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[1. CALL TO ORDER]
THIS MEETING OF THE CITY COMMISSION IS CALLED TO ORDER.MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
ALL RIGHT, WE WILL OBSERVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY VICE MAYOR BARBARA BLONDER.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
[2. ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS]
THE NEXT ITEM IS MODIFICATION AND APPROVAL OF THE REGULAR AGENDA.COMMISSIONERS, DO WE HAVE ANY MODIFICATIONS? MR. CITY MANAGER, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE REGULAR AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
[3. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, RECOGNITIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS]
NEXT ITEM, WE HAVE THREE ITEMS WITH TWO PROCLAMATIONS AND A GRADUATION CEREMONY.SO THIS IS A VERY HAPPY OCCASION.
I WILL START WITH READING THE PROCLAMATION FOR PROBABLE SOBBING COURT AND AFTER WHICH I WILL CALL JUDGE ALEXANDER CRISTINI FORWARD AS WELL AS JUDGE HOWARD MCGILLEN FORWARD TO ACCEPT THE PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS PROBLEM-SOLVING COURTS HAVE BEEN RESTORING LIVES, REUNITING FAMILIES, AND MAKING COMMUNITIES SAFER FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS.
WHEREAS PROBLEM-SOLVING COURTS PROVIDE FOCUS AND LEADERSHIP FOR COMMUNITY-WIDE PARTNERSHIPS, BRINGING TOGETHER PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN COMBATING SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, MENTAL ILLNESS, AND OTHER ISSUES PRESENT IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE REALM.
AND WHEREAS RESEARCH SHOWS THAT PROBLEM-SOLVING COURTS IMPROVE TREATMENT OUTCOMES AND DO SO AT A LOWER COST THAN OTHER JUSTICE SYSTEM STRATEGIES.
WHEREAS SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE ST.
JOHNS COUNTY DRUG COURT IN 2002, OVER 330 INDIVIDUALS CHARGED WITH DRUG AND RELATED OFFENSES HAVE COMPLETED PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.
JOHN'S AND PUTNAM COUNTY VETERANS TREATMENT COURT BEGAN, NEARLY 150 JUSTICE-INVOLVED VETERANS HAVE COMPLETED PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.
AND, WHEREAS JUDGES, ATTORNEYS, TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION PROFESSIONALS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, COMMUNITY SUPERVISION PERSONNEL, RESEARCHERS AND EDUCATORS JOIN TO FORM HEALING COMMUNITIES.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE WISHES TO RECOGNIZE THE SUCCESSFUL WORK OF THESE PROBLEM-SOLVING COURT PROGRAMS TO BETTER SERVE OUR COMMUNITY, NOW, THEREFORE, WE, THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE, PROCLAIM MAY 2026 AS PROBLEM-SOLVING COURT MONTH AND URGE ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN IN RECOGNIZING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PROBLEM-SOLVING COURTS SIGNED BY MYSELF, THE MAYOR.
I WOULD LOVE TO INVITE JUDGE CRISTINI AND JUDGE MCGILLEN FORWARD TO JOIN THE COMMISSION.
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I KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO HAVE A FEW WORDS.WELL, JUDGE MCGILLIN GO FIRST LAST TIME, SO HE SAID I CAN GO FIRST THIS TIME.
JUDGE MCGILLIN STARTED OUR VETERANS TREATMENT COURT, A GREAT ADDITION.
ABOUT 2017, WAS IT, JUDGE? IT MODELED SIMILARLY AFTER DRUG COURT AND VERY SUCCESSFUL.
AND HE'LL TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE.
BUT GENERALLY THE WAY TREATMENT COURT WORKS, ESPECIALLY OUR DRUG COURT WORKS, IS IT'S A TEAM LED BY MYSELF.
WE HAVE PROSECUTORS, PUBLIC DEFENDERS.
WE'VE GOT PROBATION OFFICERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
AND THEN MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE HAVE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENT PROFESSIONALS.
WHAT WE DO IS WE TAKE FELONY OFFENDERS AND WE BRING THEM INTO TREATMENT COURT.
NOW THESE ARE NOT VIOLENT OFFENDERS.
WE'RE NOT TAKING MURDERERS AND RAPISTS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT THESE ARE HIGH RISK, HIGH NEED FELONY OFFENDERS WHO HAVE OFFENDED AND RE-OFFENDED ON DRUG RELATED TYPE OFFENSES.
AND AT THE POINT WE TAKE THEM ARE HEADED FOR PRETTY LONG STRETCHES.
IN JAIL, MOST OF WHOM ARE HEADED TO THE STATE PENITENTIARY.
WE TAKE THEM IN, THEY COME TO COURT WEEKLY IN OUR COURT.
THEY REPORT TO ME WEEKLY, OUR TEAM MEETS WEEKLY.
THEY HAVE FREQUENT AND RANDOM URINALYSIS THAT THEY HAVE TO TAKE.
THEY HAVE INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING, GROUP COUNSELING, NAAA RECOVERY PROGRAM MEETINGS.
THEY DO COMMUNITY SERVICE WORK.
AND BEFORE THEY GET THROUGH THE PROGRAM, IF THEY'RE PHYSICALLY ABLE, EVERY ONE OF THEM GETS A JOB.
AND THIS IS A REAL JOB WHERE THEY PAY TAXES, THEY PAY RESTITUTION TO THE VICTIMS, THEY PAY THEIR COSTS AND FEES IN COURT IN RECORD NUMBERS, EVEN THOUGH WE GET THEM THROUGH THE PROGRAM FASTER THAN MOST NORMAL PROBATIONARY STINTS.
AND WHEN THEY HAVE A SIDESTEP, WHEN THEY HAVE A RELAPSE, WHEN THEY MESS UP, THE RESULTS ARE SWIFT.
DUE PROCESS HEARING, THAT HAPPENS EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, BUT MOST OF THE TIME, ALL OF THESE TREATMENT PROFESSIONALS, THE PROSECUTORS, THE PUBLIC DEFENDERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, WE'RE ALL KEEPING IN COMMUNICATION AND WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE ON WHAT TO DO.
AND ALMOST EVERY TIME, IT'S GOING TO BE A TREATMENT RESPONSE.
THEY'RE GOING TO GET MORE TESTING, COME TO COURT MORE OFTEN, MORE COUNSELING, MORE RECOVERY PROGRAM MEETINGS, AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, A SANCTION TOO.
BUT INSTEAD OF RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS LIKE A PUNISHMENT COURT DOES AND HAVING TO SEND THEM OFF TO THE STATE PENITENTIARY, I MIGHT THROW THEM IN JAIL FOR A FEW DAYS SO THEY REMEMBER HOW THEY GOT HERE AND SOMETIMES FOR THEIR OWN PROTECTION, GET THEM BACK OUT AND GIVE THEM THAT MORE INTENSE TREATMENT.
AND WHAT HAPPENS, MOST OF THESE FOLKS ARE GOING TO GET INTO RECOVERY.
THEY'RE GOING TO STAY SOBER LONG ENOUGH FOR THAT PHYSIOLOGICAL HEALING TO TAKE PLACE, MOSTLY IN THEIR BRAINS, SO THEY CAN LEARN FROM ALL OF THIS INFORMATION WE'RE GIVING THEM.
ONTO HOW TO GET INTO AND HOW TO STAY IN RECOVERY.
AND THE RESULT, INSTEAD OF A RECIDIVISM RATE OF THESE TYPES OF OFFENSES APPROACHING 80% AS A STATE PRISON, OUR RECIDIVISM RATES ARE HISTORICALLY LESS THAN 20%.
WE HAD A BIG JUMP A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
BUT OUR RECIDIVISM RATES ARE EVEN LOWER THAN MOST OF THE NATIONAL RATES, WHICH NATIONALLY...
HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY BELOW 25 PERCENT AND AND IT'S DONE FOR HALF THE COST SO BESIDES THE ADDITIONAL PROTECTION TO THE COMMUNITY YOU'VE GOT LITERALLY THE THE SAVINGS OF LIVES WE'VE GOT DOZENS OF BABIES BORN INTO THE INTO THE DRUG COURT PROGRAM HEALTHY AND I THINK THAT'S THE MOST COMMON THING YOU HEAR AT ONE OF OUR GRADUATIONS THE MAYOR HAS BEEN TO SEVERAL OF OUR GRADUATIONS MOST OF THEM AT THAT PODIUM OR YOU LITERALLY SAVED MY LIFE SO I WANT TO THANK THE CITY FOR ITS SUPPORT AND THANK YOU ALL AS WELL.
THERE'S NOT MUCH I CAN DO TO TOP THAT, SO I WON'T TRY.
IN VETERANS TREATMENT COURT, WE ADD ONE OR TWO ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT UNIQUE, AND SOME OF THOSE INGREDIENTS ARE HERE TODAY.
SO COULD I HAVE ANY OF THE MENTORS PLEASE STAND UP THAT ARE HERE TODAY? THE MENTORS ARE WHAT WE CALL THE SECRET SAUCE TO VETERANS TREATMENT COURT.
THEY ARE VETERANS THEMSELVES, AND THEY AGREE TO GO THROUGH THE PROGRAM.
AS THE BATTLE BUDDY OR SHIPMATE, WHICHEVER SERVICE YOU'RE LEANING TOWARDS.
AND THEY FOLLOW THE VETERAN THROUGH.
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AND THAT IS ALSO A GREAT ASSISTANCE AND A GREAT PARTICIPATION BY THE COMMUNITY, WHICH I CAN'T THANK ENOUGH.OUR VETERANS COME IN AND WHEN THEY STAND IN FRONT OF ME THE FIRST TIME, YOU OFTEN SEE SOMEBODY THAT IS BOTH MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY AND BY POSTURE AND THE WAY THEY APPROACH IT, DEFEATED.
THESE VETERANS HATE THE FACT THAT THEY'RE IN FRONT OF ME, A FELLOW VETERAN AND HAVE COME TO THIS POINT WHERE THEY'VE MADE THIS OFFENSE.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT IN MANY CASES.
WE DON'T PUNISH PEOPLE FOR SERVING THE NATION, AND SO THAT IS WHAT VETERANS COURT DOES DIFFERENTLY.
BY THE END, WE TYPICALLY HAVE SOMEBODY WHO IS, JUST LIKE JUDGE CRISTINI SAID, IN RECOVERY.
IF THEY'RE ABLE, THEY'RE EMPLOYED.
IN MANY CASES, THEY'RE BACK WITH THEIR FAMILIES, AND WE HAVE A PRODUCTIVE MEMBER OF SOCIETY THAT'S READY TO GO ON.
AND WHEN THEY STAND IN FRONT OF ME AT GRADUATION AND I SALUTE THEM AND TELL THEM, WELCOME HOME, THEY'RE STANDING TALLER, THEY'RE LOOKING BETTER, THEY'RE LOOKING HEALTHIER IN MANY CASES, AND WE GENUINELY HAVE A PERSON THAT'S BACK IN THE COMMUNITY.
RECIDIVISM RATES, VERY, VERY SIMILAR.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE CITY AGAIN, ESPECIALLY THE MAYOR.
SHE'S BEEN A GREAT ADVOCATE FOR THESE KINDS OF PROGRAMS. BUT THE CITY COUNCIL AS A WHOLE HAS BEEN, AS WELL AS OUR COUNTY COMMISSION.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE HAVE ONE MORE PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS, NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACT OF 1966, IN ACKNOWLEDGING THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING OUR NATION'S HERITAGE, ESTABLISHED A PROGRAM OF IDENTIFICATION, EVALUATION, AND PROTECTION OF HISTORIC AND PREHISTORIC PROPERTIES AND CONTAINS THE LEGAL BASIS FOR THE FEDERAL-STATE LOCAL PRESERVATION PARTNERSHIP, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROGRAM.
AUGUSTINE WAS DESIGNATED AS A CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN 1986 AS A COMMITMENT TO PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND INCREASE AWARENESS OF OUR UNIQUE CULTURAL HERITAGE.
WHEREAS, PRESERVATION OF OUR HISTORICAL RESOURCES IS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST AND VITAL TO THE LEGACY OF CULTURAL, EDUCATIONAL, AESTHETIC, INSPIRATIONAL, AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS AND SHOULD BE MAINTAINED AND ENRICHED FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
AND WHEREAS 250 YEARS AGO, NATURALIST WILLIAM BARTRAM JOURNEYED THROUGHOUT OUR REGION AND RECORDED PLANTS, ANIMALS, AND NATIVE PEOPLES, 150 YEARS AGO, THE ST.
AUGUSTINE LIGHTHOUSE WAS COMPLETED AND FIRST LIT, 100 YEARS AGO, THE CASTILLO DE SAN MARCOS, FORMERLY FORT MARION AND FORT MATANZAS, WERE DESIGNATED AS NATIONAL MONUMENTS, THE ICONIC LION STATUES.
WERE COMMISSIONED TO BEAUTIFY THE MATANZAS RIVER BAYFRONT BEFORE THE BRIDGE OF LIONS WAS CONSTRUCTED, THE ST.
AUGUSTINE ART ASSOCIATION WAS ESTABLISHED, AND THE INTERNATIONAL SISTERHOOD COLLABORATION BETWEEN AVIL S, SPAIN AND ST.
AND 60 YEARS AGO, THE FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS ACT WAS SIGNED AFTER SIGNIFICANT EVENTS HAD OCCURRED THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
WHEREAS, THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF MAY, THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE WILL CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE THE CITY'S DIVERSE CULTURAL HERITAGE, LOCAL HISTORY, ARCHITECTURE, AND ARCHAEOLOGY FOUND IN OUR IRREPLACEABLE PLACES THAT HOLD THE STORIES OF ALL AMERICANS BY RECOGNIZING AND HONORING IMPORTANT POINTS IN OUR CITY'S VAST HISTORY AND THE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO HELP PRESERVE THESE PLACES THAT SHAPE OUR CITY AND BUILD COMMUNITY.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 2026 AS NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION MONTH, AND IT CALLS UPON ALL RESIDENTS TO JOIN THEIR FELLOW CITIZENS IN RECOGNIZING AND PARTICIPATING IN THIS SPECIAL OBSERVANCE.
AND WITH THAT SAID, WE WOULD INVITE JULIE AND HER
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TEAM, HER FOLKS.IF YOU ALL JOIN ME IN THE FRONT.
MISS JULIE COURTNEY WHO IS OUR SENIOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLANNER IS ACCEPTING THE PROCLAMATION.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK THE MAYOR AND THE VICE MAYOR, THE CITY COMMISSIONERS, AND OUR CITY ADMINISTRATION, CITY MANAGER, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS, OUR CITY ATTORNEY WHO HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO FEND OFF THREATENING LEGISLATION.
WE HAD COMING OUR WAY THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SEASON.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK, WE HAD A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PROCLAMATION SUBMITTED.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT ONLINE, BUT THIS IS A SPECIAL YEAR FOR OUR COUNTRY.
IT'S THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF OUR COUNTRY, AND WE REALLY RECOGNIZE THE PEOPLE OF ST.
AUGUSTINE, THAT ALL PEOPLE WERE CREATED EQUAL, AND THE STORIES, THE UNIQUE STORIES, AND THE IMPACT THAT EACH OF THE PEOPLE THAT TOUCHED ST.
I'D LIKE TO THANK, WE HAD A SPECIAL 40TH ANNIVERSARY BECOMING A CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT THIS YEAR, AS WELL AS THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL ORDINANCE CELEBRATED ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY.
SO WE DEFINITELY WANT TO THANK OUR CITY ARCHAEOLOGY PROGRAM STAFF, DR.
ANDREA WHITE, CATHERINE SIMS, KATE GANNIS.
