERE WE CAN JUST GO IN AND PUT OUR TWO BY FOUR POSTS IN THE GROUND.

AND THE KNIGHTS OF LIGHT SIGNAGE CAN SIT THERE.

SO WE CAN BUILD AROUND THAT, LEAVE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE THERE. IF WE WERE TO DO THE WALL, WHICH I'M HEARING YOU ALL DON'T WANT TO DO, I THINK THE IDEA WAS TO PLACE SOME TYPE OF BRACKETS ON THE INTERIOR SIDE OF THE WALL. WELL, WE COULD USE THAT TO HOLD UP OUR KNIGHTS OF LIGHT SIGNAGE GOING FORWARD.

SO IT WOULD BE KIND OF A PERMANENT INFRASTRUCTURE WHERE WE WOULD, YOU KNOW, IT WOULDN'T BE IN THE WALKING PATH. IT WOULD BE HIDDEN. KIND OF CONCEALED TO PROVIDE A MORE SLEEK LOOK.

YOU MEAN, LIKE, PERMANENTLY? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE REMOVE IT.

WELL, THE INFRASTRUCTURE WILL BE REMOVED, BUT THE BRACKETS WOULD BE HIDDEN BEHIND THE WALL IF YOU ALL WERE DOING THE WALL. I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SEEING A PROPOSAL ON WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.

THAT REQUIRES US

[02:45:03]

WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THE WALL, I DON'T THINK.

I DON'T THINK WE WANT TO DO THE WALL. SO WE CAN PUT SOME MORE THOUGHT INTO HOW WE CAN IMPROVE OUR KNIGHTS OF LIGHT SIGN. WHY DON'T WE DO THAT? OKAY, THANK YOU. AND THEN NO BENCH. I THINK THAT WAS A CONSENSUS, ALTHOUGH I LIKE THE IDEA OF IT, BUT I AGREE WITH EVERYBODY'S FINE. THE ONLY THING I WANTED TO MENTION, FINALLY, WAS COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD TALKED ABOUT STUDENTS WALKING THROUGH.

AND ONE THING THAT WHEN THEY, WHEN WE DID ALLOW THE DORMITORY, CHANGE OF USE FROM THE HOTEL TO THE DORMITORY. WE DID ASK FLAGLER COLLEGE TO SET ASIDE $500,000 TO HELP WITH CONNECTING THAT TO KING STREET. AND I'M WONDERING IF MAYBE WE COULD GET SOME ASSISTANCE ON THAT PATHWAY, SINCE IT'S ACCOMPLISHING THAT SAME GOAL THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. I DON'T KNOW. WE CAN CERTAINLY GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE LANGUAGE OF THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF THAT CONDITION, OF THEIR PUD AMENDMENT. I THINK THAT WAS TIED TO THEIR DORMITORY ON SOUTH PONCE. AND I THINK THERE WAS SOME SPECIFICITY ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE PLEDGING THAT MONEY FOR. SO WE'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MADAM MAYOR, IF I COULD, MY MEMORY IS THAT WE ACTUALLY LOOKED AT A DESIGN AND APPROVED A DESIGN. DID WE? OKAY. THAT'S WHAT I REMEMBER.

IT WAS A PATHWAY BEHIND, OR I SHOULD SAY, ON THE EAST SIDE OF... YEAH, IT WAS LIKE A BOARDWALK. YEAH, THERE'S BEEN A LONG-STANDING GOAL OF A RIVER WALK THAT WOULD CONNECT THE SAN SEBASTIAN HARBOR DRIVE PROPERTY. ALL THE WAY AROUND TO THE KING STREET BRIDGE, ACROSS THE BRIDGE, DOWN THE RIVER, AND ALL THE WAY TO BASICALLY OYSTER CREEK, AND THEN ALL THE WAY TO THE SHIPYARDS. RIGHT.

WHAT I THINK FLAGLER COLLEGE WAS DOING WHEN THEY CONVERTED THAT HOTEL TO A DORMITORY...

WAS SAYING WE'LL PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROJECT IN THE PROPERTY, THIS IS THE PUBLIC PROPERTY, IT'S BEHIND OUR DORM. BUT WE'LL GO BACK AND REVISIT THAT TO SEE WHETHER IT'S AVAILABLE FOR THIS. ZORA NEALE, HURSTON PARK. OKAY, ALL RIGHT, I JUST TRIGGERED ME WHEN YOU SAID THAT, OKAY, SO, UM, SO YOU WISH TO MAKE A RESERVATION? NO, I WOULDN'T. VERY MUCH THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP, BECAUSE WE HAD THAT DISCUSSION WHEN WE DID THE MOBILITY PLAN, THIS RIVER WALK, AND IT WAS ALWAYS A VERY BIG FEATURE, AND I'M SO GLAD YOU TIED IT INTO THIS CONVERSATION. I DIDN'T. JIM DID. YEAH. I DIDN'T PUT THAT TOGETHER, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THAT OPPORTUNITY.

DO WE NEED A MOTION? I GUESS MAYBE NOT. I THINK I'M GOOD.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE NEXT ITEM IS THE ST. AUGUSTINE COMMUNITY TABLE, SHARING FOOD, SHARING STORIES, SHARING HERITAGE, AND A COLLABORATION WITH FLAGLER COLLEGE AND ST.

AUGUSTINE SISTER CITIES EVENT.

MS. WISSEL, GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. MELISSA WISSEL, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, AND I'M EXCITED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THIS EVENT. AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THE... LATE BACKUP MATERIAL THAT YOU DO HAVE IN YOUR PACKET. WHEN WE HAD OUR AGENDA DEADLINE. WE HADN'T QUITE GOTTEN SOME THINGS FINALIZED, SO WE HAVE THAT HERE THIS EVENING. THE FIRST PIECE OF INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE IS THE PRESS RELEASE THAT WENT OUT, AND IT ESSENTIALLY JUST TALKS ABOUT THE EVENT ITSELF. THAT IT'S A COLLABORATION, AS YOU PREFACED, WITH FLAGLER COLLEGE AND SISTER CITIES. AND THIS WAS INSPIRED BY A TRADITION THAT SOME OF US HAVE EXPERIENCED IN AVALISE, CALLED EL BOYO. AND IT WAS REALLY BROUGHT BACK TO TOWN WHEN COMMISSIONER GARRIS CAME BACK LAST, GOSH, 2025, LAST YEAR, AND THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN OUR CITY. AND I THINK SCOTT YORK ALSO THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT IDEA WHEN HE FIRST HEARD ABOUT IT AS WELL, MAYBE BACK IN 23. SO IT'S BEEN SORT OF FLOATING AROUND. SO WE APPROACHED FLAGLER COLLEGE.

