[1. CALL TO ORDER ] [00:00:05] ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING. THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COMMISSION IS CALLED TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. NANCY SIKES-KLINE. HERE. BARBARA BLONDER. HERE. CYNTHIA GARRIS. HERE. JIM SPRINGFIELD. JOHN DEPRETER. HERE. ALL RIGHT, GREAT. THANK YOU. JIM IS HAVING A MUCH NEEDED VACATION, SO WE WILL NOT SEE HIM TONIGHT. WITH THAT SAID, WE WILL NOW HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY VICE MAYOR BARBARA BLONDER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. PLEASE STAND IF YOU ARE ABLE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. [2. ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS] ALL RIGHT, FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS MODIFICATION AND APPROVAL OF REGULAR AGENDA. ARE THERE ANY MODIFICATIONS, MR. CITY MANAGER? NO, THERE ARE NO MODIFICATIONS, MAYOR. OKAY, COMMISSIONERS, ANY MODIFICATIONS TO THE REGULAR AGENDA? ALL RIGHT. I MOVE THAT WE PASS THE IRREGULAR AGENDA AS PRESENTED. SECOND. THE MOTION IS SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. TONIGHT WE DO NOT HAVE ANY SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, RECOGNITIONS OR PROCLAMATIONS, SO WE WILL MOVE STRAIGHT [4. PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS OR FOR AGENDA ITEMS NOT REQUIRING A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING ] INTO PUBLIC COMMENT. COMMENT. AND I DO HAVE A NUMBER OF SPEAKER CARDS, SO I'LL CALL TWO NAMES AT A TIME SO THAT THE SECOND NAME COULD BE PREPARING TO COME TO THE PODIUM SO WE CAN EXPEDITE. 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 WILL 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 SPEAK. COMMISSIONERS. COMMISSIONERS WILL NOT ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM SPEAKERS. NO PERSON MAY ADDRESS THE COMMISSION WITH PERSONAL AND PROPER OR SLANDEROUS REMARKS OR WITH BOISTEROUS BEHAVIOR. MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE WILL REFRAIN FROM ANY CLAPPING OR DISRUPTIVE DEMONSTRATIONS OF APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF ANY COMMENTS. FINALLY, I WOULD ASK THAT ANY SPEAKER WHO USES THE OVERHEAD PROJECTOR TO PLEASE SUBMIT THOSE ITEMS TO THE CITY CLERK TO BE ENTERED INTO THE PUBLIC RECORD. FIRST SPEAKER IS KELSEY MAY, FOLLOWED BY RUBY RALEY. GOOD EVENING, KELSEY MAY. NINE COURT THEOPHILIA. I'M JUST UP HERE TO GIVE MY SUPPORT FOR THE CHANGES FOR A UNANIMOUS VOTE FOR ANY CHANGES TO CONSERVATION LAND. SO IF CHANGES NEED TO HAPPEN TO CONSERVATION LANDS, I AM SUPPORTING A UNANIMOUS VOTE FROM THE COMMISSION. THE REASON I SUPPORT THAT IS CONSERVATION LANDS ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. ONE BENEFIT THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED OVER THE PAST YEAR IS THE CONSERVATION OF THE 3 ACRE MARSH THAT WAS PURCHASED BY THE CITY IN FULLERWOOD. THIS LAND IS. IT'S SO WONDERFUL FOR COOLING DOWN PETS IN THE SUMMERTIME. IT'S BEEN A SOURCE OF BONDING FOR NEIGHBORS. WE GET TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT WILDLIFE THAT WE SEE. IT'S JUST GOOD FOR MENTAL HEALTH. AND DEFINITELY SUPPORT A UNANIMOUS VOTE FOR ANY CHANGE TO CONSERVATION LANDS. THERE ARE SO MANY CLEAR CUTTING AREAS THAT I'VE SEEN OVER THE PAST MONTH AND IT'S DISHEARTENING TO SEE THAT HAPPEN. OBVIOUSLY [00:05:03] IT'S OUTSIDE OF THE CITY BOUNDARIES, BUT IF WE CAN KEEP AS MUCH LAND AS POSSIBLE CONSERVED FOR JUST CONSERVING FOR NATURE FOR CITIZENS TO ENJOY, I DEFINITELY SUPPORT A UNANIMOUS VOTE FOR ANY CHANGE TO CONSERVATION LANDS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS RUBY RALEY, FOLLOWED BY CLAUDIA COSTELLO. HELLO, MY NAME IS RUBY RALEY. I LIVE AT 26 BEACON STREET. I THINK YOU NEED THAT FOR THE RECORD. I ALSO AM HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE FIRST READING AMENDMENT FOR UNANIMOUS VOTE FOR CONSERVATION. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITIES. NOT JUST MINE, WHICH IS FULLER WOOD, BUT ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN ST. AUGUSTINE CARE A LOT ABOUT TREES CONSERVATION. AND WE ARE DEEPLY BLESSED BY HAVING A VARIETY OF WILDLIFE. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE OFTEN FORGET IS THAT CONSERVATION LAND IS ABSORBING FLOODWATERS. WE'RE A CITY THAT IS DEALING MORE AND MORE WITH FLOODWATERS. OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WAS DEEPLY IMPACTED IN MATTHEW. WITHOUT A PLACE FOR THE WATER TO DRAIN, MORE AND MORE OF OUR NEIGHBORS, AND MY NEIGHBORS ON MY STREET IN PARTICULAR, WILL BE IMPACTED BY THESE EVENTS. WE KNOW THEY WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND WE THANK GOD THAT THEY HAVEN'T HAPPENED RECENTLY. BUT WE KNOW THEY WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. AND ANYTHING YOU COULD DO, INCLUDING THIS AMENDMENT, TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE AGREES WITH CHANGES ARE SUPER IMPORTANT TO US. AND THE REASON I'M PERSONALLY HERE TONIGHT IS WE'VE SEEN THAT THINGS WE THINK ARE PRESERVED ARE NOT. I WAS THERE FOR THE ANASTASIA PARK. I FEEL STRONGLY THAT KEEPING THINGS AS THEY ARE IS AS IMPORTANT AS GROWING OUR COMMUNITY ECONOMICALLY. SO I WOULD LIKE TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN PROTECT WHAT WE'VE ALL WORKED SO HARD TO PUT ASIDE ALREADY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. EXCUSE ME. CLAUDIA COSTELLO, FOLLOWED BY FREDERICK PEZA. HELLO, MY NAME IS CLAUDIA COSTELLO. I LIVE AT 263 BERMUDEZ WAY, WHICH IS IN THE CORDOVA PALMS COMMUNITY. THIS PUTS ME OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS. I DO WANT TO SHOW. MADAM, COULD YOU PLEASE SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE? OTHERWISE WE CAN'T HEAR YOU. I DO WANT TO SHOW WHY I AM HERE. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE WATER RATES THAT WE ARE BEING CHARGED. THIS IS A USAGE. IF YOU WERE TO USE 7,000 GALLONS OF WATER OUTSIDE OF ST. AUGUSTINE, YOU WOULD PAY $150 A MONTH. IF YOU WERE INSIDE OF ST. AUGUSTINE, YOU WOULD PAY 103. IF YOU WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE PART OF THE ST. JOHN'S COUNTY UTILITY SYSTEM, YOU WOULD PAY $78 A MONTH, ALMOST HALF. AND DUVAL COUNTY, THIS IS INCLUDING THEIR NEW RATES THAT THEY'RE IMPOSING. OR WOULD YOU WOULD BE AT 88. 26. LET'S JUST GO FURTHER. LET'S SAY YOU WERE USING 12,000 GALLONS OF WATER AND SEWER, WHICH IS NOT UNREASONABLE GIVEN THE IRRIGATION NEEDS OF THE GRASS. AND THAT IS OUTSIDE OF ST. AUGUSTINE. 227.97. INSIDE 204. ST. JOHN'S ONLY 155. 39. AND THEN DUVAL COUNTY WOULD BE 139.50. WHY DO OUR RATES COST SO MUCH? WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENS IS THAT WE. EXCUSE ME FOR ONE SECOND. WE CHANGE OUR WATER RATES AT 03,000 GALLONS. OTHER CITIES. SO ST. JOHN'S DOESN'T INCREASE THE NEXT LEVEL OF WATER RATE UNTIL 5,000. DUVAL DOESN'T DO IT UNTIL 4,000. SO I'M KIND OF CONFUSED ABOUT WHY WE NEED TO DO QUITE AS MUCH AS WE DO. AND I SEE. OH, I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT'S NOT SHOWING UP. AND I DO SEE THAT YOU DO PLAN ON INCREASING THE WATER RATES AGAIN FOR NEXT YEAR. THAT IT WOULD BE A 1.5% INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD AND THEN YOU WOULD DO A 5% DEDUCTION, WHICH I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR. FOR OUTSIDE OF ST. AUGUSTINE. I DON'T SEE WHY ANY INCREASE IN WATER RATES IS NECESSARY WHEN WE ARE ALREADY AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF OUR NEIGHBORS. AND I CAN'T UNDERSTAND THAT. WHEN I. LOOK, GO BACK TO YOUR JULY [00:10:01] BUDGET MEETING. I SEE THAT YOU HAVE $1.8 MILLION SURPLUS AND THAT YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT TO YOUR HIGHER RATE, HIGHER RATABLES IN THE CITY AND ALSO YOUR NEW DEVELOPMENT, THAT IS ME. THE TOWNHOUSES UP THE STREET, AND THOSE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW. THAT TOWNHOUSE COMMUNITY IS STILL IN PROPERTY. THANK YOU. FREDERICK PEZA, FOLLOWED BY ROBERT COSTELLO. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. I'M HERE AS THE OWNER OF COASTAL CARRIAGES, WHICH I BELIEVE THERE'S BEEN A MISUNDERSTANDING AS A SUSPENSION AND A FINE FOR DELIVERY OF A NEW HORSE. THE HORSE ARRIVED WITH ALL PROPER DOCUMENTATION, WHICH IS USUALLY TURNED INTO THE CITY AFTER AN INSPECTION, WHICH WAS ALREADY AN APPOINTMENT MADE FOR. HE ARRIVED HERE TO HAVE SHOES PUT ON. AND AFTER A PICTURE PUT UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA, THERE WAS A CALL MADE. SO I GOT THE SUSPENSION. WASN'T AWARE THAT I WAS BREAKING ANY RULES. I HAVE BEEN COMPLIANT WITH ALL ORDINANCES AS WELL AS REGULATIONS SINCE I'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS. ALL MY BILLS ARE UP TO DATE. AND PAID. AND I'M LOOKING FOR YOUR RECONSIDERATION ON THE SUSPENSION AND THE FINE. I'M LOSING MONEY ON A DAILY BASIS. I DO PLENTY OF BOOKED RIDES AND I'M HAVING TO REFUND MONEY ON A DAILY BASIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ROBERT COSTELLO, FOLLOWED BY TAWNY KERN TO THE GENTLEMAN WHO JUST SPOKE AT THE FRONT. I'D BE HAPPY TO MEET WITH YOU AFTER THE MEETING TO GO OVER THE DETAILS OF YOUR SUSPENSION. OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT WOULD BE GREAT. GOOD EVENING. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD EVENING. I'M HERE TO BEAT THE DRUM ABOUT THE WATER RATES, BUT SO AS MY WIFE SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO INCREASE 1.5 AND OUTSIDE ST. AUGUSTINE DECREASED BY 5%, WHICH IS GREAT. HOWEVER, THE THING THAT, THE THING THAT I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT IS WITH THE $1.8 MILLION REVENUE BUDGET INCREASE, RIGHT. THAT YOU'RE GETTING FROM HIGHER RATABLES AND NEW DEVELOPMENT, YOU'RE STILL RAISING OTHER RATES. SO EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT A TAX, AND INDIRECTLY IT IS A TAX. AND SO I THINK THERE'S RAMIFICATIONS FOR THAT. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE POSTS ON THE WEBSITE AROUND WHY PEOPLE SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR NO PROPERTY TAX, BUT YET WHEN THE TOWN COUNCIL DOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS, IT MOTIVATES PEOPLE TO VOTE FOR THE REDUCTION IN PROPERTY TAXES. SO IN SOME WAYS YOU'RE HURTING YOURSELF BY DOING THIS. I THINK YOU HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE WATER RATES AND TRY TO GET THEM LOWER. AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT TO DECREASE THE MILLAGE RATES SINCE YOU CANNOT GO FROM A DECREASE YET TO NOT LOOK TO REDUCE OTHER TAXES, ALSO NOT FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. AND I THINK THAT'S THE MESSAGE YOU'RE GOING TO SEND TO PEOPLE. AND WHEN IT COMES TO NOVEMBER AND YOU DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO VOTE FOR THIS, THEY ARE GOING TO VOTE FOR IT BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL GETTING THEIR TAXES RAISED. EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT CALLED A TAX, FUNDAMENTALLY IT IS A TAX. IT'S ALL I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. TAWNY KERN, FOLLOWED BY GINA BURROW. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS TAWNY KERN AND I LIVE AT 23 ALTHEA STREET AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT AGENDA ITEM 9A1 ORDINANCE 2026-20. AND I'D LIKE TO LEND MY SUPPORT TO THAT. I THINK THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE IS THAT WE NEED MORE CONSERVATION LAND SAVED. AND I THINK THE ROOM WILL BE FULL IF ANYBODY TRIES TO UNDO ANY OF THE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE BEEN PURCHASED FOR CONSERVATION. AND I THINK IT WOULD HURT THE CREDIBILITY OF THE PROGRAM. IF ANY OF THEM DO FALL. SO I LOVE THE IDEA THAT COMMISSIONER BLONDER HAS OF REQUIRING A UNANIMOUS VOTE IN FOR THAT TO HAPPEN. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK HER FOR STANDING UP THE PROGRAM AND I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR AND OUR FELLOW COMMISSIONERS FOR SUPPORTING HER IN STANDING UP THE LAND CONSERVATION PROGRAM. IT'S JUST BEEN SO WONDERFUL AND YOU ALL ARE LEAVING THIS LEGACY FOR OUR FINE CITY. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GINA BURRELL, FOLLOWED BY HEATHER WILSON. HELLO, GINA BURRELL, 27 SEMINOLE DRIVE, ST. AUGUSTINE. I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THAT ORDINANCE 2026-20. I THINK IT'S [00:15:02] A WONDERFUL PROGRAM. I'M SO HAPPY YOU'RE DOING THIS. NOW THE COUNTY'S DOING IT. YOU'VE SET THE EXAMPLE. I LOVE IT. AND HOPEFULLY WHEN WE DON'T PASS THE PROPERTY TAX THING IN NOVEMBER, THEN MAYBE IN A COUPLE YEARS YOU CAN PUT IN MORE MONEY TO SAVE MORE LAND IN ST. AUGUSTINE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE NEED. LIKE KELSEY SAID, IT HELPS WITH THE FLOODING AND I GUESS RUBY DID TOO. SO I'M THANKING YOU'RE DOING THIS AND IT'S GOOD. THAT'S GOING TO BE THE LAND WILL BE IN PERPETUITY. I LIKE THAT WORD. THANKS A LOT. THANK YOU, GINA. NEXT SPEAKER IS HEATHER WILSON, FOLLOWED BY KATHERINE ZOTA. GOOD EVENING. IN MID MAY, COUNTRY CARRIAGES WERE SHUT DOWN AND THREE OF THEIR HORSES WENT TO OTHER COMPANIES. JET WENT TO CB HINSON, CREAM AND DAVE WENT TO COASTAL ALSO. AT THAT TIME, NORMAN WAS MOVED FROM OLD CITY TO LEGACY'S LIST. ADDING TO THE CONFUSION, THE SEPTEMBER 2025 INVENTORY FROM CB HINSON HAD NO NAMES ON THE HORSE PHOTOS. WHEN I INQUIRED, I GOT A RESPONSE WITH STICKY NOTES AT ADDED TO THEM. THE INVENTORY FROM MAY 2026 HAS A PHOTO OF A HORSE WITH A STRIPE WHICH IS A LINE DOWN THE FACE WITH A HANDWRITTEN NAME BOSCO. AND YOU CANNOT EVEN SEE THE FACE OF THE HORSE NAMED ELVIRA. PER THE DRIVERS, ELVIRA HAS THE STRIPE AND BOSCO HAS A SMALL STAR. SO WHO PUT ON THESE STICKY NOTES OR THE HANDWRITTEN NAMES BECAUSE THEY ARE ACTUALLY INCORRECT. IN AN EMAIL FROM JESSIE SABO DATED JUNE 26, CREAM IS NOW WITH CB HINSON. BUT THEN TWO WEEKS LATER, CREAM WAS PULLING CARRIAGES FOR COASTAL ON JULY 11. SO THIS IS EXTREMELY CONFUSING. ON JULY 7, HAPPY OF OLD CITY WAS ADDED TO LEGACY'S LIST AS WELL AS ROSE FROM FORMERLY OF COUNTRY CARRIAGES. THE END OF JULY 2026, ROSE IS NOW ON THE COASTAL LIST AND DAVE IS MISSING. NEXT, UPDATED CITY CODE FOLLOWING THE STRANGLES DEBACLE. SECTION 1475, CARE OF ANIMALS. ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, ANY RECENTLY ACQUIRED HORSE FOR USE IN ANIMAL DRAWN CARRIAGE OPERATION SHALL BE QUARANTINED FOR A MINIMUM PERIOD OF 21 CONSECUTIVE DAYS PRIOR TO BEING PLACED INTO SERVICE OR COMMINGLED WITH OTHER HORSES USED IN CARRIAGE OPERATIONS. THE LAMMERS, ALSO KNOWN AS THE CUSHIONS. ROUND TWO BROUGHT IN A HORSE NAMED RALSTON TO THE TRANSFER STATION. POSTED ON 7-30- YET THE CITY HAS NO REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION OF THIS ANIMAL. THERE IS NO WAY TO EFFECTIVELY ENFORCE YOUR CODES WHEN CARRIAGE COMPANIES ARE ALLOWED TO PLAY MUSICAL HORSES. WE ARE OUT EVERY WEEKEND MONITORING WHO'S DRIVING WHO AND WE CAN BARELY KEEP TRACK. THERE'S NO WAY TO MONITOR WORKING HOURS, MANDATORY TURNOUT OR QUARANTINE WHEN HORSES ARE BOUNCING AROUND FROM COMPANY TO COMPANY. THE CITY HAS NO IDEA WHERE THESE ANIMALS ARE STABLED AND WHAT OTHER HORSES THEY ARE COMING INTO CONTACT WITH. THERE IS NO BIOSECURITY WHEN STANDARD BASIC QUARANTINE PROTOCOLS ARE BLATANTLY IGNORED. A RANDOM UNDOCUMENTED HORSE FROM OUT OF STATE APPEARING AT YOUR TRANSFER STATION IS GROUNDS FOR TERMINATION OF THE COASTAL CARRIAGES FRANCHISE. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING. CATHERINE SODA FOLLOWED BY NANCY MURPHY. I'M KATHRYN ZOTA. AFTER YEARS OF ANIMAL WELFARE FAILURES, ST. AUGUSTINE IS STILL FINDING NEW WAYS TO ACCOMMODATE ITS HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGE INDUSTRY. THE CITY SHOULD BE MOVING TOWARD ENDING THE HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGES, NOT FINDING NEW WAYS TO KEEP THIS CONTROVERSIAL INDUSTRY GOING. THE CITY TOUTS ITS LONG AWAITED CODE REVISIONS AS AN IMPROVEMENT IN ANIMAL WELFARE. THE REALITY IS THIS INDUSTRY HAS REPEATEDLY FAILED THESE ANIMALS AND CONTINUES TO DO SO. TODAY, HORSES CAN BE SWAPPED BETWEEN COMPANIES, LEAVING THEM VULNERABLE TO OVERWORK AND ABUSE. THEY CAN ENTER SERVICE WITHOUT PRIOR CITY VERIFICATION THAT THEY ARE HEALTHY AND FREE OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE. DESPITE PAST FAILURES INVOLVING MISSING [00:20:03] RECORDS AND QUARANTINE, WHY WOULD THE CITY NOT REQUIRE ALL RECORDS TO BE AUTOMATICALLY SENT TO THE CITY AFTER SUCH A DISASTER RESULTED IN THE DEATH OF ST. AUGUSTINE CARRIAGE HORSES? ADDITIONALLY, HORSES CAN DISAPPEAR FROM THE SYSTEM WITHOUT EXPLANATION, LEAVING THEM VULNERABLE TO SLAUGHTER. AFTER YEARS OF SERVING THIS COMMUNITY, THE ST. AUGUSTINE CARRIAGE HORSES DESERVE MUCH BETTER THAN THIS. AND NOW THE CITY HAS REVERSED ITS LONG STANDING PROHIBITION OF ON OVERNIGHT STABLING AT THE TRANSFER STATION, ALLOWING IT AT THE CITY'S DISCRETION WITH NO PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY ABOUT WHAT JUSTIFIED THAT REVERSAL. THIS SITE HAS A HISTORY OF SERIOUS VIOLATIONS AND ANIMAL WELFARE CONCERNS, FROM UNAUTHORIZED OVERNIGHT STABLING TO HORSES BEING LEFT THERE FOR DAYS DURING A HURRICANE. GIVEN THIS INDUSTRY'S GREATER ACCESS DESPITE THESE PAST FAILURES AND DESPITE THE COLLAPSE OF THE CITY STABLE JUST DOWN THE ROAD IS INDEFENSIBLE. MULTIPLE HORSES DIED AT THE FIRST CITY STABLE. THE FACILITY WAS QUARANTINED. THE CARRIAGE COMPANY WAS ULTIMATELY SHUT DOWN AND THE PROPERTY WAS LEFT DEGRADED AND IN DISREPAIR AFTER YEARS OF NEGLECT. IS THE CITY'S TRANSFER STATION ABOUT TO BECOME THE NEXT CARRIAGE HORSE STABLE DEBACLE? JESUS CHRIST. WITH THE CITY EXPANDING ACCESS AT THE TRANSFER STATION, IT HAS OPENED THE DOOR TO ANOTHER CALAMITY. THIS IS PUBLIC LAND. IT SHOULD SERVE THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. NOT BE USED TO SUPPORT A PRIVATE HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGE BUSINESS THAT IS HIGHLY CONTROVERSIAL. NOT FORGET HOW QUICKLY VIOLATIONS CAN SPIRAL OUT OF CONTROL. LET'S NOT FORGET THE ABUSE THAT TOOK PLACE AT THE CITY STABLE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NANCY MURPHY IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY ELIZABETH BROWN. HI, NANCY MURPHY, DOWNTOWN ST. AUGUSTINE. I'M GRATEFUL TO BE HERE TO REMIND THOSE WHO MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN FOR A MINUTE THAT WE ARE IN THE SPACE OF A COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY. A COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY THAT WAS ESTABLISHED ALMOST 14 YEARS AGO, MAKING ST. AUGUSTINE THE FIRST COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND THE 20TH IN THE WORLD. I'D LIKE TO READ AN EXCERPT FROM THE CHARTER FOR COMPASSION REMINDING US THAT THE PRINCIPLE OF COMPASSION LIES AT THE HEART OF ALL RELIGIOUS, ETHICAL AND SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS. CALLING US ALWAYS TO TREAT ALL OTHERS WITH ABSOLUTE DIGNITY AND AND RESPECT. COMPASSION IMPELS US TO WORK TIRELESSLY TO ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERING OF OTHERS. TO REMOVE OURSELVES FROM THE CENTER OF OUR UNIVERSE AND TO PUT ANOTHER THERE. AND TO HONOR THE INVIOLABLE SANCTITY OF EVERY SINGLE HUMAN BEING, TREATING EVERYBODY, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, WITH ABSOLUTE DIGNITY AND RESPECT. WE URGENTLY NEED TO MAKE COMPASSION A CLEAR, LUMINOUS AND DYNAMIC FORCE IN OUR POLARIZED WORLD. ROOTED IN A PRINCIPLED DETERMINATION TO TRANSCEND SELFISHNESS, COMPASSION CAN BREAK DOWN POLITICAL, DOGMATIC, IDEOLOGICAL AND RELIGIOUS BOUNDARIES. BORN OF OUR DEEP INTERDEPENDENCE, COMPASSION IS ESSENTIAL TO HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS AND TO A FULFILLED HUMANITY. IT IS THE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT AND INDISPENSABLE TO THE CREATION OF A JUST ECONOMY AND A PEACEFUL GLOBAL COMMUNITY. THIS CHARTER FOR COMPASSION WAS FIRST PROCLAIMED IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND IN NOVEMBER OF 2009. THE COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITIES MOVEMENT BEGAN IN 2011 IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON. WE'LL BE CELEBRATING OUR 14TH YEAR AS A COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY. AND WE HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE MOST ACTIVELY ENGAGED COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITIES OF THE NOW OVER 06,000 COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITIES [00:25:01] IN THE WORLD. SO AS A PART OF THE ANNUAL CELEBRATION WHICH WILL BE HELD IN SEATTLE THIS YEAR, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE VERY FIRST COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY WAS INTENTIONALLY FORMED. OUR PURPLE BENCH INITIATIVE WILL BE ONE OF THE FEATURED HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GALA SO THAT PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD WILL GET TO WITNESS JUST ONE OF THE SEVERAL MEANINGFUL INITIATIVES THAT BEGAN RIGHT HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY THROUGH YOUR SUPPORT. SO I HAVE A VISION FOR A BETTER FUTURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YEAH, THAT'S VERY GOOD NEWS. THANK YOU. ELIZABETH BROWN, FOLLOWED BY PATRICIA RAMOS. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS ELIZABETH BROWN AND I AM A RESIDENT OF 45 PENSON PLACE IN CORDOVA PALM COMMUNITY OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS. I AM HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I, LIKE MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS, HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT OUR WATER BILL. TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE, I LIVE IN A SINGLE FAMILY HOME BY MYSELF. OCCASIONALLY MY SON IS HOME, BUT HE WILL BE LEAVING FOR COLLEGE NEXT YEAR. DESPITE HAVING ONLY ONE FULL TIME RESIDENT IN MY HOME. MY MONTHLY WATER BILL RANGES FROM $250 TO $300 WHEN I WATER MY LAWN ON DESIGNATED WATER DAYS. THAT'S ONLY FOR ABOUT 10 TO 15 MINUTES PER ZONE. I HAVE FOUR ZONES AND I WATER THREE TIMES A WEEK TO KEEP THE HOA NOISE DOWN FROM THE DEAD GRASS. RIGHT. FORTUNATELY, WE HAVE HAD PLENTY OF RAIN OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS, SO I'VE HAD TO WATER LESS. YET MY WATER BILL HAS STILL EXCEEDED $200 EACH MONTH. I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHY THESE BILLS ARE SO HIGH AND WHAT CAN BE DONE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. IT IS DIFFICULT TO JUSTIFY PAYING A WATER BILL THAT IS HIGHER THAN MY CAR INSURANCE. I RESPECTFULLY ASKED THE COUNCIL TO INVESTIGATE THESE RISING COSTS AND HELP IDENTIFY A FAIR SOLUTION FOR THE RESIDENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. PATRICIA RAMOS, FOLLOWED BY LAUREN WISE. GOOD EVENING, MY NAME IS PATRICIA. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK UP FOR THE HORSES. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF HAVING MUNICIPAL CODES OR AMENDING THEM IF YOU STILL ALLOW THE HORSES AND THE PUBLIC TO BE IN DANGER? CASE IN POINT, AN UNKNOWN HORSE, NOT OF THE INDUSTRY WAS BROUGHT INTO THE CITY'S TRANSFER STATION. IF NO NEW FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE, IT NOT ONLY MEANS THAT THESE FRANCHISEES ARE OPERATING UNDER OLD AGREEMENTS, BUT NOW THE TRANSFER STATION IS BEING USED AS A FREE FOR ALL. IT SHOULD BE CLOSED UNTIL EVERYTHING IS UPDATED OCTOBER 1ST. IT SEEMS THE CITY AND THE LAMMERS DIDN'T LEARN FROM THE FIRST ROUND OF DEAD HORSES IN DECEMBER TO FEBRUARY DUE TO INCOMPETENCE OF QUARANTINE WITH ILLEGAL HORSES AND LACK OF COGGINS TESTS. THIS HORSE, RALSTON, WAS AT YOUR TRANSFER STATION. HOW WOULD YOU KNOW IF IT WAS? IF IT WASN'T FOR US THAT THIS HORSE WAS THERE? HOW DO YOU KNOW IF THIS HORSE IS FREE FROM ANY CONTAGIOUS DISEASES? IF HE DID HAVE STRANGLES, HE HAS NOW CONTAMINATED THE ENTIRE TRANSFER STATION, EQUIPMENT INCLUDED. AND YOU WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT IT UNTIL ANOTHER HORSE WENT DOWN. THIS IS BARBARIC AND POORLY HANDLED. ONCE AGAIN, WE ALSO FIND IT SUSPICIOUS THAT RIGHT AFTER I SENT THE EMAIL OF THE ILLEGAL HORSE, THE POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA MADE BY CHRISTINA LAMMERS OF COASTAL CARRIAGES ON JULY 30TH WAS SUDDENLY TAKEN DOWN THE NEXT DAY ON JULY 31ST AFTER MY EMAIL. YET I HAD NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE TO MY JULY 30TH PUBLIC REQUEST ON THIS HORSE UNTIL I ASKED FOR IT A SECOND TIME ON JULY 31. IT STATES THAT THERE WAS NO NEW CHANGES OR ADDITIONS TO HORSE INVENTORIES. AS MENTIONED IN AN UNANSWERED EMAIL, WE REQUESTED A FACE TO FACE MEETING WITH COMMISSIONERS, MAYOR AND RELEVANT CITY OFFICIALS. DUE TO THE OBVIOUS CONFLICT OF INTEREST INVOLVING CITY CLERK AND OUR SERIOUS CONCERNS REGARDING THE CITY'S IMPARTIALITY, INFORMATION IS BEING DELAYED DELIBERATELY. I ALSO SPECIFICALLY AND CLEARLY ASKED JULY 30 FOR ANY UPDATED OR NEW HORSE INVENTORY. SADLY, MUSICAL HORSES IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WHICH ALSO POSES A THREAT. A HORSE NAMED PAPPY HAD BEEN ADDED TO LEGACY AND JULY 7TH. HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT UNTIL THIS AFTERNOON THAT WE FINALLY RECEIVED THIS INFORMATION, DESPITE OUR PREVIOUS REQUEST THAT THE INFORMATION BE PROVIDED IN A DIFFERENT FORMAT. THIS UNNECESSARY DELAY COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED ONCE INFORMATION FROM MY JULY 30 REQUEST WAS FINALLY OBTAINED ON AUGUST 4. RALSTON, THE TRAFFICKED HORSE WAS SOLD TO FRED PEZA OF CORRUPT COASTAL CARRIAGES ON JULY 31, A DAY AFTER CHRISTINA JULY'S 30TH POST OFF THE ILLEGAL HORSE RALSTON AT YOUR TRANSFER STATION. NOTICE. THE BILL OF SALE WAS CREATED AUG. 4, THE SAME DAY THE CITY CLERK DECIDED TO ANSWER THE OBVIOUS RED FLAG BROUGHT UP BY MY EMAIL ON JULY 30TH. FYI, ANOTHER VIOLATION. [00:30:01] AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE BILL THAT IT SAYS THE HORSE HAD BEEN QUARANTINED 14 DAYS. MUNICIPAL CODE SAYS 21. ONCE AGAIN, AN ENABLED CARELESS ACTION OF A TRAFFICKED HORSE ONTO CITY LEASED PROPERTY. THAT ALONE SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT GROUNDS TO NOT ONLY REVOKE THE EXISTING FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH THE CORRUPT COASTAL CARRIAGES, BUT ALSO DENY ANY FUTURE AGREEMENT AND DEFINITE ANY AND ALL EXISTING EMPLOYEES, ESPECIALLY THE ACCOMPLICES PRESENT WITH RAULSTON AT THE TRANSFER STATION FIRED. GET RID OF THIS BARBARIC, CRUEL, DISHONORABLE, INCOMPETENT INDUSTRY. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO WARN YOU ABOUT YOUR I KNOW THAT YOU COME TO EVERY MEETING, BUT I'M GOING TO HAVE TO WARN YOU ABOUT YOUR SPEAK SPEECH NEXT TIME. OUR RULES PROHIBIT SLANDERS AND IMPROPER COMMENTS REGARDING OTHERS AND I'M GOING TO NEXT TIME, IF YOU DO THAT, I WILL GOBBLE YOU. THANK YOU, LAUREN WISE, FOLLOWED BY EMILY BELL. I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT SO YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO HEAR SOMETHING I'M GOING TO SHOW. OKAY, SURE. IF YOU COULD GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. MY NAME IS LAUREN WISE. I LIVE OFF. MY NAME IS LAUREN WISE. I LIVE OFF OF KING STREET IN ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. OKAY, UNDERSTOOD. SO YOU GUYS HAVE MOVED THEM TO THE TIGHTEST AREA. SO JUST SHOWING HOW TIGHT THIS IS RIGHT HERE. HE'S GOING TO GIVE HIM WATER WHEN HE WANTS TO. NOW THIS MAN'S LEAVING, TAKING OVER 10FT AWAY, BROKEN TAILLIGHT, CONSTANT LOUD NOISE. YOU CAN SEE HIS EARS ARE BACK. HE ACTUALLY GETS CONCERNED. WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY GET HIM SPOOKED, BUT HE WAS JUMPING. HORSES ARE NOW JUST CONSTANTLY RIGHT THERE. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THIS. SO HERE I GO. HAVING A HANDLER TELL ME HE WILL GIVE A HORSE WATER WHEN HE WANTS TO DO SO IS DISGRACEFUL. THESE ARE THE TYPE OF PEOPLE YOU HAVE REPRESENTING OUR CITY. HOW EMBARRASSING AND SHAMEFUL. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU SOME GRACE AND SAY THAT THIS COUNCIL IS CARELESS INSTEAD OF INCOMPETENT. BECAUSE WHOEVER'S IDEA IT WAS TO MOVE THE HORSES INTO THE TIGHTEST, BUSIEST AREA IN DOWNTOWN ST. AUGUSTINE IS REALLY NEEDING SOME TRAINING AND EDUCATION ON THE WELFARE OF HUMANS AND HORSES. OUR CURRENT ORDINANCES ARE ALARMING. FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE THE LADIES HAVE SAID, WHY DO YOU NOT CARE WHERE THE HORSES ARE COMING FROM? WHERE ARE THEY EVEN STABLED? DID YOU NOT LEARN FROM ANYTHING FROM THE FIVE RECENT DEATHS HERE IN ST. AUGUSTINE? AND HOW DO YOU THINK IT'S HUMANE FOR HORSES THAT HAVE RACED HUNDREDS, HUNDREDS, OVER 200 OR 300 RACES TO BE DISCARDED AND SOLD TO SLAVE HEAVY LOADS OF PEOPLE INSTEAD INSIDE OF OUR CITY INSTEAD OF BEING RETIRED? THE CITY CAN'T EVEN KEEP UP WITH INVENTORY AS THE LADIES HAVE ALREADY SHOWN YOU. HOW ARE YOU ENSURING ANY SAFETY FOR THE HORSES AND THE PUBLIC? THESE HORSES ARE BEING TOUCHED SO MANY TIMES IN THIS NEW AREA. I'VE BEEN OUT FIVE TIMES IN THE LAST SIX DAYS. IT LOOKS LIKE A PETTING ZOO. THEY LITERALLY CAN'T EVEN SEE WHO'S COMING UP. WHILE THEY'RE ALSO JUST BEING COMPLETELY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH BITS IN THEIR MOUTH AND BLINDERS RESTRICTING ALL OF THEIR VISION. BESIDES JUST STRAIGHTFORWARD, WHILE THEY'RE LITERALLY GETTING PET ON THE SIDE, THEY'RE SURROUNDED BY CARS, EXHAUST, SIRENS, CROWDS DURING AND ALSO ENDURING THE FLORIDA'S EXTREME HEAT. I STAYED OUT THERE PAST 10. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I COULDN'T EVEN BELIEVE THE AMOUNT OF DRUNK PEOPLE THAT CAME UP. IT WAS DISGUSTING. THEY CANNOT SIMPLY DECIDE THAT THEY ARE TIRED AND STOP. THEY CANNOT CHOOSE TO WALK INTO THE SHADE WHEN THEY ARE OVERHEATED. THEY CANNOT LOWER THEIR HEADS TO TO GRAZE WHEN THEY ARE HUNGRY OR WALK OVER TO WATER WHENEVER THEY WANT. I HAVE LITERALLY SEEN A HORSE STARTING TO GRAZE ON THE STREET WITH THE WEEDS THAT ARE GROWING, THEIR MOVEMENT, THEIR PACE AND THEIR WORKING HOURS AND THEIR ACCESS TO REST ARE CONTROLLED BY THE PEOPLE PROFITING FROM THEIR FORCED LABOR. HOW IS THIS NOT SLAVERY OF AN ANIMAL IN ALL OF YOUR EYES? AND WHEN A HORSE IS VISIBLY SHOWING BEHAVIOR THAT INDICATES DISCOMFORT, LIKE THE HORSES I HAVE WITNESSED REPEATEDLY THRASHING THEIR HEADS AROUND, HOW ARE WE NOT TAKING THEM OFF VERY MUCH? CHRISTINE LAMMER, CHRISTINA LAMMERS, FOLLOWED BY ME. OH, CHRISTINA LAMMERS FOLLOWED BY EMILY BELL. DID I GET THAT BACKWARDS? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SORRY, I HAD THE WRONG CARD IN MY HAND. I READ, BUT YOU'RE UP NEXT. SORRY, I JUST. I RAN FROM THE PARKING LOT TO GET HERE ON TIME. I'M CHRISTINA LAMMERS AND I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT COASTAL CARRIAGES. SORRY, MY PHONE JUST [00:35:01] DIED, SO. I'VE BEEN A DEDICATED CARRIAGE DRIVER HERE IN ST. AUGUSTINE, AND SHARING THE RICH HISTORY OF OUR CITY ALONGSIDE MY HUSBAND AND MY EQUINE PARTNER, ROSE HAS BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY CAREER. BEST JOB I'VE EVER HAD. AS A LIFELONG HORSE OWNER, THE BOND I SHARE WITH ROSE IS TRULY EXTRAORDINARY. WHEN COUNTRY CARRIAGES CLOSED, OUR FAMILY LOST NOT JUST OUR JOBS THAT WE LOVED, BUT OUR ENTIRE LIVELIHOODS. AND SUDDENLY, THE FINANCIAL STRAIN MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SUPPORT OUR FAMILY AND CARE FOR OUR HORSES THAT WE HAD AT HOME. INCLUDING ONE HORSE I'VE HAD FOR 22 YEARS, A RETIRED CARRIAGE HORSE AND A BLM MUSTANG. AND THE THOUGHT OF HAVING TO REHOME THEM IS DEVASTATING. FORTUNATELY, FRED PEZA GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN TO WORK AT COASTAL CARRIAGES, ALLOWING US TO REGAIN OUR FINANCIAL STABILITY AND CONTINUE TO CARE FOR OUR ANIMALS PROPERLY. UNFORTUNATELY, THE STABILITY WAS SHORT LIVED DUE TO A RECENT 30 DAY SUSPENSION THAT WAS APPLIED FOR. BRINGING A HORSE TO THE CITY BARN TO SEE A FARRIER WHO DOES NOT TRAVEL TO PRIVATE PROPERTY. THE HORSE HAD ALREADY COMPLETED A 14 DAY QUARANTINE PRIOR TO ARRIVAL. AND UNDER PREVIOUS STANDARDS, THERE WAS NO QUARANTINE REQUIREMENT AT ALL. AND IT WAS OUR UNDERSTANDING IF WE DID GO AGAIN, IF WE DID DO A VIOLATION, WE WERE WITHIN A GRACE PERIOD AND WOULD ONLY RECEIVE WARNINGS SO THAT WE WOULD KNOW WHAT VIOLATIONS WE WERE CREATING. WE ACTED IN GOOD FAITH FOLLOWING THE LONG STANDING PROCEDURES WE'VE ALWAYS HAD AND WE'VE ALWAYS KNOWN. WHILE WE FULLY RESPECT THE CITY'S AUTHORITY TO UPDATE HEALTH AND SAFETY ORDINANCES, APPLYING AN IMMEDIATE 30 DAY SUSPENSION WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING OR TRANSITION PERIOD HAS CREATED A SEVERE HARDSHIP, NOT JUST FOR FRED, BUT FOR MY HUSBAND, MYSELF, AND MY ANIMALS. I'M HERE TO RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE CITY COUNCIL LIFT THE 30 DAY SUSPENSION, ALLOW US TO RETURN TO WORK. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, EMILY BELL, FOLLOWED BY BJ KALEDE. HELLO, I'M EMILY BELL. I LIVE AT 234 RAINEY AVENUE. JUST WANTED TO SAY FIRST OF ALL, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AS ALWAYS, APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING. AND I'M HERE TO SUPPORT, EXCUSE ME, ORDINANCE 9A THAT WAS PUT FORWARD BY COMMISSIONER BLONDER FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT MY NEIGHBORS HAVE SPOKEN UP AND SAID CONSERVATION'S SO IMPORTANT. AND IT'S UNFORTUNATELY EVERY TIME YOU THINK THAT SOMETHING IS DONE TO PROTECT LAND AND THE PEOPLE'S VOICES ARE HEARD AND THE RIGHT THINGS ARE PASSED TO PROTECT IT, THERE'S SOMEHOW SOME WAY SOMEBODY WANTS TO GET AROUND IT. SO I FULLY SUPPORT THIS, THAT IT'S A UNANIMOUS VOTE, THAT THOSE VOTES HAVE TO BE ON RECORD IF THERE ARE ANY CHANGES AT ALL CONSIDERED TO THE CONSERVATION. AND JUST WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR LISTENING TO ME THIS EVENING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. BJ KALEDI. BJ KALETTI WEST CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE CA8 WHAT IS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PROPERTIES WHOSE WATER BILL WILL INCREASE IN THE CITY LIMITS BY $2.93? IT SOUNDS LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY, BUT MY QUESTION IS DO WE HAVE 01,000 PEOPLE? DO WE HAVE 3,000 PEOPLE? HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE PAYING THAT INCREASE? AND THAT'S THE MINIMUM. 11A THE SWEARING IN CEREMONY ON DECEMBER 7, 2026 SHOULD REMAIN IN THIS ROOM AND NOT BEGIN AND BEGIN AT 5PM IT'S NOT ABOUT POLITICIANS DYING WITH THEIR FAMILY. TALKING ABOUT ELIMINATING 73 STATE STAFF POSITIONS AND NOW MOVING CEREMONY TO A LARGER VENUE FOR SELF INTEREST OF POLITICIANS AND THEIR CRONIES IS TO ME VERY DISGRACEFUL. POLITICIANS CAN PAY THE COST TO MOVE THE CEREMONY, NOT TAXPAYERS. THAT'S ONE WAY IF YOU WANT TO DO IT. WE CAN THANK MR. BURCHAM. DON'T FAINT FOR SHARING NEWSPAPERS WITH PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT, WHICH SAVES TAXPAYERS. SO THERE ARE WAYS TO SAVE MONEY. AND142VOTE YES ON 3. THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT'S BEING PUT OUT THERE AND I THINK IT'S A LOT OF SCARE TACTICS. IF YOU REMEMBER IN 2022 THE CITY EMPLOYEES WHO WORK FOR THE CITY WERE GIVEN A PERK THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE [00:40:01] TO PAY THEIR WATER BILLS. THAT WAS $60 BACK IN 2022 AND MY MINIMUM WAS $57 AND NO ONE GAVE ME A PERK. SO IF IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE OUT IN THE COUNTY AND IT TAKES FURTHER TO GET OUT THERE AND GIVE THE SERVICE BECAUSE WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR SEWER, MAYBE THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM. BUT I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO SHOW THIS BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THERE CAN BE WAYS TO REALLY SPEND OUR MONEY MORE WISELY. WE NEED A LOT OF THINGS GRANTED. BUT WHAT IS NEEDED AND WHAT IS JUST A WANT. AND THAT'S MY CONCERN. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, MS. DUNN. I LEARNED SOMETHING. THANK YOU. PUBLIC COMMENT IS [5. CONSENT AGENDA ] CLOSED. WE MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA. THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCES ARE TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR SECOND READING ON AUGUST 24. ORDINANCE 2026-20 REQUIRING A UNANIMOUS VOTE FOR CHANGES TO CONSERVATION LANDS. WE HAVE REMINDER OF UPCOMING MEETINGS. THE AUG. 24, 5PM REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING. THE AUG. 28, 8:30 AM SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MEETING, WHICH IS THE ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 TENTATIVE CRA BUDGET AND THE AUGUST 28, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE CRA AGENCY MEETING. THE SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MEETING, WHICH IS A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 TENTATIVE BUDGET. WE HAVE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR THE JUNE 22 REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING. AND WE HAVE BUDGET INFORMATION THAT WAS REQUESTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION AT THE JULY 13 SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MEETING. ALSO IN YOUR CONSENT AGENDA FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. AND THAT'S YOUR CONSENT AGENDA FOR THAT. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER'S COMMENTS. QUESTIONS? WE'RE GOOD. I MOVE THAT WE PASS THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. SECOND. ALL RIGHT. MOTION. AND SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. [8.A.1. Ordinance 2026-19: Amending the Parking Code to include language related to Shared Parking options in Section 28-372 of the Zoning Code (A. Skinner, Planning and Building Director)] THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ON TO SECOND. WE HAVE ONE ORDINANCE FOR SECOND READING, AND THAT IS ORDINANCE 2026-19, AMENDING THE PARKING CODE TO INCLUDE LANGUAGE RELATED TO SHARED PARKING OPTIONS IN SECTION 28372 OF THE ZONING CODE. MS. SKINNER, YOU'RE WELCOME TO PRESENT. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS AMY SKINNER. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT. AS NOTED, THIS IS THE SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING OF ORDINANCE 2026-19. THIS ORDINANCE PROPOSES TO ADD ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE TO THE SHARED PARKING SECTION OF THE CITY PARKING CODE. THE PROPOSED LANGUAGE ALLOWS FOR THE PROCESS FOR STAFF REVIEW AND APPROVAL TO ALLOW SHARED PARKING FOR MIXED USES AND COMMERCIAL USES. IF A PROPOSAL FOR SHARED PARKING DOES NOT MEET THESE CRITERIA, AN APPLICANT CAN THEN APPLY TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD AS CURRENTLY ALLOWED BY THE CODE. THIS IS A CHANGE THAT CREATES AN OPTION FOR BUSINESS OWNERS OR PROPERTY OWNERS THAT IS LESS BURDENSOME THAN THE EXISTING CODE. LANGUAGE WAS REVIEWED BY THE AND RECOMMENDED BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD. AND THE CITY COMMISSION PASSED THIS ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING WITH ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE THAT CLARIFIED STATE STAFF REVIEW IF THE SHARED PARKING IS COMMERCIALLY ZONED OR AN INSTITUTIONAL USE. THANK YOU. AND I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. AND THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONERS, COMMENTS, QUESTIONS TO THE STAFF BEFORE WE ENTERTAIN A MOTION. NO. READY FOR A MOTION. IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING. WELL, I KNOW. OKAY. PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK, PLEASE COME FORWARD. NO ONE'S HERE. PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED. WE ARE BACK TO MAKE A MOTION. YES. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO PASS ORDINANCE. WAIT A SECOND. OKAY. PASS ORDINANCE 2026 19. WE DID HAVE IT AT FIRST READING. I THINK WE DISCUSSED WHAT IT IS AND WE HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF IT. AND SO I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO PASS IT AS WRITTEN BY TITLE. SECOND. ALL RIGHT. ORDINANCE NUMBER 2026-19, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER 28, ARTICLE 04, SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS, DIVISION 2, OFF STREET PARKING AND LOADING, AMENDING SECTION 28, 372, JOINT [00:45:02] USE OF PARKING FACILITIES, PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES, PROVIDING FOR SEVERANCE OF INVALID PROVISIONS AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. ALL RIGHT, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. JOHN DEPRETER? YES. BARBARA BLONDER? YES. CYNTHIA GARRIS? YES. NANCY SIKES-KLINE. YES. ALL RIGHT. CAN I SAY SOMETHING? SURE. PLEASE. I KNOW THAT WENT VERY QUICKLY AND WITHOUT DISCUSSION AND WITHOUT PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT WE DID, AS COMMISSIONER DEPRETER SAID, WE DID DISCUSS IT AT LENGTH, NOT JUST THE LAST MEETING, BUT, WHAT, A YEAR AGO? ISH. WITH A BIGGER CHANGE. AND THIS IS ONE THAT I THINK WILL REALLY, REALLY HELP US. AND I'M SUPER EXCITED THAT WE PASSED IT AND THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH IT. THANK YOU, STAFF, FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. [8.C.1. Resolution 2026-19: Adjust the Proprietary Fund Rates and Service Fees for Fiscal Year 2027 (M. Burns, Finance Director)] ALL RIGHT, WE'RE MOVING ON TO RESOLUTIONS. WE DO HAVE ONE WITH A REQUIRED PUBLIC HEARING, RESOLUTION 2026 19, TO ADJUST THE PROPRIETARY FUND RATES AND SERVICE RATES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS. MELISSA BURNS, FINANCE DIRECTOR. TONIGHT WE HAVE ONE RESOLUTION THAT REQUIRES A PUBLIC HEARING AS RESOLUTION 2026-19, WHICH IS TO ADJUST VARIOUS FEES FOR THE PROPRIETARY FUNDS. THIS INCLUDES THE UTILITY FUNDS, SOLID WASTE FUND AND STORMWATER FUNDS, AS WELL AS THE MARINA FUND. UTILITY RATES ARE INCREASING BY 3.5% FOR BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS. HOWEVER, THE SURCHARGE RATE FOR THOSE CUSTOMERS OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS IS DECREASING BY 5% FROM 12% DOWN TO 7%. THIS IS RESULTING IN AN OVERALL DECREASE OF 1.1% FOR THOSE FOLKS. THE RATES FOR SOLID WASTE STORMWATER ARE INCREASING BY THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX, OR CPI, AT 4.2%. THAT'S MY PRESENTATION. I TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS. WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS OVER THE SEVERAL MEETINGS. ANYONE WISH TO MAKE A MOTION OR. WE DO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING. SO I GUESS WE SHOULD PROBABLY. I'M SORRY, YEAH, DO THAT BEFORE. WE CAN DO THAT. BEFORE THE PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON RESOLUTION 202026 TO 19. HI, I'M CLAUDIA COSTELLO AND AS YOU KNOW, I'M HIGHLY. I REALLY OBJECT TO ANY INCREASE IN THE WATER RATES. I FEEL THAT WE ARE WAY OVER WHAT WE SHOULD BE CHARGING FOR WATER AND SEWAGE IN THIS CITY. AND I DO NOT SEE ANY REASON WITH THE 1.8 MILLION INCREASE IN REVENUE FOR LAST YEAR, WHY THIS ALREADY HIGH RATE SHOULD BE INCREASED ANY FURTHER. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK? MR. CITY MANAGER, YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT IN PREPARATION FOR THE MEETING AND ANTICIPATION OF THE MEETING. AND I DID RECEIVE A LETTER FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR TODAY EXPLAINING THE WATER RATES AND COMPARISONS. IS IT POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO GIVE US SOME QUESTION, GIVE US SOME INFORMATION? CERTAINLY, IF MR. SLAUGHTER WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD. HE DID A LITTLE COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS FOR YOU AND THE LAST SPEAKER JUST OBJECTED TO HER RATES GOING UP, BUT IN FACT HER RATES WILL BE GOING DOWN BY 1.1%. YEAH, I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR ALL OF US TO UNDERSTAND, HEARING WHAT WE'VE HEARD TONIGHT AND HAVE HAD AT OTHER MEETINGS. SO THE INFORMATION THAT I GOT FROM MR. SLAUGHTER TODAY WAS EXTREMELY HELPFUL. I WILL JUST START OFF BY SAYING THAT NOBODY I KNOW USES THEIR WATER FOR IRRIGATION. JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. I MEAN, YOU'RE PAYING WATER AND SEWER FOR IT. SO IF YOU WANT TO, YOU KNOW, PUT A. WE PUT A WELL IN, WE WOULDN'T. IT'S JUST TOO EXPENSIVE TO USE CITY WATER BECAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE PAYING FOR THE WATER AND THE TREATMENT OF THE WATER. SO. BUT ANYWAY, I'LL LET YOU SPEAK. STEPHEN SLAUGHTER UTILITY PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR CITY, ST. AUGUSTINE I HAD THE PLEASURE OF SPEAKING WITH MS. COSTELLO A COUPLE OF TIMES. SHE DID ASK ME TO LOOK INTO HER HIGH WATER BILL. AND THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE HAS AMR METERS, AUTOMATIC METER READERS, AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO PULL A 90 DAY HOURLY USAGE REPORT. AND SO I DID PULL THAT REPORT AND GO OVER THAT IN DETAIL WITH MS. COSTELLO. AND WHAT WAS CLEAR WAS THAT THERE'S SIGNIFICANT OVER IRRIGATION. AS YOU HEARD EARLIER TONIGHT, [00:50:02] THEY'RE IRRIGATING ABOUT THREE TIMES A WEEK. WE'RE CURRENTLY IN A STAGE THREE OR PHASE THREE EXTREME DROUGHT. THE ST. JOHNS RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT LIMITS IRRIGATION TO ONE DAY A WEEK. AND SO I THINK THAT A LOT OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WITH THE HIGHER WATER BILLS ARE EXPERIENCING THEM NOT DUE TO OUR RATES, BUT DUE TO THE USAGE THAT THEY'RE DOING. I DID TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT MS. COSTELLO'S BILL AND IF WE ELIMINATED THE IRRIGATION COMPLETELY, REPLACED IT WITH THEIR AVERAGE NON IRRIGATION DAYS, HER BILL WOULD BE ON THE ORDER OF $75 A MONTH. OKAY, THANK YOU. AND HOW DID OUR RATES COMPARE TO OTHER COMMUNITIES? OUR RATES ARE COMPARABLE TO OTHER CITIES. I CAN ACTUALLY STATE THAT THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, IF A CUSTOMER OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS FOR THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE WERE TO USE 14,400 GALLONS IN A MONTH, THEIR BILL WOULD BE $257. OUR FRIENDS TO THE SOUTH, CITY OF PALM COAST, 263. SORRY, THE FIRST NUMBER WAS $257. CITY OF PALM COAST, 263. CITY OF FLAGLER, 290. CITY OF ORMOND BEACH, 260. THERE IS A DROP IN ST. JOHN'S COUNTY. I BELIEVE WE'RE COMPARING APPLES AND ORANGES THERE. THAT WOULD BE 176. OKAY, THANK YOU. THAT'S VERY GOOD INFORMATION. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE QUESTIONS. I JUST WANTED WHILE YOU'RE HERE. YES, MA'. AM. I WAS GOING THROUGH THE AGENDA PACKET TODAY AND LOOKING AT THE EXHIBIT A AND SO FORTH FOR THE UTILITY RATES AND I NOTICED THAT THERE'S A, ON THE FOURTH PAGE, THERE'S A MONTHLY SURCHARGE FOR BACKFLOW PREVENTERS. AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IF AN INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNER HAS A POOL OR IRRIGATION SYSTEM, BECAUSE I'M THINKING MAYBE I WANT A BACKFLOW PREVENTER BECAUSE THEY HELP YOU SAVE MONEY ON YOUR WATER BILL. I DON'T HAVE A POOL AND I DON'T HAVE AN IRRIGATION SYSTEM AND I DON'T HAVE AN HOA THAT TELLS ME I HAVE TO WATER MY LAWN. SO I, I DON'T WATER IT DURING DROUGHTS. BUT MY POINT IS, IS THAT THAT MONTHLY SURCHARGE FOR BACKFLOW PREVENTER, WOULD THAT HELP PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE THEM WITH THEIR WATER BILLS FOR THEIR POOLS OR THEIR IRRIGATION SYSTEMS BECAUSE IT'S ONLY $1.98 A MONTH. THE BACKFLOW PREVENTERS ARE A PUBLIC HEALTH SAFETY AND SO THEY ARE USED WHEN WE HAVE SEPARATE IRRIGATION METERS OR WE HAVE COMMERCIAL BUSINESS THAT COULD BE AT RISK OF BACK FEEDING OUR POTABLE WATER SUPPLY. SO IT IS A SAFETY MEASURE THAT PREVENTS THAT BACK. THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO ASK YOU WHILE YOU WERE HERE BECAUSE FOR SOME REASON I HAD IT IN MY BRAIN THAT IT WAS A WATER SAVINGS, HAD THAT POTENTIAL AS WELL. BUT ANYWAY, THE POINT IS THAT IRRIGATION HITS HARD AND ESPECIALLY DURING DROUGHTS. NOT JUST HITTING OUR POCKETBOOKS, BUT ACTUALLY THE SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR AQUIFER OVER TIME, WHICH IS WHERE WE GET OUR WATER FROM, IS AT RISK DURING THESE DROUGHTS. AND THIS HAS BEEN A VERY LONG DROUGHT. AND IF WE'RE NOT ALL DOING SOMETHING TO CONSERVE MORE WATER, THEN WE'RE ALL IS SPEEDING OUR WAY TOWARDS RUNNING OUT OF A WATER SUPPLY. SO I WOULD CAUTION PEOPLE TO LOOK AT THOSE. IT'S A WIN, WIN. CONSERVE WATER, SAVE ON YOUR BILL AND POSSIBLY HAVE A WATER SUPPLY THAT LASTS A LOT LONGER FOR FLORIDA. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO FOLLOW UP ON. I THINK MAYBE WHERE SHE WAS GOING WITH THIS WAS. DO YOU MENTION, IS IT AN IRRIGATION TAP THAT CAN BE PUT IN? WHEN YOU SAID IRRIGATION METER, IT MADE ME THINK OF IRRIGATION TAPS. CAN YOU PUT IRRIGATION TAPS IN SO THAT YOU'RE NOT CHARGED FOR THE SEWER TREATMENT ON YOUR WATER? YES. SO ONE THING THAT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY DOES IS WE ACTUALLY TOP OUT OUR SEWER CHARGES. SO ANYTIME SOMEONE USES MORE THAN 10,000 GALLONS OF WATER, THEY DO NOT PAY FOR THOSE CHARGES FOR SANITARY SEWER. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THEY CAN APPLY FOR AN IRRIGATION METER AND WE CAN GO OUT. WHAT WAS THAT? SO IN ADDITION THEY CAN APPLY FOR AN IRRIGATION METER METER. YES, MA'AM. AND IT IS A SEPARATE WATER SERVICE AND A SEPARATE METER AND THEY WILL PAY A SEPARATE BASE FEE FOR THAT. BUT THEY DO NOT PAY SEWER ON THE IRRIGATION USAGE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT INFORMATION. I THINK IT MIGHT BE VERY USEFUL AND HELPFUL. SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN CORDOVA PALMS IF THEY'RE PAYING TWICE BASICALLY FOR THEIR WATER AND [00:55:01] IT'S UNNECESSARY AND IT IS VERY OBVIOUS. SO ONE THING I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AGAIN IS THIS 90 DAY REQUEST. ANYONE, ANY CUSTOMER, CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE CAN CALL IN 8251040, ASK FOR 90 DAY ON THEIR USAGE. WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT. WHEN YOU DO THAT, IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS WHEN YOU HAVE AN OVER IRRIGATION ISSUE. AND I'LL JUST THROW SOMETHING UP REAL QUICK AS AN EXAMPLE. AND SO WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS A BAR GRAPH OF WATER CONSUMPTION. THIS RIGHT HERE WOULD BE A NORMAL DAY, ABOUT 82 GALLONS A DAY. THIS ONE RIGHT HERE, ABOUT 02,000 GALLONS USED FOR IRRIGATION. AND SO YOU CAN QUICKLY SEE WHERE THE WATER'S GOING. OKAY, THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW. THANK YOU. OTHER COMMISSIONERS. YEAH, JUST I HAVE HAD EXPERIENCES. MY PROPERTY'S A LITTLE BIT BIGGER. AND THEN I HAD AN INVESTMENT PROPERTY AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE CONCLUSION I CAME TO MANY YEARS AGO WAS JUST YOU DRILL A WELL, YOU DRILL AN IRRIGATION WELL. IF YOU'RE GOING TO IRRIGATE, THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO. BUT I DID, I THANK YOU FOR THE EXPLANATION ABOUT THE IRRIGATION BECAUSE WE, I SAW THAT ON THE, ON OUR RATE THINGS, THE IRRIGATION PIPE, AND I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THAT OPTION WAS AVAILABLE, BUT REALLY THE BEST ANSWER IN THE LONG RUN IS TO GET YOUR OWN. WELL, AND THEN PUSH. IF YOU'RE NOT USING POT, IT'S ACTUALLY MORE RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT USING POTABLE WATER ALSO. SO ANYWAY, I DON'T THINK FROM WHAT YOU. THE INFORMATION YOU GAVE ME TODAY THAT I GOT FROM THE PUBLIC'S WORK DIRECTOR THAT THERE'S ANY UNFAIRNESS IN THE RATES. I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR FROM LOOKING AT THAT THAT IT'S A MATTER OF CONSUMPTION. SO I'M OKAY WITH KEEPING THIS THE WAY IT IS. ONE LAST THING. SORRY. THEY'RE HAVING A 1.1% DECREASE THIS YEAR. AND CAN YOU EXPLAIN IF. IS THAT WE SET THE SYSTEM UP AND THEN WE CHARGE TO GET THE MONEY BACK FROM BUILDING OUT THERE, AND THEN. AND THEN WE. WHEN THAT. WHEN WE START PAYING THOSE COSTS DOWN, WE DECREASE IT. IS. IS THAT THE SAME AS WE'RE DOING ON THE WEST SIDE? CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT? THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. YEAH. WE PAY A SURCHARGE FOR EXTENSION OF UTILITIES, BUT WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF REDUCING AND ELIMINATING THAT SURCHARGE. SO WE'RE AT A 12% SURCHARGE NOW, BUT WE'RE DROPPING IT TO 7%. SO WE'RE ELIMINATING 5% OF THAT SURCHARGE THIS YEAR AND NEXT YEAR WE PLAN ON DROPPING IT DOWN ANOTHER 5%. RIGHT. IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR, ELIMINATING IT ENTIRELY. SO EFFECTIVELY, THREE YEARS FROM NOW, OUT OF CITY CUSTOMERS WILL BE PAYING THE SAME RATES AS IN CITY CUSTOMERS. RIGHT. SO. SO IN A WAY, IT'S A USER BUILD OUT. WE USE THE NEW USERS TO PAY FOR THE BUILD OUT IN A WAY THAT'S RIGHT. AND THEN INSTEAD OF TAKING THAT MONEY TO EXTEND THAT SERVICE AND CHARGING THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY IN THE CITY THAT HAVE IT, WE KIND OF BORROW SOME MONEY, WE PAY IT BACK, AND AS WE PAY IT DOWN, THE WORK'S DONE, WE DROP THE RATE TO THE BOTTOM. SO THAT'S. LOGISTICALLY, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE. I HAVE PEOPLE ASK ME THIS ALL THE TIME, WHETHER THEY'RE PAYING MORE OUTSIDE THE CITY OR THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY ARE SAYING THEY'RE PAYING THE SAME AMOUNT AS ME. YOU JUST CAN'T WIN ON IT. BUT I THINK IF YOU TALK ABOUT HOW THE FINANCING IS TIED TO THE CONSTRUCTION AND THE PAYBACK, HOPEFULLY THAT MAKES SENSE TO PEOPLE. SO THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THAT. A COUPLE OF THINGS. SO WHEN IS THE LAST TIME WE WENT UP ON THIS? BECAUSE I THOUGHT WE DID THIS LAST YEAR. LAST YEAR. OKAY. SO THERE'S A CONCERN THERE. IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING YEARLY TO. YES. TO RECOVER OUR COSTS, TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN AND PROVIDE THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING AND TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD THE PROPOSED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE. YES, THIS WOULD LIKELY BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD CONTINUE TO DO. SO WE'RE GOING UP AND THEN SOME PEOPLE ARE GETTING A BREAK. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE BEFORE I VOTE ON THIS. SO WE'RE GOING UP AND THEN SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUTSIDE THE CITY THAT HAVE SPOKEN TONIGHT, BUT THEY LIVE IN AN HOA WHERE THEY HAVE TO KEEP THEIR YARD WATERED. SO THEY'RE LIKE IN A NO WIN SITUATION IF THEY HAVE TO KEEP, IF THEY HAVE TO KEEP WATER IN THEIR GRASS AND THEY ACTUALLY. AND WE GO UP ON THEIR BILL, BUT THEN WE COME DOWN. THAT'S KIND OF CONFUSING TO ME. I NEED THAT BETTER EXPLAINED. SO THE OUT OF CITY CUSTOMERS, THEIR UTILITY RATES, THEIR WATER AND SEWER RATES ARE GOING DOWN BY 1.1%. THAT'S THE EASIEST WAY TO EXPLAIN IT. SO THE FOLKS THAT CAME UP HERE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE RATES, THEIR RATE IS GOING DOWN BY 1.1%. [01:00:03] OKAY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANOTHER COMMENT. CAN, CAN I ASK ABOUT A MARINA FEE? IS THIS THE RIGHT PLACE TO BEGIN? YES. NO, I THINK IT WAS GREAT DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR ITEMS, OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS IT. SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT PARTICULAR ITEM? OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO MARINA FEES THEN. THANK YOU. NO, SIR, YOU WILL NOT BE RECOGNIZED. PUBLIC COMMENT IS OVER. I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS JUST POPPED UP, BUT I NOTICED THAT I GUESS I'M LOOKING AT USAGE OVERALL AND WAYS THAT WE CAN TRIM IN CASE THE PROPERTY TAX REFORM HAPPENS OR WE CAN RECOUP SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE LOSS OF THAT STREAM OF INCOME. AND SO I'M GOING THROUGH AND I'M LOOKING AT WATER AND HOW CAN WE DO A BETTER JOB OF CONSERVING WATER AND HELPING PEOPLE REDUCE FEES AND OUR OWN FEES AND I MEAN OUR OWN COSTS IN TERMS OF PRODUCTION AND TREATMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR WATER. SO I'M LOOKING AT THE MARINA. GIVEN THAT BACKGROUND AND THE SERVICE FEES, I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE MARINA SERVICE FEES FEES FOR ELECTRIC, WATER, SEWER AND TRASH. SO IT SAYS THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE BROKEN INTO DIFFERENT, THE WAY I READ IT, THEY'RE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF POWER FEEDING INTO THE, THE PARTICULAR VESSEL THAT'S BEING DOCKED AT THE MARINA. IS THAT WHY WE HAVE 30AMP, 50AMP AND SO FORTH? OKAY, GREAT. SO I'M CURIOUS. I MEAN, I KNOW I USE A DIFFERENT AMOUNT OF ELECTRICITY AND WATER THAN MY NEIGHBORS USE. SOME OF US USE MORE. SOME OF US USE LESS. AND I'M WONDERING IF WE HAVE A FLAT FEE FOR THESE SERVICES. ELECTRIC, WATER, SEWER AND TRASH, IS THERE A WAY TO. THAT WE MIGHT THINK ABOUT ACTUALLY DOING IT AS A METERED TYPE OF SITUATION OR A WEIGHT TYPE OF SITUATION FOR TRASH. IN OTHER WORDS, METER THE ELECTRICITY THAT EACH OF THESE BOAT OWNERS IS USING. THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. OH, OKAY. I WAS AFRAID I WAS MISSING SOMETHING. SO MAYBE WE CAN CONSIDER THAT NOT FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, BUT FOR NEXT YEAR'S. IS LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE CAN DO THAT. AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE DO THAT FOR OUR RENTALS AS WELL OR THEY JUST HAVE THEIR OWN ELECTRIC. YEAH. OKAY. OKAY. SO THIS IS. THIS IS A PLACE WHERE WE COULD ACTUALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE, PERHAPS. ALL RIGHT, THAT'D BE A SMALL DIFFERENCE. BUT I DO HAVE A QUESTION AFTER THAT. CAN WE. I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA. ANYWHERE WE CAN DO IT. I JUST WONDERING, CAN WE RAISE FEES? LIKE, AM I CORRECT? DID I HEAR YOU SAY WE CAN ONLY RAISE FEES ACCORDING TO HOW MUCH IT COST US, OR IS THIS DIFFERENT? BECAUSE IF WE CAN RAISE IT, I'M FOR DEPENDS WHAT KIND OF FEE. YEAH. SO FEES THAT ARE SORT OF PERMITTING FEES HAVE TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS. THEY CANNOT BE MONEY GENERATING FEES THAT ARE IN PROPRIETARY FUNDS, LIKE MARINA BERTHS, I THINK IS WHAT THEY'RE CALLED. AM I USING THE RIGHT MARINA TERM? THOSE ARE NOT FEES FOR A PERMIT. WE'RE A LANDLORD. WE CAN CHARGE WHAT WE LIKE. OKAY. EVEN FOR THE UTILITIES THAT ARE SUPPLIED TO THEM? YES. OH, THAT'S GREAT. OKAY, GOOD. THAT'S POSITIVE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? WHERE ARE WE WITH THIS? WE READY? READY FOR A MOTION. OH, OKAY. I NEED TO FIND WHERE I'M AT HERE. OKAY. SORRY, I JUST DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER IN FRONT OF ME. I'D BE HAPPY TO. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. I MOVE THAT WE PASS RESOLUTION 2619. SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. NANCY SIKES-KLINE? YES. BARBARA BLONDER? YES. JON DEPRETER? YES. CYNTHIA GARRIS. YES. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION. I THINK IT CLEARED THE AIR A LITTLE BIT, HOPEFULLY WAS HELPFUL AND MAYBE WELL LEARNED A LITTLE BIT THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE SERVICES THAT WE DO PROVIDE, WHICH IS A NICE NEW SERVICE AND WE ARE ALWAYS PROVIDING NEW SERVICES, IS. IT'S NOT ALL DIRE, BUT THAT PEOPLE CAN REQUEST THAT SERVICE OF CHECKING THEIR RATES OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND SEE WHAT THEY'RE USING. SO THAT'S, THAT'S A. THAT'S A GREAT THING TO KNOW. [9.A.1. Ordinance 2026-20: Requiring a Unanimous Vote for Changes to Conservation Lands (I. Lopez, City Attorney) ] I DID. I DID NOT KNOW THAT. EXCELLENT. ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO FIRST READINGS. WE HAVE A NUMBER. WELL, WE HAVE ONE ORDINANCE ON FIRST READINGS. THIS IS ORDINANCE 2026-20, AND IT IS REQUIRING A UNANIMOUS VOTE FOR CHANGES TO CONSERVATION LANDS. AND MS. CITY ATTORNEY, MADAM MAYOR, MADAM VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, MADAM MAYOR, ELECT BEFORE YOU IS ORDINANCE [01:05:02] 2026-20. YOU'LL RECALL AT OUR LAST CITY COMMISSION MEETING, VICE MAYOR BLONDER BROUGHT IT FOR CONSENSUS DIRECTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION FOR ME TO DRAFT THIS ORDINANCE. IN ESSENCE, WHAT IT WOULD DO IS REQUIRE A UNANIMOUS VOTE IN ORDER TO EITHER INCREASE THE INTENSIFICATION OF USES ON CONSERVATION LANDS OR REDUCE THE PHYSICAL SIZE OF THE PROPERTY DEDICATED TO CONSERVATION LANDS AND THAT SUPERMAJORITY OR UNANIMOUS VOTE WOULD COME INTO EFFECT THROUGH THIS AMENDMENT TO YOUR CHARTER. I DID ADD SOME CLARIFICATION THAT THE TYPES OF BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES THAT WE ROUTINELY DO FOR CONSERVATION LANDS, SUCH AS ERADICATION OF CERTAIN INVASIVE FLORA AND TRAILS, KIOSKS, WAY FINDING SIGNS, WOULD NOT BE DEEMED INTENSIFICATION. AND I'M CERTAINLY AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS. THIS IS JUST FIRST READING, SO IT'S AN INTERNAL DISCUSSION, BUT I'M SURE THE VICE MAYOR ALSO HAS AN ABILITY TO ANSWER JUST ABOUT ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. I DO SUPPORT IT. COMMISSIONERS, I'LL LET THEM FIRST. I CAN GIVE YOU THE LAST WORD IF THAT'S OKAY. DO YOU WANT TO GO? NO, NO, NO. I USUALLY DO NOT SUPPORT UNANIMOUS THINGS, BUT I. BUT THIS IS AN EXCEPTION. I THINK IT'S A. IT'S A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF LAND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. JUST PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE. IT'S 36 ACRES, MAYBE A THOUSAND, FIVE THOUSANDTHS OF THE PROPERTY, THE LAND. BUT YOU CAN TELL WHEN PEOPLE COME OUT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO THEM. AND KIND OF BRINGS ME FULL CIRCLE BECAUSE WE DID THE MARIE ANDREW CONSERVATION AREA AFTER THE LIGHTHOUSE, AND THAT WAS BROUGHT BACK TO US BY A CITY MANAGER AND THAT DAVID, WHO WAS HEAD OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND THEY DID EXPLAIN TO US THAT A FUTURE CITY COMMISSION COULD OVERTURN THAT. AND I THINK WE JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS THE BEST DEAL WE COULD GET AT THE TIME. BUT I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY PROBLEM MOVING THIS TO SECOND HEARING. ONE THING I DID WANT TO SAY IS THE LANGUAGE IN IT. SO IT SAYS INTENSIFYING USES. SO USES I THINK OF USUALLY AS A COMMERCIAL THING FROM THE PLANNING BOARD. BUT WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN USES AND ACTIVITIES? SO SAY WE HAVE A CONSERVATION AREA AND SAY SOMEBODY WANTS TO PUT A DOG PARK OR SOMETHING THAT'S MORE INTENSE OF A ACTIVITY. BUT FALLS INTO A RECREATIONAL USE. AND I'M BRINGING THIS UP BECAUSE AT LEAST THE ONE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. AND I GET THE SENSE A LOT OF THESE THINGS ALSO NOT JUST CONSERVATION, BUT THEY ACT AS BUFFERS OF LOW ACTIVITY WITH BIG MORE ACTIVITY AROUND THEM. I WANT TO, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE BEFORE SECOND HEARING I GET THIS EXPLANATION BETWEEN ACTIVITIES AND USE. IF YOU COULD GIVE ME A RUNDOWN. WELL, THE CONCEPT WAS TO STAY WITHIN OUR EXISTING TERMINOLOGY. RIGHT. SO UNDER OUR FUTURE LAND USE MAP, WE DO HAVE CONSERVATION LANDS SEPARATE FROM SORT OF ACTIVE RECREATION LANDS. SO I WAS TRYING TO SOMEWHAT MIRROR THAT LANGUAGE INTENSITY OF USE SO THAT THE ACTUAL USE, MEANING THE USES YOU ACTUALLY DO ON SITE. SO YES, OFTENTIMES IT'S USED IN TERMS OF COMMERCIAL USES, BUT IT COULD BE ANY USE, ANY KIND OF INTENSIFICATION OF THE USES OF THAT LAND. SO TURNING IT INTO A SOCCER FIELD, FOR INSTANCE, FROM LANDS THAT STAY FALLOW THAT ARE NOT UTILIZED ACTIVELY, THAT WOULD BE AN INTENSIFICATION OF THE USES OF THAT LAND OF A USEFUL ACTIVITY. SO WHAT ARE THE USES IN THE CONSERVATION AREA THAT ARE DESIGNATED? IS THERE A SPECIFIC. I'M GONNA HAVE TO ASK AMY. HOPEFULLY SHE'S STILL IN THE BACK. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT. IS SHE IN THE BACK? I'M SORRY, I CAN'T SEE BEHIND ME. WELL, JUST THINK ABOUT IT FOR. JUST THINK ABOUT. FOR SECOND HEARING. WE DON'T HAVE. SHE'S NOT HERE. I'M SO SORRY. I ASSUMED SHE WAS. DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. MY APOLOGIES. GO IN THE SECOND HEARING. GENERALLY IT'S. IT'S LAND THAT IS BELOW MEAN HIGH, THAT HAS VERY LIMITED AMOUNTS OF USES AND THEY'RE GENERALLY LOW IMPACT TRAILS, THAT KIND OF THING. I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY MANAGER, AS A FORMER PLANNER COULD ADD TO THAT DEFINITION OF CONSERVATION LAND. I'M STILL. NOTHING LIKE BEING PUT ON SPOT. NO, JUST OUR CURRENT MANAGER AND CURRENT CITY OR CURRENT AICP PLANNER. IT'S CONSIDERED PASSIVE RECREATION. SO PASSIVE RECREATION WOULD BE TRAILS, WOULD BE MARKERS ON TRAILS TO [01:10:02] DESCRIBE THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT OR SOME KIND OF HISTORIC EVENT THAT TOOK PLACE THERE. PERHAPS A GRAVEL PARKING LOT THAT WOULD PROVIDE ACCESS TO IT. REALLY NOTHING MORE THAN THAT. IT WOULD ALLOW FOR MANAGEMENT OF THE SITE. MANAGEMENT BEING REMOVAL OF INVASIVE SPECIES, MANAGING TRAILS, MANAGING HANDICAP ACCESSIBILITY, THAT KIND OF THING. BUT TRYING TO KEEP IT IN AS MUCH AS MUCH OF A NATURAL STATE AS POSSIBLE. EXACTLY. THE CONVERSATION WE HAD AT MURRAY ANDREW RECENTLY WITH THE BIKES AND STUFF. SO. OKAY, SO I'M GOOD. I JUST WANTED TO GET IT ON THE RECORD THAT THAT IS THOSE ARE THE USES OR ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THESE USES. SO INTENSIFYING IT SO I'M COMFORTABLE WITH IT NOW. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME. GREAT. THOSE ARE GREAT QUESTIONS. YEAH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET THIS RIGHT, COMMISSIONER GARRIS. SO BASICALLY IT'S KIND OF GOING TO BE SIMILAR TO WHAT FISH ISLAND IS. IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT. SUMMARY OF THAT. YEAH. I THINK THAT WE NEED TO PRESERVE THESE LANDS SO THAT NOBODY TRIES TO BUILD ON THEM IN THE FUTURE. I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA. BLONDER. SO I'M ALL IN. THANK YOU. SO I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THIS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE LOCKING IT IN AND 100% LOCKING IT IN WITH NO FLEXIBILITY WHATSOEVER UNLESS IT'S A SUPER MAXIMUM MAJORITY. SO. AND I AM IN FAVOR OF. SO I APPRECIATE THAT DIALOGUE ABOUT ACTIVE VERSUS PASSIVE RECREATION AND THE USES. THANK YOU FOR. THANK YOU, MS. CITY ATTORNEY, FOR TAKING THE TIME TO GO INTO THAT DETAIL AND THEN OF COURSE, THANK YOU FOR INITIATING IT. BUT WE'LL GET TO TALK MORE ABOUT IT IN THE SECOND HEARING. GREAT. THANK YOU, ALL OF YOU. AND I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION AND THEN THANK THE PEOPLE WHO CAME IN. THE QUESTION, NOT REALLY A QUESTION AS WE, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO MOVE IT TO SECOND READING HERE. I'M CERTAINLY GOING TO. I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT. BUT I THINK WE DO NEED TO HAVE A MECHANISM THAT IS IN PLACE THAT WHEN WE PURCHASE LANDS UNDER THIS PROGRAM, WE ARE ACTUALLY IDENTIFYING THEM AND CATEGORIZING THEM AS THESE ARE CONSERVATION LANDS. THIS ONE'S REALLY MORE FOR RESILIENCE. THIS ONE MIGHT BE MORE FOR RECREATION. I'M THINKING MAY STREET. SO I THINK WE'RE REALLY PUSHING OURSELVES INTO BEING ABLE TO DEFINE THAT. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT POINT. I DON'T THINK IT'S A STICKING POINT. AS THE MAYOR SAID, WE ARE BY. I'VE BEEN WANTING TO LOCK THIS IN. EXACTLY THAT. YOUR WORDS, BETTER WORDS THAN MINE. THOSE FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WERE TALKING ABOUT AND REMEMBERING BEING AT THE PROTESTS FOR SAVING ANASTASIA STATE PARK AND THE GOANNA WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA KNOW HOW EASY IT CAN BE TO LOSE SOMETHING THAT IS NEAR AND DEAR TO US. AND I SAID BEFORE WE, YOU KNOW, I HAVE NOT HAD A SINGLE PERSON TELL ME THAT THEY ARE UPSET IN ANY WAY THAT WE'RE SPENDING TAXPAYERS AND IN FACT WE'RE GETTING MONEY BACK FROM THE STATE WHENEVER WE APPLY FOR IT PRETTY SUCCESSFULLY. BUT WE ARE SPENDING TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO PRESERVE THESE PLACES. SO WITH THAT I'M GOING TO READ A REALLY BRIEF QUOTE AND THIS IS, I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK. PUTTING IT ON THE RECORD. FORCES OF A HISTORY OF FLORIDA LAND CONSERVATION BY CLAY HENDERSON. AND HE'S A CHAMPION OF HISTORICAL RESOURCES, HE'S CHAMPION OF NATURAL RESOURCES. AND IT'S AN EXCELLENT BOOK. JUST READING IT. AND THE QUOTE IS, THE LURE OF CONSERVATION IS THAT ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THE HISTORY OF THE CONSERVATION MOVEMENT IS WOVEN THROUGH PERSONAL STORIES OF ORDINARY PEOPLE DRAWN TO A SPECIAL PLACE WHO FOUND A WAY TO PROTECT IT AS A LEGACY FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF FUTURE GENERATIONS. END QUOTE. THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY, TO ENSURE THAT THIS LEGACY WILL LIVE ON IN PERPETUITY. AND SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE PASS ORDINANCE NUMBER 2026-20 ONTO SECOND READING AND READ BY TITLE ONLY AT THIS TIME. I'LL. SECOND GREAT. ORDINANCE NUMBER 2026-20 AND ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, CREATING ARTICLE 5, DIVISION 2, SECTION 5.24 OF THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF SAN AUGUSTINE, PROVIDING FOR A UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THE CITY COMMISSION FOR ANY PROPOSITION TO INTENSIFY THE USES OF CITY [01:15:01] OWNED CONSERVATION LANDS OR TO REDUCE THE SIZE OF CITY OWNED CONSERVATION LANDS, PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE VOTE? MADAM CLERK? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. BARBARA BLONDER? YES. NANCY SIKES-KLINE. YES. JON DEPRETER? YES. CYNTHIA GARRIS? YES. EXCELLENT. I'M SO GLAD TO HEAR IT. ME TOO. THANK YOU SO MUCH, EVERYONE. ABSOLUTELY. IT'S GOOD. GOOD TO GO. WE'LL HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC NEXT. AND THANK [9.B.1. Resolution 2026-17: Increase in the Fire Assessment Fee (M. Burns, Finance Director) ] YOU FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT. AGAIN, RESOLUTION 2026 17, INCREASE IN THE FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE. MS. BURNS? OKAY, MISS BURNS, YOU HAVE ALL FOUR OF THESE RESOLUTIONS? YEAH, I DO. GOOD EVENING. I'VE GOT RESOLUTION 2026 17, WHICH IS THE INITIAL RESOLUTION TO INCREASE OUR FIRE PROTECTION ASSESSMENT. IT AUTHORIZES A PUBLIC HEARING, DIRECTS A PREPARATION OF ASSESSMENT ROLL, AND DIRECTS A PROVISION OF NOTICE THAT REQUIRES PUBLICATION AND MAILING TO ALL PROPERTY OWNERS. WITH THAT, I CAN TAKE ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? NO, I THINK WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS. ANOTHER ONE. WE'VE DISCUSSED INCREASING THE FIRE FEE ASSESSMENT FEE. IT'S AN IMPORTANT FEE FOR US TO BALANCE. I JUST WANT TO. SO WHAT WE CALL USER FEES, I SUPPOSE, YES. BUT CAN I INTERRUPT AND I JUST SAY I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT YOU'RE NOT APPROVING THE RATE CHANGE TONIGHT. NO. YOU'RE JUST APPROVING THE HEARING TO CONSIDER APPROVING THE RATE CHANGE. GOOD, GOOD. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS IS SETTING THE HEARING TO INCREASE THE FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE. SO WITH THAT SAID, I MOVE THAT WE PASS RESOLUTION 2026-17. SECOND. ALL RIGHT. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY [9.B.2. Resolution 2026-18: Setting the Proposed Millage Rate to 7.5 Mills (M. Burns, Finance Director) ] BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ALL RIGHT. RESOLUTION 2026-18, SETTING THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE 7.5. THIS WAS DISCUSSED AT OUR YOUR JULY 13TH MEETING, WHICH WE GOT CONSENSUS TO KEEP IT STEADY AT THE 7.5 MIL MILLAGE RATE. THIS JUST FORMALIZING WHAT WAS DISCUSSED ON JULY 13TH. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO THIS IS FOR SETTING THE MILLAGE RATE AT 7.5 AS DISCUSSED IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS. I MOVE THAT WE PASS RESOLUTION 2026. SECOND. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. [9.B.3. Resolution 2026-20: Increase the Base Rate and the Per Bedroom Rate Charged for Short Term Rentals (M. Burns, Finance Director)] AYE. AYE. MOTION CARRIES. RESOLUTION 2026. 20. THIS ONE IS ADJUSTING THE FEE SCHEDULE FOR THE SHORT SHORT TERM RENTAL PROGRAM. IT'S. THE FEES ARE INTENDED TO RECOVER THE COST TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM. ALL RIGHT, SO THIS IS TO SET THE RATES ON SHORT TERM RENTALS AND I ASSUME THESE ARE THE INSPECTION FEES AND SO FORTH. ALL RIGHT, I MOVE THAT WE PASS RESOLUTION 2026-20. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? NO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY [9.B.4. Resolution 2026-21: Adopts the Vehicle for Hire and Franchise Program Fees (M. Burns, Finance Director)] BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MOVING ON TO RESOLUTION 202026 TO 21. ADOPTING THE VEHICLES FOR HIRE AND FRANCHISE PROGRAM FEE. YES, THERE. THIS IS JUST ADOPTING THE FEES THAT WERE ASKED BY THE ORDINANCE. LAST MEETING. THERE IS ONE CHANGE, HOWEVER, FROM WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU. SECTION 2 STATED THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST. HOWEVER, WE NEED IT TO BE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY UPON ADOPTION. COULD YOU SAY THAT AGAIN? WE NEED THE FEES TO BE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY UPON RESOLUTION. ADOPTION IMMEDIATELY UPON RESOLUTION. OKAY, SO THAT IS A DIFFERENCE IN THE RESOLUTION THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED. RIGHT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO THIS WOULD BECOME EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. I MOVE THAT WE PASS RESOLUTION 2026-21. SECOND. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. [10. STAFF REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS] THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. BURNS. ALL RIGHT, NEXT ITEM. STAFF REPORTS. THE PROPOSAL TO EXPAND THE ST. AUGUSTINE RIDER, ALSO KNOWN AS THE STAR CIRCULATOR ROUTE. MS. PERKINS. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND HER ABSENCE AND COMMISSIONERS. JAMIE D. [01:20:01] PERKINS, COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE. TONIGHT I WILL BE PRESENTING THE PROPOSAL TO EXPAND THE ST. AUGUSTINE RIDERS STAR CIRCULATOR. EXPAND THE CIRCULATOR ROUTE. CURRENTLY, THE STAR CIRCULATOR CIRCULATES THROUGH OUR DOWNTOWN AREA. DURING LAST YEAR'S NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, WE RAN A PILOT PROGRAM TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS FEASIBLE TO CONTINUE OR EXPAND THE ROUTE TO OUR ISLAND AND BEACH AREAS. THAT PROGRAM DID EXTREMELY WELL. WE SAW A VERY HIGH NUMBER OF RIDERS WHICH BROUGHT US TO THIS SPACE WHERE WE ARE PROPOSING TO EXPAND THAT ROUTE ON A FULL TIME BASIS. SO I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF JUST SOME DETAILS ABOUT THE EXPANSION. SO THE ROUTE IS PROPOSED TO RUN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, 9AM TO 9PM MONDAY THROUGH. I'M SORRY, SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, AND ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAYS, THE ROUTE WILL RUN UNTIL 11PM AT NIGHT, GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO CIRCULATE THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE WITHIN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY BACK TO THEIR VEHICLES, OR IF THEY PARK ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE BRIDGE, THEY COULD TAKE THE CIRCULATOR ACROSS. WE WILL RUN THAT ROUTE UP UNTIL THE NIGHTS OF LIGHT SEASON. THE REASON WHY WE WOULD NOT ALLOW FOR THAT ROUTE TO RUN ACROSS THE BRIDGE DURING NIGHTS OF LIGHTS IS BECAUSE THEY. WE DON'T SEE THAT THERE WOULD BE ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT CIRCULATOR TO MOVE EFFICIENTLY THROUGH OUR CURRENT TRAFFIC CHALLENGES. SO THE ROUTE WOULD STILL RUN ON THE ISLAND AND BEACH SIDE THE SAME AS WE DID IN PREVIOUS NIGHTS OF LIGHT SEASONS. HOWEVER, IT WOULD STOP AT THE BASE OR THE EAST SIDE OF THE BRIDGE AND CONTINUE CIRCULATING PEOPLE IN THAT AREA. THE LOOP IS AN HOUR AND A HALF WITH 30 MINUTES STOPS IN BETWEEN EACH BUS. SO THERE'S FOUR CIRCULATORS THAT WILL BE OPERATING. SO FOR CONTEXT, IF SOMEONE CAUGHT THE CIRCULATOR AT THE VIC AND SAY THEY MISSED IT AT THE PICKUP, 30 MINUTES LATER, ANOTHER BUS WOULD COME THERE TO PICK THEM UP. SO WE WOULD HAVE FOUR BUSES OR CIRCULATORS RUNNING EACH DAY. THIS IS A $1.6 MILLION PROGRAM. 