WE HAVE A HARD-WORKING HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLANNER, CANDACE SEYMOUR.
WE'RE A SMALL BUT MIGHTY TEAM.
AND WE ALSO CELEBRATED OUR 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION ELEMENT BE BEING INCLUDED IN THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SO THAT'S A BIG DEAL FOR THE CITY UM TO HAVE INCORPORATED THAT AND DOC UM OUR DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT AMY SKINNER HAS WORKED VERY HARD THROUGHOUT THE YEARS TO KEEP THAT UPDATED SO WE JUST LIKE TO THANK OUR PARTNERS I'M DR.
LESLIE KEYS AND THE PEOPLE WITH ST.
JOHN'S COUNTY AND THE HISTORY FESTIVAL.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE LAST FEW DAYS.
IT RAN WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.
IT WAS THE FIFTH ANNUAL HISTORY FESTIVAL FOR ST.
SO THERE WAS OVER 30 SITES AND 30 EVENTS THAT PARTICIPATED AND IT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST WELL-ATTENDED FESTIVAL TO DATE.
SO WE'RE EXCITED HOW WE CAN WORK IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION WITH OUR PARTNERS WHO ARE SO IMPORTANT.
SO WE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL GRADUATION CEREMONY TONIGHT AND THE MASTER OF CEREMONIES, RUBEN FRANKLIN, WILL DO THE HONORS, WILL PARTICIPATE IN WHATEVER WAY YOU DIRECT US TO DO.
I HAVE THE CERTIFICATES HERE AND THE PENS.
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO PROCEED? YES, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS.
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TO INTRODUCE OUR 2026 CITIZENS ACADEMY GRADUATES.LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR, IF MAYOR SYKES-KLEIN WANTS TO COME UP, WE'LL HAND OUT, I'LL CALL THEM UP ONE BY ONE.
THEY CAN GET THEIR CERTIFICATE AND THEN GO BACK TO THEIR SEAT.
AND THEN WE'LL CALL EVERYBODY UP AT THE END FOR A GROUP PHOTO WITH ALL THE COMMISSIONERS.
WE HAD A, I GOT TO SPEND SIX WEDNESDAYS, FIVE WEDNESDAYS.
I WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE ONE OF THE AFTERNOONS, BUT WE SPENT SIX AFTERNOONS ON WEDNESDAY EXPLORING ALL THE FACETS OF THE CITY OF ST.
REALLY ENJOYED, I THINK STAFF REALLY ENJOYED GETTING TO KNOW THEM.
AND I HOPE THEY GOT A CHANCE TO ENJOY MEETING US AND SEEING ALL THE THINGS THAT THE CITY DOES DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE 20 GRADUATES, 19 ARE HERE, AND I'LL START WITH MS. BELINDA BARDWELL.
SAMANTHA DEGRASSE JOHN ELLINGSON JOANNA ENGEL LUCIA FERNANDEZ PATRICK FLATLEY NEOLA HANUKKAH KEVIN HAYES BONNIE HAYFLICK.
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MAUREEN HINAN KATHY JOHN REGGIE MAGGS.IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE REGGIE'S HERE TONIGHT.
AND DAN NEFF IS NOT PRESENT, BUT HE WAS ALSO PART OF THE GRADUATING CLASS.
JUST ONE, WE'D LIKE TO DO A GROUP PHOTO WITH EVERYBODY, BUT WE MISSED THE FIRST.
THREE FOLKS WE CALLED UP DIDN'T GET THEIR PHOTO WITH THE MAYOR, SO WE'LL JUST CALL THEM UP REAL QUICK.
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THANK YOU.AND THEN FOR THE GRADUATING CLASS, WE'LL MEET OUTSIDE.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CITY MANAGER FOR STARTING THAT PROGRAM.
IT'S SUCH A POSITIVE THING FOR US TO BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE OUR CITY STAFF TO OUR RESIDENTS AND CITIZENS IN THAT KIND OF WAY.
AND ALL THE FEEDBACK I'VE GOTTEN IS VERY POSITIVE ON IT.
AND ALSO, OF COURSE, TO RUBEN.
WHO IS A VERY GOOD FIT, IS A GOOD CHOICE TO HAVE RUBEN DO THE PROGRAM.
I WANT TO GIVE YOU FULL CREDIT BECAUSE IT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE FOR US, THE WORK YOU'VE DONE WITH US.
AND MOVING ON, PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SO I HAVE THREE PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS.
SPEAK THEY WILL NEED TO DO A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD AND I WILL BE UH NOT ACCEPTING PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS AFTER THE SECOND SPEAKER SO Y'ALL NEED TO BE TURNING THOSE CARDS IN WE'RE GOING TO DO A CUT OFF OF NEW CARDS ACCEPTED AFTER THE SECOND SPEAKER YES BECAUSE VICE MAYOR DOESN'T LIKE VICE MAYOR LIKES US TOO.
WE'RE GOING, IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT.
WE'RE GOING TO CUT OFF ACCEPTING NEW PUBLIC SPEAKER CARDS AFTER THE SECOND PUBLIC SPEAKER.
[4. PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS OR FOR AGENDA ITEMS NOT REQUIRING A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING]
ALL RIGHT.AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON MATTERS THAT ARE NOT SCHEDULED FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.
ANY PERSON WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION SHOULD FILL OUT A SPEAKER CARD, AND I WILL CALL YOU TO THE PODIUM WHEN IT IS YOUR TURN TO SPEAK.
YOU 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 AT THIS TIME.
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.
THAT ANY SPEAKER WHO USES THE OVERHEAD PROJECTOR TO PLEASE SUBMIT THOSE ITEMS TO THE CITY CLERK TO BE ENTERED INTO THE PUBLIC RECORD.
THAT SAID, FIRST SPEAKER IS CHRISTINA LAMMERS, FOLLOWED BY PATRICIA GALEANO. I HOPE I SAID THAT.
CHRISTINA LAMMERS, FOLLOWED BY PATRICIA GALEANO.
OKAY, SO I'M HERE TO DISCUSS AN ESCALATING PATTERN OF TARGETED HARASSMENT AGAINST COUNTRY CARRIAGES AND THE HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE INDUSTRY IN GENERAL.
WHILE ADVOCACY IS PART OF PUBLIC DISCOURSE, THE RHETORIC HAS SHIFTED FROM DEBATE TO DANGEROUS ACTIONABLE THREATS THAT ACTUALLY JEOPARDIZE THE SAFETY OF OUR DRIVERS, PASSENGERS, AND OUR HORSES.
THE NATURE OF THE THREATS RECENTLY ONLINE HAVE MOVED FROM CRITICISM TO THE REALM OF CRIMINAL INCITEMENT.
WE HAVE DOCUMENTED INSTANCES OF OPENLY DISCUSSING HIRING SERIAL
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KILLERS, WHICH YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY SEEN, AND SUGGESTED COORDINATED EFFORTS TO DELIBERATELY SPOOK HORSES TO CAUSE CARRIAGE ACCIDENTS.SPOOKING A HORSE ISN'T JUST PROPERTY DAMAGE, IT'S AN ACT OF VIOLENCE THAT PUTS A THOUSAND POUND ANIMAL AND HUMAN LIVES IN IMMEDIATE UNPREDICTABLE PERIL.
THE REALITY OF LEAKAGE WE CANNOT DISMISS AS JUST SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS.
IN A STUDY OF TARGETED VIOLENCE, THE TERM LEAKAGE DESCRIBES THE COMMUNICATION OR INTENT TO A THIRD PARTY OF THREAT BEFORE AN ATTACK OCCURS.
THE DATA SUGGESTS 40 TO 58 PERCENT OF MASS SHOOTINGS LEAK THEIR PLANS OR SUGGEST VIOLENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA BEFORE ACTING.
75% OF FOILED SHOOTINGS WERE DISCOVERED BECAUSE SOMEBODY TOOK THAT THREAT SERIOUSLY.
THEY TELL PEOPLE, WHEN YOU TELL PEOPLE THEY INTEND TO CAUSE HARM, WE HAVE TO BELIEVE THEM.
WE'RE NOT HERE TO BE INTIMIDATED OR SILENCED.
WE ARE CURRENTLY COLLABORATING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT TO TRACK AND IDENTIFY SOURCES BEHIND THE THREATS, DOCUMENTING EVERY DIGITAL FOOTPRINT TO ENSURE THERE IS A LEGAL RECORD OF HARASSMENT.
WE PRIORITIZE THE WELFARE OF OUR HORSES AND THE SAFETY OF OUR CITY, AND WE ASK THE COMMUNITY TO STAND WITH US AGAINST THIS EXTREMIST THREAT.
FURTHERMORE, THERE IS BLATANT HYPOCRISY AND CLAIMS ABOUT OUR FACILITIES.
ACTIVISTS ERRONEOUSLY CLAIM OUR CHAIN-LINK FENCES PIERCE THE HORSES' NECKS, YET THEY ENTICE THE HORSES TO REACH OVER THE CHAIN-LINK FENCE TO EAT WHOLE APPLES, WHICH IS A SERIOUS, CHOKING THREAT.
WHEN WE RESPONDED BY PUTTING HOT WIRE AROUND THE FENCES, THEY COMPLAINED THAT WE WERE DELIBERATELY NOT ALLOWING THE HORSES TO GET TREATS, AND THEY STARTED THROWING THE TREATS INTO OUR PENS.
AND THERE IS VIDEO EVIDENCE OF THIS.
I HAVE PICTURES OF A LOT OF THE THREATS, BUT I GUESS I JUST HAND THEM OVER TO YOU.
TRICIA GALLIANO, I HOPE I PRONOUNCED THAT CORRECTLY.
GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL LEADERSHIP, LOCAL FRIENDS, AND OTHERS WITH INTEREST IN THIS WONDERFUL HISTORIC VILLAGE.
I WANTED TO SHARE MY SUPPORT AS WELL AS MY CONCERNS FOR THE CARRIAGE HORSES.
A FEW THOUGHTS WHY I FEEL THESE CARRIAGE HORSES AND OWNERS SHOULD BE RESPECTED AND PRESERVED IN THIS TOWN.
I'VE WATCHED AND ENJOYED THESE CARRIAGES SINCE 2009.
MY HUSBAND'S A NATIVE TO THE AREA, AND WE FIRST STARTED DATING HERE AND BECAME MARRIED.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE SHARED IN CELEBRATION.
OVER THE YEARS, WHAT THE HORSE CARRIAGES AND OWNERS REPRESENT IS RICH IN CULTURAL HISTORY.
FARTHEST BACK IN HISTORY, TRAVEL, AS WE KNOW, WAS BY HORSE AND CARRIAGE.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT TOOK PLACE ON BOTH DIRT AND COBBLESTONE STREETS, OFTEN BUMPY AND RUGGED, NOT NEARLY AS SMOOTH AND PAVED AS TODAY.
WHILE THE HEAT AND ASPHALT CAN POSE THREATS TO THOSE CONCERNED, KNOW THAT THE OWNERS ATTEND TO AND CARE FOR THESE HORSES DEEPLY.
REMEMBER THAT MOUNTED HORSES MAINTAIN BOTH IN JACKSONVILLE AND ST.
THE OFFICE USES HORSES FOR SAFETY, AND NO ONE CHALLENGES THEM, NOR THE ANIMALS IN THE CANINE UNITS, AGAIN, WELL CARED FOR TO SERVE IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE ARE LOOKING AT THESE ANIMALS OVERALL OR TO TARGET SMALL SEGMENT OF INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS OWNERS WHO PROVIDE A SEGMENT OF SERVICE IN THE INDUSTRY TO ATTACK AND DEFAME.
IF SO WHY IS THERE NOT GREATER EFFORT AND CONCERN AROUND WILDLIFE AND CONSERVATION EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE CARBON FOOTPRINT AND NOT DESTROY BY TRAMPLING THE GREEN SPACE AND ALL THE BUILDS THAT GO ON IN ST JOHN'S COUNTY WE HAD A BEAR RECENTLY THIS PAST WINTER WHO WAS FOUND ROAMING IN THE TOWN AND DID ANY OF THOSE CONCERNED SEEK TO FIND OUT WHERE HE WAS REFUGED DO THOSE SO CONCERNED FOR OUR WORKING HORSES CONSIDER THE GOOD THEY MIGHT DO IN ENDANGERING THOSE SPECIES IF THEY WOULD TAKE TIME TO FOLLOW THEM INSTEAD OF OUR HORSES THAT ARE WELL MAINTAINED.
MY CONCERN IS TO PRESERVE SPACE PROVIDED BY THESE CARRIAGE OWNERS AND THE HORSES TO BRING HISTORICAL STORIES TO ALL WHO RIDE AND ENJOY THE LOVE THESE HORSES BRING TO ALL WHO SEE, PET, AND PROVIDE THEM WITH TREATS APPROPRIATELY.
I'VE ACTUALLY, AS A MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER, BROUGHT PATIENTS HERE, AND THE JOY THAT I GET FROM SEEING MY PATIENTS, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN, SEE THESE HORSES HAS BEEN JUST ASTOUNDING.
ONE GIRL WAS A MUTE, AND AFTER THE CARRIAGE RIDE, SHE ACTUALLY SAID FIVE WORDS.
THESE THE HISTORY PROVIDED AND THE HORSES ARE MAGICAL.
IF ONLY FOR A MOMENT IN TIME TO REMEMBER ALL WE LOVE ABOUT THIS TIME IN HISTORY.
I ALSO, IN CLOSING, SPOKE TO A RANCH OWNER TODAY WHO CONCURRED WITH THE TREMENDOUS EQUINE EXPERIENCE AND SAID HORSES ENJOY WORK AND ACTIVITY.
THEY THRIVE AND ENJOY THE HUMAN
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CONNECTION.AND AS A LOCAL HOMEOWNER AND BUSINESS OWNER, I ENCOURAGE THE SUPPORT OF THE CARRIAGE HORSES.
THIS IS, I WILL NOT ACCEPT CARDS AFTER THIS SPEAKER.
IF YOU HAVE THE INCLINATION TO SPEAK, PLEASE TURN IT IN NOW.
NEXT SPEAKER IS TOM REYNOLDS FOLLOWED BY HEATHER WILSON.
FOLKS, I SAT THROUGH THAT FIRST MEETING AND I DO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU FOLKS HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
YOU HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES TO STUDY AND IT WAS QUITE INTERESTING.
BUT I DO WANT TO REMIND YOU OF YOUR OATH WHEN YOU PUT THE HAND UP AND YOU TOUCHED IT.
AND WHAT DOES GOD WANT? YOU TO PUT NUMBER ONE.
THE LESS FORTUNATE IS NUMBER ONE.
ALL THAT OTHER STUFF YOU TALKED ABOUT TODAY, THAT'S GREAT, BUT THAT'S NUMBER TWO.
AND LESS FORTUNATE IS THE SPEECHLESS, IS THE HORSES.
YEAH, IT'S NICE THAT THAT LADY JUST MENTIONED ABOUT THE HORSE AND THE KIDS AND ALL THAT.
WELL, ALL THE KIDS I KNOW THINK THAT THE HORSES ARE BEING ABUSED.
WHO WANTS TO SEE A HORSE OUT THERE WHEN IT'S HOT OUT? IN FACT, SPEAKING OF HEAT, I READ A STUDY TODAY.
FROM A HORSE CARRIAGE VETERINARIAN.
HE PUT THE TEMPERATURE AT 82 DEGREES.
FURTHER, HE ALSO STATED WATER AND SHADE.
AS WE KNOW, THERE IS NO SHADE AND THE WATER IS MINIMUM.
