Jan 08, 2024 City Commission Conference Agenda

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MEETING TO ORDER. THIS IS MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 2024. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

>> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

>> CALLED THE ROLL PLEASE. >>

>> THANK YOU. >> MADAM CLERK , BEFORE YOU START, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOWLEDGE OF THE PRESENCE OF

[a. Update presentation by representatives of the Retirement Board]

US . >> FIRST ITEM IS THE UPDATE AND PRESENTATION BY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE RETIREMENT BOARD.

>> GOOD MORNING . >> GOOD MORNING. MADAME MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, I WAS ASKED TO COME IN AND I WOULD DO A PRESENTATION OF THE ANNUAL REPORT. IT WAS REQUESTED, I BELIEVE, BY COMMISSIONER BRODRICK. JUST AN UPDATE. WE NORMALLY DO AN UPDATE IN APRIL. WE DO IT FOR FPUA. JOHN OR MYSELF HAS STARTED IN THE PAST. THE ACTUARIAL REPORT FOR 2023 WILL ACTUALLY COME OUT IN ABOUT MARCH. AND THEN WE USUALLY DO IT IN APRIL. BUT WE WERE ASKED TO GO OVER SOME THINGS. AS YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN A BAD YEAR FOR INVESTMENTS. IF YOU LOOK AT THE SHEET THAT I GAVE YOU, I'M SORRY THAT I DON'T HAVE IT RENTED OUT HERE. YOU CAN SEE OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS -- WHAT I WANTED YOU TO SEE BEFORE WE GET INTO THIS IS ONE THING WHERE BIG ON HIS WE DIVERSIFY.

AND I WILL GO OVER THAT. WHAT I WANT YOU TO SEE ON THAT SHEET I GIVE YOU HOW FROM YEAR TO YEAR YOU CAN GO FROM THE BOTTOM ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP TO THE MIDDLE. EVERY YEAR IS DIFFERENT. IF YOU LOOK AT THE LAST YEAR, I KNOW SOME OF IT IS TINY, BUT YOU SEE A LOT OF NEGATIVES THERE FROM 2022. AND THAT'S JUST WHAT IT WAS IN THE WORLD. IF YOU GO BACK -- THAT GIVES YOU A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THE 20 YEARS THAT WE DEAL WITH. SO I WILL START THIS BY JUST SAYING THIS PRESENTATION -- AND JOHN AND I WORKED ON THIS TOGETHER. SHE HELPED ME DO THIS AND SHE WAS GOING TO BE HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS BUT SHE GOT PULLED AWAY. AND I THANKED HER VERY MUCH FOR THAT MULTIPLE TIMES. SHE IS THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE PLAN. SHE HANDLES THE ADMINISTRATION PORTION. JUST SO EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS , AS A BOARD MEMBER , WHEN WE HAVE CONSTITUENTS THAT COME UP TO US, WE REALLY CAN'T ANSWER SPECIFIC QUESTIONS BECAUSE THAT ISN'T APPROPRIATE FOR US ON THE RETIREMENT ON HOW THEY SHOULD DO IT. WHAT SHOULD I DO? WHEN SHOULD I DO THIS? AND I ALWAYS REFER THEM TO THE ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE SIMPLE FACT THAT THEY WILL HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE . AS STEWARDS, WE GOT TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHAT WE SAY TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY COME TO US. SO AS IT SAYS HERE, THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE RETIREMENT SYSTEM. WE ARE IN THE TOP PERCENTILE OF RETIREMENT PLANS IN THE COUNTRY. OUR PLAN IS LABELED AS EXTRAORDINARILY RESILIENT IN RELATION TO OUR PEERS AND THE STATE AND COUNTY.

OUR PLAN IS USED AS A MODEL FOR INVESTMENT CONSULTANT. ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO SAY -- ONE OF THE REASONS SHE ASKED ME TO COME APPEAR IS WE HAD A BIG CHANGEOVER IN THE RETIREMENT BOARD BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LEAVING. PEOPLE RETIRING.

COMMISSIONER PARADA WAS ON THERE. AND BRIAN WAS ON THERE.

THEY LEFT AND THAT'S A LOT OF EXPERIENCE. I HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD ALMOST 10 YEARS NOW. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE WHEN I FIRST GOT ON THERE GLORIA WAS STILL HERE. SO THAT JUST TELLS YOU HOW LONG AGO IT WAS. BUT IT TAKES A LOT FOR THE TRAINING.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO -- AND WE WILL GET INTO THAT. WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FLORIDA PENSION TRUSTEE ASSOCIATION. THEY ARE THEREFORE RETIREMENT PENSIONS.

AND WE DO TRAINING THROUGH THEM. AND I BELIEVE -- MR.

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ESPECIALLY ACTUARIAL. BASED OFF OF THAT, WE WERE LUCKY. IT HAPPENED TO BE WHEN MR. PERRONE I WAS THERE. MOST PEOPLE ARE DOWN HERE . I RAISED MY HEAD. FORT PIERCE. WE HAVE BEEN OVER 8 1/2% FOREVER. HE GOES COMING MUST BE MISTAKEN. I WENT OUTSIDE. SO WE WENT TO BREAK. COME BACK. IN FRONT OF THE CLASS HE APOLOGIZED. HE SAID -- I WENT AND LOOKED AT YOUR PLAN.

HE SAID, YES. YOU HAVE HAD OVER 8.5% RETURN FOR ALL THOSE YEARS. AND HE SAID THAT'S JUST UNHEARD OF. AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE ONE OF THE BEST PLANS. WE DIVERSIFY. WE MAKE GOOD DECISIONS. WE LISTEN TO OUR CONSULTANT. AND OUR CONSULTANT MANAGES OUR MONEY MANAGERS BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT IS IMPORTANT. WHY? BECAUSE THESE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE HERE IN THIS ROOM AND IN FPUA , THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE -- THEY COUNT ON HAVING THIS RETIREMENT. NOT HOW WE ALL WORRY ABOUT SOCIAL SECURITY RIGHT NOW. THIS IS SOMETHING THEY'RE COUNTING ON TO SURVIVE AFTER THEY LEAVE.

SO WE DID LOWER IT. BUT AS YOU SEE, THAT IS THE LOWEST NUMBER.

IN 2022 WE ONLY HAD A 3.05. BUT AS YOU LOOK AT THAT SHEET IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU CAN SEE THERE WERE A LOT OF NEGATIVES IN THERE. WE WERE ABLE TO AT LEAST GET THAT MUCH BASED OFF OF DIVERSIFICATION. THESE NUMBERS ARE TOO LITTLE FOR ME TO SEE THERE. BUT I CAN SEE RIGHT HERE.

>> IF YOU HIT THE PLUS BUTTON AT THE VERY TOP -- NO. LEFT.

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>> OKAY. THAT HELP EVERYBODY OUT? NOW, REMEMBER ALL THESE NUMBERS ARE BASED OFF 9/30/22. I THINK I DID IT THE YEAR BEFORE LAST BEFORE HER. SO WE LOST $46 MILLION. WE SEE OUR INTEREST IN DIVIDENDS. YOU SEE THE INVESTMENT EXPENSE. THAT IS WHAT WE'RE PAYING. YOU SEE THE $923,000. THAT IS WHAT WE PAY OUR CONSULTANT AND OUR MONEY MANAGERS TO MANAGE OUR FUND.

AND OUR MONEY MANAGERS DO THEIR JOB. IF YOU TAKE THAT NUMBER INTO A TWO 198 MILLION, WE ONLY PAY THEM .46%. LESS THAN HALF A PERCENT TO DO THIS. AND IT IS PERFORMANCE-BASED. BASED OFF OF THAT. SO AS YOU SEE THIS , THAT IS NOT BAD FOR WHAT THEY ARE DOING FOR US. WE DO LISTEN TO OUR CONSULTANT. OUR CONSULTANT KEEPS A GOOD EYE ON OUR MONEY MANAGERS . AND WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD SOME . I JUST CALL IT SORT OF WHAT WE USE IN F UA.

IF THEY ARE NOT MEETING THEIR -- WHAT THEY NEED TO MEET, WE START LOOKING AT THEM HARD. SOMETIMES WE LOOK AT THEM AGAINST THEIR PEERS. IF EVERYBODY IS DOING THAT , THAT WHOLE FUND IS GOING DOWN. YOU CANNOT ASK THEM TO GET BLOOD OUT OF A TURNIP . THEY'RE JUST NOT GOING TO GET IT. SO THAT IS WHAT WE LOOK AT ALSO. OTHER NUMBERS THERE. YOU SEE WE PAID OUT 16 -- OVER 16 MILLION TO OUR MEMBERS. BENEFITS PAID.

SEE SOME OF THE OTHER INTERNAL EXPENSES THERE. AS OF THE END OF '22, YOU CAN SEE THAT IS HOW MANY ACTIVE MEMBERS WE HAVE IN RETIREMENT. AND YOU CAN SEE THE RATE. EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS AND EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS. I'M GOING TO MOVE DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT. YOU CAN LOOK AT THAT BUT I'M GOING TO MOVE DOWN A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ONE RIGHT HERE. YOU CAN SEE WHEN WE WENT TO '24 WHAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO -- AS YOU SEE, THE CITY AND THE POLICE -- THE EMPLOYEES GET 5.16. FPUA GETS 6.16 PER EMPLOYEE. AND THEN YOU SEE THE EMPLOYER RATE. IF THE CITY IS WORRIED ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THEY ARE GIVEN, THE ONLY THING THEY COULD ACTUALLY DO IS WE'VE GOT TO GIVE MORE MONEY. WE'VE GOT TO GET INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT IF WE WANTED TO DO THAT FROM THE EMPLOYEES. BUT THESE ARE THE NUMBERS AND THERE IS THE INCREASE THAT HAPPENED. I CAN TELL YOU PART OF THE REASON -- AND I GOT IT RIGHT HERE THAT FPUA -- OVER 2022 , WE HAD 59 POSITIONS THAT WE HAD TO TRY TO FILL AND EMPTIED IN 2022.

OUT OF THAT 59, WE CARRIED OVER 20 CONTINUOUSLY OVER THAT TIME PERIOD . WE NEVER GOT BELOW 20 , I WAS TOLD BY HR. WHAT THAT MEANS IS THOSE ARE 20 NONCONTRIBUTING RETIREMENT POSITIONS . SO WHEN YOU HAVE A LOT OF EMPTY POSITIONS OUT THERE, YOU ARE NOT CONTRIBUTING TO THE RETIREMENT.

AND WHEN THEY RETIRE AND GO TO THE DROP SYSTEM , GUESS WHAT.

THEY ARE NOT CONTRIBUTING. THE CITY OVER TIME. IF THE AMOUNT GOES UP AND WE DON'T TOO GREAT THAT YEAR, THE CITY FPUA HAS TO MAKE THAT DIFFERENCE UP TO KEEP OUR SYSTEM VIABLE. SO THAT IS JUST SOMETHING YOU NEED TO LOOK AT. THESE ARE ADDED RETIREES . WE HAD 14 PEOPLE RETIRE ON TOP OF THAT. SO THAT'S OPERABLY WHAT IS CONTRIBUTING. AND IT'S BEEN VERY HARD TO FILL POSITIONS. I MEAN, IT HAS JUST BEEN -- AND WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF THINGS POSITIVELY FROM THE CITY TO FPUA TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO TRY TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS.

I THINK IT IS GETTING BETTER. I FEEL LIKE IT IS GETTING BETTER.

IT IS IN MY DEPARTMENT. I'M LUCKY. I CAN ONLY GO BY ME AND WHAT I HEAR FROM OTHER PEOPLE. SO WE'RE DOING A LITTLE BETTER.

THEY LEFT FOR A LOT OF REASONS. WHETHER IT BE THEY CAN GET A

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C.O.L.A. IS A VERY, VERY HOT TOPIC. AND I UNDERSTAND IT BUT I HAVE GOOD FRIENDS THAT HAVE RETIRED AND THEY COME TO ME AND THEY TALK TO ME. AND ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO MAINTAIN OUR FUND AT OVER 90% -- EVEN THIS BAD YEAR -- BUT THAT IS GOING TO COME BACK. WE ARE ALREADY AT 220. AS WE COME BACK, EVERYTHING IS CYCLIC. AS IT COMES UP , I THINK WE WILL BE BETTER. BUT THESE ARE THE CRITERIA WE HAVE SET . IT HAS TO HAVE A NET INCREASE. YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE NEGATIVE 48 MILLION. THAT USED TO BE AROUND 28 MILLION. OVER THIS YEAR BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A BAD YEAR, THAT IS WHY THAT WENT DOWN.

AND THAT COMES DOWN TO THE GAINS. YOU HAVE HEARD THE TERM, UNFUNDED LIABILITY. WHAT THAT MEANS IS IF WE STOP EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW AND HAD TO PAY EVERYBODY OUT, THAT IS HOW MUCH WERE NEGATIVE. I CAN'T IMAGINE -- I KNOW WITHOUT SAYING THERE ARE RETIREMENT PENSIONS AROUND US THAT HAVE NOT MAINTAINED THEIR FUND LIKE THEY SHOULD THAT BE THAT SOME OF THE MORE BENEFIT SO MANY TIMES THAT THEY ARE MUCH LOWER THAN THAT 86%. MATTER OF FACT, THEY ARE IN THE 50S. AND IF THEY HAD TO PAY OUT RIGHT NOW , SOMEBODY HAS TO PAY IT. WITH US, IT WOULD BE THE TAXPAYERS AND RATEPAYERS. WITH OTHER FUNDS, IT IS JUST PLAIN TAXPAYERS . THAT IS NOT WHERE WE ARE AT.

THAT IS IF YOU HAD TO PAY IT ALL OUT WHERE THEY ARE AT RIGHT NOW. THAT WILL GET BETTER. THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE HAVE LOOKED AT TO TRY TO GET THE BETTER. AND TO LOWER THAT NUMBER. BECAUSE IF WE CAN GET THAT NUMBER TO ZERO -- WHEN IT IS AT ZERO, THAT IS WHEN WE ARE 100% FUNDED. THAT IS WHEN WE BUY OUR RULES -- THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE CAN GIVE THE COST OF LIVING. BUT IF WE CONTINUE -- IT WOULD BE NICE TO GIVE IT. I HAVE EVEN SAID THAT. EVERY CHANGE WE MAKE, THERE IS REPERCUSSIONS. WHETHER IT BE RECENTLY -- SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO DO. BY THE STATE MANDATES. THE MORTALITY TABLES.

I BELIEVE THERE STILL SOMETHING FOR YOU RIGHT NOW ABOUT THE DROP SYSTEM. EVERY TIME YOU DO SOMETHING, THAT CHANGES THINGS. THERE'S OTHER THINGS LIKE RAISING THE MAXIMUM PAYOUT , WHICH I THINK IS SOMETHING PEOPLE ARE MAKING MORE. THAT NUMBER IS A NUMBER THAT HAS BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME. THESE ARE THINGS. WHEN YOU MAKE CHANGES LIKE THAT AND WE DROP THE PERCENTAGE FROM 8%, WE DIDN'T JUST GO TO 7.25. WE DROPPED .25. .25. BECAUSE THE OVERALL ACTUARIAL ASSUMPTION TAKES A HIT THERE. AND THAT IS WHERE THAT PERCENTAGE DROPS.

SO JUST TO LET YOU KNOW EVERYTHING WE DO AND WE RECOMMEND, THERE'S ALWAYS A REPERCUSSION THAT HAPPENS . AND WE DO LISTEN TO OUR CONSULTANT. AND WE DON'T DO ANYTHING IN A HURRY. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT GOD DRILLED INTO ME WHEN I FIRST CAME ON THE BOARD WAS THE PEOPLE BEFORE US HAD DONE SUCH A GREAT JOB BY NOT KNEE JERKING AND DOING THIS AND REALLY THINKING HARD ABOUT IT. AND THAT IS WHY OUR FUND IS VERY VIABLE RIGHT NOW. IT'S VERY GOOD. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE BAD YEARS. DID WE JUST HAVE ONE? ABSOLUTELY. IT IS COMING BACK UP. BUT WE ALL KNOW THE WHOLE WORLD TOOK A HIT IN '22.

