[1. CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:16] WELCOME. THIS IS THE FPRA CITY OF FORT PIERCE. IT IS FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON. WOULD EVERYBODY STAND FOR THE AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, 1 NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. GREAT. WELCOME EVERYBODY. AND SURPRISE SURPRISE. I AM THE CHAIRMAN, THE MAYOR IS WITH US. ARE YOU THERE, MAYOR? >> I'M HERE. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. I'LL GET EVEN WITH YOU LATER. COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER, ARE YOU THERE? >> YES, I'M HERE. >> I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN HEAR ME. YOU MAY CALL THE ROLL. >> CHAIRMAN PERONA. >> YES, MA'AM. HERE. >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER >> PRESENT. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON >> YES, MA'AM. >> MAYOR HUDSON. >> YES, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER SESSIONS. >> FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 28, 2020, REGULAR [4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES] MEETING AND THE MAY 26, 2020, SPECIAL MEETING. >> MOVE TO APPROVE. >> I HAVE A MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> I HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. >> YES. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. >> YES, MA'AM. >> MAYOR HUDSON. >> YES, MA'AM. >> CHAIRMAN PERONA. >> YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. >> WE GOT THROUGH THAT PART OF IT. ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT NAMES. [5. FINANCIAL REPORT FOR MONTH ENDING MAY 31, 2020 (attached)] WHO IS WHO. SO NEXT WE HAVE THE FINANCIAL REPORT FOR MONTH ENDING MAY 31ST OF 2020. >> MR. CHAIR, THIS IS THE FINANCIAL REPORT THAT WAS PRESENTED AT THE PREVIOUS CITY COMMISSION MEETING. IT'S JUST A REVIEW OF THE INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPRISED OF. BUT IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL TRY MY BEST TO ANSWER. IF NOT, WE'LL SEEK A MOTION TO ACCEPT. >> ANY QUESTIONS ON THE FINANCIAL REPORT? WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? >> MOVE TO APPROVE. >> MOTION AND A SECOND. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. >> YES, MA'AM. >> MAYOR HUDSON. >> YES. >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. >> YES. >> CHAIRMAN >> YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. >> NEXT WE HAVE COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. [6. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC Any person who wishes to comment on any subject on this agenda may be heard at this time. Please limit your comments to three (3) minutes or less, as directed by the Chairperson, as this section of the Agenda is limited to fifteen minutes. The FPRA Board will not be able to take any official actions under Comments from the Public. Speakers will address the Chairperson, Commissioners, and the Public with respect. Inappropriate language will not be tolerated. Sign-up sheet is located in the lobby. ] >> COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. I BELIEVE YOU HAVE A CARD. >> I HAVE A CARD. CHARLIE FRANK MATTHEWS. WELCOME. MAN OF MANY HATS. I AM HEARING BACKGROUND NOISE. ECHO IS COMING THROUGH. >> I THINK IT'S MAYOR HUDSON, AND COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER, IF YOU COULD MUTE YOURSELF UNTIL YOU NEED TO TALK, OTHERWISE WE'RE GETTING FEEDBACK IN THE CHAMBERS. >> I WILL DO THAT IF I CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO. >> YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES. >> MR. CHAIRMAN AND ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE FPRA BOARD. CHARLIE MATTHEWS. ONE OF THE REASON I'M HERE IS BECAUSE 7F GETS MY ATTENTION. I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH ON ITEM, I SEE HOW IT'S WORDED HERE, BUT IT'S THE SAME OLD OVER AGAIN IN MY OPINION. THE TAX CREDIT GETS TO BE A PROBLEM. THE REASON IT'S A PROBLEM, IF I PUT MY BANKING HAT ON, I WORKED FOR DIFFERENT BANKS FOR 30 YEARS IN THE AREA. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FOUND OUT, WHEN YOU BORROW MONEY, YOU HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO PAY IT BACK. AND THEN ALSO AFTER THAT, IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO GIVE IT BACK TO THE MAIN BORROWER. I'M CONCERNED AS A SITTING MEMBER OF THE UA BOARD NOW, SERVING AS VICE-CHAIRMAN. [00:05:05] I THINK IT LOOKS TO BE REASONABLE WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ANY MONEYS THAT HAS BEEN LOANED OR BORROWED, IT OUGHT TO BE PAID BACK. I HAVE TWO WILD SUGGESTIONS BEFORE I, SIMPLE SUGGESTIONS BEFORE I SIT DOWN. I THINK THAT THE UA SHOULDN'T PLAN TO SPEND THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE SHOULDN'T PLAN TO SPEND ANYONE ELSE'S MONEY. I LOOKED AT A MEMO DATED OCTOBER 28TH, 2019, AND THE ATTORNEY EDDIE BECK MADE A STATEMENT THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION. HE NOTED THAT ANY MONEY COMING BACK ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, IT SHOULD BE THE UA'S MONEY. AND THAT IS FORT PIERCE UTILITY AUTHORITY. HE WAS A COMMISSIONER. HE WASN'T ON THE UA BOARD. WE HAD FOUR RESOLUTIONS PASSED DURING A PERIOD OF TIME, RESOLUTION 15-05, RESOLUTION 15 -- EXCUSE ME. 46. 15-05. RESOLUTION 18-02 AND RESOLUTION 2018-04. MOSTLY IN 2015, 2016, AND THE LAST WAS OCTOBER 15, 2018. I'M SAYING HISTORY TELLS YOU THAT IT IS NOT YOUR MONEY BY ANY REVIEW OR ANY RESEARCH. I THINK THAT THE WISE THING TO DO, MY SUGGESTION ONE, IS BOTH ATTORNEYS GET TOGETHER WITH THE TWO LEADERS OF THE AUTHORITY OF CITY OF FORT PIERCE, CITY MANAGER AND THE UA DIRECTOR AND COME UP WITH A SOLUTION. I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE GOOD HEARTED FOLKS ON THE UA BOARD. IF YOU GIVE THEM THE MONEY, THEY MIGHT BE GOOD HEARTED UNLESS YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT. I'M NOT SAYING THAT WOULD BE A UNANIMOUS VOTE. THE OTHER ONE IS I BELIEVE THAT SINCE YOU DO HAVE LEGAL IN BOTH, WHY ARE YOU RATIONING WITH SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW GETS YOU IN TROUBLE LATER. AND HISTORY WILL TELL YOU THAT IF YOU ARE OBLIGATED TO A LOAN, YOU ARE OBLIGATED TO PAY IT BACK. I HOPE THAT YOU'RE NOT USING THIS MONEY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, SIR. NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS RESOLUTION 20-02, RESOLUTION OF [a. FPRA Resolution 20-02 to Adopt Updated Fort Pierce Redevelopment Agency Plan.] THE FORT PIERCE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, AMENDING THE FORT PIERCE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT PLAN, REAFFIRMING THE FINDING OF THE EXISTENCE OF BLIGHTED AREA IN THE CITY, EXTENDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SAID PLAN, PROVIDING FOR NOTIFICATION TO THE TAXING AUTHORITIES AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. >> MR. CHAIR, AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP THE INFAMOUS JOHN JONES. >> YOUR MICROPHONE IS NOT PROJECTING VERY WELL. >> NOT PROJECTING. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW. JOHN IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE UPDATED CRA PLAN THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH AND EXERCISE WITH COMMUNITY INPUT. WORKED WITH THE CRA ADVISORY COMMITTEE. THIS WAS ORIGINALLY DISCUSSED WITH YOU SOME TIME AGO, BUT NOW HE IS BACK WITH A FINAL DRAFT OF THAT UPDATE AND HE IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PROCESS. >> WELCOME, SIR. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIRMAN. >> MADAM MAYOR. GET THIS GOING HERE. MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MY NAME IS JOHN JONES WITH SM&E. I WOULD LIKE TO THINK MR. MIMS, FOR ALL OF THEIR EFFORTS MAKING THIS REDEVELOPMENT PLAN POSSIBLE. IF IT WASN'T FOR ALL OF THEIR EFFORTS, THIS PLAN WOULD NOT HAVE COME TO FRUITION. SO THAT BEING SAID, TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE FORT PIERCE REDEVELOPMENT AREA PLAN UPDATE. HERE YOU CAN SEE THE FORT PIERCE REDEVELOPMENT AREA. ESTABLISHED IN 1982, EXPANDED IN 1985 AND 2001. THAT IS THE REDEVELOPMENT AREA THERE. E HAD A SERIES OF LISTENING SESSIONS AS PART OF OUR PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS, DOWNTOWN AREA, PEACOCK ARTS DISTRICT, PORT AREA, FISHERMAN'S WHARF, DAY LONG WORKSHOP AND HAD A WEBSITE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROJECT TO ENLIST AS MUCH PUBLIC INPUT AS POSSIBLE. STRATEGIES, FOSTERING ARTS AND CULTURE, RESETTING THE ECONOMIC BASE AND CONNECTING THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS, EMPLOYMENT [00:10:03] CENTERS AND SPECIAL AREAS IN DOWNTOWN. WE IDENTIFIED SEVERAL PROGRAMMING AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROPOSALS TO SHOW THE POTENTIAL TO PRIVATE DEVELOPERS OF THE INVESTMENT THAT THEY COULD MAKE IN THE AREA AND THE SUCCESS THAT THEY COULD ASSOCIATE WITH THE AREA, BASED ON LEVERAGING PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS PROPOSED IN THIS PLAN. SO FOR EACH ONE OF THESE STRATEGIES, WE IDENTIFIED SEVERAL DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. SO FOR RESTORE NEIGHBORHOODS, DIVISION IS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC AREAS, CONNECTING AREAS AND MULTI-MODAL STREETS AND SIDEWALKS. INCREASING HOME OWNERSHIP AND ENCOURAGING AND ENABLING PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT. HERE YOU SEE YOUR CONCEPTUAL PLAN FOR THE AREA, SHOWING WHERE YOUR ASSETS ARE, WHERE YOUR FIVE-MINUTE WALK SHEDS ARE, CIRCLES THAT YOU SEE THERE. QUARTER MILE WALKING AREAS. AND POTENTIAL CONNECTIONS THROUGH EACH ONE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS. SOME OF THE EXAMPLE PROJECTS INCLUDED PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENTAL LONG MOORS CREEK, BEFORE AND AFTER. AVENUE D, BEFORE, AFTER. NEIGHBORHOOD RETAIL. BEFORE AND AFTER. FOR FOSTERING ARTS AND CULTURE, DIV DIV DIVISION THE VISION WAS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC AREAS, AREAS FOR ARTIST AND PERFORMER CREATOR SPACE. CAPITALIZING ON THE HISTORIC LINCOLN THEATER AND THE PEACOCK ART DISTRICT, MAKING IT A DESTINATION ALONG THE ACTIVATED STREETS. HERE WE SHOW YOU CULTURAL RESOURCES SHOWN THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND FPRA AREA. YOU CAN SEE A LITTLE ICONS THAT REPRESENT THOSE AREAS. MOORS CREEK BEING ONE OF YOUR LARGE LINEAR PARKS. ALSO THE STREETS CONNECTING THE AREAS. ONE OF THE THEMES OF THIS PLAN IS CONNECTING THOSE ASSETS THAT YOU HAVE IN THE AREA. FOR RESETTING THE ECONOMIC BASE, THE RESET INCLUDES CONNECTING NEIGHBORHOODS TO JOBS DOWNTOWN, TO THE BUSINESS GALLERIES AND RESTAURANTS AND BOUTIQUES, CONNECTING TO THE INDUSTRIAL COMPONENT OF THE PORT AND WHARF AREAS. AND COMPLIMENTING THE AREAS GROWING CITY-WIDE TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY. HERE YOU HAVE YOUR CULTURAL AREAS AND YOUR ECONOMIC ENGINE AREAS SHOWN CONNECTING TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND HOW THEY WOULD INFLUENCE EACH ONE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AREAS. YOU HAVE THE WATERFRONT AREA. YOU HAVE YOUR PORT AREA. YOU HAVE YOUR DOWNTOWN AREA. AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVITY AREAS. ANASTASIA HALL PROPOSED REDEVELOPMENT INCLUDES STREETSIDE COMMERCIAL AND MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL. CONNECTING THE COMMUNITY, THIS IS HOW IT TIES IT ALL TOGETHER. CONNECTS NEIGHBORHOODS, STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS AND TRAIL HEADS. HERE YOU SEE THE CONCEPTUAL MASTER PLAN, SHOWING WHERE THOSE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS COULD BE LOCATED. TO COMPLIMENT EXISTING IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE BY THE FPRA. CURRENT CONDITION PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS ALONG MOORS CREEK, ALONG ORANGE AVENUE. ALONG ORANGE AVENUE PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE DOWNTOWN, AT THE 2ND STREET INTERSECTION. AND THEN THE NIGHTTIME TRANSFORMATION, WHICH PROPOSES THE STREET COULD BE CLOSED FOR PEDESTRIAN ONLY ZONE IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE ECONOMIC AREA OR ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AREA AVAILABLE TO THE LOCAL BUSINESSES. MLK AVENUE. BEFORE AND AFTER. SHOWING THE PROPOSED PUBLIC REALM IMPROVEMENTS IN THE AREA AND THE SUBSEQUENT PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD FOLLOW. AVENUE D. BEFORE. AVENUE D, PROPOSED. 2ND STREET BEFORE. AND 2ND STREET PROPOSED. AND 2ND STREET THE NIGHTTIME TRANSFORMATION TO COMPLIMENT THE ORANGE AVENUE TRANSFORMATION. AVENUE H. AVENUE H COMMERCIAL, AVENUE H RESIDENTIAL. AVENUE I. NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTORS. HOW DO WE PAY FOR THIS? THE BUDGET AND REVENUE. AT THE CURRENT TIME, A LARGE PORTION OF THE TIF REVENUE GOES TO PAY DEBT SERVICE. RIGHT NOW YOUR AVAILABLE FUNDS ARE GOING TO INCREASE, 2 MILLION, UP TO 5 MILLION IN 2032. BUT SUBSEQUENT TO 2032, YOU PAY OFF ALL OF THE CURRENT DEBT SERVICES WILL BE PAID OFF. AND AFTER THAT, YOU WILL BE RECEIVING A TIFF, VERY CONSERVATIVE TIFF ESTIMATE FROM 10, 12, UP TO $14 MILLION A YEAR. SUBSEQUENT TO 2032. TOTAL TIFF RUNNING OUT THROUGH 2042. LAST DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS IN 2032. [00:15:02] THIS IS THE SLIDE THAT SHOWS WHAT THOSE NUMBERS WOULD BE, RUNNING OUT THROUGH 2042. IN ADDITION TO THE CAPITAL PROGRAMMING, THE FPRA PLAN UPDATE ALSO HAS GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES THAT ADDRESS THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE CRA, HOUSING, PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, PUBLIC AMENITIES, PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE, THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY AND CULTURE. EACH ONE OF THESE POLICIES SECTIONS AND SUBSEQUENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES IDENTIFY STRATEGIES FOR THE FPRA TO FOLLOW WHEN THEY'RE IDENTIFYING PROJECTS FOR FUTURE WORK PLANS. IT GIVES YOU A RANGE OF FLEXIBILITY TO ADDRESS ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT TOPICS. AND THAT IS ALL. I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS. >> GREAT. ANY QUESTIONS? MAYOR. COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER ALEXANDER. JUST UNMUTE AND TELL US YOU HAVE A QUESTION. >> THIS IS LINDA HUDSON. >> YES, MA'AM. >> FOR CLARIFICATION, ALL OF THE IDEAS IN THIS PLAN ARE JUST IDEAS. WE'RE NOT ADOPTING ANYTHING FORMALLY FROM ANY OF THE ACTUAL PLANS THAT ARE PRESENTED. IS THAT CORRECT? >> YES, MA'AM. WHAT THE PLAN UPDATE SHOWS IS A RANGE OF POTENTIAL PROGRAMS AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT THE FPRA BOARD COULD SELECT TO INCLUDE AN ANNUAL WORK PLAN. >> RIGHT. SO THESE ARE ALL IDEAS AND ASPIRATIONS AND WOULDN'T IT BE NICE IF WE COULD DO THIS, BUT NOT NECESSARILY WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS, IS THAT CORRECT? >> THAT'S CORRECT. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? AND AGAIN, WE HAD COMMUNITY INPUT ON ALL OF THIS SO THIS IS NOT JUST THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE AND OUR CONSULTANT COMING UP WITH THIS. BASICALLY WE LISTENED TO WHAT THE CITY SAID AS FAR AS OUR COMMUNITY AND SAID THIS IS WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE. AND THEN YOU JUST PUT IT INTO PRETTY PICTURES AND LOTS OF WORDS THAT REALLY KIND OF GIVE US A ROAD MAP OF EXACTLY WHERE WE WOULD LIKE TO GO. >> YES, SIR. >> SOUNDS GOOD TO ME. >> MR. CHAIR. >> THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION. AND THE OTHER ASPECT OF THAT, COMMISSIONER, AS YOU SAID, IS THAT INPUT, BUT THAT IS A ROLE OF OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE TOO. I MEAN, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THEY CONTINUE THEIR GOOD WORK AND THEIR EFFORTS AND BRINGING THESE TO FRUITION AND TO LIGHT AND TO MAKE IT REALLY HAPPEN. YOU KNOW, I KNOW OUR DEBT SERVICE AND THE FINANCIALS IN THAT SMALL SLIDE WITH A LOT OF INFORMATION THERE. WE'RE COMMITTED TO THAT TO GET IT PAID DOWN AND GET IT PAID OFF. I KNOW THERE IS AN ANNUAL NUMBER, I BELIEVE. IS THAT NUMBER CONSISTENT ACROSS THE YEAR TO 2032? >> NO, SIR. THE DIFFERENT ONES, HOW DO I SAY MATURE AT DIFFERENT TIMES, GET PAID OFF AT DIFFERENT TIMES. BUT IT DOES, AFTER 2032, IS WHEN IT IS SIGNIFICANTLY, THEY'RE ALL PAID OFF. >> OKAY. >> PAY A FEW OFF IN 2012, PARDON ME, 2022, AND THEN 2031 THE REST OF THEM GO. AND THEN 2032, THE LAST ONE GOES. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT. EVEN THOUGH YOU CAN'T SEE THE NUMBERS, THE GRAYED AREA KIND OF INDICATES WHERE THEY FALL OFF AS WE PROGRESS. >> YES, SIR. >> GOOD INFORMATION. >> THE INTERESTING PART IS THAT WE STARTED THIS LONG BEFORE WE EVEN KNOW WHAT COVID-19 WAS. IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE THAT IN SOME OF THE REPORTS, ESPECIALLY THE NIGHTTIME, CLOSING DOWN THE ROADS AND OPENING TO THE PARKLETS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, WAS PROBABLY FORETELLING THAT YOU KNOW, WE'RE READY FOR ANYTHING. AND I'M HAPPY BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF PLANNING THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LOT OF MUNICIPALITIES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THAT THEY'RE BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD RIGHT NOW BECAUSE TIMES ARE CHANGED. THEY HAVE TO CHANGE. WHEN I SAW THAT AND WENT THROUGH IT, I SAID YOU KNOW, KIND OF, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE A BLIND SQUIRREL HERE OR NOT. BUT THAT IS LIKE NAILING IT, WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE THINGS THAT FIT INTO THE CHANGES THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE. I DID APPRECIATE THAT. >> THANK YOU, SIR. >> ANYTHING ELSE? >> YES. WHAT REALLY GRABS MY ATTENTION IS, I MEAN THE LAYOUT OF WHAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, AND THEY LOOK BEAUTIFUL. ESPECIALLY THE BEFORE AND THE AFTER PICTURES. HOWEVER, THE QUESTION OF THE DAY IS, HOW DO WE PAY FOR ALL OF THIS. [00:20:01] AND EVEN WITH THE TIFF REVENUE AND I ANTICIPATE DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT YOU'VE LAID OUT, IT'S GOING TO BE INCUMBENT FOR US TO PRETTY MUCH FOLLOW THE STRATEGY, AT LEAST ON ITS FACE. IT'S NOT REALLY DETAILED. BUT IT'S NOT AS DETAILED AS I WOULD HAVE LIKED IT TO HAVE BEEN. NEVERTHELESS, I DO LOVE THE BEAUTIFUL PICTURES. BUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR IT AND HOW WE'LL ACCOMPLISH IT, IT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE FOR EITHER THIS BOARD OR SOME UPCOMING BOARD IN TERMS OF THE FUTURE. I THINK THE PROJECTIONS GO ALL THE WAY UP TO 32, YEAR 32. SO I MEAN, IT'S JUST GOING TO BE INCUMBENT UPON WHOEVER MAY BE HERE, MYSELF OR WHOMEVER TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY FOLLOW THIS PRECISELY. BECAUSE THOSE PICTURES ARE BEAUTIFUL. BUT THEY WON'T EVER COME INTO FRUITION IF WE DON'T MAINTAIN STATUS QUO IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU HAVE IN TERMS OF PROJECTIONS AND WHATNOT WITH THE TIFF REVENUE AND THE DEBT SERVICE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. THAT IS REAL IMPORTANT. YEAH. >> YES, SIR. THE CHALLENGE NOW FALLS UPON THE FPRA BOARD AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR ANNUAL WORK PLAN TO BE PRUDENT AND FOCUSING ON VERY SPECIFIC PROJECTS. YOU HAVE VERY LIMITED FUNDS AVAILABLE. SO YOU CAN ONLY KNOCK DOWN A FEW. SO THE TRICK IS GOING TO BE CHOOSE WISELY AND STICK WITH PROJECTS AND BUILD ON THE INCREMENTAL SUCCESSES. >> DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS IN TERMS OF PRIORITIZING OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS OVERALL REALISTIC, FROM A REALISTIC STANDPOINT? I MEAN, BECAUSE THE PROJECTIONS GO ALL THE WAY UP TO I THINK 32. FROM A REALISTIC STANDPOINT, I MEAN, COULD YOU SHARE THAT WITH US? AM I PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT OR WHAT? >> YOU WANT TO USE THE OTHER MICROPHONE RIGHT THERE, MR. JONES. >> I THINK IT COULD BE PART OF YOUR MASK. IT'S JUST BLOCKING IT. >> WE'LL TRY. >> YOU DON'T HAVE TO HOLD IT DOWN. ONCE IT'S ON. IT'S ON. >> BEAUTIFUL. THANK YOU. THE PUBLIC REALM IMPROVEMENTS ARE THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT I WOULD PRIORITIZE FIRST OFF BECAUSE IT AFFECTS THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND IT ALSO AFFECTS THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PASSING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO SEE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS. AND THAT ENCOURAGES ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT IN THOSE AREAS, RESIDENTS OR FOLKS FROM OUTSIDE THE AREA PASSING THROUGH THAT SEE THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT SAY THE CITY IS INVESTING HERE, I WANT TO BE A PART OF THAT. >> YOU'RE STRONGLY RECOMMENDING THAT WE PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS, AS OPPOSED TO THE COMMERCIAL AREAS? >> YES, SIR. CONNECTING THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO THE COMMERCIAL AREAS IS KEY TO SUPPORT BOTH. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. >> ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER JONES, APPRECIATE IT. >> HOLD ON A SECOND. COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER, PLEASE GO AHEAD. >> YES, SIR. I HAVE -- IT MIGHT SOUND LIKE THIS IS A FOOLISH QUESTION. BUT COULD HE GIVE US A DEFINITION OF WHAT CRA DEFINES? >> SURE. >> HELLO. >> YES, SIR. COMMUNITY -- >> DID HE UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION? >> I THINK SO, SIR. LET ME START WITH THE TEXTBOOK ANSWERS AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO HOW I UNDERSTAND IT ANSWER. >> OKAY. >> TEXTBOOK ANSWER IS CRA STANDS FOR TWO THINGS. COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AREA. AND THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY. AND THE PURPOSE OF THE CRAS OR WHY THEY'RE CREATED IS TO ADDRESS CONDITIONS OF SLUM AND BLIGHT THAT HAVE BEEN OBSERVED IN THOSE AREAS AND ALSO TO IMPROVE THE AVAILABILITY OF HOUSING IN THOSE AREAS. THAT IS THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES AND HOW THEY MANAGE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AREAS. >> THAT WOULD KEEP US OUT OF TROUBLE WHEN WE KEEP THAT DEFINITION IN FRONT OF US, RIGHT? >> YES, SIR. >> OKAY. BECAUSE I MEAN, THERE'S SOME CITIES THAT GOT IN REAL BAD TROUBLE, TALLAHASSEE, MIAMI, THEY GOT REALLY -- THAT I KNOW OF. YOU MAY KNOW SOMETHING DIFFERENT. BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S A TROUBLESOME THING SPENDING THAT MONEY AND NOT SPENDING IT IN THE RIGHT WAY. THAT'S ALL I HAD. >> GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER SESSIONS. >> A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION. WITH WHAT HE JUST POINTED OUT IN TERMS OF THESE MONIES AND WHAT THE LEGISLATION INTENDED FOR THEM TO BE USED FOR, AND OF COURSE, THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES WHEN YOU STEP OUTSIDE WHAT [00:25:06] YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO. DO YOU FEEL BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE AND WHAT YOU PRESENTED, THAT THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE A PROBLEM FOR US WITH REGARDS TO, AS HE INDICATED, AT LEAST I BELIEVE WHAT HE'S INDICATING, THAT WE MAY BE OUT OF THE REALM OF ADDRESSING THE BLIGHTED NEIGHBORHOODS, I DON'T WANT TO PUT WORDS INTO THE COMMISSIONER'S MOUTH. >> THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. >> I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE COULD POSSIBLY DOING SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING IN LIGHT OF WHAT YOU'RE PRESENTING HERE. >> VERY GOOD QUESTION. THE ANSWER IS YOU ARE IN STRICT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF 163 PART 3, INTENT OF REDEVELOPMENT PLANS, CONTENT OF REDEVELOPMENT PLANS AND THE WAY THIS REDEVELOPMENT PLAN WAS PRODUCED. YOU HAVE SPECIFIC POLICIES IN THIS REDEVELOPMENT PLAN TO ADDRESS HOUSING, TO ADDRESS PROPERTY OWNERSHIP, TO ENCOURAGE PROPERTY OWNERSHIP. AND TO ADDRESS VERY SPECIFIC CONDITIONS OF BLIGHT THROUGH A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED WITHIN THIS PLAN. SO THIS PLAN FULLY SUPPORTS ALL OF THE OBJECTIVES OF CRAS AND THE ASSOCIATED FLORIDA STATUTE REQUIREMENTS. >> SOME OF THOSE QUARTERS THAT YOU POINTED OUT IN PART OF YOUR PRESENTATION ARE NOT WELL QUOTE/UNQUOTE BLIGHTED. CONSIDERING THE OTHERS. AND THAT RAISES A QUESTION IN MY MIND. WHAT IS YOUR POSITION IN THAT REGARD? >> THE PRIORITIZATION OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FPRA BOARD. THE CONTENTS OF THE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN PROVIDE A RANGE OF OPTIONS FOR THE FPRA BOARD TO CHOOSE FROM. ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF FLORIDA STATUTES 163 IS THAT YOU CAN ONLY SPEND CRATIFF FUNDS ON PROJECTS, PROGRAMS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED IN YOUR PLAN. WHEN YOU PUT THE PLAN TOGETHER, YOU TO CAST A WIDE A NET AS POSSIBLE AND IDENTIFY THE GREATEST PROJECTS, PROGRAMMING AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN ORDER TO ADDRESS A RANGE OF DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES THAT ARE WITHIN THE REDEVELOPMENT AREA. SO IF YOU SET UP ONE PERFECT LIST AND SAY WE'RE GOING TO DO A, B AND C AND NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO DO E, F AND G, YOU'RE LIMITING THE OPTIONS THAT YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES AND DIFFERENT CHALLENGES. >> SO COME BACK TO HAUNT US, IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? >> YES, SIR. >> WHAT ARE THE PENALTIES OR CONSEQUENCES, IF WE DO, FOR WHATEVER REASONS DON'T SATISFY WHAT YOU JUST INDICATED TO US? WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES? >> CURRENTLY THERE ARE NO, NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, ANY LEGAL CONSEQUENCES WITH REGARDS TO SPECIAL DISTRICTS OTHER THAN YOU COULD BE SUED BY SOMEONE THAT IS OBSERVING THIS AND SAYING YOU'VE DONE SOMETHING WRONG. AND THEN SPECIAL DISTRICTS ARE APPROVED AT A STATE LEVEL, SO THEY COULD BE REVIEWED AT A STATE LEVEL. YOU WANT TO PLAY BY THE BOOK. THIS PLAN ALLOWS YOU TO PLAY BY THE BOOK AND ADDRESS LOCAL CONDITIONS IN A PRAGMATIC MANNER. >> THANK YOU. >> MR. JONES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT. >> MY PLEASURE. >> I'M EXCITED. THOSE PICTURES ARE REAL TO ME. I CAN GO DOWN ORANGE AVENUE AND SEE IT RIGHT NOW. BUT IT IS INTERESTING HOW FUNDING SOMETIMES THAT WE DID NOT KNOW WE HAD ALL OF A SUDDEN AVAILS ITSELF AND WE HAVE A PLAN IN FRONT OF US. SOMETIMES WE JUST ADD A LITTLE BIT OF CRA FUNDING WITH IT AND WE'RE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THESE THINGS AS IT HAPPENS. SO I KNOW THAT IT'S DIFFICULT TO TALK ABOUT A LIST OF, A WISH LIST WHEN YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING READY TO GO. BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, WE'VE SEEN OVER A PERIOD OF TIME THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT DOES HAPPEN. IT AVAILS ITSELF AND WE NEED TO BE READY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. SO DO APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO NEED A MOTION. >> MR. CHAIR, ONE COMMENT BEFORE I MAKE A MOTION. I'LL MAKE A MOTIOCOND. I WANTED TO PINPOINT AND IDENTIFY TO THE PUBLIC, WE STARTED OUT IN 1982, UPDATES IN 1991, '96 AND '01. IT'S GOOD THAT WE'RE HERE TODAY FINALLY IN 2020 UPDATING. WE'VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT OF CHANGES SINCE '01 TO TODAY AND I'M EXCITED THAT WE HAVE AN UPDATE AND THANK YOU FOR STAFF AND MR. JONES. SO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 20-02. >> SECOND. >> I HAVE A SECOND. >> DID YOU GET IT? [00:30:03] >> YES. >> OKAY. I HAD TO UNMUTE MYSELF. >> FOR DISCUSSION, WHILE I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR FOR THE RECORD, I WILL SAY THAT I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE EXPANSION OF THIS AREA. AND I REALLY RAISED SOME CONCERNS WITH REGARDS TO WHETHER OR NOT THE AREAS WERE QUESTIONABLE, BLIGHTED VERSUS NOT. WHICH IS THE KEY HERE IN TERMS OF FINANCING FROM THE TIFF REVENUES. AND THAT IS WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS SUPPOSED TO BE ALL ABOUT. BUT ANY RATE, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE MOTION WITH MY CONCERNS ON THE RECORD AND WE'LL GO FROM THERE. THANK YOU. >> MR. CHAIR. >> YES. >> I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO, I AM GOING TO SUPPORT THE MOTION, BUT I AM ALSO JUST MAKING IT BLUNT AND SAYING THAT IT AS HARSH AS I CAN THAT WE CANNOT MISUSE THESE FUNDS. THESE FUNDS ARE FOR BLIGHT AND SLUM AREA. I KIND OF QUESTION A FEW THINGS GOING ON. BUT AS LONG AS THEY SAID WE'RE NOT IN THE DIRT, I'M FINE WITH IT. BUT I JUST CAUTION ALL OF US. BECAUSE WE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE AND IF MY ATTORNEY IS THERE, THAT MEANS WE PERSONALLY ARE RESPONSIBLE AS WELL AS BEING COMMISSIONERS AND THE CITY, IS THAT SOMETHING SEPARATING US? QUESTION. >> MR. CHAIR, COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER, UNLESS YOU'RE SUGGESTING YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF YOUR ROLE, YOU WOULDN'T BE PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE. YOU WOULD BE IN THE CAPACITY OF EITHER FPRA COMMISSIONER OR CITY COMMISSIONER. I GUESS IT DEPENDS ON IF IT WAS AN FPRA ACTION OR IF IT WAS SOMETHING THAT ULTIMATELY HAD TO BE SIGNED OFF ON BY THE CITY COMMISSION. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? >> YES, SIR. FOR THE RECORD. >> I HEARD WHAT YOU SAID. I AGREE WITH THAT. I'VE BEEN HERE FOR TEN YEARS AND A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE CRA WERE THERE PRIOR TO THAT TIME. AND WE REALLY HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF LEEWAY TO BUY, IMPROVE, TO SPEND MONEY AND DO WHATEVER. WE'RE IN A RECOVERY STAGE RIGHT NOW. BUT IT'S GOOD THAT WE HAVE THIS PHILOSOPHY BEHIND US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FOLLOW IT. AND AS WE ADD TO IT, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IDENTIFYING AND PUTTING AT THE TOP OF OUR LIST THE MOST SLUMMED AND BLIGHTED AREAS JUST TO BE ABLE TO GET THE BEST BENEFIT FROM OUR DOLLARS. OUR RARE DOLLARS. BUT I CAN SEE IF I CAN LIVE UNTIL 2042, WHEN WE END UP WITH A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY, AND SEE ALL OF THIS COME TO FRUITION, I WISH IT WAS A LITTLE CLOSER, I MEAN, USED TO NOT MATTER TO ME THE TIME. BUT NOW IT'S KIND OF BOTHERING ME A LITTLE BIT. BUT I PLAN TO BE HERE IN 2042, TO SEE ALL OF THIS COME TO FRUITION. I APPRECIATE THAT. SO LET'S GET TO A VOTE. >> MAYOR HUDSON. >> YES. >> COMMISSIONER SESSIONS. >> YES, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. >> YES. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON >> YES, MA'AM. >> CHAIRMAN PERONA. >> YES, MA'AM. >> NEXT WE HAVE RESOLUTION 20-04, RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF THE FORT PIERCE [b. FPRA Resolution 20-04 designating 708 North 18th Street as surplus property and authorization for disposition in accordance with FPRA policy.] REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY DEPENDENT SPECIAL DISTRICT OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE FLORIDA, DECLARING CERTAIN REAL PROPERTY KNOWN AS 1708 NORTH 18TH STREET TO BE SURPLUSED TO FORT PIERCE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY NEEDS AND THE AUTHORIZING STAFF TO DISPOSE OF SAID PROPERTY IN ACCORDANCE WITH PROVISIONS OF CHAPTER 163.380 OF THE FLORIDA STATUTES, PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. >> GOOD EVENING >> GOOD EVENING. BEFORE YOU THIS AFTERNOON IS A REQUEST FOR A SURPLUS OF LAND TO GO THROUGH THE DEPOSITION OF PROPERTY THAT WOULD THEN GO OUT TO BID BY THE PUBLIC, LOCATED AT 708 NORTH 18TH STREET. BACKGROUND OF MY INVOLVEMENT IN THIS IS THAT THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED WITHIN THE LINCOLN PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT. IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY ONE OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO HER NAME IS TYSIE MILLER AND HER INFORMATION IN A LETTER IS ALSO PART OF THE PACKET. ACCORDING TO MS. MILLER, THIS HOME HAS BEEN WITHIN THE FAMILY, OR THIS PROPERTY HAS BEEN WITHIN THE FAMILY SINCE 1940. UNFORTUNATELY, THE ORIGINAL [00:35:01] OWNER PASSED IN THE '70S. IT WAS THEN TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER WHO THEN RAN INTO FINANCIAL PROBLEMS WITH PAYMENT. IT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY UNDER, IT WAS DEMOLISHED IN 1994. WENT UNDER THE COUNTY OWNERSHIP IN 2004. AND IN 2007, THAT LAND FROM THE COUNTY WAS TRANSFERRED INTO THE CRA'S HANDS OF FORT PIERCE. IN JANUARY OF THIS PAST YEAR, MS. MILLER HAD COME TO ME BECAUSE SHE WAS TRYING TO SEE HOW TO GET THE PROPERTY AS SURPLUS PROPERTY SO THAT SHE COULD BID ON THE PROPERTY. AND THAT IS WHY THIS REQUEST IS FOR DEPOSITION OF PROPERTY FOR BID. AND IN 2019, MS. MILLER HAD PURCHASED THE ADJACENT PROPERTY JUST TO THE SOUTH, WHICH WAS ALSO FAMILY PROPERTY. AND HER DESIRE IS TO BID ON THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION AND TAKE OVER OWNERSHIP OF THAT AS WELL. COMBINE THE TWO LOTS AND BE ABLE TO BUILD A NEW HOME FOR A VETERAN FAMILY MEMBER WHO HAS NOT HAD A HOME OF HIS OWN. ATTACHED AS I INDICATED, IS THE LETTER THAT MS. MILLER WROTE TO THE COMMISSION, THE CRA BOARD EXPLAINING THE BACKGROUND OF THIS PROPERTY, HOW IT'S BEEN IN HER FAMILY'S NAME AND HER DESIRE TO GET IT BACK INTO THE FAMILY'S POSSESSION. AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. >> ANY QUESTIONS? >> COMMENT. >> GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER SESSIONS. >> I JUST RECENTLY GOT THE LIST OF THE PROPERTIES, FPRA, AS WELL AS THE CITY. AND I WAS JUST AMAZED AT THE NUMBER AND THE VOLUME OF PROPERTIES THAT WE OWN. AND I TOOK IT UPON MYSELF TO RIDE DOWN THE STREETS TO LOOK AT THESE PROPERTIES. AND MOST OF THEM ARE LIKE THIS. IT'S AN EMPTY LOT THAT IS SITTING THERE THAT NEEDS TO BE MOWED AND NOT TAKEN CARE OF. AND NOBODY REALLY HAS USE FOR THE PROPERTY BUT AN ADJACENT HOMEOWNER OR LANDLORD OR WHATEVER. BUT WE CAN'T USE THEM. AND THEY REALLY DON'T SERVE A PURPOSE OTHER THAN JUST ADDING TO THE BLIGHT BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM AREN'T TAKEN CARE OF. SO I SAID ALL OF THAT TO SAY THIS, IS THERE AN EFFORT ON THE PART OF STAFF AND THIS CITY TO DEAL WITH SITUATIONS SUCH AS THIS ONE BECAUSE THIS IS JUST ONE STORY OF SEVERAL OTHERS. BECAUSE THESE PROPERTIES ARE SITTING OUT THERE AND NOBODY IS TAKING CARE OF THEM. AND THEY'RE THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT IS INFESTED WITH RODENTS AND BUSHES AND A MATTER OF US GIVING SOME ATTENTION. THE ONLY PERSON THAT REALLY HAS AN INTEREST IS SOMEONE LIKE THIS YOUNG LADY. SO WE COULD GET RID OF A LOT OF THIS STUFF IF WE PUT FORTH SOME EFFORT. >> THIS IS ONE OF OUR FOCUSES. IT'S A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WITH OUR GRANT ADMINISTRATION AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT. THERE IS A LOT OF INTEREST IN BRINGING THESE LANDS INTO SURPLUS AND DISPOSING OF THEM. WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF INTEREST FROM THE PUBLIC. WE HAVE THIS LIST HANDY AT EVERY MEETING WHEN PEOPLE COME IN. YOU WILL BE RECEIVING ANOTHER REQUEST FOR TWO LOTS. AND WE ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO GET THESE PUBLIC LAND BACK ON THE TAX ROLL AND GET THEM REDEVELOPED. THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF INTEREST. >> I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SAY IT. THIS IS THE MOST TIME TO SAY IT RIGHT NOW, NORTHWEST OF FORT PIERCE IS BECOMING VERY VERY VALUABLE. CHEAPEST PROPERTY THAT IS BEACH FRONT PROPERTY ON THE EAST COAST OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA. PEOPLE IN THE NORTHWEST SECTION GET LETTERS FROM REALTORS ALMOST ONCE A WEEK, WHERE THEY'RE TRYING TO BUY PROPERTIES IN THE NORTHWEST SECTION OF TOWN BECAUSE OF WHAT I'M SAYING. AND THAT IS THAT THE PRICE IS EXTREMELY LOW. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY AND HOW CLOSE IT IS TO THE WATERFRONT, MAKES IT MORE VALUABLE. SO THAT IS A MESSAGE THAT THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW. AND JUST TALK TO ANY REALTOR, INVESTOR, THEY'LL TELL YOU AND VERIFY WHAT I'M SAYING. AND PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY GET THESE LETTERS IN THE MAIL ONCE A WEEK, LIKE I DO. BUT WE GOT SOMETHING HERE. AND THE VALUE OF THESE PROPERTIES ARE GOING TO INCREASE. AND WHETHER OR NOT INDIVIDUALS HOLD ON TO IT OR SELL IT OR WHATEVER, THAT IS UP TO THEM. BUT AS FAR AS FROM WHAT I AM TOLD, YOU WON'T FIND ANY PROPERTY ON THE EAST COAST OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA AS CLOSE AS THE NORTHWEST SECTION OF FORT PIERCE IS WITH THE VALUE [00:40:04] AS LOW AS IT IS AND THAT IS WHY THE INVESTORS ARE RINGING YOUR MAILBOXES OFF THE HOOK WITH THESE LETTERS. SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC. >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. >> I JUST WANT TO PIGGY BACK OFF OF THAT. AND SAY ONE THING. YOU KNOW, THESE LOTS, MOST OF THESE ARE JUST SMALL LOTS, 50 BY 75. YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOTHING CAN BE BUILT ON THEM REALLY BUT THESE LITTLE SHOTGUN HOUSES. AND THAT IS WHAT WE SHOULD NOT BE TRYING TO PUT INTO THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. AND IF WE HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS, FAMILIAR PROPERTIES THAT IS ADJACENT TO THESE LITTLE SMALL PIECES OF PROPERTY, I WOULD RATHER SEE IT GO TO FAMILIES THAT HAVE BEEN HERE AND LIVE HERE AND HAVE YOU KNOW, RAISED THEIR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES HERE. YOU KNOW, TO GO TO SOMEONE FROM DOWN IN MIAMI OR LOUISIANA THAT DON'T CARE NOTHING ABOUT FORT PIERCE. WE HAVE THESE VACANT LOTS. THEY CAN'T BUILD ANYTHING, LIKE I SAY, LIKE THESE SHOTGUN HOUSES. SO WE NEED TO BE AWARE. NOT JUST YOU KNOW, I CRIED ABOUT THAT TEN YEARS AGO, BEING OFF THE TAX ROLL. BUT THAT IS WHEN THEY JUST GO IN AND TEAR DOWN THESE HOUSES AND THESE STRUCTURES OFF OF PROPERTIES. SO HERE WE ARE NOW. EVERYBODY WANT TO SCRATCH AND GET THESE LITTLE PIECES OF PROPERTIES TO HOLD ON TO THEM SO WHEN THE CITY COME THROUGH AND WANT TO DO SOMETHING, THEY ARE GOING TO ROB THE CITY. AND THAT IS WHAT I DON'T WANT TO SEE HAPPENING. YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD THEM. IF FAMILY MEMBERS WANT TO COME IN AND ADD IT TO THEIR PROPERTY SO THEY CAN YOU KNOW, CREATE SOMETHING LARGER, BIGGER, THAT IS WHAT I WANT TO SEE. THAT IS ALL. >> SO THE PROCESS, I MEAN, WE'RE DEFINED TO THIS PROCESS, OBVIOUSLY. >> CORRECT. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS. NOW IT WILL GO OUT TO BID. AND ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC WILL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY OF BIDDING ON IT. >> RIGHT. >> SO IF THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY IS A LITTLE BIT MORE TO YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE FAMILY HISTORY AND YOU HAVE AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE AREA, HOPEFULLY IT WILL SHOW UP IN YOUR BID. >> ULTIMATELY, YOU ARE THE APPROVING BODY FOR THE SELECTION OF WHO GETS THAT PROPERTY. >> IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT REALLY ARE JOINED TO THESE PROPERTIES BY INHERITANCE AND IT MEANS SOMETHING OF SIGNIFICANCE TO THEM. I GOT AN OLD YELLOW BEAT UP PICK-UP TRUCK IN MY YARD RIGHT NOW THAT MY GRANDFATHER LEFT. IT'S PROBABLY WORTH $0.50 BUT IT'S THE WORLD TO ME. A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL THAT WAY AND THEY'LL MAKE THE INVESTMENT IF THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY. SO I MEAN, VALUE IS IN THE EYES OF THE BEHOLDER. AND IF WE JUST APPROACH PEOPLE MORE, WE CAN GET RID OF A LOT OF THIS STUFF. ESPECIALLY THE LAND NEXT TO IT. >> OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> GO AHEAD, MR. MIMS. >> ONE OF THE STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AS SET FORTH IS TO DEVELOP STRATEGIES OF THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THESE VACANT PROPERTIES THAT ARE OWNED BY THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. WE SHALL BECOME MUCH MORE AGGRESSIVE IN THE DISPOSITION OF THESE PROPERTIES AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN INSPIRE NEIGHBORHOOD SUSTAINABILITY. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE FPRA SHOULD BE DEFINITELY FOCUSING UPON. WE HIT A LITTLE LULL OVER THESE LAST FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS. AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF A GLOBAL CRISIS. HOWEVER, THIS IS GOING TO BE THE FIRST OF MANY, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, IN THE DISPOSITION STRATEGY. SO NOT ONLY FPRA, BUT CITY OF FORT PIERCE. YOU'LL BE SEEING THESE ON A REOCCURRING BASIS. I BELIEVE THE NEXT ONE YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE IS THROUGH THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. IT IS A PRIORITY. WE DEFINITELY INTEND TO LOOK AT THESE PROPERTIES WITHIN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS TO BRING THESE NEIGHBORHOODS BACK TO A POINT OF FUNCTIONALITY. >> GREAT. >> YES, SIR. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? >> MOVE FOR THE APPROVAL >> APPROVAL. >> SECOND. >> AND A SECOND. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. >> COMMISSIONER SESSIONS. >> YES, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. >> UNMUTE. >> YES. >> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. >> YES, MA'AM. >> MAYOR HUDSON. >> MAYOR HUDSON, UNMUTE. >> YES. YES. [00:45:07] >> THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN PERONA. >> YES, MA'AM. OKAY >> OKAY. NEXT WE HAVE APPROVE RETAIL [c. Approve Retail/Business Recruitment Work Scope from Colliers International in the Amount of $28,000] BUSINESS RECRUITMENT WORK SCOPE FROM COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL IN THE AMOUNT OF 28,000. >> MR. CHAIR, AT THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF FINALIZE THE ENTIRE RFP PROCESS. AS YOU KNOW, BACK IN LATE 2019, WE WENT THROUGH AN RFP PROCESS WHERE WE WANTED TO IDENTIFY RETAIL RECRUITMENT EXPERT FIRM TO COME IN AND HELP THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE AND THE FPRA WITH DEVELOPING SOME OF THESE COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS AND ALSO JUST HELPING THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE WITH THE INFORMATION THAT WE COULD DEFINITELY UTILIZE WITH OUR REDEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES. THE HIGHEST AND YOU KNOW, BEST PROPOSAL OUT OF THEIR PROCESS WAS COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL. WE HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY COMPLETED OUR NEGOTIATIONS AND WE HAVE MR. KEN KRASNOW WHO IS GOING TO GO OVER THE SCOPE OF THE SERVICES THAT WE HAVE TENTATIVELY AGREED UPON. AND HE IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME. >> WELCOME, SIR. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM MAYOR, CITY COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU MR. MIMS AND MRS. HELMS. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE APPROPRIATE -- BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO BE HERE. WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY. I AM GOING TO RUN THROUGH THIS FAIRLY QUICKLY. HOPEFULLY IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU CAN ADDRESS THEM AND WE CAN DISCUSS IT. I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A QUICK OVERVIEW. COLLIERS, AS YOU MAY KNOW, IS A GLOBAL ORGANIZATION. WE'RE IN 68 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. I THINK A LOT OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE NEW WORLD AROUND US IS GOING TO BE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO BRINGING A LOT OF THAT INFORMATION TO BEAR IN TERMS OF THE PLAN THAT WE DEVELOP HERE. SO WE ARE A GLOBAL ORGANIZATION. WE HAVE A STRONG FOOTPRINT HERE IN FLORIDA. 12 OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE STATE. WE DO A TON OF BUSINESS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA. AGAIN, BRINGING KIND OF THE WORLD INTO A MACRO LEVEL, INTO MORE OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING THROUGHOUT THE STATE ALSO WILL BE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR DECISION MAKING PROCESS. THIS IS A LITTLE KIND OF OVERVIEW, WE DO A LOT OF THIS WORK ON BEHALF OF A LOT OF MUNICI MUNICIPALITIES. I THINK THE THING THAT IS IMPORTANT HERE IS WE KNOW RETAIL AND WE HAVE DATA. TWO THINGS ARE GOING TO BE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO DEVELOPING AN ACTIONABLE AND SUSTAINABLE PLAN. AGAIN, IN THIS KIND OF POST COVID ENVIRONMENT. AND THEN THE OTHER PART OF OUR PLAN IS EXECUTION. SO NOT ONLY DO WE KNOW HOW TO BUILD A PLAN, BUT WE KNOW HOW TO EXECUTE THAT PLAN. BEHIND ME ONLINE IS A DEEP TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS, THE WOMEN THAT ARE ON THE TOP OF THE CHART THERE, BROOKE AND RENEE, ALL BRING SUBSTANTIAL EXPERIENCE TO OUR TEAM. AND THERE IS A LOT OF RESOURCES BEHIND ME. YOU WILL SEE AND HEAR FROM A LOT OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS AS WE DEVELOP YOU KNOW, THIS PLAN. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO KNOW, WE REPRESENT A LOT OF RETAIL COMPANIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA HERE, FROM FURNITURE STORES, TO FOOD, TO FITNESS. TO FASHION. AND KIND OF EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT THE RETAILERS ESPECIALLY TODAY, ARE DOING, THINKING, SEEING AND FEELING. THIS IS JUST A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF THE COMPANIES THAT WE REPRESENT HERE IN FLORIDA. AGAIN, BRINGING A LOT OF THAT KNOWLEDGE AND THAT DATA AND THESE TRENDS TO OUR PLAN IS A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT OF OUR PLAN. I MENTIONED DATA BEFORE. YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT APPRAISALS, IT'S THE WEALTH OF DATA INFORMATION. LAST YEAR IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, COLLIERS COMPLETED 2100 APPRAISALS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA. WE HAVE A TON OF DATA. ALL OF IT IS GOING TO BE CONDENSED AND BROUGHT FORTH FOR OUR PLAN. WE ALSO HAVE AN IN-HOUSE GIS MAPPING. JUST LIKE IN THE GREAT PRESENTATION, PICTURES AND MAPS TELL YOU KNOW, THE STORY. AND YOU NEED THAT KIND OF REPRESENTATIVE VISUALIZATION TO REALLY SORT OF BRING HOME THE POINT. SO WE HAVE AN IN-HOUSE GIS. SO LAST BUT NOT LEAST, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY ACTIVE IN THE PUBLIC REALM. [00:50:04] YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA. BIG COUNTIES, SMALL COUNTIES, BIG CITIES, SMALL CITIES. AGAIN, ALL OF IT IS IN TERMS OF BRINGING WHAT TRENDS AND WHAT EXPERIENCES WE'RE SEEING IN THE MARKET TO BEAR FOR FORT PIERCE SPECIFIC. LET'S GET INTO OUR PLAN, THE SCOPE, AS MR. MIMMS TALKED ABOUT. THE FOCUS, GOALS TO ATTRACT AND IMPORTANTLY, TO RETAIN BUSINESSES THAT ARE HERE. WE ARE FOCUSED ON CREATING JOBS. WE'RE FOCUSED ON BUILDING A PLAN THAT IS SUSTAINABLE, BOTH ENVIRONMENTALLY AND SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO LAST FOR A LONG TIME. AND CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THIS GREAT CITY. SO THREE-PHASE PLAN. THE FIRST, WHICH IS REALLY DETAILED AND REALLY IMPORTANT IS ALL OF THE DATA ANALYTICS THAT GOES INTO UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE HAVE, WHAT WE DON'T HAVE, WHAT WE NEED, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GO FIND. THE SECOND PHASE OF THE PLAN IS TO BUILD AN ACTIONABLE PLAN TO GO OUT AND ATTRACT THOSE COMPANIES. AND THEN PHASE THREE IS JUST AN ONGOING EFFORT TO CONTINUE TO REFINE THE PLAN. SO THIS GOES INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL. AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, A LOT OF THE DATA THAT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, I MEAN, THIS IS A THREE TO FOUR MONTH PROCESS OF REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE CALL GAP ANALYSIS AND VOID ANALYSIS. WHERE ARE PEOPLE SPENDING MONEY. WHERE ARE THEY GOING DOWN TO JUPITER TO SPEND MONEY, WHEN THEY COULD BE SPENDING IT IN FORT PIERCE. RETAILERS LOCATED IN DEL RAY BEACH OR IN MELBOURNE, FLORIDA, THAT SHOULD BE IN FORT PIERCE. SO REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE CALL THE GAP AND THE VOID ANALYSIS. AND THEN CRAFTING AN OPTIMAL TENANT MIX, MAKE SURE THAT WE FILL THOSE GAPS AND FILL THOSE VOIDS. AND AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION, YOU KNOW, COVID IS CHANGING A LOT OF THE WAY THE WORLD IS SHAPING TODAY. WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF INFORMATION OVER THE LAST YOU KNOW, THREE TO FIVE MONTHS. BUT WE CONTINUE TO YOU KNOW, KIND OF FACTOR THAT INTO HOW AND WHERE WE FILL AND DETERMINE THESE VOIDS. SAME THING ON THE DATA ANALYTIC PART OF IT, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CONSUMERS ARE DOING, WHERE THEY'RE SPENDING MONEY, HOW THEY'RE CHANGING SHOPPING PATTERNS. ALL OF THAT GOES INTO IDENTIFYING THE PERFECT TENANT MIX. WHEN WE BRING THE DATA TO THEM AND THEY UNDERSTAND THAT CONSUMERS ARE DRIVING THROUGH FORT PIERCE TO GO SPEND MONEY IN JUPITER AND THEY CAN LOCATE A STORE, YOU KNOW, HERE IN FORT PIERCE, THEY KNOW THAT THE DEMAND IS THERE. BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT DATA. COVID IMPACT IS REALTIME. YOU READ ABOUT STORES EVERY DAY GOING THROUGH VARIOUS OPENING, CLOSING, BANKRUPTCY, ET CETERA. PHASE ONE, I MENTIONED THE GIS. THE STORY, THE MAPS THE HEAT MAPS TELL A DRAMATIC, PICTURE REPLACE A THOUSAND WORDS. THIS IS GOING TO REALLY IDENTIFY SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITIES, SPECIFIC CORRIDORS, SPECIFIC PROPERTIES, SPECIFIC AREAS OF REDEVELOPMENT THAT INCORPORATE ALL OF THE DATA THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, BUT WITH REAL ACTIONABLE AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY. AGAIN, THAT IS GOING TO BE VISUALLY SHOWN ON THESE GIS MAPS. PHASE TWO IS NOW THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THIS TREMENDOUS DATA THAT WE'VE BUILT OVER THE LAST THREE OR FOUR MONTHS, HOW DO WE NOW CREATE A VERY SPECIFIC PLAN TO INCREASE AWARENESS AND BRING THE STORY OUT TO THE MARKET. HOW DO WE CONVINCE THE RETAILERS WHY THEY SHOULD BE HERE. GAP ANALYSIS, ET CETERA. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PHASE IS TO DEVELOP SPECIFIC ACTUAL NAMES, RANKS, SERIAL NUMBERS OF TENANTS, COMPANIES, RETAILERS PART OF OUR TARGET EFFORT. AND THEN THE OTHER AREA WHICH WILL LAY UPON YOUR CRA PLAN IS COMING UP WITH SOME SPECIFIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT YOU KNOW, [00:55:05] INITIATIVES. CERTAIN AREAS OF INCENTIVES, INVESTMENTS. YOU'RE ALREADY SPENDING MONEY. BUT THERE ARE GOING TO BE CERTAIN AREAS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO COME TO YOU WITH SOME SPECIFIC IDEAS ABOUT HOW A LITTLE BIT OF INVESTMENT HERE CAN MAKE A BIG IMPACT. >> WHEN YOU COME IN TO INTERVIEW FOR A JOB, I LOVE THE IDEA OF A POTENTIAL EMPLOYEE GIVING ME AND SHOWING ME WHAT HIS POTENTIAL IS AND HIS CAPABILITY MAY BE. WHAT IS MORE IMPRESSIVE IS TO FIND OUT IF YOU ARE IN LINE WITH WHAT THE GOALS OF THE ORGANIZATION IS. I POSE THIS QUESTION TO YOU, WHERE DO YOU FEEL OR WHAT IS YOUR POSITION WITH REGARDS TO THE POTENTIAL OF FORT PIERCE AS IT RELATES TO RECRUITMENT OF AND RETAILERS FOR THAT MATTER IN TERMS OF THE FUTURE AND SEEING WHETHER OR NOT IT LINES UP WITH, WHERE WE WANT TO BE. DO YOU UNDERSTAND MY QUESTION? >> ABSOLUTELY. WE'RE HERE BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN THIS CITY, THIS LOCATION AND WE BELIEVE IN THE INVESTMENT THAT THE CITY IS MAKING. WE THINK THERE IS A TREMENDOUS STORY. ALL OF THE DATA THAT YOU NEED TO BRING WHEN WE GO SO A TARGET, H&M, THEY NEED SPECIFIC ACTIONABLE DATA. WE THINK THAT THERE IS, WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE DATA BUT WE NEED TO REFINE IT. WE ARE EXTREMELY BULLISH ON WHAT FORT PIERCE HAS TO OFFER. AGAIN, EVERYBODY IS VERY DOWN ON THE WHOLE KIND OF RETAIL ENVIRONMENT AND RESTAURANTS ARE CHALLENGED NOW AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. THIS IS A LONG-TERM PLAN. WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING HERE IS POST COVID AND A PLAN THAT IS GOING TO BE SUSTAINABLE FOR THE LONG TERM. BUT THE ACCESS, THE LOCATION, THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS EXISTING IN THIS CITY IS GOING TO BE A TREMENDOUS BENEFIT AND OPPORTUNITY FOR A NUMBER OF YOU KNOW, RETAILERS, RESTAURANTS, YOU KNOW, AND BUSINESSES OF THE LIKE. WE FOCUSED HERE ON RETAIL, BECAUSE THAT WAS THE ESSENCE OF THE YOU KNOW, OF THE RFP. BUT IN GENERAL, A LOT OF THE DATA THAT WE'RE BUILDING HAS GOT YOU KNOW, USEFUL, WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO GO ATTRACT OTHER OFFICE COMPANIES AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. >> I UNDERSTAND THE RETAIL BUSINESS AND RESTAURANTS. BUT THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE CRITICS OF THAT IN TERMS OF THE COMPENSATION VERSUS INDUSTRY. AND CORPORATE AMERICA, WHERE YOU TAKE IT TO ANOTHER LEVEL IN TERMS OF THE EARNING CAPACITY AND THE MONIES EARNED AND THE SALARIES, THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF DIFFERENCE. AND I KNOW THE LANGUAGE OF THE RFP AND ALL OF THAT. BUT YOU KIND OF HIT ON IT WITH WHAT YOU PROPOSE HERE. BUT YOU SORT OF TOOK ME OFF A LITTLE BIT. NOW I UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF RETAIL AND RESTAURANTS. GOT TO HAVE ALL OF THAT. WHAT I PROJECT, AT LEAST WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS MORE IN TERMS OF INDUSTRY. WHERE PEOPLE CAN MAKE MORE THAN A MINIMUM WAGE. WHERE THEY CAN BUY THAT FINE HOME OUT THERE OFF OF HARTLAND ROAD, THAT HOPEFULLY THAT WILL ND MCDONALD'S DOES PAY TEN DOLLARS AN HOUR NOW. THEY'RE DOING PRETTY GOOD. BUT IT'S NOT WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OVERALL IN TERMS OF RECRUITMENT. >> YOU'RE RIGHT ON. AND I THINK THAT THE WHOLE, IT'S REALLY AN INTER-CONNECTED KIND OF ECOSYSTEM. FOR COMPANIES TO LOOK AT A CERTAIN AREA, THEY WANT TO SEE THAT THERE IS QUALITY OF LIFE, THAT THERE IS PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE THAT IS AFFORDABLE. WHICH WE HAVE. BUT THERE IS ALSO THINGS FOR THEM TO DO, ENTERTAINMENT. YOU'VE GOT GREAT ASSETS ALREADY WITH THE SUNRISE. [01:00:03] BUT THEY WANT TO KNOW THAT THERE IS THINGS FOR PEOPLE TO DO. SHOP, DINE, YOU KNOW, THAT WHOLE KIND OF LIVE, WORK, PLAY, YOU KNOW, ENVIRONMENT HAS REALLY GOT TO BE A COMPLETE YOU KNOW, ECOSYSTEM AND THIS IS A CRITICAL YOU KNOW, COMPONENT OF THAT. BUT IT'S NOT THE BE ALL AND END ALL. BECAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU DO NEED TO GROW, YOU KNOW, A JOB BASE AND SO ON. BUT THIS IS A FOUNDATIONAL PLAN. AGAIN, THE DATA THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE BUILDING IS FOUNDATIONAL, WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO GO TALK TO AMERICAN EXPRESS ABOUT OPENING AN OFFICE HERE OR TARGET ABOUT OPENING A STORE HERE. >> WHAT DO YOU FEEL IS THE GREATEST OBSTACLE OR CAVEAT IN THE MIDDLE OF US HAVING WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING HERE FROM THE CITY STANDPOINT? >> THE GREATEST OBSTACLE >> MOST DIFFICULT. WHEN YOU LOOK AT FORT PIERCE RIGHT NOW, AND YOU'VE JUST DESCRIBED WHAT YOU CAN PRESENT AND WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO, BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'VE GATHERED, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY OUR BIGGEST OBSTACLE IS, OR OUR BIGGEST CAVEAT TOWARDS ACHIEVING THAT RIGHT NOW. I'M TRYING TO SEE WHERE YOU'RE LINING UP WHERE I AM. >> PERCEPTION IS, AGAIN, I THINK THAT IS WHERE THE DATA THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE BUILDING OVER THOSE YOU KNOW, THE FIRST FEW MONTHS ARE GOING TO BE CRITICAL. BECAUSE THAT TELLS THE STORY AND THAT OVERCOMES YOU KNOW, THE PERCEPTION. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. >> YOU CAN CONTINUE. >> MR. MIMMS IS GOING TO KILL ME BECAUSE I'M WAY PAST. >> GO AHEAD. IT'S OKAY. >> WERE WE SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT? >> NO. BUT I THINK THE BIG PART OF THE PIECE THAT WE JUST SPENT TIME ON IS THE LAST PHASE, WHICH IS AGAIN, A PLAN IS GOOD, BUT IT'S NOT GOOD IF IT SITS ON A SHELF. SO AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE KNOW WHERE THESE COMPANIES LIVE, WE KNOW WHERE TO GO FIND THEM. AND PART OF THE PLAN IS TO TAKE ALL OF THE DATA AND ALL OF THE MATERIALS THAT WE'VE CREATED AND ACTUALLY GO OUT ONCE WE START YOU KNOW, GOING BACK OUT AGAIN INTO THE WORLD, AND TELL THE STORY. SO THE RECRUITMENT SIDE OF THIS IS GOING TO BE VERY DETAILED AND VERY ACCOUNTABLE AND THERE WILL BE NAMES OF SPECIFIC TARGETS OUT THERE. I KNOW MR. MIMMS WILL HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING IN FRONT OF THOSE RIGHT PEOPLE AND MAKING THAT HAPPEN. THE LAST THING THAT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, IS WE'VE DONE THIS, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED IT, WITH A LOT OF THE MUNICIPALITIES, BUT EMPHASIS ON COMMUNITY AND COMMUNICATION IS CRITICAL TO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE. WE'RE GOING TO BUILD ALL OF THIS DATA, BRING ALL OF THIS INFORMATION HERE. BUT WE'RE GOING TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY. ENGAGE WITH YOU. WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW, WHAT THE DATA IS TELLING US ALIGNS WITH YOU KNOW, THE GOALS AND THE OBJECTIVES. AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW, THERE IS A COMPLETE ALIGNMENT OF INTEREST THERE. BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THIS IS YOU KNOW, AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF MAKING OUR PLAN SUCCESSFUL, GETTING COMMUNITY AND YOU KNOW, LEADERSHIP YOU KNOW, BUY-IN. SO IT'S A CRITICAL IMPORTANT. YOU WILL BE SEEING A LOT OF US AS WE GO THROUGH THE NEXT 6 MONTHS OR SO. >> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. >> AND YOU BRING UP SOME GOOD POINTS THERE. BECAUSE THERE ARE ALREADY CRITICS OUT THERE. YOU'RE SEARCHING FOR WHY THE CITY WOULD BE LOOKING INTO OR CREATING AN RFP FOR SUCH A PROCESS. AND I DISAGREE WITH SOME OF THOSE NAYSAYERS, FOR A MULTITUDE OF REASONS. BUT IS THE BUZZ WORD STILL RETAIL? I'LL JUST LEAVE IT WITH A COUPLE OF QUESTION MARKS AFTER THAT. >> THE BUZZ WORD IS MORE, YOU KNOW EXPERIENCE, PEOPLE WANT TO HAVE AN EXPERIENCE. WHETHER IT'S GOING TO THE THEATER OR YOU KNOW, IN THEIR RESIDENCES OR OFFICES, OR IN THEIR YOU KNOW, STORES OR RESTAURANTS OR WHAT HAVE YOU. ONCE WE START LIVING AGAIN. >> I FIGURED YOU WOULD ANSWER THAT. THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE SOME OF THE NAYSAYERS, WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON IS RETAIL. IT SEEMS LIKE IT WAS DRIVEN TOWARDS RETAIL. THAT MAY BE ONE OF OUR ISSUES TOO. REMEMBER THAT, WHEN I'M TALKING TO THE FOLKS AND THEY'RE SAYING, RETAIL IS OLD SCHOOL. WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE BOX STORES ANYMORE. IT'S ALMOST I HAVE MILLENNIALS [01:05:01] AS CHILDREN. SO IT'S ALMOST THAT CHANGE IN MENTALITY. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, I WANTED TO ASK YOU THAT QUESTION. >> THERE IS NO QUESTION. AGAIN, THE EXPERIENCE OF SHOPPING, WHICH IS WHAT WAS THE DEFINITION OF RETAIL IS CHANGING. PEOPLE WANT A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY GO SHOPPING. BUT THEY'RE STILL GOING SHOPPING. AND YOU'RE SEEING ALL OF THE YOU KNOW, E-COMMERCE COMPANIES THAT STARTED OFF AS PURE E-COMMERCE COMPANIES, MOVING INTO BRICK AND MORTAR. WHAT YOU NOW HAVE IS A COMBINATION OF MERGING AND THE SUCCESSFUL RETAILERS, I'M NOT AFRAID OF THAT WORD, SUCCESSFUL RETAILERS UNDERSTAND HOW TO INCORPORATE YOU KNOW, ONLINE AND IN-PERSON. SO THAT THE PROCESS IS SEEMLESS. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN BUY SOMETHING ONLINE, WALK IN, PICK IT UP, RETURN IT. DROP IT OFF. SEE IT, TOUCH IT, FEEL IT. BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT ONLINE PIECE, YOU'RE IN TROUBLE. WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE SEEN. IF YOU'RE JUST ONLINE, WE'RE SEEING THOSE RETAILERS ONLINE MOVE INTO THE BRICK AND MORTAR BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT SHOPPING IS NOT YOU KNOW, DEAD THE WAY SOME PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, READ IT TO BE IN THE PAPER. >> I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I WAS LOOKING THROUGH THE CONTRACT ITSELF. I WANTED TO CLARIFY, OR JUST FOR MYSELF, THAT PHASE ONE SEEMS TO BE THE CRITICAL PART. DATA DRIVEN ANYTHING IS ALWAYS WHERE YOU START. AT LEAST FOR ME IT IS. THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE. I NOTICE THAT IS ABOUT 50 PERCENT OF THE CONTRACT ROUGHLY. A LITTLE LESS THAN -- PROBABLY 40 TO 45 PERCENT. WHAT IS THE TIME FRAME FOR THAT DATA COLLECTION? >> THAT IS A THREE TO FOUR MONTH. >> THREE TO FOUR MONTHS. >> YEAH. SO WE'LL START HERE PRESUMABLY, YOU KNOW, IT WILL TAKE US THROUGH, THE DATA, REFINING DATA, COMING UP WITH A PLAN, PRETTY MUCH TAKES US THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR. >> I WANTED TO REITERATE AND COMMENT ON, YOU BROUGHT IT UP, I WROTE IN ALL OF MY NOTES, COMMUNICATION IS THE KEY ELEMENT OF ALL OF THIS. GETTING THAT INFORMATION, THE DATA AND GETTING THAT OUT THERE. SO WHEN WE COLLECT ALL OF THIS INFORMATION, WE GET INTO THE END OF PHASE ONE AND INTO PHASE TWO, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC INPUT, MAYBE HAVING CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE CITY OR WHATEVER. JUST LIKE THIS. HOW DO YOU COMMENT TO EXISTING BUSINESS OWNERS AND/OR RETAILERS IN OUR CITY NOW THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH THE IDEA OF WELL, MAYBE I HAVE A SPECIALIZED PRODUCT, OR I'M SURE YOU'VE EXPERIENCED MANY QUESTIONS FROM THESE FOLKS BEFORE. THE EXISTING. AND WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THEM OF HOW A PROJECT LIKE THIS ENHANCES THEIR OPPORTUNITIES. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THEM? >> THE REALITY IS THAT IF THERE WERE MORE PEOPLE WALKING UP AND DOWN, YOU KNOW, ORANGE AND ALL OF THESE OTHER STREETS AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. IT'S GOING TO BENEFIT THOSE EXISTING RETAILERS. WHAT YOU REALLY NEED TO BE CAREFUL OF, THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND, IS THAT WHEN YOU BRING ALL OF THIS DATA, YOU'RE NOT CANNIBALIZING, YOU'RE NOT PUTTING IN THE SAME TYPE OF RETAIL. SO YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE EXISTING BUSINESSES HAVE, WHAT THEY BRING YOU KNOW, TO THE TABLE. AND AS I MENTIONED IN THAT FIRST PART, YOU KNOW, THE GAP, THE VOID. WHAT ARE WE MISSING. WHERE ARE PEOPLE DRIVING AND GOING ELSEWHERE TO BUY STUFF THAT THEY COULD AND SHOULD BE PURCHASING HERE. BUT WHEN THEY COME HERE TO DO THE THINGS, THEY BUY EYEGLASSES AND THEY MOVE DOWN TO THE YOU KNOW, THE DRESS SHOP. YOU KNOW, AROUND THE CORNER. THAT IS A BENEFIT TO THE EXISTING RETAILERS. WE ALSO ARE GOING TO COME UP WITH PROGRAMS THAT ARE GOING TO BE KIND OF AGNOSTIC. BRING IN NEW PEOPLE, FACADE WORK, STREET SCAPE OR YOU KNOW, OTHER TYPES OF YOU KNOW, PROGRAMS AND INCENTIVES THAT ARE MEANT TO BENEFIT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST YOU KNOW, NEW PEOPLE COMING IN. >> THANK YOU. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> FOLLOWING UP FROM WHAT HE WAS SAYING, THERE IS HOPE AS FAR AS RETAIL IS CONCERNED. REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE NEW MILLENNIAL AGE GROUP IS SAYING, AMAZON IS THE WAY, YOU'RE TELLING US THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS IN TERMS OF BUSINESSES AND RETAIL. AM I UNDERSTANDING YOU CORRECTLY? >> YES. I MEAN, AMAZON IS THE FUTURE. BUT AMAZON IS ALSO OPENING UP STORES. [01:10:11] THAT IS THE DEFINITION OF WHAT WE CALL OMNI CHANNEL. ONLINES MOVE INTO THE BRICK AND MORTAR. THE BRICK AND MORTAR HAVE TO ADAPT TO CREATE AN AMAZON-LIKE ONLINE EXPERIENCE. THE TWO MELDING OF THOSE WORLDS ARE GOING TO CREATE A NEW RETAIL ENVIRONMENT. BUT DON'T BELIEVE THE YOU KNOW, APOCALYPSE. >> THE WORKING AGE OF INDIVIDUALS, A LOT HIGHER NOW IN TERMS OF THE AGE BRACKET, OLDER GENERATION OF PEOPLE FOR WHATEVER REASONS OUTNUMBER THE YOUNGER GENERATION FOR THE FIRST TIME PROBABLY IN THE HISTORY, MAKING A 360 CHANGE. SO THAT HAS PROBABLY GOT A LOT TO DO WITH IT TOO, I TAKE IT. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> YEAH. YOU LOOK AT THE ACCELERATION. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BRING BEFORE YOU MENTIONED THE WORD RETAIL. SOME OF THESE NEW COMPANIES MOVING IN DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A STORE. IT LOOKS MORE LIKE A DISTRIBUTION YOU KNOW, FACILITY. AND THEY NEED CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS. BUT THAT IS YOU KNOW, DRIVING YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC TO YOU KNOW, TO THE STREET, IT'S BRINGING PEOPLE INTO THE DOWNTOWN. SO THE WORLD IS CHANGING IN THAT DYNAMIC. BUT THE GROWTH OF THE E-COMMERCE, ONLINE SHOPPING LIKE IF YOU LOOK AT PUBLIX OR ANY OF THE FOOD, ALL AT THE ELDER GENERATION. THE THEY'RE >> I'M OLD AND I LOVE TO GO TO THE STORE. >> I DO TOO. >> SO IN LOOKING AT THIS, I KEEP THINKING ABOUT WHAT IF WE STARTED THIS A YEAR AGO. I MEAN, HOW MUCH OF THAT WOULD BE STALE, HOW MUCH WOULD WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD. I MEAN, THE WORLD CULTURE OF COMMERCE IS CHANGING. SOMEBODY THAT IS 43 YEARS OLD WILL KNOW HOW IT WAS IN THE FIRST 43 IS GOING TO HAVE A COMPLETE DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE, I GUESS FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE. AT FIRST, WHEN I SAW THIS, I SAID YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE SHOULD WAIT AND SEE. AND THEN I SAID NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO WAIT AND SEE. BECAUSE WE CAN BE ON THE FRONT EDGE OF ALL OF THIS TYPE OF THING RIGHT NOW. BEFORE WHEN YOU NEEDED TO BE A BIG CITY WHEN YOU HAD ALL OF THESE AMENITIES, ALL OF THESE BIG MALLS. NOW MAY NOT BE THE STORY ANYMORE. THE QUAINT COMMUNITY. WE NEED TO IDENTIFY THOSE. E LIVED IN THE FISH. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE YOUR COMPANY, ESPECIALLY, BECAUSE YOU'RE INTERNATIONAL AND PROVEN. AND I'M SURE THOSE YOUNG LADIES THAT YOU SHOWED US THE PICTURE OF ARE REAL SMART ABOUT ALL OF THIS TYPE OF THING AND CAN SIT THERE AND SAY HEY, WE GOT TO GIVE UP ON ALL OF THOSE OLD WAYS THAT RETAIL AND EVERYTHING ELSE, WE GOT TO COME UP WITH THIS NEW THING. AND THIS SMALL COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND ACCENTUATE ALL OF THOSE PLUSES AND TURN THIS INTO EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT TO ACCOMPLISH. >> I THINK THERE IS YOU KNOW, BETWEEN THE WATER AND THE QUAINTNESS OF THE CITY AND EVERYTHING ELSE, THERE IS A LOT OF POTENTIAL. BUT IT'S A STORY THAT HAS NOT BEEN TOLD BROAD ENOUGH OR LOUD ENOUGH. AND THAT IS REALLY WHAT OUR GOAL YOU KNOW, IS TO DO. TO YOUR POINT, DATA IS CRITICAL. BECAUSE YOU CAN GO TO THE BEST COMPANIES IN THE WORLD, WITH THE GREATEST SALES PITCH IN THE WORLD, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE DATA TO BACK IT UP, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PAY ATTENTION. >> I GOT A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION. >> MR. CHAIRMAN. >> ONE SECOND. COMMISSIONER SESSIONS AND THEN MAYOR HUDSON. >> OKAY. WHEN YOU LOOK AT PLACES LIKE STARBUCKS AND CHICK-FIL-AS AND WAWAS ON THE LEVEL THAT THEY'RE COMING HERE, IT'S IN TUNE OR IN LINE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. BUT IS THAT AN INDICATION TO YOU AS TO WHERE OUR FUTURE MAY LIE IN TERMS OF BEING SUCCESSFUL AT RETAIL IN THIS AREA REGARDLESS OF THAT NEGATIVE STIGMA AND THAT PERCEPTION? YOU REALLY GOT MY ATTENTION WHEN YOU SAID THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE ON THE MONEY. RIGHT ON THE MONEY. A LOT OF IT IS PERCEPTION. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT FORT PIERCE HAS TO OFFER. BUT THROUGH THE YEARS, WE'VE GOTTEN SO MUCH NEGATIVE PUBLICITY. >> I MEAN, IF YOU SEE WAWA HERE, CHICK-FIL-A. YOU SEE THOSE. [01:15:05] YOU'VE TURNED THE CORNER. YOUR TEAM HAS DONE YOU KNOW, A GREAT JOB. AND YOU'RE POSITIONED, I THINK KIND OF LIKE THE ROCKET FUEL TO WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY BUILT A GREAT SHIP. BUT THIS IS KIND OF THE ROCKET BOOSTER THAT YOU NEED TO REALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE NEW TRENDS. SHOW PEOPLE HOW THE NEW TRENDS FACTOR INTO WHAT IS GOING ON HERE. BUT THE FACT THAT THEY'RE ALREADY HERE TELLS YOU THAT YOUR TEAM AND THE CITY HAS ALREADY DONE A GOOD JOB OF PUTTING IT YOU KNOW, ON THE MAP. BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT COMING TO JUST YOU KNOW, ANYWHERE. >> THAT IS WHAT I SAY ALL OF THE TIME. THEY WOULDN'T BE HERE. >> NO. >> MADAM MAYOR. >> YES. I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS OR TWO STATEMENTS PERHAPS. YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAVING THE CENSUS RIGHT NOW. TEN-YEAR CENSUS. I WAS WONDERING IF YOU SEE ANY KIND OF DOVEOV TAILING ON WHAT YOUR DATA GATHERING AND WHAT MIGHT BE PROVED WITH THE CENSUS. ALSO, I'M THINKING OF A PARTICULAR PROPERTY, WHICH I'M SURE THE STAFF WILL POINT OUT TO YOU, WHICH IS THAT VIRGINIA AVENUE AND U.S. 1 WHICH IS THE OLD KMART PLAZA. AND THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HEAR MOST ABOUT, AS MAYOR WHEN I GO OUT AND MEET WITH CITIZENS IS, WHAT IS THIS CITY DOING ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR PROPERTY AND I'M HOPING THAT YOU HAVE IDEAS TO HELP US. BECAUSE WE SEE THAT AS A PRIME CORNER. AND WE WANT THAT TO BE SUCCESSFUL. >> ABSOLUTELY. I THINK WE'VE TALKED ALREADY. I MEAN, EVEN RIGHT OFF OF 95, YOU GOT THE YOU KNOW, ORANGE BLOSSOM, THAT IS KIND OF A KEY STATEMENT AREA. AND THEN YOU COME DOWN TO VIRGINIA AND YOU GOT YOU KNOW, THAT CORNER. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT YOUR DOWNTOWN. SO THERE IS A COUPLE OF KEY AREAS THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT YOU KNOW, PLANS OF HOW TO YOU KNOW, ACTIVATE THOSE DIFFERENT CORRIDORS. BECAUSE DIFFERENT CORRIDORS ALL HAVE DIFFERENT DYNAMICS TO THEM. BUT THEY'RE ALL CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. BECAUSE WHEN YOU GET OFF 95, THAT SENDS THE STATEMENT, SORT OF THE WELCOME TO THE CITY. AND THEN YOU WANT TO CONTINUE THAT ON AND NOT HAVE YOU KNOW, MIXED MESSAGING, AS YOU GET INTO YOUR DOWNTOWN. >> RIGHT. RIGHT. AND DO YOU SEE THE CENSUS PLAYING A PART IN THIS OR ARE YOU BEING ABLE TO USE IT? >> DATA IS IMPORTANT. CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, YEAH. SO I MEAN, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF GROWTH HERE. SO HOPEFULLY ALL OF THESE NEW PEOPLE MOVING IN HERE ARE GOING TO TELL THEIR STORY OR AT LEAST TELL THEM THAT THEY'VE BEEN COUNTED. BECAUSE THAT IS A CRITICAL IMPORTANT DATA COMPONENT THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO CAPTURE. SHOWING GROWTH IS ONE OF THE MORE IMPORTANT YOU KNOW, DATA POINTS THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR. TRENDS OF GROWTH, TRENDS OF INCOME, TRENDS OF YOU KNOW, POSITIVE TREND GROWTH IS IMPORTANT. SO I THINK THAT WILL BE IMPORTANT. >> I'M SURE WE WOULD LIKE FOR YOU IN YOUR EFFORTS, WHEN YOU'RE OUT AND ABOUT WITH OUR STAFF TO PROMOTE COMPLY WITH THE CENSUS BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> THANK YOU. >> MAYOR, ONCE AGAIN, YOU MADE SURE TO GET THE CENSUS PUSH IN A MEETING. I'M KEEPING TRACK. YOU'RE 100 PERCENT SO FAR. >> THANK YOU FOR KEEPING TRACK. >> ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? ANYBODY? SO WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE. >> SO MOVED. >> I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. LINDA HUDSON. >> OKAY. I HAVE A MOTION BY MAYOR HUDSON AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER SESSIONS. >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. >> YES. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. >> YES, MA'AM. >> MAYOR HUDSON. >> YES >> COMMISSIONER SESSIONS. >> YES, MA'AM. >> CHAIRMAN PERONA. >> YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. [d. FPRA Resolution 20-03 approving the purchase from the St. Lucie County School Board of the Means Court Elementary School and the Plan for Future Utilization of Means Court Center] >> THE NEXT ITEM IS RESOLUTION 20-03, A RESOLUTION OF THE FORT PIERCE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF PROPERTY COMMONLY KNOWN AS MEANS COURT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD OF ST. LUCIE COUNTY FLORIDA. >> MR. CHAIR, AT THIS TIME WE HAVE TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE GOING TO BE TAG TEAMING ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM. [01:20:04] GRANTS ADMINISTRATION MANAGER, MS. SCOTT AND SPECIAL PROJECT COORDINATOR, MS. WELLS. AUDREY IS GOING TO SPEAK TO THE PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT. WE HAVE MR. SANDERS TO SPEAK ON THAT AS WELL. CALITA WILL SPEAK ABOUT THE VISION, INITIAL VISION OF THE UTILIZATION OF MEANS COURT SCHOOL. BUT AT THIS TIME I'LL TURN IT OVER: >> THIS IS REALLY AN EXCITING DAY. WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS AND ON JULY 14TH, WE BOTH ATTENDED THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. HOWEVER, IT WAS SUCH A QUICK TRANSACTION THAT CALITA HAD ALREADY ACCEPTED THE GIFT OF THE TRANSFER OF MEANS COURT SCHOOL. FROM THERE, WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO KIND OF FORMULATE IDEAS AS IT RELATES TO THE VISION IN REFERENCE TO MEANS OF THIS AREA. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE REVITALIZATION OF THAT AVENUE. INCLUDING THE AVENUE D CORRIDOR. WE'RE ASKING YOU TODAY TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF THIS PROPERTY. IT'S FOUR BUILDINGS. A HUGE PROPERTY. I THINK YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF WHERE IT'S LOCATED ON 13TH STREET. AND WE HAVE ALSO HAD OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS OUR BUILDING DEPARTMENT, THEY CONDUCTED A CONDITION ASSESSMENT OF THE FACILITY PRIOR TO ANY OF THIS TAKING PLACE. BUT WHAT THEY FOUND IS THAT THE BUILDING IS STRUCTURALLY SOUND AND THEY DIDN'T SEE ANY REALLY BAD OR THINGS REALLY CAUSED THEM TO HAVE SOME RESERVATION ABOUT MOVING FORWARD WITH ACCEPTING THE TRANSFER OF THIS PROPERTY. SO TODAY, THAT IS WHAT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO DO? >> FOR HOW MUCH. >> I APOLOGIZE. >> HOW MUCH? >> HE'S BEEN WAITING. Ô> WE WILL BE PURCHASING THE BUILDING FOR TEN DOLLARS. >> CAN I ASK A QUESTION? >> GO AHEAD. >> I JUST GOT FINISHED GOING OVER THE SURPLUS OF PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE AND THE LIST GOES FROM HERE TO 22ND STREET. AND I LIKE WHAT I HAVE HEARD. WE TALKED ABOUT IT. BUT FOR THE SAKE OF THE PUBLIC, CAN YOU AND YOUR PARTNER THERE, TELL THE PUBLIC WHY WE SHOULD PURCHASE THIS BUILDING AND PUT IT FOR TEN DOLLARS. AND PUT IT, WHAT DOES THIS BRING TO THE TABLE? WHY IS IT AN ASSET? BECAUSE THE PUBLIC DOESN'T KNOW. >> WE HAVE RESEARCHED AND FOUND THAT THE START OF THIS BUILDING STARTED IN THE HEARTS OF A GROUP OF PEOPLE YEARS AGO. CALITA HAS MORE INFORMATION. >> I'M GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF. >> YES. BECAUSE WE'VE LOOKED AT THE RESEARCH. WE'VE LOOKED AT HOW THIS BUILDING GOT STARTED. AND LIKE I SAID, IT GOT STARTED IN THE HEARTS OF A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS. AFRICAN-AMERICANS WHO WANTED TO BRING THE FIRST SCHOOL FOR THEIR CHILDREN. AND MEANS COURT SCHOOL IS THAT. SO TO BE ABLE, FOR THE CITY TO BE ABLE TO ACQUIRE THAT BUILDING, IT WILL REMAIN, IT WILL REMAIN IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY'S USE FOR YEARS TO COME. THE THINGS ENVISIONED FOR THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY ARE LIMITLESS. JUST THE EXCITEMENT TO BE ABLE TO BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER AROUND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DIVISION OF THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF PROPERTY IS TRULY AMAZING. BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IN INCORPORATING THE IDEAS AND THE PASSION FROM RESIDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, THIS WILL CATAPULT THAT AREA TO LEVELS OF EXCITEMENT AND ENGAGEMENT THAT I THINK YOU HAVE TALKED ABOUT SEEING RETURN TO THAT COMMUNITY. TO THAT PARTICULAR AREA. [01:25:03] I THINK THIS WILL BE A HUGE SPRING BOARD INTO THAT VISION, JUST THE IDEAS AND JUST THE POTENTIAL THAT WE SEE IN JUST THIS ONE PIECE OF PROPERTY BECAUSE OF WHAT IT WAS FOUNDED UPON. AND BECAUSE OF THE CONNECTION THAT IT HAS TO THIS COMMUNITY. >> I SEE PAM BACK THERE AND SHE AND I HAD TALKED ABOUT IT. SHE PRETTY MUCH SAID EVERYTHING THAT YOU JUST SAID, BUT THE PUBLIC DIDN'T KNOW. I JUST WANTED THE PUBLIC TO KNOW WHAT OUR VISION IS AND WHAT WE PROJECT AND WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH ALL OF THIS. THANK YOU. >> I'M WAITING ON PINS AND NEEDLES. CALITA IS READY TO TALK ABOUT IT. IN MY EXPERIENCE, DAY JOB, I TRY TO LOOK AT WAYS TO REDUCE SQUARE FOOTAGE WHEN A GOVERNMENT IS INVOLVED AND PROPERTIES. WE JUST TALKED ABOUT TODAY OF ALL THINGS, HOW WE'RE GOING TO START YOU KNOW, BEING MORE AGGRESSIVE AND DISPOSITION OF PROPERTIES OWNED BY FPRA OR CITY OF FORT PIERCE. THOSE ARE IMPORTANT ELEMENTS. WHEN YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE THIS, LET ME BACK UP. WE'VE INVESTED IN LANDS BEFORE AND THEN SOLD THEM PROBABLY AT A LOSS, ACTUALLY WE KNOW OF SOME THAT WERE A LOSS. AS AN FPRA BOARD. SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY. I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR THE VISION. I WANTED TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION. THOSE ARE THE FIRST QUESTIONS WE HEAR FROM FOLKS. NO MATTER WHERE YOU BUY LAND, NO MATTER WHERE YOU BUILD A BUILDING, WHY ARE YOU DOING IT THIS WAY AND HOW ARE YOU HELPING ME YOU KNOW, WITH THE RETURN ON MY INVESTMENT AS A TAX PAYING CITIZEN AND SO MY QUESTION IS, ALL OF THE GROUPS TOOK A LOOK AT IT. NOTHING WAS A SURPRISE, ACCORDING TO THE REPORTS YOU GOT FROM A CAPITAL OR MAINTENANCE PERSPECTIVE, NO ISSUES WHATSOEVER. NO ROOF, WINDOW PAINTING, NOTHING LARGE THAT IS GOING TO COME AT US IN THE NEXT 18, 24, 36 MONTHS. >> NO, SIR. THAT IS GOOD INFORMATION. >> BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, THOUGH, COMMISSIONER, EVEN IF IT DID, IF IT NEEDED A BRAND NEW ROOF, SO BE IT. THAT IS A BUILDING THAT I CAN TELL YOU, LIKE THE YOUNG LADY JUST EXPRESSED TO YOU, HEART AND THE PULSE OF THE COMMUNITY. AND IT'S ABOUT TIME WE START SPENDING SOME MONEY. I'M NOT TRYING TO ATTACK YOU OR ANYTHING. IT'S NOT MEANT PERSONAL. BUT YOU KNOW, I'M JUST SAYING, WITH THAT BUILDING SITTING THERE, IN THE STATE THAT IT'S BEEN FOR THIS PERIOD OF TIME, AND WHERE IT'S CENTRALLY LOCATED, IF WE SPENT, I CAN'T SAY GET MY CHECKBOOK NOW, COME ON, BUT IT DESERVES SOME ATTENTION AND MONEY TO BE SPENT. BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO JUST BLOSSOM. ESPECIALLY IN THAT AREA. SO I DIDN'T EXPECT FOR THEM TO COME IN HERE AND TELL ME THAT IT'S IN PERFECT CONDITION BECAUSE I'M PREPARED TO WRITE A CHECK IF WE HAVE TO IN TERMS OF WHAT IT CAN DO FOR THIS AREA. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT. >> OKAY. AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE VISION. SO I MEAN, THOSE ARE QUESTIONS THAT COME UP IN CONVERSATION SO I'M GOING TO ASK THEM OF STAFF AND THAT IS WHAT I'M DOING. AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THOSE QUESTIONS ARE TALKED ABOUT AND BEING ANSWERED. AS A PROFESSIONAL IN THAT INDUSTRY, IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME SITTING WITH THIS HAT ON THAT KNOWS THAT BUSINESS VERY VERY WELL, I HAVE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS TO THE RESIDENTS AND FPRA RESIDENTS ALSO. SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT. LET'S TALK ABOUT A VISION. OR WHEREVER THE NEXT STEP IS. THANK YOU. >> BEFORE YOU TAKE OVER, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK MR. MARTY SANDERS FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD. HE WAS VERY HELPFUL IN GUIDING US ALONG THROUGH THIS PROCESS. AS WELL AS THE CITY ATTORNEY, HE ALSO ASSISTED WITH HELPING US TO NAVIGATE THE PAPERWORK AND THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD.U. >> OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON. LET'S GET INTO THE VISION FOR THE UTILIZATION OF THE MEANS COURT SCHOOL. A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY. IN THE EARLY 1900S, THIS WAS A TIN SHED ON 8TH STREET. 1920, IT WAS THE ONLY SCHOOL FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS TO GO TO SCHOOL THROUGH 8TH GRADE. IT MOVED TO 13TH AND MEANS COURT WHERE IT IS NOW. AFTER EXPANSION, IT WAS THE ONLY SCHOOL FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS SOUTH OF PALATKA. AFTER ACCREDITATION IN 1928, IT [01:30:01] WAS ONE OF FOUR NEGRO SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, STUDENTS CAME FROM NEW SMYRNA, DEL RAY BEACH, FROM TAMPA TO ATTEND. ESTABLISHED, THERE IS A HISTORY OF EXCELLENCE THERE THAT WE HOPE TO CONTINUE. IT ESTABLISHED A REPUTATION FOR SCHOLARSHIPS, ATHLETICS, SIMILAR TO HOW IT IS NOW. IT INSISTED THAT THE TEACHERS HAVE BACHELOR'S DEGREE, SOMETHING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO SPEAK TO THAT EXCELLENCE. BETWEEN THE YEARS OF 1930 AND UNTIL IT CLOSED, THEY HAD BOYS BASKETBALL STATE TOURNAMENTS, SCHOOL PAPER WAS PRINTED. NEW TEXTBOOKS AND FURNITURE WERE ORDERED. AND IT BECAME FULLY ACCREDITED BY THE SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS. THOSE ARE ALL MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN SCHOOLS DURING THAT TIME. IT'S A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY ASSET. WE EXPECT IT TO CONTINUE OUR WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITY AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS SERVE AS AN OPPORTUNITY. THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED WAS THAT THE COMMUNITY WANTED A COMMUNITY SERVICE HUB, SPECIFICALLY HOW WOULD YOU USE ANOTHER COMMUNITY CENTER IN LINCOLN PARK. AND THEY WANTED A COMMUNITY SERVICES HUB. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SPACE, SPACE FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS, CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR ADULTS, PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, TECH HUB FOR ENTREPRENEURS. YOUTH OUTREACH AND FARMER'S MARKET COMMUNITY GARDEN. WHAT WE'VE GOT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A MOCK-UP. ALL OF THIS IS SUBJECT TO APPROVAL OF COURSE. BUT THIS IS KIND OF THE VISION OF BASED ON HOW THE SCHOOL WAS ACTUALLY LAID OUT. WHEN YOU COME IN, WE HAVE A SPACE FOR CITY STAFF. LARGE CONFERENCE ROOM THAT USED TO BE THE TV PRODUCTION STUDIO. WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT AS A COMMUNITY CONFERENCE ROOM AND MEETING CENTER. COMMUNITY RESOURCE ROOM. WHERE OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS COULD COME IN, SUCH AS SCORE, CAREER SOURCE, RESEARCH, SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, TO COME IN AND HELP OUR SMALL BUSINESSES. CO-WORKING IS A BIG BUZZ WORD. A LOT OF SPACES JUST LIKE THIS THAT HAVE CO-WORKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENTREPRENEURS AND BUSINESSES, FIVE, TEN DOLLARS, RENT SPACE AND USE THAT AS THEIR OFFICE. NOW THEY HAVE A PROFESSIONAL ADDRESS, PLACE TO WORK AND NOW THEY CAN TAKE THEIR BUSINESS FROM THEIR HOME TO THE NEXT LEVEL. WE HAVE SPACES TO WHERE WE COULD HAVE UP TO 24 AND POSSIBLY MORE SPACES FOR CO-WORKING. ALSO, I'LL TAKE A STEP BACK, I'VE HAD MANY NAMES IN MY HEAD FOR THIS PLACE. WITH THAT, LINCOLN PARK ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND BUSINESS CENTER, SOMETHING COOLER, WITH THAT, WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE A LIBRARY AND BUSINESS CENTER, WHERE WE HAVE A SPACE WHERE ENTREPRENEURS CAN GO FROM THEIR CO-WORKING OFFICE ACROSS THE HALL TO MAKE COPIES, GET RESOURCES, A LIBRARY, GREAT ASSET FOR ANYONE WHO CAN COME IN THE BUILDING. THE SPACE ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT, IT'S A REALLY LARGE AREA. AND WE CAN FORESEE A COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION SITUATION KIND OF RUNNING THE BUILDING FROM THERE. OR RUNNING A MAJOR ASPECT OF IT. ALL OF THIS IS UP FOR APPROVAL. THAT IS JUST THE FIRST FLOOR. SECOND FLOOR, THERE IS OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH POTENTIAL EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS. THEY CAN HAVE A LARGE SPACE FOR THEIR HUB. SOMETHING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY WE HAVE A LOT OF NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE INCREASING THEIR CAPACITY RIGHT NOW. TALK ABOUT THOSE PARTNERSHIPS, ONE OF OUR FAVORITE PARTNERS, THEY CURRENTLY HAVE A PROJECT WHERE A MODEL SUCH AS THIS, THEY MAY BE ABLE TO ASSIST SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS, HAVE A HOME RIGHT HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF LINCOLN PARK. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT UP TO SIX AND MAYBE EVEN MORE NON-PROFITS HOUSED THERE. YOUTH COUNCIL, I THINK IT WOULD BE KIND OF COOL TO GIVE THE YOUTH A SPACE AMONGST ALL OF THIS EXCELLENCE GOING ON. POSSIBLY OUR YOUTH COUNCIL COULD TAKE THAT CORNER OFFICE AND UTILIZE THAT AS A THINK TANK OR EVEN THEIR OWN SPACE FOR MEETINGS, ET CETERA. WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A LOT OF SPACE OUTSIDE. AND BEING THAT WE'RE A FOOD DESERT IN LINCOLN PARK AND FORT PIERCE, OUR DEDICATION TO COMMUNITY GARDENS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME SORT OF FOOD PRODUCTION, FARMER'S MARKET, COMMUNITY GARDEN ASPECT OUTSIDE. [01:35:02] AND OUTDOORS THERE IS A GREAT SPACE TO HAVE EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIP OUTDOORS. WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE WITH ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY. COMPREHENSIVE, IT'S GOT A LOT OF PIECES TO IT. BUT IT'S DEFINITELY DOABLE WITH ALL OF THE RESOURCES AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, THIS WONDERFUL CENTER CAN BE DONE. AND THIS WAS PRESENTED TO THE CRA ADVISORY BOARD IN JUNE. AND HERE WE ARE TODAY TO PRESENT IT TO YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? >> ANY QUESTIONS? >> SO I HAVE ONE. IT'S ANTICIPATED THAT CITY STAFF WILL BE IN CHARGE OF THE BUILDING AND BE HOUSED IN THE BUILDING? >> WELL, AT THIS TIME WE HAVE NOT MADE THAT DECISION, SIR. I DO BELIEVE THERE IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH SOME OF OUR EXISTING COMMUNITY PARTNERS. I COULD TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT LINCOLN PARK MAIN STREET, THEY'RE LOCATED RIGHT THERE IN THAT FACILITY. I'M SORRY NOT IN THE FACILITY, IN THE VICINITY, AT THE JACKIE CANON BUILDING. THERE IS A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THEM PRESENT AND MORE PRESENT IN THE COMMUNITY AT THAT LOCATION. BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE SEVERAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS, SEVERAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN ASSIST US. BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU, WE JUST DON'T HAVE ADDITIONAL STAFF TO JUST RELOCATE TO THAT AREA. CALITA HAS GOT ABOUT TWO OR THREE FOLKS WORKING FOR HER. WE'RE GOING TO FIND A GREAT CREATIVE MIX TO CREATE THE WORKING AND CULTURAL ATMOSPHERE THAT WE DESIRE FOR THE LINCOLN PARK AREA AT THAT FACILITY. >> DID WE COME UP WITH A MAINTENANCE COST, LIKE AN ANNUAL COST? I KNOW YOU HAD BUILDING AND YOU HAD PUBLIC WORKS GO THROUGH THE PLACE. SO I'M SURE THE DOLLARS START FLOWING UP THERE. I MEAN, NOT THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A DEAL KILLER. IT'S JUST THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A FEEL. >> NO PROBLEM. >> ONE SECOND. SO WE DON'T HAVE ONE. MAYBE WE CAN GET THAT LATER ON. JUST GET AN IDEA OF WHAT IS GOING ON. SOME OF THE DEFERRED LARGE ITEMS, THE CAPITAL ITEMS THAT YOU KNOW, IF THE ROOF IS GOOD NOW, IT WON'T BE GOOD IN TEN YEARS FROM NOW, BE ABLE TO GIVE US AN IDEA OF EXACTLY WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT. COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER, GO AHEAD. >> YES. CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> YES. I WANT TO WELCOME MARTY, FIRST OF ALL. TO OUR CHAMBERS AGAIN. HE IS A GREAT EXPERT ON SCHOOLS. AND SCHOOL BOARD. AND THE SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND ALL. (INAUDIBLE) MAIN STREET THERE AND FREEING UP THAT OTHER BUILDING THAT THAT COULD BE A GREAT ASSET. WE CAN CONSIDER THAT (INAUDIBLE) BEFORE YOU START SQUAWKING OVER A FEW DOLLARS, I'M GOING TO BE STRONGLY AGAINST THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST TO PUT YOUR FINGER IN THIS DAM, BECAUSE THE BUILDING HAS BEEN SITTING THERE FOR MANY YEARS. AND I'VE BEEN THERE WHEN THEY HAD YOUNG PEOPLE THERE WITH THE (INAUDIBLE) I STRONGLY OBJECT TO ANYONE THAT IS AGAINST THIS. THAT IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY. >> MR. SANDERS. >> ONE SECOND, MAYOR. MR. SANDERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENT? >> TELL US WHO YOU ARE. >> MY NAME IS MARTY SANDERS. SCHOOL BOARD EMPLOYEE. I'VE WORKED WITH THE STAFF ON DISPOSING OF THE PROPERTY ON [01:40:08] BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. AS YOU'RE AWARE, THAT WAS OUR INSTRUCTIONAL TV FACILITY FOR OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS. WE'VE MOVED THAT FACILITY INTO OUR NEW DISTRICT OFFICE. SO WE NO LONGER HAD A NEED FOR THAT BUILDING. IT DIDN'T FIT OUR MODEL OF THE SCHOOL TODAY. SCHOOLS, DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGY, ALL OF THOSE THINGS. I'M SURE MR. MIMMS AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, CATHERINE HENSLEY AND OTHERS, THIS IS A COMMUNITY ASSET. YOUR STAFF LAID OUT A GREAT HISTORY. I KNOW DR. GAINS, FORMER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TALKED VERY WARMLY ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THIS WAS TO THE NORTHWEST FORT PIERCE COMMUNITY. THE BOARD HAD INDICATED THAT THIS IS A COMMUNITY ASSET, NEEDS TO STAY A COMMUNITY ASSET. TAXPAYER MONEY PAID FOR IT. THAT IS WHY WE WERE LOOKING FOR A TRANSFER TO THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. IT'S A CONTRACT FOR SALE AND PURCHASE. BUT IT REALLY IS JUST A TRANSFER, ATTORNEYS DO ATTORNEY THINGS THAT THEY'RE USED TO DOING. AND THAT IS HOW THEY TRANSFER PROPERTY. SO THAT IS HOW THEY GOT TO WHERE WE ARE WITH A CONTRACT FOR SALE ON PURCHASE. THE BUILDING, WE WERE USING THAT UP UNTIL LAST NOVEMBER OR SO. WE HAD VERY LITTLE PROBLEMS WITH THE BUILDING. SOME OF THE ITEMS, AS YOU POINTED OUT, COMMISSIONER PERONA, ARE AT THE END OF ITS LIFE. PROBABLY THE BIGGEST CONCERN I WOULD HAVE IS AIR-CONDITIONING UNITS AS THEIR UNIT VENTILATORS IN EACH CLASSROOM, AS THEY DIED OFF, WE HAD BEEN CONVERTING THOSE INTO INDIVIDUAL DX AIR CONDITIONING UNITS. SO IT CAN BE A VERY ECONOMICAL CHANGEOUT TO A DX, VERY EFFICIENT. IT WORKS WELL WITH A MULTI-USE OPERATION WHERE YOU CAN HAVE ONE ON SO WE'RE HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO FACILITY THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE AND BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY AND THE TAXPAYERS THAT PAID FOR THAT BUILDING. >> ONE SECOND. MADAM MAYOR. I WAS GOING TO GO OFF ON A DIFFERENT SUBJECT. SO IF SOMEBODY HAS A QUESTION OF MR. SANDERS, THEY CAN GO AHEAD AND THEN I CAN FOLLOW-UP. >> MR. SESSIONS. >> COMMENT. >> I HAD A COMMENT. >> PLEASE BRING BACK TO THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT WE APPRECIATE THIS AND THE THOUGHT OF KEEPING THE PUBLIC ASSET IN MIND AND HOW IT CAN, ONCE YOU'RE DONE WITH IT, YOU GIVE IT TO SOMEBODY THAT CAN DO SOMETHING THAT IS GREAT FOR YOUR COMMUNITY. AND IT'S MUCH APPRECIATED. >> THANK YOU. >> WHILE YOU'RE ON THAT NOTE, LET ME ASK HIM A QUESTION, JUST FOR THE RECORD. THERE SEEMED TO BE CONCERN UP HERE. YOU'RE OFFICIALLY SAYING THAT THAT BUILDING IN ITS PRESENT STATE, IT'S NOT MUCH IN TERMS OF COST, AM I CORRECT? >> WE HAVE SPENT VERY LITTLE TO MAINTAIN THAT BUILDING OVER THE LAST TEN OR 20 YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN THERE. THE BIGGEST EXPENSE THAT WE HAD IN THAT 18 YEARS I'VE BEEN AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS WE PAVED THE PARKING LOT. CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE. BUT THERE HAS BEEN VERY LITTLE MAINTENANCE EXPENDITURES ON THAT FACILITY. >> BUT YOU'RE GIVING IT TO US FOR TEN DOLLARS. TO SATISFY THE LAWYERS. >> CORRECT. >> HE'S NOT GIVING YOU A WARRANTY, COMMISSIONER SESSIONS. >> NO. THAT IS WHY WE DID IT THIS WAY. IF I CAN BRIEFLY, MR. CHAIR, IT'S A PURCHASE AND SALE. SO WE HAVE TITLE INSURANCE, THIS IS A PARCEL AND IT'S ACTUALLY SEVERAL PARCELS THROUGH OVER 100 PLUS YEARS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE NO CLAIMS AGAINST THE TITLE IN OUR OWNERSHIP FOR THAT REASON, THAT WE WILL NEVER HAVE TO LOOK OVER OUR SHOULDER AND SAY SOMEBODY CLAIMS PART OF THIS. SO WE HAVE OVER $1.1 MILLION IN TITLE INSURANCE. >> GOOD. >> THANK YOU. I TOURED THIS FACILITY SIX OR EIGHT MONTHS AGO, A WHILE BACK. I WAS VERY VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE PROSPECT. AND WHILE I'M NOT AS SCHOOLED AS THE REST OF YOU, PARTICULARLY YOU, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, ABOUT FACILITIES, TO ME THIS FACILITY LOOKED LIKE IT HAD GOOD BONES. AND I CAN APPRECIATE THE HISTORY OF THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY AND BECAUSE I LOVE THE HISTORY OF IT. [01:45:01] I AM EXCITED THAT THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND HAVE KIND OF ALMOST A HISTORY AND CULTURAL CENTER. AND I LIKE THE IDEAS THAT KALITA LAID OUT IN TERMS OF THE PROSPECTS OF THE DIFFERENT USES. BECAUSE IT IS AN OLD-FASHIONED SCHOOL, AS MR. SANDERS SAID. SO THE SCHOOLS ARE NOW MUCH MORE HIGH TECH. BUT THIS WILL HAVE A FEEL OF AN OLD-FASHIONED SCHOOL. IT IS A BIG PIECE OF PROPERTY. IT'S IN THE CENTER OF THE LINCOLN PARK NEIGHBORHOOD. I JUST FEEL LIKE THERE ARE OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE HAD THESE KIND OF FACILITIES AND I THINK WE CAN LOOK AT FOR INSTANCE, I THINK PHILADELPHIA AND BALTIMORE AND OTHER CITIES HAVE RECLAIMED BUILDINGS LIKE THIS AND MADE REALLY GREAT USE OF THEM WITH ALL KINDS OF PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS THAT CAN HELP PEOPLE TRAIN FOR JOBS AND HELP NON-PROFITS. SO I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS. I WONDERED IF WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO INDIAN RIVER STATE COLLEGE OR PLAN TO NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A NEW HEAD THERE. I THINK WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF PARTNERSHIP AND PROGRAM WITH THE STATE COLLEGE. >> YES. MAYOR, YES. THANK YOU. WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO INDIAN RIVER STATE COLLEGE AND WE DO INTEND TO HAVE THEM AS PARTNERS. >> GOOD. WELL, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS. BECAUSE THIS IS HISTORIC. NOT THE BUILDING IS HISTORIC, BUT THE PROPERTY, IT GOES BACK TO THE REAL HUNGER FOR QUALITY EDUCATION AND THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN THE EARLY PART OF THE 20TH CENTURY. >> MR. SESSIONS. >> I'LL SAY THIS MUCH TOO, I AM VERY PROUD, ESPECIALLY DURING THESE TIMES RIGHT NOW, WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY ISSUES GOING ON. WITH BLACK LIVES MATTERS MOVEMENTS, INDIVIDUALS ARE TRYING TO SHOW INITIATIVE AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND BY THAT I MEAN WE'RE TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM THE OLD WAY OF DOING THINGS. EVERYBODY IS ENTITLED TO THE SAME THING. WHEN I LOOK AT THIS BUILDING AND LOOK AT THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF IT, IT'S A BLESSING FOR US TO EVEN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE A BUILDING FOR TEN DOLLARS, THE LAND ITSELF IS WORTH MORE THAN TEN DOLLARS. WE GOT A BUILDING ON IT. SO IF THE SON OF A GUN FALLS DOWN TOMORROW, WE CAN PUT WHATEVER IT TAKES IN ORDER TO GET IT BACK UP AND RUNNING AND BRING IT BACK INTO FRUITION AND MAKE IT LOOK WHAT WE WANT IT TO BE. AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL STAND OUT AND BE THE PERFECT MODEL OF WHAT WE SHOULD BE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE IN THE CITY OF FOORT PIERCE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SOCIAL SERVICES THAT ARE LEFT FORT PIERCE, SOCIAL SECURITY, THE POST OFFICE, EVEN THE SCHOOL BOARD, THEY JUST LEFT FORT PIERCE. THIS BUILDING WOULD GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNERSHIP UP WITH NOT JUST GROUPS LIKE OR YOU ALL MAY BE THINKING, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT NEED THESE SERVICES AND FOR WHATEVER REASONS, THINGS HAVE SHIFTED FURTHER SOUTH, BUT IF WE COULD RETURN THEM, WE CAN GET FULL USE OF THIS BUILDING SOCIAL SECURITY. WE MAY HAVE TO OFFER THEM FREE RENT. CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW MUCH THAT BUILDING WOULD BE UTILIZED IN THE NORTHWEST SECTION, WHERE THERE'S A MAJORITY OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS. SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE IN THAT BUILDING. POST OFFICE. YOU KNOW, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SCHOOL BOARD. I HEAR SO MANY COMPLAINTS NOW WHEN PARENTS ARE TALKING ABOUT I GOT TO GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO ST. LUCIE. I DON'T HAVE A CAR. SO MANY THINGS THAT WE CAN UTILIZE THIS FOR. MAIN STREET. WITH THE RIGHT ATTITUDE, WE WON'T HAVE A PROBLEM FILLING IT. IT'S A BLESSING, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY. LET'S GO TO WORK. LET'S SPEND THE MONEY. LET'S BUY AIR CONDITION. LET'S DO WHATEVER WE HAVE TO DO TO GET IT UP AND RUNNING. [01:50:01] THANK YOU. >> YES. >> ALL THE THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS CALLED ADAPTIVE REUSE. TAKING OUT AN OLD IDEA AND PUTTING IN NEW IDEAS. I APPRECIATE THE EFFORT OF STAFF AND THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX AND SCHOOL BOARD AND DISTRICT FOR PROPOSING THIS. AND OUR COMMUNITY FOR BRINGING IT FORWARD. MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 20-03 FOR THE EXCHANGE AND PURCHASE OF MEANS COURT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. >> SECOND. >> SECOND. >> I HAVE A LOT OF SECONDS. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. >> YES, MA'AM. >> MAYOR HUDSON. >> YES, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER SESSIONS. >> YES, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. >> YES. >> CHAIRMAN PERONA. >> YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU MARTY. APPRECIATE IT. >> GOT ANYMORE BUILDINGS YOU WANT TO GET RID OF? [e. FPRA Resolution 20-05 Appointing members to the Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory Committee.] >> NEXT ITEM IS RESOLUTION 20-05, RESOLUTION OF THE FORT PIERCE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, DEPENDENT SPECIAL DISTRICT, CERTIFYING THE APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. MR. MIMMS, WOULD YOU MIND PASSING THESE BALLOTS DOWN. SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE THREE OPEN AT LARGE POSITIONS ON THIS BOARD. TWO FOLKS WHOSE TERMS EXPIRED DID NOT SEEK REAPPOINTMENT. AND ONE SEAT WAS VACATED BY A RESIGNATION. SO WITH YOU TODAY YOU HAVE FIVE APPLICATIONS FOR THE THREE. I HAVE E-MAILED BOTH MAYOR HUDSON AND COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER, THEIR BALLOTS IN ADVANCE. SO IF YOU COULD COMPLETE YOUR BALLOTS AND THEN ONCE EVERYBODY TURNS THEM IN, I'LL ASK THEM FOR THEIR VOTES AS WELL AND THEN WE'LL DO THE TALLY. AND SEE WHERE WE END UP. THREE NAMES. YOU'RE CHOOSING THREE NAMES. >> NOT YET. COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER, IF YOU COULD GIVE ME YOUR THREE NAMES IN ORDER. >> OKAY. FROM ONE TO THREE? >> YES, SIR. YOUR FIRST. >> MY FIRST CHOICE IS CAROLYN MANN LARRY. SECOND CHOICE IS SABRINA TAYLOR. THIRD IS ELLA HODGE WILLIAMS. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >> NEXT MAYOR HUDSON. >> FIRST CHOICE SABRINA TAYLOR. SECOND CHOICE, ELLEN MANCINI. THIRD CHOICE, GLORIA SAVANNAH. [01:55:13] IT'S GOING TO GO SILENT. I HAVE TO TAKE A MINUTE TO ADD THESE UP. >> I NOW APPRECIATE MAYOR HUDSON A WHOLE LOT MORE. >> I JUST WOULD LIKE TO RETURN THE FAVOR TO YOU WHEN I GET THE CHANCE. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON SELECTED ELLEN MANCINI. COMMISSIONER PERONA. ELLEN MANCINI, CAROLYN MAN-LORI. COMMISSIONER SESSIONS, ELLA HODGE WILLIAMS. MAYOR HUDSON, SABRINA TAYLOR, ELLEN MANCINI. SO WHEN I TOTAL UP THE POINTS, WE HAVE NUMBER ONE IS ELLEN MANCINI. NUMBER TWO IS SABRINA TAYLOR. AND NUMBER THREE IS CAROLYN MAN-LORI. SO MS. MAN-LORI WILL FILL THE UNEXPIRED TERM. SO WITH THAT -- >> MOVE APPROVAL. >> WE HAVE A MOTION. >> SECOND. >> I HAVE A SECOND. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> MAYOR HUDSON. >> YES. >> COMMISSIONER SESSIONS. >> YES, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. >> YES. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. >> YES, MA'AM. >> CHAIRMAN PERONA. >> YES, MA'AM. CONGRATULATIONS. [f. Approval to place proceeds from tax credit certificate in escrow for subsurface improvements to remove remnants of pre-existing King Power Plant for construction purposes.] >> APPROVAL TO PLACE PROCEEDS FROM TAX CREDIT CERTIFICATE IN ESCROW FOR SUB SURFACE IMPROVEMENTS TO REMAIN REMNANTS OF PREEXISTING KING POWER PLANT FOR CONSTRUCTION PURPOSES. >> MR. CHAIR, AT THIS TIME I WANTED TO GET WITH YOU ALL AND TELL YOU ABOUT A LITTLE SITUATION THAT WE HAVE BEEN HAVING AND THAT WE HAVE RECENTLY DISCOVERED. AS WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR CHOSEN DEVELOPER, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED ADDITIONAL STRUCTURES THAT ARE BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE KINGS LANDING SITE. THESE STRUCTURES HAVE BEEN FOUND TO BE VAST IN NUMBER. AND WHAT WE INITIALLY WANTED TO DO WAS DO SOME SOIL BORINGS AND IDENTIFY THE LOCATION. SO WE DID THAT. AND WE FOUND THAT THEY WERE VERY, I GUESS NUMEROUS IN THEIR LOCATION. WE FOLLOWED UP WITH THE GROUND PENETRATING RADAR, WHERE WE TRIANGULATED THE LOCATION OF THE ACTUAL UNDERGROUND STRUCTURES, WE FOUND THAT BELOW THE FOUR TO FIVE FOOT MARK, THERE ARE SUBSTANTIAL CONCRETE STRUCTURES AND FOUNDATIONS TO THE PRE-EXISTING BUILDINGS THAT WERE A PART OF THE HD CANE POWER PLANT. THE DEVELOPER HAS SUBSEQUENTLY PROVIDED A REQUEST FOR THE FPRA, NOT THE CITY, TO SHARE IN THE COST OF REMOVING THE BURIED DEBRIS. AT THIS TIME IT IS STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TO PLACE THE PROCEEDS OF THE TAX CERTIFICATE SALE THAT WE RECEIVED AS A BONUS TAX CERTIFICATE FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE REHABILITATION OF THE SOIL CONTAMINATION THAT WAS WITH OUR SITE REHABILITATION COMPLETION ORDER. WE RECEIVED THAT AMOUNT AND NOW WE, THAT TOTALS ABOUT $450,000. THAT IS SITTING IN FPRACOFFERS. WE WOULD LIKE TO PLACE THAT IN ESCROW FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLY REMOVING THE SUBSURFACE STRUCTURES, TO FACILITATE THE EASE OF DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION AT THAT LOCATION. I HEARD A COUPLE OF STATEMENTS BY A CITIZEN, AS HE APPROACHED THE PODIUM. [02:00:06] STATING THAT THE FUNDS WERE NOT THE FPRA'S. THE FPRA DID APPLY FOR THESE TAX CREDITS. THE FPRA FACILITATED THE WORK. FPRA HIRED THE CONTRACTOR. AND THE FPRA SOUGHT AND SECURED THE LOANS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CLEAN-UP ACTIVITY THROUGH THE REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL. THE FPRA HAS SUBSEQUENTLY PAID THOSE LOANS BACK. FPRA HAS THAT BONUS REVENUE AND THE PROCEEDS FROM THE SALE OF THE TAX CREDIT CERTIFICATE. AND AT THIS TIME WE'RE ASKING THAT THOSE PROCEEDS BE PLACED IN ESCROW FOR THE PURPOSE OF ASSISTING WITH THE REMOVAL OF THE NUMEROUS NUMBER OF CONCRETE STRUCTURES BENEATH THE SURFACE. >> I HAVE A QUESTION. >> ONE SECOND. ONE SECOND. COMMISSIONER SESSIONS AND THEN COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. >> I GUESS I LOOKED TOWARD MY ATTORNEY FOR THE ANSWER FOR THIS. AM I HEARING HIM RIGHT, THE CONTRACTOR, WOULDN'T IT BE THEY'RE LIABLE FOR THEIR FAILURE TO CLEAN THIS UP. WE HIRED THE CONTRACTOR AND NOW WE FIND OUT, IT'S A HIDDEN DEFECT OR WHAT EXACTLY. HOW COME THIS WASN'T BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION BEFOREHAND AND HOW COME THEY'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. >> I'LL HAVE TO DEFER TO MR. MIMMS, I'LL DEFER TO MR. MIMMS. >> THE CONTRACT, TBE AT THAT TIME WAS HIRED TO REMOVE THE IDENTIFIED CONTAMINANTS THAT WERE IN THE SOIL. PCBS, WHICH I CAN'T PRONOUNCE WHAT THOSE ARE AND OTHER TYPE OF CONTAMINATION WITHIN THE SOIL. THE SOIL WAS REMOVED TO A CERTAIN DEPTH, AND THEN IT WAS NEW SOIL WAS TRUCKED IN AND PLACED AT THE LOCATION, TESTS WERE ACCOMPLISHED AND MET ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE FDEP PERMIT FOR THE BROWN FIELD REHABILITATION PROGRAM THAT WE WERE PARTICIPATING IN. AS FAR AS THE SUB-SURFACE STRUCTURES, THEY WERE LEFT THERE WITH THE DECOMMISSIONING OF THE PLANT. AND THEY WERE NOT A PART OF THE SITE REHABILITATION CLEAN-UP AS MANDATED BY THE FDEP. >> HOLD ON A SECOND. COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. >> YES. THAT WAS ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS PAID IN TO THE FPRA, WHY WOULD THAT MONEY NOT BE PAID TO USE FOR THE CLEAN-UP. BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE IT CAME FROM. I MEAN, IT COME FROM THE PLANT ITSELF. SO WHO WANTS TO TAKE A JAB AT THAT? >> I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THE FORT PIERCE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY WORKED WITH THE PLANNING COUNCIL AND WE IDENTIFIED A LOAN PROGRAM THROUGH THE BROWN FIELD REHABILITATION PROGRAM WHEREBY WE RECEIVED FUNDING AND FUNDING WAS ADVANCED AND WE UTILIZED THOSE LOAN PROCEEDS TO HELP US WITH THE CLEAN-UP AND THEN WHAT WE DID, WE, FPRE AND CITY STAFF APPLIED TO FDEP FOR TAX CREDIT CERTIFICATES TO BE USED TO PAY DOWN THE DEBT ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE LOANS. AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE DONE. THOSE LOANS HAVE BEEN PAID. FROM THIS PROGRAM, NONE OF THOSE PROCEEDS WERE ALLOWED TO GO TO THE FPUA BECAUSE IT WAS A PROGRAM FOR REDEVELOPMENT THAT WAS ADMINISTERED BY THE FORT PIERCE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY. >> MR. MIMMS, I THINK MAYBE YOU MISUNDERSTOOD MY QUESTION. >> OKAY. >> WHEN THEY FINISHED DECOMMISSIONING THE PLANT, THAT WAS A MILLION DOLLARS PAID FOR THE REFUGE. AM I RIGHT? >> THAT I DON'T KNOW, SIR. THAT WAS BEFORE MY TIME. >> WELL, SOMEBODY UP THERE REMEMBERS. MR. PERONA, YOU DON'T REMEMBER THAT. IT WAS FROM THE IRON THAT THE SCRAP IRON THAT COME FROM THAT PLANT, NOBODY REMEMBER THAT. >> THE ONLY THING I REMEMBER IS THAT THE FIRST DEMOLITION TOOK PLACE AND IT WAS EXPENSIVE AND THAT DEMOLITION UNVEILED THE [02:05:09] FACT THAT WE HAD CONTAMINANTS ON THE PROPERTY THAT HAD TO BE CLEANED UP, THAT WAS NOT NECESSARILY RUBBLE AND IRON AND ROOFING MATERIAL. SO I MEAN, REALLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT, TWO COMPLETE DIFFERENT CLEAN-UPS AND NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A THIRD ONE. >> YEAH. >> AGAIN, I JUST DON'T SEE, I THOUGHT FORT PIERCE UTILITIES HAD A RESPONSIBILITY OF MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING WAS CLEAN, AND PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC. FOR PURCHASE. NOW WE'RE COMING BACK NOW WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST TO REMOVE THAT DEBRIS. NO ONE WANTS TO TAKE THAT RESPONSIBILITY. >> IF YOU DON'T MIND, I CAN RESPOND TO THAT. >> WE HAVE HAD INITIAL ASSESSMENTS OF THE COST OF THE REMOVAL OF THE STRUCTURES. IT'S A NEIGHBORHOOD OF 100 TO $150,000. NOW, THERE IS SOME DEWATERING THAT WILL TAKE PLACE. BUT THAT WILL ALSO BE INCORPORATED WITH THE FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTION AND THE NEEDED REMOVAL NECESSARY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF ALL OF THE PLANNED FACILITIES OF THE KINGS LANDING. SO WE HAVE A PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE AND OF COURSE, THIS IS NOT A GIFT TO THE DEVELOPER. IF ANYTHING, THIS IS ANOTHER POSSIBLE INVESTMENT BY THE FPRA TO CLEAN OUR PROPERTY AND PREPARE IT FOR DEVELOPMENT. THAT WAY WE CAN REAP THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IMPACTS THAT IT WILL HAVE FOR THE COMMUNITY. >> I GOT A QUESTION. >> FIRST COMMISSIONER JOHNSON AND THEN YOU. >> PART OF MY QUESTION WAS ANSWERED IN THE CORRESPONDENCE THERE. BUT MY QUESTION IS WHO ORIGINALLY OVERSAW THE DEMOLITION OF THE KING PLANT ITSELF? >> AGENCY THAT OVERSAW THE DEMOLITION WAS THE FORT PIERCE UTILITIES AUTHORITY. >> THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER SESSIONS. >> BEFORE I START SPENDING MONEY, I WANT TO FIRST OF ALL FIND OUT WHO IS RESPONSIBLE. NOW, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR AND WE FAIL TO DO, IT'S ONE THING. AND I'M WONDERING WHY THE DEVELOPER ISN'T HERE ASKING FOR THIS AS OPPOSED TO YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER. SO THAT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT WE MAY BE RESPONSIBLE. AND THAT IN AND OF ITSELF WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON MY DECISION MAKING. SO I MEAN, WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE AND IF WE WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE, THEN WHY SHOULD WE BEAR THE COSTS? IF WE DID SOMETHING AND WE FAILED TO DO SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE, THEN WE GOT TO BITE THE BULLET. BUT IF NOT, I'M NOT INTERESTED IN GIVING A DEVELOPER THAT KIND OF MONEY, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS PANDEMIC TIMES AND THEY'RE NOT EVEN HERE. >> I CAN ANSWER THAT. THE FPRA MET ALL STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS OF THE CLEAN-UP OF THAT SITE AS PER FDEP REQUIREMENTS. WE WERE ISSUED A SITE REHABILITATION COMPLETION ORDER TO AFFIRM THAT. NOW, AS FAR AS WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PREPPING THAT SITE FOR CONSTRUCTION, THAT WOULD BE THE DEVELOPER. AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, THEY WOULD BASICALLY THEY WOULD BE GIVEN THE SITE TO DEVELOP THIS POTENTIAL 85 TO $95 MILLION DEVELOPMENT TO PROPEL THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND THE FPRA WITH THIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT. SO IF YOU'RE ASKING WHO IS RESPONSIBLE, IT'S NOT US. IF ANYTHING, THIS WOULD BE TO ASSIST THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM IN MOVING FORWARD. BUT WE DO NOT HAVE TO DO THIS. THIS WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION AND THESE FUNDS WERE PROVIDED TO US AS TAX CREDITS CERTIFICATE INCENTIVE FUNDS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TO POUR IT BACK INTO THE PROJECT IS WHAT SEVERAL ENTITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS DO TO HELP SPUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. >> SO WE'RE SORT OF LIKE WE'RE GIVING THEM A GIFT AND THEY DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER TO EVEN COME AND ASK FOR THE GIFT. YOU'RE ASKING FOR IT FOR THEM. >> COMMISSIONER AND MR. CHAIR, I WANT TO CLARIFY ONE OTHER PART WHICH IS THE DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD. SO WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS FOR KINGS LANDING, AS MR. MIMMS JUST INDICATED, SAID WE'VE MET OUR BURDEN, AS THE OWNING AGENCY. HERE, WE'VE LAID OUR CARDS OUT ON THE TABLE. THIS IS WHAT FLORIDA DEPARTMENT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION HAS TOLD US, GOOD, CLEAN, MET EVERYTHING. THEY SAID FINE, JUST LIKE WHEN YOU WOULD NORMALLY BUY ANY OTHER PIECE OF PROPERTY, A [02:10:04] HOME, A RESTAURANT, AN UNIMPROVED PARCEL. I'M GOING TO HIRE MY OWN CONSULTANTS TO DOUBLE CHECK IF THERE IS SOMETHING HIDDEN UNDERGROUND, SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT. AND IF WE FIND IT, AND WE DON'T LIKE IT, WE CAN WALK AWAY. AND THAT MORE OR LESS WHERE WE'VE KIND OF COME TO. NOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT, I MEAN, WE'VE HAD OTHER TITLE EXCEPTIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH RELATED TO THE HISTORY OF SOME OF THE LAND GOING BACK TO 1900 AND THAT THE RIVER WAS ACTUALLY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF INDIAN RIVER DRIVE AND RAN THROUGH. SO WE'VE WORKED THROUGH, CHEYENNE HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL IN WORKING WITH THE DEVELOPER ON TRYING TO REMEDY SOME OF THESE THINGS. BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THEY POINTED THIS OUT DURING THE DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD AND THAT IS WHY IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION. >> I WANT TO ADD SOMETHING. I KNOW THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY SAID SOMETHING ABOUT DUE DILIGENCE AND THE CONTRACTOR OR DEVELOPER POSSIBLY WALKING AWAY. THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. $150,000 IS NOT A DEAL BREAKER. THIS WAS A SIMPLE ASK. WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE. THIS WOULD BE AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO THIS AT ALL. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED. BUT THIS IS A SIMPLE REQUEST. AND THIS FUNDING IS MEANT FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THAT IS WHAT IS BEING BROUGHT TO YOU TODAY. >> I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR MY POSITION WASN'T TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN TO ADVISE YOU LEGALLY IF THAT ENDS UP BEING A REASON, THEY WOULD NOT BE IN BREACH OF THE CONTRACT. >> I THINK WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF THE FACT THAT MUCH LIKE COMMISSIONER SESSIONS SAYS HOW TO GET THERE. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE. CITY OF FORT PIERCE HAD THE UTILITY AUTHORITY BACK IN THAT DAY AND BUILT ALL OF THOSE STRUCTURES. SO THEN IN THE '70S, I THINK THE FORT PIERCE UTILITY AUTHORITY WAS ORGANIZED AND THEY END UP, THAT ENTITY BECAME THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY. SO BOTH HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE POLLUTING OF THAT, IF I CAN SAY THAT, POLLUTED THAT PROPERTY OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. THAT IS WHY THE FPRA NOW OWNS IT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT. WE'RE JUST THE OWNERS NOW AND WE'RE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO CLEAN IT AND TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR US. AND THAT IS WHERE WE ARE TODAY. SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT, THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE AND THE FORT PIERCE UTILITY AUTHORITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WHATEVER IS UNDER THE GROUND. AND I'M TELLING YOU, IF YOU THINK YOU FOUND IT ALL, YOU DIDN'T FIND IT ALL. WE FOUND SOME THINGS, THEY FOUND SOME THINGS ALREADY. OIL PIPES, GAS PIPES. THIS GOING ON. OLD TRUCKS. EVERYTHING UNDERNEATH THE GROUND THERE. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE, I THINK ALL OF US UP HERE WAS HAPPY WHEN WE HEARD THE FACT THAT WE HAD THIS PROPERTY CLEANED TO RESIDENTIAL STANDARDS. RESIDENTIAL STANDARDS. NOT COMMERCIAL. THEY WENT DOWN THE EXTRA FOOTAGE FOR THAT. BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE BUILT THERE, THESE ARE GOING TO HAVE BIG FOUNDATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO GO DEEP INTO THE GROUND AND FIND ALL OF THE STUFF THAT WE BURIED THERE. I FEEL SOMEWHAT OF A RESPONSIBILITY, IF I HAVE THE FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, I FEEL SOMEWHAT RESPONSIBLE TO BE ABLE TO CLEAN THAT AND MAKE THAT RIGHT. I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT WHEN WE FIRST START TALKING ABOUT ANY MONIES THAT WERE RECEIVED OVER AND ABOVE THE LOAN VALUE, I'M TOTAL AGREEMENT THAT I KNOW THAT THE FORT PIERCE UTILITY AUTHORITY SPENT AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY, THAT THEY DID NOT RECOVER AND THAT IS RATE PAYER MONEY THAT GOT PAID FOR THE DEMOLITION OF THE SITE. AND IF WE WERE TALKING ABOUT YOU KNOW, BUYING A BUILDING OUT WEST OF TOWN OR BUYING A BIG PIECE OF PROPERTY SOMEWHERE ELSE, IT'S NOT RELATED. I WOULD NOT BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT. BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY MUCH A PART OF THE TOTAL COMPLETE CLEAN-UP IN MY MIND. I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER WAY TO USE THE MONEY EXCEPT SOME OF THE MONEY EXCEPT TO BE ABLE TO FINISH WHAT WE STARTED AND TO MAKE, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STEPPING ON GOOD GROUND WITH OUR PARTNERS. >> I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. >> MR. CHAIRMAN. >> WE'RE GOING TO HAVE COMMISSIONER SESSIONS, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON AND THEN YOU, MAYOR. >> AND THEN ALEXANDER. >> NOW, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, COMMISSIONER PERONA. IT MAKES A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE. BUT WHAT DOES NOT REALLY MAKE SENSE TO ME IS THAT WE ARE, IT'S WE NOW. BUT WE WERE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF SELLING UTILITIES FROM A [02:15:02] FORT PIERCE UTILITIES AUTHORITIES PERSPECTIVE. AND WE NOW ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR THE PROBLEM. I SUBMIT TO YOU THAT IT'S NOT ABOUT WE. THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY IS THE PARTY THAT HAD POSSESSION OF THE LAND. THE PARTY THAT HAS PLACED OR ALLOWED THE BRICKS AND THE TRUCKS AND ALL OF THAT STUFF TO BE BURIED IN THE LAND. AND THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE. SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE AND I SEE WHY THE DEVELOPER IS NOT HERE. BECAUSE IT'S NOT OUR PROBLEM. YOU SOLD IT TO US. AND WHOEVER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IT NEEDS TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CLEANING IT UP. SO IF THE FORT PIERCE UTILITIES AUTHORITY, AS I KNOW THEM TO BE, IT'S NOT WE, BUT IT'S THE FORT PIERCE UTILITIES AUTHORITY, THAT HAS ALLOWED THAT TO BE, IT WAS THERE AND IT'S WHAT WE CALL IN LAW SCHOOL, A HIDDEN DEFECT, THE PROPERTY OWNER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HIDDEN DEFECT. THE MERE FACT THAT WE DID THE TRANSACTION AND MADE THE SALE, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT. LET THE UTILITIES AUTHORITY DO IT. AND YOU KNOW, THERE IS NO OTHER PROJECT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, THIS HAS BEEN MY DREAM TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. I DON'T THINK IT'S A DEAL BREAKER FOR THE DEVELOPER OR ELSE THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN HERE. BUT AGAIN, I DON'T THINK WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. SO IF THOSE BRICKS WERE LAID UNDER THAT GROUND BY FORT PIERCE, THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, AND THEY ALLOWED IT TO HAPPEN, THEN WE SHOULD CONSIDER SPENDING SOME OF THE TAXPAYERS MONEY. BUT GUESS WHAT, WE WERE NOT. SO THEY SHOULD BE PAYING FOR IT. AND I HOPE THIS DOESN'T GET INTO LITIGATION, BUT THAT IS AN ISSUE. IT'S JUST ABOUT PRINCIPLE FOR ME. THEY NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT. THANK YOU, SIR. >> MR. JOHNSON. >> THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE DID BUILD THAT INFRASTRUCTURE. DON'T KNOW WHAT PARTS OF IT FROM THANKSGIVING DAY WHEN THEY TURNED THE PLANT ON IN 1911 TO 1972, WHEN THE CHARTER FOR FORT PIERCE UTILITIES AUTHORITY WAS RATIFIED BY THE VOTERS OF THE COMMUNITY. FOR 60 YEARS, WE AS A CITY SAID THAT IS OUR POWER PLANT AND OUR PROPERTY. AND THAT IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH IT. AND I DON'T KNO HOW MANY BRICKS WERE LAID UNDER THE GROUND AT THE TIME. BUT MY HEART TELLS ME THAT THAT POWER PLANT HAS CHANGED AND BEEN CHANGED AND BEEN BUILT UPON FOR MANY MANY YEARS. SO THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY DO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IN THAT THE OTHER THING TO CONSIDER IS AS AN FPRA BOARD, WE WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS AND WORKED WITH A COUPLE OPTIONS OF HOW THE PROPERTY WAS GOING TO BE LAID OUT. HOW WE WANTED TO RESTAURANTS OR RETAIL OR HOTEL COMPONENTS. AND WE HAD INPUT AND WE HAD DISCUSSIONS ON THE HOTEL COMPONENT IN ITS CURRENT PROPOSED LOCATION. AND THAT IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR. BECAUSE THE DEVELOPER IS ONLY ASKING FOR, AT THE END OF HIS LAST BULLET, PERHAPS SOME OF THESE FUNDS COULD BE APPLIED TO COMPLETE THE REMEDIATION. HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE HOTEL COMPONENT. WE COULD GO FROM 85 TO $95 MILLION PROJECT LIKE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MR. MIMMS AND WE COULD SAY WE'LL SCALE IT BACK AND ONLY WANT A 30 OR $40 MILLION PROJECT. I DON'T THINK THAT IS THE CASE. I DON'T THINK WE WANT TO SAY THAT. BECAUSE THAT COMPONENT IS VERY IMPORTANT. AND WE COULD SAY THAT AND BUILD EVERYTHING AT SINGLE OR TWO-STORY BUILDINGS. WE COULD PROBABLY DO IT WITH THE DEBRIS THAT IS IN THE GROUND BELOW THE FOUR FOOT THRESHOLD. BECAUSE OUR SPREAD FOOTERS WOULD COVER THE STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS OF IT. HOWEVER, IF WE WANT A HOTEL, WHICH WE DO. AND WE AGREED UPON THAT. THIS IS ANOTHER PART OF THAT PROCESS, WE WOULD LIKE THE HOTEL AT THAT LOCATION ON THE PROPERTY. MAYBE NOT EXACTLY WHERE IT SHOWED IN THE PICTURES AND THE DEPICTIONS THAT WERE SHOWN, BUT VERY VERY CLOSE TO THAT, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED ABOUT AN ACRE PARCEL THAT THEY'RE GOING TO CHOP OUT AND NEGOTIATE WITH THE HOTELIER FOR BUILDING AND OPERATION. SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS CONSIDERED, YOU KNOW, WE RECEIVED THESE FUNDS, THERE IS A COMPONENT OF FPUA, COMPONENT OF THE TAX BASE IN THE EARLY TO MID 1900S. AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN PROVIDED. [02:20:01] I THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO AT THIS TIME. BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMICS AND MOVING FORWARD, KEEPING THE PROJECT MOVING. IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY. WHEN YOU AS A LANDOWNER, I THINK THE DEED WAS THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. >> IT WAS OWNED BY THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE FOR THE USE AND BENEFIT OF THE FPUA. >> SO IT'S ALWAYS BEEN IN OUR NAME. WE AS THE OWNER ARE RESPONSIBLE AND HOWEVER WE LOOK AT IT IN FUTURE ENDEAVORS WITH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH FPUA, WE CAN. BUT I THINK AT ONE POINT FPUA WAS ASKING FOR THIS MONEY. >> I HAVE SEEN SOME CORRESPONDENCE BUT THAT HAS NOT COME TO YOUR PRESENTATION FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. >> SO I HEARD IT'S SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE. THAT'S FINE. THAT'S OKAY. I THINK THIS IS THE APPROPRIATE THING TO DO TO CONTINUE THE PROCESS. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU'RE RIGHT, COMMISSIONER PERONA, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IS UNDER THERE. WE HAVE TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT THAT HAS TOLD US, IT'S SOLID, BIG AND IT'S IN THE WAY. AND A LOT OF IT. >> WORTH A LOT MORE THAN $150,000. IF I LIVE TO SEE THAT DAY, WE ARE OPENING UP A CAN OF WORMS HERE. >> MAYOR HUDSON. >> I'M GOING TO FOLLOW UP, I THINK ON KIND OF WHAT SEVERAL . THE HOTEL IS GOING TO NEED THAT STUFF REMOVED, AS I UNDERSTAND IT. AND I HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO THE DEVELOPER VERY BRIEFLY AND HE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THAT WAS CRITICAL TO PUTTING THE HOTEL THERE AND SO I HAVE BEEN, SINCE I SERVE ON THE FPUA BOARD, I HAVE BEEN PART OF THE DISCUSSION AND UNDERSTAND THE STRONG FEELING THAT PARTICULARLY THE DIRECTOR WHO WAS SENT THE MEMO, WE ALL GOT THE MEMO. HE POINTED OUT HOW MUCH MONEY THE RATE PAYERS HAVE PUT FORTH FOR THE CLEAN-UP OF THIS SITE. AND SO I THINK THAT IT'S SOMETHING LIKE A LITTLE MORE THAN THREE MILLION. AND SO I FEEL LIKE THAT LIKE COMMISSIONER PERONA SAID, MY CONSCIOUS COULD SAY THIS IS A GOOD USE OF THIS MONEY BECAUSE IT'S CLEANING UP THIS SITE FOR DEVELOPMENT AND THAT WAS WHAT THE MONEY WAS FOR IN THE BEGINNING. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PLEA THAT THE REMAINING MONEY AT LEAST BE CONSIDERED TO BE RETURNED TO THE FPUA. BUT I WOULD SUPPORT USING THIS MONEY BECAUSE WE WANT THAT HOTEL. WE WANTED THIS PROPERTY CLEANED UP. WE WANT TO HAVE A GOOD PARTNERSHIP. AND I THINK THIS WOULD BE A GOOD USE FOR THE FUNDS. >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. >> YES. >> I WANT TO REITERATE THE FACT THAT (INAUDIBLE) >> COMMISSIONER, YOU'RE BREAKING UP. >> OKAY. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? >> YES. >> (AUDIO CUTTING OUT) FOR THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE WANTED THE MONEY. SO IT CAME OUT THAT FORT PIERCE UTILITIES WAS THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY. SO THEY WERE ENTITLED TO THE MILLION DOLLARS. I'M NOT FUSSING ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS. I'M JUST FUSSING ABOUT THE FACT THAT WHO OWNED THE PROPERTY AT THE TIME OF US DOING TRANSACTIONS. AND IF WE ARE GOING TO LET FORT PIERCE UTILITIES TAKE A MILLION DOLLARS OUT OF THE SCRAP, THAT IS WASTE. THAT IS WHATEVER IS LEFT IN THE WHOLE PROJECT UNTIL WE WENT AND FOUND THIS CRAP WHAT WE GOT DOWN THERE NOW. THAT MONEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN USED TO FINISH UP ANY CRAP THAT IS FOUND ON THAT PROPERTY. FORT PIERCE UTILITIES, THEY'RE NOT IN THE ROOM, IN THE BUILDING, THEY COULD CARE LESS. THAT IS THEIR ATTITUDE. AND THAT IS WHAT MY ATTITUDE IS. >> WE GOT MOST OF THAT, COMMISSIONER. TELEPHONE IS NOT WORKING REAL WELL. BUT WE GOT MOST OF IT AND APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENT. >> THANK YOU. GENTLEMEN, LADIES. [02:25:07] >> HOW MUCH DID YOU SAY IT IS >> INITIAL ESTIMATES ARE BETWEEN 100 AND $150,000 FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE ACTUAL STRUCTURES. THE OTHER PORTION OF THE ESTIMATE WAS DEWATERING. BUT MUCH OF THAT IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE FILTERED OUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO THE MORE TECHNICAL DESIGN ASPECTS. BUT THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING AVAILABLE, I WOULD SAY IS ABOUT $450,000 FROM THE PROCEEDS OF THE TAX CERTIFICATE SALE. >> WE'RE ESTIMATING 150,000. I ANTICIPATE IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE A LOT MORE THAN THAT ONCE THEY GET IN THE GROUND AND HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF. WHO IS GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE BEYOND $150,000, IF WE AGREE TO DO THIS? BACK ON THE CITY AGAIN? >> RIGHT NOW THE FPRA STILL OWNS THAT PROPERTY. FPRA PROPERTY. IF WE ARE TO CONVEY THAT LAND TO THE DEVELOPER, IT'S THE DEVELOPER'S BABY. WE EXPECT THE DEVELOPER TO BRING US A TOP RATED PROJECT THAT IS GOING TO FULFILL OUR DREAMS. SO ULTIMATELY, IT IS THE DEVELOPER'S RESPONSIBILITY IF WE CONVEY THAT LAND. >> BUT MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, ARE THEY WILLING TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT THAT WE'RE NOT GOING BEYOND $150,000, BECAUSE THIS COULD BE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BEFORE IT'S OVER WITH. >> WE HAVE A LIMITED POT OF FUNDS. SO I WOULD SAY THAT IF YOU ALL JUST PUT FORTH A NUMBER FIGURE AND SAY THAT YOU WILL CONTRIBUTE UP TO THAT NUMBER, AND JUST LEAVE IT THERE, WE CAN BE DONE WITH THAT PORTION OF THAT DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. >> THANK YOU, SIR. THAT IS WHERE I WAS GOING TO GO. BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING, 150 ROUND NUMBER, 100 TO 150, NORMAL CONSTRUCTION TERMS, YOU WOULD ADD A 10 PERCENT CONTINGENCY SO I'M READY TO SAY NOT TO EXCEED 175,000. HOLD IT AT THAT FOR THE REMEDIATION DEBRIS REMOVAL. >> THE PART THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ADD, I WANT TO SEPARATE THESE TWO THINGS. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE ISSUE AT HAND, WHICH IS THE CLEAN-UP, THE 170,000, MUCH LIKE COMMISSIONER JOHNSON JUST SAID. BUT I DON'T WANT US TO DECIDE TONIGHT WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE BALANCE. YOU KNOW, LET'S GET THROUGH THIS. BUT YOU'VE ALL HEARD OUR RESPONSES ON THAT. SO WHEN WE GET TO THAT, LET'S AGENDA THAT ITEM SPECIFICALLY SO WE CAN HAVE COMMENTS FROM I'M SURE THE FPUA. THE DIRECTOR OF THE FPUA. FOLKS FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT COME IN AND TELL US WHAT THEY WOULD OR WOULD NOT. THIS I THINK IS VERY MUCH AGAIN, VERY MUCH GERMANE TO WHAT WE SET OUT TO DO. OUR COMMISSION WAS TO CLEAN UP THE SITE AND ATTRACT A COMMERCIAL ENTITY DEVELOPER. THIS IS PART OF THAT DEAL. THAT IS WHY I DO NOT HAVE ANY LOSS OF SLEEP GETTING THROUGH THAT PROCESS. AND I BELIEVE THE UTILITY AUTHORITY, IN THEIR OWN SENSE IF THEY HAD A CHANCE TO BE ABLE TO WEIGH IN ON THIS, THEY SHOULD BE SAYING WE NEED TO HELP THIS HAPPEN BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE HECK OF A CUSTOMER. ONE HECK OF A CUSTOMER. I MEAN, SO LET'S GET THEM ONLINE BECAUSE I WANT TO SELL WATER, I WANT TO SELL ELECTRIC. I WANT TO SELL EVERYTHING. LET'S GET IT GOING, GUYS. WHATEVER YOU NEED. AND 150,000, $170,000 IS NOT GOING TO STOP US FROM DOING THAT. >> WHY DON'T WE SIT DOWN, FIND OUT FROM THE UTILITIES AUTHORITY, I MEAN, CALL THEIR BLUFF. I MEAN, LET'S SEE IF THEY'RE WILLING TO DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST SAID. ARE THEY WILLING TO SHARE THE COST AND RESPONSIBILITY OF PAYING THIS? BECAUSE I STILL FEEL THAT ULTIMATELY IT'S THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. EVEN THOUGH WE OWNED IT, POSSESSION IS WORTH 9/10 OF THE LAW. THEY'VE HAD POSSESSION OF IT FOR SEVERAL YEARS. AND WHEN THEY TOOK OVER AS FORT PIERCE UTILITIES AUTHORITY, THEY TOOK OVER THE PROPERTY, AND EVERYTHING ELSE WITHIN IT. HIDDEN, ABOVE THE SKY AND EVERYTHING ELSE. SO I MEAN, ONLY REASON WHY I'M LEANING TOWARDS THIS IS BECAUSE WE PUT THE DEVELOPER IN A BAD PREDICAMENT. AND OTHERWISE, I WOULDN'T BE LEANING TOWARD IT. BUT IF IN FACT, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING SHOULD BE TRUE, LET'S SEE WHAT THEY CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THIS AND WE CAN DO IT JOINTLY. >> IF THAT IS THE CASE, WE'RE THE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY. WE OWN WHAT IS BELOW THE GROUND. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CRA. [02:30:01] WE ARE ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR IT RIGHT NOW. SO I MEAN, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND THAT YOU WANT TO GO BACK TO THE PERSON OR THE ENTITY THAT MADE IT HAPPEN. I'M GOING TO SAY THAT ENTITY IS US, WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT IT, PULL THE LAYERS BACK. EVEN THE UTILITY AUTHORITY, BUT IT'S THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE THAT PUT THE FIRST FOUNDATIONS IN THE GROUND AND EVERYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT. NOW IT'S OUR BABY. IT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO. AND WE HAVE, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD FUNDING. REMEMBER HOW MANY TIMES WE'VE GONE THROUGH POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS AND AT THE END OF THE DISCUSSION, WE HAD NO FUNDING. SO WE SAT THERE AND SCRATCHED OUR HEAD. WE STARTED OUT THIS CONVERSATION WITH FUNDING. FOR ME THIS IS REALLY NEW. BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE RESPECTFUL TO THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE. THE MONEY NEEDS TO GO INTO ESCROW. THAT AMOUNT, THAT IF COMMISSIONER JOHNSON WOULD TURN THAT INTO A MOTION WOULD BE THE ONLY AMOUNT THAT WOULD BE SPENT OUT OF THAT ESCROW AMOUNT UNTIL WE DECIDE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE REST OF IT. >> THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE WITH THAT IS THIS, IF IT WERE UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND WE WEREN'T GOING THROUGH WHAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH, YOU'RE RIGHT. HAVING THE MONEY IDENTIFIED AS A RESOURCE IN ORDER TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM, YOU'RE RIGHT. IT'S GOOD. BUT THESE AREN'T NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES. AND I JUST DON'T KNOW IF I CAN JUSTIFY TO THE CITIZENS GIVING MONEY TO A DEVELOPER IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC NOT KNOWING WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS AS FAR AS THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE IS CONCERNED. THAT IS MY CONCERN. ANSWERING TO THE PUBLIC. RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT AN EMPTY BUILDING. I CAN ASSURE YOU, WE'RE GOING TO GET SOME SLACK FROM THIS. >> MAYOR HUDSON. >> YES. I WOULD BE WILLING TO MAKE THE MOTION OF USING UP TO 150,000 OR 175,000 I THINK YOU SAID FOR UP TO THAT FOR THIS PURPOSE AND THEN THE REST OF THE MONEY REMAINS IN ESCROW FOR US TO DECIDE LATER ON WHERE THAT MONEY GOES. THAT WOULD BE MY MOTION. >> I HAVE A SECOND WITH THE QUESTION, WHAT IS THE NUMBER? >> 170,000. >> SECOND. >> AND THEN I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION. >> GO AHEAD. >> SO THE 450 >> IT'S IN A NON-ALLOCATED RESTRICTED FUND OF THE FPRA. >> SO MY QUESTION WOULD BE TO THE MOTION MAKER, JUST TO MAKE SURE, $175,000 IN ESCROW FOR PARTNERSHIP. $170,000 UP TO. >> IF AN EMERGENCY CAME ABOUT, AS FAR AS FPRA IS CONCERNED, WHAT WOULD YOU LOOK, WHAT FUNDING SOURCE WOULD YOU LOOK TOWARDS IN TERMS OF REMEDYING ANY EMERGENCY THAT WE MAY HAVE IN THE NEAR FUTURE? >> AS FAR AS THE FPRA? >> YES, SIR. >> WELL, WE HAVE A CONTINGENCY LINE ITEM THAT WE USE AND WE TRANSFERRED THAT AMOUNT TO THE GENERAL FUND. THAT MONEY IS UTILIZED OR HAS BEEN UTILIZED TOWARD PROVIDING RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES AND BUSINESSES SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC. HOWEVER, THOSE FUNDS ARE LIKELY TO BE RETURNED BECAUSE WE HAVE A CARES ACT RECIPIENT AGREEMENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE PRESENTING TO YOU ON AUGUST 3RDRD. SO WE SHOULD HAVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING BEING RETURNED BACK TO THE FPRA THROUGH OUR CONTINGENCY FUND. >> HOW MUCH? >> WELL, FPRA TRANSFERRED $150,000 TO THE GENERAL FUND. ONE ASPECT. IF WE NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDS, THERE IS ALWAYS THE RELIABLE GENERAL FUND. AND THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE HAS A CREDIT LINE WITH OUR FINANCIAL INSTITUTION. I BELIEVE UP TO THREE MILLION DOLLARS FOR EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES. AS WELL AS WE HAVE A 10 PERCENT EMERGENCY FUND FOR OPERATING I GUESS ANY TYPE OF CATASTROPHE THAT MAY OCCUR. SO WE HAVE MEANS AND METHODS SIR, TO GET US OUT OF ANY TYPE OF EMERGENCY SITUATION. JOHN HAS GOT ALL SORTS OF POCKETS AND KNICKS AND CRANNIES. >> IT'S HURRICANE SEASON. MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC. EMERGENCIES ARE NORMALLY NOT A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS, MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. SO AGAIN, AS A FIDUCIARY [02:35:03] OFFICER HERE HOLDING FUNDS FOR THESE DIRE TIMES, NOT KNOWING WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS, IF IT WAS ON ANOTHER DAY, IN A BETTER PLACE, I WOULD BE RIGHT THERE SUPPORTING THIS ALL THE WAY. RIGHT NOW I JUST DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH IT. ESPECIALLY NOT HAVING THE PUBLIC'S INPUT ON IT TO GIVE THIS KIND OF MONEY TO A DEVELOPER DURING THESE TIMES RIGHT NOW. IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC. HURRICANE SEASON. THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. SO THAT IS MY POSITION. >> MIND IF I CLEAR SOMETHING UP. WE ARE NOT GIVING MONEY TO A DEVELOPER. IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT WE WILL DO, WE WILL RESERVE THESE FUNDS FOR THE TASK OF HELPING TO ASSIST WITH THE REMOVAL OF THOSE STRUCTURES AND THOSE IMPEDIMENTS TO CONSTRUCTION. WE CAN HIRE OUR OWN CONTRACTOR. THE CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS ARE NOT COMPLETE AND WE ARE NOT GIVING MONEY TO A DEVELOPER. >> I UNDERSTAND. WHAT YOU'RE SAYING SOUNDS GOOD, BUT EXPLAINING THAT TO THE PUBLIC THEY WON'T UNDERSTAND. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. >> YES, SIR. THAT IS WHAT I WANTED TO REITERATE THAT. I THINK THAT WE'RE TAKING INFRASTRUCTURE OUT OF THE GROUND THAT WE PLACED THERE AND WE'RE USING THOSE MONIES TO DO SUCH. THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS 450,000, IT IS IN A RESTRICTED FUNDING ACCOUNT. KEYWORD RESTRICTED. WHEN WE ADDRESSED THE PANDEMIC AND WE MOVE MONEY FROM THE FPRA TO THE GENERAL FUND TO THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, DID WE USE THE 150,000 THAT WE TRANSFERRED OUT OF THE THAT RESTRICTED FUND? >> NO, SIR. THE $150,000 WAS PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE FUNDS. IF YOU RECALL, WE HAD A SMALL PROGRAM UP FRONT AND THEN LARGER PROGRAM UTILIZING SOME OF THESE DOLLARS. $150,000 THAT WE WERE GOING TO USE TO HELP BLOSSOM THE FPRA. CREATING JOBS, ACTIVITIES, THINGS OF THAT SORT. WE STOPPED THAT PROGRAM AND WE IMMEDIATELY WENT TO ASSIST OUR PEOPLE WITH THE COVID-19 SITUATION. SO THE GOOD NEWS IS WE BELIEVE THAT THOSE FUNDS WILL ALL BE RETURNED BACK TO THE FPRA WITH OUR SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THAT IS THE WAY I CATEGORIZED THAT, TO CLARIFY IT FOR ME, I CATEGORIZE IT AS IT'S RESTRICTED. THERE IS MONEY, IT'S ALMOST LIKE AN ALLOWANCE TO THE CHILD. SOME DAY YOU'RE GOING TO PAY ME BACK BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR CHILD ONE DAY. SO THIS IS RESTRICTED. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT PART OF THE RECORD. >> I DON'T WANT TO PROLONG IT. WE CAN UNRESTRICT IT TOO AS THE PARENT, WE CAN ALWAYS TAKE OUR MONEY BACK AND TELL OUR CHILD TO GO WORK FOR IT IF YOU WANT. OR YOU CAN FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE TO GET. BUT AS YOUR MOTHER OR FATHER, I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE THAT INVESTMENT. SO THAT WORD RESTRICTED, I MEAN, THAT IS NOT AS CRITICAL AS IT SOUNDS. BECAUSE WE PLACE THE RESTRICTION ON IT AND WE CAN TAKE THE RESTRICTION OFF AND CIRCUMSTANCES SOMETIMES WARRANT DRASTIC MEASURES. AGAIN, I HATE THAT THIS HAD TO HAPPEN. THE DEVELOPER, THEY SHOULDN'T BE RESPONSIBLE. BUT I JUST CAN'T JUSTIFY RIGHT NOW IN MY MIND SPENDING THAT KIND OF MONEY NOT KNOWING WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS. WITH THIS PANDEMIC. AND WHAT IS GOING ON. HURRICANE SEASON. AND WHO IS TO SAY WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN ON A DIFFERENT DAY, DIFFERENT TIME, I WOULD DO IT. BUT RIGHT NOW, I JUST CAN'T SEE IT. AND I JUST THINK IT'S GOING TO COME BACK TO HAUNT US. BECAUSE WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THE INPUT MAKING THESE KINDS OF DECISIONS WITH MONEY LIKE THAT FOR DEVELOPERS. WE DON'T HAVE THE INPUT OF THE PUBLIC. SO THAT IS MY TWO CENTS. I'M THROUGH. >> SHALL WE VOTE? >> MOTION IS TO APPROVE ESCROW UP TO $170,000 FOR THE REMEDIATION OF THE SITE. AND SAVE THE REMAINING BALANCE OF THE FUNDS FOR FUTURE DETERMINATION. DOES THAT CAPTURE EVERYBODY? >> I VOTE NO. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. >> YES, MA'AM. >> MAYOR HUDSON. >> YES, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER SESSIONS. >> NO, MA'AM. >> CHAIRMAN PERONA. >> YES, MA'AM. [02:40:01] >> MR. CHAIR, IF I COULD MAKE A COMMENT. I HEAR LOUD AND CLEAR MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS TALKING WITH FPUA OR HOLDING THEM RESPONSIBLE. I'M NOT SAYING I DISAGREE WITH THAT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS PROJECT MOVES FORWARD. SO LET'S HAVE A DISCUSSION ITEM MEETING WITH FPUA. THEY'VE ALREADY CONTRIBUTED MONEY, I UNDERSTAND THAT. CITY OF FORT PIERCE CONTRIBUTED MONEY. FPRA IS NOW PART OF THIS WHOLE PROCESS. LET'S PUT IT IN THE OPEN FORUM. MAYBE IN A JOINT MEETING, WHEN WE DO THAT, LET'S SAY HEY, HERE IS THE CASH BALANCE, CASH FLOW, HERE IS THE EXPENSES AND REVENUE COLUMNS OF ALL OF THESE THINGS. WHAT BRIGHT FUTURES WE HAVE. LET'S LAY IT ON THE TABLE AND ASK THEM, IF WE NEED TO ASK THEM FOR THE 170, LET'S ASK IT. BUT TO MOVE IT FORWARD, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THAT MOVE FORWARD. BUT I'M NOT AFRAID TO ASK. >> AGREE. >> YEAH. >> THE NEXT ITEM IS DISCUSSION ON POSSIBE DEMOLITION OF 301 [g. Discussion on possible demolition of 301 S. Ocean Drive.] SOUTH OCEAN DRIVE. >> AS YOU SEE, MR. RIOS IS VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION. >> WE WOKE HIM UP. Ô> AS YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, MR. RIOS CAME BEFORE YOU AND HE TALKED ABOUT THE BEACH PARKING AT THIS LOCATION, CURRENT LOCATION OF THE STORE, NEIGHBORHOOD SUPERMARKET, OR NEIGHBORHOOD STAR. AND ALSO THE FPRA OWNS THIS PARCEL. AND IT HAS SURFACE PARKING, TEMPORARY SURFACE PARKING IN THE FORM OF LIME ROCK, SHELL ROCK, CONFIGURATION. HE ASKED AND REQUESTED TO GET MORE OF IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF THE COST AND THAT IS WHAT HE IS BRINGING TO YOU TODAY FOR YOUR ONSIDERATION. >> I WAS ABOUT TO HIT THE BACKDOOR, BUT I REALIZED WE DIDN'T HAVE ONE. >> GET EVERYONE'S ATTENTION FOR THIS EXCITING ITEM. CHAIRMAN PERONA, MEMBERS OF THE FPRA BOARD, WE HAD A DISCUSSION ON THIS. >> OKAY. COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER, THEN COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. >> OKAY. I WAS PRETTY MUCH WAITING ON SOME FIGURES. BUT MY CONCERN IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO CLOSE DOWN A BUSINESS, DEMOLISH A BUSINESS, ELIMINATE EMPLOYEES, FOR HOW MANY SPACES? >> >> THE LAST PART, FOR HOW MANY WHAT, COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER? >> HOW MANY PARKING SPACES ARE WE GOING TO GAIN? >> WE WILL GAIN A NET OF 14 PARKING SPACES BY REMOVING THIS BUILDING. >> IS IT WORTH THAT FOR THE EMPLOYER? HOW LONG HAVE THEY BEEN IN THAT BUILDING? >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. >> HOW LONG? >> I COULDN'T ANSWER THAT. I KNOW THEY HAVE BEEN THERE FOR SOME TIME, BUT I DO NOT KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER OF YEARS. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. >> THANK YOU, SIR. >> I WAS GOING TO ASK THE QUESTION ABOUT THE PARKING SPACES. SO THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE, JUST TO CLARIFY FOR THE RECORD, IS WHAT IS THE CURRENT LEASE AND WHAT IS THE REVENUE FROM SUCH LEASE? >> OUR CURRENT LEASE WITH THE TENANT THERE NOW IS SET TO EXPIRE ON TUESDAY. AND REVENUES GENERATED FROM THAT IS APPROXIMATELY 25,000 A YEAR. $2,000 PER MONTH FOR RENT. >> DO WE HAVE ANY MAINTENANCE CONSIDERATIONS, ARE THERE ANY OUTSTANDING ITEMS OR DEFERRED MAINTENANCE THAT WE HAVE TO EXPEND MONEY ON FOR THE BUILDING ITSELF? >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, WITH ANY FACILITY, WE'VE GOT MAINTENANCE ASSOCIATED WITH IT. THE MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN RELATIVELY LOW. ONE OUTSTANDING ISSUE THAT WE ARE FACING WITHIN THE STORE, BECAUSE WHEN WE TOOK OVER THE STORE AND THE LEASE, WE ASSUMED OWNERSHIP OF ALL OF THE COOLERS AND EVERYTHING INSIDE. WE DO HAVE ONE COOLER INSIDE OF THE BUILDING THAT IS ON ITS WAY OUT. SHOULD THAT UNIT GO, WE'RE LOOKING BETWEEN TWO AND THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REPLACE. CURRENTLY THE AC SYSTEM IS AGED. IT'S NOT OUT YET. BUT IT HAS GOT AGE TO IT. BUT TO DATE, OUR MAINTENANCE ON THAT FACILITY HAS BEEN [02:45:02] RELATIVELY LOW. >> OKAY. I APPRECIATE THAT. SO IN THE LEASE, THIS IS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE LEASE, ARE WE AS THE OWNER RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COOLERS, BECAUSE THAT IS NOT PART OF THE STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS, AC COMPONENTS, SIDEWALKS AND PAINTING, I CONSIDER TO BE US. >> CORRECT. THIS IS A UNIQUE LEASE THAT WE ASSUMED WHEN WE PURCHASED THE PROPERTY. THIS ISN'T A LEASE THAT WAS DRAFTED BY OUR LEGAL TEAM AND WE PRESENTED TO OUR TENANT. THIS IS A LEASE THAT WE GOT WITH PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY AND THAT LEASE, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EQUIPMENT INSIDE THE FACILITY AS WELL. >> THE LEASEHOLDER, LOOKING TO EXTEND THE LEASE? >> WE HAVEN'T PRESENTED AN OPTION OF EXTENDING THE LEASE. IF SHE NEEDS TO RENEW ALL OF HER LICENSES AND KEEP HER INVENTORY, AS WE DISCUSSED, REGARDLESS OF WHAT DIRECTION WE TAKE, WE GO TO A MONTH TO MONTH. WE GAVE NOTICE THAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING FOR HER TO VACATE. >> HEARING YOUR ANSWERS TODAY, I'M LOOKING AT THE OVERALL COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS FOR ADDING EXTRA PARKING SPACES. I DON'T THINK THAT IS, I'M NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT. I DON'T THINK THAT THERE IS A GOOD EXPLANATION THAT I COULD EVEN COME UP WITH. NOT ONLY THE PUBLIC HAS SAID SOME THINGS TO ME. SO I'M IN FAVOR OF LEAVING THE BUILDING THERE. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS TODAY IS LOOKING INTO THAT LEASE AND TALKING ABOUT THE THINGS OF NATURE OF THE COOLERS. BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR BUSINESS MODEL IS. I DO KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE INSIDE. I'M ASSUMING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IT THAT WAY. I AM JUST NOT SURE AS THE OWNER OF THE BUILDING, THAT WE SHOULD BE IN THE BUSINESS OF FIXING THE COOLERS WHEN THAT IS PART OF THEIR BUSINESS MODEL, WHEN IT COULD BE SHELVES OF MATERIALS OR SUPPLIES. INSTEAD OF. AND THEN WE WOULDN'T BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT. SO I THINK THE SUPER STRUCTURE, THE ROOF, THE AC SYSTEM, YEAH, WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. AND WE SHOULD LOOK INTO THOSE THINGS. BUT NOW WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THE LEASE, REVIEW THE PARAMETERS OF THE LEASE AND YOU KNOW, COOLERS ARE EXPENSIVE TO FIX. AND I'LL JUST STATE THAT, REFRIGERATION IS NOT EASY. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE ON THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THAT. BUT THAT IS KIND OF WHERE I AM. LEAVE THE LEASE IN PLACE OR GO TO MONTH TO MONTH WITH A HEY WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A 90 OR 120-DAY NOTICE IF WE WOULD LIKE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. 60 OR 90 DAY, WHATEVER IT TAKES FOR AMPLE NOTICE FOR THAT BUSINESS OWNER TO SAY OKAY, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WANT TO TERMINATE THE LEASE AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE. WE GIVE THEM AMPLE NOTICE. MONTH TO MONTH, I'M OKAY WITH. JUST AS LONG AS WE RENEGOTIATE SOME OF THOSE TERMS. >> I CAN'T IMAGINE ANYBODY THAT YOU'RE TALKING LIKE A TRIPLE NET LEASE PRETTY MUCH THE WALL, ROOF, IT'S OURS. EVERYTHING ELSE INSIDE IS YOURS. AND IF IT BREAKS, BOTH PARTS ARE YOURS. BUT IT TAKES CAPITAL INVESTMENT TO BE ABLE TO CORRECT THOSE ISSUES. AND I FOUND THAT IN MY HISTORY, THAT YOU HAVE TO GIVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME AVAILABLE SO THEY CAN RECOVER ON THOSE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS. SO IF THEY PUT IN ALL NEW COOLERS, THEY'VE GOT $6,000 INVESTED IN COOLERS AND WE'RE ON A MONTH TO MONTH, IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK. YOU HAVE TO ENVISION A TERM. AND THAT IS WHERE I GET INTO THE PROBLEM WITH IT. BECAUSE WHEN WE WENT AHEAD AND PURCHASED THIS PROPERTY, IT WAS IN ANTICIPATION OF THE NEEDS OF PARKING OUT ON THE BEACH. AND I'M GOING TO SAY THAT WE'VE HAD PARKING THERE. IT IS SOMEWHAT UTILIZED. I DO BELIEVE THAT THE BUILDING OUT IN FRONT TAKES AWAY THE ATTRACTION TO PULL IN AND KNOW THAT IT'S THERE. LOCALS KNOW. BUT I SPOKE TO A GENTLEMAN YESTERDAY ABOUT IT. HE SAID HE HAD TO PARK ALL THE WAY DOWN AT THE NEXT BEACH TO BE ABLE TO GET DOWN, COME DOWN TO THE JETTY. I SAID WE HAVE FREE PARKING RIGHT THERE. HE SAID I DIDN'T KNOW THAT. HE IS FROM MELBOURNE. I'M SAYING THAT CAN HAPPEN. YOU MIGHT NEED TO PUT A BIG ARROW ON THAT BUILDING OR SOMETHING. >> WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT. >> THERE IS A BIG ARROW ON THE BUILDING. I THANK YOU FOR THAT. [02:50:03] WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT THIS, FOR ME THE QUESTION OF IT IS, HOW DO I SEE PARKING OUT ON THE BEACH? HOW DO I SEE PARKING AS WE INCREASE ALL OF THE AMENITIES THAT ARE GOING ON THERE. NEW RESTAURANTS, THERE IS NEW RESTAURANTS AND NEW ENTERTAINMENT AND NEW COMMERCIAL ENTITIES BEING LOOKED AT RIGHT NOW, PROPERTIES ARE BEING SOLD. HOUSES ARE BEING KNOCKED DOWN. THERE IS STUFF HAPPENING OUT ON SOUTH HUTCHINSON ISLAND. DO WE WANT TO WAIT UNTIL IT'S A PROBLEM AND SAY OKAY, WE'VE GOT TO GIVE OUR 90-DAY NOTICE AND KNOCK DOWN THE BUILDING AND MAKE THIS HAPPEN. OR DO WE GET OUT AHEAD OF THIS AND MAKE THIS HAPPEN. I'VE GOT FRIENDS OF MINE NOT HAPPY WITH THIS DISCUSSION. THIS IS THE BEST PLACE TO PICK UP THAT BEER AT 8:30 AT NIGHT. OR THE FAMILY COMES OVER AND VISITS. YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS. FROM A FUNCTION OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, IMPROVEMENTS ON THE PROPERTY WOULD BE DOWN AND WE COULD GO AHEAD AND DEVELOP THIS IN THE WAY THAT IT SHOULD. BUT I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAY, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. BUT I'M SAYING THAT IT'S CONFLICTING. IS FIRST OF ALL, STICK TO THE PLAN AND CREATE A PARKING FACILITY FOR FOLKS, IDENTIFIABLE, RIGHT TYPE OF LIGHTING AND ACCESS TO ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT. OR ARE WE GOING TO KEEP IT AS A SECONDARY BEHIND A CONVENIENCE STORE THAT TENDS TO KEEP ALL OF THE ACTIVITY UP FRONT MOST OF THE TIME. AND BLOCKS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE AN AVAILABLE FREE PUBLIC PARKING BEHIND IT. THAT IS THE QUESTION. >> SO IT'S A GOOD QUESTION. I'M WRESTLING WITH THIS THE ENTIRE TIME. WE HAVEN'T IDENTIFIED A PLAN. WE HAVEN'T IDENTIFIED FUNDING. WE KIND OF HAVE AND WE HAVE IDENTIFIED I THINK STRATEGIC PLAN MAYBE WHERE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT CITY PARKING. IN GENERAL. I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AT SOME POINT. THIS CAME UP, THIS DISCUSSION CAME UP, AS FAR AS BEACH PARKING ALSO. I JUST SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR REVENUE COMING IN TO THE CITY AT THE SAME TIME ON A PARCEL THAT WE DO MAINTAIN, WHILE WE'RE IN THE PLANNING STAGES. I HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE PART, WHEN YOU INVEST IN SOMETHING, YOU WANT A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT FROM YOUR LEASEHOLDER, I WOULD LIKE TO STAY HERE, WE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THAT TO YOU AND VICE VERSA. BUT I SEE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY WHILE WE PLAN AND STRATEGIZE ON WHAT WE'RE ULTIMATELY GOING TO DO AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO FUND IT. AND YOU'RE RIGHT, HOW DO WE ADVERTISE THE PARKING A LITTLE BIT BETTER? 44, 46 SPACES. SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE CURRENTLY. I'VE BEEN THERE QUITE OFTEN. IT'S NOT ALWAYS FULL. EVER. >> MR. CHAIR. >> YES, COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. >> I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT YOU KNOW, FOR US TO AT THIS TIME IN LIFE, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO BE PUTTING ANYBODY OUT OF BUSINESS. I DON'T SEE TEARING DOWN STRUCTURES TO GET 14 PARKING SPACE. GOING TO BE LESS THAN THAT. BUT YOU KNOW, THAT IS WHAT THEY SAY. THAT IS MY COMMENT. >> MR. CHAIR, JUST TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THIS BOARD COULD EVEN DO, MR. RIOS HAS IDENTIFIED THAT THE LEASE ENDS ON AUGUST 4TH. NEXT WEEK. THERE IS NO PROVISION IN THE LEASE FOR ADDITIONAL TERMS. HE HAS SUGGESTED MONTH TO MONTH WOULD BE WHAT IT WOULD BE. AT LEAST FOR NOW. I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT A MONTH TO MONTH COULD DEFACTO TURN INTO LONGER THAN A YEAR. AND WE ARE REQUIRED AS YOU KNOW, IF IT'S GOING TO BE LEASED FOR LONGER THAN A YEAR TO PUT IT OUT FOR RFP. I WOULD FEEL A LOT BETTER TO SLEEP TONIGHT IF IT WERE NOT TO EXCEED ONE YEAR. THAT WAY THERE IS NO QUESTION [02:55:03] IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THIS WAS SOMEHOW DONE IN A MANNER TO ALLOW THAT TO SORT OF DEFACTO BECOME A NEVER ENDING LEASE. BECAUSE I HEAR MULTIPLE DIFFERENT CONCERNS VOICED FROM ALL OF YOU AND NOT A CLEAR CONSENSUS. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DIDN'T WALK OURSELVES INTO SOMETHING PROBLEMATIC. >> SO YOU'RE TELLING ME 364 DAYS IS A MAGIC GOOD NUMBER. ONE DAY LESS. >> YES, SIR. >> IF THIS IS JULY, OCTOBER. OCTOBER, LAST WEEK IN OCTOBER. IS OUR NEXT MEETING. >> BECAUSE THE LEASE IS EXPIRING ON AUGUST 4TH, I MEAN, COMMISSIONER YOU BRING UP GOOD POINTS. I HEAR YOU. I MEAN, WE'RE IN THE PANDEMIC, WE'RE LOOKING AT AN EVER CHANGING, EVERY DAY NEW REPORT. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. YOU KNOW, IS THE TOURIST SEASON GOING TO BE AS ACTIVE AS IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST? WE DON'T KNOW THAT YET. ARE THOSE 16 PARKING SPOTS, $26,500 INVESTMENT WORTH THAT AT THIS POINT IN TIME. >> MR. MIMMS. >> MR. CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE FPRA BOARD, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE MADE DECISIONS IN THE PAST WHEREBY WE TAKE AN INITIAL ACTION WITHOUT A PLAN. WE'VE DONE THAT IN THE PAST. THIS MAY NOT BE THE BEST CASE SCENARIO TO DEMOLISH A FACILITY WITHOUT A PLAN FOR A FUTURE UTILIZATION. I THINK IT MAY TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONSIDERATION, ADDITIONAL PLANNING. AND STUDY AND EVALUATION OF THE PARKING NEEDS OF THE ISLAND BEFORE WE TAKE AWAY A REVENUE JUST TO CREATE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN A DOZEN PARKING SPACES. SO I AM SUGGESTING THAT WE GO ON A MONTH TO MONTH BASIS, NOT TO EXCEED A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR, WHEREBY WE CAN EVALUATE THE PROPERTY, EVALUATE THE ISLAND AND DETERMINE IF ADDITIONAL PUBLIC PARKING IS NEEDED AT THIS TIME. YOU KNOW, THAT IS SOMETHING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, BUT I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE A PLAN BEFORE WE START SINKING MONEY INTO THIS PROPERTY. >> MY THOUGHT IS THAT WE ALREADY SUNK MONEY INTO THE PROPERTY. WE BOUGHT IT. AND IT'S AN INVESTMENT. AND YOU KNOW, I'LL TAKE THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT COIN, YOU GET RID OF THE BUILDING, GO AHEAD AND MAKE YOUR 60 PARKING SPACES AND YOU MAKE IT IDENTIFIABLE WITH LIGHTING AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE KNOW IT'S THERE. BECOMES UTILIZED TO THE POINT WHERE ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU HAVE A BIGGER NEED. IT ISN'T HANDLING ALL OF THE ISSUES GOING ON BECAUSE YOU KNOW AS WELL AS I DO, COMMERCE AND ACTIVITY ON OUR SOUTH HUTCHINSON ISLAND IS GROWING. I THINK AT THAT MOMENT IN TIME YOU'LL SAY HEY, MAYBE WE OUGHT TO GO VERTICAL WITH THIS THING. WE HAVE A NICE PIECE OF PROPERTY HERE. WE'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND BRINGS IN A WHOLE NEW SET OF SOLUTIONS THAT WE CAN GO FROM THERE. AND THE OTHER PART I THINK TOO IS WE'VE GOT TO BE FAIR TO THE TENANT. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THINK ABOUT IT. THIS PERSON HAS BEEN THERE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. I MEAN, JUST THERE. AND DOING A GREAT JOB. FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY KNOW WHO SHE IS. IT'S JUST WHATEVER IT IS. AND IF YOU GO MONTH TO MONTH TO MONTH, THEN YOU'RE NOT GROWING YOUR BUSINESS, YOU'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TOMORROW. THAT IS A DIFFERENT BUSINESS MODEL ALTOGETHER AND IT'S NOT A GOOD ONE. EITHER WE MAKE A DECISION TO GO FORWARD WITH THE PARKING CONCEPT OR WE MAKE A DECISION TO GO FOR I WOULD SAY A THREE TO FIVE-YEAR PROGRAM, WHERE WE GO AHEAD AND RENEW A LEASE AND COME UP WITH THAT AND MAKE IT FAIR FOR ALL. IN MY MIND, I WOULD DO EITHER ONE. IF WE'RE NOT WILLING TO GO AHEAD AND DO THE SECOND PART OF IT, I WOULD BE ALL FOR TAKING THE PROPERTY DOWN, GETTING IT READY TO GO FOR SEASON, WHICH IS COMING UP, BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE FACT THAT WE HAVE FREE PUBLIC PARKING, RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM JETTY PARK, ALL THE AMENITIES GOING ON RIGHT NOW. SO MY VOTE STILL IS TO LET'S MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR PLAN THAT WE MADE SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN WE PURCHASED THE PROPERTY. MAYOR HUDSON, ARE YOU OUT THERE? DID YOU WANT TO JUMP IN >> I AM. [03:00:05] >> JUMP IN. >> OKAY. I KIND OF SORT OF TORN, LIKE I'M TORN BY THE ARGUMENT BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SPEAKS TO ME IS I THINK WE CAN DO BOTH THINGS. I THINK THAT WE CAN GO TO MONTH TO MONTH AND ALERT THE TENANT THAT THIS IS NO LONGER THAN 364 DAYS AND MAY BE MORE LIKELY 120 DAYS. AND THAT TIME WE PLAN THE PARKING AND WE GET THE PARKING READY SOMEWHERE AROUND THE JANUARY OF NEXT YEAR. SO THAT WAY THE TENANT HAS A CLEAR IDEA OF HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO LAST. AND WE GET REVENUE. AND WE PROCEED WITH THE PARKING. I THINK WE CAN DO BOTH. >> MR. CHAIRMAN. >> YEAH. COMMISSIONER SESSIONS. >> I KNOW WHAT WE HAVE PURCHASED AND WHY WE DID IT. BUT I'M GOING TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I CAN'T SEE JUGGLING A BUSINESS FOR 12 PARKING SPACES. IF IN FACT, IT WERE MORE PARKING SPACES THAT WOULD REALLY HAVE AN IMPACT, I COULD SEE IT. BUT TO PONDER OVER WHETHER OR NOT TO SHUT SOMEBODY DOWN OVER 12 PARKING SPACES REALLY DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME. I DON'T THINK IT'S EVEN JUSTIFIABLE AT THIS POINT. I MEAN, I JUST CAN'T SEE IT. IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR ME FROM A MORAL STANDPOINT, AS WELL AS EVEN FROM A FEASIBILITY STANDPOINT, FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE. I MEAN, 12 PARKING SPACES. WE'RE GETTING HOW MUCH FOR RENT MONTHLY. >> ROUGHLY $2,000 A MONTH. >> IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME. SO YOU KNOW, THAT IS MY POSITION. >> SO MR. ATTORNEY, EVEN IF WE WANTED TO, AT THE END OF 364 DAYS, WE CONTINUE WITH SOME FORM OF A LEASE ON THIS CONVENIENCE STORE, WE WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THE PUBLIC ON THAT AND WOULD HAVE TO BE A RESPONSE LIKE ON AN RFP. >> ARGUABLY, AGAIN, I GO BACK TO IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT YOU CANNOT LEASE A PROPERTY FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE RFP. I WOULD BE HESITANT TO ADVISE THIS BOARD OR ANY OTHER BOARD THAT YOU COULD DO A 364 DAY LEASE AND THEN DO ANOTHER 364 DAY LEASE. >> I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT. >> I DON'T THINK YOU DO. SO I THINK AT BEST YOU KNOW, WE INHERITED THIS LEASE. SO AT BEST, ARGUABLY, WE WOULD BE STARTING FROM GROUND ZERO FOR THIS TO DO SOMETHING UP TO, WE COULD DO A LEASE FOR 180 DAYS. I MEAN, IT'S ANYTHING LESS THAN ONE YEAR IS WHAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO. IT MIGHT MAKE SENSE, I DON'T KNOW IN THIS SITUATION, BUT YOU CAN THINK OF OTHER SITUATIONS WHERE YOU MIGHT ONLY LEASE A PARCEL OR A PROPERTY FOR 30 DAYS, 60 DAYS, STAGING SITE AFTER A HURRICANE. YOU MIGHT, IF THERE REALLY TRULY WAS AN EMERGENCY. IF WE DIDN'T HAVE A COOPERATION AGREEMENT IN PLACE. ONCE YOU HIT THAT ONE YEAR THRESHOLD, IT HAS TO GO THROUGH THE RFP PROCESS. >> I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY, IF YOU CAN REMEMBER BACK ON LITTLE GYM BRIDGE, SIMILAR STUFF, THAT WANTED TO EXTEND SO THAT THEY COULD MAKE MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND WE COULD NOT DO THAT AT THAT TIME. OF COURSE, WE HAD A DIFFERENT ATTORNEY. MAYBE OURS SEES IT DIFFERENTLY THAN THAT. BUT THESE FOLKS WANTED TO SPEND FOUR MILLION DOLLARS ON THAT SITE AND BUILD A RESTAURANT AND WE COULDN'T DO IT. AT THE TIME WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT GOING TO AN RFP AND OPENING IT UP TO THE PUBLIC. SO I MEAN, WE HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH THIS. SO I MEAN, IF WE DO GIVE A ONE YEAR OR LESS, IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ONE YEAR AND LESS THAN ONE YEAR? >> NOT TO EXCEED ONE YEAR. >> ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE THAT. SO IT'S AN ABSOLUTE TERMINATION AT THE END OF THAT ONE YEAR, WOULD BE YOUR RECOMMENDATION. >> YES, SIR. >> THAT WOULD BE UNLESS WE SUBMIT TO AN RFP PROCESS OF [03:05:01] COURSE. >> ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, THEY CERTAINLY WOULDN'T BE EXCLUDED IF THAT WOULD BE THE ROUTE THAT THIS COMMISSION WENT THROUGH. IT'S SIMILAR TO WHAT HAPPENED WITH CRABBY'S, THE CURRENT LESSEE WAS ABLE TO APPLY. >> AND IF THERE IS A MOTION MAKER OUT THERE THINKING ABOUT THIS RIGHT NOW, I WOULD LIMIT WHAT OUR LIABILITY IS ON MAINTENANCE OVER THAT ONE YEAR. I MEAN, BECAUSE WE COULD END UP SPENDING A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY IN ONE YEAR FOR SOMETHING THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO EVER BE ABLE TO REALIZE. SO BE VERY CAREFUL. IF THERE IS A MOTION MAKER OUT THERE RIGHT NOW CONTEMPLATING THIS. >> MR. CHAIR. >> MR. SWEENEY, ON A MONTH TO MONTH BASIS, I WAS LOOKING AT THE LEASE. I'M LOOKING FOR FUTURE MEETING DATES FOR THIS FPRA BOARD ALSO. BUT LOOKING AT THE LEASE, IS THERE ANYTHING IN THERE THAT WE'RE NOT BOUND BY THAT ANYMORE. BECAUSE IT EXPIRES ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 4TH. >> IT WILL NOT EXIST ANYMORE. THEY WILL BE A HOLDOVER LESSEE. AND WE CAN ARGUE PROBABLY FOR OVER A YEAR ON WHAT TERMS THEY ARE GOING TO CONSIDER BOUND BY OR NOT BOUND BY. FROM MY PERSPECTIVE RIGHT NOW, THE LEASE WILL CEASE TO EXIST. HOLDOVER TENANT, AT BEST, THEY'VE BEEN PAYING MONTH TO MONTH RENT, ARGUABLY UNDER THE LAW THAT WOULD BE THE DEFAULT TERM. IS THERE ANY SIMPLISTIC FORMAT OF A LEASE THAT WE NEED TO PREPARE, THAT COVERS US, BUT MAKES US RESPONSIBLE FOR THINGS LIKE THE STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS, ROOF COMPONENT, AIR-CONDITIONING COMPONENTS. THE OTHER PARTS AND PIECES, AGAIN, IT'S A BUSINESS PLAN. BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING WITHIN THE UNIT. BECAUSE IT COULD BE STORAGE SHELVES OR IT COULD BE REFRIGERATION COMPONENTS IS WHAT IT IS RIGHT NOW. SO IS THERE ANYTHING SIMPLISTIC IN NATURE THAT WOULD MAKE YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT WOULD PROTECT THE FPRA? >> WE'LL KEEP IT AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THE INTENT. I MEAN, WE HAVE AN EIGHT-PAGE DOCUMENT HERE THAT COVERS A LOT OF STUFF THAT COULD BE IN MANY CASES PROBABLY EXCISED OR REDUCED. I SUPPOSE PART OF IT WOULD BE THE WILLINGNESS OF THE TENANT. I'VE HAD NO INTERACTION. >> CHAIRMAN PERONA, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I WAS GOING TO MENTION, THE TENANT IS READY TO GO ON A MONTH TO MONTH BASIS. ANY CHANGES TO THAT LANGUAGE PUTTING RESPONSIBILITY ON TO HER WE HAVE NOT HAD THAT CONVERSATION. SO IF THAT IS THE DIRECTION THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO TAKE, I THINK WE NEED TO GET TO THE TABLE AND HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH HER. BECAUSE THAT MAY ULTIMATELY DECIDE WHETHER SHE STAYS OR GOES NOW. BECAUSE SHE HAS LICENSES THAT SHE NEEDS TO RENEW. THE COST OF POTENTIALLY HAVING TO REPLACE A COOLER INSIDE THAT FACILITY MAY BE JUST ENOUGH FOR HER TO SAY I'LL JUST STOP NOW. SHE IS READY TO GO WITH THE LEASE AS SHE HAS BEEN FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS. ANYTHING BEYOND THAT, I DO BELIEVE WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HER. MAYBE AS A SUGGESTION, WE GIVE OURSELVES 60, 90 DAYS NOW TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION SO SHE'S GOT THAT 60, 90 DAYS SHE IS LOOKING FOR TO DETERMINE WHETHER SHE WISHES TO CONTINUE OR NOT. >> I THINK A FAIR QUESTION, IF I MAY, MR. CHAIR, AT LEAST SOME CONSENSUS FROM THIS COMMISSION AS TO THAT PART OF A PROPOSED AGREEMENT GOING FORWARD. IT IS VERY NORMAL, YOU'VE IDENTIFIED THE BUILDING BEING THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OWNER. BUT THIS IS UNIQUE, I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT THAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE IF A MAJOR PIECE OF WHAT NORMALLY WOULD BE THE TENANT'S PROPERTY BREAKS, SHE MAKES A PHONE CALL, AND WE HAVE TO FIX IT. OR ELSE WE'RE IN BREACH OF THE LEASE. SO I JUST WANT TO GET A CONSENSUS, IF THAT IN FACT IS SOMETHING, WHICH IS A LIABILITY TO THE CITY, CLEARLY A LIABILITY TO THE CITY. SOMETHING THE PREVIOUS LANDLORD WAS WILLING TO TAKE ON IN EXCHANGE FOR THE LEASE TERMS. BUT IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THIS REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY WANTS TO REMOVE, THEN I WANT TO KNOW THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH MR. RIOS AND HAVING THAT CONVERSATION, BECAUSE IT MAY VERY WELL SHORT CIRCUIT IT. BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD A CLEAR CONSENSUS ON EXACTLY THAT ITEM. THAT SEEMS TO BE A STICKING POINT. >> MR. CHAIR. >> DEFINITELY AN ITEM OF CONTENTION FOR ME. BECAUSE I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE. COOLERS, YOU CAN TAKE THEM APART LIKE A LEGO SET AND PUT THEM BACK TOGETHER IN ANOTHER BUILDING. [03:10:01] THE SUPER STRUCTURE, THE INTEGRITY OF THE ROOF, THE AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM. EGRESS POINTS, SIDEWALKS. ADA ACCESSIBLE POINTS AND PARKING SPACES WOULD BE AN ISSUE FOR THE OWNER. SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS IMPORTANT TO ME. THE OTHER PARTS, NO, I THINK THEY SHOULD BE REMOVED AND ALLOW THE MONTH TO MONTH. IT MIGHT COME OUT THAT THERE IS A BUSINESS PLAN SOMEWHERE ELSE FOR THE INDIVIDUAL. MAYBE, MAYBE NOT. >> MAYOR HUDSON. >> I WOULD SAY THAT WE WOULD NOT WANT TO SPEND ANY MAJOR EXPENSE ON THIS PARTICULAR BUILDING BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT EVENTUALLY THIS IS GOING TO BE DEMOLISHED. SO I WOULD BE, MR. SWEENEY WAS SAYING