I COULDN'T BELIEVE ALL I LEARNED, BUT I GOT TO DROP YOU RIGHT TO, FOLKS, I WENT TO THAT BIRD TRAIL.
I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT HORSE PLACE BEFORE.
I USED TO GO TO THAT PARK WITH MY KIDS.
THOSE TWO HORSES THAT ARE BY THE FENCES, ALL WEEKEND LONG, THAT'S WHERE THEY WERE IN THAT PLACE.
I WENT THERE FIVE TIMES A DAY.
I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE IN THE MUD.
THEY'RE IN THOSE DIRTY PENS, SOME METAL SHED.
AND THE HORSE HAS NO ROOM TO GALLOP.
SO I WENT SUNDAY OUT TO WHERE THE HORSES ARE, OUT THERE IN HASTINGS AND ARMSTRONG AND ALL THOSE PLACES.
THOSE HORSES HAVE NO BUSINESS DOWN IN THE INDOORIDE AREA, SITTING THERE ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT.
AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF, THERE WAS A PLASTIC BAG IN THERE, AND THAT BAG WAS IN THERE FOR 36 HOURS.
AND THEN THEY GOT A KICKBALL? WHAT DO THEY THINK, THE HORSES ARE GOING TO PLAY KICKBALL? GIVE ME A BREAK.
FOLKS, I GOT TO TELL YOU, AND I JUST WANT TO FINISH THIS UP WITH THIS.
ONE DAY, WE'RE ALL CALLED HOME.
AND I TOLD YOU BEFORE, YOUR QUESTIONS ARE DIFFERENT THAN THE REST OF US.
15,000 TO 20,000 OF US WALK THROUGH THE GATES.
YOU'RE GOING TO BE ASKED, WHAT DID YOU DO FOR THE LESS FORTUNATE? THAT DOWN THE END OF LIBERIA, THAT NEEDS TO END.
AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF, I'M GOING TO WORK ON THIS HEAT THING MORE, BUT I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HEATHER WILSON, FOLLOWED BY PATRICIA RAMOS.
VEHICLES FOR HIRE ARE REGULATED AND OVERSEEN.
AS SUCH, A PUBLIC RECORDS ACT REQUEST SHOULD BE A VERY SIMPLE PROCESS.
IT IS VERY TELLING WHEN THE CITY, AS WELL AS THE HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE INDUSTRY, ARE VERY RELUCTANT TO SHARE THE MOST BASIC OF INFORMATION.
WE RECENTLY SAW A NEW HORSE WITH OLD CITY CARRIAGES, A LARGE DRAFT-TYPE HORSE, WHITE OR GRAY.
AS OF DECEMBER 2025, OLD CITY CARRIAGES HAD TWO HORSES, NORMAN AND THE OLD CITY CARRIAGES.
AND HAPPY AND THEY ARE BOTH BAY OR BROWN.
I REQUESTED THE CITY REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR THIS NEW HORSE AND I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE ANYTHING.
WE HAVE ALSO ASKED THE DRIVERS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS FOR THE NAMES OF THEIR HORSES.
MOST OF THE TIME WE ARE TOLD IT'S NONE OF YOUR DAMN BUSINESS, WHICH IS ALWAYS EXTRA SPECIAL WHEN SAID IN FRONT OF POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS.
COUNTRY CARRIAGES OWNER MS. CUSHION STATED IN A MEDIA INTERVIEW LAST SUMMER THAT HER HER BUSINESS IS DOWN BY 40%.
[00:45:03]
SO IT DEFIES ALL LOGIC.WHY WOULD THEY BE ACQUIRING MORE HORSES? SUCH AS LINCOLN, BILL, BOB, ARCHIE, AND WINCHESTER.
FROM 2025 TO EARLY 2026, COUNTRY CARRIAGES HAS HAD SEVERAL DEATHS.
GHOST, LORI, LISA, TITAN, DUTCH, AND SAMMY.
AND SEVERAL HORSES FALL OFF THE RADAR.
PHANTOM, RON, PRINCE, LENNOX, BUCK, BUDDY, SEBASTIAN, AND PETE.
AUGUSTINE MUNICIPAL CODE ALLOWS FOR THE UNTHINKABLE.
SECTION 27-144, CARE OF ANIMALS, ITEM NUMBER 11.
ANIMALS SHALL NOT BE SOLD OR DISPOSED OF.
THAT IS A HORRIFIC CHOICE OF WORDS.
EXCEPT IN A HUMANE MANNER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF EQUINE PRACTITIONERS, THE AAEP.
ON THE AAEP WEBSITE, IT STATES...
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE PROCESSING, AND THAT'S JUST A EUPHEMISM FOR SLAUGHTER, THE AAEP RECOGNIZES THAT THE PROCESSING OF UNWANTED HORSES IS CURRENTLY AN ASPECT OF THE EQUINE INDUSTRY AND PROVIDES A HUMANE ALTERNATIVE.
FOLKS, THERE IS NOTHING HUMANE ABOUT PROCESSING UNWANTED HORSES.
EVEN THE EQUINE CHIROPRACTOR WHO TESTIFIED RIGHT HERE IN CITY HALL AGREED.
AUGUSTINE TO SHOW HOW MUCH YOU TRULY, TRULY CARE FOR HORSES.
NOT WHAT HUMANS WANT, NOT WHAT TOURISTS WANT.
WHAT DO THE HORSES WANT? HORSES WANT FREEDOM, DIGNITY, BODILY AUTONOMY.
THEY DON'T WANT TO BE PULLING HEAVY LOADS THROUGH BUSY STREETS.
SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONSIDERATION.
PATRICIA RAMOS, FOLLOWED BY AARON SCOTT JOCKERS.
MY NAME IS PATRICIA AND I AM HERE TO ONCE AGAIN SPEAK UP FOR THE HORSES OF ST.
PLEASE KEEP THIS VIDEO PLAYING IN BETWEEN PICTURES THAT I'LL SHOW.
WE DON'T WANT THIS ABUSE TO BE IGNORED OR HAVE SOMEONE LIKE THIS REPRESENT ST.
THREE MINUTES IS TOO SHORT FOR THE RAMPANT VIOLATION, SO TONIGHT I WILL HIGHLIGHT NAME TAGS AS WELL AS ABANDONING HORSE-DRAWN VEHICLES.
AS PER MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 27-136 AND ARTICLE 2, SECTION 2027, EACH TOURIST GUIDE IS REQUIRED TO BE AWARE TO WEAR AN ID SHIRT ON A SHIRT OR COAT AND IT MUST BE VISIBLE WITH THE CITY OF ST.
WE HAVE SEEN THAT MOST OF THEM DO NOT DO THIS.
NAME TAGS ARE SUPER IMPORTANT FOR MANY REASONS, ESPECIALLY DURING AN ACCIDENT LIKE THE ONE ON DECEMBER 4TH.
I IMAGINE YOU'D WANT TO EASILY IDENTIFY A CARRIAGE DRIVER, ESPECIALLY IF THEY WERE, GOD FORBID, HURT AND UNABLE TO SPEAK, CORRECT? AS FOR CODE, THEY'RE ALSO SUPPOSED TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED BY THE CITY AND RETAINED BY THE CITY.
OF COURSE, THE CITY SET A GREAT, DOES NOT SET A GREAT EXAMPLE, BEING THAT THEY DON'T EVEN FOLLOW THEIR OWN RULES.
WE WENT TO THE CITY, CHECKED ON THEIR COMPUTER, AND THE INVENTORY IS LAUGHABLE AND EMBARRASSING.
NOT ONLY ARE THERE NO NAMES UNDERNEATH PICTURES, BUT MANY OF THEM HAVE THEIR EYES CLOSED, GLASSES ON, HATS ON, ETC.
WHY BOTHER SAYING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SCREEN PEOPLE WHEN YOU'RE ACTUALLY THINKING OF REHIRING SOMEONE WITH EGREGIOUS VIOLATIONS, AS WELL AS CAUGHT ON VIDEO WITH POLICE RECORDS OF SAID ANIMAL ABUSE, BILL CUSHIONS OF COUNTRY CARRIAGES.
THAT'S SADLY YES, THE BALL WAS DROPPED ON.
IN ARTICLE 2, VEHICLE DRIVERS, DIVISION 1, SECTION 27 TO 26, DRIVERS ARE TO REMAIN WITH THE VEHICLES.
THEY SHALL BE AT NO GREATER DISTANCE THAN 10 FEET FROM HORSE-DRAWN VEHICLE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THESE GUYS ARE WAY MORE THAN 10 FEET AWAY, AND ALSO A DOG WAS LEFT ALONE.
THE DRIVER WITH THE BLUE SHIRT IS NOT ONLY CASUALLY HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH HIS BACK TURNED TO THE HORSE, BUT IT IS MORE THAN TWO MINUTES.
SO THERE WERE ALSO CUSTOMERS ON HIS CARRIAGE, AND SEVERAL TIMES MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ALSO WALKED BY THAT COULD HAVE EASILY SPOOKED THE HORSE.
SADLY, I DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO SHOW THE VIDEO OF SUCH.
THE CODE ALSO STATES THAT PERSON IS NAMED HEREIN.
THAT MEANS THAT NO UNEMPLOYED PERSON BY THE HORSE CARRIAGE INDUSTRY, ALSO NOT QUALIFIED, SHALL BE LEFT WITH THE HORSE.
SHE IS NOT HIRED BY THE HORSE CARRIAGE INDUSTRY.
ALL THIS PLACES THE HORSES AND PUBLIC IN SERIOUS DANGER.
WHO IS OVERSEEING AND ENFORCING ALL OF THESE VIOLATIONS BESIDES THE PUBLIC? AT THIS POINT, WE SHOULD BE
[00:50:02]
GETTING PAID, AS CLAIMED BY SOME.WHY HAVE THESE RULES AND CODES IF THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE FOLLOWED OR ENFORCED? SOMETHING ELSE THAT SADLY THE CITY COMMISSIONERS DO NOT SEEM TO TAKE SERIOUSLY OR OF IMPORTANCE.
AT THE RECENT WORKSHOP, A LOT OF THE TOUR GUIDES AND DRIVERS WERE BEGGING FOR THE VIOLATORS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
THE ONLY ONE WHO DOESN'T SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT.
WHY CONTINUE WITH NOT ONLY THE ARCHAIC, UNNECESSARY, CRUEL INDUSTRY, BUT ONE THAT HAS PROVEN PRETTY ROGUE HERE IN ST.
AUGUSTINE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
PLEASE BRING IN THE ELECTRIC CARRIAGES.
NEXT SPEAKER IS AARON SCOTT JOCKERS, FOLLOWED BY JENNIFER CUSHION.
AARON SCOTT JOCKERS, 920 OAK RIDGE ROAD.
I'M SORRY I WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE MEETING ON FRIDAY.
I WAS OUT OF STATE, AND I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS I'D LIKE TO BRING UP.
I KNOW THAT THE GENERAL MANAGER AND EVEN OWNER OF THE TROLLEYS CAME ON DOWN SPECIFICALLY TO CAMPAIGN AGAINST US HAVING THE TIER TWO, HAVING GOLF CART FRANCHISES AND SUCH.
IF YOU'RE LOSING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR, WE'RE NOT YOUR PROBLEM.
IF YOU WANT TO TAKE CONGESTION OFF THE STREETS, TAKE ONE YEAR 16 TROLLEYS OFF THE STREETS.
WE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING EVERY ORDER AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
AND YET WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
BASICALLY, I CREATED, RECREATED ST.
AUGUSTINE TRANSFER COMPANY IN 2013.
I BUILT UP A LOT OF DIFFERENT FACETS, GHOST TOURS, PUB CRAWLS, KIDS TOURS, HISTORY TOURS, EVERYTHING.
AND EVEN GOLF CARTS AND PEDICABS TO BETTER SERVE MY CUSTOMERS, TO PICK THEM UP FROM PLACES LIKE LINCOLNVILLE AND BRING THEM ALL THROUGHOUT TOWN.
BUT WE SHOULD BE PUNISHED FOR THAT.
IF YOU HAVE DIFFERENT FACETS AND YOU'VE PROVEN YOU CAN HANDLE A PEDICAB OR A GOLF CART, WE SHOULDN'T TAKE THAT AWAY.
WE'RE HERE TO TRY TO SUPPLEMENT OUR INCOME.
THE IDEA THAT THEY'RE NOW DEBATING ONCE AGAIN DOING TAXIS AND TOURS AT THE SAME TIME, UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE 15 GOLF CART COMPANIES.
YOU'VE RAISED THEIR INSURANCE RATES.
YOU'VE RAISED THEIR FRANCHISE FEES.
OTHERWISE, WE'RE OUT OF BUSINESS.
SO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S JUST, AGAIN, CERTAIN PEOPLE GET CERTAIN THINGS, WHEREAS THE REST OF US...
IT IS NO QUESTION TO ANY SINGLE PERSON IN THIS CITY OR ON THIS COMMISSION THAT SOMEONE IS HOLDING, OPERATING A CARRIAGE LICENSE ILLEGALLY FOR ALMOST NINE YEARS NOW, AND YOU'RE ABOUT TO REWARD HIM WITH A THIRD POTENTIAL FRANCHISE.
HOW DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? IT'S BECAUSE HE'S A FORMER MAYOR, AND THE REST OF US WERE TOLD TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT WE CAN'T HAVE A LICENSE, AND MANY PEOPLE ARE TURNED DOWN BECAUSE THEY CAN'T HAVE LICENSES, SIMPLY BECAUSE HE'S ALLOWED TO CARRY ON OPERATING AS FAR AS WE KNOW THIS WEEKEND.
WHY IS HE STILL IN OPERATION? EVERYONE HERE KNOWS ABOUT THIS.
WHY IS IT GOING ON? IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME.
DOES HE HAVE TO PUNCH A HORSE ON VIDEO? MY POINT IS, IF YOU HAVE A SYSTEM OF PEOPLE AND THEY'RE ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH THINGS, WE'RE GOING TO PROPAGATE THIS INTO THE NEW ORDINANCE ONCE AGAIN.
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE OUR...
I'M WILLING TO GIVE UP MY GOLF CART FRANCHISE IF TIER 1 IS ALLOWED TO GIVE UP THEIR GOLF CARTS.
THE TROLLEYS DO NOT NEED GOLF CARTS.
THEY'RE USING A NATIONAL BUDGET TO ACTUALLY PROMOTE AND THEY'RE BOXING US LOANS OUT.
AND THEY HAVE TEMERITY TO TELL US ALL WE DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO HAVE A BUSINESS.
BECAUSE WHAT? IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.
ALL I KNOW IS WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE A NEW COMMISSION NEXT YEAR, ABOUT TO HAVE A NEW ORDINANCES.
LET'S HAVE AN EVEN PLAYING BILL ONCE AND FOR ALL.
WE CAN CREATE SOMETHING GOOD THAT SERVES EVERYONE.
NEXT SPEAKER IS JENNIFER CUSHION, FOLLOWED BY BJ KALEIDI.
HELLO, I'M JENNIFER CUSHION WITH COUNTRY CARRIAGES.
AS YOU GUYS KNOW, LAST WEDNESDAY I WAS SHUT DOWN.
I'M HERE TO ASK YOU GUYS TO PLEASE RECONSIDER THIS DECISION TO SHUT US DOWN.
I WAS ABLE TO PAY MY RENT AND THE LATE FEES.
HOWEVER, I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO PAY THE FINANCE CHARGES.
I'VE HAD A LOT GOING ON IN THE DAY.
I ASK YOU THAT YOU PLEASE RECONSIDER THIS DECISION TO HELP MYSELF AND MY EMPLOYEES TO HAVE A CHANCE TO HAVE SOME TIME TO MAKE PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.