THE BIGGEST THING WE HAVE TO DO AS A RETIREMENT BOARD IS TO TAKE CARE OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT WE PROMISED THIS RETIREMENT TO SO PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO KEEP PAYING AS MUCH ON IT TO SUPPORT IT. AND WE MAKE A GOOD DECISION TO DIVERSIFICATION. LIKE I SAID , WE HAVE SEVEN MONEY MANAGERS IN DIFFERENT FUNDS. AND WE TELL THEM EXACTLY HOW WE WANT OUR FUNDS TO BE INVESTED. AND WE WORKED HARD COMING UP WITH THAT. SO I HOPE I ANSWERED SOME QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS. BUT I'M SURE THERE ARE QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO COME TO ME.

>> COMMISSIONERS, QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?

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>> META-MAYOR, I WILL START IT OFF. THANK YOU FOR COMING BEFORE US. I OFTEN GET THE QUESTION ABOUT C.O.L.A. SO I DID NOT KNOW BECAUSE I'M NOT ON THE RETIREMENT COMMITTEE LIKE MY COLLEAGUES ARE. BUT I THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THIS. IT PUTS A REAL CLEAR DEFINITION AS TO WHAT NEEDS TO BE IN PLACE TO CONSIDER GIVING A C.O.L.A. AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME . WHAT I UNDERSTAND FROM YOUR PRESENTATION THIS MORNING , THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ACTUAL FUND IS WHAT IS TRIGGERING THIS.

AND SO I GUESS THAT LEADS TO MY QUESTION BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THE ASPECTS OF FINANCE . AND THE UNDERFUNDED VALUES ET CETERA THAT NEED TO BE IN PLACE WHEN IT COMES TO -- WHAT IS THE TERM YOU USED? UNFUNDED LIABILITY. SO WHEN I LOOKED AT THIS -- MY CONCERN WHEN THIS FIRST CAME TO ME WAS , WE ARE RELYING ON PROFESSIONAL MONEY MANAGERS TO TAKE OUR MONIES AND INVEST THEM REASONABLY IN A MARKET . AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE MANAGERS HAVE HAD A TOUGH YEAR. WE ALL HAVE. BUT THEIR PROFESSIONAL MANAGERS. AND WE ARE LOOKING FOR THEM TO TAKE THESE CALL AND MAKE DIAMONDS OUT OF THEM WHEN IT COMES TO THESE RETURNS. MY CONCERN WAS WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THEY WERE EVALUATED ? AND WHAT ARE THE FEES THAT THEY ARE CHARGING? BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN SOME PROCESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY WHERE WE HAVE HAD TO RE-EVALUATE MONEY MANAGERS.

THERE ALL KINDS OF MONEY MANAGERS OUT HERE WITH ALL KINDS OF PHILOSOPHIES. AND SO THAT IS WHY ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES TO REALLY HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. HAVE WE EVALUATED THEM? TODAY IS DARK MONDAY IN THE NFL. A LOT OF EVALUATION GOING ON THERE. PEOPLE'S JOBS ARE AT STAKE.

>> THERE ARE A LOT OF COACHES ON THE HOT SEAT BECAUSE OF THE PERFORMANCE. THAT IS THE EXAMPLE I'M GIVING. I JUST WANT TO KNOW THE LAST AND WE HAD THIS EVALUATION.

>> EVERY QUARTER. WE HAVE A CONSULTANT CALENDAR. BASED OFF EVERYTHING WE KNOW -- LISTEN, IF THEY WERE NOT DOING THEIR JOB AND WE DEPEND ON THEM. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT IS THE OLD TRUST BUT VERIFY. SO WE DO THAT. AND THEY HAVE TO COME BEFORE US. AND THEY HAVE TO TELL US. AND SOME OF THEM WANT TO TALK FAST AND GIVE YOU A LOT OF INFORMATION. BUT WE STOP THEM. AND SOME OF THEM IT IS PRETTY CUT AND DRY WHAT HAPPENS. BUT THEY MAY HAVE A BAD QUARTER. MIGHT HAVE TWO QUARTERS. COULD EVEN HAVE THREE QUARTERS ARE BAD. BUT THAT GOES BACK TO THE ORIGINAL STATEMENT I MADE EARLIER. IF EVERYBODY'S HAVING A BAD IN THAT FUND AND THAT IS WHERE THE DIVERSIFICATION REALLY MATTERS. THAT IS WHY WE DIVERSIFY. AND YOU SEE WITH THAT TABLE I GAVE YOU HOW I BELIEVE -- AND I WOULD JUST USE THIS AS AN EXAMPLE. AT THE END OF '22 WAS RETIREMENT ALTHOUGH AT THE BOTTOM? NO. I THINK I'VE GOT IT RIGHT THERE. LET ME SEE WHAT IS AT THE BOTTOM THERE.

REAL ESTATE. I'M SORRY. I SAID RETIREMENT. REAL ESTATE IS ALREADY AT THE BOTTOM. LOOK AT '21. THEY WERE ALMOST THE BEST. EVERYTHING MOVES AROUND. THROUGH DIVERSIFICATION, I CAN TELL YOU TO PUT IT IN SIMPLE TERMS WHEN IT GOES LIKE THIS, WE DON'T GO AS FAR. WHEN IT GOES UP, WE MAY NOT BE LIKE THIS , BUT IT'S LIKE THE EXAMPLE I GAVE YOU. WE HAVE BEEN AT 8.5% RETURNS FOR MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS. AND WE HAVE GONE INTO BAD TIMES RIGHT NOW. AND I CAN ASSURE YOU BASED OFF OF THE RETIREMENT FUNDS WE ARE MUCH BETTER AND WE STILL ARE.

AND WE DO KEEP A CHECK. AND WE'VE ACTUALLY FIRED MONEY MANAGERS THROUGH OUR CONSULTANT BEFORE. BUT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OFTEN BECAUSE SOMETIMES , LIKE YOU SAY, WE HAVE EXPECTATIONS IN CERTAIN AREAS. BUT YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE. IT IS JUST LIKE IN LIFE IN YOUR JOBS. IF YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO CHANGE BECAUSE THE TIME HAS CHANGED AND SOME OF THE INVESTMENTS THAT WERE NOT THERE 10 YEARS AGO ARE NOW GOOD INVESTMENTS. AND THE GOOD INVESTMENTS THAT WERE THERE 10 YEARS AGO ARE NOT GOOD NOW. SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE LOOK AT. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE GO THAT REALLY HELPS OUT THE TRAINING. COMMISSIONER GAINES CAN TELL YOU THE TRAINING WE GO TO REALLY OPENS IT UP. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNEW ANITA. SHE WAS OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR . 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE.

SHE KNEW EVERYTHING WHEN IT CAME TO FINANCE. BUT

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DIFFERENT BEAST. AND THINGS ARE CHANGING. PHILOSOPHIES CHANGE.

POSITIONS ON WHERE YOU PUT THOSE ASSETS TO YIELD RETURNS CHANGE EACH AND EVERY DAY BASED ON THIS GLOBAL ECONOMY. AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING FOR OUR EMPLOYEES THAT WE ARE SCRUTINIZING THE ACTUAL INVESTORS THAT DO THIS. AND WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT THEIR FEES.

BECAUSE FEES CAN ESCALATE. THEY CAN GIVE US THE BEST OF THE WORST PERFORMANCES , IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE. BUT THEY ARE STILL CHARGING A LOT OF MONEY. A LOT OF OTHER COMPANIES OUT THERE MAY CHARGE LESS WHEN IT COMES TO FEES WITH THIS. AND THAT IS WHERE I HAVE A CONCERN. FEES THAT ARE CHARGED FOR THE SERVICES THAT ARE BEING YIELDED. SO I'M ENCOURAGING MY COLLEAGUES TO LOOK AT THAT. WHEN YOU'RE ON THE BOARD AND EVALUATING THESE COMPANIES. BECAUSE THAT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT SENDS A SIGNAL TO OUR INVESTORS WE ARE MANAGING THAT MONEY EVEN TIGHTER AND WE ARE JUST NOT GOING TO GIVE IT

FOR MEDIOCRE PERFORMANCE. >> IT IS FUNNY YOU SAY THAT, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. WE HAD TWO MONEY MANAGERS REDUCE THEIR FEES THIS YEAR.

>> THAT IS THE RIGHT SIGNAL TO ME.

>> AND I WRITE? I THINK IT WAS TWO DIFFERENT.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M DONE.

>> MR. GAINES. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, THOSE MEETINGS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT -- ON THE AGENDA , OH, IT IS THAT MEETING. BECAUSE YOU KNOW IT IS GOING TO BE A LONG MEETING. SO IT IS THAT MEETING. HOWEVER, TO SIT THERE -- TO SIT THERE AND TO SEE THESE GUYS COME IN , IT IS ALMOST LIKE GOING TO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE AND SITTING OUTSIDE. THERE SWEATING. THEY COME IN. AND THEY DON'T COME IN TO GIVE US THIS 32ND SPEECH AND THINK THAT IS GOING TO BE IT. IT IS A BACK AND FORTH. IT IS A LONG PROCESS. IT IS A BACK AND FORTH. WITH MY COLLEAGUE AT THE END -- THE FIRST COUPLE MEETINGS HE WAS AFRAID TO SAY SOME THINGS. BUT NOW HE HAS CUT THE SPEED. AND SO HE IS EVEN ON TOP OF THE QUESTION.

SO THE AMOUNT OWED THIS EVEN THOUGH KEITH SAID EVERYBODY IN THIS ONE SECTION IS DOING BAD , WE DON'T EVEN GIVE HIM THAT. WE REALLY DON'T EVEN GIVE HIM THAT. YOU HAVE BEEN NICE, KEITH. WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT? DO SOMETHING

DIFFERENT. >> WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO FIX IT? THAT IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO KNOW.

>>. WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO IS -- I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING WE MIGHT NEED TO DO EVEN THOUGH WE ALWAYS PUBLICIZE THIS. OUR RETIREMENT MEETINGS. WHEN THOSE GUYS COME, MAYBE WE NEED TO PUT EXTRA AND SAY, HEY, TURN ON THE TV TODAY OR COME TODAY SO YOU CAN HEAR AND YOU CAN SEE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY OUT FIGHTING FOR YOUR MONEY IN THE TRENCHES AND YOU CAN HEAR WHAT THEY ARE SAYING INSTEAD OF RELYING ON MYSELF OR COMMISSIONER BRODERICK OR THE BOARD. BECAUSE MOST OF THE TIMES IT IS THE FIVE OF US UP HERE. SOMEBODY RIGHT THERE.

MAYBE ONE PERSON IN THE AUDIENCE. AND WE'RE JUST GOING AT IT. IF YOU DIDN'T CATCH THAT MEETING. MAYBE JUST A LITTLE NOTICE. OKAY, THIS IS THE ONE WHERE THEY ARE COMING. SO EVERYBODY CAN PAY ATTENTION. AND YOU ACTUALLY GET TO SEE MY BUDDY DOWN THERE AGAIN. COMMISSIONER BRODERICK SITS UP AND STARTS ASKING QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, WHERE ON THAT. IT WAS EYE-OPENING TO ME BECAUSE WHEN I FIRST GOT IN -- I THINK ONE OF THE FIRST MEETINGS I HAD, COMMISSIONER AND THE REST OF THEM THREW SOMETHING LIKE THIS IN FRONT OF ME. OKAY, GUYS, IF I WASN'T IN CHEMISTRY MORE -- AND ALL THE NUMBERS OVER MY HEAD. SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT HE WAS GOING THROUGH. BUT BY GOING TO THOSE CONVENTIONS AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEY ARE DOING AND THEN WHEN THEY SEE THIS IS FORT PIERCE , FORT PIERCE IS OVER HERE AND EVERYBODY ELSE'S HERE.

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BUT WE ALSO DON'T LET ANYTHING SLIDE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. WE TRY TO KEEP IT GOING. WE TRY TO GET BACK. AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT IS NOT OUR MONEY. THAT IS THE RETIREES MONEY. AND RETURN A DO EVERYTHING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE SECURE IN THEIR MONEY. JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP WITH COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. YES, WE ARE DOING IT. WE ARE EVALUATING. FOUR TIMES

A YEAR? >> I THINK IT IS EVERY QUARTER.

IS. LIKE YOU SAID, WE WERE THERE LAST TIME THREE HOURS, I

BELIEVE. >> IT WAS A COMMISSION MEETING.

. EVERYBODY THINKS THAT THEY CAN THROW THESE TERMS OUT LIKE WERE NOT GOING TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. WRONG RETIREMENT BOARD. LET'S GO BACK AND START OVER. AND WE TAKE THEM ONE BY ONE. THEY HAVE TO EXPLAIN THEIR NUMBERS. AND WE GO FROM THERE AND WE MAKE A DECISION. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON.

>> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK. >> THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. VERY COMPREHENSIVE. IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. I KNOW IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY, BUT HAVING INFORMATION SITTING ON THAT BOARD, TO ME IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. THE REASON IS THAT FIRST OFF I THINK THIS TYPE OF AN UPDATE SHOULD NOT BE ANNUAL FOR THE CITY COMMISSION. I WOULD SUGGEST SEMIANNUAL AT THE LEAST. THE REASON IS BECAUSE WE ARE MANAGING A QUARTER OF $1 BILLION WORTH OF ASSETS. FOUR TIMES THE ANNUAL BUDGET THAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR. AND WHILE THE RETIREMENT BOARD IS VERY DEDICATED AND THEY DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE -- THERE IS NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT. THE FOLKS THAT SERVE ON THE BOARD ARE VERY COMMITTED. I BELIEVE THE CITY COMMISSION NEEDS A CONTINUOUS FLOW OF INFORMATION COMING UP FROM THAT BOARD. WHEN I SAW $1 MILLION IN FEES, THAT GOT MY ATTENTION. A DOWNSTROKE OF $40 MILLION IN VALUATION OF THE FUND I WAS NOT OVERLY CONCERNED ABOUT. RICOTTA DOWNDRAFT IN THE MARKET. IT HAS SINCE GONE BACK UP. WE HIT IT AGAIN. OCTOBER 2023 WE WERE DOWN AGAIN SIGNIFICANTLY. UNFORTUNATELY FOR THE MONEY MANAGERS, THAT'S WHEN THEY HAD TO COME IN AND REPORT. TO SEE THESE GUYS IN $2000 ARMANI SUITS SWEATING IN THE CHAIR RIGHT NOW AND BEING ASKED TOUGH QUESTIONS, THEY KNOW THAT THEIR FEET ARE BEING HELD TO THE FIRE. I'M VERY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT THE RETIREMENT BOARD HAS SOME TRULY DEDICATED FOLKS THAT HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO LEARN THE BUSINESS. MY CONCERN WAS THIS INFORMATION FLOATING TO THE CITY COMMISSION. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE MEETINGS INCREASE. MAYBE SEMIANNUALY. WHATEVER YOU FOLKS THINK WOULD BE MORE HELPFUL. BECAUSE IT BASICALLY TOOK ME ALMOST A YEAR TO DIGEST . AND I'M PRETTY GOOD AT FINANCE. IT TOOK ME ALMOST A YEAR TO DIGEST. PACKAGES 300 PAGES . INVESTMENT RETURNS AND PRINT SMALLER THAN THIS. SO IT IS SOMEWHAT OVERWHELMING. BUT YOU GET INTO THE INFORMATION. YOU START LOOKING AT THE QUARTERLY ADJUSTMENTS. AND THAT IS WHERE THE RUBBER HITS THE ROAD. AND IT IS A CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN THIS FUND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY TO THE RETIREES.

IT IS A RESPONSIBILITY I'M NOT TAKING EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY.