BECAUSE THEY WERE THINKING OF AN EVENT CALLED THE LONGEST TABLE, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT'S MORE OF AN AMERICAN TRADITION. AND IT'S DONE IN CITIES WHERE THEY DO A VERY SIMILAR CONCEPT. AND IT'S JUST ONE LONG TABLE DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET WHERE THE COMMUNITY CAN COME TOGETHER AND SHARE A MEAL. AND THE IDEA BEING THAT WE SIT DOWN AND WE HAVE GREAT CONVERSATION AND GET

[02:50:01]

WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO DO A WALKTHROUGH LATER THIS WEEK.

TO KIND OF FINALIZE WHERE WE THINK THINGS ARE GOING TO GO.

AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE HAVING MUSIC. AND IF ANY OF YOU HAVE EVER HEARD ZAZA FLAMENCA, SHE PERFORMS FOR US DURING SUMMER CONCERTS, AND SHE ALSO PERFORMED ALSO LAST YEAR AS PART OF OUR HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH CONCERTS. THAT WE DID ALSO IN OUR CELEBRATION OF THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY WITH SISTER CITIES. AND I'M NOT SURE IF YOU CAN SEE THEM VERY WELL ON THIS. OVERHEAD DISPLAY, BUT YOU HOPEFULLY CAN SEE IT ON YOUR COPY, BUT THERE ARE SOME, WE'LL HAVE SOME TRASH CANS AND RECYCLE BINS AS WELL. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SIX TRASH CANS AND TWO RECYCLE BINS THAT WE WILL BE PROVIDING AS WELL. FLAGLER COLLEGE WILL BE HELPING WITH TABLE SETUP FOR DISTRIBUTING THE FOOD.

THEY WILL BE HELPING WITH WRISTBANDS. WE HAVE THE NEXT PAGE. THIS IS THE LOGO THAT WAS DESIGNED BY FOGLER COLLEGE. FOR US, WHICH I HAVE TO SAY, I REALLY THINK IS A GREAT REPRESENTATION.

WITH THE CITY GATE AND THEN THE TABLE LEADING TO CITY HALL.

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO DO A LITTLE SOUVENIR CUP MEMENTO. I TRIED TO MAKE IT GET IT SO THAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE A CEDRA CUP, WHICH IS A SPANISH TRADITION. WE JUST DON'T HAVE CUPS THAT ARE SHAPED QUITE LIKE THAT, BUT IT'LL BE A PLASTIC FROSTED SOUVENIR CUP.

AND WHEN THE MEAL IS SERVED, WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING LEMONADE AND ICED TEA AND DISPENSERS. SO WE ALSO THOUGHT THAT HANDING OUT A CUP WOULD GIVE PEOPLE A WAY TO GO AND GET THEIR DRINKS AND USE THEIR CUP.

WHEN YOU REGISTER ONLINE, SO THE TICKETS ARE $20 PER TICKET FOR THE BOX LUNCH AND THE MEMENTO CUP. AND THERE'S AN OPTION OF SIX LUNCH BOXES. TWO ARE VEGETARIAN OPTIONS. AND WHEN YOU REGISTER ONLINE, YOU'LL PICK YOUR LUNCH BOX THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE WITH YOUR MEAL. AND THOSE ARE THE SANDWICH OPTIONS. THE TABLES WE ARE RENTING FROM ST. JOHN'S ILLUMINATIONS. SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO TASK. CITY STAFF WITH THAT, THAT WAS A PRETTY HEAVY LIFT AND WE THOUGHT IT WOULD JUST BE BEST TO HAVE THAT RENTED. HAVE THEM COME IN, SET IT UP, TAKE IT DOWN. AND THEN WE WILL BE PROVIDING, UH, FLYWARE.

COLLEGE WILL BE PROVIDING THE TABLE CLOTHS, WHICH ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE PAPER, AND WE'RE GOING TO USE THE PAPER TO, UH, WE'RE GOING TO WRITE ON THEM.

OR WE MAY TRY TO IDENTIFY WHERE FOLKS ARE GOING TO BE SITTING BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T QUITE IRONED ALL THAT OUT YET, SO YOU, IT'S A BIT FLUID STILL.

BRINGING A SPANISH TRADITION AND TRYING TO KEEP IT SPANISH, BUT ALSO KNOWING THIS IS SOMETHING BRAND NEW CONCEPT FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND ANYONE WHO WANTS TO ATTEND. SO, AND THIS? AS OF THIS MORNING, WE HAD 33 PEOPLE REGISTERED.

WHAT'S HOW MANY? 33. I MEAN, UM, HOW MANY TOTAL? SO WE'RE HOPING FOR 300. IT SHOULD BE 150 ON EACH SIDE OF THE TABLE. WE KIND OF START OUT WITH 500, BUT WE THOUGHT THAT WAS A BIT LOFTY. SO, ANY QUESTIONS? RESTROOMS? YES, SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SECURITY ON SITE TO GIVE FOLKS ACCESS TO THE BATHROOMS

[02:55:01]

YEAH, IT LOOKS LIKE A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT MATCH. OKAY, THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER GARRIS? I'M SURE YOU HAD COMMENTS. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK YOU, MELISSA, YOU AND EVERYONE THAT'S BEEN INVOLVED, HELPING YOU PULL THIS TOGETHER.

AS THE MAYOR KNOWS, SPAIN IS AMAZING, AND JIM KNOWS SPAIN IS AMAZING. AND IT'S JUST TO BRING A TOUCH OF THAT HERE TO OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY, JUST SO PEOPLE CAN HAVE A SMALL WINDOW INTO SEEING JUST A PART OF THE FELLOWSHIP. THAT BRINGS DINING TOGETHER, LAUGHTER TOGETHER. AND I ANTICIPATE AND HOPE THAT IT GROWS BIG ENOUGH TO BE ON FRANCIS. I ANTICIPATE AND HOPE THAT IT GROWS BIG ENOUGH TO BE ON FRANCIS. I ANTICIPATE AND SOME DAY WHERE EVERYBODY FIELD, SOME DAY WHERE EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY WANTS THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO COME AND JUST FELLOWSHIP. I THINK IT HAS THE POTENTIAL, I THINK IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO GROW, BECAUSE WHOEVER DOESN'T COME, I'M SURE THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO COME, GOING TO WANT TO COME THE NEXT TIME. THE NEXT FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. YOU'RE WELCOME. YOU'RE WELCOME.

IT. I APPRECIATE IT. I COMMISSION, I'M SURE THE COMMISS. I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO COMMENT ON THAT AS WELL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IS REVENUES GENERATED. NEXT ITEM IS REVENUES GENERATED.

DURING NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND COMMISSIONERS. MERIDYTH BRIDENSTEIN, MERIDYTH BRIDENSTEIN, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. AND YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKET HERE A MEMO.