YOU LOSE YOUR JOB, JUST BAM, IT'S GONE.
WITH ALL THE HARASSMENT AND EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DEALT WITH, THAT'S A LOT.
A LOT OF THINGS THAT THESE GUYS ARE SAYING IS UNTRUE.
NOT EVERY HORSE THAT YOU BUY WORKS, AND THAT'S WHY THEY LEAVE.
THEY'RE NO LONGER ON THE INVENTORY.
IF YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PROOF OF MY RETIRED HORSES AND THE HOMES THEY'VE GONE TO, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT TO YOU.
[00:55:01]
ONE MORE THING AND THEN I'M DONE.A HORSE OR ANY ANIMAL THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN MEDICINE, IF THEY'RE COLIC OR SICK, ONCE THEY'RE TREATED WITH ANY KIND OF MEDICINE, THEY CANNOT BE FED TO ANY ANIMAL, HUMAN, OR ANYTHING ELSE.
THAT EVERY ONE OF MY HORSES I HAVE, HAVE BEEN SEEN BY A VET.
WHEN THEY GET SICK, THAT'S THE FIRST PERSON I CALL IS MY VET.
WHETHER IT'S LOCAL HERE IN ST.
AUGUSTINE, OR IT'S MY VET IN OCALA.
I CAN ALSO GET LETTERS FROM THEM IF YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM.
AND THE PROOF THAT SO MUCH OF THIS IS NOT RIGHT.
THE HORSES STANDING IN THE PADDOCKS THIS WEEKEND, THAT WAS BECAUSE I WASN'T ALLOWED TO WORK.
SHOW ME SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT ISN'T MUD AFTER THE RAIN WE'VE HAD.
I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION.
ITEM 9B1, FDOT TRAFFIC SIGNAL.
FROM 2015 AGREEMENT WITH F-DOT TO MAKE IT SIMPLE FOR EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND QUESTION HOW MUCH DID THIS SIGNATURE COIN COST CITY TAXPAYERS GIVE ME FIVE DOLLARS AND IT'S YOURS ACCORDING TO FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE 967.5 MILLION PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS ARE EXEMPT ALSO KNOWN NOT COLLECTED IN CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE 73 POTENTIAL JOB LOSSES DUE TO PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX REFORMS GOVERNOR SANTA'S SALARY IS 141 400 TAX DOLLARS CITY MANAGER MR MR. BURTON'S SALARY IS $234,242.
JOHN'S COUNTY'S ADMINISTRATOR MS. ANDREWS' SALARY IS $300,000 TAX DOLLARS.
IF THE CITY IS TRULY COMMITTED TO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, THEN EXPLORE ALL ALTERNATIVES BEFORE MAKING DECISIONS THAT CAN PLACE A BURDEN ON 73 LOWER-LEVEL EMPLOYEES WHO CAN LEAST AFFORD TO LOSE THEIR JOBS.
ONE, PAY ADJUSTMENT FOR SENIOR LEADERSHIP.
TWO, FREEZE NON-ESSENTIAL HIRING.
THREE, FREEZE SALARY INCREASES.
FOUR, EVALUATE DISCRETIONARY SPENDING.
TRAVEL, CITY-FUNDED FESTIVALS, AND EVENTS.
IF YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE IDEA YET.
I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT YOU WERE TOLD IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR.
AND HOPEFULLY, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS TO PROPERTY TAXES, THE PEOPLE IN THIS CITY THAT HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES, REALLY, TO WORK HERE AND TO DO A GOOD JOB NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.
AND I'LL CONTINUE TO SPEAK OUT ABOUT THIS.
[5. CONSENT AGENDA]
THAT CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.WE'LL MOVE ON NOW TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND COMMISSIONERS, TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDES A REMINDER OF THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCES.
OUR TENANT WILL BE SCHEDULED FOR SECOND READING ON JUNE 8TH.
ORDINANCE 2026-14, WHICH AMENDS ARTICLE 5, ANCHORING AND DOCKAGE TO CONFORM WITH UPDATES TO STATE STATUTE.
WE HAVE REMINDER OF UPCOMING MEETINGS, A JUNE 8TH, 5 P.M.
REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING, A JUNE 22ND, 5 P.M.
REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING, A JUNE 3RD, JULY 13TH, 3 P.M.
SPECIAL BUDGET MEETING, THAT'S THE REVENUES MEETING, AND A JULY 13TH, 5 P.M.
REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING.
WE HAVE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE MARCH 23RD, 5 P.M.
REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING.
WE HAVE A NOTIFICATION OF PROCLAMATION 2026-20, WHICH PROCLAIMS MAY 14TH, 2026, AS THE VIETNAM HELICOPTER PILOTS ASSOCIATION OF FLORIDA 34TH.
ANNIVERSARY DAY SPONSORED BY MAYOR NANCY SYKES-KLEIN AND WE HAVE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE AND THE PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS OF ST. AUGUSTINE, THAT'S THEIR UNION, WHICH MODIFIES ARTICLE 15 WHICH IS THE HOLIDAY PAY RIGHTS AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR CONSENT AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING.
[01:00:02]
AGENDA.IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? CONCERNING CONSENT AGENDA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
[8.A.1. Ordinance 2026-13: Vacate Right of Way, 3560 N. Ponce De Leon Blvd, Prado Ave (S. Slaughter, Utilities and Public Works Director)]
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS.WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS.
WE DO HAVE A SECOND READING WITH A PUBLIC HEARING REQUIRED FOR ORDINANCE 2026-13, AND THAT WILL BE STEPHEN SLAUGHTER.
CAN I SKIP ANYTHING? GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS.
STEVEN SLAUGHTER, UTILITY PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, HERE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT FOR A SECOND READING.
THIS IS THE SECOND READING IN PUBLIC HEARING FOR ORDINANCE 2026-13 TO VACATE A RIGHT-OF-WAY AT 3560 NORTH PONCE DE LEON BOULEVARD.
THE PORTION OF THE RIGHT-OF-WAY TO BE VACATED IS SHOWN HERE.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS THE DRAFT ORDINANCE 2026-13.
SECOND READING AND PUBLIC COMMENT ALL RIGHT THANK YOU ANY QUESTIONS YEAH MORE OF A GLOBAL THING TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND BETTER I'VE SUPPORTED THE BAIT VACATING RIGHT-OF-WAYS PRETTY MUCH EVERY TIME THE CITY STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED IT I WANT TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT MEANS BECAUSE I WAS TOLD BY A CONSTITUENT THAT IN THE PAST SOMETIMES THE CITY HAS ACTUALLY UM CHARGED UM THE THE PERSON WHO WAS NO OKAY THAT'S NOT TRUE THAT'S WHAT I THAT'S WHY I'M TRYING AIRING THIS OUT OKAY SO UM I JUST WANTED TO CAN SOMEBODY CLARIFY THAT FOR ME THANK YOU SURE UM UNLESS THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT APPLICATION FEES BY CHARGED BUT OTHERWISE WE DO NOT OWN THE FEE SIMPLE OWNERSHIP WE DON'T HAVE DEED TO THE UNDERLYING ROADS THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY A TYPE OF EASEMENT.
SO A PUBLIC ROAD THAT'S PLATTED GIVES US THE RIGHT TO HAVE IT AS A PUBLIC ROAD.
ONCE WE VACATE THAT LAYER OF RIGHTS, THAT LAYER OF PUBLIC RIGHTS, THE UNDERLYING LAND GENERALLY REVERTS TO THE OWNERS ON EITHER SIDE.
WE OWN THE RIGHT TO HAVE A PUBLIC STREET.
SO WE CAN'T SELL THAT PORTION OF THE ROAD.
AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE AN ALLEY, FOR EXAMPLE.
UNLESS IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE...
RECEIVED A DEED FOR, BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
THESE ARE ALL PLATTED RIGHTS OF WAY FROM FAIRLY OLD PLATS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTOOD IT AND WAS ABLE TO RESPOND TO THIS INQUIRY.
SO WITH THAT SAID, WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC HEARING.
I DO NOT HAVE ANY SPEAKER CARDS.
ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD? SEEING NO ONE, HEARING NO ONE, PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
WE'RE BACK TO THE BOARD AND I WILL MOVE THAT WE PASS ORDINANCE 2026-13 ON SECOND READING READ BY TITLE ONLY AND PASS.
ORDINANCE NUMBER 2026-13, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SAN AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, VACATING, DISCONTINUING, AND ABANDONING.
THAT CERTAIN PORTION OF PRADO AVENUE LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF ST.
AUGUSTINE AND MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED HEREIN, PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES, PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE OF THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
COULD I INTERRUPT FOR JUST A SECOND? THE TVS AT THE DAIS HERE ARE JUST ON A TABLE.
COULD WE HAVE THAT UPDATED? THANK YOU.
[9.A.1. Ordinance 2026-14: Amending Article V Anchoring and Dockage to Conform with Updates to State Statute (I. Lopez, City Attorney)]
ALL RIGHT.SO LET'S GO TO 9A, WHICH IS THE FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE 2026-14.
THIS WILL BE AMENDING ARTICLE 05, ANCHORING AND DOCKAGE TO CONFORM WITH UPDATES TO THE STATE'S STATUTE AND THAT IS OUR CITY ATTORNEY MISS LOPEZ YES MADAM MAYOR VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS AS YOU MAY RECALL THE CITY WAS ONE OF THE FEW HANDFUL OF PILOT PROJECT BLESS YOU.
PILOT PROJECT JURISDICTIONS WHEN THE STATE WAS LOOKING AT SORT OF COMPREHENSIVE VESSEL AND ANCHORING AND MOORING
[01:05:01]
REGULATIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.SO WE PARTICIPATED IN THAT PILOT PROJECT, SO DID A FEW OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
AND WHAT CAME OF THAT PROCESS WAS THE STATE ULTIMATELY INCREMENTALLY MODIFIED AND AMENDED STATE STATUTE TO STANDARDIZE THE CONCEPTS THAT THEY HAD STUDIED THROUGH THE PILOT PROJECT AND CLARIFIED WHAT THEIR JURISDICTION WOULD BE AND WHAT THEY WOULD PREEMPT US FROM DOING IN TERMS OF REGULATION.
AND SO THIS ORDINANCE IS ESSENTIALLY A CLEANUP ORDINANCE TO REMOVE THE SECTIONS THAT HAVE EITHER NOW BEEN SUPPLEMENTED BY EXPLICIT STATUTE IN TERMS OF HOW WE HANDLE CERTAIN THINGS.
OR FLAT OUT PREEMPTED OUR ABILITY TO REGULATE CERTAIN AREAS.
AND GENERALLY SPEAKING, THOSE ARE ISSUES HAVING TO DO WITH THE WATERS OF THE STATE, WHICH IS THE WATER THAT'S ABOVE THE GROUND AND BELOW THE GROUND.
AUGUSTINE, YOU'RE AWARE, I KNOW, THAT WE ACTUALLY OWN THE SUBMERGED LANDS.
SO THE MUCK UNDERNEATH THE RIVERS BELONG TO THE CITY.
ANYTHING THAT IS BELOW THAT IN TERMS OF AQUIFER IS STATE AND ANYTHING THAT FLOATS ABOVE THAT THAT'S LIQUID WATER IS ALSO THE STATE SO THAT'S MAYBE A WAY TO FOR FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND THE WATER IS THE STATE THEY REGULATE NAVIGATION THEY REGULATE VESSELS THE SUBMERGED LANDS AND AND ATTACHING TO OUR SUBMERGED LANDS WITH PIERS AND PYLONS AND THAT SORT OF THING ARE OUR PROPRIETARY RIGHTS AS THE OWNERS OF THOSE SUBMERGED LANDS SO I DID SPEND SOME TIME IN THE ORDINANCE AND YOU'LL SEE WHERE I QUITE GO INTO LENGTH IN DESCRIBING WHAT BELONGS TO THE CITY AND IS A PROPRIETARY RIGHT OF THE CITY VERSUS WHAT THE STATE OWNS AND REGULATES.
BUT THIS IS BASICALLY A CLEANUP ORDINANCE TO REMOVE ANYTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN PREEMPTED FROM REGULATING.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M AVAILABLE.
OTHERWISE, IT CAN BE SET FOR A SECOND READING IN PUBLIC HERE.
COMMISSIONERS, QUESTIONS? THE FIRST READING SO ANYONE WISH TO MAKE A MOTION TO SEND IT TO SECOND READING I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO SEND IT TO SECOND READING YEP SECOND ALL RIGHT ANY OTHER DISCUSSION MADAM CLERK I'VE GOT TO READ IT I'VE GOT TO READ THE SHORT TITLE ORDINANCE NUMBER 2026-14 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF ST.
AUGUSTINE FLORIDA AMENDING CHAPTER 7 ARTICLE 5, SECTION 7-93 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE, PROVIDING FOR ANCHORING AND MOORING TO CONFORM WITH UPDATES TO STATE STATUTE, PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE OF THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
[9.B.1. Resolution 2026-09: Traffic Signal Maintenance and Compensation Agreement for FY 2027 between the FDOT and COSA (J. Perkins, Community Services Director)]
NANCY SYKES-KLEIN.ALL RIGHT, MOVING RIGHT ALONG.
WE HAVE A RESOLUTION 2026-09 TRAFFIC SIGNAL MAINTENANCE AND COMPENSATION AGREEMENT FOR FYI 2027 BETWEEN FDOT AND CITY OF ST.
GOOD EVENING MADAM MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, JAMIE PERKINS, COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF ST.
TONIGHT I AM PROPOSING RESOLUTION 2026-09.
THIS IS AN ANNUAL AGREEMENT THAT YOU ALL SEE EACH YEAR.
THIS AGREEMENT OR RESOLUTION, SHOULD YOU PASS IT TONIGHT, WILL ALLOW THE CITY TO MAINTAIN A REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR TRAFFIC SIGNAL MAINTENANCE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS FOR STATE-OWNED TRAFFIC SIGNALS.
THE AGREEMENT FOR REIMBURSEMENT IS IN THE AMOUNT OF $119,510.
AND I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
IT'S SORT OF A HOUSEKEEPING ITEM, SO TO SPEAK.
AND IT DOES REQUIRE A VOTE, OF COURSE.
ANYONE WISHING TO? I MOVE WE PASS RESOLUTION 2026-09, READ BY TITLE.
ANY DISCUSSION? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
[10. STAFF REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS]
WE'RE MOVING RIGHT ALONG.NEXT ITEM, STAFF REPORTS NEXT AND PRESENTATION.
THIS WILL BE MS. SEAMORE PRESENTING A REQUEST TO INSTALL NEW SIGNAGE IN DAVIS SHORES NEW SIGNAGE IN AND I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE AND I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE STAFF REPORTS.
CITY ATTORNEY, IF I CONTRIBUTED TO THIS EFFORT, DO I HAVE TO RECUSE MYSELF? YOU MEAN YOU CONTRIBUTED TO THE SIGN?
[01:10:03]
OKAY, YOU'RE A DONOR TO THE SIGN.NOT REALLY, BECAUSE THIS IS A DONATION TO THE CITY, AND AS YOU KNOW, YOUR FAMILY ACTUALLY QUITE GRACIOUSLY DONATED QUITE A LOT TO THE CITY.
SO THE SIGN, MY UNDERSTANDING IS, THE REQUEST IS TO DONATE IT TO THE CITY.
SO THANK YOU AND ALL OTHER DONORS.
THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS.
SO THIS IS A REQUEST FOR A DAVIS SHORES SIGN.
I'M CANDACE SEYMOUR, HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLANNER FOR THE CITY.
