Sep 28, 2026 City Commission

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ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING.

WELCOME TO THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COMMISSION THIS EVENING. GOOD TO SEE A FULL HOUSE. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

NANCY SIKES-KLINE. HERE.

BARBARA BLONDER. HERE.

CYNTHIA GARRIS. HERE.

JIM SPRINGFIELD. HERE.

JON DEPRETER. HERE. ALL RIGHT.

SO, WE WILL OBSERVE 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. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT ITEM IS

[2. ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS]

COMMISSIONERS, ANY MODIFICATIONS TO THE AGENDA? MR. CITY MANAGER, ANY MODIFICATIONS TO THE AGENDA? NO, STAFF HAS NO MODIFICATION.

OKAY, I MOVE THAT WE PASS THE REGULAR AGENDA FOR APPROVAL.

SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE.

OPPOSED, LIKE SIGN. CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. THE

[3. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, RECOGNITIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS]

HIS WIFE LOUISE IS HERE WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY, SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOU PRESENTING THAT. OKAY, THANK YOU. I'LL COME TO THE PODIUM AND DO THAT. AS PART OF THE CITY'S PROTOCOL TO HONOR FORMER CITY COMMISSIONERS AND NOTABLE FIGURES UPON THEIR DEATH, IT IS MY HONOR THIS EVENING TO HONOR AND REMEMBER FORMER CITY COMMISSIONER RICHARD LEE WHITE, A MAN WHO WAS VERY MUCH A PART OF THE ST. AUGUSTINE COMMUNITY. I'D LIKE TO WELCOME RICHARD'S WIFE, LOUISE AUSTIN, AND THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. RICHARD WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE IN ST.

AUGUSTINE, GRADUATED FROM RICHARD J. MURRAY HIGH SCHOOL IN 1962, AND WENT ON TO BECOME THE FIRST BLACK CERTIFIED SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER IN THIS UNITED STATES. RICHARD LED A REMARKABLE LIFE FILLED WITH SERVICE, ACCOMPLISHMENT, AND SINCERE COMMITMENT TO HELPING PEOPLE. HE TOUCHED MANY LIVES WITH HIS WISDOM, WIT, HUMOR, AND UNWAVERING SPIRIT OF PERSEVERANCE. HE SERVED THIS COUNTRY IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY AND BUILT HIS CAREER AS A SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER WITH WORKING WITH SOME OF THE MOST PROMINENT AMERICANS AND VOICES OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ERA, INCLUDING MALCOLM X, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., AND JESSE JACKSON. HE WAS ALSO AN ENTREPRENEUR, AND IN 1986 OPENED THE FIRST BLACK JAZZ SUPPER CLUB IN ST. AUGUSTINE, APPROPRIATELY NAMED RICHARDS, BRINGING TOGETHER HIS ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT, HIS LOVE OF JAZZ, AND HIS LOVE FOR THIS COMMUNITY. RICHARD IS ALSO BELIEVED IN, HE BELIEVED IN BEING INVOLVED. HE SERVED AS THE COMMANDER OF THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 37. HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE BUFFALO SOLDIERS AND TROOPERS MOTORCYCLE CLUB,

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AUGUSTINE AS A CITY COMMISSIONER FROM 1991 TO 1994. THOSE, AND I HAVE TO SAY, HE MADE A GREAT IMPRESSION AS IN DURING HIS TERM. I DO REMEMBER HIS SERVICE. THOSE DIFFERENT CHAPTERS OF HIS LIFE TELL US A LOT ABOUT WHO RICHARD WAS. HE WAS SOMEONE WHO SHOWED UP, GOT INVOLVED, CARED DEEPLY ABOUT THE PEOPLE AROUND HIM.

HE SHARED THAT COMMITMENT WITH HIS WIFE AND HIS BEST FRIEND LOUISE, AND TOGETHER THEY HAD A PASSION OF COMMUNITY, SOCIAL JUSTICE, VOLUNTEERISM, AND OF COURSE, JAZZ MUSIC. TODAY, AS WE PRESENT THIS FLAG IN RICHARD'S MEMORY, WE RECOGNIZE NOT JUST HIS SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY AND OUR CITY, BUT A LIFE THAT WAS DEEPLY CONNECTED TO ST. AUGUSTINE.

TO LOUISE, RICHARD'S FAMILY, AND ALL THOSE WHO KNEW HIM AND LOVED HIM, THANK YOU FOR SHARING HIM WITH US. IT IS OUR PRIVILEGE TO HONOR RICHARD TODAY AND TO REMEMBER HIS MANY YEARS OF SERVICE, FRIENDSHIP, AND DEDICATION TO THE CITY WE CALL HOME.

MISS LOUISE, WILL YOU COME FORWARD AND BRING YOUR FAMILY? OKAY, OUR REGULAR MICROPHONE IS WE HAVE ONE MORE. OH.

WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL. ALL RIGHT, SO I'D LIKE TO READ THE INSCRIPTION SINCE WE'RE ALL HERE. THIS FLAG WAS FLOWN AT CITY HALL ON THURSDAY, JULY 23RD, 2026, IN HONOR OF RICHARD LEE WHITE, CITY COMMISSIONER 1991 THROUGH 1994, THE CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. AND I'M GOING TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU.

I MAKE IT UP AS I GO ALONG.

I JUST WANT TO THANK THE CITY FOR ACKNOWLEDGING MY UNCLE.

FOR ME, I LOOKED UP TO MY UNCLE JUST FROM THE EDUCATION SIDE TO THE MILITARY SIDE HIS ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND JUST HIS LOVE FOR PEOPLE IN GENERAL. MY AUNTIE HE'S BEEN WITH HER FOR 20 SOMETHING YEARS, AND HE LOVED HER DEEPLY, AND I JUST, HIS MESSAGE IS JUST ALWAYS LOVE PEOPLE AND ALWAYS GIVE TO THE NEEDY AND ALWAYS JUST HAVE THAT THAT WINNING SPIRIT. SO JUST THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. WE HAVE ONE

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AND WHEREAS FTD IS A RARE BUT UNDERDIAGNOSED DISEASE THAT AFFECTS OVER 60,000 PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES ALONE. IT IS FREQUENTLY MISDIAGNOSED AS ALZHEIMER'S, PARKINSON'S DISEASE, OR A PSYCHIATRIC CONDITION LIKE DEPRESSION. ON AVERAGE, IT TAKES 3.6 YEARS TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS.

AND WHEREAS FTD MAY AFFECT PEOPLE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 21 AND 80, WITH THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF THOSE AFFECTED BETWEEN THE AGES OF 45 AND 64, AND IT IS THE MOST COMMON FORM OF DEMENTIA FOR PEOPLE UNDER 60 YEARS OF AGE, OFTEN RENDERING INDIVIDUALS IN THE PRIME OF LIFE UNABLE TO WORK OR FUNCTION NORMALLY.

AND WHEREAS, AS FTD PROGRESSES, SYMPTOMS AFFECTING BEHAVIOR, LANGUAGE, AND MOVEMENT VARY BY INDIVIDUAL, BUT INCREASINGLY IMPAIR A PERSON'S ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND, COMMUNICATE, AND RELATE TO OTHERS, WHICH LEAD TO DECLINING SOCIAL AND OCCUPATIONAL FUNCTIONING AND AN INCREASING DEPENDENCY ON CAREGIVERS. AND WHEREAS THERE IS CURRENTLY NO CURE FOR FTD, AND EXPERIMENTAL TREATMENTS TO SLOW OR STOP DISEASE PROGRESSION ARE CURRENTLY IN TRIALS, WHILE A GROWING NUMBER OF INTERVENTIONS ARE BECOMING AVAILABLE TO HELP MANAGE FTD SYMPTOMS AND MAXIMIZE QUALITY OF LIFE. AND WHEREAS IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THERE BE GREATER AWARENESS OF THIS SERIOUS DISEASE AND THAT MORE BE DONE TO INCREASE ACTIVITY AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL LEVELS TO RAISE FUNDS, IMPROVE CARE AND SUPPORT OPTIONS, AND ADVANCE RESEARCH FOR TREATMENTS AND ULTIMATELY A CURE. NOW, THEREFORE, WE, THE ST. AUGUSTINE CITY COMMISSION, HEREBY PROCLAIMS SEPTEMBER 28TH THROUGH OCTOBER 04, 2026 AS FRONTOTEMPORAL DEGENERATION AWARENESS WEEK AND ENCOURAGES ALL RESIDENTS TO INCREASE AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF FRONTOTEMPORAL DEGENERATION, SUPPORT AFFECTED INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES, AND PROMOTE EFFORTS TO ADVANCE RESEARCH, TREATMENT, AND CARE, AND SIGNED BY THE MAYOR. SO, IF MS. BLACK COULD COME UP, PLEASE, AND ANYONE ELSE IN HER GROUP, IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO COME UP, AS WELL AS THE CITY COMMISSIONERS AND THE MAYOR.

THANK YOU. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS MISS BLONDER AND THE WHOLE CITY COMMISSION OF ST. AUGUSTINE.

MY HUSBAND WAS 57 WHEN HE PASSED AWAY THIS PAST MARCH AFTER 9 YEARS OF PURSUING A DEFINITIVE DIAGNOSIS AND 12 YEARS OF SUFFERING WITH IT AND MY DAUGHTER IS 22 YEARS OLD, SO THIS MEANS A GREAT DEAL TO ME AND MY FAMILY. THANK YOU.

I KNOW. I THINK WE DID IT LAST

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[4. PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS OR FOR AGENDA ITEMS NOT REQUIRING A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING (Part 1 of 2)]

THE CITY'S OWN ENFORCEMENT OFFICER HAS FACED OPEN DEFIANCE OVER SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS WEARING HIS REQUIRED IDENTIFICATION BADGE. WHEN TOLD TO WEAR IT, THE OPERATOR FLUNG THE TAG BEHIND HIS BACK AND SAID, I'M WEARING IT. PLEASE PLAY VIDEO 1, VOLUME UP. ONE WEEK LATER, THIS PHOTO SHOWS THE IDENTIFICATION AGAIN CONCEALED BEHIND HIS BACK. COMPLIANCE IN THIS INDUSTRY IS IMPERATIVE DUE TO THE HIGH-RISK NATURE OF THESE OPERATIONS. LAST NIGHT, A SAFETY CONCERN AROSE INVOLVING A MAN USING A WHEELCHAIR. HE APPROACHED AN OLD CITY CARRIAGE OPERATOR AND WAS TOLD NOT TO COME CLOSER TO THE HORSE. HE EXPLAINED THAT THE CARRIAGE WAS BLOCKING THE RAMP. THE CARRIAGE HAD TO BE MOVED BEFORE THE MAN COULD PASS.

THESE SITUATIONS CAN TURN DANGEROUS IN SECONDS WHEN A HORSE REACTS UNEXPECTEDLY TO TRAFFIC, PASSENGERS, OR UNFAMILIAR ACTIVITY. ANIMAL WELFARE CONCERNS ALSO CONTINUE.

EVEN SOMETHING AS BASIC AS PROVIDING WATER TO WORKING CARRIAGE HORSES REMAINS A PERSISTENT PROBLEM ACROSS THE INDUSTRY. THIS NEXT VIDEO STARTS AFTER AN OPERATOR WAS REMINDED TO OFFER HIS HORSE WATER.

PLEASE PLAY VIDEO 2, VOLUME UP.

OH MY GOD! I SAW HIM FALL DURING THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS.

OH MY GOD! HELP! HELP, HELP US, HELP US, HELP US! GOOD JOB, CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE. THIS IS WHAT YOU CONTRACT OUT. THAT'S HOW YOU DO YOUR JOB, BY MOANING AND WHINING AND THIS IS WHAT YOU CONTRACT OUT TO REPRESENT ST. AUGUSTINE.

SHAME ON YOU. IS THAT A THREAT? WHY DON'T YOU GET A LITTLE CLOSER? SERIOUS? THAT'S OKAY.

TIME IS UP. THIS IS A CITY FRANCHISEE. HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WELFARE OF CARRIAGE HORSES WORKING ON CITY STREETS. THE CITY MUST KEEP THE ALREADY CONSTRAINED CONDITIONS ON OUR STREETS IN MIND AS IT DECIDES THE FUTURE OF THESE OPERATIONS.

ALL RIGHT, I DO NEED TO GO BACK, TAKE JUST A MINUTE AND READ THE RULES OF DECORUM, WHICH I FAILED TO DO BEFORE WE STARTED PUBLIC COMMENT, SO I'M GOING BACK NOW.

AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT 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 3

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MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE WILL REFRAIN FROM ANY CLAPPING OR DISRUPTIVE DEMONSTRATIONS OF APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF ANY COMMENTS. AND FINALLY, I WOULD ASK THAT ANY SPEAKER WHO USES THE OVERHEAD PROJECTOR TO PLEASE SUBMIT THOSE ITEMS TO THE CITY CLERK TO BE ENTERED INTO THE PUBLIC RECORD. NEXT PUBLIC SPEAKER IS HEATHER WILSON, FOLLOWED BY THOMAS REYNOLDS. GOOD EVENING. WE HAVE MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES IN OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF KEEPING TRACK OF THE CARRIAGE HORSES BECAUSE THEY ARE CONSTANTLY BEING SWAPPED BETWEEN COMPANIES, AND THEY DISAPPEAR FROM INVENTORY LISTS. ADDING TO THE CONFUSION, THE LACK OF RESPONSES WHEN WE INQUIRE ABOUT A SPECIFIC HORSE WHEN WE HAVEN'T SEEN THEM IN A LONG TIME. ON MARCH 10TH, BETH WALT WAS NOTIFIED OF BARBIE BEING INJURED. FRED PEZZA OF COASTAL CARRIAGES CALLED THE INJURY A SMALL CUT.

THIS IS NOT A SMALL CUT, AND FRED IS NOT A VETERINARIAN.

THIS IS A LACERATION WITH FLESH POURING OUT OF IT.

THIS INJURY SIDELINED BARBIE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, AND OUR CONCERN WAS DEFINITELY WARRANTED. YET SOMEHOW BARBIE MIRACULOUSLY PASSED A CITY VET EXAM ON MAY 14TH. BODY CONDITION, MUSCULOSKELETAL, FREE FROM WOUNDS, OPEN SORES, AND SWELLING, WHICH IS NOT TRUE. EITHER THE VET DID NOT LOOK AT HER OR THE INJURY WAS COVERED. ON MAY 31ST, I SUBMITTED AN INQUIRY REGARDING BARBIE, EXPRESSING CONCERN BECAUSE WE HAD NOT SEEN HER FOR A LONG TIME. INSTEAD OF A RESPONSE FROM THE CITY, WE WERE RIDICULED ON PUBLIC SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES BY A COASTAL/CB HINSON DRIVER WHO, INCIDENTALLY, HAS APPEARED FOR WORK WITH NO NAME TAG. SHE HAS LOST ONE OF HER RUBBER TIRES, AND SHE FAILED TO PROPERLY QUARANTINE A HORSE THAT WAS NEWLY ACQUIRED. SHE STATED THAT BARBIE WAS ON VACATION, WHICH IS NOT TRUE. BARBIE WAS ON A MEDICAL LEAVE, UNABLE TO WORK. HOW DID THIS ANIMAL PASS A VET EXAM WITH AN OPEN LACERATION? AND WHY DID THE CITY WITHHOLD INFORMATION FROM THE PUBLIC WHEN THEY KNEW THAT SHE WAS INJURED? HOW IS IT THAT THE CARRIAGE COMPANY IN QUESTION, COASTAL CARRIAGES, INDIRECTLY RESPONDS TO A PUBLIC RECORDS ACT REQUEST, AND THE CITY IGNORES ME? WE HAVE AMPLE DOCUMENTATION OF BARBIE WORKING WHILE INJURED, WITH HER LACERATION CAMOUFLAGED. THAT WAS ON JUNE 3RD, THE INJURY IS COVERED WITH SOMETHING BLACK OR BROWN.

JUNE 5TH, SHE'S OPEN AND BLEEDING. VERY NEXT DAY, SHE'S BACK OUT AT WORK, AND THE DAY AFTER THAT. THE CITY HAS FAILED THIS MAGNIFICENT ANIMAL. AND WHILE WE'RE AT IT, THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER HORSES THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN IN A LONG TIME, IN ADDITION TO BARBIE.

CHOCOLATE MOOSE, JET, DAVE, CREAM, SCOUT, AND I DON'T THINK WE HAVE EVER SEEN ODIN. THESE MAJESTIC, ICONIC ANIMALS ARE TREATED AS MERE CHATTEL. THE WORLD IS WATCHING. IT IS TIME TO PHASE OUT THIS CRUEL AND OUTDATED INDUSTRY AND REPLACE THESE WITH ELECTRIC CARRIAGES WHERE THERE IS NO ANIMAL CRUELTY. REPLACE THESE HORSES WITH ELECTRIC CARRIAGES, ALLOW THE ANIMALS TO RETIRE WITH DIGNITY WHILE THEY CAN STILL ENJOY THEIR LIVES, AND BEFORE THEY GET INJURED OR TURN UP MISSING AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. NEXT SPEAKER IS THOMAS REYNOLDS, FOLLOWED BY ROBIN THOMAS. 1240 FOUR MILE ROAD, ST. AUGUSTINE, 32084.

YOU KNOW, FOLKS, WHEN I LISTEN TO THOSE 2 LADIES AND WHEN I VIEW THE VIDEOS AND I REALLY AM AMAZED. IT REALLY IS BARBARIC.

YOU CAN'T GET AROUND THIS.

THIS, THIS INDUSTRY SHOULD HAVE ENDED A LONG TIME AGO BECAUSE THERE IS ACTUALLY A SOLUTION.

BUT THEN AGAIN, I MEAN, THIS IS THE CITY THAT ALLOWED A MAN TO ROB DEAD PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES. JOE BOWLES ROBBED DEAD PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES.

HE WAS NEVER HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

THERE IS NO WRITTEN INVESTIGATION OF HIS CRIMINAL CONDUCT. YOU KNOW, FOLKS, OVER HERE ON ORANGE AVENUE IS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. REMEMBER THE REPORT?

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THAT SCHOOL DISTRICT IS IN THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE.