AND I'M ASKING THAT THE CITY COMMISSION HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE OVERSIGHT ON THIS BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF IT. IN THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF THE FUNDING AVAILABLE THERE. THESE ARE BIG NUMBERS. AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE IN FRONT OF IT. AWARE OF IT. BASED ON WHAT I HAVE SEEN.

RETIREMENT BOARD DOING A GREAT JOB. I JUST WANT THIS BODY TO BE MORE EDUCATED AS TO WHAT IS GOING ON AT THAT LEVEL. THE RETIREMENT BOARD HAS THE AUTHORITY TO BE ABLE TO SWAP OUT MONEY MANAGERS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A REPORT IF AND WHEN THAT WOULD HAPPEN. I DON'T KNOW IF THE COMMISSION IS AWARE OF IT. WHAT WERE THE BASIC TENANTS AS TO WHY THAT TOOK PLACE. JUST SO YOU HAVE AN ONGOING INFORMATION FLOW. YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE YOUR FINGER ON THE PULSE OF IT EVERY DAY LIKE COMMISSIONER GAINES AND I DO, BUT I JUST THINK IT IS IMPORTANT WHEN WE ARE DOING WITH THE AGGREGATE NUMBERS THAT THIS BODY BE FULLY INFORMED. I DON'T WANT ANY SURPRISES. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S REALLY THE BOTTOM LINE. AS I SAID, I HAVE NO ISSUES WITH DOWNDRAFT IN THE MARKET. THAT IS GOING TO BOUNCE BACK. IT IS GOING TO REBOUND. I JUST DON'T WANT TO HIT A BRICK WALL AFTER THE FACT AND SAY, HEY GUYS, WE HAVE A PROBLEM HERE. SO I THINK EDUCATION, INFORMATION

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IT'S AN IMPORTANT THING. THE REASON I REQUESTED THIS PRESENTATION WAS I'M CERTAINLY NOT QUESTIONING ANY ACTIVITY THAT THE RETIREMENT BOARD AFTER A YEAR OF SITTING ON THE BOARD MYSELF. I THINK THEY'RE DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB. BUT I DID NOTICE IN MY FIRST YEAR THAT THERE WAS A LACK OF INFORMATION COMING TO US. AND I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS CRITICAL.

COMMISSIONER JOHNSON STATED HIS SHOCK AT THE AMOUNT OF FEES WERE PAYING. UPON REFLECTION AND UPON CALCULATION OF THIS I WAS GOING TO SAY A HALF A PERCENT. THANK YOU FOR DOING THE CALCULATION PRECISELY. IS THAT ONEROUS? WE DON'T KNOW.

AND THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS I INTEND TO ASK OUR PRIMARY MONEY MANAGER FOLKS. NOT THE UNDERLYING MONEY MANAGERS. I WANT TO SUIT THE TOP FOLKS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT AS A COMPARISON TO OTHER FUNDS IN EXISTENCE THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

I'M VERY CURIOUS TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK GOOD WE WILL GIVE THEM PREPARATION FOR THAT QUESTION. SO THEY WILL COME INTO THE MEETING PREPARED TO COMMENT. ARE WE ONLINE WERE OUT OF BALANCE IN SOME CAPACITY? THE OTHER QUESTION THAT HAS CONTINUOUSLY COME UP IN THE LAST YEAR THAT I HAVE BEEN HERE AND PROBABLY FOR THE YEAR PRIOR TO THAT IS DUE TO CONSUMER PRICE INCREASES OF SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, 9% ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. AND I BROUGHT THIS UP TO THE CITY COMMISSION.

THREE OR FOUR TIMES. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES IN THE RETIREMENT BOARD I BROUGHT IT UP. THE EXPLANATIONS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SOUND AND TO THE POINT. THIS IS EXACTLY THE BASIS OF WHY THEY'RE NOT BEING DISTRIBUTED TO CITY EMPLOYEES.

VERY SUCCINCT MANNER. THIS IS A CRITICAL TOPIC IN THE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEIR COST OF LIVING DOLLARS COMING IN OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS HAS PROBABLY BEEN ERODED 16, 17%. THAT'S REAL DOLLARS. AND I DON'T KNOW A CURE TO THAT . EXACTLY AS KEITH IS INDICATING , EVERY TIME WE TAKE ON AN ADDITIONAL OBLIGATION -- FOR EXAMPLE WE JUST RAISED THE MAXIMUM LEVEL OF DISTRIBUTION. 110,000. THERE IS AN ADJUSTMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE. PEOPLE SAY, WELL, IT IS ALMOST NOT NEUTRAL. YOU CANNOT SELL ME ON THAT TOPIC. WE ARE INCREASING THE ELEVATION OF THE PAYOUT. THERE IS GOING TO BE A COST FACTOR TO THE FUND. HAVING SAID THAT , I JUST THINK THIS GROUP NEEDS TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN THE INFORMATION FLOW. THAT WAY YOU ARE AWARE WHAT IS GOING ON. TRUST ME, I WOULD SLEEP BETTER AT NIGHT KNOWING THAT THE COMMISSION KNOWS WHAT I

KNOW. >> REAL QUICK, TO FOLLOW UP ON THIS COST OF LIVING AND EVERYTHING , I GET IT A LOT TOO. AND I'M GOING TO TASK US . AND I'M GOING TO TASK MY OTHER SIDE ON THE RETIREMENT BOARD . UNDERSTAND THE RULES THAT WE HAVE MADE . BUT LET'S PUT OUR THINKING HATS ON.

BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF RETIREES WHO GAVE US THEIR BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS . AND THE MONIES THAT THEY ARE GIVING NOW IS NOT COMPARED TO ANYWHERE IT WAS WHEN THEY RETIRED. AND WHEN I SEE THE FRONT ROW OF THE CHAMBERS RETIREMENT BOARD AND IT IS OFFICERS OR CITY WORKERS WHO HAVE GIVEN 30 YEARS AND RETIRED 20 YEARS AGO AND THEY ARE GETTING THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE GAVE THEM 20 YEARS AGO AND WERE ASKING THEM TO TRY TO MANAGE ON THAT -- I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE RULES . I LOVE IT. I UNDERSTAND THAT WE DON'T WANT TO TIP OUR APPLECART, SO TO SPEAK , BUT BETWEEN THIS BOARD AND THE RETIREMENT BOARD , WE'VE GOT TO PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT ANY KIND OF WAY POSSIBLE THAT WE COULD HELP SOME OF THESE RETIREES WITH SOME TYPE OF COST OF LIVING.

SOMETHING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO. WE ARE GOVERNED BY THE STATE WITH HIS RETIREMENT BOARD AND THESE RULES. BUT IF WE CAN DO SOMETHING TO HELP SOME OF THE RETIREES. BECAUSE THE MONEY -- THE RETIRED 15 TO 20 YEARS AGO. THE MONEY THEY'RE GETTING NOW IS NOT EQUIVALENT TO WHAT THEIR COST

[00:40:03]

THAT'S FINE. I CAN DEAL WITH THAT DID I WON'T BE HAPPY, BUT I CAN DEAL WITH THAT. BUT SITTING BACK AND DOING NOTHING WHEN I'M GETTING EMAILS . I'M GETTING CALLS. I'M GETTING PEOPLE COMING IN SAYING, HEY, WE'RE HURTING OUT HERE. LET'S JUST SEE WHAT WE CAN DO. IF WE CAN, LET'S DO SOMETHING.

SOMETHING THAT WAS BETTER THAN NOTHING.

>> A COUPLE COMMENTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. I AGREE. COMING BACK TO THE COMMISSION MORE OFTEN IS PROBABLY SOMETHING WE SHOULD DO. I SAT ON THE BOARD A YEAR MYSELF. I LEARNED A LOT IN THAT YEAR AND HAD A GOOD UNDERSTANDING. THAT IS WHY I WANTED TO DO IT. THAT IS WHEN THEY WERE STILL HERE. HE WAS VERY INTO IT AND VERY INVESTED INTO UNDERSTANDING AND BEING A GOOD STEWARD OF THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM. I WILL JUST MAKE A FEW COMMENTS ON THE C.O.L.A. PART .

I GET THE SAME EMAILS AND QUESTIONS. IT'S GOING TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING. WE'VE GOT TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING CREATIVE. AND IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF MAYBE AN AGE FOR WORKING YEAR. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DEFINE IT. IF I STARTED HERE AT THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE , I'VE GOT SOME WORKING YEARS LEFT. IF I HAVE WORKING YEARS LEFT, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? DOES THAT MEAN I SHOULD BE GETTING C.O.L.A. IN ADDITION TO JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE AT 46 YEARS OLD WHEN I RETIRE? I'M NOT SO SURE COMMON SENSE TELLS ME THAT IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE THING TO BE HAPPENING BECAUSE I'VE GOT WORKING YEARS LEFT. DOESN'T MEAN THERE'S NOT CONDITIONS THAT WARRANT OTHER ENVIRONMENTS AND OTHER FORMULAS. BUT I THINK BY CALCULATION AND FORMULAS THERE IS A GOOD DISCUSSION THERE. TO YOU TWO SITTING ON THE BOARD , WHAT OPPORTUNITIES DO WE HAVE WITH OUR PROFESSIONALS TO COME UP WITH SOME OTHER FORMULAS AND OTHER SYSTEMS IN PLACE? BECAUSE I SEE THE 45-YEAR-OLD ME DIFFERENT THAN THE 65-YEAR-OLD ME. THAT IS A REAL DEAL. THAT IS REAL LIFE. SO JUST GIVING A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO SOME OPTIONS. AND I KNOW THAT HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT. I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE IS A FORMULA OUT THERE THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH OR IF OTHER ENTITIES ARE PERFORMING IN THAT MANNER. BECAUSE IT IS A REAL CONVERSATION. IT TRULY IS.

THIS IS NOTHING NEW. THIS IS NOTHING DIFFERENT THAN OTHER FOLKS ARE TALKING ABOUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY. SO THOSE ARE MY FEW COMMENTS. OBVIOUSLY WE CAN DIG DEEPER INTO IT. TODAY IS NOT THAT DAY. DIGGING DEEPER IN WITH MORE UPDATES, MORE COMMENTARY, MORE MEETINGS. MAYBE MR. MIMMS ONE-ON-ONE.

NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT EITHER GETTING UPDATES FOR THE COMMISSION. INDIVIDUALLY. THAT'S FINE. AND THEN WE CAN COME BACK TO THE TABLE AND HAVE A ROUNDTABLE AND SEE WHAT WE

CAN COME UP WITH. >> THANK YOU.

>> JUST WANTED TO SAY ONE THING. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON , BEFORE THE TWO COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE ON THE BOARD RIGHT NOW , WE DID DISCUSS THAT. WE TRIED TO COME UP WITH . WE DID NOT ACTUALLY TASK. I HAD AN INFORMAL CONVERSATION AT ONE OF THE CONFERENCES WE WERE AT WITH OUR ACTUARY THAT WAS THERE. AND THERE ARE THINGS THEY COULD COME UP WITH. NOTHINGS EASY. LIKE YOU JUST SAID. AND WE COULD TASK OUR ACTUARY TO COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT -- BECAUSE THEY HAD THE BIGGER PICTURE OF ALL THE PLANS OUT THERE TO COME UP WITH PLANS WE COULD POSSIBLY DO A C.O.L.A. BUT IF WE DO THAT, THE OTHER COMMISSIONER JOHNSON PROBABLY WON'T LIKE THIS. ON -- ADMINISTRATIVELY. THAT BEING SAID , THAT'S PART OF THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS. AND IF THEY COULD COME UP WITH IDEAS THAT THEY CAN DRAW FROM A BROADER KNOWLEDGE BASE THEN WE CAN WITH OUR TWO BOARDS AND THERE IN THAT BUSINESS, THEY WILL LET US KNOW THE PROS, CONS, AND WHERE WE COULD BE BY

[00:45:03]

>> I WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S MISSING IN OUR CONVERSATION HERE IS THE TAXPAYER . THE TAXPAYER IS FUNDING THIS FOR ALL THE HARD WORK OUR EMPLOYEES DO WHICH I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE, THE TAXPAYER IS A PARTY TO ALL THIS. AND I THINK THE REASON OUR CHARTER REQUIRES TWO COMMISSIONERS TO BE ON THE RETIREMENT BOARD IS THAT IS THE JOB OF THE COMMISSIONERS TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR BOTH THE TAXPAYER AND THE EMPLOYEES.

AND ALSO -- SO I THINK THAT IS WHY THE RULES OF EVERYTHING HAS TO PAY FOR ITSELF . EVERYTHING HAS TO PAY FOR ITSELF. THAT IS A SUCCESSFUL RETIREMENT PROGRAM. ALTHOUGH I REMEMBER EARLY ON WHEN I WAS MAYOR I QUESTIONED. THIS IS A DEFINED BENEFIT. AND THE DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PLAN IS BY AND LARGE THE MOST USED PLAN NOW AND SEEN AS THE MOST BECAUSE WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU RETIRE HIS MANAGER OWN MONEY .

BECAUSE YOU HAVE HAD A 401(K) AND YOU MANAGE YOUR OWN MONEY.

AND I KNOW THAT THAT IS A BATTLE THAT I THOUGHT EARLY ON BEING MAYOR AND DID NOT HAVE THE VOTES. AND SO WE ARE NOW COMMITTED TO THIS DEFINED BENEFIT PLAN . AND THAT DEPENDS ON A HEALTHY STOCK MARKET. IT DEPENDS ON A TAXPAYER CONTRIBUTION THAT IS THREE TIMES WHAT THE EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTES. AND IT DEPENDS ON GOOD STEWARDSHIP AND HAVING SAID ALL THAT , I THINK THAT IF WE CAN FIND A WAY TO INCREASE THE TRANSIT TIMES THAT DOES NOT COST THE TAXPAYER TOO MUCH , I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN THAT. BUT I WILL SAY THAT THE FIRE DISTRICT HAS ALREADY LOOKED AT THIS AND THEY CONTINUE TO LOOK AT IT AS FAR AS I KNOW. IS THAT RIGHT? BECAUSE WE HAVE FIREFIGHTERS WHO HAVE BEEN RETIRED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS WHO COME IN AND WANT A C.O.L.A. AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE THAT OUT YET. SO I KNOW IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS EASY TO DO. BUT I JUST WANT US TO ALL REMEMBER THAT THE TAXPAYER SHOULD BE REMEMBERED IN THIS

EQUATION. ANYTHING ELSE? >> JUST ONE OTHER THING I WANTED TO REPORT TO YOU. IN THE AREA OF EXPENSE, WE HAVE CLOSE TO $1 MILLION OF EXPENSE GOING OUT TO MANAGEMENT FEES ET CETERA. WHAT I HAVE REQUESTED FROM OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT IS A SPECIFIC BUDGETARY BREAKDOWN AS TO THE EXPENSES RELATED TO RETIREMENT BOARD ACTIVITIES. FOR EXAMPLE , WE HAVE LEGAL SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED TO THE RETIREMENT BOARD. THE LEGAL SERVICES FALL UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. SO SARAH HAS OVERSIGHT THERE. I GUESS SHE HAS NOT REALLY TOUCHED ON THAT ISSUE AS OF YET. THAT MAY BE SOMETHING WE WANT TO TAKE A VISIT AT AS WELL. I AM REQUESTING FROM FINANCE SPECIFICALLY , WHAT ARE ALL THE EXPENSES THIS ORGANIZATION IS RUNNING ? IT IS ALMOST EMBARRASSING TO SAY. I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER.