1.5 MILLION OF THOSE DOLLARS ARE FUNDED THROUGH THE FDOT AND THEN $100,000 WE INVOICE TO THE TDC OR FOR TDT DOL AND I AM AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS. YEAH, FIRST OF ALL, VERY EXCITED, OBVIOUSLY ABOUT THIS. I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS WE LEARNED FROM THE KNIGHTS OF LIGHTS THAT IS, THAT IS POSSIBLE. AND THAT'S A GOOD THING, ADAPTING TO THAT PROGRAM. SO THE FUNDING. SO YOU GOT 1500 FROM FDOT AND 100,000 FROM THE 1.5 MILLION. OKAY. FROM. IT'S TOTALLY FUNDED. COMPLETELY. OKAY. AND THEN IS THERE ANY. IS THERE ANY COST INVOLVED FOR THE RIDERS? NO, THIS IS A FREE SERVICE. OKAY, GOOD. OKAY. SO LOOKING AT A COUPLE THINGS HERE, I DO SEE THAT THERE'S SET TIMES HERE, BUT REALITY IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE THAT GOING OVER THE ISLAND A LOT, I'M ALWAYS GOING OVER ON MY BIKE AND STUFF. SO THE BRIDGE, WE HAVE BRIDGE OPENINGS AND TRAFFIC ON THE ROADS A LOT OF TIMES. SO MY, MY CONCERN WOULD BE THAT WE HAVE THESE STOP TIMES AND THAT PEOPLE COULD BE HELD UP BY 10, 15, 20 MINUTES OR SOMETHING. I'VE TALKED TO MY COMMISSIONERS, REALLY. SO BUT I DEFINITELY WANT TO DO THIS. SO I'M JUST WONDERING HOW WE MAKE PEOPLE STILL HAVE THE CONFIDENCE. SO WHEN I LOOK AT IT, I SEE IT'S REALLY PICKING PEOPLE UP AT THE HOTELS AND BRINGING THEM TO TOWN AND BRINGING THEM BACK. SO USUALLY ON A SYSTEM LIKE THIS, THE MORE RELIABLE IT IS, THE MORE SUCCESSFUL IT IS. SO HOW WOULD WE DO WITH THAT? POTENTIALLY MAYBE AN APP. SO WE, WE BUILT IN BUFFERS INTO THE STOP TIMES. SO IN OUR CONVERSATION WITH MR. CHATTERTON AND OF COURSE OUR MOBILITY MANAGER AND MR. FRANKLIN, OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE TIMELINESS OF THE STOPS. AND CURRENTLY OUR SHUTTLE RUNS MOST OF THE TIME. IT'S RUNNING ON TIME, EVEN WITH OUR TRAFFIC CHALLENGES. SO WE WOULD CONTINUE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WE CAN MONITOR THAT AS THE SHUTTLE SERVICES INCORPORATED. AND IF WE NEED TO MAKE CHANGES, WE'LL ADJUST. SO IT SOUNDS LIKE POTENTIALLY YOU ADDED A LITTLE TIME AND IF THE GUYS GET AHEAD, THEY CAN STOP AND COME IN. AND SO THAT'S. SO YOU BUILT THAT IN. CORRECT. OKAY, THAT'S GOOD. THAT'S VERY REASSURING. AND I DID NOTICE THE STOPS ON BOULEVARD AT ZORAIDA. UNLESS I'M WRONG, YOU GO DOWN A LOT OF PARTS TO THIS MAP TOO. [01:25:02] SO I HAVE A SIMPLER VERSION. MARIN, IF YOU CAN PUT PRESSURE HEIGHT. MARIN, IF YOU CAN PUT THIS. SO IT'S. IT WOULD BE. IT WOULD BE PAGE OR MAP. I DON'T KNOW. 44 OF 18. SO UNLESS I'M WRONG, THE. THE CIRCULATOR IS GOING TO COME SOUTHEAST AND IT'S GOING TO COME OVER THE BRIDGE AND THEN IT'S GOING TO COME TO ZORAIDA AND THEN IT LOOKS LIKE IT CROSSES THE BOULEVARD AND PICKS PEOPLE UP AND THEN CONTINUES TO GO. AND THEN THE OPPOSITE HAPPENS ON THE WAY BACK. IT GOES DOWN AND IT CROSSES AND IT. STOP 17 IS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE DIRECTION OF THE SHUTTLE. SO BOTH OF THE STOPS ARE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE DIRECTION OF THE SHUTTLE. AND I WAS JUST WONDERING WHERE WHAT THAT. WHY THAT OCCURRED THERE. DOES THAT MAKE ANY SENSE? I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING YOUR QUESTION. I'M SORRY. YEAH, THAT'S OKAY. GO OVER THE BRIDGE. ALLIANCE. THIS IS PAGE 4 OF 18 AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE OUT ROUTE. I'M GOING TO CALL THE OUT ROUTE TO THE BEACH AND THE IN ROUTE TO THE CITY BECAUSE MAKES IT EASIER. SO ON THE OUT ROUTE. OUT ROUTE, IT LOOKS LIKE THE BUS CROSSES THE BOULEVARD AND LOADS STOP FOUR ACROSS THE STREET AND THEN CROSSES THE RIDE AND THEN GOES OUT AGAIN. AND ON THE WAY BACK IT'S COMING IN ROUTE AND IT CROSSES AND THEN IT GOES TO STOP 17. THEN I GUESS IT GOES BACK OUT AND GOES IN THERE. I'M JUST WONDERING. I DON'T THINK IT CROSSES TO PICK UP AT BUS STOP 4. I THINK THAT'S JUST THE BUS STOP WHERE THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING IS IN FRONT OF. WHAT IS THAT? THERE'S A SARBAZ. OH, OKAY. SO PEOPLE CAN BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF ANASTASIA BOULEVARD ACROSS THE STREET FROM SARBZ. AND THERE'S A. THERE'S A PEDESTRIAN CROSSING. THEY CAN CROSS THE STREET THERE AND JUMP ON THE SAR. CIRCULAR. OKAY. SO THEY'RE GONNA BE PICKING UP ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE ROAD, BOTH SIDES. OKAY. OKAY, GOTCHA. OKAY, THANK YOU. OKAY. OKAY. THAT'S REALLY ALL THE KIND OF DETAIL TALK I HAVE. VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. AND LOOKING. THAT'S THE WEST AND THE EAST AND WE GOT THE SOUTH. SO IT'S REALLY THE SAN MARCO CORRIDOR. BUT I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT. COMMISSIONER, COMMENTS. BUT THANK YOU, EVERYBODY THAT'S WORKED ON THIS. THIS IS REALLY GREAT. I KNOW REUBEN'S PUT SOME TIME IN. I KNOW IT HAD WORK FROM THE BEACH BECAUSE AT THE VCB MEETING, COMMISSIONER SAMORA AND I TALKED ABOUT ABOUT THIS AND HE WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. SO THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. I JUST HAVE A QUESTION. SO IS THE STAR RIDER GOING TO BE BRINGING PEOPLE FROM THE VIC ALSO DOWNTOWN? SO THEY'RE GOING TO. YES, THERE IS A STOP AT THE VIC. OKAY, THAT'S GOOD. THAT'S ACTUALLY OUR INITIAL STOP. SO WE START THE MORNING AT THE VIC EACH DAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. I THINK THIS LOOKS GOOD. I'M EXCITED TO SEE IT ROLL OUT. PUN INTENDED. SORRY. AND IT. I REALLY HOPE IT'LL. I HOPE IT WILL HELP WITH MOBILITY. I THINK IT REALLY HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DO THAT. SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT. AND I ALSO HAVE. IT FEELS TO ME LIKE THE STAR CIRCULATOR. I KNOW THAT WHEN I GO THROUGH THERE, MAYBE THEY'RE NOT PEAK TIMES FOR RIDERS, BUT IT'S SEEMS LIKE IT'S AWFULLY QUIET. AND SO HOPEFULLY THIS WILL ACTUALLY GET IT CLOSER TO CAPACITY AND THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE HOW IT IMPACTS MOBILITY. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. RIGHT. YEAH. GETTING PEOPLE USED TO USING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. BUT IN THIS CASE, IT'S ALREADY A SUCCESSFUL ROUTE. SO REALLY THIS IS KIND OF PATTING OURSELVES ON THE BACK AND SAYING, YOU KNOW, LOOK, THIS IS A GREAT THING. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WITH PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FOR OUR VISITORS. IT'S NOT IN THE SUNSHINE BUS TYPE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, WHICH WAS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY NEEDED BECAUSE THE TWO DON'T REALLY NECESSARILY MIX, SO TO SPEAK. BUT I LIKE IT BECAUSE IT'S PUTTING THOSE NEW LEGS ON THE WHOLE SYSTEM. AND THEN ONE DAY THERE WILL BE A WHOLE SYSTEM AND IT WILL ALSO GO DOWN KING STREET TO THE GROTTY GARAGE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT THAT PUTTING LEGS ON A REALLY GOOD PROGRAM THAT WE KNOW IS ALREADY WORKING. SO KUDOS TO YOU. IS THIS AN ACTION ITEM? ARE YOU JUST. THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM. I BELIEVE WE DO NEED A VOTE. WE WILL. I FAILED TO MENTION, MADAM MAYOR, THAT NEXT STEPS WOULD BE TAKING THIS TO THE BEACH COMMISSION TO GET THEIR STAMP OF APPROVAL OR AUTHORIZATION. AND WE PLAN TO DO THAT AT THE SEPTEMBER 8 MEETING, PENDING THE ACTION THAT'S TAKEN HERE TONIGHT. WELL, I CAN'T IMAGINE THEM NOT APPROVING IT. THIS IS SOMETHING THEY'VE BEEN ASKING FOR [01:30:01] FOR A LONG TIME, YOU KNOW, AND ARE VERY HAPPY ABOUT. IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN BRING HOME TO THEIR COMMUNITY AND SAY, AND IT'S NICE TO BE AT THE TDC TABLE AND HAVE A FRIEND THERE WHO GETS IT. SO. OKAY, LET'S ADD BETTER. MOVING RIGHT ALONG. ANYONE HAVE A MOTION? I JUST. ARE WE GOING TO PROVIDE SOME KIND OF DOCUMENTATION TO GIVE TO, LIKE, TOURISTS THAT CHECK INTO THE HOTEL SO THEY KNOW ABOUT THE RIDER? BECAUSE OTHERWISE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO KNOW THAT IT EXISTS. YES. SO WE WILL BE DOING MARKETING AND BRANDING. FUTURE EFFORTS OR ELEMENTS OF THIS ROLLOUT WILL BE WORKING WITH FDOT TO PUT BENCHES ALONG ANASTASIA BOULEVARD AND AT THE HOTEL LOCATIONS WHERE OUR STOPS ARE. SO WE WILL BE ROLLING OUT SOME MARKETING AND BRANDING. AND WE DO HAVE THAT MAP THAT I WAS SHOWING EARLIER THAT WILL. WE CAN TAKE TO HOTELS. THAT WILL ALSO BE POSTED ON OUR CITY WEBSITE. AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE'LL DO A PRESS RELEASE LIKE WE NORMALLY DO TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THIS SERVICE IS AVAILABLE. OKAY, GOOD. BECAUSE THAT'LL KEEP THOSE CARS OFF THE ROADS, WHICH WILL LIGHTEN UP TRAFFIC. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. YOU'RE WELCOME. ALL RIGHT, I'LL MAKE THEM. YOU WANT TO MAKE THE MOTION TO. OKAY, I GOTTA GET BACK TO THE RIGHT PAGE. OKAY. EXPAND THE STAR CIRCULATOR. JUST WANTED TO SAY WE DO THINK ABOUT CARS OFF THE ROAD, BUT I THINK IT'S NECESSARY TO SAY THESE ARE ALSO CARS NOT COMING DOWNTOWN TRYING TO PARK, WHICH HELPS A LOT. SO I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE STAFF REPORT ITEM FOR THE CITY COMMISSION PROPOSAL TO EXPAND THE ST. AUGUSTINE RIDER CIRCULATOR. WRAP. SECOND. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. JON DEPRETER? YES. CYNTHIA GARRIS? YES. BARBARA BLONDER? YES. NANCY SIKES-KLINE. [11. ITEMS BY CITY ATTORNEY ] YES. THANK YOU. SUPER HAPPY. APPRECIATE IT. ALL THAT GOOD WORK. NEXT ITEM. OH, ITEMS BY CITY ATTORNEY. YES, MADAM MAYOR, MADAM CHAIR, VICE MAYOR, OUR MAYOR ELECT AND COMMISSIONER DEPRETER, YOU'LL RECALL, AGAIN, AT THE LAST MEETING OUR MAYOR ELECT GARRIS ASKED FOR CONSIDERATION OF POSSIBLY CHANGING THE LOCATION OF THE CEREMONIAL SWEARING IN. WE CALL IT THE REORG OR REORGANIZATION MEETING THAT HAPPENS IN DECEMBER. AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE NEEDED TO DO A CHARTER CHANGE BECAUSE THAT IS EMBEDDED IN OUR CHARTER, WHICH IS FINE. BUT BEFORE I MOVE FORWARD WITH THE FORMAL ORDINANCE TO CHANGE THE VERBIAGE, I WANTED TO BRING BACK A LITTLE BIT TO KIND OF WORKSHOP IDEAS. I'VE PREPARED THREE DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND THEY ALL CONTAIN THE LANGUAGE REGARDING HOLDING THE CEREMONY EITHER AT CITY HALL OR AT ANY OTHER LOCATION THAT'S WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, CONSISTENT WITH GOVERNMENT AND THE SUNSHINE. SO ALL THREE OPTIONS HAVE THAT LANGUAGE. BUT WHAT CHANGES BETWEEN THE THREE OPTIONS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND DISCUSSION IS THE TIME OF THE CEREMONY. SO I KNOW THAT THAT WAS NOT WHAT OUR MAYOR ELECT MENTIONED AT THE PAST MEETING. BUT AT THE LEVEL OF STAFF, WE HAVE BEEN TALKING OVER TIME OF WHETHER OR NOT THE COMMISSION WOULD BE AMENABLE TO CHANGING THE ACTUAL TIME OF THAT CEREMONIAL MEETING. AS YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW IT'S HELD AT AT NIGHT. AND OF COURSE IN DECEMBER WE ALREADY HAVE THE KNIGHTS OF LIGHTS CROWDS. AND IT IS A BIT OF AN UNUSUAL TIME TO BEGIN A MEETING AT SO LATE A TIME DURING THE DAY. SO FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, I'VE GOT THREE DIFFERENT OPTIONS. THE FIRST IS TO HOLD THAT CEREMONIAL MEETING AT 11AM MY THOUGHT PROCESS JUST WAS THAT PERHAPS FOLKS WHO ARE BEING SWORN IN EITHER FOR THE FIRST TIME OR RECURRING MAY GENERALLY THEY BRING FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR THAT CEREMONY. AND THAT WOULD GIVE FOLKS AN OPPORTUNITY TO AFTER THE CEREMONY, PERHAPS GO AND ENJOY LUNCH WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY AFTERWARDS. THE OTHER OPTION, WHICH IS OPTION B WOULD BE MOVING THE TIME UP FROM 7:30 TO ACTUALLY 5PM WHICH IS SORT OF CONSISTENT WITH YOUR OTHER MEETINGS HERE AT CITY COMMISSION THAT BEGIN FORMALLY AT 5. AND OF COURSE, PERHAPS SELFISHLY, FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE, THAT WOULD MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER FOR US. WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO DEMOBILIZE AND HEAD HOME FOR DINNER WITH OUR FRIENDS, FAMILIES AND THEN COME BACK INTO TOWN AT 7:30 AT NIGHT FOR THIS CEREMONIAL MEETING. AND OF COURSE OPTION C LEAVES IT [01:35:01] AT 7:30. BUT AGAIN, WITH THE REQUESTED CHANGE OF HAVING SOME FLEXIBILITY IN THE LOCATION OF WHERE THE CEREMONIAL MEETING WOULD OCCUR. SO I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. YOUR CITY MANAGER, WHO IS A WONDERFUL AICP CERTIFIED PLANNER AS WELL, IS, IS HERE ALSO TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. WELL, I WILL GIVE THE FLOOR TO COMMISSIONER GARRIS. THIS IS YOUR REQUEST. THIS IS YOUR THING. SO. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, 11 O' CLOCK IS NOT PRACTICAL FOR ME BECAUSE MY FAMILY'S FLYING IN FROM DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND THEY WERE ALREADY TOLD IT WAS AT SEVEN. SO 11 O' CLOCK, THEY WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE THEIR FLIGHTS AND EVERYTHING TO GET GET HERE. SO FIVE O' CLOCK SEEMS DOABLE JUST SO THAT THE STAFF IS NOT PROLONGED HERE AND HAVING TO BE HERE AT AT NIGHT BECAUSE I PERSONALLY DO HAVE PLANS AFTER THE CEREMONY WITH MY FAMILY. SO IF IT'S FIVE O', CLOCK, THEN THAT'S FINE. IT'LL GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO CITY HALL. NOT ONLY JUST FOR MYSELF, THIS WASN'T A SELFISH REQUEST FOR MYSELF. THERE'S TWO NEW COMMISSIONERS THAT WILL BE JOINING THE COMMISSION AS WELL. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF OUTCOME. I MEAN, THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN BORN AND RAISED HERE AND EVERY COUSIN, BOBBY JO AND EVERYBODY ELSE MIGHT BE SHOWING UP IN THIS PLACE. SO IT IS FOR EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO WITNESS THEIR FAMILY JOINING THE COMMISSION. AND NOT ONLY THAT, BELOVED MAYOR, CURRENT MAYOR AND JIM SPRINGFIELD WILL BE LEAVING AND THEREFORE PEOPLE MIGHT WANT TO COME AND SEE THEM AND THEIR SEATS ONE FINAL TIME. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I STILL BELIEVE THAT WE NEED A BIGGER SPACE. I KNOW I TALKED A LITTLE BIT TO THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT JUST DOING IT OUT IN THE COURTYARD. SO IT WOULD STILL BE HERE AT CITY HALL AFTER VERIFYING THAT FLAGLER WAS NOT AVAILABLE. SO IF WE COULD MAYBE MOVE FORWARD TRYING TO DO THAT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ARRANGEMENTS YOU MADE. I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT AN EXTENDER. MAYBE WE COULD GET THAT AND SEE IF WE COULD FILM OUTSIDE. I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE AT WITH THOSE ARRANGEMENTS. SO WE LOOKED INTO SEVERAL DIFFERENT VENUES IN TOWN. FLAGLER COLLEGE AUDITORIUM IS NOT AVAILABLE. WE LOOKED AT SOME OTHER VENUES IN TOWN THAT WERE SIMILAR IN SIZE TO THIS. THE COMPLICATION IS THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO LIVE STREAM THE CEREMONY AT THESE OTHER LOCATIONS. AND WE BELIEVE LIVE STREAMING IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE, WE BELIEVE THAT MOST FOLKS WHO ARE WATCHING THIS ARE WATCHING IT AT HOME. AND, AND BY THE WAY, JIM SPRINGFIELD IS NOT HERE TONIGHT, BUT HE IS ALSO WATCHING THIS LIVE STREAMING AS WE SPEAK. IT MAY BE POSSIBLE FOR US TO MOVE THE SWEARING IN CEREMONY TO THE COURTYARD HERE. BUT THERE'S A TECHNICAL COMPLICATION BECAUSE THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO THAT IS A LONG CORD AND WE HAVE BEEN WARNED BY THE SUPPLIER OF THAT EQUIPMENT THAT THAT LONG CORD IS NOT RELIABLE ALL THE TIME. SO THE FEED MIGHT GO IN AND OUT AND THAT WOULD BE UNFORTUNATE IF WE LOST THE LIVESTREAM FEED DURING THE SWEARING IN CEREMONY. AS A BACKUP, WE COULD STILL USE THIS ROOM FOR THE CEREMONY, BUT ALSO MAKE THE COURTYARD AVAILABLE AND POTENTIALLY EVEN THE LOBBY OF THE LEITNER MUSEUM AVAILABLE. AND IF WE COULDN'T GET EVERYONE INTO THIS ROOM FOR THE CEREMONY, WE COULD HAVE TELEVISION SET UP OUTSIDE IN THE COURTYARD AND IN THE LOBBY OF THE LEITNER MUSEUM. AND THEN AFTER THE REORG RESOLUTION IS FINISHED AND THE NEW COMMISSION IS SEATED, THEN THE LOBBY OF THE LEITNER WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE TO TAKE PICTURES AND TO GATHER AFTER THE CEREMONY. I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO WANT TO GET THEIR PICTURE TAKEN WITH THE NEW COMMISSIONERS AND THE OUTGOING COMMISSIONERS. SO THAT IS WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW. I CAN CONTINUE TO LOOK AT WAYS TO TRY TO MAKE THE STREAMING IN THE COURTYARD MORE VIABLE, BUT THE LATEST INFORMATION I GOT WAS IF WE DON'T USE THE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE WE HAVE IN THIS ROOM, WE'RE RISKING LOSING THE LIVE STREAM ELSEWHERE. AND ALL THE OTHER VENUES THAT WE LOOKED AT, IT'S NOT. THE LIVE STREAMING WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE. THAT'S [01:40:02] NOT WHAT WE WERE HOPING FOR. WE WERE HOPING FOR A LARGE VENUE THAT WOULD ACCOMMODATE OUR LIVE STREAMING AND RECORDATION, AND WE JUST HAVE NOT FOUND, FOUND THAT INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, UNFORTUNATELY. WELL, CAN WE JUST TABLE THIS AND YOU SEE IF THERE'S ANOTHER PERSON THAT COULD RECORD IN THE COURTYARD? BECAUSE MY ORIGINAL THING, BEFORE I EVEN WENT TO THINKING OF FLAGLER, THINKING IT WOULD BE BEAUTIFUL IN THE COURTYARD BECAUSE OF THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS BEING ON, AND THE FIRE MARSHAL SAID THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT NUMBERS AND RESTRICTIONS BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY WAYS TO GET OUT. RIGHT. CAN YOU GET BACK TO US ABOUT THAT? BECAUSE, I MEAN, WE HAVE UNTIL DECEMBER TO SEE WHAT WE CAN ARRANGE. YES. AND WHAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING TONIGHT IS JUST THE FLEXIBILITY TO HAVE A DIFFERENT VENUE SOMEWHERE IN THE CITY AND THE TIME OF THE EVENT. SO I CAN KEEP WORKING ON THE COURTYARD OPTION FOR YOU AND BRING IT BACK TO YOU. AND I THINK I AGREE THAT 5 O' CLOCK IS A BETTER WINDOW OF TIME FOR ALL OF US THAN 07:30 AT NIGHT, BECAUSE BY THE TIME WE GET OUT OF HERE TO BE LIKE 9:30, 10 O' CLOCK. AND I REMEMBER LAST TIME WE WERE SCRAMBLING TRYING TO GET IN A RESTAURANT AND THEY LET US STAY BECAUSE THERE WAS A CROWD OF US. SO THEY DIDN'T WANT TO LOSE THAT MONEY. SO IT WOULD BE BETTER. THANK YOU. OKAY, I'M, I'M AMENABLE TO THAT. THERE'S NO RUSH IF THAT'S. I AGREE WITH THE 5 O'. CLOCK. I. YES, HAS ALWAYS BEEN LATE. YEAH, IT SEEMS CEREMONIAL, BUT LATE. BUT FIVE. ESPECIALLY NOW THAT KNIGHTS OF LIGHTS HAVE BECOME SUCH A THING AND STAFF, IT'S SO DIFFICULT TO GET IN AND OUT OF THE CITY. YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE CANDIDATES HAVE LITTLE KIDS, SO THEM COMING IN AT 5 O'CLOCK, THIS PROBABLY WOULD BE BETTER THAN GETTING HERE AT 7:30. OKAY. OKAY, THANK YOU. I HAD A COMMENT. YEAH. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS IS HISTORIC. WE GOT TO GET THE AUDIO VISUAL. RIGHT. AND WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO RISK IN LOSING THE FEED. YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE'S PEOPLE AROUND, POTENTIALLY AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT AREN'T GOING TO BE HERE THAT WANT TO SEE THIS. AND, AND SO I JUST, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE AN OBSTACLE IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, BUT IF IT COMES DOWN TO IT, I WANT IT TO BE HERE. IF WE CAN'T GET A BETTER SOLUTION TO THE AV, I JUST DON'T WANT TO LOSE THAT 5 O'CLOCK. I'M GOOD WITH IT. REALLY GOOD WITH IT. YEAH. I KNOW PERSONALLY, I HAVE OVER 20 FAMILY MEMBERS IN ADDITION TO OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST COMING HERE BECAUSE IT IS HISTORICAL. RIGHT, EXACTLY. SO THAT'S MY POINT. I DON'T WANT SOMEBODY TO PAY TO TRAVEL HERE AND THEY HAVE TO WATCH IT OUTSIDE ON THE TV BECAUSE THEY COULD HAVE WATCHED IT ON THEIR PHONE OR COMPUTER. SURE. WE CAN ALSO, WE CAN RECONFIGURE THE ROOM. WE CAN TAKE THIS STAFF TABLE OUT, UP FRONT, OUT AND PUT AS MUCH SEATING AS POSSIBLE IN THE ROOM. AND WE CAN RESERVE SEATS FOR YOUR FAMILY WHO ARE COMING INTO TOWN. WE WOULD STILL HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE OUR SECURITY, OBVIOUSLY. RIGHT, BUT WE CAN PUT 90 PEOPLE, 90 HUMAN BEINGS ARE ALLOWED IN THIS ROOM. AND WE CAN REMOVE STAFF AND THE TABLES TO ACCOMMODATE AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE AND RESERVE SEATS FOR YOUR FAMILY AND GUESTS. YEAH, SO THAT, THAT'S THE WAY WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT, IS RESERVE THE SEATS SO THAT YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT YOUR FAMILY COMING AND THEN NOT GETTING A SEAT OR STANDING IN THE COURTYARD. THE PEOPLE YOU CHOOSE WHO GET SEATS AND WITH IF WE CAN DO CAPACITY OF 90, I THINK THAT'S VERY GOOD. BUT GO AHEAD. WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THE COURTYARD OPTION AND WE'LL BRING THAT BACK TO YOU. BUT YEAH, THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL PLACE. A LOT OF COMMISSIONERS AND MAYORS HAVE BEEN SWORN IN HERE. AND YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S SENTIMENTAL TO ME, SO I THINK IT CARRIES GREAT MEANING TO BE ABLE TO BE SWORN IN, IN THIS ROOM, BUT IT'S UP TO YOU. SO. BUT WE, I KNOW THAT STAFF CAN ACCOMMODATE ALL OF YOUR FAMILY. MEMBERS. AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE, ANY OF US WILL WANT YOU TO WORRY ABOUT, THAT YOU CAN'T ACCOMMODATE THEM. IF THEY COME, THEY SHOULD BE ACCOMMODATED. BUT WE HAVE DONE THINGS IN THE. WHERE WE'VE HAD TVS IN THE COURTYARD BEFORE AND EVEN IN THE LOBBY OF THE LEITNER WHEN WE'VE HAD LARGE ISSUES. THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE. THIS WILL BE A HAPPY EVENT. SO. BUT THANK YOU. OKAY, SO THAT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD CONSENSUS. IT'S GOING TO BE AT 5 O'. CLOCK. WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND SEE IF WE CAN USE THE COURTYARD. HAVE A BACKUP PLAN. YES. BUILT IN THAT TOO. AND COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD HAS JUST TEXTED ME AS AN IDEA JUST FOR YOU TO CONSIDER, WHICH WOULD ALLOW COMMISSIONERS TO HAVE TICKETS TO PASS OUT [01:45:02] TO THEIR GUESTS. YES, RESERVATIONS. RESERVATIONS. SAME THING. THAT'S A VERY GOOD IDEA. THAT IS A GOOD IDEA. REALLY GOOD IDEA. THAT WAY WE KNOW WHO'S GOING TO BE IN THE. THE ROOM. AND THAT'S. THAT'S A GOOD THING. OKAY, PERFECT. ALL RIGHT. IS THAT ALL? MADAM C. ATTORNEY. GOOD JOB. THANK YOU. [12. ITEMS BY CITY CLERK] GOOD JOB. ALL RIGHT. Y' ALL DID GREAT. MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. ITEMS BY CITY CLERK. NOTIFICATION OF VACANCY. YES, THIS IS WITH A HEAVY HEART TO NOTIFY YOU THAT WE DO HAVE ONE VACANCY ON OUR CIVIL SERVICE BOARD, SADLY, BECAUSE OF THE PASSING OF GREG NICHOLS, BOARD MEMBER. SO WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR A REPLACEMENT FOR HIM. JUST AS A SIDE NOTE, THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR THIS POSITION DOES NOT REQUIRE A CITY RESIDENCY. IT DOES REQUIRE THAT THERE BE A VARIETY OF VOCATIONS AND IT CANNOT BE ANY CURRENT CITY POLICE OR CURRENT CITY FIREFIGHTER. SO JUST KEEP THAT IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY THAT MAY WISH TO SERVE. ALL RIGHT. [13. ITEMS BY CITY MANAGER] IS THAT IT? YEP. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ITEMS BY CITY MANAGER. MR. CITY MANAGER, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE PARKLANDS NORTH OF TOWN. THAT'S WHERE SAN MARCO AVENUE AND U.S. 1 MERGE. WE WILL BEGIN WORKING ON UPDATING AND CLEANING UP THAT PARK AS WELL AS THE CITY GATES WITH THE CONQUISTADORS. AND MY STAFF HAS GOT A PLAN TO REMOVE ALL THE BAD LANDSCAPING, TO CLEAN THE COQUINA FOUNTAIN, WATERFALL FOUNTAIN FEATURE TO CLEAN THE CITY GATE FEATURES, TRIM BACK SOME LIMBS THAT ARE OVERHANGING THAT. BUT I JUST WANTED TO UPDATE YOU THAT WHEN WE REMOVE THE LANDSCAPING THAT IS ALL PAST ITS LIFESPAN, WE DON'T WANT TO IMMEDIATELY REPLACE IT. WE WANT TO WAIT ON PLANTING SEASON, WHICH IS IN THE FALL. OUR LANDSCAPE FOLKS HAVE TOLD US THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE WORST TIME OF THE YEAR TO PLANT ANYTHING. SO YOU WILL SEE THE LANDSCAPE REMOVED AND MULCHED DOWN, AND THE FOUNTAINS AND THE GATES AND THE CONQUISTORS, EVERYTHING REFRESHED. BUT YOU WON'T SEE NEW LANDSCAPING COME IN UNTIL THE FALL. UNTIL THE. UNTIL FALL. A COUPLE OF MONTHS FROM NOW. OKAY. MAKES SENSE TO ME. JUST TO GIVE IT A BETTER. JUST IN CASE EVERYBODY'S LIKE, YES. WHY DID THEY DO THAT? YES, THEY'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING. WE SHOULD BE MAKING A DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT TO THOSE SPACES. BUT I DON'T WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE THE EXPECTATIONS THAT WE'RE PLANTING LANDSCAPING IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER, WHICH IS NOT. SO THAT WE WILL BE ASKED THAT [14. ITEMS BY MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS] QUESTION. YES. THANK YOU FOR THE HEADS UP. WE VERY, VERY MUCH APPRECIATE. IS THAT ALL? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A LIST, Y', ALL, FOR MY COMMISSIONER, MAYOR, AND COMMISSIONERS. THERE IS. IF COMMISSIONERS DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS, THERE IS A PARK THAT HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO THE CITY AT MADEIRA, AND THAT PARK HAS LINGERED THROUGH WHAT I COUNT AS FIVE MAYORS. IT'S NEVER BEEN DEDICATED, AND IT'S NEVER BEEN PREPARED FOR THE CITY, AND I DON'T WANT IT TO BE FORGOTTEN. I KNOW IT'S BEEN ON MY LIST SINCE DAY ONE, AND THANK GOODNESS THE CITY MANAGERS KEPT ME UP TO DATE ON IT. BUT I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU, I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU WILL PUSH THAT FORWARD AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. I FEEL LIKE THE CITY HAS BEEN VERY PATIENT ABOUT THAT PARK, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE. Y' ALL NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE. I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT PUTTING MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR IMPROVING THAT PARK OR DOING SOMETHING WITH IT. WHETHER WE'RE JUST GOING TO PUT GRAVEL IN FOR PARKING AND PEOPLE WALK AROUND A LAKE. I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE. BUT THERE IS A PARK IN OUR FUTURE, AND IT'S JUST TAKING AWAY TOO LONG. IT WAS, AS I RECALL, IT WAS IN PHASE ONE. THE PARK WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PROVIDED TO THE CITY AT THE END OF PHASE ONE. HOWEVER, PHASE ONE HAS LASTED HOW MANY DECADES NOW? I DON'T KNOW. BUT IT'S ONE OF THOSE LITTLE TRICKY THINGS. THEY HAVE COMMITTED TO THE PARK. THEY HAVE. WE'VE SEEN THE DESIGN OF THE PARK. IT'S NICE. IT'S A PASSIVE PARK. BUT THEY HAVE NOT REACHED THAT THRESHOLD, [01:50:01] THAT MILESTONE WHERE THEY HAVE TO GIVE TITLE TO THE PROPERTY TO US YET. BUT THEY ARE AWARE THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN REACHING THAT MILESTONE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU. I DON'T WANT Y' ALL TO FORGET. I DON'T WANT YOU TO FORGET. SO IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF US WORKED REALLY HARD. I KNOW DON CRITCHLOW COMMISSIONER CRITCHLOW WORKED VERY HARD ON THAT. GEORGE GARDNER. AND IT CAME OUT OF A VERY LONG BATTLE TO SAVE THE GOLF COURSE. AND IT WAS A BIG CONCESSION, AND IT JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN YET. SO, YEAH, ENOUGH SAID. NEXT THING IS, WE HAVE A BREWING STORM OVER SECTION 106, WHICH IS A FEDERAL PLANNING TOOL THAT IS USED TO HELP AND PRESERVE HISTORIC SITES, OBJECTS, BUILDINGS, PLACES. AND IT'S A PROTECTION MEASURE WHEN THERE'S WHAT'S CALLED A FEDERAL UNDERTAKING. AND THAT MEANS. THAT JUST BASICALLY MEANS THAT FEDERAL MONEY IS GETTING SPENT OR STATE MONEY IS GETTING SPENT. CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. IF IT'S A STATE OR FEDERAL UNDERTAKING, YOU GET SECTION 106 UNDER CERTAIN. IT'S A PLANNING TOOL. IT DOESN'T STOP DEVELOPMENT. IT DOESN'T PREVENT ANYONE, ESPECIALLY THE GOVERNMENT, FROM DOING SOMETHING, BUT IT AN ADVISORY TOOL THAT WE USE TO MITIGATE POTENTIAL IMPACTS TO HISTORIC RESOURCES. SO THERE'S A MOVEMENT OF FOOT RIGHT NOW TO CHANGE THAT. SO THAT PUBLIC INPUT, SORT OF CHILLING PUBLIC INPUT WITH WHAT'S A TOOL THAT'S BEEN USED CALLED INTERESTED PARTIES. THEY'VE GIVEN A STATUS TO INTERESTED PARTIES. I THINK YOU MIGHT BE FAMILIAR WITH THAT TERM. AND THIS IS. THIS IS. THERE'S A MOVEMENT AFOOT TO REMOVE THE LANGUAGE OR THE ABILITY TO HAVE INTERESTED PARTIES INVOLVED IN THE 106 PROCESS. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IN THE BRIDGE OF LIONS, SAVING THE BRIDGE OF LIONS, THIS INTERESTED PARTY STATUS WAS VERY IMPORTANT. SAVE OUR BRIDGE WAS A MEMBER. WAS AN INTERESTED PARTY, HAD THAT STATUS. AND IT'S A VERY GOOD CASE STUDY FOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERESTED PARTIES AND THEIR ROLES THAT ARE PLAYED IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING. SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO. SORRY, HAD TO GO ON WITH THAT. BUT WHAT I LIKE TO DO IS I LIKE TO SUPPORT THE SIDE OF THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION, WHICH IS FIGHTING THIS AMENDMENT TO REMOVE INTERESTED PARTY STATUS. AND I THINK THIS ALL GOES TO WASHINGTON. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ALL THE BACKSTORY IS ON IT, BUT IT'S VERY ALARMING TO ME, AND I'D LIKE TO GET YOUR SUPPORT TO HAVE A RESOLUTION DRAWN UP, AND THEN WE CAN TAKE THAT RESOLUTION AND WE CAN SEND IT TO OUR GOVERNOR. WE CAN SEND IT TO OUR REPRESENTATIVES RUTHERFORD AND ASHLEY MOODY AND. AND THESE. AND RICK SCOTT, IF YOU'RE AMENABLE TO THAT. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. Y' ALL FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT? YES. I DON'T KNOW THE. I DON'T KNOW. STATE. SECTION 106. SECTION. SECTION 106. SECTION 1. I'M WRITING THIS DOWN. NATIONAL HISTORIC. I DO NOT. PRESERVATION. I DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM. YOU WRITING A RESOLUTION AND BRINGING IT. THEN WE CAN DISCUSS. SECTION 106 IS A PART OF THE NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACT, SO 1964, I BELIEVE. ANYWAY, SO I'LL WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THEN WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. BECAUSE I THINK THAT PROCESS IS SORT OF UNFOLDING AND I'M NOT SURE HOW SOON, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF. THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN. AND I THANK AMY SKINNER FOR. AND COURTNEY. COURTNEY, JULIE COURTNEY, FOR HELPING WITH THIS. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION. OF COURSE. I THINK IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT KIND OF DISTURBED ME, I GOT AN EMAIL FROM A CITIZEN ABOUT BRICKS, OUR BRICK STREET PROJECT ON SEVILLE. AND IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE, FROM WHAT I CAN UNDERSTAND, AND I'D LIKE TO GET MORE INTO. IN DEPTH, IN DEPTH WITH THIS, THAT THE BRICKS ON THE STREET ARE NOT. THAT WERE TAKEN UP, ARE NOT BEING REUSED, APPARENTLY. AND I DO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN YOU TAKE THESE STREETS UP, SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T USE THEM. AND I THINK, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THESE BRICKS ON SEVILLA STREET WERE EMBEDDED IN PORTLAND CEMENT, WHICH IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH. AND OFTEN I THINK YOU HAVE TO BREAK THE BRICKS TO GET THEM UP. WELL, BUT I AM CONCERNED. THE CITIZEN BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTENTION THAT WE'RE USING NEW BRICKS FOR THAT STREET THAT MATCH THE OLD BRICKS, WHICH I'M NOT OBJECTIONABLE TO. BUT I DO THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IN ALL UNDERTAKINGS OF THE CITY, ALL PROJECTS, THAT TWO THINGS HAPPEN WHEN A [01:55:03] PROJECT IS PLANNED IN THE PLANNING STAGES, AND THAT IS THAT THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLANNERS ARE NOTIFIED AND THAT ARCHAEOLOGIST IS NOTIFIED. AND I THINK THAT THERE'S NO HARM, NO FOUL HERE. BUT I DON'T THINK FROM WHAT I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF YOU REALLY COULDN'T USE. YOU DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH BRICKS TO REALLY REUSE OR EVEN INTERSPERSE. BECAUSE I THINK ON CHARLOTTE STREET WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH BRICKS TO REDO CHARLOTTE STREET, BUT WE INTERSPERSED THEM TO THE NEW AND THE OLD KIND OF TOGETHER. SO I DON'T KNOW. HARB DID APPROVE THE NEW PAVERS. YES. AND ARCHEOLOGY DID THEIR THING. THEIR THING. WE DID NOT. WE ARE USING NEW STREET PAVERS ON SEVILLA STREET, BUT WE'RE NOT. BUT WE ARE MAIN. WE'RE HOLDING ON TO THE PAVERS THAT WERE REMOVED SO THAT WE CAN USE THEM TO FILL IN GAPS WITH OUR HISTORIC BRICK STREETS. WE'RE NOT THROWING THOSE PAVERS AWAY. YOU WILL CONSERVE THOSE. GREAT. YES. WE STORE THOSE AT OUR 80 ACRES OFF HOMES BOULEVARD. THANK YOU. THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING, AND I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE QUITE A STOCK OUT THERE, BUT YOU'LL SAVE THEM UP UNTIL THERE'S ENOUGH TO USE ON ANOTHER. YEAH, THEY'RE USED FOR INFILL WHEN WE HAVE TO DO WORK ON SOUTH ST. GEORGE STREET OR OTHER PLACES THAT HAVE THE HISTORIC PAVERS. OKAY. BUT I JUST FELT LIKE IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO SAY THAT. IT'S IMPORTANT. ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I RAN FOR OFFICE IN THE FIRST PLACE WAS I WANTED TO BE SURE THAT INSIDE CITY HALL, THERE'S THIS ETHIC AMONG THE DEPARTMENTS THAT OUR BRICK STREETS, OUR HISTORIC SITES, OUR HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE, ALL THOSE THINGS COME FIRST, AND THAT WE GET THE EXPERTS INVOLVED THAT ARE ON STAFF IN ORDER TO. AS WE'RE PLANNING THOSE PROJECTS, NOT WHEN THEY'RE EXECUTED AS THEIR PLANTS. SO THAT'S. THAT'S SOMETHING TO ME, AND IT'S JUST MY QUIRK, BUT I WANTED TO BRING THAT UP, AND I WILL BE RESPONDING TO THE CITIZEN. BRICK STREETS ARE REALLY A FABULOUS THING THAT WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE HERE. SO I'M VERY HAPPY ABOUT SOME OF THE ANSWERS THAT I GOT IN THE PROFESSIONALISM THAT I RAN UP INTO WITH THE CITY STAFF WHEN I STARTED IN INQUIRING ABOUT THAT. FRANKLY, IT'S JUST BEEN VERY, VERY HEARTENING TO HEAR HOW MUCH CARING THERE IS. BUT IT JUST REMINDED ME THE LAST THING I HAVE IS SELFIE DAY IS TOMORROW, SO CITY SELFIE DAY. SO I ENCOURAGE THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO FIND YOUR FAVORITE THING IN THE CITY AND DO A SELFIE AND UPLOAD IT ONTO THE FACEBOOK PAGE. I THINK YOU DO THAT JUST BY HASHTAGGING SELFIE DAY, CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE. I DON'T KNOW. HOW DOES IT WORK? I GUESS YOU COULD JUST LOOK AT FACEBOOK, YOU KNOW. RIGHT. WELL, JUST LOOK ON OUR FACEBOOK AND THEY'LL HAVE ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO UPLOAD, YOU KNOW, YOUR SELFIE. I PLAN ON DOING A SELFIE. IT LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF FUN. WE GOT AN AWARD FOR IT, I THINK, LAST YEAR. SO, YES, THE CITY CLERK'S DEPARTMENT'S PHOTO WAS EXTREMELY POPULAR. I'M JUST GONNA SAY THAT. OKAY, THEN. BUT YOU CAN. I'M SURE WE CAN ALL GET SUPER CREATIVE WITH THIS. I THINK THAT IT'S SOMETHING ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO CAN SEND IT TO THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT EMAIL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET IT. OKAY. SO THEY'RE. THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE SPEARHEADING THIS AWESOME FUN DAY. YES. AND IF YOU SEND IT TO ME, I'LL FORWARD IT IMMEDIATELY TOO. I THINK THE HASHTAG IS CITYHALL SELFIE. OH, GREAT. HASHTAG CITY HALLSELFIE. SO IT CAN BE INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK? MOST OF US DO FACEBOOK, BUT OKAY. SO YEAH, WE'RE EXPECTING A GOOD SELFIE OUT OF YOU. COMMISSIONER GARRIS ON CITY SELFIE DAY TOMORROW. WHY NOT? I DON'T KNOW. IT'S AN UPLOAD TOMORROW THING. SO LET'S DO THAT. THAT SOUNDS GREAT. LET'S ALL FOUR AFTERWARDS GET TOGETHER AND DO ONE. ALL RIGHT, THAT'S MY STUFF. WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO NEXT? I GOT JUST A FEW THINGS BECAUSE I KNOW EVERYBODY WANTS TO GET OUT OF HERE AT A REASONABLE HOUR TONIGHT. I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT CAME OUT FROM FULLAWOOD IN DIFFERENT AREAS TO SUPPORT THE CONSERVATION THAT VICE MAYOR BLONDER HAD PUT TOGETHER. I WANT TO THANK US ALL FOR VOTING FOR IT SO THAT WE KNOW THAT THE LAND WILL BE ENTRUSTED. WE WERE BOTH AT SOMETHING FOR RANDY RINGHAVER WHERE HE DONATED LIKE A WHOLE LOT OF ACRES OF LAND. SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE SOME GREEN SPACE IN OUR COMMUNITY. I ALSO WANT TO JUST FOLLOW UP WITH THE CITY MANAGER THAT HE WILL BE SPEAKING TO COASTAL CARRIAGES [02:00:01] ABOUT THE ONES THAT CAME FORWARD BECAUSE HE SOUND LIKE HE REALLY WAS BLINDSIDED AND DIDN'T KNOW THAT HE WAS AT FAULT FOR ANY REASON. AND I THINK WE HAD A GOOD COMMISSION MEETING. JIM SPRINGFIELD, I SINCE YOU'RE WATCHING, YOUR SEAT WAS EMPTY AND WE MISSED YOU TONIGHT AND THANKS STAFF FOR CHECKING INTO THE VENUE THING FOR ME. I APPRECIATE IT AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING, NOT ONLY FOR MYSELF BUT FOR THE NEW COMMISSIONERS THAT WILL COME COME INTO PLACE. WE ALL APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND EFFORTS AND THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. PLEASE JUST HAVE A GOAL. I KNOW WE GOT OUR SHUTTLE TONIGHT, SO I'VE BEEN WATCHING THIS PATTERN. I WENT TO THE LOCAL, I WENT TO THE ST. JOHN'S CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CANDIDATE FORUM NIGHT AND I LISTENED AND FROM WHAT I HEARD, WE HAD FIVE CANDIDATES THERE THAT WERE DISCUSSING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SAN MARCO SHUTTLE LANE. AND WE HAVE SHARED PARKING AND WE PASSED THAT AND THAT'S KIND OF SEMI RELATED. AND NOW WE HAVE THE BEACH SHUTTLE. SO EXPANDING ON SOMETHING THAT THE MAYOR HAD SAID EARLIER ABOUT THESE LEGS, WHAT I'M THINKING IS WE'RE REALLY HOPEFULLY WORKING TOWARD BUILDING A NETWORK OF NON AUTOMOBILE TRAVEL OPTIONS FOR OUR PUBLIC. AND THAT'S THAT WOULD INCLUDE WALKING AND BIKING. AND I WAS GOING TO GIVE MY PRESENTATION THAT NIGHT, BUT WE HAD ALL THE VEHICLE FOR HIRE GUYS HERE IN THE FRANCHISE. IT WASN'T A GOOD NIGHT TO DO IT, BUT I THINK WE'LL BE, WE'RE GOING TO BE REDOING OUR MOBILITY PLANS. WE'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT HOW OUR OWN RESIDENTS GET AROUND TOWN WITHOUT BIKES. BUT FROM THE BROADER THING THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, THE GENERAL PLANNING, I MEAN, IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THESE LEGS. SO WE NOW HAVE BROWDIES, SO THAT'S GOING TO PICK UP SOME TRAFFIC FROM THE WEST AND THE SOUTH. WE NOW GOT THE SHUTTLE FOR HOTELS, BUT STILL IT WORKS. AND I LISTENED TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TOO, AND I DIDN'T HEAR ANYBODY UNFRIENDLY TOWARD A SHUTTLE LANE THERE. AND I THINK THAT MAYBE THE STARS ARE KIND OF ALIGNING HERE MORE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I CAN DO. I CAN TALK TO CITY MANAGER AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS MORE. BUT WHOEVER THE NEW COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ARE GOING TO BE, I WOULD LIKE TO REACH OUT TO THEM AND TALK TO THEM AND SHARE THIS INTEREST BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE EVER REALLY GOT A SHARED APPROACH TO IT BECAUSE IT JUST MAKES SO MUCH COMMON SENSE. SO THAT'S JUST WHAT'S ON MY MIND. I DON'T HAVE ANY ANSWERS TO SOLUTIONS NOW, BUT I JUST WANTED TO HAVE US FOCUS ON IT FOR A SECOND AS A GOAL. THAT'S REALLY WELL SAID. THANK YOU. OKAY, SO I PREPARED A LITTLE BIT LIKE YOU DID WITH YOUR LIST, BUT I ONLY HAVE ONE ITEM ON MY LIST, BUT IT'S A LITTLE BIT LONG. MS. DUNN, WOULD YOU GO AHEAD AND PROJECT THE SIDE BY SIDE PICTURES PLEASE, THAT I'VE ASKED YOU TO. AND WHILE SHE'S DOING THAT, I THINK YOU WOULD ALL AGREE THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK THAT WE DO IS LISTENING TO OUR CONSTITUENTS GOING OUT, MEETING THEM WHERE THEY ARE. AND AFTER HURRICANE IRMA, I REMEMBER GOING TO THE COURT THEOPHILIA NEIGHBORHOOD ALONG WITH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF FULLERWOOD AND JUST CHECKING ON PEOPLE, HOW ARE YOU DOING AND WHAT DO YOU NEED? AND PART OF THAT WAS THAT IT WAS REALLY HORRIFYING TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON AT COURT THEOPHILIA. DIRT ROADS BASICALLY IN DISREPAIR. SO MANY PEOPLE FLOODED. AND SO STARTING TO TALK WITH STAFF. AND I BELIEVE THE COMMISSION TOO, I REMEMBER CORRECTLY ABOUT MAYBE LOOKING AT SOME INNOVATIVE WAYS THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE AND MAKING THIS A DEMONSTRATION PROJECT. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US. HERE IS THE BEFORE AND AFTER. THERE'S THREE OTHER PICTURES. SO I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE THINGS. THIS PROJECT. GO AHEAD, MS. DUNN. YEAH. THANK YOU. YEAH. OKAY. THIS PROJECT IN ITS FINISHED VERSION. MY HUSBAND EVEN WENT. I WAS SO EXCITED ABOUT SEEING IT FINISHED. I WAS LIKE, YOU GOT TO GO SEE THIS. SO HE DID. IS A FINALIST FOR THE 2026 ULI NORTH FLORIDA AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE, WHICH RECOGNIZED THE REGION'S MOST IMPACTFUL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. PRETTY COOL. THAT'S AWESOME. AND I MEAN, I'M LOOKING AT IT AS SOMEBODY WHO DOES EDUCATION. AND THAT SIGN IS AMAZING. THE PROJECT WAS 100% FUNDED BY FLORIDA DEP'S RESILIENT FLORIDA PROGRAM, TO THE TUNE OF ALMOST $5 MILLION. BUT IN ORDER TO GET THOSE FUNDS AND THE CITY TAXPAYERS HAD TO PAY NOTHING, JESSICA BEACH AND THE WHOLE CREW OVER THERE HAD TO GET THE PROJECT COMPLETED BY JUNE 30TH. OTHERWISE THAT [02:05:02] MONEY DISAPPEARED. AND SO THEY DID IT. THEY DID IT IN RECORD TIME. IN FACT, THERE WAS AN ENGINEERING INSPECTION TEAM THAT WAS OUT EVERY DAY WITH THE CONTRACTOR TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY STAYED ON TRACK. IT WAS A TOUGH TIMELINE. I'M QUOTING NOW FROM MS. BEACH. BUT THEY DID HIT THE MARK. THE CONTRACTOR BASICALLY BUILT EVERYTHING IN FIVE MONTHS, WHICH IS UNHEARD OF. IT'S TYPICALLY TWICE THAT LONG, 10 PLUS MONTHS. AND IT IS JUST SOMETHING THAT THE COURT RESIDENT, SHE WANTS TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THEM BECAUSE I WAS OVER THERE VISITING A FRIEND AT ONE POINT AND YOU REALLY HAD TO DO SOME NAVIGATING, PARK YOUR CAR OUTSIDE OF THE CONSTRUCTION AREA AND WALK IN OR DO WHATEVER. IT WAS A MESS WHILE THEY WERE DOING THE CONSTRUCTION. BUT THIS IS A BIOSWALE. AND THIS TAKES THE WATER FROM THE STREETS. IT STORES IT LETS IT FILTER THROUGH A NUMBER OF FILTRATION LAYERS AND GOES INTO THE STORM DRAIN AT THE END AND IS CLEANER THAN ANYTHING ELSE THAT COMES STRAIGHT OFF OF OUR STREETS. SO I'M HOPING WE SEE MORE OF THESE PROJECTS. THANK YOU, MS. DUNN, SO MUCH AND STAFF AND EVERYBODY WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROJECT, THIS COMMISSION. IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE REALLY PROUD OF. AND THANK YOU COURT THEOPHILIA RESIDENTS FOR. FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION. YEAH, THAT'S IT FOR ME. THAT'S A VERY NEAT SHOW AND TELL. INSPIRING, BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE A NUMBER OF THOSE PROJECTS KIND OF LIKE THAT. I'VE GOT A SEAWALL INLET. INLET DRIVE. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, IT'S COMING. SAME, SAME. SAME POCKET OF MONEY. YEP. AND I HAVE BEFORE. I CAN DO BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES TOO. I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT. BECAUSE THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT WE NEED TO BE COMMUNICATING, IS THAT THESE ARE WORKING. I LOVE THE BELT BIOSWALE. IT SOUNDS REALLY GOOD. I KNOW THEY HAVE ONE DOWN AT FLAGLER BEACH BETWEEN. THEY DO. THEY HAVE THAT ON A 1A. YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. I'VE FORGOTTEN ABOUT THAT. IT'S REALLY COOL. ALL RIGHT, ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY, WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.