THAT I WROTE AT THE TIME THAT THIS WAS PUBLISHED. I DID NOT HAVE A COUPLE OF THE NUMBERS.

THOSE HAVE BEEN UPDATED NOW, AND I HAVE PAPER VERSIONS TO HAND YOU AS WELL. THE KNIGHTS OF LIGHTS PRESENTATION AT THE FEBRUARY 9TH, 2026 COMMISSION MEETING LED TO A REQUEST FOR A PRESENTATION OF REVENUES GENERATED IN THE CITY DURING THIS TIME FRAME. EACH OF THE BOXES YOU HAVE BELOW SHOW A COMPARISON OF REVENUES GENERATED NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, AND JANUARY. FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 COMPARED TO FISCAL YEAR 2026.

THE FIRST ONE IS THE DOWNTOWN PARKING GARAGE. I'VE LISTED THERE WAS AN INCREASE FOR THAT THREE-MONTH TIME PERIOD BETWEEN THE FISCAL YEARS OF $604,039. YOU CAN SEE THE MONTH-TO-MONTH COMPARISON THERE BELOW. JUST A REMINDER, PARKING GARAGE REVENUES ARE USED TO PROVIDE REVENUE FOR OPERATIONS, DEBT SERVICE, AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.

FOR THE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER PARKING GARAGE, THE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER ITSELF, THE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER GIFT SHOP, THE PREPARATION FOR THE NEW PARKING GARAGE, WHAT WE CALL THE BROWDY GARAGE, ALSO TRANSFERS TO THE GENERAL FUND FOR MOBILITY AND FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION. SO JUST A REMINDER ON THAT ONE, WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT IT RECENTLY. THE NEXT LIST OF REVENUES HERE, I'VE NETTED TOGETHER REVENUES RECEIVED FROM PARKING METERS, THAT'S ON-STREET PARKING, PARKING PERMITS, WHICH ARE NOT ONLY WORKFORCE PARKING PERMITS, BUT OTHER MONTHLY PERMITS THAT ARE PURCHASED AT THE CITY, AND TICKET REVENUE FOR ILLEGAL PARKING AND FOR OVERTIME ON METERS. NETTED TOGETHER, THERE WAS ACTUALLY A DECREASE BETWEEN FISCAL YEARS 2025 TO FISCAL YEAR 2026. $48,532.

AS WE MENTIONED DURING THE KNIGHTS OF LIGHTS PRESENTATION, THIS IS A FACTOR OF A COUPLE OF THINGS. WE REDUCED SOME OF THE PARKING METERS DURING THE SEASON IN ORDER TO PROVIDE MORE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS.

SO WE KNOW THERE WAS A DECREASE IN PARKING METER REVENUE THERE.

WE HAD AN INCREASE IN PARKING TICKETS. WE INCREASED THE ILLEGAL PARKING FINES TO $100. SO WE HAD UP ON ONE SIDE AND DOWN ON THE OTHER, BUT THE NET EFFECT WAS A DECREASE OF THESE COMBINED OF $48,000.

THE NEXT REVENUE CATEGORY LISTED ARE FRANCHISE FEES, WHICH WE'VE DISCUSSED TONIGHT.

[03:00:02]

WE JUST RECEIVED SOME OF THESE FIGURES LAST WEEK, ACTUALLY AFTER THE AGENDA DEADLINE. BUT THIS COMBINES SIGHTSEEING VEHICLES FROM RIPLEY'S AND HISTORIC TOURS OF AMERICA, AS WELL AS HORSE AND CARRIAGE FRANCHISE FEES. OVERALL, THERE WAS AN INCREASE OF $22,405.

THAT WAS NOT LISTED IN YOUR PACKET, BUT YOU CAN SEE. NOW. WE HAVE A FOURTH QUARTER TOTAL FOR 2026 OF $335,000. AS A REMINDER, THE SIGHTSEEING VEHICLES PAY 4% OF THEIR REVENUES GENERATED.

THE NEXT LIST IS RELATIVELY SMALL, BUT CITY GUIDE LICENSES, MARKET AND VENDOR PERMITS AT A SLIGHT DECREASE, $3,200.

THAT COULD BE TIMING. PEOPLE MAY HAVE PURCHASED THEIR PERMITS PRIOR TO NOVEMBER FOR THE SEASON. SO I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S A HUGE INDICATOR OF ANYTHING, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS SO LOW.

THOSE FUNDS REALLY JUST COVER ADMINISTRATION OF THESE PROGRAMS. AND I WON'T SAY, COVER IT. THEY GO TOWARDS IT. ON THE SECOND PAGE, I'VE ALSO LISTED THE REVENUES THAT COME INTO VIA TOURISM DEVELOPMENT TAXES. NOW, THESE DO NOT COME TO THE CITY. THESE GO TO THE COUNTY. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK AT EACH MONTH TO SEE WHAT IS BEING GENERATED.

THIS IS PART OF THE CONVERSATION WE HAVE WHEN WE GO TO THE TDC. SO THESE FUNDS, AND I HAVE TO SAY THIS LAST NUMBER IS SLIGHTLY OFF. I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. THAT NUMBER FOR JANUARY 2026 IS ACTUALLY $1,691,722. I JUST GOT A COUPLE DIFFERENT REPORTS LATE FRIDAY, AND SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.

BUT THE TOTAL THERE IS CORRECT.

THERE WAS AN INCREASE OF $26,058. PRETTY FLAT OVERALL.

YOU CAN SEE THAT NOVEMBER WAS HIGHER, DECEMBER WAS HIGHER, JANUARY SLIGHTLY LOWER. I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THESE. AND AGAIN, I'LL GIVE YOU PAPER VERSIONS, SO YOU HAVE THIS FINAL IN FRONT OF YOU, SINCE YOU DID NOT HAVE THOSE NUMBERS IN YOUR PACKET. OKAY.

COMMISSIONERS. EVERYBODY'S LOOKING AT ME, SO I'LL GO.

OKAY. SO IT LOOKS LIKE TTC'S FUNDS WENT UP $26,000. CORRECT. WITH A WEEK LESS. CORRECT. AND WE WENT UP RIGHT AROUND $620,000 WITH THE PARKING GARAGE FEES.

YES. MINUS THE PARKING. OKAY.

I'M JUST CLARIFYING THAT. AND DO YOU KNOW THE, YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW THIS NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD. WHAT DO WE STILL OWE ON THE GARAGE? OH, I WISH I KNEW IT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. I SHOULD. I KNOW.

IT'S A LOT. WE'LL KEEP PAYING THROUGH 2041. YEAH, IT'S A LOT.

AND THEN WE HAVE A DEBT COMING BEGINNING, HOPEFULLY, A YEAR FROM NOW, RIGHT? OR A LITTLE BIT OVER TWO YEARS FROM NOW.