>> A BREAKDOWN OF THAT 900,000? >> NO, THAT IS JUST ONE COMPONENT. THAT IS THE MONEY MANAGERS. THEN WE HAVE UNRELATED BUT RELATED EXPENSES. LEGAL FEES. WHAT ELSE IS OUT THERE? I INTEND TO FIND OUT. WHEN WE FIND OUT, WE CAN DRILL INTO THAT AS WELL. ARE THERE COST SAVINGS THAT CAN BE GENERATED THERE THAT ARE OF BENEFIT? SO WE DOING A LOT OF INVESTIGATORY WORK. I GET IT. KEITH IS PROBABLY LOOKING AT ME LIKE, WE HAVE DONE THIS FIVE TIMES BEFORE. I AM NEW. WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT INFORMATION AND WE PUT IT OUT THIS WILL GET

IT TO THE BODY. >> THE OTHER THING I WAS GOING TO FINALIZE WITH WAS JUST PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. I'VE GOT TWO CHILDREN, 25-YEAR-OLD AND 21-YEAR-OLD. THEY BOTH WORK IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. THEY BOTH -- THANK THE LORD THEY LISTEN A LITTLE BIT -- THEY BOTH ARE PUTTING AWAY MONEY FOR THEMSELVES. SO MY POINT OF THAT IS THEY ARE PUTTING AWAY MONEY FOR THEMSELVES. JUST EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID. THEY ARE MONITORING IT AND PAYING ATTENTION TO IT . THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO INVEST IN THEIR OWN FUTURES. I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE

[00:50:03]

YAY FOR ME IN 25 OR 30 YEARS. THEY JUST DON'T THINK THAT WAY.

I'M LIVING IT FIRSTHAND EVERY SINGLE DAY. WHILE I TRY TO PREPARE THEM FOR LIFE AND MOVE THEM ALONG, THEY ARE LIKE, YEAH, WHATEVER. HOW MUCH YOU GOT FOR ME TODAY? LET'S GO. SO THAT IS A REAL DEAL. THE EMPLOYMENT MARKET YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT -- THAT IS ALL PART OF THIS BALANCING ACT. IT IS FOLKS COMING TO WORK HERE. SOME WAY OR ANOTHER. BALANCING THE VACANCIES. BALANCING THE FUND ITSELF. WHO IS CONTRIBUTING AND WHO IS NOT CONTRIBUTING. THOSE ARE ALL FACTORS. IT IS VERY DYNAMIC. EVERY SINGLE DAY CHANGES. EVERY DAY CHANGES. WAKE UP AND SAY, WELL, GO TO WORK FOR THE CITY.

THAT WAS NOT THE JOB THAT I LIKE. IN A COUPLE DAYS, MOVE ALONG. THAT IS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR TOO. WORKING FOR A COUPLE DAYS. I'M A TRUCK DRIVER. NO THANK YOU. I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT TODAY. THOSE ARE REAL CHALLENGES.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL BUT AT THE SAME TIME THOSE ARE THINGS WE HAVE TO PUT INTO THAT AND MAKE SURE WE ARE FOCUSING ON EVERY STEP OF THE WAY THE BALANCE OF WHO IS RETIRED NOW VERSUS WHO IS COMING IN TO HELP FUND THAT FOR

THE FUTURE. >> META-MAYOR, ONE THING. THIS IS PART OF THE PRESENTATION I DO. I DON'T KNOW IF SHE DOES IT DURING HERS. YOU HAVE HEARD ME SAY THIS. DEFINED BENEFIT. A DEFINED CONTRIBUTION. JUST LIKE YOU JUST SAID. DEFINED BENEFIT . WHEN YOU RETIRE, YOU KNOW YOU ARE AT LEAST GOING TO GET THAT AMOUNT. WHATEVER THAT NUMBER IS, RETIREES , CITY OF FORT PIERCE RETIREMENT FUND ARE GOING TO GET THAT AMOUNT.

>> EVERY MONTH FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

>> UNTIL HOWEVER THEY CHOOSE. DEFINED CONTRIBUTION. I WILL USE THIS AS A TERM, 401(K), BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT. AT THE GIANT PIE. YOU HAVE THIS PILE OF MONEY. YOU HAVE TO DECIDE FOR THAT YEAR, HOW BIG A PIECE AM I GOING TO EAT THAT YEAR? WELL, IF THE ECONOMY GOES CRAZY LIKE IT DID DURING THIS TIME PERIOD MOST PEOPLE IF THEY WANT TO MAINTAIN THAT LEVEL OF LIVING THAT THEY HAVE MAINTAINED HAVE TO EAT A BIGGER PIECE. THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THAT PEACE IS NOT GOING TO BE REPLACED THAT YEAR.

DEPENDING ON HOW IT GOES, IF YOU KEEP EATING A LITTLE MORE THAN YOU NEED TO OUT OF THAT HIGH, THERE IS NOT ENOUGH OF THAT PIE TO REPLENISH YOUR FUND EVERY YEAR. SO THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE. AND YOU ARE ASKING PEOPLE THAT REALLY ARE NOT EXPERIENCED. YOU CAN MANAGE YOUR OWN FUND. MAYBE YOU ARE GREAT AT IT. MAYBE YOU CAN DO THINGS. THE PROBLEM WITH THE 401(K)S THAT EXACT REASON. THEY ARE GOOD. BUT I'M A BIG BELIEVER THEY ARE A SUPPLEMENT OF WHAT WE HAVE HERE. AND I CAME FROM TWO FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES THAT I WORKED FOR AND THEY HAD GREAT 401(K). AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT -- AND I KNOW THIS IS BETTER RIGHT NOW FOR ME, BUT I DID NOT COME IN FOR THE RETIREMENT. THAT IS JUST A GREAT BENEFIT THAT I GET FOR BEING HERE AND WORKING UNDER THIS PLAN. I JUST WANTED FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE LISTENING THAT UNDERSTAND WHAT THE DIFFERENCES -- DIFFERENCE IS.

>> PROS AND CONS FOR BOTH. I WANT TO WRAP THIS UP.

COMMISSIONER GAINES. >> I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT BASED ON WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE COMMISSIONERS AND TAXPAYERS AND EVERYTHING ON THE BOARD -- THEY WILL TELL YOU. I'M PROBABLY THE ONE THAT GOES BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN SOMEWHERE. THE RETIREMENT HAT AND A COMMISSIONER HAT. I QUESTION THE ATTORNEY. WAIT A MINUTE. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER BRODERICK HAS COME ALONG TOO. HE IS MORE IN HIS INVESTIGIGATIVE ROLE RIGHT NOW. BUT WHEN SOMETHING COMES UP -- I UNDERSTAND THIS IS TAXPAYER. WAIT A MINUTE. LET ME PUT ON MY OTHER HAT. AND I ASK QUESTIONS. KEITH WILL BE SITTING DOWN HERE AND LOOK AT ME LIKE THIS. HEY, I GOT TO DO

[00:55:02]

TO DO. >> THANK YOU, SIR. I BELIEVE

YOU. >> MR. GAINES DOES TALK TO

HIMSELF A LOT. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH . WE

[b. Resiliency PowerPoint Presentation, presented by Paul Thomas, CBO, CFM, Director of Building Department.]

>> NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS RESILIENCY PRESENTATION , PRESENTED BY PAUL THOMAS, THE DIRECTOR OF OUR BUILDING

DEPARTMENT. >> MR. MIMMS, DO YOU HAVE ANY

LEAD IN ? >> WE DO HAVE WITH US HAVE DIRECTOR OF BUILDING AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF BUILDING.

GOING TO TALK TO US ABOUT OUR RESILIENCY PROGRAM AND ALSO HOW IT INTEGRATES WITH OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. WE ALSO HAVE OUR CITY ENGINEER SITTING IN THE BACK, WHO IS THE ADMINISTRATOR OF OUR CIP PROGRAM IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.

>> GOOD MORNING , META-MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY BRIEF, VERY POSITIVE --

>> UNLIKE THE ONES YOU HAVE GIVEN US BEFORE.

>> LOW STRESS PRESENTATION. I AM HERE REPRESENTING THE RESILIENCY WORKGROUP. AND REALLY JUST WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND WE HAVE BEEN IN PLACE FOR JUST A LITTLE BIT OVER A YEAR. AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO REPORT TO THE COMMISSION AS OFTEN AS WE WOULD LIKE, BUT WE CERTAINLY WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE BEEN BUSY. DEFINITELY WE HAVE NOT BEEN WASTING OUR TIME. AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE PROJECTS WE ARE GOING TO PRESENT -- 10 PROJECTS THAT ARE ALREADY IN THE PLANNING PHASE. AND THERE ARE SEVEN PROJECTS PROPOSED. AND THE WAY THEY ARE ORGANIZED IS THAT THESE ARE THE WORK OF THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. SO WHEN THE SLIDES COME UP, YOU'LL SEE WHAT DEPARTMENT IS SPEARHEADING EACH OF THESE. THE LAST THING I WILL SAY IS THAT AS FAR AS OUR RESILIENCE EFFORTS HERE IN THIS VIDEO FORT PIERCE , WE ARE STILL IN OUR INFANT STAGE. THIS IS REALLY JUST THE MOST BASIC WAY TO APPROACH RESILIENCE IN A CITY. SO WE ARE MOVING FORWARD. WERE TRYING TO GROW AND CONTINUE TO MAKE PARTNERSHIPS AND TO IMPROVE IN OUR EFFORTS TO PROTECT THE CITY. THAT BEING SAID, LET'S MOVE TO OUR PRESENTATION. THESE ARE THE IN PROGRESS PROJECTS. THE FIRST IS FROM OUR GRANDSON DIVISION. AND THIS IS THE BRICK GRANT OR THE BUILDING RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE IN COMMUNITIES. SO WHAT THIS GRANT DOES IS SUPPORTS LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND DOES HAZARD MITIGATION PROJECTS , REDUCES RISKS AND NATURAL HAZARDS. SO IT IS STILL IN THE PLANNING PHASE , BUT IT LOOKS LIKE FEMA IS GOING TO PROVIDE UP TO $520,000 . $520,000 OF LOCALIZED REDUCTION PROJECTS AND 900,000 PER PROJECT WE SCOPING. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT WE'VE HAD MANY OF THE INDIVIDUALS HEAR FROM OUR DEPARTMENT THAT CAN SPEAK TO THEIR OWN PROJECTS. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS -- I'M NOT SURE IF ANYONE FROM THE GRANTA DEPARTMENT IS HERE. BUT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, WE CAN DIRECT THAT INFORMATION AND GET THAT INFORMATION TO YOU. ALSO FOR OUR SECOND ONE FROM THE GRANTA DIVISION. FLOOD MITIGATION GRANT. THIS ONE IS WORKING MORE WITH LOCAL HOUSES. OUR SECOND BULLET POINT SAYS IT INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO WINDOWS, ROOFS, AND STRUCTURES.

IT IS PHYSICALLY BOLSTERING STRUCTURES TO HELP THEM TO BE ABLE TO BE MORE FLOOD RESISTANT. IT LOOKS LIKE THERE IS A $900,000 APPROPRIATION AND A 25% COST SHARE THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IF WE ARE ABLE TO QUALIFY FOR THE GRANT. POINT NUMBER THREE IS OUR RAILROAD STATION HERE.

WE ARE ALL AWARE OF THAT. SOMETHING THAT IS HOPEFULLY GOING TO BE BENEFICIAL TOWARD OUR RESILIENCE EFFORTS IN CITY OF FORT PIERCE. OUR PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT IS WORKING ON LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE. THIS IS GOING TO BE PROVIDING FOR SWELLS, PLANTING, SHADE TREES AND PARKING LOTS SO WE DON'T HAVE HEAT ISLANDS. THE ONLY

[01:00:02]

ESPECIALLY DURING STORM EVENTS. SO THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO SIGNIFICANT WORK . AND THIS IS GOING TO IMPROVE THE DRAINAGE NOT ONLY ON FERNANDINA STREET AT SOME POINT IN THAT WHOLE AREA. SO FINALLY OUR BUILDING DEPARTMENT -- WE'VE GOT OUR PERMITS AND WE ARE ALL APPROVED FOR A BACKUP GENERATOR FOR THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT. AND THE PURPOSE BEHIND THIS IS , NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE A HUGE GENERATOR HERE FOR CITY HALL. BUT THAT DOESN'T -- IT IS NOT CONNECTED TO THE PARKING GARAGE OR FOR THAT BUILDING AT ALL. SO THERE IS NO CONNECTIVITY. IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY WE HAVE TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC. SO THIS BACKUP GENERATOR IS TO ENSURE THAT WE DON'T DEFAULT TO OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE PUBLIC.

THE ONLY REASON THIS IS NOT DONE YET IS BECAUSE WE'RE WAITING ON PARTS. GET THE EQUIPMENT WE NEED AND WE WILL MOVE FORWARD. AT A COST OF $59,000. ALL RIGHT. WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR PROPOSED PROJECTS. SO, IF YOU REMEMBER, THE BUILDING COLLAPSE. THE LEGISLATION MOVED FORWARD TO HAVE -- THEY CALL THESE MILESTONE INSPECTIONS. WHAT THAT IS IS ANY CONDOMINIUM BUILDING OVER THREE STORIES -- WHEN IT HITS THE 30 YEAR ANNIVERSARY , THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE A REPORT TO THE BILLING DEPARTMENT DOING AN ASSESSMENT FROM AN ENGINEER AS TO ANY REPAIRS THAT WOULD NEED TO BE COMPLETED ON THIS BUILDING. SO HERE WE ARE PROPOSING AN OPTION FOR THE COMMISSION. THIS WILL BE PRESENTED AT A FUTURE DATE IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN IT. BASED ON PROXIMITY TO THE OCEAN

[01:05:02]

OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT POINT NUMBER TWO IS INVOLVED WITH ADDITIONAL DRAINING IMPROVEMENTS. SO THEY HAVE APPLIED FOR $701,000 AND CHANGE FOR RESILIENT FLORIDA GRANT .

AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE DRAINING INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CITY. AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE WORKING ON A DRAINAGE MASTER PLAN. POINT NUMBER THREE IS OUR BUILDING DEPARTMENT MARINA AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT ARE GOING TO BE WORKING TOGETHER TO HAVE FLOOD MITIGATION PLANS FOR ALL CITY STRUCTURES THAT ARE IN A SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA THAT RICK WIRE A FLOOD MITIGATION PLAN. SUCH AS LITTLE JIM BRIDGE. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF THAT RIGHT NOW. ALL THE RESTROOMS AND ALL OF OUR BEACHES AND PARKS ON HUTCHISON ISLAND. THE MARINA BUILDING AND OUR FORT PIERCE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS IN A SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA. SO THOSE COSTS HAVE TO BE DETERMINED PER PROJECT AS IT COMES UP. BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL BE IMPORTANT. POINT NUMBER FOUR.

THIS IS ONE OF THE MORE INTERESTING AND HOPEFULLY MORE IMPORTANT PROJECTS THAT THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT IS TRYING TO SPEARHEAD. AND THIS IS FOR AN ASSESSMENT OF THE FLOOD PLANE IN THE PROXIMITY OF MORRIS CREEK. SO IF YOU LOOK HERE AT THIS PICTURE OF THE MAP AND YOU SEE THAT MOST EVERYTHING IS IN GOLD, THOSE ARE NOT CONSIDERED SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREAS OR FLOOD ZONES. BUT ANYWHERE YOU SEE THE LIGHT GRAY, ALERT -- AND THE RED , THOSE ARE SPECIAL HAZARD AREAS. YOU CAN SEE IT TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF YOUR MAP.

AND YOU COME TO YOUR LEFT AND SEE THE GREEN . AND THEN YOU SEE IT TURNS KIND OF BLUE. AND THERE IS NOTHING THERE. THEN IT BELLS OUT AGAIN TOWARD THE END. THAT IS MORRIS CREEK. AND THEN THE CANAL THAT FEEDS MORRIS CREEK. SO RIGHT TOWARD 10TH STREET AND 11TH STREET, YOU SEE A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA. THEN AS YOU GO DOWN, IT PARALLELS AVENUE D. IT GOES RIGHT OVER IN CERTAIN PLACES. AS IT COMES DOWN PAST 25TH STREET, YOU SEE IT OUT AGAIN. AND THIS GOES UP TO AVENUE D AND BACK DOWN IN CERTAIN AREAS TO ORANGE AVENUE.