NO INVESTIGATION BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. ALL OF THIS HORSE ABUSE, ALL OF THIS STUFF THAT HAS GONE ON FOR A LONG TIME, NO CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION.

NOW, ROBBING DEAD PEOPLE, TORTURING CHILDREN, OVERLY RESTRAINED, YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE LEAD INVESTIGATORS ON THAT.

SHOULD HAVE BEEN LEAD INVESTIGATORS ON JOE BOWLES ROBBING DEAD PEOPLE. I DON'T KNOW, FOLKS. THE, THE HORSE CARRIAGE INDUSTRY HAS A SOLUTION. 3 PEOPLE ARE GOING OUT. SPRINGFIELD, BLONDER, AND SIKES-KLINE. WHAT IS, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SAY COME JANUARY? WHAT REALLY IS, WHAT DID YOU DO? YOU DID NOTHING. YOU DID NOTHING WHEN JOE BOWLES ROBBED DEAD PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES. YOU DID NOTHING FOR OVERLY RESTRAINED CHILDREN, SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN, OVERLY RESTRAINED. DID YOU EVER ASK THE CHIEF OF POLICE, EVER ASK THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHERE YOU AT ON THIS INVESTIGATION? BARBARIC HORSE CARRIAGE INDUSTRY. DID YOU EVER ASK THE CHIEF OF POLICE, WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE? IS THERE REALLY CRIMINAL CONDUCT HERE? WE KNOW THERE IS. WE SEE THE VIDEOS. IT'S TERRIBLE WHAT GOES ON HERE, BUT I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU, FOLKS, THERE'S ONLY ONE WORD THAT YOU AND I HAVE IN COMMON. THAT'S ETERNITY. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE WHERE I'M GOING TO BE.

NEXT SPEAKER IS ROBIN THOMAS, FOLLOWED BY NANCY MURPHY.

PERFECT. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. CHARTER FOR COMPASSION TRANSFORMATION FROM INNER HEALING TO PLANETARY FLOURISHING. WE, THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY OF EARTH, STAND AT A THRESHOLD MOMENT IN HUMAN AND PLANETARY HISTORY.

THE PRINCIPLE OF COMPASSION, WHICH HAS ALWAYS RESIDED AT THE HEART OF OUR RELIGIOUS, ETHICAL, SPIRITUAL, AND INDIGENOUS TRADITIONS, NOW CALLS US TO A PROFOUND TRANSFORMATION FROM SEPARATION TO KINSHIP, FROM CHARITY TO JUSTICE, FROM COMPETITION TO COOPERATION, AND FROM HUMAN-CENTERED THINKING TO UNIVERSAL AWARENESS. THIS CHARTER IS OUR SACRED PROMISE TO LIFE ITSELF, A COMMITMENT TO EMBODY THE CHANGE WE SEEK, TO HEAL THE WOUNDS WE HAVE INHERITED, AND TO PLANT SEEDS OF FLOURISHING FOR GENERATIONS YET TO COME.

IT IS AN INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD, THE STORY OF LIFE AWAKENING IN ITS OWN SACRED NATURE AND CHOOSING LOVE OVER FEAR, COOPERATION OVER DOMINATION, AND HEALING OVER HARM. MAY OUR WORDS BECOME ACTIONS, OUR ACTIONS BECOME CULTURE, AND OUR CULTURE BECOME THE FOUNDATION FOR A WORLD WHERE ALL BEINGS CAN THRIVE IN DIGNITY, BEAUTY, AND BELOVED COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS NANCY MURPHY, FOLLOWED BY CHRIS FULMER. HI, I'M NANCY MURPHY. I LIVE ON CARRERA, AND I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH YOU. THANK YOU FOR WELCOMING ME, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK FOR A COUPLE MINUTES. I NOTICED THAT ITEM 13 IS THE CITY MANAGER'S RECAP OF THE 2026 YEAR IN REVIEW, AND YOU SEE HERE WE HAVE OUR INVITATION FROM COMPASSIONATE ST.

AUGUSTINE TO INVITE YOU TO JOIN OUR 13-YEAR RECAP AS WE CELEBRATE ALL THE

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AUGUSTINE, WE HAVE BEEN AWARDED WITH MORE THAN 12 AWARDS FROM THE CITY, FROM THE COUNTY, AND FROM THE STATE. SO, I FEEL LIKE THAT SETS THE STAGE AND BODES WELL FOR US AS WE NOT ONLY CELEBRATE THOSE 13 YEARS ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER THE 10TH AT GRACE, WHERE WE ALSO TALK ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW AND ENVISION WHAT WE THINK CAN BE POSSIBLE IN THE NEXT 13 YEARS TO COME. SO, THANK YOU. I HOPE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO JOIN US. I'LL LEAVE THE INVITATION OVER HERE. ALL RIGHT, PERFECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

CHRIS FULMER, FOLLOWED BY SCOTT YORK. GOOD EVENING, CHRIS FULMER. I LIVE IN ST.

AUGUSTINE. I WANTED TO ASK FOR AN UPDATE FOR THE DILAPIDATED BUILDING AT 46 SPANISH STREET. IT'S BEEN A YEAR SINCE THE COMMISSION SAID THEY WERE GOING TO LOOK INTO IT, AND PERHAPS I MISSED IT, BUT I'VE NOT SEEN AN UPDATE. I'D ALSO LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE ELECTIONS COMING UP AND AMENDMENT 3. THE PROPOSAL IS TO INCREASE THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION ON PROPERTY TAXES AND IT'S BEEN POINTED OUT THAT IT IS POORLY WRITTEN AND WILL HAVE MANY SIDE EFFECTS THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WARNING US ABOUT.

THE STATE SHERIFF ASSOCIATION, THE STATE FIREFIGHTERS UNION, THE STATE TEACHERS UNION, THE STATE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION HAVE ALL CAUTIONED THAT THIS WOULD LEAD TO CUTS IN EMERGENCY, I MEAN, NOT EMERGENCY, ESSENTIAL SERVICES. I LISTENED TO GOVERNOR DESANTIS SPEAK ON IT WHEN HE WAS HERE IN ST.

AUGUSTINE, AND HE VERY PLAINLY SAID THAT CITIES AND COUNTIES THAT HAVE LOTS OF TOURISM AND SECOND HOMES COULD JUST SOAK THE TOURISTS AND THE SNOWBIRDS TO MAKE UP FOR THE, THE LOSS OF FUNDING, AND THAT MORE RURAL COUNTIES WHO COULDN'T MAKE UP THE REVENUE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF SECOND HOMES, AND THEY CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TOURISM WOULD HAVE TO ASK THE STATE TO FUND THEM.

WHAT HE DIDN'T SPECIFY, AND WHAT THE BILL DOESN'T SPECIFY, IS WHERE THAT MONEY'S GOING TO COME FROM AND HOW THEY GO ABOUT GETTING IT. THEY NOW WOULD SAY THAT TALLAHASSEE GETS TO DECIDE WHAT'S AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE FOR THOSE MUNICIPALITIES.

BYRON DONALDS CALLED IT, THEY WILL HAVE TO SING FOR THEIR SUPPER. AND THAT'S GIVING UP LOCAL CONTROL TO THE STATE.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE A DENGUE FEVER OUTBREAK IN SEVERAL COUNTIES, WEST NILE VIRUS IN SEVERAL COUNTIES.

MOSQUITO CONTROL IS PAID FOR BY PROPERTY TAXES. WHAT IF THE STATE DECIDES THAT THAT'S NOT AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE? I THINK IT'S SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.

IT'S A FLAWED PLAN. IT'S A NICE IDEA, BUT IT'S A FLAWED PLAN.

PLEASE VOTE NO. IT'S BEEN GREAT TO WATCH THE SEAWALL CONSTRUCTION. IT'S GOING ALONG NICELY, AND IT'S REALLY FUN TO SEE AS IT'S BEING BUILT HOW IT'S GOING TO WORK, AND I REALLY HOPE THE KING STREET BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION FINISHES SOMETIME, EVENTUALLY, IN 2 WEEKS. THE WEATHER'S GETTING COOLER, THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, TOURIST SEASON HAS NOT YET BEGUN. THERE WERE PARKING SPOTS IN THE PLAZA WHEN I CAME OVER HERE, SO NOW IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET BACK DOWNTOWN TO SEE OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY. BE KIND TO YOUR WAIT STAFF, TIP YOUR SERVERS. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS SCOTT YORK, 29 SPANISH STREET, THE MOST CHARMING STREET IN ST. AUGUSTINE. YOU SEE, I SAID IT THERE FOR YOU.

IS THAT AN OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION? YEAH. I'LL TAKE IT IF IT IS. LOVE IT. PUT THE OVERHEAD DISPLAY ON THERE TOO. MAREN. THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR, MADAM VICE MAYOR, AND COMMISSIONERS. FIRST, I WANT TO SAY I SUPPORT WHAT THE CITY IS TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH STRONGER CODE ENFORCEMENT. I THINK MOST OF US WHO LIVE AND WORK IN DOWNTOWN AGREE THAT ST.

GEORGE STREET SHOULD NOT BECOME A CANYON OF SANDWICH BOARDS, PORTABLE SIGNS, AND ADVERTISING CLUTTER.

BUT TONIGHT, I WANT TO ASK THAT AS WE GIVE CODE ENFORCEMENT MORE TEETH, WE ALSO GIVE IT A LITTLE COMMON SENSE. EACH OF YOU HAS A POSTCARD IN FRONT OF YOU. IT IS AN OIL PAINTING BY LOCAL ARTIST O.B. HUNTER, DEPICTING THIS BEAUTIFUL SECTION OF ST. GEORGE STREET.

TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT YOU SEE.

YOU SEE HISTORIC BUILDINGS, YOU SEE COLOR, YOU SEE CHARACTER, AND YOU SEE PLANTS. THOSE PLANTS OUTSIDE OF J.R. BENET'S SHOP HAVE BECOME PART OF THE CHARACTER OF THAT CORNER. VISITORS STOP THERE EVERY DAY. THEY TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS IN FRONT OF THEM.

THEY CREATE MEMORIES HERE. AND THOSE PLANTS DIDN'T APPEAR LAST TUESDAY. THEY'VE BEEN THERE FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, ORIGINALLY PLACED THERE AS PART OF A BEAUTIFICATION EFFORT SPONSORED

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THAT'S 205 YEARS OF ONE FAMILY'S CONNECTION TO THIS COMMUNITY, AND IT'S PART OF THE STORY OF ST. AUGUSTINE. AND THE BUSINESS ON THIS CORNER, AS IN THE BUSINESSES ON THIS CORNER, CARE DEEPLY ABOUT HOW THE STREET LOOKS. WE DON'T JUST COMPLAIN WHEN SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE, WE DO IT OURSELVES. WHEN THE CITY CREWS CAN'T GET TO US, WE GET OUT BLOWERS, WE SWEEP, WE CLEAN. WE EVEN HAVE A STREET VACUUM FOR THAT SECTION OF THE STREET. WE TAKE PRIDE IN THIS LITTLE SECTION OF AMERICA'S OLDEST CITY BECAUSE THIS ISN'T SIMPLY WHERE WE DO BUSINESS, IT'S OUR FRONT PORCH. SO, WHEN CODE ENFORCEMENT RECENTLY CAME THROUGH TO ADDRESS THE SANDWICH BOARDS, I UNDERSTOOD THAT. I WASN'T EVEN IN THE COUNTRY, BUT I UNDERSTOOD IT. THERE'S A LEGITIMATE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PROTECTING THE HISTORIC CHARACTER OF ST. GEORGE STREET AND ALLOWING ADVERTISING CLUTTER TO TAKE OVER OUR PUBLIC SPACES.

BUT SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, J.R. BENET. WAS ALSO TOLD THE PLANTS NEEDED TO GO, AND THAT'S WHERE I THINK WE NEED TO STOP AND ASK OURSELVES, WHAT PROBLEM ARE WE TRYING TO SOLVE? A SANDWICH BOARD IS ADVERTISING A FLOWER POT IS BEAUTIFICATION.

AT A TIME WHEN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THIS COUNTRY ARE STRUGGLING TO PRESERVE GREEN SPACES, TREES, GARDENS, AND INDIVIDUAL CHARACTER OF THEIR DOWNTOWNS, ST.

AUGUSTINE SHOULD NOT BE TELLING A LONG-TIME LOCAL BUSINESS TO REMOVE HEALTHY PLANTS THAT MAKE OUR MOST FAMOUS PEDESTRIAN STREET MORE BEAUTIFUL. WE SHOULD BE ENCOURAGING BUSINESSES TO CARE ABOUT THEIR SURROUNDINGS. WE SHOULD BE ENCOURAGING THEM TO SWEEP THEIR SIDEWALKS. WE SHOULD BE ENCOURAGING THEM TO PLANT FLOWERS. AND WE SHOULD BE ENCOURAGING THE KIND OF PRIDE THAT MAKES SOMEONE LIKE O.B. HUNTER STOP, LOOK AT THIS CORNER, AND SAY, THAT'S ST. AUGUSTINE. I WANT TO PAINT IT. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS LAUREN WISE, FOLLOWED BY PATRICIA RAMOS.

HI, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO SHOW UP TO BE THE VOICES OF THE ENSLAVED CARRIAGE HORSES HERE AT CITY HALL, REPEATING OURSELVES AND EXPOSING HOW OUR CITY IS ALLOWING CLEAR AND RECKLESS CODE VIOLATIONS THAT ALL OF YOU AND MANY OTHER OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO IGNORE.

THE CITY SAYS 2026-11 GOVERNS THE ANIMAL DRAWN CARRIAGE FRANCHISE PROGRAM AND COVERS LICENSING, FRANCHISING, MEDALLIONS, DRIVERS, CARRIAGE SAFETY, ROUTES, ANIMAL WELFARE, INSURANCE, AND ENFORCEMENT.

HOWEVER, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ADEQUATELY ENFORCE THE CODE THAT OUR CITY HAS IN PLACE.

THIS IS DUE TO THE CITY OFFICIALS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS NOT TAKING APPROPRIATE ACTION WHEN THEY RECEIVE REPORTS OF MISCONDUCT INVOLVING THE HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES OPERATORS, OR WHEN THEY PERSONALLY OBSERVE IT THEMSELVES. THE CARRIAGE OPERATORS AND COMPANIES CONTINUE TO MAKE A MOCKERY OF YOUR CODES AND ENFORCEMENTS WHEN THEY ARE VIOLATING EACH DAY THAT THEY BRING HORSES FROM GOD KNOWS FROM WHERE INTO OUR BUSY DOWNTOWN STREETS.

THE VIOLATIONS AND DISTRESSFUL BEHAVIORS OF THE HORSES ARE OUT IN THE OPEN. WHY ARE YOU NOT DOING MORE TO PROTECT THE HORSES THAT THE CITY IS FINANCIALLY PROFITING FROM? DO YOU NOT WANT TO BE PROUD OF THE BUSINESSES REPRESENTING OUR CITY? ARE YOU WAITING FOR AN AVOIDABLE TRAGIC ACCIDENT OF HUMAN LIFE TO HAPPEN TO TAKE ACTION BECAUSE YOU CLEARLY HAVEN'T LEARNED FROM THE DEATHS OF THE INNOCENT AND OVERLY WORKED HORSES HERE? OUR CITY IS SO RELAXED WITH HORSE FORCED ANIMAL LABOR AND RULES THAT THEY'RE GREEDY HANDLERS THAT YOU DO NOT EVEN MAKE IT CLEAR THAT IF OPEN ALCOHOL IS PROHIBITED DURING THE HORSE [INAUDIBLE]. AND WHILE I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS MIGHT BE ENJOYABLE TO SEE, TO SEE THEM ENJOYABLE FOR CUSTOMERS TO HAVE DRINKS, IT'S ALARMING WHEN WE SEE THEM HOLDING, HUGGING, AND FORCING THEMSELVES WHILE INTOXICATED ON THE HORSE THAT ARE NOT EVEN FAMILIAR WITH THEM AFTER THEY FINISH CARRYING THEIR HEAVY WEIGHT. IF OUR CITY DOES NOT EVOLVE AND BAN HORSES, HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES, THEN YOU SHOULD ABSOLUTELY BE ENSURING THAT THE HORSE OPERATORS AND BUSINESSES ARE ABIDING BY THE RELAXED CODES CURRENTLY IN PLACE, AND BE OPEN TO A DISCUSSION TO MAKE CHANGES FOR THE SAFETY AND HEALTH OF BOTH THE HORSES AND PEOPLE ENJOYING OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY.

IF I HAVE TIME, I'D LIKE TO JUST SHOW JUST AN EXAMPLE OF LAST NIGHT. YOU CAN SEE THAT SHE HAS BEER. WE SEE IT ALL THE TIME, AND THEN THE MAN LITERALLY WAS HUGGING THE HORSE FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES WHILE THE HORSE WAS TRYING TO GO AWAY.

SO, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO KNOW

[00:40:01]

AUGUSTINE LOOKS, BUT I BELIEVE THE GREATER CONCERN SHOULD BE THE SAFETY OF THE HORSES, THE PUBLIC, THE PEOPLE OPERATING THESE CARRIAGES. A SERIOUS INCIDENT INVOLVING A HORSE OR A PERSON WOULD BE FAR MORE DAMAGING TO THE CITY THAN PROTESTING, BESIDES SPEAKING ABOUT DOCUMENTED CONCERNS. THE COMMISSIONER ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT CARRIAGE OPERATORS MAY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE BEING PROVOKED.

BUT I WANT TO QUESTION, HOW IS ASKING SOMEONE TO GIVE A HORSE WATER OR FOLLOW A CITY CODE A PROVOCATION? IF SIMPLY BEING ASKED TO FOLLOW BASIC REQUIREMENTS CAUSES SOMEONE TO BECOME ANGRY OR CONFRONTATIONAL, THAT SHOULD CONCERN THE CITY.