CORRECT. SO YOU INDICATED? THE EXTRA MONEY WE MADE FROM THIS GARAGE WILL EITHER GO TO THE DEBT SERVICES OR WILL GO TO RESERVE FOR THE NEW GARAGE. CORRECT.

DO WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR ARCHAEOLOGY? SO THE FUNDS THAT WE... TRANSFER TO THE GENERAL FUND FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND ARCHAEOLOGY.

WE BREAK DOWN INTO SOME REALLY SPECIFIC THINGS. IT DOES NOT COVER THE ENTIRE HISTORIC PRESERVATION ARCHAEOLOGY DEPARTMENT. IT DOES COVER TWO OF THE ARCHAEOLOGISTS. WE CURRENTLY HAVE THREE. TWO OF THE ARCHAEOLOGISTS. IT COVERS SOME OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT WE MAKE TO U.S.F FOR L.A. FLORIDA, TO UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA PISA PROGRAM, THE HISTORIC...

REMIND ME, THE LIBRARY, HISTORICAL SOCIETY CONTRIBUTIONS, AS WELL AS ANY HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROJECTS THAT WE MAY DO AT THE CITY.

THIS YEAR, WE BUDGETED TO REDO THE BATHROOMS IN THIS BUILDING, ACTUALLY, ON THE FIRST FLOOR. SO WE NOT ONLY CONTRIBUTE THOSE FUNDS TO OFFSET ARCHAEOLOGY AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION COSTS, BUT ALSO PHYSICAL PROJECTS THAT WE CAN DO AS WELL. AND THAT WAS $600,000 THIS YEAR. OKAY, SO TO ANSWER... TO GIVE YOU AN ANSWER THAT I LIKE, WE'RE NOT TOTALLY PAYING FOR ARCHAEOLOGY THROUGH THE PARKING GARAGE.

TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING.

FOR SOME COST OF ARCHAEOLOGISTS. CORRECT.

AND FEES ARE COLLECTED FOR THOSE ARCHAEOLOGY, BUT THEY DON'T COVER THAT. SO WE COULD, THEORETICALLY, IF WE CONTINUE TO SEE THIS KIND OF INCOME FROM THE GARAGE, REMOVE THE TAX BURDEN TO THE CITIZENS.

FOR ANY ARCHAEOLOGY. CORRECT.

OKAY, THANK YOU. OKAY, GREAT.

[03:05:06]

THAT'S COUNTYWIDE. OKAY. SO JUST FOR THE CONVERSATION, BECAUSE WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THIS, I'M LOOKING AT IT MORE. LIKE, WE WANT TO GO TO THE TDC AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT THIS.

SO I DID A LITTLE THING ON 2025, THE TDT REVENUE.

FOR OUR ZIP CODE, WHICH IS THE ONLY WAY THEY LIST IT THAT I HAVE FOUND, REALLY, THERE'S A PORTION ON THE ISLAND, BUT THAT'S NOT DRIVING THE KNIGHTS OF LIGHTS, REALLY. THE TOTAL WAS, IN THE 24-25 YEAR, OUR ZIP CODE GENERATED $2,750,563 OF TAX DOLLARS, AND THE TDC, UNLESS I'M WRONG, GAVE US $20,000. SO THERE'S A VERY NICE... AM I WRONG? 200,000. I'M SORRY. DID I SAY 20? YOU SAID 20. I'M SORRY.

BIG ERROR. IT WAS 20.

AT A ZERO, 200,000. OKAY, SO NOW THAT I HAVE THIS, I DON'T HAVE IT FOR THE ZIP CODE, BUT THAT MIGHT BE ON THERE NOW, WHICH WOULD BE INTERESTING. I HAVE THE PIECE OF PAPER HERE. I JUST DON'T KNOW IF I'M GOING TO BE ABLE TO SHOW IT. I THOUGHT WE HAD A NUMBER ON JANUARY. NO, WE HAVE THE... THAT WAS MORE TEASED OUT THAN THE ZIP CODE. WE DO NOW... WE DO FOR JANUARY FOR OUR ZIP CODE 3208. I'M SAYING, OURS IN THE DOWNTOWN.

SO THIS PAGE HERE SHOWS IT BY ZIP CODE. THIS IS WHAT THE TDC PUTS UP EVERY MONTH. WE ARE NOW, FROM THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR, ABLE TO CAPTURE JUST WHAT'S INSIDE CITY LIMITS. I DO HAVE THAT FOR EACH MONTH, BUT I DON'T HAVE IT FOR LAST YEAR. THAT'S VERY NEW INFORMATION. BUT THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PIECE OF INFORMATION FOR US TO HAVE. BUT, YEAH, OVERALL, YOU'RE MAKING THE POINT. $2.7 MILLION WE'RE GENERATING, BUT WE'RE REALLY ONLY GETTING $200,000. SO THAT'S A VERY GOOD RETURN ON MONEY. SO, ON THE 2026 TD REVENUE THIS YEAR FOR OUR ZIP CODE, NOVEMBER IS UP 9.9%. DECEMBER IS UP. 5.5 PERCENT, AND IN THE COUNTY WIDE, IT'S UP FOR NOVEMBER 6.3 PERCENT AND FOR DECEMBER IT'S UP 3.9 PERCENT. I JUST GOT THIS, BUT THIS IS DEFINITELY FLAT OR DOWN. SO JANUARY WAS A LITTLE BIT LOWER. SO FOR 2026, NOT INCLUDING THE JANUARY FOUR HOUR ZIP CODE, WHICH I DON'T HAVE.

THE CITY. OUR ZIP CODE HAS COLLECTED $2,102,578, NOT INCLUDING ANY JANUARY RECEIPTS, AND THE TDC GAVE US $850,000.

SO I'M SAYING THIS TO, NUMBER ONE, THE TDC MONEY HELPS US RUN A BETTER EVENT. I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE.

AND NUMBER TWO, THAT THEY ARE GETTING A VERY GOOD RETURN ON THEIR MONEY, SO WHEN WE GO TALK TO THEM, I'M SURE OUR CITY MANAGER WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT WE'RE IN A GOOD POSITION. AND WHOEVER YOU ARE ON THE BOARD, THEY'RE GETTING A VERY GOOD RETURN ON THEIR MONEY, FROM WHAT I CAN SEE. AND THEY'RE AWARE OF THAT. NO, IT'S NOT TO BE CONFRONTATIONAL.

IT'S JUST TO PROPORTIONALIZE THIS STUFF.

SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS DISPARITY IN THE PAST WITH THEM. I'M VERY GLAD THAT WE HAVE IT. FOR THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE NUMBERS. I THINK MOVING FORWARD, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK THAT IT'S BEEN, IT'S EASIER FOR US TO MAKE OUR CASE IF WE HAVE NUMBERS SPECIFIC TO THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE. I DO HAVE DECEMBERS, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THAT HERE. AGAIN, I DIDN'T INCLUDE IT BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE A COMPARISON. IT'S COLLECTED BY 1-1-2026, BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY. YOU CAN SEE THE TOTAL MATCHES, WHAT YOU HAVE FOR DECEMBER IN TOTAL. CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE INSIDE CITY LIMITS IS THE HIGHLIGHTED NUMBER, 944,411. WHAT IS IT? SAY THAT AGAIN. $944,411.77. AND MEREDITH, CAN YOU JUST, FOR THE RECORD, TELL US WHAT THAT NUMBER IS? IS THAT THE BED TAX COLLECTION? FOR WHEN? THAT IS FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 2025. SO IN DECEMBER OF 2025, THAT'S HOW MUCH THE TAX COLLECTOR COLLECTED INSIDE ST. AUGUSTINE IN BED TAXES.

ONE MONTH. CORRECT. AND AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THE TOTAL OF $2.38 MILLION. JUST TO MAKE SURE WE'RE COMPARING THE CORRECT

[03:10:02]

WITH THE INCREASE OF BUSINESS, IT'S ALSO AN INCREASE OF SALES TAX, WHICH GOES TO THE STATE, WHICH COMES BACK TO THE COUNTY, AND WE GET A SMALLER PORTION. SO ALL THE ADDITIONAL SALES TAX THAT WAS GENERATED BECAUSE OF THIS SUCCESS, INCLUDING THE PARKING GARAGE? INCLUDING THE PARKING GARAGE.

THEY GOT THE LAW REPORT. THE COUNTY GOT THE LAW REPORT.

RIGHT, THAT'S BECAUSE WHAT COMES TO US IS BASED ON POPULATION. CORRECT. AND THE ESTIMATE OF POPULATION BY THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IS THEY WERE AT 16,400. AND THEY WERE 360,000. SO THEY GET THE LION'S SHARE, SO OURS IS VERY SMALL.

THAT'S NITPICKY. THAT'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY. WELL, IT'S THE WAY THE SYSTEM WORKS.

YEAH, IT'S THE WAY IT WORKS.

AND I JUST WANT TO POINT THAT OUT, THAT THERE'S A LITTLE CHANGE THERE THAT WE COULD BE... TO THE COUNTY, THAT'S THE TDC, THIS IS TO THE COUNTY WE. WE DO HAVE TO PAY THE SHERIFF OVER TIME FOR WHEN THEY WORK FOR US.

YES, AND STATUTORILY WE CANNOT USE BED TAX REVENUES FOR CORRECT THE SHERIFF'S.

NO, I KNOW THAT, BUT WE HAVE TO, BUT THE COUNTY IS PAYING FOR THOSE SHERIFFS, BUT WE HAVE TO PAY TIME AND A HALF WHEN WE USE THEM. YES, WE DO HAVE A WE DO PAY THE SHERIFF FOR HIS, UH, OFFICERS DURING RIGHT? IT IS A GOOD POINT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT WE DO, ON THAT SCORE, THE SALES TAX THAT'S COLLECTED THAT GOES TO THE COUNTY, WE DO HAVE NUMEROUS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS WITH THE COUNTY FOR SERVICES THAT WE DON'T PROVIDE. WE DON'T HAVE A DOG CATCHER. THEY PROVIDE THAT SERVICE. SO THERE ARE, I MEAN, WE DO GET SOMETHING.

BUT THAT'S PROPERTY TAX, WHICH WE ALL PAY. WE ALL PAY PROPERTY TAX TO THE COUNTY, AND A LOT OF THOSE SERVICES ARE PAID FOR BY PROPERTY TAX AS WELL, INCLUDING SHERIFF AND FIRE.

YEAH, I COULD PROBABLY NEED A LESSON IN THAT. THANK YOU. BUT THE POINT THAT I'M REALLY TRYING TO MAKE IS THAT THE COUNTY ISN'T JUST... TAKING ALL THE MONEY THEY DO, AND IT MAY BE THAT THEY ARE TAKING ALL THE SALES TAX REVENUE, AND WE'RE NOT RECEIVING THE BENEFIT OF IT. BUT I DO KNOW THAT THEY DO PROVIDE US WITH SERVICES.

SO, IN ALL FAIRNESS, THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS. WE DON'T HAVE A PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT. THEY DO, FOR EXAMPLE. SO WE DON'T HAVE LIBRARIES. THEY DO. THEY DO NUMEROUS THINGS IN THAT.

[03:15:03]

REALLY, THESE NUMBERS ARE SHOWING WHAT A BENEFIT IT WAS TO US. I THINK WE DID GOOD, AND THE FEEDBACK HAS BEEN GOOD. I THINK IT WAS A WIN-WIN. THEY GAVE MONEY TO US, AND IT DIDN'T FALL. NUMBERS WENT UP, AND IT WAS BETTER MANAGED, AND THAT WAS THE GOAL. ONE MORE COMMENT, TOO. LET'S REMEMBER THAT HALF OF THE PROPERTY TAX THAT WE RECEIVE IS FROM BUSINESSES. SO WHEN WE SAY TAXPAYERS... SOME OF THOSE TAXPAYERS ARE ACTUALLY THE BUSINESSES. IT'S NOT JUST ALL THE BURDEN ON THE RESIDENTS.

SO I FEEL LIKE THERE SHOULD BE SOME, WE SHOULD HAVE SOME IN THE GAME. WE SHOULD HAVE SOME SKIN IN THE GAME. BECAUSE WE'RE RECEIVING TAXES FROM BENEFITS, FROM TAXES FROM BUSINESSES THAT RECEIVE A BENEFIT OF OUR EFFORT, THROUGH THE COUNTY STAFF, CITY STAFF. I THINK IT'S 30, 33 PERCENT WE GET FROM BUSINESSES. WELL, WE GET.

27.8 OF OUR PROPERTIES ARE HOMESTEADED. SO OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I THINK WE'RE ABOUT 60% RESIDENTIAL.

BUT THEN THAT'S BROKEN OUT INTO HOMESTEADED RESIDENTIAL, NON-HOMESTEADED RESIDENTIAL, WHICH I THINK THE ARGUMENT IS SOMETIMES MADE THAT THAT'S CONSIDERED COMMERCIAL. NOT AN EASY ANSWER, BUT HOMESTEADED PROPERTIES WERE ABOUT 27.8% OF OUR AVERAGE.

WHEN I REVIEWED IT, 50% OF OUR BUDGET ABOUT COMES FROM PROPERTY TAX. YEAH.