I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH MY SUPERVISOR, JULIE COURTNEY, OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER, AS WELL AS MR. WAY ON THIS PROJECT SINCE HE CAME FORWARD IN DECEMBER OF 2025 TO TALK ABOUT ITS FEASIBILITY.
SO THIS IS A RENDERING OF WHAT THE DAVIS SHORES SIGN WOULD LOOK LIKE.
THIS SIGN WILL BE LOCATED ALONG THE SOUTH EDGE OF THE CITY-OWNED DAVIS SHORES PARK, SO ON THE NORTH SIDE OF ANASTASIA BOULEVARD, CLOSE TO WHERE THE LINES ARE LOCATED JUST JUST EAST OF THAT.
AND THIS IS A COUPLE OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF WHAT THAT AREA LOOKS LIKE CURRENTLY.
AND THIS SIGN DID GO TO THE CORRIDOR REVIEW COMMITTEE FOR REVIEW.
THAT WAS REQUIRED BECAUSE THIS SIGN IS A MONUMENT SIGN, AND MONUMENT SIGNS ARE NOT ALLOWED BY RIGHT IN THE ENTRY CORRIDOR.
THEY HAVE TO BE REVIEWED BY THE CORRIDOR REVIEW COMMITTEE AND APPROVED.
THERE WERE SEVERAL ITERATIONS OF THE SIGN BEFORE WE CAME TO THIS FINAL SIGN DESIGN.
THE BODY AND FRAMING ARE ALUMINUM, AND THE PAINTS THAT WERE CHOSEN ARE ALL FROM THE PRE-APPROVED ENTRY CORRIDOR DESIGN STANDARDS COLORS.
THE, THE ACTUAL TEXT OF THE SIGN IS A FONT THAT WAS CHOSEN SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE IT IS FROM A DAVIS SHORES BROCHURE, WHICH YOU'LL SEE IN A LITTLE BIT.
SO THIS IS THE OVERALL SIGN DESIGN.
IT IS 6'6 TALL AND 18 FEET WIDE, AND IT'S A TEXTURED FINISH TO MIMIC STUCCO.
AND THAT IS THE DAVIS SHORES BROCHURE THAT THEY TOOK THE FONT FROM.
SO MR. WAY HAS RAISED THE NECESSARY FUNDS TO INSTALL THE SIGNAGE AND IF THE COMMISSION APPROVES THE SIGN IT WILL BE DONATED TO THE CITY ONCE IT'S INSTALLED AND FROM THERE THE CITY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ILLUMINATION AND FUTURE MAINTENANCE OF THE SIGN.
I DID DISCUSS THIS WITH PUBLIC WORKS AS WELL AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT THIS WOULD NOT INTERFERE WITH ANY OF THE CURRENT UTILITIES IN THE AREA.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I SEE MR. WAY IS IN THE AUDIENCE.
MR. WAY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS? I KNOW YOU MUST HAVE PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO IT.
CHRISTOPHER WAY, 39 OF VISTA CIRCLE.
ANY QUESTIONS OF MR. WAY? OKAY.
ALL RIGHT, SO WHAT YOU NEED FROM US IS JUST APPROVING THE SIGNAGE, CORRECT? CORRECT, AND ACCEPTING THE SIGN AS A CITY SIGN NOW, AS A GIFT.
WELL, MY ONLY CONCERN, AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL SIGN, AND I APPRECIATE THE FONT, THAT WAS REALLY GOOD, IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN FOR THE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS.
I MEAN, I CAN SEE FULLERWOOD WANTING TO BE JUST AS GREAT AS DAVID SHORE IS, WANTING A FULLERWOOD SIGN.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE ANY KIND OF OVERALL PLAN? AND THIS IS NOT DESIGNATED AS A NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S JUST DAVIS SHORES, LIKE IT'S A TOWN.
AND IT MIGHT BE CONFUSING, LIKE THEY'RE LEAVING ST.
THEY'RE GOING INTO DAVIS SHORES.
IT'S NOT THAT BIG A DEAL, I KNOW, BUT I'M JUST CONCERNED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FUTURE AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO HANDLE THAT IN THE FUTURE.
COMMISSIONS AND WE'RE SORT OF OPENING THE DOOR FOR NEIGHBORHOODS TO HAVE BIG SIGNS.
WELL, I PERSONALLY THINK THAT IT'S FINE BECAUSE AT SOME POINT, YOU KNOW, WE LIKE YOU SEE YOU IN WEST CITY AND SO FORTH.
I DON'T THINK THAT THAT SIGN WOULD MAKE ME THINK I WAS OUT OF ST.
PERSONALLY, I WOULD JUST THINK THAT THAT'S THE AREA THAT I'M IN NOW IS DAVIS SHORES.
KIND OF LIKE WHEN YOU GO TO THE CONK HOUSE, YOU SEE THE CONK HOUSE AND THEIR HUGE SIGN.
YOU DON'T THINK, OH, IS THIS ANOTHER AREA? I THINK IT'S NICE.
I THINK THAT A LOT OF EFFORT WAS PUT INTO IT BECAUSE THEY WENT TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS TO.
I FEEL LIKE THE MAYOR WOULDN'T KNOW IF DAVID SHORES IS EXCITED ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT'S HER NEIGHBORHOOD.
[01:15:01]
TO THAT BRIDGE WHEN WE COME TO IT IF FULLERWOOD WANTS ONE.HEY, WE CAN GET THOSE GRANTS AND GET OUR SIGNS FOR OUR AREAS.
MAY I SPEAK ON THIS? MAY I SPEAK? I'M JAY GERARD, BNS SIGNS.
MR. SPRINGFIELD WAS MY PRINCIPAL ONE DAY.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WEST AUGUSTINE HAS A MONUMENT SIGN IN THE ENTRANCE TO WEST AUGUSTINE, SO IT'S KIND OF BECOMING A THING.
VOLANO TOWN CENTER, THEY ALSO HAVE THEIR OWN WELCOME TO VOLANO.
SO IT'S SIGNS LIKE THAT ARE KIND OF BECOMING A THING FOR OUR AREA.
SO B&S SIGNS WOULD BE HAPPY TO MAKE FULLERWOOD ONE.
SO ON AND SO FORTH, BUT EVERYBODY'S KIND OF GETTING THEM.
I WILL SAY, I KNOW THE CITY IS AGAINST DIGITAL SIGNAGE.
EX-NADE, BUT A LOT OF THEM LIKE THAT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO PROMOTE THE EVENTS THAT THEY'RE HAVING IN THE AREA.
LIKE THE CRA, WHATEVER THEY HAVE GOING ON, THEY GET THE WORD OUT TO PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S KIND OF ON THE CUSP OF THE LINE.
ANYWAY, I'VE LIVED ON DAVIS SHORES FOR OVER 50 YEARS.
AND I'VE HAD THIS IDEA FOR YEARS.
I JUST NEVER GOT AROUND TO IT UNTIL NOW.
TO RAISE THE MONEY, I JUST WENT IN MY PHONE AND CALLED ALL MY FRIENDS THAT GREW UP ON THE ISLAND WITH ME.
AND EVERYBODY THREW DOWN, INCLUDING MAYOR KLEIN.
SHE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO DONATE.
AND I'VE RAISED THE MONEY, AND I'M READY TO DO IT.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE MANUFACTURER.
SO THE WAY I HAVE IT, THE SIGN IS 6'6", IN HEIGHT, RIGHT? CORRECT.
AND THE BODY IS 18, AND YOU HAVE THE TWO PILLARS.
SO AM I CORRECT IN SAYING THAT THE SIGN ITSELF IS 22 FEET WIDE? 19'8".
YEAH, AND THEN THE PILLARS? INCLUDING.
I GOT 18 ON THE SIGN, AND THEN I GOT 2 EACH ON THERE, SO THAT'S 22 FEET ACROSS.
THE BODY OF THE SIGN INCLUDING THE PILLARS, AM I RIGHT? SO I MAKE SURE I GET THE SAME DRAWING.
SO IT'S 22 FEET WIDE, RIGHT? 18 IN THE MIDDLE PLUS 4 FOOT 4 INCHES.
RIGHT, AND IT'S 6 FOOT 6 TALL, AM I RIGHT? OKAY, AND THEN USING THAT SCALE, I SCALED THE, SAY, BECAUSE I THINK LETTERING SIZE IS REALLY IMPORTANT WHEN YOU COME TO SITUATIONS LIKE THIS.
SO I SCALED IT, AND WHAT I GOT WAS YOUR D AND YOUR S ARE 30-INCH LETTERS, AM I CORRECT? I DON'T HAVE THAT CALLED OUT SPECIFICALLY.
I'M BRINGING THIS UP BECAUSE THERE IS A...
THERE'S A CHART THAT YOU CAN USE.
AND SO IF YOU WERE TO USE, HAVE YOU EVER USED ANOTHER 30-INCH LETTER ON THE BOULEVARD THERE IN ANYTHING? I'M NOT SURE.
I MEAN, IT WENT BEFORE THE SIGN BOARD.
SO I'M SAYING THAT BECAUSE A 30-INCH LETTER, THE OPTIMAL DISTANCE TO SEE, THE MAXIMUM DISTANCE YOU CAN SEE THAT.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THIS COLUMN, COLUMN BEING 3 FOOT 10, THAT LETTER, IT MIGHT BE 28 INCHES.
YEAH, SO IT'S PRETTY CLOSE TO 30 INCHES.
SO, AND THE SMALLER ONES, THE A'S THAT YOU HAVE, THOSE, THE SMALLER CASE LETTERS, THEY LOOK LIKE THEY'RE 18 INCHES TALL, AND THEY'RE VISIBLE FROM 750 FEET.
THE REASON I'M BRINGING THIS UP IS BECAUSE I THINK I THINK IT'S A GREAT EFFORT.
I JUST THINK IT'S OVERLY LARGE.
JUST FOR EVERYBODY TO KNOW, 22-INCH WIDE IS THE SIZE OF A TWO-CAR GARAGE.
AND THE LETTERS, I'M JUST, FROM MY EXPERIENCE, THE LETTERS ARE GOING TO SEEM OUT OF SCALE.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S NECESSARY TO HAVE IT THAT BIG.
THE FIRST THING A PROFESSOR TOLD ME IS IF YOU'RE DOING DESIGN, YOU HAVE TO TAKE CRITICISM.
SO I'M DOING THIS IN A CONSTRUCTIVE MANNER.
SO AND THE GENERAL OVERALL LOOK OF IT LOOKS MORE LIKE A.
ENTRANCE TO A CONDOMINIUM THAN IT DOES LIKE A NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'M VERY MUCH SUPPORTIVE OF THE IDEA.
I MEAN, IF DAVIS SHORES WANTS TO HAVE THAT,
[01:20:01]
I'M NOT PARTICULARLY AGAINST IT, BUT I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THIS CURRENT DESIGN.I THINK IT'S JUST OUT OF SCALE AND IT'S TOO BIG.
WERE THE LETTERS OUT TOO BIG? THE WHOLE THING.
I MEAN, IT'S THE SIZE OF A TWO-CAR GARAGE SITTING THERE IN FRONT OF THE PARK.
I MEAN, I'M SORRY, I SCALE EVERYTHING.
WHEN IT COMES TO AESTHETICS, I JUST GET DOWN TO IT.
SO IT'S A VERY, VERY LARGE SIGN FROM MY EXPERIENCE.
I MEAN, I THINK WHAT'S HAPPENING IS I WAS SURPRISED TO FIND THAT YOU COULD HAVE A 10-FOOT BY 12-FOOT SIGN BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT WAS MY...
I WATCHED THE REVIEW COMMITTEE TAPE, AND SO I WAS SURPRISED TO FIND THAT YOU COULD HAVE A 10-FOOT...
BY 12 FOOT SIGN ON THE BOULEVARD APPARENTLY THAT'S WITHIN THE YEAH RIGHT SO YOU KNOW RIGHT RIGHT SO BUT THAT'S FOR A HIGHWAY COMMERCIAL USE AND I THINK THAT'S MORE APPROPRIATE IF YOU HAD A BIG SIGN LIKE THAT FARTHER DOWN AND THE BOULEVARD ITSELF IS GOT KIND OF A BRAND IDENTITY PROBLEM BECAUSE IT'S IT'S IT IS A HIGHWAY IT IS LOOKS LIKE A COMMERCIAL HIGHWAY FOUR LANES, IT'S GOT ALL THAT ROAD, BUT IT'S GOT THESE SMALL BUSINESSES ALONG IT.
SO I DON'T THINK IN THIS CASE BIG IS BETTER.
I THINK SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE SENSITIVE TO THE SITE.
LIKE I SAID, I LIKE THE IDEA, BUT THE LETTER SIZE IS TOO BIG AND THE SIGN IS TOO BIG, IN MY OPINION.
THIS WAS PUT THROUGH THE 100TH COMMITTEE.
SO JUST GOING BACK A LITTLE BIT, I WAS REALLY EXCITED WHEN CHRIS CAME AND SAID THAT HE WANTED TO DO THIS MONUMENT SIGN BECAUSE IT CAME ON THE HEELS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CELEBRATING 100 YEARS.
AND THE COMMITTEE THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE SAW THE DESIGN AND WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF SUPPORT.
I WOULD SAY THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN SHOWN TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I WANT TO SAY TO MR. WAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING.
IT'S BEEN AN INSPIRATION WATCHING YOU WORK.
AND ALL THE MONEY, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, WAS RAISED LOCALLY BY YOU PERSONALLY, ASKING FRIENDS TO MAKE DONATIONS.
SO IT'S NOT REALLY SO MUCH OF, YOU KNOW, IF FULLERWOOD WANTS TO RAISE THE MONEY AND GET THE DESIGN AND PAY FOR ALL THOSE.
THINGS WHICH IS I UNDERSTAND IT'S QUITE QUITE AN EXPENSIVE SIGN SO BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND PERHAPS YOU KNOW YOU MAY WANT TO TAKE THOSE INTO CONSIDERATION BUT I'M AND I AM FINE WITH THIS SIGN MYSELF I'M VERY WELL VERY MUCH SUPPORT IT IT'S LONG OVERDUE DAVIS SHORES IS A THING IT ACTUALLY IS A VERY VERY LARGE PLAN THAT WAS CREATED IN THE 1920S. AND I HAVE TO SAY, WITH A PLANNING BACKGROUND, IT IS A BEAUTIFUL PLAN.
IT IS A REALLY BEAUTIFUL PLAN.
IT HAS THESE GORGEOUS WIDE BOULEVARDS AND THESE TRIANGULATED LOTS.
THEY'RE JUST VERY UNIQUE AND LOVELY.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT IT, IT'S VERY INTERESTING, AND I THINK IT'S HISTORIC.
AND I THINK THAT WHILE THE ARCHITECTURE IN DAVIS SHORES IS KIND OF A MISHMASHY OF OVER TIME, THE PLANT ITSELF IS QUITE BEAUTIFUL, SO I LOVE THAT IT'S BEING COMMEMORATED THIS WAY, AND I KNOW CHRIS IS HOMEGROWN AND BORN AND RAISED HERE, AND PROBABLY JUST ASKED A WHOLE LOT OF FRIENDS THAT HE GREW UP WITH TO DO THIS.
SO WITH THAT, I MOVE THAT WE PASS THE SIGN AS PRESENTED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
NEXT ITEM WILL BE, OH, BRANDING.
BRANDING FOR CITY SPECIAL EVENTS, LIGHT UP NIGHT, CONCERTS IN THE PLAZA, AND FIREWORKS OVER THE I GET IT SO DOES IT SHOW IN THE WHOLE PRESENTATION? I THINK IT IS.
ALL RIGHT, I'M HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY HERE TO GET IT JUST...