ONE COMMENT UNDER THE ARTICLE ACTUALLY STATES HOW EASY IT IS TO GET DRIVERS' BLOODS BOILING, AND HOW, AND WHEN THEY SAY HORSES ARE PEOPLE TOO, AND ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE TRIGGERS THEY'VE HAD. AFTER THE COMMISSIONER'S COMMENT, THE PUBLIC TOOK IT AS IF WE WERE PROVOKING THE DRIVERS, AND WE HAVE SEEN ATROCIOUS COMMENTS UNDER THAT ARTICLE THAT RAISE LEGITIMATE CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR ATTITUDE TOWARD THE ACTIVISTS BY LOCALS, THANKS TO THAT COMMENT. WE HAVE ALREADY WITNESSED VIOLATIONS TO CODES, AND AS JESSE THE DRIVER STATES, IT'S BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE BEING TOLD WHAT TO DO.

AMERICANS DON'T LIKE BEING TOLD WHAT. I DON'T SEE A NAME TAG.

DON'T SEE A NAME TAG. THAT STATEMENT SPEAKS VOLUMES IN ITS OF ITSELF. AND THEN THERE'S THE EASE WITH WHICH A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WAS CALLED A HOOKER.

THIS SHOULD BE THE FRONT OF THE SHIRT WHERE WE CAN SEE IT. WHY DON'T YOU SHUT UP? OR ON THE COAT. THAT'S ENOUGH.

HOW MUCH ARE YOU? IT SHOULD BE.

HOOKER. IT SHOULD BE. GO AHEAD, SWEETHEART. LET EVERYBODY KNOW HOW YOU ARE. THIS IS WHAT THE CITY ALLOWS TO HAVE REPRESENTED. OR BEING PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE TO A TOURIST WHEN SHE VOICED HER CONCERNED.

THIS IS NOT SIMPLY ABOUT PROTESTERS AND CARRIAGE OPERATORS DISAGREEING. THESE OPERATORS ARE LICENSED BY THE CITY AND ARE REPRESENTING CITY ST. AUGUSTINE WHILE CONDUCTING THEIR BUSINESS OUT ON THE STREETS. THEIR CONDUCT AND THEIR TREATMENT OF THE PUBLIC SHOULD MATTER.

HOWEVER, THE MAIN CONCERN SHOULD BE ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE REPUTATION OF ST.

AUGUSTINE. SO, LOOK AT THE BEHAVIOR THAT IS CREATING THE CONFLICT, NOT JUST THE PEOPLE DOCUMENTING AND SPEAKING ABOUT IT. THE DOCUMENTED CARELESSNESS BY THESE DRIVERS IS WHAT SHOULD CONCERN YOU.

ALLOWING THEM TO GET OFF THE CARRIAGES, BE MORE THAN 10 FEET AWAY, TO OVERLOAD THE CARRIAGE, AND ALLOWING PEOPLE UP FRONT, INCLUDING CHILDREN, ARE JUST DANGEROUS EXAMPLES OF WHAT WE SEE EVERY WEEK. A CATASTROPHE IS INEVITABLE. A HORSE AS WELL AS A HUMAN CAN BE KILLED, JUST LIKE IN NEW YORK CITY, AND THAT WOULD NOT BE A GOOD LOOK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

LAST SPEAKER IS B.J. KALAIDI.

B.J. KALAIDI, WEST CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, 10A. MORE CARS AT 92 SOUTH DIXIE HIGHWAY THAN AT GRANADA. THIS IS BECAUSE INDIVIDUALS WALKED OR RODE BIKES AT GRANADA.

ACCORDING TO INFORMATION MISS BREIDENSTEIN PROVIDED, BEGINNING IN FEBRUARY 2024, 608,000 TAX DOLLARS HAVE BEEN SPENT ON 92 SOUTH DIXIE HIGHWAY. PLEASE PROVIDE UPDATE SINCE MAY 8, 2026, SHOWING TAX DOLLARS WHICH HAVE BEEN SPENT ON THIS PROPERTY. AT THE SEPTEMBER 23, 2026 BUDGET MEETING, THE FOUNDATION FOR THE MUSEUM OF BLACK HISTORY WANTED 25,000 DOLLARS FROM CITY TAXPAYERS. IF JUST 50 OF THE PEOPLE WHO WENT TO TALLAHASSEE ON A BUS WOULD DONATE JUST 500 DOLLARS, EACH OF THE, EACH

[00:45:01]

BEFORE TAX DOLLARS ARE SPENT, THIS FOUNDATION SHOULD PROVIDE CITY TAXPAYERS WITH ALL INFORMATION ABOUT THE MILLIONS THEY HAVE RECEIVED.

WITH THE CONCERN ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER, THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO KEEP SPENDING MONEY. SO, VOTE YES ON NUMBER 3. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, THAT IS THE END OF PUBLIC HEARING. WE ARE BACK

[5. CONSENT AGENDA]

MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND COMMISSIONERS, TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDES A REMINDER OF UPCOMING MEETINGS. WE HAVE THE OCTOBER 12TH, 05:00 PM REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING, THE OCTOBER 26TH, 3:00 PM COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING, AND OCTOBER 26TH, 05:00 PM REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING. WE HAVE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PRIOR CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS. WE HAVE APPROVAL OF THE AUGUST 28TH, 2026 SPECIAL BUDGET WORKSHOP, THE SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2026 SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION BUDGET MEETING, AND THE SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2026 REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING. WE HAVE APPROVAL OF A PROPOSED PROCLAMATION 2026-29, WHICH PROCLAIMS OCTOBER 2026 AS THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS FIRST FLORIDA COUNCIL 611 125TH ANNIVERSARY, SPONSORED BY MAYOR NANCY SIKES-KLINE. AND WE HAVE APPROVAL OF A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE AND THE COASTAL FLORIDA BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION ON LIGHT DUTY ASSIGNMENTS FOR NON-WORK-RELATED ILLNESSES AND INJURIES. AND THAT CONCLUDES THE CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING. ANY COMMENTS, DEBATE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ANYONE WISH TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE IT? I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. SECOND. ALL RIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ONWARD. OKAY, SO

[7.C.1. Municipal Property for Affordable Housing Report (A. Skinner, Planning and Building Director) ]

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS AMY SKINNER. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT. THIS IS A CITY THE CITY IS REQUIRED TO SUBMIT AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING REPORT TO THE STATE BY OCTOBER 1ST, 2026. THIS REPORT MUST INCLUDE AN INVENTORY LIST OF MUNICIPALLY OWNED REAL PROPERTY, AS WELL AS ANY MUNICIPALLY OWNED REAL PROPERTY WITHIN A, A DEPENDENT SPECIAL DISTRICT, LIKE THE CITY CRAS, WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, WHICH WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR USE AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

AS OF THIS DATE, THE CITY DOES NOT OWN ANY REAL PROPERTY APPROPRIATE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, INCLUDING WITHIN ANY CRA. ANY OF THE RECENTLY PURCHASED CITY PROPERTIES WERE PURCHASED AS PART OF THE CITY'S CONSERVATION LANDS PROGRAM AND ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THE REPORT IS ATTACHED TO THE MEMORANDUM IN YOUR PACKET AND MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE STATE AFTER YOUR REVIEW AND A PUBLIC HEARING.

SUBSEQUENTLY, THIS REPORT MUST BE SUBMITTED EVERY 3 YEARS.

THANK YOU, AND I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, AND THIS IS REQUIRED TO BE A PUBLIC HEARING. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONERS, ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC HEARING? ALL RIGHT.

PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN. I HAVE ONE SPEAKER CARD, AND THAT IS FOR MISS B.J. KALAIDI. B.J.

KALAIDI, WEST CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE. JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, READING THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT WAS PRESENTED, THE CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE HAS NO PROPERTIES IN THE CITY LIMITS THAT CAN BE USED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

WHEN 800 PLANTATION ISLAND DRIVE SOUTH WAS SWAPPED FOR 90 AND 92 SOUTH DIXIE HIGHWAY.

THEN 800 PLANTATION ISLAND DRIVE SOUTH WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AM I MISUNDERSTANDING WHAT THE BACKUP MATERIALS SAID? AND IT NEEDS TO BE UNDERSTOOD THAT OUR CITY HAS NO PLACE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON, I BELIEVE, SINCE 2022. THANK YOU.

[00:50:02]

PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED. MS. SKINNER, I BELIEVE WE HAD A QUESTION FROM MS. KALAIDI REGARDING. THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING. THE CITY OWNED THE PROPERTY AT 800 SOUTH PLANTATION ISLAND DRIVE. THE CITY SWAPPED THAT PROPERTY WITH A PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNER FOR THE PROPERTY AT 90 AND 92 SOUTH DIXIE HIGHWAY. SO THAT PROPERTY ON PLANTATION ISLAND DRIVE WAS BECAME OWNED BY A PRIVATE CITIZEN IN THE AND IT IS NOW PRIVATE PROPERTY. THE CITY HAS, AS YOU KNOW, DEVELOPED THE SOUTH DIXIE HIGHWAY PROPERTY INTO OUR CENTER THAT HELPS WITH THOSE IN NEED, AND YOU'LL BE GETTING A REPORT LATER IN THIS, ON THIS AGENDA FOR WHAT'S GOING ON THAT PROPERTY, AND WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK IN THAT REGARDS, AND THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE CITY'S MISSION FOR THAT PROPERTY. THANK YOU.

GREAT QUESTION. YES. JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION. IT'S MY, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THIS PREEMPTION BY THE STATE WENT INTO EFFECT IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

WE DID THAT SWAP LONG BEFORE THAT. THAT WAS COMPLETED BEFORE. I BELIEVE IT WAS THE PREEMPTION WENT INTO ON OR AROUND THE SAME TIME BECAUSE THAT PROPERTY IS MENTIONED IN THE RESOLUTION THAT WILL BE COMING UP AS YOUR NEXT ITEM.

RIGHT, RIGHT, I SAW THAT. YES.

BUT I, BUT I REMEMBER THAT WE HAD MADE THAT SWAP BEFORE THIS LEGISLATION WENT INTO EFFECT ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

THAT'S HOW I REMEMBER IT. AND JUST TO GET THE TIMELINE. I SEE THE CITY ATTORNEY NOD. YES, BECAUSE I VAGUELY REMEMBER, AND MISS SKINNER WILL CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THAT THE RESOLUTION I DRAFTED A FEW YEARS AGO MADE REFERENCE TO THAT SWAP AND THE USE OF THE PROPERTY FOR HOMELESS SERVICES AS A NOT QUITE THE SAME AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT IN THE SAME VEIN. AM I REMEMBERING RIGHT? IT DOES, IT DID REFERENCE THAT, AND SO I BELIEVE IT WAS JUST BEFORE OR NEAR THAT SAME TIME FRAME. BUT THE CITY DID NOT VIOLATE ANYTHING BY MAKING THAT SWAP.

THAT'S WHAT THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE. YEAH. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. OTHER COMMENTS OR I BELIEVE THAT WHAT YOU WANT US TO DO IS YOU'RE ASKING US TO REVIEW THIS. YES. AND HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING. DO YOU NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION? PLEASE. OKAY.

THIS, THIS IS THE REPORT, AND THEN AT. THIS IS THE REPORT.

LATER IN ON THE AGENDA IS THE RESOLUTION. OKAY. THANK YOU.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REPORT FOR THE MUNICIPAL PROPERTY AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SECOND. ALL RIGHT, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

JON DEPRETER? YES. CYNTHIA GARRIS? YES. JIM SPRINGFIELD? YES. BARBARA BLONDER? YES.

NANCY SIKES-KLINE? YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MISS SKINNER.

[7.C.2. Tier Two Franchise Agreements: Request for Approval (R. Franklin, Assistant City Manager) ]

WE DID HAVE A LATE APPLICATION THAT CAME IN, BUT IT WAS DUE TO A COMMUNICATION ISSUE. SO, I DID PROVIDE YOU AN UPDATED LIST WITH A TOTAL OF 16 BUSINESSES.

THEY'VE ALL SUBMITTED COMPLETED APPLICATIONS. THEY'VE PASSED THEIR BACKGROUND CHECKS, THEIR INSURANCE AND SO BEFORE YOU TONIGHT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IS TO APPROVE THESE FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS. THEY WOULD BE 10-YEAR TERMS FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE FOR EACH OF THESE LISTED BUSINESSES. THIS DOES REQUIRE A PUBLIC HEARING. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

I ALSO DID PROVIDE YOU BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT A MAP OF WHERE THE NEW LOADING AND UNLOADING ZONES WILL GO FOR THE TIER 2.

BRIEFLY FOR THE GROUP WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT THE VISITOR CENTER AROUND THE PLAZA BY CHARLOTTE AND CATHEDRAL BEHIND CITY HALL AND THE TOLOMATO LOT ARE THE MAIN AREAS. ALL RIGHT,

[00:55:02]

FIRST OFF, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD AND MAYOR SIKES-KLINE. MIGHT BE THE LAST TIME YOU GUYS HAVE TO LOOK AT ME ON THIS SIDE BUT YOU GUYS, JOB WELL DONE.

REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE.

WHAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS ON THE TIER 2, AND YOU GUYS HAVE A GREAT LIST OF WONDERFUL VENDORS. I TRIED TO PUT IN AN APPLICATION FOR OUR HOTELS. WE HAVE SOME CARTS THAT WE'VE ALREADY PURCHASED BEFORE THE ORDINANCE WENT INTO PLACE. WE WEREN'T ABLE TO PUT IN THE APPLICATION WHEN I TALKED TO REUBEN IN THE SPRINGTIME BECAUSE THIS WAS GOING ON. OUR CARTS THAT WE'VE ALREADY PURCHASED, AND I'LL SHOW YOU A PICTURE OF THOSE WILL SERVE OUR HOTEL AND IGNORE THE GUY WHO'S IN THIS PICTURE. MODEL'S NOT INCLUDED IN THE PICTURE THERE. WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS WE WANT TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO PICK UP PEOPLE FROM DIRECTLY FROM OUR HOTELS AND BE ABLE TO DRIVE THEM AROUND. IT'S BEEN REQUESTED FOR A COUPLE YEARS, AND WE FINALLY FOUND THE CARTS THAT WE LIKED, AND THEN THIS ORDINANCE CAME INTO BEING, AND WE KIND OF GOT CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE. I THINK THERE WAS ONE OTHER GROUP THAT TRIED TO PUT IN AN APPLICATION, AND MR. FRANKLIN CAN VOUCH FOR THE TIMING OF IT. SO, WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS AN EXEMPTION FOR WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO, BECAUSE BEFORE THE ORDINANCE CAME INTO PLAY WE, WE GAVE AN HONEST EFFORT TO, TO GET IT IN. SO I KIND OF PLEADING TO THE GROUP IF WE CAN FIND A WAY TO CREATE ONE MORE EXEMPTION FOR THIS GROUP. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. JAMES HILL IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY JOSEPH REPOLE. HELLO, JAMES HILL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME AND EFFORT TO IMPLEMENT IMPORTANT RULES TO CREATE A SAFER ENVIRONMENT AND A SLIGHTLY MORE CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT ON STREETS THAT ARE CONTINUING TO GROW IN THE TOURIST WORLD, AND THE POPULATION IS IN GETTING DENSER. SO, YOU HAD AN ISSUE TO ADDRESS, AND IT'S A VERY IMPRESSIVE JOB OF GETTING AN ORDINANCE TOGETHER AND GETTING A PROBLEM SOLVED, AND YOU SEE THE QUOTATIONS. I WANT TO BEG YOU GUYS TO SET AN APPOINTMENT TO REVIEW THE WONDERFUL HARD WORK THAT STAFF HAS DONE WITH A WORKSHOP, HOPEFULLY WITH GOOD SNACKS AND DRINKS, OBVIOUSLY, THOSE ARE ALWAYS FUN, BUT AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, I REALLY THINK IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR THESE VENDORS. I COULDN'T HELP BUT LEAVE THE LAST MEETING WHERE I ATTENDED WHEN THE CITY COMMISSION GOT HIT WITH THE ART, THE AMENDMENT 03, THE BIG GUT PUNCH FINANCIALLY THAT CITIES ARE GOING TO TAKE. THESE TINY VENDORS ARE TAKING THE EXACT SAME GUT PUNCH FROM A CITY FINANCIALLY. THE, THE, THE, THE FEES ARE HIGH.

NO ONE'S COMPLAINED. I'M THE ONLY ONE DUMB ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY SAY IT OUT LOUD.

THAT'S A BIG HIT FOR THESE LITTLE BUSINESSES.

PLEASE COME BACK IN A REASONABLE PERIOD OF TIME, POST NOT POST NIGHTS OF LIGHTS BY 4, 5, 6 MONTHS, AND MAKE SURE THIS IS WORKING FOR THESE PEOPLE. I'VE WATCHED THEM ALL WORK SO HARD FOR SO LONG ON THE STREETS AND DO SO MANY THINGS TO TRY TO SOLVE TRAFFIC ISSUES AND WORK THROUGH THEM. GIVE THEM ONE MORE SEAT AT THE TABLE WITH STAFF TO WORK THROUGH WHAT DEVELOPS, BECAUSE I CAN GUARANTEE YOU, I KNOW 3 OR 4 THINGS, AND I'M, I'LL WAIT THE 6 MONTHS OR A YEAR, WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET BACK TO THE TABLE THAT PROBABLY SHOULD BE ADDRESSED.

AND THAT'S THE ASK, IS TO MAKE IT OFFICIAL THAT THERE'S SOME TYPE OF A REVIEW, BECAUSE IT WON'T BE YOU GUYS AT THE TABLE WHEN THIS BOILS UP.

AND IF IT'S NOT OFFICIALLY ADDRESSED, THESE VENDORS ARE GOING TO BE WORKING AND NOT WANT AND NOT

[01:00:02]

SO THAT'S MY ASK, IS TO OFFICIALLY REVIEW IN A SIMILAR WORKSHOP SETTING TO MAKE SURE IT'S WORKING FOR YOUR VENDORS AND FOR THE CITY. THE CITY MAY HAVE ADDRESSED, YOU KNOW, ISSUES, AND THEY WANT TO PUT EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM. SO THAT'S THE ASK, AND THAT WAS ALL I WANTED, AND THANK YOU FOR THE TIME.