THESE ARE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE VERY VULNERABLE ECONOMICALLY. BUT THEY ARE VERY DENSELY POPULATED. AND THE CHALLENGE WE ARE HAVING AND THE REASON WE WANTED TO BRING THIS FORWARD TO THE COMMISSION WAS THAT THIS AREA HAS DRAINAGE STRUCTURES IN THE CANAL. SO YOU WOULD THINK IT WOULD PERMIT FLOODING FROM HAPPENING BECAUSE IT CAN ONLY GO SO HIGH BEFORE IT COMES DOWN AS YOU GET CLOSER TO U.S. ONE. OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE GETTING CLOSE TO SEA LEVEL SO IT IS BACK UP IN THAT AREA.

ESPECIALLY AS YOU'RE MOVING WEST OF TOWN. WE HAVE HAD INDIVIDUALS TRYING TO BENEFIT FROM RECENTLY PULLED PERMITS FOR SOLAR PANELS. BUT THE VALUE OF THEIR HOME WAS SO LOW THAT THE COST OF THE SOLAR PANELS TRIPPED THE 50% RULE FOR SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT, WHICH MEANS THEY WOULD HAVE TO ELEVATE THEIR HOUSE. AND SO THE SOLAR PANEL INITIATIVE IS A POSITIVE INITIATIVE. IT IS MOVING TOWARD RESILIENCE. BUT THEN IT IS ALSO THE SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA ALMOST PUNISHES THE RESIDENTS. THE SAME THING HAPPENS WITH OUR SHIP GRANTS AND SOMETIMES THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM THE FULL VALUE OF THE GRANT HAS THE VALUE OF THEIR HOME WILL ALLOW A PORTION OF THE WORK TO BE DONE BUT NOT COMPLETE AMOUNT. SO WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH IN THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT AND WHAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR IS WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH A ECON. THEY DO THE ASSESSMENTS FOR THE FLOOD MAPS. RECENTLY WITHIN THE LAST TWO YEARS THEY HAVE CHANGED. THEY HAVE DONE A COASTAL ASSESSMENT. AND THEY

[01:10:01]

THIS IS A CHANGE BECAUSE THE LAST TIME WE MADE A PRESENTATION, WE SPOKE OF IMPLEMENTING PERHAPS A SEAWALL ORDINANCE. SO WE ARE NOT LOOKING AT A SEAWALL ORDINANCE RIGHT NOW. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE SEAWALL STRATEGY. AND THE OBJECTIVES ARE, FIRST , WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO SET A STANDARD BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A SEAWALL WHO IS TO TELL YOU HOW HIGH IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE ? ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO PROJECT INTO THE FUTURE. SO THOSE THINGS HAVE TO BE DONE BY VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENTS. THIS IS GOING TO APPLY TO NEW CONSTRUCTION AS WELL AS A LISTING -- THE EXISTING PROPERTIES AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE WOULD BE ABLE TO BE REQUIRED TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE. BUT HOW LONG IS THAT? HOW FAR DO YOU SET THAT STANDARD? AND SO WE WERE TRYING TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL FUNDING MECHANISMS. THIS IS INTERESTING BECAUSE NOTHING IS FREE. AND THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY AVAILABLE FOR GRANTS . BUT OBVIOUSLY AS WE LOOK INTO THE FUTURE, THERE'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE A CONTRIBUTION PERHAPS FROM THE RESIDENT . PERHAPS FROM THE CITY OR WHATEVER. SOME IDEAS THAT WE CAME -- A POSSIBLE IMPACT FEE REDUCTION FOR SEAWALL'S AND NEW CONSTRUCTION. POSSIBLE TAX DEFERRAL FOR SEAWALL INSTALLATION. AND LIKE I SAID, THESE ARE CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE WILL MAKE PRESENTATIONS IN THE FUTURE. THIS IS REALLY JUST INFORMING YOU THAT WE HAVE CHANGED THE IDEA AND THAT WERE GOING TO BE WORKING ON THIS TO PRESENT YOU SOMETHING THAT HOPEFULLY WILL BE PALATABLE AND WILL GET YOUR INPUT FOR WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN OR HOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD. OUR GRANTS DIVISION IS WORKING ON THE RNC PROGRAM, WHICH IS RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS. AND SO THEY ARE LOOKING FOR PEDESTRIAN CROSSING AT AVENUE A AND U.S. 1 . THAT IS GOING TO CONNECT THE DOWNTOWN AREA OF FORT PIERCE WITH THE WATERFRONT DISTRICT. SO THIS IS STILL IN THE PLANNING STAGE. BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE COSTS MAY BE SOMEWHERE AROUND $2 MILLION. AND FINALLY , THIS IS FROM DEAN , OUR MARINA DIRECTOR. HE IS WORKING ON THE MARINA DOCK EXPANSION PLAN. MORE OR LESS, I THINK THE MOST POWERFUL SLIDE HERE'S THE ONE AT THE TOP AND IN THE CENTER. SO THAT IS UNDERWATER. IT'S VERY INTERESTING WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SEA LEVEL RISE. AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE PICTURE, DOES NOT LOOK LIKE THIS IS ASSOCIATED WITH A HURRICANE. THIS COULD BE A KING TIDE EVENT. I HAVE BEEN DOWN AT THE DOCK. I WAS DOWN AT THE JETTY A FEW WEEKS AGO DURING A REGULAR KING TIDE EVENT. NO STORM. NO WIND OR THE SEA LEVEL WAS UP ABOVE THE ROCKS. SO THE SEA LEVEL RISE ISSUE MAY BE DEBATABLE , BUT SOMETHING IS GOING ON. SO TO BE PREPARED IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. SO THE MARINA IS LOOKING FORWARD TO TRYING TO IMPLEMENT THE FLOATING SYSTEM. IMPLEMENTING FLOATING DOCKS SO THAT WE ARE PREPARED AND WE ARE RESILIENT FOR THE ADVENT OF ANY EVENTS AND SEA LEVEL RISE. SO THAT CONCLUDES OUR

[01:15:04]

DOING WITH OUR TIME. >> QUESTIONS FOR COMMISSIONER

GAINES. >> THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND TO THE TEAM . THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING. NOT A QUESTION, BUT A REQUEST. I'M CURIOUS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF YOU HAVE -- HOW YOU CAN GET IT. GET IT TO THE CITY MANAGER. THAT STUDY OF HOW OCEAN VILLAGE THAT IS ON THE WATER -- RIGHT ON THE WATER -- NOT IN THE FLOOD ZONE. BUT I HAVE HOUSES WEST OF U.S. 1 ON AVENUE D THAT SITS ON A CREEK THAT HAS WATER IN IT SOMETIMES. NOT SOMETIMES. I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THAT IS NOW A DARK GREEN FROM YOURS . DARK GREEN FLOOD ZONE. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT OTHER INFORMATION OR STUDY YOU HAVE ON THAT SO I CAN REVIEW IT AND GO FROM THERE. OTHER THAN THAT, GREAT PRESENTATION.

>> A COUPLE THINGS. YOU ASKED US ABOUT THE STATUTE FOR THE CONDOMINIUMS. IS THERE A REASON TO BUMP IT FROM 30 YEARS TO 25 YEARS? IS THERE TRULY AN ENGINEERING DECISION TO BE MADE ON THAT? WHAT WOULD BE YOUR COMMENT ?

>> THE CLOSER YOU ARE TO A BODY OF SALTWATER, THE MORE YOU GET THE SALT SPRAY AND THE POSSIBILITY FOR THERE TO BE INTRUSION OF SALTWATER TO DETERIORATE YOUR REBAR. SO THAT WOULD BE THE REASON BEHIND IT IF YOU CHOSE. IF YOU HAVE A STRUCTURE THAT IS OVER THREE STORIES AND IS FURTHER INLAND, TYPICALLY DON'T HAVE AS MUCH SALTWATER INTRUSION OR SALT

DETERIORATION. >> RIGHT. MOST OF THE BUILDINGS WITHIN OUR CITY IF I'M GOING BY MY QUICK RUN AROUND WHERE WE ARE -- THEY ARE ALL GOING TO MEET THE THRESHOLD CURRENTLY.

SO BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT

REPORT IN YOUR HANDS. >> IT COMES TO THE BUILDING

DEPARTMENT. >> THAT IS WHAT I THOUGHT. I FEEL LIKE WE WILL JUST HAVE MORE CONVERSATION ABOUT IT. I DON'T SEE A REASON TO BUMP IT TO 25 YEARS TO BE HONEST DID YOU ALSO MENTIONED CONDOMINIUMS. WHAT ABOUT

COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS? >> IT IS PACIFIC -- SPECIFIC

TO CONDOS. >> VERY GOOD. AS FAR AS THE FLOODPLAINS , WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR IN REGARD TO WHAT COMMISSIONER GAINES WAS TALKING ABOUT -- YOU ARE TRYING TO REDESIGNATE THE AREAS YOU HAD HIGHLIGHTED IN LIGHT GREEN AND GREEN BY DOING SOME ENGINEERING STORM WATER MANAGEMENT PLANS. MAYBE LOOKING AT MODELING AND DIFFERENT INFRASTRUCTURE TO CHANGE THE ORIENTATION OR DESIGNATION OF THOSE PARCELS. IS THAT ACCURATE?

>> NOT ACTUALLY. WHAT WE WOULD DO IS -- THE COMPANY THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF THE MODEL. WE WOULD GET INFORMATION FROM THEM. GET THEIR RECOMMENDATION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THESE AREAS REALLY DO QUALIFY TO BE IN A SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA. AND IF IN THEIR OPINION THEY DON'T, THEN WE CAN PRESENT THAT TO FEMA AND GET A LETTER OF MAP AMENDMENT SO THOSE PROPERTIES ARE REMOVED FROM THE SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA. SO THAT'S GOING TO ALWAYS GO THROUGH FEMA AND THE DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AT THE STATE LEVEL.

BUT WE GET THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION .

>> THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO KNOW THAT INFORMATION. I THINK THAT GROUP AND CONSULTANT IS ALSO THE CONSULTANT FOR NORTH ST.

LUCIE WATER CONTROL DISTRICT OR WHATEVER THEIR RIVER CONTROL .

THE WHOLE BIG ACRONYM. SO THAT IS GOOD. THESE CONTRIBUTE TO EACH OTHER. WESTERN PARCEL COMING INTO THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE . ALL RIGHT. SEAWALL STRATEGY. ARE WE GOING TO DEFINE A MAP? DEFINE AREAS WHERE WE THINK THAT SEAWALLS ARE GOING TO BE ALLOWED AND NOT ALLOWED? OR HOW ARE WE GOING TO LOOK AT THIS? BECAUSE I ALSO HAVE A LOT OF DATA AND A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH LIVING SHORELINES AND HOW WE ARE NOT JUST YOU AND BUILD SEAWALLS ACROSS THE ENTIRE FRONT EDGE OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. SO WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME KIND OF ENGINEERING PRINCIPLES CONVERSATION. TALK ABOUT WHERE WE SHOULD STRATEGY IN PLACE SEAWALLS.

>> YES. I THINK THE SAFEST WAY TO EXPRESS IT IS THAT WE MORE THAN LIKELY WILL START WITH A VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT TO SEE WHAT AREAS DO REQUIRE -- AND WHAT AREAS ARE GOING TO BE THE MOST IMPACTED. AND THEN WE WOULD GO FROM THERE. FOR

[01:20:03]

>> THANK YOU. >> JOHNSON AND THEN

COMMISSIONER BRODERICK. >> THANK YOU. GREAT PRESENTATION. I LEARNED A FEW THINGS. WE HAVE RECENTLY DONE SOME MAJOR UPGRADES TO THAT AREA . B , C, 10TH STREET.

STILL SOME CONCERNS WHEN IT COMES TO HEAVY DOWNPOURS. WITH THAT TYPE OF STUFF MAKE IMPACT ON THIS AREA AS WE CONTINUE TO UPGRADE THOSE STORMWATER SYSTEMS OVER THERE?'S NECK POTENTIALLY. I THINK IT IS FAIR TO SAY THAT AS WEST OF TOWN , THE ELEVATIONS ARE HIGHER. AND AS YOU COME RIGHT TO -- I GUESS SEVENTH STREET AND U.S. 1. EN- RIGHT THERE, MORRIS CREEK IS TITLED. SO AS IT PUSHES BACK TOWARD , SOMETIMES THAT WILL OBVIOUSLY AFFECT YOUR DRAINAGE. SO AS WE GET CLOSER TO U.S. 1, IT MAY BE A LITTLE MORE CHALLENGING TO MITIGATE THE FLOODING. CERTAINLY WEST OF TOWN IT MAY BE A LOT EASIER TO DO IT THERE. SO I GUESS I DON'T WANT -- I DON'T FEEL QUALIFIED TO SAY WHAT CAN OR CAN'T BE DONE AT THIS STAGE.

SPEWING THOSE TYPES OF THINGS WILL BE PUT INTO THESE CONVERSATIONS AND WHAT WERE DOING OVER THERE.

>> CERTAINLY. IF IT IS POSSIBLE TO MITIGATE ALL OF IT, THAT IS BETTER FOR EVERYONE. AVENUE D IS A BUSINESS DISTRICT. SO WE HAVE HAD CHALLENGES WITH FLOOD MITIGATION PLANS ON RESTAURANTS AND BUSINESSES. AND IT IS JUST VERY DIFFICULT.

>> BUT IT IS AN ECONOMIC CORRIDOR. WE ARE MAKING A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT. AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THE WHOLE RESTRUCTURING OF AVENUE D AND TRYING TO PUT IN PLANS FOR INVESTMENTS AND INVESTORS TO COME IN AND INVEST IN THAT CORRIDOR. SO I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHAT TROUBLES ME IS THAT THE ECONOMIC PUSH AGAINST THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS OR BUSINESS OWNERS IS WHAT IS FRIGHTENING RIGHT NOW. WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS . IT IS A DISASTER ON A LOT OF ENDS. IT HAS JUST BEEN EYE-OPENING ON A LOT OF FRONTS. CERTAINLY SUPPORT THAT. I GUESS A COMMENT THAT I HAVE GENERALLY -- MAYBE IT IS NOT IN YOUR RESILIENCY PLAN. BUT CURRENTLY OUR FLORIDA LEGISLATURE IS LOOKING AT SOME THINGS WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING APARTMENT. SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT THEY ARE CONSIDERING OF YOU HAVING TO MAKE TURNAROUND ON BUILDING PERMITS IN THREE DAYS . YOU KNOW, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THAT AS A RESILIENT PLAN TO LOOK AT. QUITE FRANKLY, IT IS MY OPINION BECAUSE IF IT GOES THROUGH, THAT IS A MAJOR INVESTMENT THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR THAT WE ARE NOT PREPARED FOR TODAY.

AND PEOPLE HAVE CONCERNS AND COMMENTS ABOUT HOW LONG IT TAKES. IMAGINE IF THEY SAY WE HAVE TO DO THINGS IN THREE DAYS. SO I'M JUST MAKING THAT COMMENT TO YOU, SIR. I WILL BE WORKING THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER. A NUMBER OF US SIT ON THE ALERT PANELS. WE ALREADY HAVE SOME STUFF ABOUT LEGISLATION WORKING THROUGH THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND I'M CONCERNED. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW OUR POSITION IN CITY OF FORT PIERCE WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT INVESTMENTS WE MAY HAVE TO MAKE IN OUR OWN BUILDING DEPARTMENT FOR RESILIENCY. THE LAST POINT AS FAR AS THE CONDO INSPECTION RECOMMENDATION -- IS THAT BASED ON DATA ? BECAUSE I THINK IT IS A DISASTER WHAT HAPPENED. THE BUILDING JUST COLLAPSED. STANDING THERE RIGHT BEFORE US. SOMEHOW WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO LEARN SO WE DON'T HAVE A LOT. BUT THOSE THAT ARE IN THE CITY, I WOULD JUST REALLY BE CONCERNED. SEAWATER. SALTWATER DOES A LOT OF DETERIORATION . SOMETIMES IT IS TOO LATE. THAT IS MY GREATEST CONCERN. WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO EVALUATE OUR STRUCTURES. I'M OPEN TO THAT CONVERSATION.