[01:25:01]
WITH THAT.GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR, MADAM VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, MELISSA WHISTLE, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR.
I'M PRESENTING TO YOU THIS EVENING A FIRST LOOK AT UPDATED BRANDING FOR THE THREE SIGNATURE EVENTS OF THE CITY OF ST.
CONCERTS IN THE PLAZA, FIREWORKS OVER THE MATANZAS, AND LIGHT UP NIGHT.
I'LL GIVE YOU A SHORT, BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF EACH OF THE PREVIOUS BRANDS, OR LACK OF THEREOF, AND SHOW YOU A RECOMMENDATION OF A NEW BRAND.
MY GOAL THIS EVENING IS TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK ON THE NEW PROPOSED BRANDING.
I BELIEVE I DO HAVE CONSENSUS IN THE POTENTIAL FOR YOUR APPROVAL ON THE FIREWORKS BRANDING, AND WITH YOUR INPUT ON THE OTHERS, I CAN WORK WITH THE DESIGN TEAM TO MAKE NECESSARY CHANGES FOR FUTURE APPROVAL OF CONCERTS AND LIGHT-UP NIGHT.
SO THE FIRST SET THAT WE HAVE IS CONCERTS IN THE PLAZA.
CONCERTS IN THE PLAZA WAS CREATED BY A PROFESSIONAL DESIGNER OVER 20 YEARS AGO WITH THE IDEA OF EVOKING A SENSE OF OLD-TIME NOSTALGIA.
BEFORE THE SIGN RULES WERE PUT IN PLACE, WE WOULD HANG TWO BANNERS ON THE GAZEBO ON THE THURSDAY MORNING OF THE CONCERT.
ONE OF THE BANNERS WAS THE LOGO, AND THE OTHER BANNER WOULD SAY, CONCERT TONIGHT, 7 P.M.
OF COURSE, NOW WE DON'T ALLOW SIGNS IN THE PLAZAS, SO WE RELY ON...
ALL THE OTHER WAYS THAT WE ADVERTISE OUR CONCERTS IN THE PLAZA.
SO THIS NEW BRAND USES THE GAZEBO AS THE FOCAL POINT WITH THE SUN SETTING AND MUSICAL NOTES TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS IS A BRAND FOR A CONCERT.
THE SPACE AT THE BOTTOM ALLOWS US TO ADD A YEAR OR AN ANNUAL TAG ON THE BIGGER ANNIVERSARIES, SHOULD WE SO DESIRE.
AND YOU'LL ALSO SEE THIS SIMILAR STYLE AND SHAPE IN THE PROPOSED LIGHT UP NIGHT BRAND.
IT HAD ALWAYS BEEN REFERRED TO AS JULY 4TH FIREWORKS.
SO EVEN IF YOU HAD ADDED IN ST.
AUGUSTINE, IT MIGHT ALSO BEG THE QUESTION OF WHERE.
SO OVER THE MATANZAS WAS PART OF THE CREATIVE THOUGHT BEHIND IT.
SO WE CAME UP WITH FIREWORKS OVER THE MATANZAS, BUT IT NEVER HAD AN OFFICIAL BRAND.
WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SLIDE IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE IS ACTUALLY A CD DISC OF CLIP ART.
SO YOU'LL KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
AND SO THE ART THAT YOU SAW ON THAT COVER OF THE CD-ROM WAS SORT OF CONVERTED INTO A MAKESHIFT LOGO.
WORKING WITH THE VCB AGAIN, WE'VE COME UP WITH A NEW BRAND PATCH.
IT'S IN KEEPING WITH THAT STYLE AND SHAPE OF CONCERTS IN THE PLAZA, AND YOU'LL SEE WITH THE UPCOMING LIGHT UP NIGHT BRAND, AND USING RED, WHITE, AND BLUE.
OF COURSE, 4TH OF JULY AND OUR NATION'S COLORS.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF VARIATIONS OF THE BRAND ON THIS ONE.
THE PATCH WOULD BE THE PRIMARY AND THEN THE OTHER TWO FIREWORKS.
AND THEN WITH THE FORT, OF COURSE, CONVEY FIREWORKS OVER THE MATANZAS.
THE THIRD SET IS NIGHTS OF LIGHTS AND LIGHT UP NIGHT.
SO THE NAME FOR LIGHT UP NIGHT.
I BELIEVE CAME FROM THE NEED TO DIFFERENTIATE THAT ONE NIGHT, THE NIGHT WHEN THE LIGHTS TURNED ON, FROM EVERY OTHER NIGHT.
AND IN THE 10 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE, WE REALLY ONLY PROMOTED LIGHT-UP NIGHT AS THE KICKOFF EVENT.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, PROMOTING THE FREE PARK-AND-RIDE SHUTTLES TO GIVE PEOPLE A PLACE TO GO TO PARK THEIR CARS WHEN THEY GET HERE.
AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT PARKING LATER.
AS FOR BRAND, THERE'S NEVER REALLY BEEN ONE.
IN 2018, THE VCV CREATED A LOGO FOR THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY.
THE CITY NEVER REALLY USED IT FOR ANYTHING, AND I'M NOT REALLY SURE THAT EVEN AT THAT TIME IT REALLY MADE MUCH OF AN IMPRESSION OR AN IMPACT.
I THINK THE VCV JUST USED IT, BUT IN THE TERMS OF A BRAND, IT REALLY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING.
WITH THE RISING POPULARITY OF NIGHTS OF LIGHTS AND SEEING THE OVERLAP OF NIGHTS OF LIGHTS AND KNOWING THAT THE CITY WAS REALLY JUST TRYING TO PROMOTE LIGHT UP NIGHT, IN THE PARKING, I WORKED WITH THE VCB.
IN 2023 WITH THEIR STAFF TO CREATE AND COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT WE COULD USE AS THE CITY IN OUR EVENT ADS AND IN OUR ADS TO PROMOTE THE PARKING AND FREE SHUTTLES FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER.
[01:30:01]
SO THEY CREATED THIS KNIGHTS OF LIGHTS AND THEN WE PAIRED IT WITH JUST REALLY JUST USING CREATIVE FONTS.SO WE DID THAT FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS.
THE PATCH AT THIS POINT WAS THE ONLY BRAND AT THE TIME.
WE HADN'T CONVERTED THE OTHER ONES, BUT THIS PATCH IN THE CREATIVE FRONTS WENT BY THE WAYSIDE.
SO WE USED THAT FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS.
AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE GAME TOTALLY CHANGED AT THE END OF THE 24, 25 SEASON.
SO THIS PARTICULAR BRANDING THAT WE HAD CREATED WENT BY THE WAYSIDE AND WE FOCUSED WITH THE BRANDING, WITH THE VCB AND THE COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS DOING THE KNOW BEFORE YOU GO AND THE MOBILE APP.
SO THE KNIGHTS OF LIGHTS KNOW BEFORE YOU GO WAS CREATED BY THE VCB, AND THEN THE KNIGHTS OF LIGHTS THAT YOU SEE THERE, THE BROWN AND THE YELLOW, WAS THEIR BRANDING FOR THE MOBILE APP.
AND SO ANYTHING THAT WE HAD BEEN CREATING PREVIOUS TO THAT, WE FOCUSED SOLELY ON THIS.
IT WAS ALSO BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION SORT OF IN THE AFTERMATH OF ALL OF THAT, THAT IF WE WERE GOING TO GO BACK TO THAT KNIGHTS OF LIGHTS LOGO THAT I HAD CREATED WITH THE VCB STAFF, THAT WE REALLY WOULD NEED IT TO SAY LIGHT UP NIGHT BECAUSE THE GIST OF IT HERE IS THAT WE WANTED TO BE SEPARATING OURSELVES FROM THAT OVERALL NIGHTS OF LIGHTS CAMPAIGNING WE NEVER ACTUALLY USED THIS ANYWHERE BUT THIS WAS SORT OF THE RE-RENDERING OF THAT NIGHTS OF LIGHTS AGAIN USING THE GAZEBO AS THE FOCAL POINT THE ROUND STRIPING AROUND THE OF THE GAZEBO THAT YOU SEE THERE THE PILLARS OF COURSE IS AT NIGHTS OF LIGHTS THEY PUT THE RED RIBBON AROUND IT AND THE TREES AND IT IS VERY SUBTLE LIGHTING IN THE TREES THEMSELVES AND THEN AGAIN WITH THAT EMPTY SPACE AT THE BOTTOM WITH THE RED WE CAN ADD THAT ANNUAL OR SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY YEAR AT THE BOTTOM SO I DO HAVE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT PARKING THAT CAN BE OUR NEXT YOU THOUGHT BUT THIS WAS THE FOCUS FOR THIS EVENING WAS I WANTED TO DAYLIGHT FOR YOU ALL THESE THREE LOGOS I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE VCB CREATIVE STAFF THEY WERE THE ONES THAT WERE COLLABORATING ON THIS FOR US AND I CAN CONTINUE ON A LITTLE BIT WITH THE PARKING OR WE CAN PAUSE AND TALK ABOUT THESE THREE ANYBODY WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE THREE OR DO YOU WANT TO HEAR IT ALL I HAVE A, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE SLIDE WITH THE TWO NIGHTS OF LIGHTS SIDE BY SIDE, THAT ONE? I JUST NOTICED THIS.
SO THE ONE ON THE RIGHT IS THE ONE THAT WE USED THIS PREVIOUS YEAR, RIGHT? JUST THIS YEAR, YES.
SO IT JUST CONFUSED ME BECAUSE IT SAYS JANUARY 2026, BUT IT DOESN'T SAY NOVEMBER 15TH, 2025.
BECAUSE WHEN WE START, IT'S A, I SAW IT AS WELL.
AT THE TIME, BUT SINCE WE'RE IN 2025, WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT IT'S GOING INTO THE NEXT YEAR.
WHY DID WE ABANDON THE GRAPHIC THAT'S ON THE LEFT? THE KNIGHTS OF LIGHTS, KNOW BEFORE YOU GO? THE ACTUAL GRAPHIC WITH THE WHITE TOWERS AND ALL THE LIGHTS AND STUFF AND THE PALM TREES.
THAT'S THE VCB'S BRAND FOR THE KNOW BEFORE YOU GO CAMPAIGN.
SO THAT'S NOT REALLY OURS AND IT'S FOR KNIGHTS OF LIGHTS.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO ALSO SEPARATE THE CITY BEING LIGHT UP NIGHT AND SHUTTLES AND THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS BEING MORE OF THE EXTERNAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN THAT THE VCB DOES.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ONE SET OF GRAPHICS AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? YES.
SO THE KNOW BEFORE YOU GO WAS THE REALLY BIG PUSH THIS YEAR WITH THE COLLABORATION WITH ST.
SO I JUST WANT TO JUMP ONTO THAT.
I THINK THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A I THINK I SEE YOUR YOURS LOOKS BETTER THAN OURS.
I SEE YOU'RE A LITTLE BUT I'M LIKE, STOP.
ME? STOP ME? NO, I'M THINKING THE SAME THING YOU'RE THINKING.
IT'S LIKE CAN WE COORDINATE? CAN WE FIND A WAY TO KIND OF BUT THE THING IS, IS WE'RE TRYING TO SAY THE CITY IS, IT'S REALLY A KIND OF A WE CAN USE THE 4,000 FOOT THING WHERE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS IS NOT REALLY OUR EVENT.
I KNOW, PAINFULLY, I KNOW THAT.
IT'S THE BCB AND THE TDC AND THE BUSINESSES AND THAT.
[01:35:02]
THE THING WE DO IS THE LIGHT AT NIGHT.AND WE WANT TO BRAND THAT, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO, WE WANT TO BRAND THAT WITH THE FIREWORKS OVER THE MATANZAS AND WITH THE CONCERTS IN THE PLAZAS.
WE WANT TO HAVE SORT OF AN IMAGE.
AND I WAS KIND OF KEYING IN ON THE FIREWORKS OVER THE MATANZAS IMAGE AS BEING...
THAT'S A VERY SUCCESSFUL IMAGE.
THAT'S A VERY SUCCESSFUL IMAGE.
THE OTHER TWO, I WASN'T REALLY IN LOVE WITH AS MUCH.
I LIKE THE THICKER LINES, THE SPLOTCHIER.
AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE VCB.
IT'S GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A VIBE.
WELL, I THINK THE VCB GUYS DESIGNED IT, RIGHT? YEP.
I'M GOING TO GET IN TROUBLE HERE TONIGHT FOR ALL THIS AESTHETIC STUFF.
YOU CAN SAY I TAKE IT VERY CONSTRUCTIVELY AND WE'VE SPOKEN.
SO I DO KNOW YOU ALL HAVE ALSO GIVEN ME FEEDBACK THAT I HAVE NOT GONE BACK TO THEM WITH BECAUSE I WANTED US TO AT LEAST JUST DAYLIGHT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
WELL, I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO CAUGHT UP IN IT, BUT THE CONCERTS IN THE PLAZA, YOU DON'T REALLY SEE THE MUSIC NOTES.
SO WHEN I LOOK AT IT, I'M NOT GETTING MUSIC.
PAVILION WHICH IS BEAUTIFUL IF YOU COULD SOMEHOW WORK THE MUSIC NOTES HIGHER UP INTO THE CONCERTS LIKE MAYBE YOU COULD HAVE A MUSIC BAR LIKE IT HAS TO FLOW IT'S MUSIC SO HAVE IT LIKE THIS AND THEN HAVE YOUR LETTERS SOMEHOW FOLLOW THAT THOSE GUYS CAN DO IT I GET COMPUTER PROGRAMS SOMETHING THAT FEELS A LITTLE BIT LESS RIGID AND IT SHOULD BE BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT MUSIC AND THEN THE THIRD ONE NIGHT TO LIGHTS I DISCUSSED THIS WITH YOU ALREADY YES MY FEELING IS THAT, AGAIN, I DON'T MIND THE NIGHT'S LIGHTS, AND THAT'S WHY I WAS POINTING TO THIS ONE HERE.
IT'S A LITTLE MANGER-LOOKING FOR ME.
IT LOOKS MORE LIKE THE LIGHT-UP ONE.
IT LOOKS A LITTLE BIT MORE LIKE A NATIVITY THING, AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IS PROBABLY NOT A PROBLEM OF THE GRAPHICS.
IT'S A PROBLEM OF THE IDENTITY OF THE NIGHT'S LIGHTS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
IS IT A HOLIDAY? IS IT A LIGHT SHOW? I THINK YOU PROBABLY GO ON THE SIDE OF LIGHT SHOW AND MAYBE HAVE SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE LIKE THIS WITH THE PALM TREES WITH SOME LIGHTS AND MAKE IT LOOK LIKE IT'S A LIGHT UP.
RIGHT NOW IT JUST LOOKS LIKE A MANGER SCENE.
YOU MEAN THE LIGHT UP NIGHT LOGO.
WHEN EACH OF YOU DID GIVE ME THE FEEDBACK OF CAN WE DO SOMETHING WITH THE STARS, I'VE ALREADY...
YOU'VE ALREADY GOT THE STAR THING.
SORRY? YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO GET AWAY FROM THE SINGULAR STAR, SEE IF WE CAN DO SOMETHING WITH MORE STARS IN THE SKY, AND THEN ALSO BRIGHTENING THE LIGHTS THAT ARE IN THE TREES THAT ARE VERY HARD TO SEE RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.
THIS IS LIGHT AT NIGHT, NOT NIGHTS OF LIGHT.
I'M USING THE WRONG WORD BECAUSE I'M MORE VISUAL THAN I AM THE WORDS.
THAT IF THAT'S THE ONE WE'RE PUTTING MORE TREE LIGHTS IN THE TREES AND MAKING A LITTLE BIT MORE BAM, THEN I'M GOOD WITH THAT.