THANK YOU, NEXT SPEAKER IS JOSEPH REPOLE. THANK YOU MISS MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JOSEPH REPOLE, AND I REPRESENT SERENDIPITY TOURS, AND I'LL BE REALLY BRIEF. I JUST WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL AND ALSO CITY MANAGEMENT AND REUBEN JUST GREAT COMMUNICATION, AND THE WHOLE PROCESS HAS BEEN VERY WELL A LOT OF GOOD DILIGENCE HAS GONE INTO IT, AND I, I MUST SAY ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND, AND MANY OF MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES IN THIS, IN THIS SPACE WE APPRECIATE THE LEGITIMACY OF THE TIER 2. WE DO BELIEVE THAT WE PROVIDE A GREAT VALUE. MY DAUGHTER JENNA LEE AND I OWN THIS BUSINESS, AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF IT.

WE'RE ALSO PROPERTY OWNERS. I OWN SOME PROPERTY HERE AND I, WE BOTH LIVE IN, IN THE CITY.

SO, WE'RE VERY PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS CITY. WE APPRECIATE THE DILIGENCE AND LEGITIMACY AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS BEING A GROWTH INITIATIVE FOR OUR COMPANY.

AND YOU'VE APPROACHED IT IN A WAY THAT IT'S NOT PUNITIVE.

IT'S, IT REALLY, I THINK AFFORDS A LOT OF GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR US, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH CITY MANAGEMENT AND COUNCIL TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE GREAT SERVICE FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO GROWING OUR BUSINESS AS A RESULT OF THE ACTION THAT YOU'VE TAKEN. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND MY DAUGHTER.

APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. THAT'S THE LAST SPEAKER CARD I HAVE. DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK DURING THIS PUBLIC HEARING? SEEING NO ONE, PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.

THANK YOU. MR. FRANKLIN, WE HEARD A COUPLE QUESTIONS. ONE ABOUT FUTURE CARTS FOR THE HOTEL, AND THEN THE OTHER ONE WAS A REQUEST FOR A REVIEW IN THE FUTURE TO SEE HOW THINGS ARE GOING WITH THE ORDINANCE. YES, MA'AM. SO, WE DID, WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE FROZE ANY NEW APPLICATIONS FROM BEING SUBMITTED BECAUSE AT THE TIME IT WAS ONLY VEHICLES FOR HIRE. SO, YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT ALL THIS WHOLE GROUP WERE CONSIDERED VEHICLES FOR HIRE AT THE TIME. SO, WE CHOSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH GIVING ER ALL THE EXISTING BUSINESSES IN GOOD STANDING A CHANCE TO APPLY FOR A TIER 2 FRANCHISE. THE ORDINANCE HAS IT CAPPED AT 15. HOWEVER, THERE WAS A GRANDFATHER CLAUSE THAT IF YOU WERE AN EXISTING BUSINESS, YOU COULD APPLY, AND WE MIGHT HAVE OVER, AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. WE HAD 16 TOTAL APPLICANTS. SO RIGHT NOW, WE ARE OVER THE MAXIMUM ALLOWED. MOVING FORWARD WE WOULD HAVE TO, WE WOULD REOPEN THIS ONLY IF 2 PEOPLE DROPPED, 2 BUSINESSES DROPPED OFF OF THIS LIST, CHOSE NOT TO RENEW THEIR FRANCHISE, OR GOT SUSPENDED THROUGH ACTIONS THAT WERE PENALIZED THROUGH THE ORDINANCE. MR. BLEVINS, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS THE LUCKY DUCK TOURS, WERE 2 COMPANIES THAT WERE TRYING TO GET AN APPLICATION IN AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE STAND. SO, THE WHERE WE STAND IS WE HAVE 2 THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET THEIR VEHICLES FRANCHISED, BUT WHAT WOULD BE THE RECOURSE FOR THEM TO GO TO THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED AND PERHAPS OBTAIN. THEY COULD GO AND DISCUSS ACQUIRING ONE OF THE FRANCHISES FOR IF THEY'RE APPROVED TONIGHT, THEY COULD GO TO ONE OF THE LISTED ONES AND TRY TO ACQUIRE. OKAY. THEY COULD WAIT FOR 2 TO FALL OFF NOT RENEW, AS I SAID, OR MAYBE BE SUSPENDED, AND THEN THAT WOULD OPEN UP SPOTS.

BUT RIGHT NOW, WE WOULD HAVE 16, SO THEY'D HAVE TO HAVE 2 OF THEM FALL OFF TO GET UNDERNEATH THAT 15 THRESHOLD THAT WE SET FOR A MAXIMUM LIMIT. THE COMMISSION COULD CONSIDER OPENING IT UP FOR MORE BUT THAT WOULD GO AGAINST THE, THE WORK THAT WE DISCUSSED AT OUR WORKSHOPS AND THE, THE ORDINANCE AND THE GRANDFATHERING, SO. QUESTION.

YEAH. BUT THE VEHICLES, SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE, I COULD BE WRONG, I REMEMBER SOMETHING DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN SHUTTLES FOR HOTELS AND TOURS. SO, THESE FRANCHISE, THIS IS TOURS AND VEHICLES FOR HIRE, AM I RIGHT? THESE ARE

[01:05:02]

YEAH. HE'S REQUESTING TO BECOME A TIER 2 FRANCHISE, MY UNDERSTANDING. OKAY. OKAY, THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT, YEP.

RIGHT. QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE SOMEONE THAT CAN TAKE THE PEOPLE FROM THE HOTELS, BECAUSE THEN ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT CHECK IN ARE GOING TO BE ON THE ROAD. IT'S GOING TO BE, THE ROADS ARE GOING TO BE BUSIER, AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GOING.

SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT WOULD BE A BENEFIT IF THEY'RE TAKING THEM FROM THE HOTEL TO THE NEW LOCATION THAT THEY'RE GOING, BECAUSE THESE TOURISTS DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GOING, AND THEY CAUSE MORE OF A TRAFFIC PROBLEM BY JUST CIRCLING, TRYING TO FIND PLACES. SO, IF YOU HAVE A PERSON THAT CAN TAKE THEM TO THEIR DESTINATION, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THAT WOULD BE MORE MANAGEABLE. CAN I FOLLOW THAT UP FOR A SECOND? LET'S LET HAVE EVERYBODY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU. OKAY. DEFINITELY. ALL RIGHT. IF, IF A HOTEL DOESN'T CHARGE, THEY CAN GIVE TOURS? NO. THEY CAN BE A VEHICLE FOR HIRE. THEY CAN, THEY CAN PICK SOMEBODY UP FROM THE HOTEL AND TAKE THEM TO A RESTAURANT, BUT THEY'RE WILL NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE A TOUR. I PERSONALLY DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH LETTING THOSE TWO THAT TRIED GET IN, BUT THAT'S JUST NUMBERS BECAUSE IT'S ONLY ADDING TWO.

OKAY, THAT'S ALL. I, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS, AND WE WENT BACK AND FORTH ON THE NUMBERS AND THE MAXIMUMS, AND WE HAD, I THINK, ARRIVED AT AGREEMENT WHETHER IT WASN'T EASY TO ARRIVE AT AN AGREEMENT AS TO WHAT THE MAXIMUM WAS, BUT WE DID ARRIVE AT AN AGREEMENT. AND IN THE SMALL PRINT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST, IT SAYS 38 VEHICLES MAX. WE ALSO STRUGGLED WITH THAT, AND WE CAME TO AN AGREEMENT. AND I FEEL FOR THE OTHER TWO FRANCHISES, BUT IF WE START EATING AWAY AT THIS BEFORE WE'VE EVEN IMPLEMENTED THIS, THEN I THINK WE SET A PRECEDENT THAT WE CAN'T WALK AWAY FROM AND THERE'S GOING TO BE OTHERS THAT COME AND SAY, WELL, I REALLY, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S COMPELLING AND I, I DEFINITELY AM EMPATHETIC TO THE, YOU KNOW, BEING IN PROCESS BUT NOT BEING POISED TO DO THIS. BUT THIS DID GO ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME, THIS THE, AND I, I, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY I'D LIKE TO MOVE THIS FORWARD. WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON IT. YOU'VE GOT THIS THE STAFF REPORT. I'D LIKE TO APPROVE THE REPORT IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR. IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S AN APPROVAL.

AND I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT I, I CAN'T SUPPORT ADDING TWO MORE AT THIS POINT IN TIME SINCE WE'RE AT THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF VEHICLES AND HAVE EXCEEDED THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF FRANCHISES BY 1. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE ANYTHING FROM STOPPING THE HOTEL FROM TAKING THE ONE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS DOWNTOWN AND BACK AS A MOBILITY OPTION? NO, HE CAN BE A VEHICLE FOR HIRE. AND THERE'S NO LIMIT ON THAT, SO HE CAN DO THAT. THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE FUNCTION THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT HAVE.

SO, I THINK THAT'S THE BEST FUNCTION IS, TO ANSWER COMMISSIONER GARRIS'S POINT, THAT THE HOTEL CAN FREELY, MY UNDERSTANDING IS, HAVE A SHUTTLE THERE, TAKE SOMEONE DOWNTOWN, BRING THEM BACK. IT'S JUST NOT GOING TO BE A TOUR. IT'LL, THAT'S CORRECT. IT'LL BE ACTING SIMPLY AS A MOBILITY FUNCTION, WHICH IS SOMETHING I THINK WE NEED, SO I CAN SUPPORT THAT.

BUT THAT'S NOT NECESSARY HERE ANYWAY, RIGHT? THAT DOES NOT NEED COMMISSION APPROVAL. THAT IS JUST SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION TO BE A VEHICLE FOR HIRE. I THINK THAT'S THE BEST USE OF THE VEHICLE, SO THANK YOU. I, I HAVE TO AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER GARRIS AND COMMISSIONER DEPRETER AND VICE MAYOR THAT THE ISSUE HERE IS NOT THAT HE'S GOT A SHUTTLE. I MEAN, YOU SAID HE NEEDS A THEY NEED A SHUTTLE FOR THE HOTEL, DESPITE THE FACT

[01:10:01]

BUT WHAT'S KIND OF PUTTING THINGS ASKEW HERE IS TO ADD THAT TOUR FUNCTION.

SO, I THINK WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS THE WAY IT IS, AND THEN PERHAPS THERE ARE OPTIONS FOR THESE FOLKS THAT AREN'T GETTING IN. WELL, AND, AND THAT WOULD BE THE SECOND QUESTION, PERHAPS WHICH WAS THE WORKSHOP.

OR THE REVIEW. AND I WOULD HAVE NO ISSUE SCHEDULING A FUTURE WORKSHOP TO GO THROUGH A REVIEW OF HOW IT'S OPERATING. I WOULD PROPOSE MAYBE A YEAR BUT I WOULD HAVE NO ISSUE WITH SETTING A WORKSHOP TO REVIEW HOW THE PROGRAM'S WORKING AND ANY CHANGES, AND AT THAT TIME MR. BLEVINS AND LUCKY DUCK TOURS COULD, COULD PARTICIPATE IN THAT AS WELL. RIGHT. YOU SEE HOW THINGS SORT OUT, AND, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE I THINK A YEAR IS FAIR, I MEAN, OR 9 MONTHS, BUT I THINK THAT'S FAIR.

OKAY, SO WHAT DO YOU WISH TO MAKE A MOTION? I DO HAVE ONE MORE. ONE MORE COMMENT? OKAY.

ONE MORE COMMENT. THE 10-YEAR PERIOD SEEMS LIKE AN AWFUL LONG TIME. WE HAVE 5 YEARS FOR HORSES, I BELIEVE. 5 FOR HORSES. 10, 10 FOR THE TROLLEYS. UP TO, SO UP TO 20, BUT RIGHT NOW UP TO 20.

THEY'RE 10. THE TROLLEYS HAVE HAD A 15-YEAR AND A 10-YEAR AMENDMENT, SO ONE, ONE OF THEIR TERMS WAS FOR 15 YEARS, ONE WAS FOR 10 YEARS.

RIGHT. THIS IS UP TO 10 YEARS.

WE, WE PUT IN THE AGREEMENT THAT IT WAS A 10 YEAR.

AT THE 5-YEAR MARKER, THEY'RE ABLE TO REQUEST A RENEWAL. SO, 5 YEARS WITH 5 YEARS. SO, IT'S LIKE 5 YEARS WITH 5-YEAR RENEWAL. YEAH, I JUST SAW THE 10 YEAR FOR THE TROLLEYS AS SOMETHING THAT THEY'D HAVE TO HAVE WITH THE AMOUNT OF CAPITAL THEY HAVE TO INVEST IN THAT PROGRAM. THE CAPITAL FOR THE GOLF CARTS IS LESS THAN HORSES OR TROLLEYS, AND IT JUST SEEMS ODD FOR US TO GIVE THEM A 10-YEAR GUARANTEED CONTRACT WHEN WE GIVE HORSES 05, YOU KNOW, SO JUST A POINT OF CONTENTION.

WITH ME RIGHT THERE. I, I UNDERSTAND. I, I'D LIKE TO RESPOND. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS WISHED TO, BUT I THINK IT'S A SCALE ISSUE.

YOU KNOW, THESE FOLKS, THEY'RE VERY SMALL BUSINESSES. THEY HAVE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES. THEY DON'T, THEY DO, ON THEIR SCALE, HAVE A HUGE INVESTMENT. WE HEARD THAT FROM MR. HILL, I THINK, MADE THE POINT ABOUT THE INVESTMENT. SO, I WOULD HAVE TO DIFFER WITH YOU ON THAT ONE. I THINK 10 YEARS IS, IS FAIR, BUT WHAT IT REALLY IS BOILS DOWN TO IS 5 YEARS WITH A 5-YEAR RENEWAL UP TO 10 YEARS. SO, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE REVIEWED IN A YEAR WITH IT'S A 10-YEAR CONTRACT, SO THEY THE POLICY. WHEN THEY HIT THEIR 5-YEAR MARKER, THEY ARE, PER THE ORDINANCE, THEY'RE ALLOWED TO REQUEST THEIR NEXT RENEWAL, BUT IT WOULD OKAY. IT WOULD BE A 10-YEAR TERM FOR THEM. NOW, THAT IS COUPLED WITH OUR NEW PENALTIES THAT WE HAVE PUT IN.

SO, THERE IS A WAY, A MECHANISM FOR US TO YOU KNOW, SUSPEND BAD OPERATORS IN THE FUTURE. SO, THEY, THEY MAY NOT LAST A, A 10-YEAR PERIOD IF THEY'RE NOT FOLLOWING THE RULES. WELL, WE'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT NUMBERS.

YEAH. AND WE REALLY DON'T KNOW YEAH. WHAT THE NUMBER IS.

YEAH. THIS MAY BE WAY TOO MANY, AND WE MAY WANT TO RID OURSELVES OF SOME AFTER 5 YEARS. WE DON'T HAVE THAT OPTION, AND THEY CAN SELL THIS COMPANY, SO WHETHER THEY STAY IN THE BUSINESS OR NOT DOESN'T MATTER, THEY CAN STILL SELL IT. SO, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN A SMALLER, A LOT- A SHORTER PERIOD. HMM.

WHAT SAY YOU, COMMISSION? I THINK FROM THE CONVERSATION I'VE HEARD THAT BY PASSING THIS, WE WILL BE LIMITING THE TOURS THAT ARE OPERATING IN TOWN, PARTICULARLY DURING HEAVY TIMES, NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. IS THAT CORRECT? BECAUSE WE HAD WHAT THEY CALL, YOU KNOW, LIKE WILDCAT GUYS COMING IN. IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE TOURS IN TOWN WITH VEHICLES WOULD BE OUR TIER 01, YEAH. OUR TIER 2, AND HORSE CARRIAGES. YEAH. SO THAT GIVES ME PAUSE TO SAY THAT WE'RE, WE ARE LIMITING THIS ALREADY.

SO OTHERWISE, I WOULD SAY I'M VERY BIG ON QUICKER REVIEWS BUT IN THIS CASE, WE'VE ALREADY NUMBERED THEM DOWN, AND THERE IS AN INVESTMENT IN THIS. SO, I WOULD BE PREPARED TO MAKE THE MOTION.

OKAY. OKAY. LET'S GIVE A STAB.

CAN I? I'M SORRY. YEAH. I JUST WANT TO SAY ONE. SO JUST KIND OF GOING BACK TO MR. BLEVINS, HE CAN DRIVE THEM AROUND, BUT JUST NOT DO TOURS,

[01:15:01]

HE JUST CAN'T PROVIDE A TOUR CURRENTLY. SO, IF SOMEBODY FALLS OFF THE TOURS, THEN HE CAN BE CONSIDERED TO BE A TOUR PERSON AT THAT POINT, IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. WE WOULD NEED, IF THIS LIST OF 16 IS APPROVED, WE WOULD NEED 2 FOLKS TO FALL OFF THE LIST TO OPEN IT UP FOR CONSIDERATION FOR NEW APPLICANTS. OKAY, YOU'RE SAYING 2, BUT WE HAVE 16 AND NOT 15 BECAUSE SOMEBODY ELSE GOT SLID IN, RIGHT? SO, WOULDN'T IT BE 1 IF YOU'RE STILL MAINTAINING THAT? FOR NEW BUSINESSES, SO WE CAP IT AT 15. SO, WE GRANDFATHERED IN EXISTING BUSINESSES. THAT'S HOW WE GOT TO 16. SO, WE'D HAVE TO GET TO 14 TO, TO OPEN IT UP FOR AN APPLICATION. SO, WE NEED 2 PEOPLE TO FALL OFF. BUT WASN'T HIM AND THE LUCKY DUCK OR WHATEVER BOTH GRANDFATHERED IN TOO TO BE CONSIDERED? THEY WERE NOT BECAUSE THEY WERE NEW APPLICATIONS THAT THEY HAD NOT SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION OR WERE NOT AN EXISTING BUSINESS WHEN WE FROZE THE PROCESS.

OKAY. SO, THEY WERE IN LIMBO.

LIMBO IS A GOOD WORD, YEAH.