ABOUT 50% OF THAT IS BUSINESSES. OKAY. I HAD THOUGHT THAT WHEN I READ IT, IT WAS ABOUT 30% BECAUSE I WATCHED IT TRACK DURING 2008 AND 2009 AND THEN GO DOWN. BUT WE CAN HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.

IT'S KIND OF A SIDE CONVERSATION, YEAH.

ALL RIGHT. GOOD. GOOD. SO.

COMMISSIONER GARRETT, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS TO ADD? NOT AT THIS TIME, THANK YOU. OKAY. SO MOVING FORWARD, WHAT IS YOUR PLAN MOVING FORWARD AND HOW WE? WELL, AT THE NEXT MEETING, YOU'LL BE CONSIDERING THE DATES FOR THE UPCOMING NIGHTS OF LIGHT SEASON. OKAY.

AT THAT TIME, IF YOU WISH FOR CITY STAFF TO PRESENT A FUNDING REQUEST TO THE TDC. WE WILL PUT THAT TOGETHER, LIKE WE DID DURING THE PREVIOUS SEASON AND MAKE OUR PRESENTATION TO THE TDC BOARD AND TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. AND YOU CAN MAKE THAT DECISION AT THE NEXT CITY COMMISSION MEETING. EVERYONE AGREEABLE TO THAT? SO THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS THE PATH FORWARD. THANK YOU. THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE KNOW THE PATH FORWARD ON THIS. BUT, YES, I AGREE. I THINK THAT. IT WAS MONEY WELL SPENT BY THE COUNTY AND THE REVENUES WERE UP. YOU

[11. ITEMS BY CITY ATTORNEY]

SO, ALL RIGHT, NEXT ITEM, ITEMS BY CITY ATTORNEY. YES, I KNOW THE NIGHT IS LATE, SO I WILL VERY QUICKLY HIGHLIGHT THAT I AM SIMPLY REQUESTING CONFIRMATION FROM THE CITY COMMISSION. THAT YOU WISH ME TO CONTINUE. ENFORCING THE SUBMERGED LANDS PORTIONS OF OUR CODE THAT DO REQUIRE A SUBMERGED LAND LEASE IF SOMEONE IS UTILIZING OUR SUBMERGED LANDS FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES, SUCH AS MARINAS. OUR STAFF IS GOING THROUGH AND AUDITING VARIOUS MARINAS AND MOST PEOPLE ARE COMPLIANT OR COMING INTO COMPLIANCE. BUT WE DO HAVE A FEW FOLKS WHO ARE EITHER NON-RESPONSIVE OR RECALCITRANT.

WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE CONFIRM OUR OWNERSHIP THROUGH TITLE SEARCHES.

SHARING THAT WITH THE OWNERS, BUT IT'S POSSIBLE THAT WE MAY NEED TO MOVE TO LITIGATION.

AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT MY DIRECTION CONTINUED TO BE WHAT IT HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN, WHICH IS GO AHEAD AND ENFORCE OUR RIGHTS AND OUR

[12. ITEMS BY CITY CLERK]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. WONDERFUL. ALL RIGHT. ITEMS BY CITY CLERK.

JUST BRIEFLY, I HAVE A REMINDER OF OPEN POSITIONS ON OUR BOARDS AND COMMITTEES.

WE'RE STILL ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR OUR CORRIDOR REVIEW COMMITTEE, OUR HISTORIC ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD, AND OUR LINCOLNVILLE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AREA STEERING COMMITTEE. AND ALSO, JUST TODAY, I DID RECEIVE A RESIGNATION FROM ONE OF OUR CURRENT PZB MEMBER, SO WE WILL IMMEDIATELY START ADVERTISING FOR THAT POSITION. ALL RIGHT, GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

LET'S SEE. ARE WE ON TO ITEMS

[14. ITEMS BY MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS]

THANK YOU. ITEMS BY MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.

WHERE SHALL WE BEGIN?

[03:20:01]

AND I THINK WE NEED TO GET THAT SIGNAGE OUT THERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, JUST FOR THEIR PROTECTION. IT HAS TO BE SCARY BEING A LITTLE KID AND THOSE FOLKS. FLY PAST YOU AND YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO DROWN. AND I THINK THAT CITY MANAGER, IF YOU CAN LOOK INTO THAT TO MAKE THAT BECOME A REALITY, SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT. WE HEARD THEM TODAY. OTHER THAN THAT, OTHER STUFF THAT I MADE NOTATIONS WERE RETAINING TO THE THINGS THAT ASSISTANT MANAGER RUBEN FRANKLIN WILL BE WORKING ON. I WROTE A LOT OF NOTES ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE FRANCHISE, YOU KNOW, THE... THEM. THEM. AND I'LL SAVE THAT INFORMATION FOR, AND I'LL SAVE THAT INFORMATION FOR, AND I'LL SAVE THAT INFORMATION FOR. WHEN THEY COME BACK BEFORE US, BEFORE US. OR PASS THAT ON TO THE CITY MANAGER DURING MY ONE-ON-ONE. SO THANK THANK YOU. I ALSO LIKE HAVING THE KIDS COME OUT.

FOR THE RECORD, I WILL SAY WHEN WE REVIEWED THE DOC THERE, ON THE PLANNING BOARD, I THINK THERE'S AN INHERENT, I CONFLICT BETWEEN THE BOATS AND THE SAILING CENTER. AND THE ALWAYS GIVING ME PAUSE.

HOWEVER, THE REALITY IS THE SAILING CENTER IS GOING TO BE THERE, AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD THING TO HAVE THE NO-WAKE ZONE. MY UNDERSTANDING IS, THE FARTHER YOU GET DOWN TO THE STATE PARK, THERE'S NO VEHICLES AT ALL, MOTORBOATS. SO JUST CHECK WHERE THAT STARTS AND THEN MOVE YOUR WAY UP FROM THERE. THE CHALLENGE IS, WE JUST CAN'T DO IT UNILATERALLY. WE TRIED IN THE PAST. WE NEED DATA TO SUPPORT. THE ORDINANCE, AND THEN THE ORDINANCE HAS TO BE APPROVED BY THE FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION. OH. AND IN THE PAST, THEY SIMPLY DIDN'T THINK THAT WE HAD SUFFICIENT TICKETS OR INCIDENTS IN THAT ZONE TO JUSTIFY. SO THE STATUTE IS KIND OF RIGID. IT HAS SORT OF A LAUNDRY LIST OF THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO CHECK OFF. NOW, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE IS A YOUNG GENTLEMAN FROM FLAGLER COLLEGE THAT MAY BE WORKING WITH J.B. MILLER ON, POTENTIALLY. GATHERING UP SOME DATA TO SUPPORT ANOTHER RUN AT TRYING TO GET AN ORDINANCE APPROVED BY FISH AND WILDLIFE, BUT IT'S NOT SO SIMPLE AS US SIMPLY UNILATERALLY DOING THAT. WE CANNOT. OKAY, I WOULD SUPPORT THE EFFORT, AND AGAIN, NOTE THERE IS A CONFLICT THERE. I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO IT.