I'M GOING TO WRITE THAT DOWN MORE BAM.
YEAH, I REALLY LIKE THE BAD SHAPE.
AND I MENTIONED YOU ELIMINATE THE STAR.
JUST MY THOUGHTS RIGHT NOW ARE WHEN WE HAVE LIGHT UP NIGHT, IT IS CROWDED AND WE HAVE PEOPLE, CELEBRITIES UP THERE.
WHY NOT HAVE SOME PEOPLE IN THE PAVILION? ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A SPOT? I WOULD BE HAPPY TO MODEL IT IF THEY WANT ME.
ARE YOU GOING TO TURN IT INTO A THREE-PIECE BAND? I'LL BE THE HEAD ABOVE THE CROWD.
THAT'S AN AWFUL LOT OF MUSICIANS.
YEAH, THEY COULD JUST BE IMAGES.
I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS YOU LIKE THE BADGE.
IF WE COULD GET A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A.
FUN FEELING LIKE WE HAVE WITH THE FIREWORKS OVER THE MATANZAS YOU'RE NOT OPPOSED TO THE GAZEBO BECAUSE THE GAZEBO IS WHERE THE CONCERTS IT'S WHERE LIGHT AT NIGHT HAPPENS AND SOMETHING THAT'S JUST NOT SO HARD SOMETHING MORE FUN YES AND SO I TOTALLY AGREE THE ONLY THING I HAD SAID WAS UM SHOULD IT SAY CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE FLORIDA THAT WAS JUST MY COMMENT I WOULD LIKE IT TO SAY CITY OF ST.
ON CONCERTS AS WELL? OR JUST WE'LL SEE WHAT THEY COME BACK WITH? ALL THREE.
THAT WOULD BE MY, BUT I'M FLEXIBLE.
BUT I DO LIKE, I REALLY LIKE THE FIREWORKS OVER THE MATANZAS, THE WAY IT FEELS.
[01:40:01]
TO SEE THE OTHER TWO LOOK MORE LIKE THAT.IT'S INTERESTING NOT PUTTING FLORIDA ON BECAUSE IT MAKES ST.
AUGUSTINE UNIQUE FROM FLORIDA THEN, WHICH MAY BE GOOD.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT.
YOU WANT A BRAND THAT'S LIKE, WOW, WE DON'T REALLY NEED FLORIDA BECAUSE WE'RE THE CITY OF ST.
I THINK WE LOOK AT OURSELVES AS THE CITY OF ST.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO ADDRESS BRIEFLY THE PARKING THAT WAS ON THE LAST PAGE? PARK AND RIDE SHUTTLE? I'M SORRY? PARK AND RIDE SHUTTLE OR THE PARKING? WELL, IT WAS REALLY JUST TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION.
SO THIS IS CLIP ART AT ITS BEST.
WORD ART FROM MICROSOFT WORD AND AN ARROW.
AND I WILL SAY THAT I DIDN'T REALIZE, BUT WE'VE BEEN USING THAT ON THE SANDWICH BOARD AS RECENTLY AS MARCH OF THIS YEAR.
SO IT'S REALLY JUST TO SAY WE DON'T HAVE A PARKING BRAND YET.
WE HAVE A MOBILE APP, THE P HERE THAT'S IN THE...
MATERIALS HERE IS THE MOBILE APP ICON AND THEN WE WERE COLLABORATING WITH THE STAR CIRCULATOR FOLKS WITH HISTORIC TOURS OF AMERICA OLD TOWN TROLLEY THEIR MARKETING TEAM WORKED I WORKED ON THIS WITH X PALS HERE AND THEIR TEAM AND YOU CAN SEE THE CIRCLE IN THE DIAGRAM THERE OF THE BUS ITSELF WE SPECIFICALLY CREATED THIS STAR BRAND AND THEN THAT YOU WHAT WE'RE NOW USING IS DOWNTOWN CIRCULATOR WITH THE IDEA THAT DOWN THE ROAD WE COULD HAVE A BROWDY CONNECTOR OR AN ISLAND CONNECTOR OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.
I'M NOT REALLY LOOKING FOR ANY TYPE OF SOLUTION OR ANYTHING.
I JUST PARKING SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT, PARTICULARLY WITH THE MOBILITY PLAN AND THE SMART ST.
AUGUSTINE COMES ON BOARD WE COULD USE THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A HOLISTIC PARKING BRAND SO I MEAN LIKE BETWEEN THE STAR CIRCULATOR PLUS THE PARKING APP LOGO PLUS THE PARK AND RIDE SHUTTLE BECAUSE I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO ADDRESS THE PARK AND RIDE SHUTTLE LOGO BECAUSE IT'S VERY WONKY WELL YEAH I MEAN I I DON'T USE IT SO I'LL GET WITH JAMIE ABOUT CLEANING UP THE SANDWICH BOARD AND I THINK IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE WE'VE BEEN USING IT FOR YEARS AND WE PUT IT OUT AND IT WORKS AND NOBODY'S REALLY CAUGHT IT AND I HAPPENED TO BE OUT WALKING ONE AFTERNOON I WENT OH MY GOSH WE'RE STILL USING THAT WELL THIS IS A CONVERSATION ABOUT BRANDING YES AND WHEN YOU'RE BRANDING WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IS GET ALL OF YOUR IMAGE SIMILAR IN ONE FAMILY INSTEAD OF THIS FONT DOING THIS OVER HERE AND THAT FONT DOING THAT SO WE'VE GOT THE THREE COMPONENTS CONCERT IN THE PLAZA.
FIREWORKS ON THE MATANZAS AND LIGHT UP NIGHT, BUT WE NEED TO SOMEHOW BRING THOSE IN.
I REALIZED THAT, BUT THAT WOULD BE MY DIRECTION WOULD BE TO CONTINUE THAT WORK, FOLD IN PARK AND RIDE SHUTTLE INTO THAT SAME EFFORT TO HAVE THAT SAME LOOK.
AND THEN, UM, AS YOU EXPAND THE STAR CIRCULATOR IN THE FUTURE, THAT'S GOING TO BE ITS OWN FAMILY.
AUGUSTINE RIDER WAS THE S-T-A-R IS WHAT WE CAME UP WITH, THE ST.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THE PARKING APP.
THAT I DON'T KNOW, AND I'M TRYING TO DO THIS FROM MEMORY, BUT I BELIEVE THE VENDOR ACTUALLY CREATED THAT FOR OUR USE.
BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT INDEPENDENTLY WE CAN LIFT THAT DESIGN AND USE IT ELSEWHERE.
I'D HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK, BUT THE VENDOR OF THE SOFTWARE, MY RECOLLECTION IS, CREATED THAT LOGO FOR US TO DIFFERENTIATE IT FROM OTHER CITIES THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR PORTFOLIO.
WELL, IT'S COOL BECAUSE IT'S GOT THE PIER.
WELL, SO THE PARKING MOBILE APP WAS INTENTIONAL.
IT'S THE TOP OF THE CITY GATE.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF THE SWORD ON THE BOTTOM OF THE P AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE SHAPE OF THE P FOR PARKING.
I WAS PART OF THAT AS WELL, IT WAS A GROUP EFFORT OF PICKING THAT LOGO.
THAT'S NOT GREAT, BUT THE COLORS ARE NOT.
MS. LOPEZ IS CORRECT, WE WORKED ON THAT WITH THE VENDOR.
I JUST HAVE ONE MORE THING TO SAY ABOUT THE CONCERTS IN THE PLAZA.
YOU HAVE MUSIC NOTES ON IT, BUT YOU JUST HAVE IT DOWN WHERE THE ST.
IF YOU MADE THAT A BRIGHTER COLOR AND RAN THAT ACROSS THOSE TREES, I THINK IT WOULD BRIGHTEN, CHANGE THE WHOLE DYNAMICS OF THAT, AND PUT THE CITY OF ST.
[01:45:01]
POP, BUT JUST CHANGE THE COLOR FROM BEING BLUE SO IT POPS OUT.COMMISSIONER DEPREDA WAS TALKING ABOUT.
BUT I THINK THEY'RE GOOD, ESPECIALLY THE FIREWORKS AT THE MATANZA.
I THINK THAT ONE'S REALLY FUN.
ANYONE ELSE? I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.
WHEN YOU'RE DOING THIS PROCESS, ARE YOU WITH THEM WHEN THEY'RE DOING IT IN FRONT OF THE PROGRAM, OR YOU JUST GIVE THEM THE IDEAS AND THEY COME BACK AND THEY TELL YOU? WE GAVE THEM THE IDEAS TO START, AND THEY CAME BACK.
THE FIRST TIME THEY CAME BACK WITH VARIATIONS ON THE OLD LOGO.
AND WE, MY STAFF AND I LOOKED AT THAT AND WE JUST SAID, WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUT OF THAT.
WE WANT TO GET MORE TO THIS STREAMLINED LOOK.
AND BECAUSE THEY HAD DONE THE LIGHT UP NIGHT ONE WITH THE GAZEBO, WE SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS IS IN THE GAZEBO.
WHEN THEY CAME BACK WITH THAT, WE THEN WENT TO THE OFFICE.
JUST WONDERING HOW THE PROCESS.
SO I'M GOOD WITH FIREWORKS OVER THE MATANZAS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WORKING A BIT ON CONCERTS AND LIGHT UP NIGHT, AND WE'LL START THINKING ABOUT PARKING.
[12. ITEMS BY CITY CLERK]
MOVING ON.I SEE A WHOLE LONG LIST OF THINGS.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY NOT THAT COMPLICATED.
JUST A NOTIFICATION THAT WE HAVE A TERM EXPIRATION ON OUR AUDIT REVIEW COMMITTEE, WHICH WILL EXPIRE END OF JULY.
WE WILL REACH OUT TO THE BOARD MEMBER TO SEE IF HE'S WILLING TO REAPPLY.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE WILL STILL ADVERTISE FOR THAT.
MY NEXT NOTIFICATION IS EXPIRING TERMS FOR OUR.
1977 CITY EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF THE CITY OF ST.
AUGUSTINE, BETTER KNOWN AS OUR JIRB, IT'S OUR PENSION BOARD.
THOSE EXPIRE AT THE END OF JUNE, AND AGAIN, WE WILL REACH OUT TO THE CURRENT BOARD MEMBER.
ONE OF THESE POSITIONS IS ACTUALLY CITY STAFF APPOINTED, SO WE'LL BEGIN THAT PROCESS AS WELL.
MY THIRD ITEM IS A REQUEST FOR ONE APPOINTMENT ON OUR CORRIDOR REVIEW COMMITTEE.
WE GOT ONE APPLICATION FROM MR. ELIJAH GEORGE, AND HE DOES MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS TO SERVE ON THIS BOARD IF YOU SO CHOOSE TO APPOINT HIM.
TO MAKE A MOTION, UNLESS YOU WANT TO CONTINUE THE APPLICATION, PERIOD.
WELL, IT'S KIND OF HARD BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T HAPPEN TO KNOW THIS PERSON.
HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN ADVERTISED? FOR 30 DAYS.
ACTUALLY, NO, I'M SORRY, A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN THAT BECAUSE WE DID HAVE ONE APPLICANT.
IT WAS MICHAEL BLAKE'S POSITION THAT WAS EXPIRING, AND HE DID SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO REAPPLY, BUT WE HAD A POSITION OPEN UP ON OUR HISTORIC ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD.
SO FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS NOW, WE'VE HAD THIS OPEN.
THEN I'LL RECOMMEND THAT WE APPOINT ELIJAH GEORGE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
AND MY FINAL THING IS JUST A REMINDER THAT WE STILL DO HAVE ONE OPEN VACANCY ON OUR PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADVERTISE FOR THAT.
[14. ITEMS BY MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS]
ALL RIGHT.I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THIS EVENING.
I AM BY MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
WHERE SHALL WE START? SHOULD WE START WITH COMMISSIONER GARE? YES.
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO JENNIFER THOMPSON AND ROBIN MARSHALL FROM PLANNING AND ZONING.
I GOT AN EMAIL ABOUT HOW QUICKLY THEY RESPONDED TO SOMEBODY GETTING FEEDBACK AFTER THE PLANNING AND ZONING MEETING.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO PUBLICLY RECOGNIZE THAT THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE OUTSTANDING EMPLOYEES.
WE DON'T GET ENOUGH COMPLIMENTS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT THEY ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.
YES, LAST TIME WE WERE HERE, I THINK MS. GUYBER CAME OUT, I THINK I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THIS, ABOUT PUTTING SPEED,
[01:50:02]
COULD YOU FILL US IN ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN RIBERIA? I'M GOING TO ASK REUBEN FRANKLIN TO COME UP.WE DID HAVE A SPEED STUDY ON RIBERIA STREET, AND THE RESULTS INDICATED THAT THERE IS NO SPEEDING PROBLEM ON RIBERIA STREET.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE AREN'T OPTIONS FOR US TO TRY TO SLOW PEOPLE DOWN.
AND MAYBE I CAN DO THIS BEFORE HE GETS UP HERE.
A STATIC SPEED INDICATOR CAN BE INSTALLED.
SO THOSE THAT YOU SEE NOW THAT ARE ON SORT OF TRAILERS THAT SHOW YOU WHAT YOUR SPEED IS WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, THAT ARE MOBILE.
PERMANENTLY MOUNTED ONES ON THE STREET.
THEY'RE SORT OF LIKE SOLAR ARRAYS ON TOP.
THAT WOULD BE AN OPTION SO THAT PEOPLE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET COULD SEE HOW FAST THEY'RE GOING.
THAT HAS A TENDENCY TO SLOW PEOPLE DOWN.
THAT MAY BE ONE THING WE COULD DO.
THERE REALLY AREN'T GOOD OPTIONS FOR ANY MORE CROSSWALKS BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF SIDEWALKS ON THE SIDE STREETS.
BUT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT, AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO RUBEN IF HE HAS ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS.
JUST TO REITERATE, WE DID, BASED ON MS. GUYVER'S COMMENTS, WE DID ANOTHER SPEED STUDY ON RIBERIA STREET.
THEY TYPICALLY LAST FOR SEVEN DAYS.
THEY'RE INNOCUOUS LITTLE BOXES THAT WE PUT UP.
THAT WAY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE DOING A SPEED STUDY.
WE WOULD CLASSIFY SPEEDING AS GOING OVER FIVE PLUS MILES PER HOUR.
THEN THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT, THE SPEED LIMIT IS POSTED 25 ON RIBERIA.
AND I THINK THE AVERAGE WAS ABOUT 26 MILES PER HOUR, 27 MILES PER HOUR FOR THAT.
SO GENERALLY, THE SPEED STUDY WOULD TELL US THAT THERE IS NOT SIGNIFICANT SPEEDING GOING ON.
I THINK THERE WERE A COUPLE OF OUTLIERS LATE AT NIGHT GOING 50 MILES AN HOUR.
SO MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO WORK WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT TO DO MAYBE SOME TARGETED ENFORCEMENT.
AND SPEED STUDIES CAN HELP US SEE WHAT TIMES AND WORK WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT TO GET.
SOMEBODY OUT THERE TO MAYBE CATCH SOMEBODY GOING SIGNIFICANTLY FASTER THAN WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING.
WELL, I KNOW, I'M JUST BRINGING IT UP BECAUSE I KNOW FROM SOME OF THE APPLICATIONS YOU HAD AT THE PLANNING BOARD THAT IT IS A BIT OF A, I DON'T WANT TO SAY A COLLECTOR ROAD, BUT THERE'S SOME NAME THAT IT'S DESIGNED TO HANDLE MORE TRAFFIC UP TO, IS IT SOUTH STREET OR? IT'S A NEIGHBORHOOD COLLECTOR.