OKAY. OKAY, SO YOU WERE GOING TO MAKE A MOTION. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE A MOTION? OKAY. OKAY, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE TIER 2 FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS, THAT IT'S A 10-YEAR TERM AFTER THE BOARD COMMISSION HAS DISCUSSED THAT, THAT THERE ARE 16 OWNERS AND I'M ASSUMING THAT THE LOADING AND UNLOADING LOCATIONS ARE GOOD WITH EVERYBODY, BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF THE APPLICATION, AND THAT THERE IS THE INTENT TO HAVE A ONE-YEAR REVIEW. I'LL SECOND. ALL RIGHT. ANY DEBATE, DISCUSSION BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE? READY FOR THE VOTE? OKAY, MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

JON DEPRETER. YES. NANCY SIKES-KLINE. YES. CYNTHIA GARRIS. YES. JIM SPRINGFIELD.

NO. BARBARA BLONDER. YES. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, MR. FRANKLIN.

[9.B.1. Resolution 2026-33: Confirming the Disposition of Municipal Property for Affordable Housing (A. Skinner, Planning and Building Director)]

BY STATE STATUTE, THE CITY IS REQUIRED TO PASS A RESOLUTION OUTLINING THE STATUS OF CITY-OWNED PROPERTY THAT IS POTENTIALLY SUITABLE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

RESOLUTION 2026-33 IS AN UPDATED RESOLUTION BASED ON THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED IN 2023. THIS RESOLUTION CLARIFIES THAT THE CITY PROPERTIES CONTEMPLATED IN 2023, EXCLUDING 800 PLANTATION ISLAND DRIVE SOUTH, WHICH IS NO LONGER OWNED BY THE CITY, ARE STILL THE ONLY PROPERTIES TO CONSIDER, BUT ARE NOT SUITABLE, AND THAT ANY PROPERTIES PURCHASED BY THE CITY, AS I NOTED EARLIER, SINCE THEN WERE PURCHASED AS PART OF THE CONSERVATION LANDS PROGRAM AND ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE CITY COMMISSION APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION OR PASS THIS RESOLUTION, AND I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? ANYONE WISH TO MAKE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO PASS RESOLUTION 2026-33.

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

JON DEPRETER? YES. JIM SPRINGFIELD? YES. CYNTHIA GARRIS. YES. BARBARA BLONDER.

YES. NANCY SIKES-KLINE. YES.

[10. STAFF REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS]

PERKINS, COMMUNITY SERVICES

[01:20:01]

AUGUSTINE. AND YES, THIS IS THE DIGNITY PAVILION UPDATE. JUST FOR POINT OF CLARIFICATION, I STARTED REFERRING TO IT AS DIGNITY PAVILION BECAUSE WE OFFER NOW MORE THAN JUST THE DINING WITH DIGNITY SERVICES, AND YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT DURING OUR CLERK'S PRESENTATION THIS EVENING ON THE AGENDA. I'M GONNA PULL UP THIS PRESENTATION HERE. SO JUST A, A BRIEF INTRODUCTION. WE THE DINING WITH DIGNITY SERVICES TRANSITIONED FROM OUR GRANADA LOT TO OUR NEW LOCATION, WHICH IS 92 SOUTH DIXIE HIGHWAY, ON NOVEMBER 14TH, 2025, JUST AHEAD OF NIGHTS OF LIGHTS LAST YEAR. STAFF CONTINUES TO PROVIDE UPDATES TO THIS COMMISSION. WE DID OUR MOST RECENT UPDATE FOR YOU ALL IN APRIL OF 2026, AND WE ALSO ARE MAKING CONTINUOUS ADJUSTMENTS BASED OFF OF THIS COMMISSION'S DIRECTIVES. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR IS WE'VE EXPANDED THE CONCRETE FOOTPRINT AT THE REQUEST OF THIS COMMISSION TO MAKE THE WALKING PATH A LITTLE SAFER.

WE'VE INSTALLED THE BARBECUE GRILLS OR A BARBECUE GRILL THAT YOU ALL REQUESTED. I DID RECEIVE NOTICE THAT I DON'T THINK IT HAS BEEN USED AS OF YET, BUT IT IS THERE. IF THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS OR THE DINING WITH DIGNITY OR HOME AGAIN ST. JOHNS WOULD LIKE TO USE IT FOR INDIVIDUALS USING SERVICES THERE, IT IS AVAILABLE. WE ARE ALSO CONTINUING TO TRY TO CONNECT WITH OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY SO THAT, ONE, WE CAN LEARN BETTER LEARN ABOUT THIS INDUSTRY, BUT ALSO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SERVICES AT THE DIGNITY PAVILION. THE LAUNDRY SERVICE WAS RECENTLY ESTABLISHED AND IMPLEMENTED EARLIER THIS MONTH, AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT ON THE NEXT SLIDE.

AND WE ALSO SAW CONTINUUM OF CARE HOST A RESOURCE FAIR BACK IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, WHICH WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.

SO, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE OPERATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT THE DIGNITY PAVILION. HOME AGAINST, HOME AGAIN ST.

JOHNS CONTINUES TO OFFER THE DINING WITH DIGNITY SERVICE.

BASED ON AN EMAIL THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THEIR LEAD VOLUNTEER ORGANIZER BACK IN AUGUST IT INDICATED THAT WE SAW AN INCREASE IN INDIVIDUALS UTILIZING THE DIGNITY OR DINING WITH DIGNITY SERVICE. THEY, HE INDICATED THAT JULY WAS ACTUALLY UP BY 4% BASED OFF OF YEARS IN THE PAST AND ALSO USE FROM THE, FROM THE PAVILION EARLIER IN THE TRANSITION. THE PARTNER DID CITE SOME CONCERNS. HE REACHED OUT SAYING THAT HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE AREN'T SEEING AS MANY FAMILIAR FACES AT THE PAVILION AS WE HAD SAW AT THE GRANADA LOT. I'M NO EXPERT AND, YOU KNOW, BUT I DO THINK THAT WE'VE TAPPED INTO A BIT OF A DIFFERENT MARKET SINCE WE'VE MOVED TO THE 92 SOUTH DIXIE LOCATION. HERE AT GRANADA, I THINK WE SAW A LOT MORE OF OUR HOUSELESS OR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, AND NOW I THINK WE'RE SEEING A LOT MORE OF OUR VULNERABLE COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE ARE FACING HOMELESSNESS BUT MAY NOT ACTUALLY BE HOMELESS, OR TO MISS KALAIDI'S PUBLIC COMMENT POINT, SOME OF THESE PEOPLE MAY ACTUALLY BE LIVING IN THEIR VEHICLES, SO YOU SEE A LOT MORE VEHICLES THERE BECAUSE THEY ARE DRIVING TO THAT LOCATION. I CAN SAY THAT THE BIKE RACKS, THOUGH, ARE FULL EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.

WE ACTUALLY HAD TO INSTALL ADDITIONAL BIKE RACKS AT THE LOCATION TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE RIDING THEIR BICYCLES TO THE PAVILION NIGHTLY. SO, THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE BIKING AND DRIVING AND WALKING TO THIS LOCATION. STAFF IS ON SITE MULTIPLE TIMES EACH WEEK SO THAT THEY CAN COLLECT DATA.

SO, WE ARE COLLECTING OUR OWN DATA AND THEN ALSO USING INFORMATION PROVIDED FROM THE HOME AGAIN ST. JOHNS SO THAT WE CAN STAY ON TOP OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AND, OF COURSE, EXPAND RESOURCES AS NECESSARY.

FOR OTHER OPERATIONS, THE WILDFLOWER HEALTHCARE CLINIC CONTINUES TO SEE PATIENTS AT THE PAVILION EVERY WEDNESDAY. THEY'RE THERE EVEN WHEN THE UF HEALTH MOBILE BUS IS NOT THERE TO PROVIDE SERVICE. UF HEALTH COMES ONCE A MONTH ON WEDNESDAYS, AND WILDFLOWER CLINIC IS THERE WITH A TABLE AND TENT SET UP WEEKLY. GOING BACK TO THE CONTINUUM OF CARE RESOURCE FAIR, WHICH WAS HOSTED IN MAY IT WAS WELL ATTENDED.

THEY PROVIDED A, A TON OF RESOURCES TO INDIVIDUALS

[01:25:01]

SINCE IT WAS SO SUCCESSFUL, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THAT SPACE TO THEM. I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE OR SAY AGAIN, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE LAUNCH OF OUR LAUNDRY SERVICE, WHICH STARTED BACK ON SEPTEMBER 8TH OF THIS MONTH. EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY BEGINNING AT 12 NOON TILL 5 P.M. EACH TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, WE OFFER THE LAUNDRY SERVICES. WE ARE HAPPY TO BE WORKING WITH DR.

DELPHINE SANDS. SHE'S THE PASTOR OF REMNANT OUTREACH.

SHE DIDN'T WANT TO BE HERE TONIGHT IN THE EVENT THAT YOU ALL HAD TECHNICAL QUESTIONS, BUT SHE WAS UNAVAILABLE TO ATTEND BUT SHE DID SEND ME SOME UPDATED NUMBERS.

ON THIS SLIDE, I REFERENCED THAT APPROXIMATELY 20 CLIENTS HAD BEEN SERVED.

THAT INFORMATION WAS AT THE TIME THAT THIS REPORT WAS PUBLISHED. SINCE THAT TIME, THE DATA HAS BEEN UPDATED, AND WE HAVE SERVICED APPROXIMATELY 40 PEOPLE SINCE THE OPENING OF THE LAUNDRY SERVICE, AND ON AVERAGE, WE'RE SEEING BETWEEN 12 AND 15 PEOPLE EACH DAY COME IN TO HAVE THEIR CLOTHES WASHED.

SO, IT IS SEEMINGLY SUCCESSFUL, AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF IT, AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS JUST TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE A LOOK AT THE SERVICE EACH WEEK TO SEE WHAT WAYS WE CAN MODIFY IT OR MAKE AMENDMENTS SO THAT IT CAN BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITY.

THEY ARE STILL LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS TO ASSIST WITH THIS SERVICE PROVIDING.

SO, IF ANYONE WAS INTERESTED, DR. SANDS IS ASKING PEOPLE TO COME TO THE PAVILION DURING SERVICE TIMES TO BE TRAINED, AND THEN THEY CAN SIGN UP FOR FUTURE DATES. SO, IT'S VERY EXCITING WHAT THEY'RE DOING OVER THERE. SO, WHAT DO WE HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO? SHOWER SERVICE. I KNOW THIS IS ONE THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO NOT ONLY THIS COMMISSION, BUT THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK THROUGH THE OPERATION PROCEDURES AND DETERMINING THE RISK THAT IS INVOLVED IN ANY COMPLIANCE POLICY THAT WE NEED TO ADOPT IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE CITY FROM BEING AT RISK BY OFFERING THIS PARTICULAR SERVICE. I AM WORKING INTERNALLY WITH OUR FACILITIES DIVISION AND GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT. WE NEED TO MAKE SOME INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGES TO THE FACILITY, WHICH WOULD ALLOW US TO PROPERLY OFFER THIS SERVICE.

THAT MEANS CREATING A TIME SHOWER SYSTEM WHERE WE WOULD GIVE OUT TOKENS. THEY DROP A TOKEN IN THE SHOWER SYSTEM, AND IT WOULD TIME THEM FOR EXAMPLE, THEY WOULD HAVE 15 MINUTES IN THE BATHROOM, BUT ONCE THEY DROP THEIR TOKEN IN, THEY GET A 6-MINUTE SHOWER, AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH HOT WATER IS NECESSARY FOR THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT WE WOULD SERVICE.

SO, WE'RE ALSO MAKING SOME CHANGES TO THE WATER HEATER SYSTEM THAT WAS INITIALLY INSTALLED AT THE SITE. IT WAS NOT THE, THE SYSTEM THAT'S THERE NOW IS MORE SO RESIDENTIAL, NOT COMMERCIAL, SO IT WOULD NOT, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO OFFER A HOT SHOWER TO INDIVIDUALS, SO WE ARE, WE'RE WORKING TO MAKE SOME MODIFICATIONS FOR THAT. AND I KNOW IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S BEEN A WHILE, BUT SOMETIMES IT TAKES A REALLY LONG TIME TO GET THESE PROGRAMS RUNNING SMOOTHLY. WE ALSO JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE KEEPING EVERYONE SAFE. WE ALSO WOULD NEED A DEDICATED ORGANIZATION TO HELP MANAGE THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE STAFF CAPACITY TO DO IT. SO, WORKING ON TRYING TO DETERMINE WHO WOULD HELP TO MANAGE THAT PROGRAM, AND OF COURSE THE DAYS THAT WE WOULD OFFER THAT, IF IT WOULD BE ALTERNATE FROM THE LAUNDRY SERVICE OR THE SAME DAYS. THE DROP-IN CENTER PHASE TWO WE DO HAVE TWO, THE 250,000 THAT THIS COMMISSION APPROVED IN THE BUDGET HEARINGS THAT WILL BE CARRIED FORWARD FROM THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.

WE DID NOT ALLOCATE ANY NEW DOLLARS MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE CONCERN WITH AMENDMENT 03, NOT KNOWING WHICH DIRECTION THAT BILL IS GOING TO GO IN IN IN NOVEMBER. SO, WE WANTED TO BE CONSIDERATE OF THAT.

ALSO, WE DID RUN INTO SOME CHALLENGES WITH TRYING TO MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH THE ANCHOR ORGANIZATION THAT COULD ACTUALLY RUN THE FACILITY IF AND WHEN IT'S BUILT. WE, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE A DISSERVICE TO THE CITY AND OF COURSE THIS

[01:30:01]

YOUR ANCHOR ORGANIZATION, ARE YOU, HAVE YOU REACHED OUT TO ANYONE YET? DO YOU HAVE ANY POSSIBLE POSSIBILITIES OR? WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH CARE CONNECT ST. JOHNS.

UH-HUH. WE WERE IN DISCUSSION, MYSELF, OUR CITY MANAGER AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS MET WITH THEM ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, AND SO WE'RE WE'VE JUST BEEN HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM TO DETERMINE IF THEIR VISION WAS ACTUALLY ALIGNED WITH WHAT THIS COMMISSION HAD IN MIND FOR THAT SECOND PHASE OF DINING WITH DIGNITY OR THE DIGNITY PAVILION. OKAY. SO, THE SECOND PHASE IS THE DROP-IN CENTER. CORRECT. AND COULD YOU TELL ME WHAT THE DIFFERENCE PHYSICALLY IS BETWEEN THAT AND WHAT WE HAVE NOW? BECAUSE I WASN'T HERE WHEN, YOU KNOW, I WASN'T ELECTED WHEN THIS WAS ALL DONE, BUT. SURE. BUT WHAT'S THE PHYSICAL DIFFERENCE AND SERVICE DIFFERENCE? SO, THE DROP-IN CENTER WOULD HAVE MORE OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE ELEMENT ALSO MORE SERVICE ORIENTED.

SO, THE DIGNITY PAVILION PROVIDES THE LAUNDRY SERVICE, SHOWERS, AND RIGHT NOW THE DINING WITH DIGNITY SERVICE.

RIGHT. I THINK THE IDEOLOGY FOR DROP-IN CENTER WOULD BE A SPACE WHERE PEOPLE COULD COME AND USE COMPUTERS, WOULD GET A HAIRCUT RESOURCES ACCESS SO THAT THEY CAN APPLY FOR JOBS GET ACCESS TO IDS OR DRIVER'S LICENSE, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. OH, SO IT'S MORE, IT'S MORE EMPHASIS TOWARD REPATRIATION, IF I CAN SAY THAT. EXACTLY.

OH, OKAY. OKAY, THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME. OKAY. YES, FIRST OF ALL HOME AGAIN HAS DONE AMAZING WORK, AND SO THANKS TO TROY BLEVINS AND MIKE DAVIS AND THAT CREW ALAN. THEY'RE PROVIDING 2 LOCATIONS FOR HOUSING, AND THEY'RE REALLY DOING THE MEALS.

JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO PASTOR DR. SANDS BECAUSE THE LAUNDRY SERVICE IS TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON THE VOLUNTEERS, AND SHE'S DOING A GREAT JOB, AND IF YOU'RE WILLING TO VOLUNTEER IN THE IN THE COMMUNITY, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING TO DO. IT SEEMS LIKE IT'D BE A PRETTY SIMPLE THING TO WATCH PEOPLE WASH THEIR CLOTHES. HAVE Y'ALL TRIED OR DISCUSSED ON-DEMAND HOT WATER HEATERS? THOSE ARE PRETTY POPULAR NOW GOING IN, AND, AND IT SEEMS LIKE THAT COULD BE AN ALTERNATIVE. THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I HAD CONSIDERED, BUT WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT. AND THEN THE LAST THING IS, IN THE VERY BEGINNING, WE HAD A LITTLE INTEREST FROM SOME HOSPITALS. WE HAVE A HUGE COMPETITION GOING ON NOW IN THE CITY AND COUNTY FOR HOSPITALS, AND THERE WAS SOME INTEREST FROM A COUPLE OF HOSPITALS TO ACTUALLY PROVIDE THE CAPITAL DOLLARS TO BUILD THE BUILDINGS IF THEY COULD BE IN ON THE MEDICARE SIDE OF PROVIDING MEDICAL SERVICES.

SO, IT MAY BE WORTH TRYING TO MAYBE REACH OUT TO SOME OF THE HOSPITALS NOW, AND YOU KNOW, GO GATORS, I THINK UF SHANDS COULD PROBABLY COME UP WITH A COUPLE OF DOLLARS TO HELP US OUT, AND IT, WE COULD EVEN LET IT BE ORANGE AND BLUE. THANK YOU. DOING A GREAT JOB. THANK YOU. HI. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU. IT'S REALLY GREAT SEEING ALL THIS COME TOGETHER, BEING ON THE BOARD, TALKING AND FEELING ABOUT THE NUMBERS. I THINK THE NUMBERS CHANGED BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE IN LINCOLNVILLE THAT DIDN'T COOK DINNER WALKED OVER AND HAD DINNER. AND SO, I TALKED A LOT TO JOE ABOUT THAT, BUT IT'S GOOD SEEING THAT THE NUMBERS ARE INCREASING. DELLY SANDS IS ON THE BOARD ALSO FOR HOME AGAIN, AND SHE GOES OVER THERE AND PREPARES A MEAL AT 16 ON WEDNESDAYS. SO, WE REALLY ARE BLESSED THAT SHE'S GOTTEN ACTIVE AND INVOLVED AND DOING THE LAUNDRY. I GO PAST THERE ON TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS AND SEE VEHICLES THERE, SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT'S BEING UTILIZED. I KNOW WE ARE PUSHING TO GET THAT STARTED, AND I THANK YOU FOR HITTING THE GROUND, GETTING SOMEBODY RELIABLE, AND THAT WAS GOING TO SHOW UP FOR THOSE VULNERABLE RESIDENTS.