>> IF I MAY RESPOND, THE RECOMMENDATION FOR 25 YEARS WAS NOT BASED OFF OF DATA. IT IS JUST A LOCAL ORDINANCE HAS THE ABILITY TO ESTABLISH WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE.

>> WHAT I'M SAYING IS I WOULD WANT TO SEE SOME DATA SOMEWHERE OUT THERE. THERE'S GOT TO BE SOME DATA. EVEN THE BUILDING THAT COLLAPSED. LET'S LOOK AT THAT AND MAKE SURE THERE ARE SOME DATA POINTS. I CAN GLEAM IN MY MIND IF I'M GOING TO MAKE AN ORDINANCE. THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING.

>> THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. IT WAS VERY ENLIGHTENING. THE SEAWALL ISSUE IS PROBLEMATIC . I WILL GIVE YOU A PERFECT EXAMPLE . IT WAS ACTUALLY LAST YEAR ON ELECTION NIGHT , TROPICAL STORM CATEGORY ONE EVENT CAME

[01:25:06]

THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE. ASSUMING THAT THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE IS ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM TAKING THE PROPERTY BACK AND SUBSEQUENTLY DEPLOYING THAT PLAN IN SOME OF THEIR USE YET TO BE DETERMINED . IT WOULD APPEAR TO ME THAT BREAKWATERS AND THINGS OF THIS NATURE TAKE A LONG TIME TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE TYPES OF PROBLEMS. IS THAT WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING TO PROPOSE THE RESILIENCY PROJECT FUNDING SOURCES? THESE LONG-TERM PROJECTS TO TIE IN WITH THE SOUTH HUTCHISON ISLAND VULNERABILITY ISSUES . IS THAT HOW THAT IS DESIGNED TO WORK? AND IS THAT WHAT THAT FUNDING

IS FOR? >> WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE HERE. YOU'RE FREE TO SPEAK ON THAT IF YOU WOULD LIKE. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE FUNDING THAT IS ASSOCIATED AND MENTIONED IN THIS PROJECT -- OR THIS PRESENTATION ARE SPECIFICALLY ATTACHED TO THE RELOCATION.

>> THE FUNDING I'M TALKING ABOUT -- THERE WAS A LINE ITEM SUGGESTING $900,000 AVAILABLE FOR SCOPE. COULD THAT BE DEPLOYED FOR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES ? I'M CURIOUS BECAUSE YOU LOOK AROUND THE DOWNTOWN AND YOU LOOK AROUND SOUTH HUTCHISON ISLAND ET CETERA, THERE IS A ZILLION THINGS YOU CAN SCOPE. IF YOU WANTED TO. I'M JUST KIND OF CURIOUS HOW AVAILABLE THOSE FUNDS ARE TO TIE INTO YOUR STUDY TO VULNERABILITY AND SEAWALL CONSTRUCTION, ET CETERA. THAT COULD BE EXPANDED UPON TO INCLUDE SOME OTHER LONG-TERM SCENARIOS. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER NOW, DON'T BE CONCERNED. IT IS SOMETHING WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH EACH OTHER ON. BUT I'M CURIOUS HOW IN DEPTH THAT FUNDING GETS TO DEPLOY IN OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES TO BE MORE

COMPREHENSIVE. >> AND I ASKED COMMISSIONER BRODERICK? YOU'RE SAYING, WE MAKE SOME INVESTMENT WITH OUR MARINA. YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE FUTURISTIC DEVELOPMENT .

OBVIOUSLY THAT IS GOING TO COME TO THAT ISLAND PIECE OVER THERE. COULD FUNDING BE USED IN PLANNING FOR THAT TO SAY WE KNOW SOMETHING ONE DAY IS GOING TO BE BUILT THERE AND IT TAKES SOME TIME TO GET THESE THINGS IN PLACE. COULD THAT BE

SOMETHING THAT WOULD QUALIFY? >> EXACTLY.

>> I DEFINITELY WILL GET BACK TO YOU. IT WOULD APPEAR BECAUSE I FOUND THE SLIDE -- THIS IS THE FIRST ONE . IT WOULD APPEAR THE ANSWER MAY BE YES. THERE ARE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AVAILABLE ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL. THE GOVERNOR HAS MADE RESILIENT DOLLARS AVAILABLE AS WELL AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. THE TRICK IS YOU HAVE TO HAVE PROJECTS THAT ARE APPROVABLE .

AND THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ATTACH THE FUNDS TO THAT. SO THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU $900,000 JUST BECAUSE YOU WANT

IT. IT HAS TO BE FOR A REASON. >> IT A MORE COMPREHENSIVE --

>> ESTHER MIMMS. >> WE HAVE OUR DIRECTOR OF BUILDING YOUR THAT WORKED OUR RESILIENCY TASK FORCE. THEY HAVE PROVIDED US RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROJECTS TO BE INCLUDED IN OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM . FROM THERE, IF YOU ACCEPT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEN , MR. ANDREWS WILL INCLUDE THOSE PROJECTS INTO OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM AND THEN SEEK FUNDING AFTER WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THE ACTUAL COST OF THOSE INITIATIVES. SO RIGHT NOW MR. THOMAS DOES NOT HAVE THE ANSWERS YOU ARE SEEKING.

BUT WE WILL HAVE THE ANSWERS AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

>> THIS IS THE START OF A CONVERSATION. AND IT IS BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE FOCUSED ON THIS. BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE MUCH

[01:30:02]

AND I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS. THE POLICE STATION IS IN A FLOODPLAIN. DOES THAT MEAN THE GOLF COURSES IN A FLOODPLAIN

TOO? >> IT GOES BACK TO THE FIRST MAP THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT BEFORE. YOU SEE THE RED. THAT IS THE LOCATION OF OUR POLICE STATION. RIGHT IN THAT AREA.

THERE ARE CERTAIN AREAS . >> PART OF THE GOLF COURSE .

BRIGHT RED. THE GOLF COURSE DOES NOT HAVE STRUCTURES ON IT.

SITUATIONS AT TIMES WHENEVER HE HAS HAD TO. YOU COULDN'T PLAY GOLF. I KNOW THAT THAT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM IN THE PAST. HE DOES VERY, VERY WELL FOR SOME OF THE RAIN EVENTS HE HAS HAD TO ENCOUNTER. BUT I WOULD ALSO BE INTERESTED IN THE OCEAN VILLAGE CATEGORY BECAUSE WHEN THEY WERE GOING TO BUILD THEIR CLUBHOUSE , ONE OF THE COMPLAINTS FROM THE PUBLIC WAS OF THE FLOODING AT OCEAN VILLAGE THAT WAS ALREADY HAPPENING THERE. SO I GUESS WE DON'T KNOW HOW THEY MAKE THEIR MAGIC IN TERMS OF THE FLOODPLAIN.

>> NO ONE CAN FIGURE THAT ONE OUT.

>> BUT THERE IS SO MUCH IN HERE. AND I'M WITH COMMISSIONER JEH JOHNSON. I REMEMBER WE HAD A PRESENTATION TO THIS COMMISSION THINKING ABOUT OTHER WAYS TO CONTROL THE SEA LEVEL OR TO SEE INTRUSION OTHER THAN SEAWALLS. THERE WERE MANY OTHER KINDS OF NATURAL WAYS TO DO IT. THAT WOULD ALSO DO THE JOB. SO I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN A VARIETY OF SUGGESTIONS COULD NOT JUST ALL CONCRETE SEAWALLS. THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT. OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THIS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE MEMBERS OF THE TEAM THAT ARE HERE BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH TIME AND EFFORT. THIS IS NOT THE PAUL THOMAS SHOW. YOUR DEPARTMENT HEADS HERE ARE REALLY PUTTING IN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK AND I JUST WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO ACKNOWLEDGE.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. WE APPRECIATE THEM TOO.

[c. Community Beautification Efforts]

THANK YOU. GOOD JOB. ALL RIGHT.

>> THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS COMMUNITY BEAUTIFICATION

EFFORTS. >> MR. MIMMS.

>> WE HAVE WITH US OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS AND ALSO OUR COMMUNITY RESPONSE DIRECTOR THAT IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY BEAUTIFICATION EFFORTS AND COLLABORATION WITH THE COMMUNITY.

>> WOULD LIKE TO GO FIRST? >> I BELIEVE HE POINTED AT ME.

AND ALLOW RAYS TO GO FIRST. >> I'M JUST GOING TO PROVIDE THE INTRODUCTION . GOOD MORNING MADAME MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS.

WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY BEAUTIFICATION EFFORTS. WE HAVE A TARGETED APPROACH FOCUSING ON OUR VOLUNTEER EFFORTS . ON OUR GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIPS.

EFFORTS BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND EFFORTS BY THE CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT. OF COURSE THE WAY TO GET STARTED IS TO QUIT TALKING AND ACTUALLY BEGIN DOING. THAT IS WHEN I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO HIM BECAUSE HIS APARTMENT IS THIS DEPARTMENT IS LEADING THE WORK.

>> THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE BEFORE YOU TODAY. WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT WE ARE DOING OUTSIDE OF OUR ROUTINE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT TAKE PLACE ON A DAILY BASIS. ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS WE HAVE GOING FOR US CURRENTLY ARE OUR VOLUNTEER EFFORTS. WE HAVE GREAT GROUPS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY THAT SPEND COUNTLESS HOURS FOR US VOLUNTEERING TO HELP US MAINTAIN RIGHTS OF WAYS, PARKS.

YOU NAME IT. JUST TO HIGHLIGHT ONE. THE SOUTH BEACH ASSOCIATION. I THINK THEIR MEMBERSHIP RANGES -- IT IS CYCLICAL ON OUR WINTER RESIDENCE AND SUMMER RESIDENCE. ANYWHERE FROM 50 TO OVER 100 VOLUNTEERS AT A TIME.

ANNUALLY, THAT ONE GROUP GIVES US OVER 2000 HOURS A YEAR. AND I'M HEARING RUMORS THIS YEAR THAT WE MAY HAVE A RECORD YEAR FOR 2023. I HIGHLIGHT THE VOLUNTEERS BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS ONE GROUP HERE MAINTAIN FROM THE SOUTH CAUSEWAY PARK SEAWAY BRIDGE ALL THE WAY AROUND TO BLUE HERON AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. THESE FOLKS ARE OUT SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. AS WE KNOW , THE BEACH AREA IS VERY POPULAR. NOT JUST DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS BUT AFTER HOURS AS WELL. AND THESE FOLKS ARE OUT DAILY FIRST THING IN THE MORNING HELPING US PICK UP AND ALERTING US TO ANY ISSUES THAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED THE NIGHT BEFORE. IN ADDITION TO THEM , HIBISCUS PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. THIS GROUP ROUTINELY HAS CLEANUPS THROUGHOUT THEIR WHOLE AREA

[01:35:03]

THE LIONS CLUB AND ANOTHER ORGANIZATION THAT HAS PROVIDED TREMENDOUS SUPPORT OVER THE YEARS. THE MANATEE CENTER.

THEY HAVE A GREAT GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS THAT HELP WITH THE DOWNTOWN AND MORRIS CREEK. MARINE CLEANUP INITIATIVE.

ANOTHER GREAT GROUP THAT IS VERY IN TUNE WITH WATER QUALITY AND KEEPING THE WATER CLEAN. THEY ROUTINELY CLEANUP MORRIS CREEK AREA. LINEAR PARK. THE GREAT THING ABOUT THEM IS THAT THEY BRING A LARGE GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS . BUT THEY TRY TO COORDINATE MANY OF THEIR CLEANUPS WHEN WE HAVE QUARTERLY CLEANUPS. I WILL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT IN JUST A LITTLE BIT. THE EFFORTS OF THESE FOLKS THAT COME OUT AND PUT IN THEIR OWN HOURS ARE INVALUABLE TO US. BACK TO SOUTH BEACH ASSOCIATION. ANYTHING OVER 2000 HOURS IS ONE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE FOR US. THE BENEFIT IS ACTUALLY GREATER BECAUSE THESE FOLKS ARE NOT DOING HOLIDAYS AND VACATIONS AND WEEKENDS. THEY ARE OUT CONSTANTLY ASSISTING US AND KEEPING FORT PIERCE BEAUTIFUL. AND AS WE GET MORE AND MORE VISITORS AND MORE AND MORE RESIDENTS , THEIR EFFORTS ARE NEEDED MORE ON A DAILY BASIS. WE HAVE ALSO HAD A LOT OF INTEREST IN ADOPTING STREETS. WE HAVE MANY, MANY, MANY FRATERNITIES AND SORORITIES THAT HAVE COME TO US WANTING TO ADOPT SECTIONS OF ROAD. THEY TAKE IT UPON THEMSELVES TO MAINTAIN. THEY STARTED OFF WITH SOME FAMILIES THAT WANTED TO ADOPT A CERTAIN AREA BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE THEY GREW UP AND THEY WANTED TO TAKE ON RESPONSIBILITY FOR KEEPING THAT UP. ONCE THE SORORITIES AND FRATERNITIES GOT INVOLVED, AND KIND OF SNOWBALLED FROM THERE. HE'S HER EFFORTS WERE TO BE A PART OF THIS PROGRAM, FOLKS HAVE TO COMMIT TO US FOUR TIMES A YEAR AT LEAST THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GO OUT AND CLEAN UP THE AREA. AND MANY DO FAR MORE THAN FOUR TIMES PER YEAR.

PARKS. WE HAVE AN ADOPT A PART PROGRAM GOING ON. PROBABLY ONE OF THE OLDEST WE HAVE . ROTARY PARK. THEY HAVE HELPED US BUILD TWO PLAYGROUND FACILITIES THERE. AND THEY ANNUALLY ARE PUTTING IN EFFORTS TO HELP MAINTAIN THAT AREA .

THEY DO AN ANNUAL TREEPLANTING AT THE PARK. JC PARK IS ANOTHER ONE THAT HAS HUGE INTEREST AND SUPPORT. WE KNOW THE PROJECT WITH THE CLUB AND SOUTH BEACH ASSOCIATION IS THERE DAILY.

RECENTLY WITH WESTSIDE TAKING OVER THE CHAPEL CAMPUS, THEY HAVE BECOME A PARTNER IN HELPING US KEEP THAT AREA MAINTAINED. AT VETERANS PARK IS A SPECIAL ONE. WE WERE APPROACHED BY A GROUP OF STUDENTS FROM LINCOLN PARK ACADEMY. STUDENTS FOR H2O. THESE YOUNG FOLKS ARE HUGE ADVOCATES FOR WATER QUALITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THEY BRING OUT A LARGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS TO HELP ON A MONTHLY BASIS . HELP US MAINTAIN VETERANS PARK.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. OUR GATEWAY. OUR MAIN GATEWAY INTO THE CITY. THE OKEECHOBEE ROAD CORRIDOR. WE KNOW THAT IS A HEAVILY TRAFFICKED AREA. WE HAVE FOLKS COMING IN AND OUT.

GUESTS GETTING ON AND OFF THE HIGHWAY FOR GAS AND FOOD. SOME OF THE THINGS WE HAVE INITIATED IN THAT AREA -- WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH LITTER AND DEBRIS BEING LEFT OUT THERE.

WE'RE GOING DOOR-TO-DOOR TO A LOT OF THESE BUSINESSES OUT THERE . TO DATE, I CAN SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THREE BUSINESSES SO FAR THAT ARE ON BOARD WITH HELPING US. YOU HAVE OFFERED THEM SUPPLIES. AS FAR AS OUR BUCKETS AND GRABBERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. HOME DEPOT HAS COMMITTED TO ASSISTING US.