IT DOES ACCESS ALL THE COMMERCIAL.
MARINAS ON RIBERIA STREET, AS WELL AS IT FEEDS INTO THE LINCOLNVILLE NEIGHBORHOOD FROM THE SIDE STREET.
SO, BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR LOOKING IN THAT.
THE OTHER THING THAT SHE HAD TALKED ABOUT WAS BLOCK THE BOX.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT.
WE ARE WORKING ON THAT FOR THE INTERSECTION OF RIBERIA AND KING STREET.
WE WERE GETTING QUOTES FROM CONTRACTORS TO GO OUT TO PUT BLOCK THE BOX.
MS. GUYBER SAW WHAT WE SHARED WITH HER, WHAT WE WERE PLANNING TO DO.
SHE HAD SOME COMMENTS ABOUT THAT, SO WE WERE WORKING THROUGH THAT.
BUT WE DO INTEND TO GO OUT AND DO THE SIGNAGE, THE STRIPING THAT'S NECESSARY FOR RIBERIA AND KING STREET TO HELP MITIGATE THAT SITUATION THAT'S HAPPENING WHERE PEOPLE ARE PULLING INTO THE INTERSECTION AND THEN THEY'RE GETTING CAUGHT BY THE RED LIGHT AND THEN THEY'RE BLOCKING THE INTERSECTION.
YEAH, I WAS REALLY GLAD WE DID RECOGNIZE THE JUDGES IN THE DRUG COURTS.
I JUST READ A GREAT ARTICLE ABOUT HUNGARY, THE COUNTRY OF HUNGARY, WHO REALIZED THEY HAD ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATES OF DRUG INCARCERATIONS, AND THEY TOOK ALL THE MONEY FROM INCARCERATING AND PUT IT INTO TREATMENT, AND THEY'VE REDUCED IT GREATLY.
SO IT DOES WORK, AND THE COUNTRY HAS DECIDED TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
AND I'M REALLY GLAD WE HAD GRADUATES OF 101.
AND THANK YOU TO RUBEN AND DAVID.
I'VE SPOKEN TO SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO FINISHED THIS TIME, AND THEY HAD A GREAT TIME AND LEARNED A GREAT DEAL.
AND IT MAKES OUR JOB A LOT EASIER.
AND I THINK WE HAVE SOMEBODY RUNNING FOR OFFICE IN THAT GROUP.
SOME OF THE COMMENTS TONIGHT ABOUT THE HORSES THAT JUST LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THE CITY STAFF IS FOLLOWING UP ON THE POTENTIAL ONLINE THREATS.
WE DON'T IGNORE THOSE COMMENTS.
WE DON'T IGNORE THE INFORMATION WE GET, AND WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ON THAT.
AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT THE 70TH STREET JOBS LOSS IS JUST AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE IF THE STATE DECIDES.
TO KEEP THEIR BUDGET AND REDUCE OURS.
[01:55:02]
YES.I'LL KEEP MY COMMENTS REALLY BRIEF, ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY WERE SO LONG LAST TIME.
I HAVE ACTUALLY A QUESTION FOR RUBEN.
I NOTICED WHILE I WAS RIDING MY BICYCLE TO THE COMMENCEMENT AT THE AMPHITHEATER FOR FLAGLER COLLEGE ON SATURDAY THAT SEVERAL DRIVERS GOT IMPATIENT WITH ME, EVEN THOUGH I WAS...
RIDING IN A SHERO LANE, AND I WAS POINTING TO THE SHEROES AS I WAS GOING OVER THEM, AND THAT DIDN'T SEEM TO HAVE MUCH OF AN IMPACT, BUT THEY ARE REALLY FADED, AND I THINK IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO ASK DOT IF THEY COULD REPAINT THOSE.
WE'LL REACH OUT TO DOT AND SEE IF THEY CAN GO OUT THERE AND FRESHEN UP THE PAINT.
THAT'D BE GREAT, BECAUSE MOBILITY-WISE, THAT'S VERY HELPFUL.
I ONLY HAD A COUPLE ITEMS. ONE IS TO COMMISSIONERS.
PLEASE START THINKING ABOUT YOUR BUDGET ITEMS NOW.
WE'LL BE GETTING MORE IN EARNEST.
I THINK STAFF IS BEGINNING TO PUT TOGETHER THEIR DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS.
SO IT'S A REALLY GOOD TIME TO PUT INPUT IN NOW TO START MAKING YOUR LIST AND LETTING THE CITY MANAGER KNOW.
THE REASON I MENTIONED THIS IS I'VE NOTICED FOR QUITE SOME TIME THAT THE ENTRY SIGNS THAT UM THE BROWN ENTRY SIGNS THAT ARE COMING IN THE APPROACHES TO DOWNTOWN, THE DOT ENTRY SIGNS, HAVE BECOME VERY SHABBY AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I'M GOING TO BE ASKING THE CITY TO CREATE A NEW SET OF SIGNS FOR US.
SOME OF THEM ARE OVERHEAD, SOME OF THEM ARE ON THE SIDE, BUT WE'RE LOOKING A LITTLE WORN THERE.
JUST ON A SIDE, SO WE HAVE SEEN A ROAD RAGE INCIDENT THAT IS VERY DEVASTATING IN THE COMMUNITY, AND WE HATE TO SEE THAT.
AND HAVING BEEN ON THE TPO FOR MANY YEARS AND SEEING WHAT A PROBLEM ROAD RAGE IS, AT LEAST IN THE REGION, I JUST CAN'T SAY ENOUGH FOR FOLKS TO TRY TO PLEASE BE PATIENT WITH ONE ANOTHER, BE KIND WITH ONE ANOTHER WHEN YOU'RE IN THE CAR.
IT'S A DANGEROUS THING TO CUT PEOPLE OFF, TO SHOOT BIRDS, TO DO ALL THOSE THINGS.
JUST PLEASE TAKE A BREATH, CALM DOWN, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GET DOWNTOWN AND ON EITHER SIDE OF THE BRIDGE OF LIONS, BECAUSE I HAVE PERSONALLY NOTICED SOME REAL SCARY STUFF GOING ON.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, BUT LET'S ALL PLEASE JUST...
TRY TO COUNT TO 10 OR WHATEVER IT IS.
SOMETIMES THERE'S KIDS IN THE CAR.
YOU KNOW, WE ALL, WE'RE MOMS, WE'RE SISTERS, WE'RE BROTHERS.
THESE ARE YOUR GRANDMAS AND THEY'RE REAL PEOPLE IN THE CARS.
SO PLEASE TRY TO JUST CHILL OUT A LITTLE BIT.
YOU'LL GET WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
IT MIGHT TAKE A LITTLE BIT, TINY BIT LONGER, BUT THAT'S WHAT DO WE HAVE THAT WE'RE ALL ON VACATION AND WE'RE JUST TAKING OUR TIME, RIGHT? AND BESIDES, THE BRIDGE OF LIONS, YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE, I GUESS IT'S STILL THINGS.
WE ALL KIND OF SET OUR CLOCKS ACCORDING TO THE UPS AND DOWNS OF THE BRIDGE.
AND IF THE BRIDGE IS UP AND YOU DON'T MAKE IT ON TIME, YOU HAVE, IT IS WHAT IT IS.
CAN I TELL YOU ABOUT A FUNNY BUMPER STICKER I SAW THE OTHER DAY? I'D LOVE TO HEAR IT.
OKAY, THIS ONE SAYS, I'M NOT SPEEDING BECAUSE I LEFT ON TIME.
CAN I JUST ADD ONE MORE THING? JIM BROUGHT UP BRIEFLY COUNTRY CARRIAGE, AND I KNOW THEY WERE HERE, AND I KNOW THAT RIGHT NOW THEY'RE BEING ASKED TO LEAVE OUT IN 30 DAYS, AND I JUST THINK THAT'S NOT ENOUGH TIME FOR SOMEBODY TO PACK UP 20 YEARS OF BEING ON A PROPERTY TO MOVE OUT, AND I WANTED TO KNOW IF WE COULD INCREASE THEIR EXIT TIME.
I KNOW THAT THEY WERE LATE WITH THEIR RENT BECAUSE I TOOK A MEETING WITH THEM, BUT THEY DID COME IN AND PAY AND THEY WERE TOLD IT WAS GOING TO BE RETURNED TO THEM.
SO, AGAIN, JUST A REGULAR HOUSE TAKES FOREVER TO MOVE, IF ANY OF YOU HAVE EVER MOVED.
BUT I JUST THINK THAT 30 DAYS, I MEAN, THEY ALREADY KNOW THAT THEY GOT TO BE OUT OF THERE BY SEPTEMBER 30TH BECAUSE THAT WAS WHAT WE ORIGINALLY SAID.
AND THEN THERE WAS A DELAY ON THEIR RENT AND NOW THEY'RE TOLD IN 30 DAYS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW ANYBODY COULD PACK UP, FIND A LOCATION FOR HORSES AND THEIR PROPERTY IN A 30-DAY WINDOW.
SO I'M ASKING THE CITY MANAGER, THE COMMISSION, CAN WE GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME THAN 30 DAYS?
[02:00:03]
YEAH, IS THERE A PROVISION FOR THAT? WELL IT'S MORE THAN JUST BEING LAID ON THEIR RENT, SO THERE'S MORE TO IT THAN WHAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED.WE DID GIVE THEM 30 DAYS TO LEAVE OUR PROPERTY.
WE'D BE HAPPY TO ALLOW THEM TO COME BACK AFTER 30 DAYS IF WE WERE THERE AND HAD A PRESENCE WHILE THEY WERE THERE IF THEY NEEDED TO REMOVE LAST MINUTE THINGS.
SO WE'RE NOT TALKING, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THEM REMOVING TACK AND REMOVING THE VEHICLES THAT ARE THERE AND THE HORSES.
BUT THE COMMUNITY DOES DESERVE TO HAVE THE RESPECT THAT WHEN WE MAKE A DECISION, WE EXPECT PEOPLE TO HONOR THAT DECISION.
AND WITHOUT GETTING INTO DETAIL, I'D BE HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE DETAILS IN PRIVATE.
WE CAN INGRAIN A LITTLE FLEXIBILITY, BUT I DON'T WANT TO GIVE THEM TOO MUCH TIME.
WHAT KIND OF FLEXIBILITY? WHAT WOULD YOU CONSIDER FAIR, FLEXIBLE, ADDITIONAL TIME? THE FIRST THING I WANT TO DO IS CHECK WITH OUR ATTORNEYS BECAUSE WE PUT A DOCUMENT IN WRITING THAT PUT THEM ON NOTICE THAT THEY HAD DEFAULTED ON OBLIGATIONS THEY HAD AGREED TO LAST SUMMER, AND MORE THAN ONE.
THE RESULT OF THAT IS THE PENALTY, WHICH THEY AGREED TO, IN THOSE OBLIGATIONS.
AND THAT WAS BECAUSE, AND THAT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COUNTRY CARRIAGES INCORPORATED.
COUNTRY CARRIAGES INCORPORATED FAILED TO LIVE UP TO THEIR OBLIGATIONS, AND THEY DEFAULTED.
THAT WAS A BUSINESS DECISION THEY MADE.
SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THEM ANOTHER 15 DAYS AND MAKE IT 45 DAYS, THAT'S FINE.
WHAT WE'RE REALLY DOING IS WE'RE BUMPING UP AGAINST SEPTEMBER 1ST? THEY HAVE UNTIL JUNE 5TH TO VACATE OUR PROPERTY.
JUNE 5TH TO VACATE? THEY NO LONGER HAVE A FRANCHISE WITH THE CITY TO OPERATE A HORSE CARRIAGE FRANCHISE.
THEY WERE GIVEN 30 DAYS TO VACATE THE PROPERTY BECAUSE WITHOUT A FRANCHISE, THEY ARE NO LONGER ELIGIBLE TO LEASE THE STABLES FROM US.
GOTCHA. OKAY. MY COMMENT WOULD BE, I THINK HE ALREADY OFFERED AN ALTERNATIVE, AND THAT IS GIVE THEM 30 DAYS, AND IF THEY HAVE TO COME BACK IN, THEY JUST DO IT SUPERVISED.
YES. AND THAT WOULD BE TRUE FOR ANYBODY WHO WANTED TO COME ON OUR PROPERTY WHEN THEY WERE NOT REALLY ALLOWED TO COME.
THEY COULD ASK PERMISSION AND THEN GET ESCORTED IN. SO I DON'T THINK THAT'S UNREASONABLE RIGHT NOW. AND THAT'S REALLY AT YOUR DISCRETION. CORRECT.
YES. WE DON'T REALLY NEED TO INTERVENE HERE. I MEAN, WE WOULD MAKE THE SAME PROVISIONS FOR ANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT WERE LEASING PROPERTY FROM THE CITY WHO NO LONGER HAD A LEASE BUT NEEDED TO GET FURNITURE OR EQUIPMENT OUT OF OUR PROPERTY. RIGHT, AND I RECALL BEING IN THAT POSITION MYSELF NOT TOO LONG AGO WITH MIDDLETON, MY MOTHER'S HOME, WHEN IT WAS VACATED AND THE CITY TO SELL IT. I KNOW THAT YOU GRANTED ME A FEW DAYS. AN EXTENSION. YES, OF GRACE TO GET ALL THE POSSESSIONS OUT AND THAT SORT OF THING.
AND THAT'S REALLY ALL THAT'S BEING ASKED, RIGHT? YEAH, I THINK. YEAH, I JUST, IF YOU DON'T MIND, A LOT OF THE CRITICISM THAT WE'VE RECEIVED AS A BOARD OVER THE PAST YEAR PLUS ABOUT THE HORSE AND CARRIAGE INDUSTRY HAS BEEN ABOUT NOT ENFORCING OUR OWN RULES. AND SO I HAVE A HEART, BUT THERE HAS BEEN MULTIPLE NOTIFICATIONS, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, OVER. QUITE A PERIOD OF TIME.
AND I THINK IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT STAFF IS PAYING CLOSER ATTENTION. WE'RE PAYING CLOSER ATTENTION. THE WELFARE OF THE ANIMALS IS BEING SCRUTINIZED.
AND I THINK THOSE ARE GOOD THINGS. BUT ALL OF THAT RESTS ON BEING ABLE TO ENFORCE WHAT RULES WE HAVE. I THINK WE AGREE ON THAT. IT'S JUST A DIFFICULT SITUATION. SO I THINK WOULD BE WOULD IT BE OKAY IF WE JUST LEFT IT WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND AFTER THE 30 DAYS IS OVER AND THEY ARE NOT COMPLETELY OUT? WORK WITH HIM TO GET TO THAT PLACE POST HASTE. I THINK I THINK WHAT HE OFFERED WAS 15 DAYS. DID YOU HAVE A TIME THAT
[02:05:01]
YOU HAD SPECIFIC TO THAT? YOU'RE KIND OF CATCHING ME HERE. YEAH.OKAY. I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT. WE'D RATHER YOU'RE RIGHT. YOU'RE RIGHT. LET HIM THINK ABOUT IT. IT IS WE KNOW NOBODY LIKES TO BE BLIND BLINDSIDED. BUT I THINK THAT I THINK YOU KNOW HOW WE ALL FEEL HERE ABOUT. WE WILL EXTEND THE SAME COURTESY THAT WE EXTEND TO ALL OUR LEASEHOLDERS WHEN THEY'RE LEAVING THEIR PROPERTY. I THINK THAT'S VERY FAIR. OKAY. ARE YOU WITH THAT? GREAT. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT'S BEEN A GREAT MEETING, AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.