IT'S JUST A BLESSING SEEING IT ALL COME TOGETHER. IT TOOK A WHILE TO BE BUILT, AND IT'S JUST SO MUCH BETTER THAN SEEING PEOPLE HUDDLED OVER IN THAT CORNER ON GRANADA STREET SEEING THEM GO THERE.

I'VE BEEN THERE A FEW TIMES, AND I QUESTIONED THEM IF THEY ENJOY BEING HERE, AND THEY DO BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ANYBODY

[01:35:01]

THANK YOU. HAVE ANY COMMENTS? YEAH, I JUST THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL ASSET TO OUR CITY AND OUR AND IT'S EXAMPLE OF BEING A COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK YOU DO, AND ALL OF YOUR STAFF AND EVERYBODY ELSE ON STAFF WHO'S DOING THIS, OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TOO.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH. AGAIN, MY THANKS AS WELL PARTICULARLY FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE CONCRETE AREAS AROUND THE PICNIC TABLES. THAT WAS A REALLY WONDERFUL THING TO BE ABLE TO EXPEDITE THAT.

THANK YOU TO THE CITY MANAGER FOR MAKING SURE THAT HAPPENS A LITTLE QUICKER. THE BIKE RACKS, MORE BIKE RACKS AND THEN ALSO THE BARBECUE PITS, BECAUSE I KNOW THOSE, THOSE SEEM LIKE SMALL THINGS, BUT I THINK THEY REALLY ADD UP, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

SO, I KEEP AN EYE ON THINGS AND EVEN TO KEEP, KEEP THE GRASS MOWED TOO AS WELL. YES. MAKE SURE THE GRASS GETS MOWED. BUT I HAD A QUESTION. I THOUGHT THAT I WAS TOLD THAT THE BUS IS NOT COMING ANYMORE DUE TO FUNDING, SO I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HEARING IF THAT WAS TRUE. I KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN COMING ONCE A MONTH BUT IF IT'S, IS IT, DO YOU KNOW? I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH PAIGE FROM CARE CONNECT, AND SHE DID ASSURE ME THAT THE MOBILE HEALTH BUS, MOBILE HEALTH BUS WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE ITS ROUNDS TO THE DIGNITY PAVILION MONTHLY. AT THE TIME THAT IT WAS NOT GOING OR NOT SHOWING UP DURING ITS REGULAR SCHEDULE, IT WAS BEING REWRAPPED, AND IT WAS GOING THROUGH SOME SERVICING. SO, IT IS NOW THAT IT'S COMPLETE, AND THEY PLAN TO BEGIN THEIR NORMAL ROUNDS.

OKAY, THANK YOU. SO, IF THAT IS THE CASE, AND IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG TERM, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD, WE DO NEED TO LOOK INTO POURING A CONCRETE PAD FOR THEM INSTEAD OF THE GRAVEL, AND THEN ALSO PROVIDING A POWER OUTLET FOR THEM SO THAT THEY CAN DON'T HAVE TO RUN A GENERATOR WHEN THEY'RE ON SITE. I JUST THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT SERVICE BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN COME IN AND HAVE PRIVACY WITH A DOCTOR ON SITE, AND IT'S IN THEME WITH OUR DIGNITY THEME, SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME. AND WITH THAT SAID, I'M VERY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT 250,000 IS BEING HELD. THAT WAS SOMETHING VICKI PEPPER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT WHEN SHE CAME AND SPOKE, WHICH KIND OF SPARKED THIS UPDATE, SO WE APPRECIATE THAT.

AND I WOULD SAY THAT MY CONVERSATIONS, THE ONE THING THAT THEY DO NEED MORE OF, ARE BIKE LIGHTS. SO, IF THERE'S ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WOULD LIKE TO WORK ON THAT EFFORT THEY ARE ASKING FOR BIKE LIGHTS. OTHER THAN THAT, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, AND I THINK YOU'RE DOING AN AMAZING JOB.

IT'S A REMARKABLE, REMARKABLE FACILITY, AND I THINK AS TIME GOES BY, IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT COMMUNITIES CAN DO FOR THEIR UNHOUSED AND NEEDY.

SO, THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME.

YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM WE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED. WE DON'T TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.

NO, I'D, NO. NO, SIR. PUBLIC COMMENT IS AT THE BEGINNING FOR ITEMS THAT ARE NOT ON PUBLIC COMMENT. OF COURSE, WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU, BUT PERHAPS YOU COULD COME AT OUR NEXT MEETING AND SPEAK.

ALSO, THE NEXT ITEM IS GOING TO BE THE PRESENTATION ON THE INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR FMIT. YES. MEREDITH. GOOD EVENING. MEREDITH BREIDENSTEIN, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. AT THE SEPTEMBER 14TH REGULAR MEETING, WE HAD A PUBLIC COMMENTER WHO SPOKE ABOUT OUR PROCESS ON INSURANCE AND OUR VENDORS.

THE COMMISSION ASKED FOR AN UPDATE AT THE NEXT MEETING. SO, IN YOUR PACKET, YOU HAVE A TIMELINE OF OUR PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH FOR OUR PROPERTY, LIABILITY, AND WORKERS' COMP INSURANCE.

THERE'S ALSO BACKUP DOCUMENTATION HERE THAT INCLUDES COPIES OF THE PROPOSALS, COPIES OF OUR, OUR LETTERS TO THE COMPANIES, AND STAFF ANALYSIS BETWEEN THE TWO COMPANIES. WE HAVE ENTERED INTO A CONTRACT WITH PRM FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 COVERAGE USING A TIME SENSITIVE EXEMPTION. THIS IS AGAIN FOR PROPERTY CRIME LIABILITY AND WORKERS' COMP. WE ENTERED

[01:40:01]

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS FROM, FROM COMMISSION? MY ONLY COMMENT WOULD BE THAT IT'S A 2-YEAR CONTRACT AND THAT YOU BEGIN LOOKING AT ANY RENEWAL, THE OPTIONS OF RENEWAL ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF FROM NOW. THAT WAY YOU WOULD GIVE YOURSELF PLENTY OF TIME TO DO AN RFP. OKAY, YES. SO, YOU DON'T GET INTO THAT SITUATION THAT YOU GOT IN WITH THIS, SO. YES.

OKAY. WE'LL DO THAT. THANK YOU.

ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY, VERY GOOD.

I APPRECIATE YOU PRESENTING US WITH THIS PACKAGE. I THINK WE WERE JUST, WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION WHEN THE GENTLEMAN STOOD UP AND, AND SPOKE DURING THAT PUBLIC HEARING THAT PUBLIC COMMENT.

AND SO, IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT THIS HAS BETTER, THIS OPTION HAS BETTER COVERAGES AND SO THANK YOU.

GOOD ANALYSIS. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO ITEMS BY CITY ATTORNEY. I HAVE NONE.

NONE? OKAY. NEXT ITEM, ITEMS

[4. PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS OR FOR AGENDA ITEMS NOT REQUIRING A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING (Part 2 of 2)]

AND I, BEFORE YOU, BEFORE YOU GO ON, I WOULD LIKE TO PAUSE FOR A MINUTE. I KNOW MR. BLEVINS IS HERE, AND HE HAS BEEN SUCH A GREAT PARTNER TO US IN THE PAST ON THESE ISSUES DEALING. I WOULD LIKE TO STOP AND ASK YOU WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR MR. BLEVINS' COMMENTS? BECAUSE THAT IS, IF, YOU KNOW, WE CAN OPEN UP A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IF YOU ALL AGREE TO THAT. YES. OKAY, VERY WELL, VERY, VERY WELL.

OKAY. I APOLOGIZE. I SAW THAT AS AN AGENDA ITEM, SO THAT'S THE REASON I DIDN'T PUT IT IN EARLY PUBLIC COMMENT. IT HAS TO DO WITH DINING WITH DIGNITY AND THE JOB THAT'S HAPPENING OVER THERE. JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME DETAILS FROM HOME AGAIN'S PERSPECTIVE WHEN WE FIRST OPENED, WE HAD A CHALLENGE OF GETTING PEOPLE THERE. AS PEOPLE BECAME MORE AWARE OF IT, THE NUMBERS STEADILY INCREASED. ONE OF THE ITEMS I WANTED TO ADD TO THE MAYOR'S COMMENT IF WE ADD THE POWER FOR THE BUS, LET'S MAKE SURE IT'S BOTH 50 AMP AND 30 AMP, BECAUSE THESE SUPPORT BUSES COME IN DIFFERENT VARIETIES.

OKAY. AND ALSO, WE NEED TO HAVE IT AS A WATER SOURCE BECAUSE IF IT'S A CLINIC BUS, IT'S GOING TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A HAND-WASHING STATION AND SOME OF THOSE ITEMS, AND TO BE FUNCTIONAL, IT NEEDS TO HAVE ALL THREE OF THOSE.

SO, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE WONDERING HOW THE NUMBERS CAME TO BE. THERE'S A LOT OF CAMPS IN THAT AREA, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF FEAR OF TRUST. THE BEAUTY OF IT IS WITH PEOPLE LIKE PASTOR SANDS AND OUR DINING WITH DIGNITY, THEY'VE CREATED THAT TRUST, SO NOW THE NUMBERS ARE COMING BACK. SO, KEEP THAT TRUST, KEEP THAT TRUST WITH THOSE CLIENTS, AND YOU'LL SEE THOSE NUMBERS

[12. ITEMS BY CITY CLERK]

AND SO, THE ANSWER IS THIS IS, THIS IS GOING TO BE THE PROCESS TO NAME BUILDINGS, IS TO BRING IT ON AS A, AS AN AGENDA. YES, SO I DID LOOK BACK AT SOME OTHER EXAMPLES OF, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A SPECIFIC PROCESS FOR NAMING OF PARKS, AND WE HAVE A SPECIFIC PROCESS TO NAME UNNAMED ALLEYS AND RENAME ROADWAYS BUT WE'VE DONE STRUCTURES DIFFERENTLY EITHER BY MOTION OR RESOLUTION. AND I MOVE WE FORMALLY NAME THE PAVILION ON OLD DIXIE HIGHWAY FOR DINING WITH DIGNITY, THE DIGNITY PAVILION. SECOND.

RIGHT. ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY GOT

[01:45:06]

WONDERFUL. EXCELLENT. NEXT ITEM. THE NEXT ITEM IS A RESULT OF DOING SOME RESEARCH I DO LOVE THAT PART OF MY JOB. JUST LOOKING THROUGH OUR OLD RECORDS ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE BEGINNING, I NEVER COULD FIND OR LOCATE ANY FORMALLY ANY FORMAL DOCUMENTATION, ANY FORMAL MOTION, ANY FORMAL ANYTHING THAT ACTUALLY NAMED THE WILLIE LEE GALIMORE RECREATION CENTER. AT ONE MEETING IT WAS CALLED JUST THE COMMUNITY CENTER, THE VERY NEXT MEETING THEN THEY CALLED IT THE WILLIE GALIMORE, BUT THERE WAS NO MOTION. AND IT'S GOING TO BE 40 YEARS OLD NEXT YEAR, SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO MAKE THAT FORMAL.

QUESTION, DIDN'T WE DO THE SAME THING WITH FRANCIS FIELD? YES. THE SAME THING HAPPENED? YES. WE ALWAYS CALLED IT THAT, BUT WE NEVER REALLY FORMALLY.

WELL. NO, IT'S FRANCIS FIELD WAS ALWAYS, OKAY. WE DEDICATED FRANCIS FIELD. OKAY.

BUT IT WAS NAMED FRANCIS FIELD, IT WAS ALREADY WHENEVER IT WAS CONSTRUCTED INTO A BASEBALL FIELD, BECAUSE THE BASEBALL FIELDS ORIGINALLY WERE AT THE END OF MARINE STREET. MM-HMM. BUT WE DEDICATED IT AND PUT A SIGN UP.

OH. BUT IT WAS NEVER FORMALLY DONE WITH A WILLIE LEE GALIMORE CENTER, AND I, YOU KNOW, HE SAID HAS SUCH A FASCINATING HISTORY THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO I THOUGHT WHEN WE DID THE RIBBON CUTTING, WE NAMED IT, NO? NOPE. NOPE, WE DID AFTER. WE DID THE REMODELING. WE OFFICIALLY NAMED THE EDDIE LEE, EDDIE VICKERS PARK, BUT NEVER THE CENTER. HMM. ALL RIGHT THEN. GREAT. I MOTION THAT WE OFFICIALLY NAME IT THE WILLIE GALIMORE CENTER.

WILLIE LEE GALIMORE RECREATION CENTER. WILLIE LEE GALIMORE. SECOND. BECAUSE IT HAS HIS PICTURE UP AND ON.

YES. ALL RIGHT. SECOND.

SECOND, YEP. ALL RIGHT. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE.

WONDERFUL. NEXT. THANK YOU FOR CLOSING THAT LOOP. YES.

THANK YOU FOR FINDING THAT OPEN LOOP.

ALL RIGHT, WHAT ELSE? AND JUST A REMINDER OF OUR OPEN BOARDS POSITIONS.

SO, WE'RE STILL ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS. OKAY. IF YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN PENSION BOARDS, COME SEE ME. OH YES. OKAY.

NEXT ITEM I HAVE A QUESTION.

OH, WE HAVE MORE? WHAT TYPE OF QUALIFICATIONS WOULD YOU LIKE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? EACH ONE I THINK THESE PARTICULAR POSITIONS DO REQUIRE CITY RESIDENCY. OKAY.

BUT REALLY OTHER THAN THAT, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT HAS SOME SORT OF EXPERIENCE WITH INVESTMENTS. OKAY, SO CITY RESIDENCY AND PREFERABLY SOME INVESTMENT EXPERIENCE. YES, BUT WE WILL TRAIN. OKAY, OKAY, THANK YOU. SUCCESSFUL. YEAH.

FINANCIAL INVESTMENT. OH, YEAH.

NOTED. OH MY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT

[13. ITEMS BY CITY MANAGER ]

OKAY, NEVER MIND. ALL RIGHT, SO NEXT ITEM, ITEM BY CITY MANAGER, MR. BIRCHIM.

MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, I'D LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU THE 2026 YEAR IN REVIEW. THIS COVERS JANUARY 1ST THROUGH SEPTEMBER 14TH.

I'VE BROKEN IT DOWN BY THE MONTH, LIKE I DO EVERY TIME. I'M NOT GONNA I'M NOT GONNA LIST EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH IN THAT TIME PERIOD. I'LL JUST MAKE SOME HIGHLIGHTS. WE AMENDED AND MOVED FORWARD THE BROUDY PARKING GARAGE LICENSE AGREEMENT. WE AMENDED THE MOU AND LEASE FOR THE BROUDY PARKING GARAGE, WHICH WAS HUGE.

WE REZONED THE FISH ISLAND INHOLDING TO GOVERNMENT USE.

WE SOLIDIFIED THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS PROGRAM FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND MOBILITY, WHICH WAS A BIG ENDEAVOR. WE DEBATED AND PASSED THE 24 CATHEDRAL PLACE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT, WAS A, WHICH WILL BE A MAJOR DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN THE NEAR FUTURE. WE WORKED ON THE DINING WITH DIGNITY PAVILION.

YOU JUST GOT AN UPDATE FROM JAIME PERKINS ON THAT. THE VEHICLE FOR HIRE AND FRANCHISE ORDINANCES WERE ALSO A HEAVY LIFT FOR OUR STAFF, INVOLVING LOTS OF PUBLIC OUTREACH, AND REUBEN FRANKLIN DESERVES ALL THE CREDIT FOR THAT. WE WON THE 11TH BERNARDO DE GALVEZ AWARD, AND IT WENT TO SPAIN AND RECEIVED THAT AWARD AND BROUGHT IT BACK. THANK YOU, MAYOR. WE DEALT WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ON EASEMENTS FOR VARIOUS DOWNTOWN PROJECTS, WHICH ARE ONGOING. AND WE SOLIDIFIED THE LAKE, LAKE MARIA SANCHEZ EASEMENTS AND ENTITLEMENTS THROUGH A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, WHICH WE JUST NOW SETTLED

[01:50:05]

OBVIOUSLY, AMENDMENT 3, IF IT DOES PASS, WILL BE THE BEGINNING OF A CHALLENGE FOR US TO MAKE UP THOSE REVENUES OR TO BALANCE THE BUDGET WITH THOSE REVENUE SHORTFALLS.

THE OTHER ASPECTS WOULD BE THE ONGOING DOT WORK THAT'S BEING DONE DOWNTOWN.

AFTER THE SEAWALL WORK IS DONE, WE'LL SEE WORK BEING DONE AT THE BASE OF BRIDGE OF LIONS, AND THEN WE'LL SEE WORK BEING DONE IN KING STREET.

THAT'S NOT GOING TO TAKE PLACE IN ONE YEAR, BUT OUR ONGOING MOBILITY CHALLENGES ARE AN EFFORT THAT WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS NEXT YEAR WITH OUR MOBILITY UPDATE, AND THAT KIND OF JUST GIVES YOU SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR SO FAR AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IN THE NEXT CALENDAR YEAR.

QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? I HAVE A COMMENT. I WAS AT HAYLING PARK THIS PAST WEEKEND, AND THAT'S A ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THAT ISN'T ON THIS LIST. THAT'S A MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT OVER THERE TO PLACE THE STATUE OF DR. ROBERT HAYLING, AND IT'S VERY EXCITING. AND ALSO, MY STUDENTS POINTED OUT WHILE WE WERE ON A FIELD TRIP AND ASKED WHAT THOSE METAL STRUCTURES WERE, THE BLACK METAL STRUCTURES THAT WERE POPPING UP ALL OVER THE CITY, AND THEY'RE BIKE RACKS AND THEY'RE GOING INTO PLACE IN TIME FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, AND THAT'S A MOBILITY ACHIEVEMENT TOO. SO, IT'S JUST, THERE'S ALL THESE THINGS YOU DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT A, AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST, BUT THOSE ARE JUST TWO THINGS I NOTICED IN THE PAST WEEK.