NOTICE TO THE LITTLE RED TRAIN THAT CAME UP. I KNOW EVERYBODY GOT A EMAIL ABOUT IT, UNLESS I'M WRONG. THIS GENTLEMAN HAS... I DID. YEAH, THIS GENTLEMAN... I WENT RIGHT THROUGH A STOP SIGN WHEN I WAS ON MY BIKE. I HAD WORDS WITH HIM. HE HAD WORDS WITH ME. AND NOW IT'S HAPPENED A COUPLE MORE TIMES IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO, BUT IF THE COMMISSION WOULD AGREE TO, MAYBE JUST SEND IN THIS GUY, NOTICE THAT HE HAS TO OBEY THE LAW, START THERE. I MEAN, THIS IS A GOOD WAY TO TEST OUR ENFORCEMENT BEFORE WE GO ALL THE WAY DOWN THE ROAD. AND THE ZORA HURSTON HOUSE VISIT. COULD YOU GIVE ME THE INFORMATION FOR THAT? I'D LOVE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THAT GENTLEMAN AND GO OVER THERE. IS THAT AN OPEN INVITATION? HE'S NOT OPEN.

HE'S OPEN AS PEOPLE WANT TO GO THERE, SO I CAN GET SOME DATES AND PASS THEM OUT TO YOU GUYS SO THAT Y'ALL CAN GO THERE AND TOUR IT. YEAH, HE REALLY LOOKED LIKE HE HAD A LOT OF PRIDE IN THAT. I WISH I HAD THE PICTURES. THERE WAS A VIDEO THAT SOME PEOPLE WALKED THROUGH THERE AND DID IT. IT'S ACTUALLY DESIGNATED AS A BED AND BREAKFAST. EVERY ROOM HAS A BATH. CONNECTED TO IT. IT'S AN UPSTAIRS-DOWNSTAIRS. IT HAS A FULL KITCHEN, AND YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT IT'S A KITCHEN BECAUSE HE HAS A SLIDING DOOR OVER IT, AND THERE'S LIKE A LIBRARY IN THERE WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT BOOKS TELLING YOU ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE TOWN, AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY REFRESHING.

THERE'S AMPLE PARKING, AND HE WILL SHOW YOU THE VIDEO OF WHAT HE WALKED INTO.

BECAUSE BECAUSE THEY HAD HIRED SOME CONTRACTORS AT ONE POINT. THAT WAS JUST DOING BASIC, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY DO CHEAP THINGS. AND HE TORE ALL THAT DOWN AND STARTED FROM SCRATCH.

BUT I WILL DEFINITELY GET THAT INFORMATION TO YOU. AND IF ANYBODY ELSE IS INTERESTED, SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN SEE HIS SKILL BEFORE YOU GUYS CONSIDER THE SHADOW BOX THAT I MENTIONED.

IF YOU SAW THE THINGS THAT HE CAN DO, I THINK YOU WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF IT. OKAY, THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I GOT. OKAY. I WANTED TO BRING UP THE STATUE THAT WAS PUT IN THE CIRCLE. I UNDERSTAND IT WAS PUT, THE STATUE WAS PUT

[03:25:02]

AND WE HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO STOP THAT FROM HAPPENING? DO THEY, JUST NORMALLY THE STATE, ASK US FOR APPROVAL? NORMALLY, WE WOULD GO THROUGH THE HAARP REVIEW PROCESS AND WE INTEND TO TO DO THAT, PART OF THAT APPLICATION PROCESS IS A SIGNATURE BY THE PROPERTY OWNER ON THE APPLICATION. SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE KIND OF AT RIGHT NOW IS COMPLETING THE APPLICATION PROCESS. OKAY, WE HAD SAID THAT WE WANTED TO DO THAT. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL STATUE, AND I WASN'T ABLE TO GO TO THE PRESS CONFERENCE, BUT THERE WAS A NICE PRESS CONFERENCE, AND THE GOVERNOR STOOD THERE AND TOOK QUESTIONS FOR A LONG TIME. AND I WAS VERY INTERESTED TO HEAR HIM SAY THAT THE STATE HAS ALL THIS MONEY.

AND HE HAS PUT IT INTO RESERVE AND HE STARTED A RAINY DAY FUND WITH ALL THE MONEY THE STATE HAS. SO HE'S CUTTING PROPERTY TAX, WHICH THE STATE DOESN'T GET.

LAST NIGHT, THE IRELAND DISPLAY CEREMONY WAS FABULOUS. IT WAS REALLY GOOD. I HOPE EVERYBODY WILL GO TO THE VIC AND CHECK OUT THE IRISH DISPLAY. IT WAS WELL DONE AND KUDOS TO MELISSA WITH HER HELP AND TO THE MAYOR SPEAKING. HOSTING OUR THE COMMISSIONER, WHAT SHE MINISTER OF TOURISM FROM IRELAND WAS HERE LAST.

YEAH. IT'S JUST A WONDERFUL, I KNOW YOU'LL COMMENT ABOUT IT, BUT I JUST REALLY ENJOYED IT.

AND SO DID PATTY. I HAVE TWO BRIEF THINGS JUST TO FOLLOW ON ON THE HOSPITAL CREEK REQUEST.

WE WERE ABLE TO DO IT. I MEAN, NOT IN HOSPITAL. CREEK, SALT RUN.

WE WERE ABLE TO DO IT IN HOSPITAL CREEK. I THINK WE'LL HAVE A LOT MORE EYES AND EARS OUT THERE. THOSE PARENTS WANT TO MAKE SURE THOSE KIDS ARE SAFE. SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOCUMENTING. I WOULD IMAGINE THEY'LL BE VERY HELPFUL IN DOCUMENTING CONFLICTS BETWEEN BOATERS AND THE SAILING SCHOOL, BOATERS WHO ARE VIOLATING THE SLOW SPEED ZONE.

TO THAT POINT, I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ENFORCING THAT A LOT BETTER.

WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT KIND OF ACTIVITY IN THAT AREA. AT THE LEVEL THAT WE ARE GETTING IT NOW, THAT THE SAILING SCHOOL IS OPENING UP. SO I THINK IT'S ESSENTIAL FOR SAFETY OF THESE FOLKS TO HAVE THAT ENFORCED BETTER.