THE RACETRACK HAS COMMITTED TO ASSISTING US. MOST RECENTLY , WAWA HAS SOME SUPPLIES TO HELP US WITH THAT EFFORT. WE ARE STILL TRYING TO GET MORE FOLKS TO COME ON BOARD WITH THAT. YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT A SOLUTION TO TAKE CARE OF ALL OF OUR PROBLEMS, BUT IF WE CAN GET SOME OF THE BUSINESSES TO ASSIST WITH JUST AREAS THAT ARE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THEIR ESTABLISHMENT, THAT IS A HUGE HELP TO US. WE ARE DOING ROUTINE INSPECTIONS. WERE TRYING TO GET OUT ON A DAILY BASIS AND DO A DRIVE THROUGH AND SEE IF WE SEE ANYTHING. ONE OF THE AREAS OF CONCERN IS RIGHT THERE AT THE GOLDEN CORRAL . WHAT WE HAVE IS FOLKS TAKING SHOPPING CARTS FROM ACROSS THE STREET AND TAKING THEM OVER THERE AND SITTING ON THEM. I CAN TELL YOU THAT CURRENTLY WE ARE WORKING WITH ST. LUCIE COUNTY ON OUR TRANSIT STOPS , BUS STOPS, BUS SHELTERS, AND THINGS LIKE THAT. HOPEFULLY THAT IS SOMETHING THAT CAN HELP US ALLEVIATE THE CONCERN WE HAVE GOING ON IN THAT AREA. IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU ARE ALL AWARE THAT ON ANYONE GIVEN STREET OR ROADWAY WE CAN HAVE THREE DIFFERENT

[01:40:04]

YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONLY THREE. THAT'S BECAUSE WE'RE GOING BY THE COMMITTEE ADOPTING THE CITY'S CALENDAR YEAR. SO OUR FIRST CLEANUP FOR FISCAL YEAR '24 WAS HELD LATE LAST YEAR IN 2023.

THANK YOU. INITIATIVES THAT WE ARE TAKING ON IN-HOUSE . WE ARE LOOKING CURRENTLY AT OUR LITTER AND DEBRIS ROUTE. WE HAVE A CREW OF TWO GENTLEMEN THAT WORK SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AND GO AROUND AND MAINTAIN THE TRASH CANS EC THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF TRASH CANS FOR TWO INDIVIDUALS AND TWO DIFFERENT CREWS TO MAINTAIN FOR SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO NOW IS ASSESS SOME OF THE RECEPTACLES THAT MAY NOT BE AS HEAVILY USED. MAYBE WE CAN RELOCATE THEM TO SOME AREAS OF TOWN THAT HAVE -- WE ARE SEEING MORE LITTER AND DEBRIS PLACED. WE ARE ADDING SOME RECEPTACLES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AND WE HAVE PUSHED FROM GOING ON THAT ROAD CORRIDOR AND TALKING TO BUSINESSES. WE'RE GOING TO EXPAND THAT TO OTHER AREAS OF TOWN TO SEE IF WE CAN GET THE PARTICIPATION. WE WILL GLADLY PROVIDE THE SUPPLIES TO DO SO IF THEY WILL COME ON BOARD AND JUST ASSIST . WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR THEM TO TAKE ON THE WHOLE BLOCK IF THEY WILL JUST HELP US WITH THE AREAS THAT MAY BE IN FRONT OF THEIR ESTABLISHMENT. AND HOW WE RESPOND TO CONCERNS THAT ARE REPORTED TO THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT -- WE ALL HAVE THE SEECLICKFIX APP . WE DID DO A REPORT. AND SINCE ITS INCEPTION, WE HAVE HAD OVER 600 PORTS TO THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. THE LAST 60 DAYS -- THE LAST TWO MONTHS, THAT NUMBER HAS BEEN ROUGHLY 20 REPORTS TO THE SEECLICKFIX. IT HAS CERTAINLY BEEN BENEFICIAL AND THOSE REPORTS RANGE ANYWHERE FROM A POTHOLE TO A STREET SIGN BLOCK . STREET LIGHTS. ANYTHING. IT VARIES. THERE'S ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF CALLS FOR THAT. WE GET PHONE CALLS DIRECT INTO THE OFFICE FOR CAUSE FOR CONCERN. AND ANYTHING THAT IS SAFE RELATED -- EITHER THE PHONE CALL IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE MANAGER OF THE RESPECTIVE DIVISION, OR A WORK ORDER AND EMAIL IS GENERATED RIGHT AWAY. EMERGENCY AND SAFETY IS RESPONDED TO VERY

[01:45:02]

AND WORKERS -- FOR THE WORK TO GET REPAIRED OR WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE DONE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

>> WHILE PUBLIC WORKS IS FOCUSED OBVIOUSLY ON THE RIGHT-OF-WAY IN THE PUBLIC PROPERTY , ANY EFFORTS WE HAVE ARE ALSO GOING TO REQUIRE HOMEOWNERS AND PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR PROPERTIES ALSO. AND THAT IS WHEN CODE ENFORCEMENT STEPS IN. SOMETHING I HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH FOR THE PAST YEAR OR SO WAS MY STAFFING. AND I'M VERY HAPPY AS OF 12-12, AM ACTUALLY FULLY STAFFED. I THINK THAT WILL MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE. WE WILL START CATCHING UP ON SOME BACKLOG. WE HAVE PENDING ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. I'M VERY EXCITED TO HAVE FOUR FULL-TIME CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, A SENIOR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. WE ARE READY TO START MOVING IN THE WAY THAT WE SHOULD. IT WAS A STAFFING ISSUE. AND THAT HAPPENS.

SOMETHING THE CITY COMMISSION HAS HELPED US WORK ON AND WE HAVE BEEN MOVING FORWARD WITH WAS THE FORECLOSURES.

SOMETHING -- AND IT GOES AWAY WITH ABATEMENT. MANY YEARS AGO ONCE UPON A TIME THE CITY WAS VERY FOCUSED ON DEMOLITION TO ADDRESS NUISANCE PROPERTIES. AS A RESULT, WE HAVE A LOT OF VACANT LAND, WHICH THEN GETS OVERGROWN. SO IT IS JUST KIND OF A CYCLE. AND OVER THE PAST YEAR , WE HAVE SHIFTED OUR FOCUS AWAY FROM THAT TO THE FORECLOSURE WHERE WE HAVE THE FINES AND LIENS ON PROPERTY. WE ARE FORECLOSING ON THEM.

THEY'RE GOING TO PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO MAINTAIN THE PROPERTIES. WE HAD OUR FIRST YEAR LAST YEAR. VERY SUCCESSFUL. A COUPLE PROPERTIES ACTUALLY WENT FOR MORE THAN WE EVER ANTICIPATED. NORTH 13TH STREET, WHICH WAS A PROBLEM AREA. ALL OF THOSE PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN PUT INTO THE HANDS OF SOMEONE ELSE NOW. SO WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PROCESS BUT INSTEAD OF KNOCKING BUILDINGS DOWN, WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS IT THROUGH THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS AND PUT THEM IN THE HANDS OF SOMEONE WHO WILL DO SOMETHING WITH THOSE PROPERTIES AND MAINTAIN THEM. AND THE NUISANCE ABATEMENT. THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING ESPECIALLY THE TALL GRASS THAT WE HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH FOR DECADES, REALLY. EVERYONE IS AWARE WE ARE GOING TO A NEW ENTERPRISE SYSTEM. WITH THE NEW SOFTWARE SYSTEM, IT MAKES US LOOK AT AND RETHINK HOW WE ARE DOING OUR PROCESSES. IS THERE TIME FOR CHANGE? WE REVIEWED IT AND SAID YES. WE NEED TO CHANGE HOW WE ARE DOING THINGS. SO THAT PROCESS IS 100% UNDERWAY. THE DRAFT OF THE REWRITE FOR THE ORDINANCE SO THAT WE DO A DIFFERENT PROCESS HAS BEEN DRAFTED. IT IS AT THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND WILL BE COMING TO THE CITY COMMISSION IN THE NEXT 30 TO 60 DAYS. SO WE ARE GOING TO CHANGE HOW WE DO OUR PROCESS. THE OLD PROCESS -- YOU SEND A NOTICE OF VIOLATION. YOU POST THE PROPERTY. SEND IT OUT TO A VENDOR. AND IT IS VERY WORK INTENSIVE AND WE HAVE HAD VERY LOW COMPLIANCE RATES. OUR COMPLIANCE RATES HAVE BEEN VERY POOR WHEN IT COMES TO THINGS LIKE THAT. WITH THE NEW PROCESS, WE ARE IMMEDIATELY SCHEDULING THINGS FOR THE SPECIAL MAGISTRATE TO HEAR IT. AND IT IS ALLOWED BY STATE STATUTE. IT IS A STEP PROVIDED FOR IN THE STATE STATUTE THAT WE HAVE JUST NEVER FOLLOWED. WE HAVE OUR PROCESS AND WE KIND OF STUCK TO IT. SO AS LONG AS IT IS A LIFE HEALTH SAFETY ISSUE, HE CAN GO STRAIGHT TO A HEARING. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT WHEN PEOPLE GET A HEARING NOTICE, MY COMPLIANCE NUMBERS ARE MUCH HIGHER THAN JUST GETTING A NOTICE OF VIOLATION.

IT IS ALMOST NOTICES OF VIOLATIONS ARE JUST PEOPLE JUST GET THEM AND THROW THEM AWAY. THEY DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO THEM. WHEN YOU GET A HEARING NOTICE THAT SAYS YOU HAVE BEEN SKILLED FOR HEARING ON THIS DATE, IT KIND OF GETS A LITTLE MORE ATTENTION GOING. THE SPECIAL MAGISTRATE CAN THEN DECLARE THE PROPERTY AND NUISANCE. SHE CAN ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT DAILY FINES IN ADDITION TO ORDERING THE CITY TO DO THE WORK AND THE LIENS TO BE PUT ON THEM. BUT HOPEFULLY IT IS OUR GOAL TO INCREASE OUR COMPLIANCE RATE BY GOING THROUGH THIS NEW PROCESS. AND AGAIN, THAT WILL BE BECOMING -- COMING BEFORE YOU VERY SHORTLY.

>> WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM TAKING MORE INITIATIVE GETTING THEIR PROPERTIES IN COMPLIANCE RATHER THAN HAVING THE CITY DO THE WORK. THAT IS THE GOAL IN THE HOPE OF THE NEW PROCESS. IN SUMMARY, BETWEEN THE VOLUNTEERS , OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, STAFF -- WE ARE MAKING EVERY EFFORT TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY ISSUES THROUGHOUT THE CITY WITH A FOCUS ON OUR MAIN CORRIDORS.

IN THESE EFFORTS ARE GOING TO REMAIN ONGOING AND HOPEFULLY EXPAND AS THE DEPARTMENT GETS MORE BUSINESSES INVOLVED AND

[01:50:02]

COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? >> META-MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR THIS VERY COMPREHENSIVE REPORT . VERY ENCOURAGING TO HEAR . A NUMBER OF PROJECTS WE HAVE GOING ON. TO KEEP FORT PIERCE BEAUTIFUL. NOT THE QUARTERLY CLEANUP AND WE USUALLY HAVE A TARGET AREA. THE TARGET PROJECT. HAS THAT BEEN

ANNOUNCED YET? >> THE PROJECTS HAVE NOT BEEN ANNOUNCED YET. WE DO HAVE A MEETING NEXT WEEK. I'M ASSUMING THAT TOPIC WILL BE DISCUSSED. WE DO WANT TO PUT THAT OUT.

AGAIN, WE WILL HAVE OUR TARGET AREAS BUT WE WILL ALSO OPEN UP TO FOLKS THAT WANT TO PICK AN AREA THEY WANT TO MAINTAIN.

>> BUT ALSO THE TARGETED PROJECT. USUALLY SOME BIG PROJECT AND I GUESS WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT PROCESS IS OPEN NOW SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SEND THEIR INTEREST IN WHATEVER THOSE AREAS ARE. HOW DOES THAT DETERMINE ?

>> YOU ARE CORRECT. THE KEEP FORT PIERCE BEAUTIFUL MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. THEY ARE NOT HELD AT CITY HALL. BUT THEY'RE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. ANYONE WISHING TO COME IS WELCOME TO. YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL OR NOTIFY US THROUGH ANY MEANS.

HAD A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS. SEEMS TO BE WORKING AS FAR AS THOSE PROPERTIES. APPARENTLY THEY RUN UP A BUNCH OF LIENS, PERHAPS. WHEN IT IS IN THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS, IT GOES THROUGH THAT WAY. THE NEW INHERITOR OF THAT PROPERTY -- THEY INHERIT THAT BACK CLEAN.

I THINK THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE RECENTLY COME BEFORE THE CITY COMMISSION WANTING TO INVEST IN THE CITY. BUT THEY BRING ALONG ALL THE LIENS, ET CETERA. ONCE IT GOES THROUGH, IT IS PRETTY MUCH CLEARED. ONCE WE DO THAT, ARE WE PUTTING ANY STIPULATIONS AS TO GIVING THEM A TIMETABLE TO BRING THAT PROPERTY OR AREA IN

COMPLIANCE? >> THAT IS A PROCESS THAT IS STILL IN THE WORKS BECAUSE THE FORECLOSURES JUST HAPPENED THIS PAST YEAR. FIRST FORECLOSURES WENT THROUGH LAST YEAR. THE VAST MAJORITY WERE VACANT LOTS. THERE WAS ONLY ONE OR TWO THAT HAD A STRUCTURE ON IT THAT NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED.

SO LAST YEAR WE REALLY FOCUSED ON THE PROPERTIES THAT WERE VACANT THAT HAD THE LOT CLEARING AND DEMOLITION LIENS.

THAT IS WHERE WE FOCUS LAST YEAR. THERE WERE ONLY I THINK TWO THAT ACTUALLY HAD A STRUCTURE ON THEM. THE LIST FOR NEXT YEAR OR THIS YEAR IS FOCUSED ON CODE ENFORCEMENT LIENS THAT HAVE BEEN PILING UP. SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT A PROCESS IN PLACE FOR THAT BECAUSE WE ARE LOOKING AT CODE ENFORCEMENT LIENS THIS YEAR . THAT IS THE PRIMARY FOCUS.

THERE ARE STRUCTURES AND THERE ARE VIOLATIONS. SO THAT IS A

WORK IN PROGRESS. >> IS IT POSSIBLE AT SOME POINT WE CAN KIND OF GET AN UPDATE? YOU MENTIONED 13TH STREET CORRIDOR. I'M JUST INTERESTED AS TO WHAT THOSE PROPERTIES WERE THAT HAVE BEEN FORECLOSED ON AND NOW MOVED INTO SOMETHING. SO I CAN JUST KEEP AN EYE ON THAT. MAJOR VITAL CONCERN OF MINE. IT IS OBVIOUSLY IN MY DISTRICT. I'M GLAD THAT WE MOVED THAT PROCESS TO GET SOME OF THESE LOTS CLEANED UP AND PREPARED. THANK YOU.