SURE. EXCELLENT. I'M TRYING TO RECALL, DID WE DO THE BEACH SHUTTLE APPROVAL? YES, THAT WAS, THAT'S ANOTHER MOBILITY. I WAS THINKING, I WAS TRYING TO SAY, THIS IS OCTOBER, RIGHT? SO, WE DID PASS IT IN SEPTEMBER, SO THAT'S ANOTHER MOBILITY ISSUE THAT WE GOT.

ABSOLUTELY. ANOTHER BIG THING WAS THE CHANGE OF THE SHERIFF, OF THE CHIEF, POLICE CHIEF. THAT'S, THAT IS A, THAT'S A, A BIG THING FOR A MANAGER TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH IN THE CITY TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH, AND YOU DID IT WELL. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? THAT REPORT. THANK YOU. WE ACCEPT YOUR REPORT AND LOOK FORWARD TO MUCH MORE OF THAT. SO, I'VE GOT 2 MORE THINGS. VERY PROTECT- OKAY.

AT THE LAST MEETING, YOU ASKED FOR AN UPDATE ON THE DECEMBER 7TH SWEARING-IN CEREMONY. SO, THE SWEARING-IN CEREMONY WILL BE HELD IN THIS ROOM ON DECEMBER 7TH, AND WE'LL HAVE OVERFLOW AVAILABLE IN THE COURTYARD, IN THE LOGGIAS, AND WE'LL HAVE OVERFLOW AVAILABLE, NECESSARY, IN THE LIGHTNER MUSEUM LOBBY. AND THEY'D ASKED ME, THE LIGHTNER MUSEUM STAFF ASKED ME TO READ A STATEMENT THAT SAYS THE LIGHTNER MUSEUM, WHICH IS A SEPARATE AND INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION FROM CITY HALL, HAS OFFERED THE USE OF ITS LOBBY FREE OF CHARGE.

SO THAT'S THE UPDATE FOR THE SWEARING IN ON DECEMBER 7TH. OKAY, PERFECT.

THANK YOU. AND I'VE GOT ONE LAST THING. IT'S A LETTER THAT I'M GOING TO READ TO YOU, AND YOU'RE AWARE OF THIS.

TO MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND COMMISSIONERS. THIS IS AN EXCITING YEAR FOR ST.

AUGUSTINE. IN DECEMBER, THERE WILL BE A NEW MAYOR AND TWO NEW CITY COMMISSIONERS SWORN INTO OFFICE TO LEAD OUR CITY.

IT IS MY SINCERE HOPE THAT THIS TRANSITION ON THE CITY COMMISSION WILL BRING NEW ENERGY, NEW IDEAS, AND NEW ENTHUSIASM TO OUR COMMUNITY. I BELIEVE THIS IS ALSO THE IDEAL TIME FOR A TRANSITION AT THE CITY MANAGER POSITION. I HAVE HAD THE HONOR OF WORKING FOR THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE SINCE DECEMBER OF 1997, AND IN THAT TIME I HAVE DONE MY BEST TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY AND TO HELP OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR BUSINESSES THRIVE. AFTER 29 YEARS OF SERVICE, I THINK IT IS TIME FOR ME TO STEP ASIDE AND GIVE THE NEXT GENERATION OF CITY LEADERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GUIDE OUR COMMUNITY INTO THE FUTURE WITH PASSION AND AN EAGERNESS TO SERVE. MY CONTRACT WITH THE CITY EXTENDS TO JUNE 2ND, 2028, AND I'M HUMBLY ASKING YOU TO ACCEPT MY VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT REQUEST AND RELEASE ME FROM MY CONTRACT EARLIER THAN THE EXPIRATION

[01:55:01]

WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE APPRECIATE THAT. IT'S VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT. IT'S A BIG NEWS.

WOULD BE BIG CHANGES AT THE TIME. I THINK THAT I'M IN FAVOR OF RELEASING YOU FROM YOUR CONTRACT, AS YOU REQUEST. I THINK IT'S A VERY DOABLE FOR THIS COMMISSION TO COME UP WITH A PATH FORWARD ON YOUR REPLACEMENT, OR AT LEAST HAVE AN IDEA OR CONCEPT OF THE PATH FORWARD SINCE YOU'RE, YOU WILL BE LEAVING US ON DECEMBER 16TH, WHICH IS, I THINK I SUPPOSE ABOUT A COUPLE WEEKS AFTER THE SWEARING AND ONE, ONE WEEK AFTER THE SWEARING IN OF NEW, TWO NEW COMMISSIONERS AND MAYOR. SO, I THINK THAT WE PROBABLY NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT. AND I'LL VERY MUCH, MY POSITION WOULD BE WEIGH VERY HEAVILY ON WHAT YOU CONTINUING COMMISSIONERS WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN. SO, WITH THAT, I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR LETTER. I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE, AND WE'LL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO TALK ABOUT THAT. YOUR, WHAT A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU'VE SEEN IN YOUR 29 YEARS WITH THE CITY. SO, COMMISSIONERS, WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT? WELL, I WOULD I TOO WOULD, WOULD AGREE THAT IT'S NOT REALLY, WE COULD HOLD HIM TO A CONTRACT, WHICH WOULD BE A NEGATIVE PROCESS, SO WE HAVE NO REALLY, I DON'T HAVE ANY DESIRE TO HOLD HIM UP FROM DOING WHAT HE DESIRES TO DO IN THE NAME OF CONTRACT. ONE THING I AM CONCERNED ABOUT, AS I KNOW STAFF WOULD BE CONCERNED, IS LOSING THE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE. WE LOST MR. REGAN, AND WE ALSO LOST HIS SECRETARY RECENTLY, I MEAN, RIGHT AFTER THAT, AND SHE HAD A LOT OF INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE IN, IN OUR ATTORNEY AND IN OUR CITY CLERK.

BUT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE IN IN WHAT MR. BIRCHIM HAS TO OFFER, AND I HAVEN'T EVEN, I HAVEN'T TALKED TO HIM ABOUT THIS, EVEN THOUGH WE REVIEWED THE LETTER, AND THAT IS, I THINK WE TRY TO SEE IF HE'S INTERESTED OR CONSIDER TALKING ABOUT SOME KIND OF A NOT A, I DON'T WANT TO CALL HIM CONSULTANT, BUT THE AVAILABILITY OF HIM TO BE AVAILABLE IN THE NEXT 6 MONTHS OR A YEAR FOR A NEW CITY MANAGER TO BE ABLE TO TAP HIS BRAIN FOR INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE. I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN LEADERSHIP CHANGES A LOT IN MY CAREER TOO, AND I KNOW THAT WHEN YOU TAKE OVER FROM SOMEBODY WHO HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE, YOU WANT TO CALL THEM EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE AND SAY, HEY, WAIT A MINUTE, WHAT, DO YOU REMEMBER THIS? AND WHAT, BUT YOU FEEL GUILTY DOING THAT.

IF WE COULD HAVE A PRE-ARRANGED AGREEMENT, A CONTRACT THAT WOULD ALLOW THE NEW MANAGER TO BE ABLE TO CALL OR EMAIL MR. BIRCHIM WITH QUESTIONS, AND WE COULD, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT A NEBULOUS NUMBER OF HOURS A MONTH OR WHATEVER. I JUST THINK WE DON'T WANT TO THROW AWAY INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE. IF MR. BIRCHIM IS WILLING TO DO THAT, IT WOULD BE A VERY COST-EFFECTIVE WAY FOR THE NEW MANAGER TO HAVE SOMEONE ELSE TO SPEAK TO IN THAT POSITION. ALL RIGHT.

I, I THINK IF HE REALLY WANTED TO BE AVAILABLE FOR ANOTHER 6 MONTHS, HE WOULD STILL STAY CITY MANAGER. THAT'S JUST MY, MY POINT ON THAT. I THINK HE'S READY TO LIVE THE LIFE OF DAVID.

OTHERWISE, HE WOULD HAVE JUST STAYED TO JUNE, BECAUSE THAT'S JUST 6 MONTHS LATER THAN DECEMBER. I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD MAKE HIM FEEL OBLIGATED.

I THINK THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY GET AN INTERN, AND I REMEMBER BEFORE WHEN WE WERE DECIDING ON DAVID, YOU SAID WE SHOULD CAST THE NET AND SEE WHAT'S OUT THERE. SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID I THINK WE HAVE 2 AVAILABLE ASSISTANT CITY

[02:00:03]

HIS FAMILY DOESN'T LIVE HERE.

THE HOLIDAYS ARE COMING. HE MIGHT WANT TO BE FREE LIKE A BIRD. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE, WHAT HIS INTENTIONS ARE.

BECAUSE WHEN YOU RETIRE, THE AVERAGE PERSON RETIRES.

THEY DON'T DO LIKE I DID, BUT HE MIGHT WANT TO JUST LIVE, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? I DON'T WANT HIM TO FEEL STILL OBLIGATED TO THE CITY, OTHERWISE I'M SURE HE HAD TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THIS LETTER, SO I HAVEN'T TRIED TO PRESSURE HIM BECAUSE IT'S WELL WRITTEN, HE'S PROBABLY THOUGHT ABOUT IT, AND HE'S JUST BEEN TRYING TO BE AVAILABLE AS BEST HE CAN.

IT HAD TO TAKE A LOT TO DO THIS TONIGHT. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, OTHER COMMENTS? YES? WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A CONSULTANT? I'D BE HAPPY TO CONSIDER IT. I CAN MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE FOR THE NEW CITY MANAGER IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HISTORY, THE HISTORY OF ANY CITY BUSINESS THAT'S OCCURRED IN THE PAST 29 YEARS.

OKAY. I'D BE, I'M JUST NOW HEARING THIS ALSO, SO I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO CONSIDER. YEAH, I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO MAKE A DECISION, AND I WOULDN'T MAKE A DECISION. I JUST WANTED TO KNOW BEFORE WE WENT FORWARD WITH THE CONVERSATION. YES.

WHETHER YOU'D EVEN BE INTERESTED. OKAY SO MY THING IS TO HONOR MR. BIRCHIM'S WISHES.

I MEAN, I KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S A HELL OF A JOB, AND HE'S DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB, AND I'LL SAVE ALL MY ACCOLADES FOR LATER. BUT RIGHT NOW, I THINK TO HONOR HIS WISHES, THIS IS WHAT HE WANTS TO DO. I FEEL WE WILL BE MISSING SOMETHING, PARTICULARLY IN PLANNING. SO, BECAUSE OF ALL YOUR EXPERTISE, I KNOW PLANNING BOARD, HOW LONG YOU'VE BEEN HERE ON THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, SO WE CAN MAYBE TALK ABOUT THAT SPECIFICALLY, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE. BUT I ALSO FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE MOVING ONE OF OUR ASSISTANT MANAGERS UP. WE'RE VERY LUCKY HERE TO HAVE A VERY TALENTED ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER THAT I WOULD FEEL VERY GOOD MOVING INTO AN INTERN POSITION. NOW, I HAVE NOT BEEN PART OF A PROCESS WHERE THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW IT HAPPENS.

SO, I'LL BE LOOKING TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROCESS IS, AND IF THERE IS A DOWNTIME TO MOVE OUR CITY, OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER UP TO THE JOB. SO, OTHER THAN THAT, I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS THAN I DO ANYTHING ELSE, HOW THE PROCESS IS GOING TO WORK BUT. FAIR ENOUGH.

THANK YOU. AND I, IT PROBABLY TOOK A LOT TO DO THAT. LIKE COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD SAID, YOU'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I RETIRED, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S NOT THAT BAD. IT'S NOT BAD AT ALL. SO, I'M GOOD WITH IT FOR RIGHT NOW.

THANKS. ALL RIGHT. VICE MAYOR. MR. BIRCHIM, THANK YOU FOR SERVING US. YOU'VE POURED YOUR HEART AND SOUL INTO THE CITY FOR 29 YEARS, YOU SAID, SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU, AND WE'LL SAY MORE ON THAT, AS MY OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE SAID. I FEEL STRONGLY THAT WE SHOULD CHOOSE, BUT THAT WE SHOULD SUPPORT HIS WISHES ON THE DATE OF THE END OF HIS CONTRACT AND I FEEL STRONGLY THAT WE SHOULD DETERMINE A PATH FORWARD. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WITH ALL THE UNKNOWNS THAT ARE SWIRLING AROUND US WITH AMENDMENT 3 AND, YOU KNOW, 2 NEW COMMISSIONERS, FRANKLY, AND A NEW MAYOR. AND THERE'S JUST A LOT OF TRANSITION. I'D LIKE TO HAVE SOME STABILITY, AS MUCH STABILITY AS WE CAN.

SO, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND 2 THINGS. ONE IS THAT WE THINK ABOUT, MAYBE DECIDE TONIGHT, I DON'T KNOW BUT WE COULD DO THAT AS AN OPTION APPOINTING MR. REUBEN FRANKLIN AS A AS AN INTERIM CITY MANAGER AT THE END OF MR. BIRCHIM'S CONTRACT, AND THAT WE CONDUCT A STATEWIDE SEARCH NOT THAT OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS ARE NOT WELL PREPARED, BUT THEY, I'D LIKE TO SEE THEM COMPETE FAVORABLY AND IF BOTH ARE INTERESTED, IF EITHER ARE INTERESTED BUT THAT WE DO A STATEWIDE SEARCH.

FLORIDA'S A UNIQUE ANIMAL AND I

[02:05:01]

AND IT CAN BE UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE NEW MAYOR, SO, WHICH IS APPROPRIATE, MORE MOST APPROPRIATE. SO, I WOULD, I WOULD SUPPORT ONE IN A MOTION. I CAN BE HAPPY TO TAKE A STAB AT THIS. I MOVE THAT WE WILL RELEASE MR. BIRCHIM FROM HIS CONTRACT AS HE WISHES, ACCEPT HIS DECEMBER 16TH LAST DAY OF SERVICE, AND APPOINT ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER REUBEN FRANKLIN AS AN INTERIM MANAGER FOR A PERIOD OF, AND I'M JUST GONNA TRY THIS, 6 MONTHS. BECAUSE STATEWIDE SEARCHES TAKE TIME. THAT, IF YOU THINK THAT'S GOOD, I THINK THAT'S GOOD TOO.

PLUS, IT'LL GIVE THE NEW, THE NEW COMMISSIONERS SOME TIME TO FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES WITH. OKAY. IT'S REALLY ON YOU THOUGH, YOU THREE, THREE, SO THAT'S. YEAH. SO, I WOULD APPROVE THAT PROCESS.

THE STAFF, THAT'S ALL. I THINK THAT SOUNDS GOOD. YEAH, I, I THINK MR. FRANKLIN WOULD BE A GREAT ALTERNATIVE. I FEEL A LITTLE ANGST ABOUT JUST OFFERING TO ONE PERSON WITHOUT ANYBODY ELSE IN THE CITY BEING ABLE TO STEP FORWARD AND SAY, I WOULD LIKE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE CONSIDERED. SO, I WOULD BE OPPOSED TO APPOINTING SOMEBODY TONIGHT.

WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME. YEAH, WE I WOULD RATHER JUST ANOTHER MEETING. YEAH, I WOULD RATHER JUST. OKAY. ASK EMPLOYEES IF THEY ARE INTERESTED TO LET THE CITY MANAGER KNOW SO WE CAN HAVE A LIST. OKAY. INSTEAD OF JUST NOTHING AGAINST MR. FRANKLIN. OKAY.

BUT I JUST THINK THAT'S FAIR TO THE OTHER EMPLOYEES IN THE CITY. ALL RIGHT. YES, MY APOLOGIES. I WAS MAKING AN ASSUMPTION, AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP BASED ON MS. BREIDENSTEIN'S LACK OF INTEREST IN APPLYING THE LAST TIME AROUND. SO, SHE MAY VERY WELL HAVE CHANGED HER MIND. SO, THERE'S NO LACK OF CONFIDENCE THERE. CORRECT.

THAT'S FOR SURE. EITHER OR BOTH WOULD BE GREAT. SO, I AGREE, I, LET'S MAKE THAT DECISION AT THE NEXT MEETING. YEAH.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT, SOUNDS GOOD.

SO, THEN I WILL CHANGE THAT MOTION, REMOVE ONE OF THOSE COMPONENTS.

AT LEAST EVERYBODY KNOWS KIND OF WHAT WE'RE THINKING. MAYBE THE PERSON ISN'T THE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT REUBEN, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING TO I THINK WE ALL AGREE WE'RE LOOKING TO DO A 6-MONTH INTERIM PERIOD WITH A MANAGER, AN INTERIM MANAGER POSITION, TO BE DETERMINED AT A FUTURE MEETING, BUT WE, I MOVE THAT WE, AND THAT'S ASIDE, BUT I MOVE THAT WE RELEASE MR. BIRCHIM AS REQUESTED AND ACCEPT HIS LAST DAY OF SERVICE OF DECEMBER 16TH. SECOND. ALL RIGHT, ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT? YEAH, JUST, JUST A CLARIFICATION.

CLARIFICATION. SO, THE APPLICATION PROCESS FROM OTHER PEOPLE IN THE CITY IS, IS APPLYING FOR THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER.

OKAY. IT JUST A, A MENTION TO MR. BIRCHIM, AND HE CAN GIVE US A LIST. YEAH. MY COMMENT ABOUT THE INTERIM PERIOD AND MR. BIRCHIM BEING AVAILABLE I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE WOULD PICK AN INTERIM PERIOD TONIGHT, BUT THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HAVING AN INTERIM WHO MAY NEED TO CONTACT MR. BIRCHIM, AND I THINK THAT OUGHT TO BE SOME OF THE DISCUSSION MOVING FORWARD. IF MR. BIRCHIM IS, THINKS ABOUT IT AND IS NOT INTERESTED, THAT'S FINE.

BUT I'M NOT THINKING OF MR. BIRCHIM. I'M THINKING OF THE INTERIM AND THE FUTURE MANAGER, ESPECIALLY IF WE GET SOMEBODY WHO'S NOT BEEN IN THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE.