AND THEN ON SATURDAY, I ONCE AGAIN PARTICIPATED WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY. I AM WEARING A T-SHIRT FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER TO A CITY COMMISSION MEETING. THAT WAS A WOMEN BUILD DAY, WEEKEND, DURING WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH AND INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY. AND THE T-SHIRT SAYS, STRONG WOMEN BUILD STRONG COMMUNITIES. AND WITH THAT MESSAGE, I'M GOING TO SIGN OFF. LOVE IT. SO, YES, YESTERDAY WAS REALLY LOVELY.

WE APPRECIATE THE OPENING OF THE IRISH EXHIBIT. BROUGHT THE PREMIER HISTORIAN FROM THE NATION OF IRELAND, AS WELL AS THE MINISTER OF TOURISM, WHO'S GOING TO BE IN FLORIDA ALL WEEK DOING...

DOING SUCH THINGS AS OPENING OUR EXHIBIT AND TURNING THE HILLSBOROUGH RIVER GREEN IN TAMPA, WHICH I ACTUALLY REMEMBER AS A HIGH SCHOOLER SEEING THAT HAPPEN. IT'S QUITE THE SHOW. SO WE WERE THRILLED TO HAVE HER. AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I HOPE THAT EVERYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE VISITORS INFORMATION CENTER AND VISIT THIS LITTLE KIND OF MICRO EXHIBIT. BUT EVEN THOUGH IT'S VERY SMALL, IT'S VERY, IT PACKS A POWERFUL PUNCH OF INFORMATION. ALSO, SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS YOU CAN DO THAT ARE FREE DOWNTOWN IF YOU WANT TO COME VISIT. THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE HAS AN AMAZING EXHIBIT OF PAINTINGS OUT OF THE VICKERS COLLECTION FROM THE HARLEY MUSEUM IN GAINESVILLE, THAT IS ON FLORIDA WATER. AND IT IS AMAZING, THAT EXHIBIT. AND IT IS FREE. YOU CAN JUST GO IN ANY TIME. THEY HAVE SECURITY THERE ALL THE TIME.

OF COURSE, BUT IT'S AN AMAZING. SO THOSE ARE TWO WONDERFUL THINGS THAT KIND OF BOOKEND THE DOWNTOWN THAT I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE EVERYBODY TO GO AND SEE. I WANT TO THANK MELISSA WHISTLE AND I WANT TO THANK THE CITY MANAGER.

I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS AND YOUR SUPPORT FOR THAT EXHIBIT. IT REALLY IS.

IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP BRINGING NEW INFORMATION. I KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE TOURISTS. I KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW OURSELVES. OURSELVES, AND IT HELPS US KNOW MORE ABOUT OURSELVES. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME THAT THINGS LIKE THAT CONTINUE TO HAPPEN, AND WE WILL. I LISTENED TO A WONDERFUL LECTURE FROM THE JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND THEY BROUGHT A LECTURER IN FROM UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO. AND WE'RE LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE JEWISH COMMUNITY AND OUR ROOTS OF THAT, TOO. SO THE RESEARCH IS AMAZING, AND, OF COURSE, WHAT, DR. FRANCIS IS DOING

[03:30:01]

WE'RE SUPPORTING A LOT OF THAT KIND OF RESEARCH, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO LEARNING MORE ABOUT OURSELVES. WAKE ZONE AND SALT RUN, YES, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE RESIDENTS DOWN THERE HAVE ASKED FOR, NEVER BEEN ABLE TO PULL IT OFF, COULDN'T GET THE NUMBERS. BUT LIKE YOU POINTED OUT, WITH THE INCREASED USE, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE EYES, AND I THINK WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO CATCH A BREAK HERE AND GET THAT WAKE ZONE. I REALLY, REALLY HOPE WE CAN GET THAT WAKE ZONE DONE FOR THE COMMUNITY. I SEE THE LITTLE SAILBOATS OUT THERE, THE LITTLE PRAMS. IT'S JUST THE COOLEST THING EVER. I'M COMING HOME BACK INTO MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND THERE THEY ARE IN SALT RUN, AND THEY'RE JUST AMAZING LITTLE THINGS.

AND TO BE ABLE TO TEACH KIDS TO DO THINGS THAT ARE NOT ON THEIR PHONES, THAT ARE OUT IN REAL NATURE, IS AMAZING. SO WE DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE THEM FEEL SAFE. LAST THING, KIND OF A DEBBIE DOWNER. THE AREA, I HEARD, MS. B.J. COLLETTI, SPEAKING EARLIER. SHE BRINGS UP SOME REALLY GOOD POINTS SOMETIMES AND THINGS THAT PIQUE MY INTEREST. YOU MIGHT THINK THAT WE DON'T LISTEN TO HER, BUT WE DO LISTEN TO HER. AND WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE HER TO KEEP COMING. THANK YOU, MS. COLLETTI, FOR DOING ALL YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE CITY.

BRINGING UP THIS IDEA OF KEEPING THE CITY CLEAN, THE TROUGH, THE AREA AROUND DINING.

DIGNITY. I KNOW THAT WE'VE TALKED TO YOU. I'VE TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THAT. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP THAT EFFORT UP. SO I'M NOW SERVING ON YOUR BEHALF ON THE CONTINUUM OF CARE BOARD AND ENDING HOMELESSNESS. IS, YOU WOULDN'T? YOU WOULD BE AMAZED AT HOW MUCH WORK AND EFFORT AND THOUGHT IS GOING ON EVERY SINGLE DAY. BY THESE AMAZING INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE TRYING TO END HOMELESSNESS. SO THE WORK THAT WE DO IS SO IMPORTANT. I THINK THAT THEY'RE VERY PROUD OF US FOR WHAT WE'VE DONE.

WITH THAT, I AM FINISHED. AND THANK YOU. IT WAS A GREAT MEETING. OH, YES. I'M SORRY.

I'M SORRY. I HAVE ONE MORE, AND IT'S A DOWNER, TOO. I WAS ABLE TO SEND THE PAINTING TO SPAIN WITH THE HELP OF A MAN NAMED SAM DENNIS, WHO WAS A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF A NATIONAL TRANSFER COMPANY.

UNFORTUNATELY, HE PASSED AWAY SUDDENLY, AND I JUST WANTED TO PUT TO THE RECORD THAT WE REALLY APPRECIATE SAM DENNIS AND THE THINGS HE DID FOR US.

SAVED ME RAISING ABOUT $2,000 TO GET THAT PAINTING OVER THERE, AND WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE SOME PICTURES OF YOU IN FRONT OF THAT PAINTING LAST YEAR.

YES. IT WAS GREAT. I TOOK PICTURES OF THEM AT THE VETERANS THING, BECAUSE THEY TOLD ME WHO THEY WERE. I'LL FORWARD SOME OF THOSE PICTURES TO YOU. YEAH. YES. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. GREAT. THANK YOU.

WITH THAT, WE'RE ADJOURNED.

THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.