HE DIDN'T HEAR CONSENSUS, I WOULD SUPPORT MR. RIOS HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH THE TENANT AND WITH US GIVING A TIME OF AN APPROXIMATE TIME WHEN WE THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE AND HAVE PLANS FOR THE PARKING LOT. BECAUSE WE KNOW, I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT EVENTUALLY THIS BUILDING IS GOING TO BE DEMOLISHED, THIS IS GOING TO BE A PARKING LOT. WE'RE NOW TALKING ABOUT WHAT TIMING THAT IS GOING TO BE. I WOULD BE WANTING TO PROTECT THE CITY FROM HAVING TO PUT TOO MUCH MONEY INTO THIS BUILDING. >> THE LEASE IS TERMINATING ON THE 4TH. NORMALLY IF WE WERE A GOING CONCERN AND WE WANTED THIS TO GO FORWARD WITH THAT, WE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT POSSIBLY INCREASING MONTHLY RATES. WHATEVER ELSE. I WANTED TO LIMIT. ZERO IS A GOOD NUMBER WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT LIABILITY TO THE CITY GOING FORWARD. I THINK THAT IS THE IMPORTANT THING. I WOULD CONSIDER STANDING, IT'S TRIPLE NET, EVERYTHING INSIDE IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. YOU UNDERSTAND. AM I CLEAR ON THAT? OKAY. THE REQUIREMENT OF THIS MOTION HOPEFULLY IS THAT WE DO HAVE A PLAN THAT TAKES US FROM THAT DATE FORWARD. SO IT WOULD BE AUGUST 4TH, 2020, FORWARD AND IF IT'S DECIDED AT A LATER DATE THAT WE WERE GOING TO KEEP THIS STRUCTURE AND PUT IT OUT FOR AN RFP, SO BE IT. BUT I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO DEAL WITH THAT NOW. I DON'T WANT TO INVEST ANY CAPITAL INTO THAT BUILDING BECAUSE AS WE'VE ALL SAID, WE DON'T KNOW. IT COULD BE A RUBBLE OF ROCK THIS TIME NEXT YEAR OR CLOSE TO IT. LET'S MOVE FORWARD. >> I WOULD EVEN BE MORE RESTRICTIVE ON THAT, 180 DAYS. IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REALLY LOOKING INTO IT. AND JUST THAT KIND OF LIGHTS A FIRE. PUSHING THE IDEA OF UTILIZING THIS PROPERTY, EXPANDING PARKING, PUTTING A PLAN TOGETHER, YOU KNOW AND JUST MAKE IT MORE RESTRICTIVE FOR US. IT PUSHES OUR GEARS. YOU CAN SAY YOU KNOW, AUGUST 4TH OR AUGUST 3RD OF 2021, IT'S EASY TO DO. I'M OKAY WITH SHRINKING IT DOWN AND SAY WE'RE GOING TO COME UP WITH A PLAN IN 6 MONTHS AND READDRESS IT. WE HAVE QUARTERLY MEETINGS HERE AS AN FPRA BOARD SO WE CAN MEET IN OCTOBER, JANUARY. OR FEBRUARY, WHICHEVER ONE IT IS. I THINK IT'S JANUARY. AND BY THE TIME MARCH, APRIL, ROLLS AROUND, WE'VE GOT A DIRECTION. YOU KNOW, AT THE WORST CASE. YOU KNOW, JUST LOOKING THAT FAR. >> I AGREE WITH THAT. I LIKE THAT BETTER. BUT THE ONE THING THAT I DO WANT TO ACCOMPLISH HERE IS I WANT TO BE FAIR TO THE TENANT. TO BE FAIR TO THE TENANT, THEY HAVE TO HAVE, I WOULD SAY 90 DAYS, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT AS WELL PACK UP AND LEAVE NOW AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. BECAUSE THEY HAVE ORDERING TO DO, THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY'RE GOING TO GET RID OF THEIR STOCK. [03:15:05] FIGURE OUT WHATEVER YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE ISSUES WITH TAKING A BUSINESS APART. BUT IN A YEAR, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO FUNCTION AND PLAN IT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. THE SAME WAY THAT WE'RE PLANNING, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO PLAN IT. WE ALL HAVE A DATE CERTAIN IN MIND. IF OUR PLAN DOES INCLUDE A FUTURE, THEN IT'S EASY TO BE ABLE TO PICK UP FROM THAT. IF THEY WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COMPETITIVE PROCESS AND STAY THERE FOR ANOTHER TEN YEARS, WE DECIDE THAT IS PART OF OUR ISSUE, THEN SO BE IT. I LIKE THE ONE YEAR. I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A PLAN TOGETHER, MAYBE WITHIN THE NEXT 180 DAYS OR WHATEVER MR. MIMMS SAYS STAFF. I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO SAY WHATEVER WE ASK FOR. WE'RE GIVING YOU A LOT OF THINGS TO DO IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. >> NO PROBLEM. >> CHAIRMAN, IF IT IS THE CONSENSUS OF THE BOARD TO EXTEND HER LEASE TO UP TO 364 DAYS, MAYBE WE COME BACK, AT THE 180 MARK AND WE HAVE THE DISCUSSION TO SEE IF WE'RE GOING TO DEMOLISH IT OR IF WE WISH TO PUT THE RFP ON THE STREET. THAT IS GOING TO TAKE TIME AS WELL. WHATEVER THE WILL OF THE BOARD IS. >> INCLUDES THE MODIFICATION TO THE NEW LEASE, RIGHT? >> A MONTH AGO, WE WERE GOING TO UPDATE OUR PARKING STUDY FROM 2016. SO WHAT WE HAVE IS A SIMPLE UPDATE. WE CAN ADD A COMPONENT TO THAT STUDY TO AGAIN, SPECIFICALLY TAKE A LOOK AT THE ISLAND TO DETERMINE WHAT TYPE OF PARKING NEEDS YOU KNOW, ARE NECESSARY RIGHT NOW TO FACILITATE PARKING FOR OUR EXISTING AND FUTURE DETERMINED DEVELOPMENT. SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE, WE CAN DEFINITELY HAVE OUR PARKING EXPERTS TAKE A LOOK AT THIS ENTIRE AREA, THE ENTIRE ISLAND, TO DETERMINE HOW WE CAN UTILIZE THIS PROPERTY THAT WAS ALWAYS ENVISIONED TO HELP ADDRESS OUR PARKING NEEDS OVER THE NEXT YOU KNOW, SIX TO 12 MONTHS. >> I AGREE WITH THAT. >> YES. SOUNDS GOOD. >> SO WE HAVE A CONSENSUS HERE. STAFF CLEAR ON THE DISCUSSION? >> GO AHEAD. MAKE A MOTION. >> YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION. >> SO I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE GO MONTH TO MONTH ON THE LEASE OF THE PROPERTY AT 301 SOUTH OCEAN DRIVE, WITH THE EXISTING TENANT, THAT WOULD DIRECT STAFF TO REEVALUATE AND RENEGOTIATE THE LEASE WITH THE TERMS THAT WERE DESCRIBED BEFORE. REGARDING THE STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS. AND WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WHICH PARTS AND PIECES. WHETHER IT'S STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS OF THE BUILDING OR THE INTERIOR CONTENTS OF THE STRUCTURE. NOT TO EXCEED I'M ASSUMING THE LEGAL LANGUAGE IS NOT TO EXCEED 364 DAYS. OKAY. AND THAT THIS BOARD REEVALUATE WITH INFORMATION FROM STAFF 180 DAYS FROM THIS MEETING, 6 MONTHS FROM TODAY. >> SECOND. >> JUST IN DISCUSSION, THAT IS A RENEGOTIATED LEASE FROM THE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD AS FAR AS THE LIABILITY OF THE CITY. >> I DON'T EXPECT TO CHANGE ANY OF THE OTHER TERMS. NOT THE BASE AMOUNT, NOTHING. NOTICES. RATE ON GAS, NONE OF THAT. >> JUST THE ONE PART THAT WAS MENTIONED >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? CALL THE ROLL. >> MR. JOHNSON. >> YES, MA'AM. >> MAYOR HUDSON. >> YES, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER SESSIONS. >> YES, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. >> YES. >> CHAIRMAN PERONA. >> YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU FOR THAT. >> OKAY. THE NEXT ITEM IS THE FPRA PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES SUMMARY. [h. FPRA Programs and Activities Summary - FY2020 3rd Quarter] >> MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE FPRA BOARD, WE HAVE ATTACHED THE AGENDA IS THE PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES SUMMARY FOR PROJECTS SUCH AS KINGS LANDING, LINDSEY SCHOOL OF THE ARTS, FISHERMAN'S [03:20:07] WHARF, RFP, SUNRISE THEATER ACTIVITIES, 100 BLOCK OF AVENUE D, OUR CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, ALL HAVE SUMMARIES OF THEIR ACTIVITIES OVER THE PAST QUARTER AND WE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU DESIRE AT THIS TIME. >> ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? >> COMMISSIONER SESSIONS. >> SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS. WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD IN TERMS OF WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO OPEN UP THE SCHOOL, DO YOU KNOW? >> FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, SIR, I BELIEVE IT'S AUGUST 24TH. AND I BELIEVE THAT OUR CHILDREN AND PARENTS WILL HAVE CHOICES, WHETHER THEY CAN ATTEND IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY. THAT IS MY CURRENT INFORMATION. >> OKAY. AND I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF WE COULD GET THAT ACROSS BY WAY OF OUR TELEVISION STATION. BECAUSE MY PHONE IS RINGING OFF THE HOOK. AND I HAVE TO DIRECT THEM TO THE SCHOOL BOARD. BUT I FEEL GUILTY FOR THAT. BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, THE CHILDREN LIVE WITHIN THE CITY. SO IF WE COULD GET THAT OUT TO THE PUBLIC, THAT WHILE SCHOOL IS GOING TO OPEN, IT'S NOT REQUIRED, YOU HAVE AN OPTION. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW A LOT OF PARENTS OUT THERE CONFUSED AND THEY DON'T KNOW. SO IF YOU COULD DO THAT, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S FPRA MEETING. BUT WHEN I HAVE THINGS ON MY MIND, I HAVE TO SAY IT. I APPRECIATE IT. >> MR. CHAIR, TO BUILD ON THAT PART, COMMISSIONER, YOU BRING UP A GOOD IDEA, IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO PARTNER WITH THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PUT OUT A PUBLIC NOTIFICATION? YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYONE IN THE ROOM RECEIVES THE NOTICES FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EOC, ON YOUR PHONE, BUT THEY SEND OUT THE UPDATES, IT APPEARS MAGICALLY, BECAUSE WE LIVE IN THE ZONE OF GETTING THOSE MESSAGES. SO SEEMS LIKE TO ME, BECAUSE WE'RE IN A PANDEMIC, PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO, EVEN IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN IN SCHOOL, OR YOU DON'T, JUST NICE TO TELL PEOPLE THAT HEY, THIS IS COMING, AUGUST 24TH, THERE IS GOING TO BE SCHOOL BUSES AROUND AGAIN. IT'S ACTUALLY A PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF MANY PARAMETERS. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY. >> BEING I NEVER HAD SCHOOL CHILDREN FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS OR SO, FINALLY, I DON'T HAVE ANYMORE SCHOOL CHILDREN. BUT I USED TO GET CALLS DAILY FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. WHAT WE CAN DO IS GET ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY AMASS AND DEFINITELY CONTACT THE EOC AND ALERT THE FOLKS THAT HANDLE ALERT ST. LUCIE AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SEE HOW WE CAN GET TOGETHER AND GETTING THE WORD OUT. THEY DO A TREMENDOUS JOB WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD. >> I THINK THE PARENTS KNOW THE SCHOOL. BUT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE AN OPTION. I THINK THAT IS THE BIGGEST CONFUSION RIGHT NOW. >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. >> I WAS ABOUT TO SAY BETTER UTILIZE, FPUA, THEY COULD PUT FLIERS IN THERE. BUT THAT IS NEXT WEEK. SO JUST LET IT SLIP BY US THIS TIME. I HAVE ONE COMMENT. YOU KNOW, WITH THE EMERGENCY SITUATION AND COVID-19 PANDEMIC, RUMORS, GOSSIP, EVERYTHING ELSE HAPPENING, IN THE ABSENCE OF MOVEMENT, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE CITY MANAGER SENSE OF CONFIDENCE ON THE KING LANDING PROJECT AND HOW THINGS ARE MOVING FORWARD. BECAUSE THAT HAS BEEN LIKE THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE OUT THERE FOR THE RUMOR MILLS. >> SURE. WELL, MR. CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE WERE ON THE PHONE WITH THOSE FOLKS YESTERDAY, AS A MATTER OF FACT. DALE, OH MY GOSH, DALE MADISON. DALE MADISON AND LEE, HIS ATTORNEY REPRESENTATIVE, LEE DOBBINS. DALE IS A PART-TIME RESIDENT IN FORT PIERCE. HE IS HERE, HE SPENDS MONEY IN FORT PIERCE. VISITS OUR LOCATIONS, OUR PLACES OF INTEREST. HE IS VESTED. I DO BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE DONE QUITE A BIT IN THEIR PRE-DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES. SUCH AS PREPPING FOR THE NECESSARY SITE PLAN DESIGN, THEY'VE INITIATED SOME OF THEIR OTHER CONSTRUCTION DESIGN AND WORKING WITH THEIR EXISTING CONTRACTORS. THE PROJECT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS FORGOTTEN. WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF AN EMERGENCY SITUATION RIGHT NOW. THE TIME HAS STOPPED. AND IT'S ANOTHER WORD I [03:25:03] LEARNED, CALLED TOLLED. YOU KNOW, I'VE NEVER USED THAT WORD TOLLED. IT MEANS STOPPED. IT'S AN ATTORNEY TERM. BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT AUTO BAHN DEVELOPMENT HAS A SHARP INTEREST IN FORT PIERCE. AND THEY HAVE A GREAT CONFIDENCE, THEY'RE WORKING TOGETHER, WE CAN ACHIEVE WHAT WE ALL WANTED FOR THAT SITE. YOU HAVE MY COMMITMENT THAT STAFF IS GOING TO DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO FACILITATE THAT DEVELOPMENT. >> HE IS RIGHT. AND I SEE MR. CHAIRMAN, HE HAS PUT HIS MONEY BEHIND HIS MOUTH AND HE IS SERIOUS ABOUT IT. I SEE HIM IN PUBLIX SHOPPING ALL OF THE TIME. HE ACTUALLY HAS MOVED HERE. HE'S TAKING IT SERIOUS. SO I DO BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE SERIOUS ABOUT IT. AND WE HAVE TO TAKE THEM SERIOUS. AND I MEAN THIS IS A JOINT VENTURE. WE JUST HAVE TO BE RECEPTIVE TO THEIR NEEDS. BUT WE JUST STILL HAVE TO BE ABLE TO JUSTIFY TO THE PUBLIC SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IN TERMS OF INCENTIVES AND I WANT TO SEE THIS PROJECT HAPPEN MORE THAN ANYBODY. I MEAN, I'VE BEEN DREAMING ABOUT THIS. HOPING THAT IT WOULD COME EVENTUALLY ONE DAY AND PRAYING ABOUT IT. BUT WE JUST HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT IT. >> MY QUESTION WAS JUST TO GET SOME CLARITY ON IT. OBVIOUSLY I THINK WHAT STIMULATES A LOT OF THIS IS THE BIGGEST ISSUE RIGHT NOW WHEN YOU START THINKING ABOUT HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS AND COMMERCIAL, AND REALLY JUST ABOUT COVERED WHAT THE DEVELOPMENT IS ALL ABOUT. SOME RESIDENTIAL COMPONENTS. SO EVERYBODY, A REASONABLE PERSON COULD GET TO THE CONCLUSION THAT WOW, WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO LOSE THAT. YOU KNOW, SO I'M HAPPY THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH THEM. AND IT'S A DAY TO DAY PROCESS. AND THE TIMING ASPECT OF THIS IS NO FAULT OF THEIRS. AND IT'S NO FAULT OF OURS. IT'S JUST THE WAY THINGS ARE. I'M VERY HAPPY THAT THAT MOVED FORWARD. I ASKED THE QUESTION ONLY TO GET CLARITY FOR FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE STILL IN THE GAME. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> THE OTHER COMMENT I HAVE ON THE REPORT IS I'M EXCITED THAT NEXT WEEK WE'LL RECEIVE SOME RFQS FOR FISHERMAN'S WHARF. WE EXTENDED THE DATE. >> IT WAS EXTENDED TO AUGUST 5TH. AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF A SITUATION. BUT WE CAN CONTINUE ON WITH THAT DATE. OR IF YOU DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE, WE CAN EXTEND IT TO MAYBE MID SEPTEMBER. BUT THERE IS DEFINITE INTEREST. WE HAD A PRE-DEVELOPMENT PRE-BID MEETING AND I BELIEVE WE HAD TEN TO 15 PARTICIPANTS AT THAT MEETING. THERE IS INTEREST. THE LOCALS HAVE A DEFINED INTEREST IN THAT LAND. SO WHAT I'M SAYING TO YOU IS, I THINK WE CAN GO EITHER WAY. IN THE MIDST OF THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION, IT MIGHT BE ADVANTAGEOUS TO GIVE IT MORE TIME. BECAUSE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, WITH THE SPORTS INDUSTRIES STALLING OR NOT PLAYING OR DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING IN OUR LARGER CITIES, WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF BUSINESSES BOARDED UP. SEEING A LOT OF DEVELOPMENTS PAUSED. SO IT MIGHT BE ADVANTAGEOUS IF WE'RE LOOKING FOR AN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPER OR QUALIFIED DEVELOPER TO COME TO FORT PIERCE. THERE IS A LOT OF YOU KNOW, VERY UNDEFINED VARIABLES RIGHT NOW CIRCULATING AROUND THIS PROPERTY. >> AND I APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION. THE REASON I BROUGHT IT UP IS THINKING ABOUT THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DELAYED, AT THE PORT FOR EXAMPLE. YOU KNOW, THE COUNTRY OF ITALY IS THE ONE PRODUCING THE LARGEST LIFT IN THE WORLD AND OF COURSE THAT WAS A HARD HIT AREA AND THEY DELAYED BY 6 MONTHS OR MORE. YOU KNOW, ALL OF THEIR INDUSTRY FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN READING. AND JUST WITH SPECIFIC INTEREST TO THAT LIFT COMING TO OUR PORT. SO IF YOU FEEL LIKE FROM A STAFF LEVEL THAT THAT WOULD BE ADVANTAGEOUS FOR US TO EXTEND, I'M GOOD WITH THAT AS A BOARD MEMBER. BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING THAT I WOULD RATHER DO INTEREST AND BRING IN MORE ATTRACTION BECAUSE OF THIS IDEA THAT WE HAVE GOING ON IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. >> SO I'M OKAY WITH THAT. >> YEAH. I WOULD ONLY DO IT WITH YOUR BLESSING. SO IF YOU GUYS ARE OKAY, IF YOU THE BOARD ARE OKAY, THEN WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO EXTEND THAT. >> I'M GOOD. >> I'M GOOD. >> CONSENSUS. >> ALL RIGHT. >> OKAY. READY TO MOVE ON. >> NEXT WE HAVE STAFF COMMENTS. [8. STAFF COMMENTS] [03:30:02] >> OKAY. WELL, I JUST WANT TO SAY I THINK WE'VE HAD A VERY VERY PRODUCTIVE MEETING. AND I WANT YOU ALL TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR FPRA, CITY STAFF, WE ARE REALLY THINKING IN A DIFFERENT WAY. IN THE PAST, THE IDEA WAS TO SPEND MONEY, BUY PROPERTY, IT WILL HAPPEN. THERE WAS NO PLAN, NO UNDERSTANDING. IT JUST HAPPENED. I THINK WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW, WE'VE IDENTIFIED A VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT PLAN, MR. JOHN JONES WAS HERE TODAY. GAVE US YOU KNOW, I GUESS OBJECTIVES THAT ARE GOING TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH OUR CRA PLAN UPDATE. AND ALSO, POTENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS. IN ADDITION, WE'RE BRINGING ON AN INTERNATIONAL COMPANY THAT HAS TENTACLES ALL OVER THE GLOBE AND THEY'RE GOING TO HELP US WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES. OF COURSE, WE STILL PARTNER WITH EDC, MANUFACTURING AND WAREHOUSING, BUT I BELIEVE THAT COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL IS GOING TO BRING SOMETHING TO US THAT WE'VE NEVER HAD. WE'VE NEVER HAD THIS LEVEL OF PROFESSIONAL IN FORT PIERCE THAT CAN HELP STAFF. SO WE'RE THINKING A DIFFERENT WAY. WE'RE DOING THINGS A LITTLE BIT SMARTER AND WE'RE BEING MORE CONSERVATIVE WITH OUR FUNDS AND I JUST WANT YOU TO BE AWARE OF THAT. THAT WE'RE THINKING VERY CAUTIOUSLY. BUT I THINK WE'RE DOING IT IN A VERY CALCULATED AND CONSERVATIVE WAY. SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF HOW YOU ALL HAVE THOUGHT THIS OUT AND LISTENED TO STAFF'S PRESENTATION AND WE'RE PROUD OF WHAT WE'RE BRINGING TO YOU. >> YES, SIR. >> BOARD COMMENTS. >> COMMISSIONER SESSIONS. [9. BOARD COMMENTS] >> I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I'M EXCITED. I'VE HEARD GREAT THINGS THIS EVENING. VERY EXCITED, IT'S MADE MY DAY, MY WEEK, MY YEAR TO SEE THIS CITY MAKE A DECISION TO OBTAIN A GIFT, AS I SAY. I CAN'T SAY PURCHASE. BUT OBTAIN A GIFT. AND THAT IS MEANS COURT. THAT IS A PROJECT THAT IS I FEEL IS REALLY GOING TO HELP IN TERMS OF MOTIVATION, INSPIRATION FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, FOR THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY. AND THE LEGACY BEHIND THAT BUILDING. AND TO GO IN AND I'M BEING REALISTIC WITH YOU ALL. THAT BUILDING WAS BUILT BEFORE I WAS BORN. SO IF YOU THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET TENANTS IN THERE AND NOT PUT ANY MONEY INTO IT, YOU'RE SADLY MISTAKEN. IT'S GOING TO TAKE INVESTMENT. IT'S GOING TO TAKE MONEY. WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT BUILDING FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD AND EXPECT FOR ANYBODY TO GO IN THERE. I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT. I KNOW THE VISION. I HOPE YOU ALL SHARE THE VISION THAT I SHARE IN TERMS OF TRYING TO REVAMP THE NORTHWEST SECTION OF FORT PIERCE. AND I AM ONE PERSONALLY GOING TO GET ON THE PHONE LOBBY CONGRESSMAN. SEE IF WE CAN GET THE SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE IN THERE OR PERHAPS A POST OFFICE IN THERE. THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SERVICES THAT PEOPLE NEED. AND THEN IT'S SO CENTRALLY LOCATED. THERE IS A REASON WHY THAT BUILDING WAS BUILT THERE BACK IN THE DAY AND IT WAS THE ONLY SCHOOL. BECAUSE IT WAS SO CENTRALLY LOCATED, WHEN THINGS WERE SEGREGATED THAT EVERYBODY HAD ACCESS TO IT AND IT MADE IT EASIER TO GET TO. WE HAVE TO TAKE THE WHEEL AS IT EXISTS AND MAKE IT BETTER. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO SO. SPEND SOME MONEY ON THAT BUILDING. WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT BUILDING AND PUT PAINT ON THE WALLS AND EXPECT TO OCCUPY IT. IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND SOME MONEY. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. AND I HOPE YOU ALL SHARE MY DREAM. I'M GOING TO DO ALL I CAN TO MAKE IT A REALITY. >> THAT'S IT FOR ME TODAY. THANK YOU, SIR. >> NEVER GOING TO GET THIS OPPORTUNITY. MAYOR HUDSON. >> THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE MUCH, EXCEPT AT SOME FUTURE FPRA MEETING, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM OUR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS. I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY EDUCATIONAL FOR US TO KNOW WHAT KIND OF DAY, WHAT THEIR DAY IS LIKE. [03:35:04] I THINK THAT THEY HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON SCHOOL SAFETY. BUT ALSO ON THE STUDENTS AND IT CAN BE 6 MONTHS FROM NOW. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THAT AT AN FPRA MEETING. THANK YOU. >> VERY GOOD. COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. >> YES. I JUST ONLY HAVE JUST TO SAY THAT AS FAR AS THE KING PLANT, I AM BEHIND IT 150 PERCENT. BUT I JUST YOU KNOW, I JUST DON'T WANT ANY ENTITY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CITY OF FORT PIERCE. I DON'T CARE WHO IT IS. IN-HOUSE, OUTDOOR. WHATEVER. NOT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CITIZENS. BECAUSE THE CITIZENS ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE TO FOOT EVERYTHING. AS FAR AS I WANT TO SEND OUT KUDOS (AUDIO CUT OUT) BUT YOU PLAY OUT THERE IN THE DIRT, YOU GO HOME AND YOU'RE ALL DIRTIED UP. BUT THEY KNOW WHERE YOU'VE BEEN BECAUSE YOU WAS IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. THAT IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY. >> VERY GOOD. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. >> NO COMMENT. >> I AM JUST GOING TO END ON THE WE HAVE A LOT OF REPORTS, A LOT OF PLANS, A LOT OF IDEAS AND I DON'T KNOW, I CAN'T KEEP TRACK OF THEM SOMETIMES. SO I EXPECT STAFF TO KEEP THIS IN FRONT OF OUR FACE. LET'S NOT LET ANYTHING GET DUST ON IT. WE'VE GOT A LOT OF THINGS MOVING RIGHT NOW. AND WE NEED TO BE INVOLVED ON A REGULAR BASIS. YOU'VE BEEN REALLY GOOD WITH THAT WITH THE UPDATES AND EVERYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT. AND IT'S REFRESHING TO US BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO JUMP BACK INTO IT AGAIN AND TAKE A LOOK, REMEMBER WHAT WE DID BEFORE. AND THEN SEE WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE TIMES BECAUSE THEY ARE CHANGING SO FAST. AND IT HAS A RENEWED INTEREST IN ME. BECAUSE SAME OLD WAY DOESN'T HAPPEN ANYMORE. AND EVERY DAY CREATES NEW ISSUES. AND NEW SOLUTIONS, NEW OPPORTUNITIES. AND I'M GLAD WE'RE PART OF THAT. SO LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONSTANTLY REVIEWING WHAT WE'VE ALREADY PUT DOWN ON PAPER AND MAKE SURE THAT WE MOVE FORWARD AND KEEP, I LIKE THE FACT THAT WE ADD DATES TO WHERE WE'RE GOING TO CONTROL OURSELVES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A PLAN BY A CERTAIN DATE AND WE NEED TO GET INTO THAT RHYTHM RIGHT THERE. RATHER THAN SAY WE NEED A PLAN, WE'LL GO ON TO THE NEXT ITEM. WE NEED TO HAVE A DATE CERTAIN. AT LEAST AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN ON THE ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THE CITY. SO WITH THAT, I AM GOING TO ASK EVERYBODY FROM -- CHARLIE, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO GO OUTSIDE NOW. I'M SORRY. MAYOR HUDSON HAS THIS DOWN TO A SCIENCE. WE HAVE A MOVE TO ADJOURN. CHARLIE, YOU NEED TO GET OUTSIDE THERE SO WE CAN ALL LEAVE. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.