IF WE DO A STATE, IF THE FUTURE COMMISSION DOES A STATE SEARCH, THERE COULD BE A LOT OF NEED FOR A COMPLETE UNKNOWN TO HAVE A CONFIDANT OF SOMEBODY WHO HAS SAT IN THAT SEAT. I AGREE. I WOULD HAVE JUST ASKED HIM IF HE WOULD DO IT FOR FREE FIRST, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I AGREE.

AND LET'S NOT FORGET THAT MR. REGAN IS STILL IN TOWN SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE, WE'LL HAVE 2 FORMER CITY MANAGERS PERHAPS WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN BEING A RESOURCE, MENTOR, WHATEVER. OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. COULD, COULD I ASK, THOUGH, THAT WE TARGET HAVING THIS CHOICE

[02:10:01]

THE OCTOBER 12TH MEETING? YEAH, YEAH. WILL IS THAT AGREEABLE TO YOU, OCTOBER 12TH MEETING ON THIS, ON THE AGENDA? CERTAINLY. ALL RIGHT. I'M COMING IN ON A FLIGHT THAT DAY. I MAY OR MAY NOT BE HERE, BUT I'LL PROBABLY BE HERE, MIGHT NOT BE HERE RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, BUT I MIGHT BE ABLE TO MAKE IT. WE'LL HOLD OFF UNTIL YOU'RE THERE. YEAH, WELL, IT NEEDS TO BE. IT'S AIRLINES, SO I'LL TEXT YOU. YOU THREE ARE IMPORTANT, SO YEAH. YEAH, FOR SURE. ALL RIGHT. AND IF YOU DON'T MAKE IT, MAYBE WE POSTPONE IT. WELL, YES. CORRECT. I THINK IT'S THAT IMPORTANT, SO. YEAH. YEAH.

OKAY. WELL, THERE'S ALWAYS SPECIAL MEETINGS I MEAN, WE CAN ALWAYS DO THAT SORT OF THING. TRUE. BEFORE YOU GET INTO THE HOLIDAYS, CRAZY HOLIDAYS, AND BEFORE YOU GET INTO NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. OKAY, SO I HAD A MOTION. DID I HAVE A SECOND? YES, YOU HAD A SECOND BY ME. WE HAD A SECOND? OKAY.

WE HAD A DISCUSSION. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I THOUGHT WE TABLED THE MOTION. THE MOTION IS, THE MOTION IS NOW ONLY ONE THING, WELL, TWO THINGS. ONE, TO RELEASE HIM FROM HIS CONTRACT. OKAY. AND ACCEPT HIS TERMINATION DATE HIS LAST DAY DATE. OKAY. THAT'S ALL THAT IS. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

CONGRATULATIONS. YOU'RE GOING TO BE JOINING ME IN RETIREMENT. YES. YEAH. I'M NOT JEALOUS.

OF COURSE YOU'RE NOT. OKAY.

[14. ITEMS BY MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS]

WHO WOULD LIKE TO START? I'D LIKE TO START. OKAY. SCOTT YORK SPOKE IN PUBLIC COMMENTS ABOUT THE PLANTS, AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THOSE PLANTS BEING OUT IN FRONT OF THAT BUILDING. I THINK THAT'S BEING A LITTLE PLANTS ARE LIFE. I'M, I'M SURE VICE MAYOR CAN AGREE TO THAT. PLANTS AND GREENERY ARE JUST, IT'S REALLY A BEAUTIFUL THING, AND THESE INDIVIDUALS TOOK THE TIME TO PUT A WELCOMING FRONTAGE TO THEIR ESTABLISHMENT. AND I KNOW THAT PEOPLE PUT DO THESE POP-UP THINGS ABOUT THEIR BUSINESSES, BUT PLANTS ARE NOT THAT. AS A MATTER OF FACT, HAVE YOU SEEN SPANISH STREET? THE MOST CHARMING STREET IN SAINT AUGUSTINE, WHERE THEY HAVE THESE BEAUTIFUL PLANTS OUT THERE, AND IT'S KIND OF CHANGED THE WHOLE WALKTHROUGH.

AND SO, IF ANYTHING, I THINK THE BUSINESSES SHOULD APPLY FOR ONE OF THOSE COMMUNITY LOANS THAT WE TALK ABOUT NEIGHBORHOODS AND PUT SOME PLANTS ALL DOWN ST. GEORGE STREET, MYSELF PERSONALLY, BECAUSE IT WOULD GIVE A VIBE OF ENERGY AND LIFE. AND WE KIND OF BEEN HIT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT GREEN SPACE AND NOT BEING KEPT, AND BUT PLANTS AND STUFF FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WALKING THROUGH WOULD GIVE IT A NEW LIFE, AND I THINK THAT IT WOULD SHOW THAT WE STILL CARE ABOUT OUR CITY, AND WE STILL WANT TO SEE PLANTS AND FLOWERS WHEN WE WALK DOWN TO A STORE, AND I JUST THINK IT'S A, A GOOD A GOOD THING, AND I'M GLAD HE BROUGHT IT UP.

SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE COME UP WITH THESE PUBLIC COMMENTS, THERE ARE LITTLE THINGS THAT WE DON'T THINK ABOUT, THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED BECAUSE WE'RE JUST IN A HURRY ALL THE TIME TRYING TO GET SOMEWHERE. BUT WHEN SOMEBODY BRINGS UP SOMETHING LIKE THIS, IT JUST BRINGS UP A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF AWARENESS HOW WE'RE, WE NEED TO SLOW DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND CAPTURE MORE OF THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS THAT OUR CITY OFFERS, AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS. SO, I THANK HIM FOR COMING IN AND SPEAKING ON THAT. I MISSED HIM WHILE HE WAS TRAVELING BECAUSE HE WOULD ALWAYS COME IN AND TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON, WHETHER IT WAS THAT CRAZY BAR OVER THERE THAT USED TO BE SCARLETT'S OR SOMETHING. HE ALWAYS KEPT HIS EYES OPEN TO COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION TO LET US KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I COMMEND HIM AS A RESIDENT AND ANYBODY THAT TAKES THE TIME. AND BJ COMES IN HERE AND TELLS US STUFF ALL THE TIME TOO, THAT SOMEBODY TAKES THE TIME OUT OF THEIR SCHEDULE TO COME IN HERE AND GIVE US SOME INPUT, BECAUSE WE DON'T SEE EVERYTHING. WE SEE ENOUGH, BUT WE DON'T SEE EVERYTHING.

SO, THESE MOMENTS ARE VERY IMPORTANT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. I WASN'T GOING TO COMMENT UNTIL SHE DID. I WOULD HOPE THAT PEOPLE WHO COME IN FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL KNOW THEIR FACTS, BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF FALSE NEWS AT THAT PODIUM, AND IT'S AWKWARD TO CORRECT THEM, BUT JUST CHECK YOUR FACTS BEFORE YOU COME SPEAK PUBLICLY, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S ON TAPE.

ABOUT THE PLANTS, I'M ALL FOR PLANTS, BUT I THINK IT'S AN OBSTRUCTION OF THE WALKWAY IS THE PROBLEM.

SO, WE NEED TO MODIFY THE CODE

[02:15:03]

OBVIOUSLY, THEY WANTED THEM REMOVED BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T FIT THE CODE. SO, IF, IF WE, IF THE COMMISSION CHOOSES TO HAVE POTTED PLANTS SOMEWHERE, WE NEED TO CHANGE THE CODE.

THAT'S IT? OH. OH, OKAY. WHO'S NEXT? I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY, BUT I DO HAVE A QUESTION. YOU ARE THE LIAISON FOR THE GTM, RIGHT? THE GUANA TOLOMATO.

YEAH, YEAH, IT'S THE GTM MANAGEMENT ADVISORY GROUP.

OKAY, SO I'VE SEEN THINGS ONLINE ABOUT FISH. IS THERE A FISH, FISH DYING OR SOMETHING? YEAH, WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

OKAY. WITH WATER QUALITY AND THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN FOUND. IT'S NOT BEEN.

SO NO, THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING, THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE GENETICS. THEY'RE TRYING TO, TO TRY TO, THEY'RE SENDING SAMPLES OFF TO TRY TO FIND OUT WHETHER IT'S A SEWAGE LEAK OR SEPTIC SYSTEMS OR SOMETHING'S OFF, BUT THERE'S BEEN A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT FISH KILL AND, AND IT'S A MYSTERY SO FAR.

THEY'VE, THEY'VE DONE SAMPLING FOR PLANKTON AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS, BUT THE, THE SOURCE OF WHAT THE, WHAT THE ACT, IS IT IN, IN A SPECIFIC PART? IS IT A SMALL AREA? IT IS.

BIGGER? IS IT GROWING? I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER IF I KNOW IF I HEARD WHERE EXACTLY GUANA LAKE, MAYBE. I'M NOT REALLY SURE IN THE UPPER PARTS, OKAY.

IN THE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA, PERHAPS, YEAH. AND BELOW, BUT I DON'T THINK IT EXTENDS YET INTO OUR OVERALL ESTUARINE SYSTEM, BUT IT'S A BIG RED FLAG.

OKAY. AND SO, THEY'RE WORKING HARD ON TRYING TO FIND OUT THE SOURCE OF IT. THERE'S SOME REALLY. OKAY, BECAUSE THAT THAT'S CONCERNING TO ME.

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. I WANT TO GET DIRECT INFORMATION.

YEAH, NO, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP. I HAD, I'M REMISS IN NOT MENTIONING IT, SO THANK YOU. NO, OKAY, THANK YOU. SURE. THAT'S IT.

OKAY. I HAD TWO THINGS. ONE IS THAT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT AN EMAIL THAT WE GOT TODAY THAT THE CITY'S CRS RATING IS, AGAIN, CLASS 4, WHICH TRANSLATES TO A 30% REDUCTION IN OUR FLOOD INSURANCE, WHICH IS MASSIVE. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU, STAFF, FOR KEEPING US THERE. EVERY DOLLAR MATTERS OUT OF OUR POCKETS AND SO THAT, THAT SHOULD MATTER TO A LOT OF PEOPLE. I'M GOING TO IN MY SECOND STATEMENT, ASK FOR MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AND THE MAYOR'S SUPPORT IN DEVELOPING A RESOLUTION TO CONSIDER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, SO IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, FOR THE OCTOBER 12TH MEETING.

AS YOU ALL KNOW, AND HAVE BEEN SO SUPPORTIVE OF LAND ACQUISITION IN THIS FOR CONSERVATION IN THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE. IN FACT, WE HAVE SET THE EXAMPLE.

IN FACT, WE SPENT TWICE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY ON CONSERVATION LAND ACQUISITION THAN THE COUNTY DID A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. WE HAVE A LOT TO BE PROUD OF, AND THE COUNTY IS NOW STEPPING UP AND PUTTING IT TO THE VOTERS FOR A COUNTY BOND REFERENDUM.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT WE INTRODUCE A RESOLUTION THAT WE CAN VOTE ON AT OUR NEXT MEETING TO SUPPORT THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY BOND TO CONSERVE LAND, WATER, WILDLIFE, HABITAT, FARMS, AND FORESTS, AND THAT'S THE OFFICIAL TITLE OF IT. SO, CAN I GET A YAY OR NAY. [INAUDIBLE] YEAH, I WOULD.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO ASK, WE'RE IN THE COUNTY. WE'RE IN THE COUNTY. WOULD WE BE AVAILABLE FOR SOME OF THOSE FUNDS? YEP, WE SURE WOULD. YEAH, AND I HAVE ALL KINDS OF FACTS AND FIGURES AND AM PREPARED TO SHARE THOSE WHENEVER, BUT IT'S COMING UP FAST, AND IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

WE TRIED 10 YEARS AGO IT, IT DIDN'T WORK THEN, BUT I THINK WE CAN GET IT DONE NOW, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO EVERY SINGLE CITIZEN IN THIS COUNTY WHO WANTS TO SEE GROWTH BETTER MANAGED AND MORE OPEN SPACE AND MORE GREEN SPACE AND MORE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, AND I'VE SAID ENOUGH. OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY.

YES, YOU GOT IT. ALL RIGHT, SO I HAVE A COUPLE THINGS. WE WILL JUST BE MAKING SURE THAT THAT DOESN'T COME AWRY WITH STATE STATUTE, RIGHT? OKAY. YOU'LL LOOK INTO THAT FOR US. AS YOU KNOW, WHEN ITEMS GO BEFORE THE ELECTORATE FOR A VOTE, THERE'S LIMITATIONS ON ADVOCACY, OFFICIAL ADVOCACY BY. YEAH. HOW ABOUT SUPPORTING PUTTING IT TO THE VOTERS? THERE'S A WAY TO OKAY, I'LL WORK ON IT. IF WE CAN MASSAGE IT. MM-HMM. I'LL, I'LL WORK ON IT. OKAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY, GREAT. SO, I'LL GET THE EASY STUFF FIRST.

I ALSO WOULD LIKE A RESOLUTION FROM Y'ALL THAT'S SUPPORTING EXTENDING THE 35 DOLLAR FINE FOR PARKING IN NEIGHBORHOODS

[02:20:02]

SO, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS. THAT INCREASES THE FINE FOR ILLEGAL PARKING FROM 35 DOLLARS TO 100. TO 100. THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT'S THE CRUX OF THE MATTER. SO, AND IT WORKED WELL, AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPORTS IT. SO, YES. IF WE COULD BRING THAT SPEEDILY TO YOU THE NEXT MEETING, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. JUST NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. IS IT, CURRENTLY, IT'S NIGHTS OF LIGHTS AND OTHER EVENTS.

THERE'S ALSO, IT WOULD APPLY TO ILLEGAL PARKING FOR PEOPLE PARKING ON YELLOW CURBS OR IN FRONT OF HYDRANTS, BUT FOR THE RESIDENTIAL ONLY PARKING PROGRAM, RIGHT NOW IT ONLY APPLIES TO NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. SO, I THINK I'VE TALKED TO MANAGER ABOUT IT. I THINK IT'S CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE.

WHAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE. WHICH I THINK IS GOOD. THAT'S ALL WE'RE TRYING TO EXPAND WHAT IT WAS. IF WE INSTITUTE IT, WE HAVE LIKE A WAY TO WE INSTITUTE, AND IT'S UNIFORM, YEAH. YEAH. SO, I WOULD SUPPORT THAT, YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

SAME HERE. YEP. YEAH. YEAH.

SO, WE'LL BE SEEING THAT ON THE NEXT AGENDA. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I DO. I WOULD LIKE TO CIRCLE BACK TO 46 SPANISH STREET, BUT WE'VE HAD THE UPDATES. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING FOR US, OR WOULD YOU BE MORE COMFORTABLE TALKING ABOUT IT IN OCTOBER? I'D BE MORE COMFORTABLE TALKING ABOUT IT IN OCTOBER AFTER I GET AN UPDATE. YES, AN UPDATE. OKAY, WELL, WE'LL DO THAT. AND THEN ALSO I HAVE A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE DURING CONSTRUCTION, THE FDOT MAINTENANCE OF, DURING CONSTRUCTION OF THE SEAWALL. I THINK IT'S GETTING KIND OF NASTY DOWN THERE.

THEY'RE NOT MOWING THE GRASS. I DON'T KNOW. I'VE TRIED TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING ON THE INTERCHANGES ON I-95, AND EVERY TIME I SAY, WILL YOU PLEASE CLEAN THIS MESS UP, THEY SAY, WELL, WE'RE UNDER CONSTRUCTION, AND WE DON'T DO ANYTHING DURING CONSTRUCTION. SO, I'M.

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE JOB SITE? I AM MAD ABOUT THAT. YEAH, THEY NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF CLEANING THE GUTTERS. I DON'T KNOW, ARE WE RESPONSIBLE, THEY RESPONSIBLE, BUT THE GRASS IS WAY UP THERE. I'LL HAVE TO FIND OUT. MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT THE CONTRACTOR WHO DOT HIRED TO DO THE WORK WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE, BUT I WILL FIND OUT AND WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU. FAIR ENOUGH. WELL, THAT AND THEN JUST MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT IS A CONSTRUCTION ZONE. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT. THEY THINK THAT WE'RE FALLING DOWN ON THE JOB AND NOT TAKING CARE OF IT, BUT I REALLY THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DEMAND HIGHER STANDARDS THAN THEIR NORMAL CONSTRUCTION SITES. SO THAT'S MY GRIPE. AND THEN ONE LAST THING, QUESTION. ONE THING THAT WE DIDN'T DISCUSS A LITTLE EARLIER ABOUT THE MOVING TOWARDS APPOINTING AN INTERIM CITY MANAGER. WE DIDN'T DISCUSS WHO WOULD BE TAKING THE, THAT INTEREST. IF A PERSON WANTS TO EXPRESS INTEREST, WHO WOULD THAT PERSON EXPRESS THAT INTEREST TO? SO, MY QUESTION WOULD BE, WHO SHOULD WE DESIGNATE WOULD BE TAKING THAT I HAD MENTIONED THAT THEY WOULD, THEY WOULD DO THAT TO THE MANAGER, JUST BY LETTER. OKAY.

I DID NOT CATCH THAT. OKAY, EMAIL OR A LETTER, JUST A NOTE, AND IT COULD OKAY. NOTHING FORMAL, JUST A NAME.

I'LL REACH OUT TO. ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH THAT? SURE, I CAN REACH OUT TO THE CITY EMPLOYEES AND EVERYONE WHO'S INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER POSITION, WHICH WOULD START ON DECEMBER 17TH AND RUN FOR 6 MONTHS, PRESUMABLY CAN APPLY. I WILL MAKE A PACKET OF INFORMATION FOR THE CITY COMMISSION TO CONSIDER, AND WE CAN GET THAT TO YOU AT THE NEXT CITY COMMISSION MEETING. OKAY, PERFECT. THANK YOU. I JUST WASN'T CLEAR ON THAT, SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT, YEAH.

YES, THAT WAS JUST A NAGGING QUESTION IN MY MIND. ALL RIGHT, SO I DO BELIEVE THAT THAT'S IT.

ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE ADJOURNED.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.