>> MR. BRODERICK. >> THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. VERY INFORMATIVE. IT HAS CONFIRMED SOME OF MY THOUGHTS. I HAVE -- I THINK ON THIS BODY SOMEWHAT OF A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON THIS ISSUE. BEING A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNER THROUGHOUT THE CITY , WE HAVE BEEN -- WE DON'T WANT TO DO THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE PRIDE OF OWNERSHIP. SO WE DEPLOY OUR PERSONNEL TO POLICE THE PARAMETERS OF OUR PROPERTY . CITY-OWNED PROPERTY. IN LIGHT OF THE FACT WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO BUSINESS HERE I WANT TO PUT THE BEST VISITATION FOR THAT WE CAN WE EXPEND A FAIR AMOUNT OF STAFF HOURS. I HAVE NOT ASKED -- WE CAN HANDLE OUR OWN SUPPLIES. WE ARE GOOD. THIS IS NOT MEANT AS A CRITICISM BY ANY MEANS. BUT THE VOLUME OF MATERIAL THAT WE REMOVE OFF OF OUR PROPERTIES IS SHOCKING. OUR PROPERTY ON THE CORNER OF SEVENTH AND ORANGE WE FRONT ON THREE STREETS. I WILL SEND A GUY OVER THERE FOR TWO OR THREE HOURS CLEANING UP TRASH ONCE A WEEK. AND WE FIND THIS EXPERIENCE DISTURBING FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF WE HAVE MULTIPLE BUSINESSES IN THE AREA TRYING TO PUT THEIR BEST FACE ON THEIR OPERATIONS AND RUN A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS. AND

[01:55:02]

TWO PEOPLE TO PATROL THE ENTIRE CITY IS IN MY OPINION INADEQUATE. I'LL GET TO THAT MOMENTARILY. WE ALSO TAKE THE TIME TO POLICE THE CITY-OWNED PARKING LOT ACROSS THE STREET ON SEVENTH AND ORANGE. SIMPLY BECAUSE OUR PATRONS UTILIZE THAT . AGAIN, WE WANT SOME PRIDE -- OWNERSHIP AND PRIDE OF OPERATION OF OUR BUSINESS. SO WE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROCESS. I'VE NEVER MENTIONED IT TO ANYBODY BEFORE. WE JUST DO IT. VERY DISAPPOINTING TO HEAR THAT OTHER BUSINESSES IN THE CITY ARE NOT COMING FORWARD IN DROVES TO SAY, YES, I WILL CLEAN UP MY 50 FEET OF FRONTAGE HERE OR 100 FEET OF FRONTAGE OR 500 FEET. YOU GET HOME DEPOT AND WAWA , ET CETERA. THE POCKETS OF THAT FROM HIS REPORT ARE VERY LIMITED AT THIS POINT IN TIME AND IT IS A PROGRAM THAT JUST STARTED AND WILL BE EXPANDING.

I WOULD THINK BUSINESSES WOULD GRAVITATE TOWARD THAT. IF WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND THE PUBLIC STAFF , MY QUESTION IS , WHERE ARE WE RUNNING INTO A SHORTFALL ? IS IT A SHORTFALL OF EQUIPMENT ? PERSONNEL? TASKING? PRETTY GOOD IDEA. I KNOW THE ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS. I'M NOT LOOKING TO PUT ANYBODY ON THE SPOT HERE TODAY. THIS IS NOT -- THIS IS AN INVESTIGATORY TYPE THING FROM MY VANTAGE POINT. WHAT DO WE NEED TO APPLY FOR ASSETS MOVING FORWARD ? RAMP UP THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCENARIO.

INCREASE THE PUBLIC CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THIS .

BECAUSE I FIND IT VERY, VERY FRUSTRATING THAT I GET EMAILS ALL THE TIME WITH PHOTOGRAPHS OF TRASH . THE CATCH BASIN IS FILLED WITH TRASH. OVERFLOWING TRASH BARRELS. AND I'M NOT REALLY SURE HOW WE GET THE ANSWERS TO WHAT IS NEEDED TO BE DONE. BUT I KNOW THERE IS A METHODOLOGY TO GET THERE. AND MY THOUGHT PROCESS IS THAT IF WE CAN POTENTIALLY DEVELOP -- IT MIGHT BE THE KEEP FORT PIERCE BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY. A 60 TO 90 DAY COMMITTEE TO MEET WITH OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS AND THEIR UNDERLINGS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY TASKED TO THESE AREAS TO SAY, OKAY, WHAT IS ON YOUR WISH LIST? WHAT YOU NEED? WHAT DO YOU NEED TO ACCOMPLISH THIS? I'M NOT GOING TO SAY WE ARE EVER GOING TO MEET THE 100% THRESHOLD OF HAVING EVERYTHING PERFECTLY FINE BECAUSE I WILL GET TO A STORY MOMENTARILY. BUT I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE I WOULD LIKE SOME ANALYSIS AND SOME DATA TO DETERMINE THAT A PUBLIC WORKS COMES BACK AND SAYS, WELL, WE NEED 15 PEOPLE. WE NEED HALF A DOZEN TRUCKS AND WE NEED THIS. AT LEAST WE KNOW THAT THAT IS THE CASE. IF THAT IS NOT THE CASE, AND WE NEED MORE OF A PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP TO RESOLVE THESE ISSUES. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS, BUT IT IS DISAPPOINTING WHEN YOU GO THROUGH A TOWN. WE HAVE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL CITY. AND THERE IS TRASH EVERYWHERE.

THERE SIMPLY IS. WE SEE IT BEING COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS. SOME PROACTIVE ACTION TAKEN TO AT LEAST STUDY THE ISSUE TO DETERMINE WHAT ARE OUR MEANS TO FIX THIS. I WILL SAY THAT WITH -- AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN SEVENTH STREET THE OTHER DAY BEHIND A VEHICLE BETWEEN DELAWARE AND ORANGE , THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDOW GOES DOWN ON THE CARPET UP GOES THE MCDONALD'S BAG AND THE CUP. THEN THE TWO BACK WINDOWS GO DOWN WHERE THE KIDS ARE, I'M ASSUMING. MCDONALD'S BAGS AND CUPS GO OUT. RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY PROPERTY. SO I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO GET CLEANED UP TOMORROW. SUFFICE IT TO SAY, YOU CANNOT CHANGE THAT MENTALITY. ARE WE JUST SHOVELING AGAINST THE TIDE TRYING TO FIX IT? I'M SUGGESTING THERE MAY BE SOME METHODOLOGIES WE HAVE NOT INVESTIGATED YET. WE MAY WANT TO HAVE SOME FOLKS LOOK INTO AND BRING IT BACK TO THIS BODY TO SAY, HEY, HERE ARE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS. PUT PRESSURE ON THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO GET THEM MORE INVOLVED. THAT THERE MAY BE OTHER AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT WE CAN MAKE . THAT'S GOING TO HELP THE SITUATION. THAT IS WHERE I'M COMING. WE ALL HAVE KNOWLEDGE THERE IS AN ISSUE. WHO DO WE NEED TO BRING TO THE TABLE TO FIX IT? I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER. AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE ANSWER. SO THAT IS MY TWO CENTS.

>> COMMISSIONER GAINS. >> I'M GLAD YOU USED THE ANALOGY OR EXAMPLE YOU USED WITH THE MCDONALD'S BAG BECAUSE

[02:00:02]

TAKE IT HOME AND PUT IT IN THE GARBAGE CAN. NOW, IF THE GARBAGE CAN IS FULL AND OVERFLOWING , ME PERSONALLY -- I'VE GOTTEN CALLS. I HAVE TEXTED THE CITY MANAGER, WHO HAS IN TURN SENT MESSAGES TO MR. REALS DEPARTMENT. AND THAT PROBLEM HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF IMMEDIATELY. SO IF YOU SEE IT AND DON'T SAY ANYTHING, WE CAN'T HELP YOU. BUT IF YOU SEE IT AND MAKE A CALL , THEY ARE DOING EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER. THIS IS BUSINESSES AND EVERYWHERE ELSE. EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER TO GET OUT THERE AND CLEAN IT UP. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT WE HAVE TO STOP -- START. WE HAVE DONE ALL THESE OTHER VIDEOS . BEAUTIFUL FORT PIERCE. I WILL BE THE FIRST TO SAY, HEY, GUYS. LET'S STOP THROWING TRASH IN OUR CITY. LET THEM SAY COMMISSIONER GAINES SAID IT. I DON'T CARE. I WILL CALL THEM UP BECAUSE I WILL. IF YOU GO BACK, I MADE SOME POSTS DURING MY WALKS. I HAVE MADE SOME POSTS DURING MY WALKS. WHEREVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.

THIS IS RIDICULOUS. THIS IS JUST RIDICULOUS THAT I'M WALKING AND I CAN'T EVEN GET A WALK IN BECAUSE EVERY FEW STEPS I'M PICKING UP SOMETHING AND ALL IT IS IS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. DRIVING DOWN A ROAD. AS YOU SAY, ROLLING THE WINDOW DOWN. I DON'T WANT YOUR TRASH. KEEP IT IN YOUR CAR. TAKE IT BACK AND PUT IT IN THE TRASH CAN. IT IS JUST THAT SIMPLE. SO I AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT THE BUSINESSES. THEY COULD DO MORE.

BUT AT SOMETIME WE HAVE TO STEP BACK. WE'VE GOT TO SAY WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON. I WILL DO IT. I STOP MY RANT. MADAME MAYOR, I STOPPED MY RANTS. I HAVE NOT MADE ONE IN 2024, BUT --

>> JUST A FEW DAYS. >> THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'M GETTING AT. LET'S ENGAGE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. LET'S STUDY WHAT THE PUBLIC WORKS FOLKS NEED. YOU HAVE COME UP WITH A THIRD IDEA THAT I HAD NOT EVEN THOUGHT OF AS PUBLIC OUTREACH TO THE CITIZENRY. SO I'M SUGGESTING WE GET A WORKING

[02:05:06]

NOW WE NEED A REAL STRONG MOVE ON EDUCATION AND INFORMATION TO GET THEM TO THINK ABOUT THAT BEFORE IT GETS TOSSED OUT THE WINDOW. THAT IS WHY I'M SUGGESTING IT IS JUST AN IDEA TO SAY -- PUT TOGETHER A GROUP OF CONSCIENTIOUS PEOPLE THAT WILL SIT DOWN AND COME UP WITH A LIST OF IDEAS LIKE THIS TO

FIGHT THE PROBLEM GLOBALLY. >> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK, I LOVE THAT IDEA. KNOWING ME, PLEASE DO NOT PUT ME ON THAT COMMITTEE. I MIGHT NOT BE THE RIGHT ONE ON THE COMMITTEE BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO DEAL WITH ANY EXCUSES. THERE'S NO EXCUSES FOR ROLLING YOUR WINDOW DOWN AND THROWING A MCDONALD'S BAG ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I DON'T CARE WHAT IT IS. NONE.

>> MY CREW PICKED IT UP THE NEXT DAY.

>> WHAT I CAN TELL YOU GOING BACK AND FORTH IS WHEN WE DO THIS , WE HAVE TO HOLD THE LINE TO DIVERSIFY THAT COMMITTEE. WE HAVE HAD TROUBLE GETTING PEOPLE ON THE BEAUTIFUL COMMITTEE. AND IT HAS LOOKED LIKE AND FEELS LIKE ONE ENTITY THAT IS THERE. PARTLY BECAUSE THEY NEEDED IT AT A TIME THAT MAY NOT BE CONDUCIVE. WE DON'T HAVE OUR CULTURAL COMMUNITIES REPRESENTED ON THAT COMMUNITY. THEREFORE, THIS INFORMATION IS NOT EVEN GETTING TO A LARGE SEGMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT MAY NOT BE IN THEIR LANGUAGE. WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE THEM ON THERE THAT CAN GET TO THOSE ENTITIES AND CULTURAL COMMUNITIES TO SPEAK THE LANGUAGE THEY NEED TO SPEAK TO THOSE COMMUNITIES TO TAKE THEM IN THOSE COMMUNITIES.

SO I WOULD CHALLENGE US WHEN WE HAVE THESE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE LOOK AT THAT. I LOOK AT IT FROM THOSE POINTS OF ADVERSITY BECAUSE THEY CAN CARRY A MESSAGE BACK THAT WE CAN PREACH FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOPS AND THEY STILL WON'T HEAR IT. IF WE ARE GOING TO GET THESE -- RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS. COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES. YOU HAVE A LATINO COMMUNITY. THE JAMAICAN COMMUNITY. ALL IN THAT AREA. RESIDENTIAL IN THAT COMMUNITY.

THEY ALL SPEAK DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. THEY ALL LISTEN TO DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE CITY AND WERE NOT TOUCHING THOSE TRIGGER POINTS. SO IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT AS WE GO THROUGH 2024 WITH THESE. WE'VE GOT TO GET THESE CULTURAL COMMUNITIES BECAUSE THEY CAN HELP US SOLVE IT. A LOT OF IT IS CULTURAL AS WELL. AND THEY TAKE PRIDE IN THINGS. AND I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT.

>> DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO CONTRIBUTE?

>> I DO. I'M NOT GOING TO REITERATE WHAT HAS BEEN SPOKEN.

I WILL JUST DIAL IN TO SOMETHING I HAVE TALKED ABOUT FOR YEARS AND YEARS. STREET SWEEPING TO ME IS MORE THAN JUST THE AESTHETIC VALUE. IT IS STORMWATER MANAGEMENT. IT IS KEEPING DEBRIS OUT OF OUR LAGOON AND OUR ESTUARY AND OUR STORMWATER TREATMENT AREAS AND WHATNOT. I KNOW WE'VE GOT -- WE ARE CHALLENGED. WE HAVE A CONTRACT. IN HOUSE. WE GOT A CONTRACT . WORKING TOWARD OTHER SOLUTIONS. I JUST WANT TO SEE IF THERE IS ANYWAY IN ADDITION TO THE REQUEST THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO SEE WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR THE MILES OF STREETS AND DRAINAGE THAT WE HAVE . HOW MANY MAN HOURS? EMILY PIECES OF EQUIPMENT DOES IT TAKE TO SWEEP OUR CITY ON A MONTHLY BASIS? RIGHT NOW I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT BASIS IT IS. BIMONTHLY.

DO WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION? >> MADAME MAYOR, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, WE DO. I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT IS OUR GOAL TO SWEEP THE ENTIRE CITY ONCE A MONTH. CURB AND GUTTER STREETS. THAT IS NOT EVERY STREET IN THE CITY WITHOUT CURB AND GUTTER. BUT EVERY STREET THAT DOES HAVE CURB AND GUTTER THAT LEADS RIGHT INTO OUR STORMWATER SYSTEM, IT IS OUR GOAL TO DO IT ONCE A WEEK. I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE MADE SOME PROGRESS ON THE EQUIPMENT. SPECIFICALLY STORMWATER MAINTENANCE IN THE FORM OF A NEW BACK TRUCK AND NEWS STREET SWEEPER. THE CHALLENGE COMES WITH SUPPLY-CHAIN ISSUES THAT WE EXPERIENCED OVER THE LAST 2 TO 3 YEARS. WE ARE LOOKING AT 12 TO 18 MONTHS ONCE WE PLACE AN ORDER. SO WE DO HAVE A SWEEPER ON ORDER. IN THE MEANTIME, WE HAVE A RENTAL UNIT THAT WE DO HAVE IN OUR POSSESSION BECAUSE IT IS NEWER. NEWER EQUIPMENT.

LESS FREQUENT BREAKDOWNS. WE HAVE AN OLDER SWEEPER. THE OLD

[02:10:03]

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT INFO. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER METRICS? I ALSO LIKE -- WOULD LIKE TO IMPLEMENT OR TRACK HOW MANY TONS OF DEBRIS THAT WE ARE EXTRACTING. I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT. I THINK THOSE METRICS ARE IMPORTANT. NOT JUST LINEAR MILEAGE OR FOOTAGE. TONS OF DEBRIS. AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IN A POSITIVE WAY TO CHANGE OUR SYSTEM OR MAKE THEM FUNCTION. WE TALKED ABOUT FLOOD. WE TALKED ABOUT RESILIENCY TODAY. AND THIS IS A GREAT CONTRIBUTOR TO THOSE ISSUES. WE DON'T REALIZE IT BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF SIGHT AND OUT OF MIND.

>> I DON'T HAVE THEM FOR YOU TODAY, BUT WE DO REPORT TO ENGINEERING ROUTINELY FOR THEIR ANNUAL REPORTING. SO WE DO TRACK THEM. I CAN GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU.

>> THAT'S GOOD. I THINK WE SHOULD JUST TRY TO UPDATE THOSE NUMBERS. LET'S INCREASE IT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THOSE ARE PREVALENT. WE HAVE HAD EMAILS RECENTLY ABOUT OUR DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR. I THINK IT WAS ORANGE AVENUE. YOU RESPONDED TO IT.

MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS. PROBABLY AFTER -- I KNOW THEY WERE AFTER EVENTS IN DOWNTOWN. BUT THOSE ARE THE PARTS AND PIECES WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND HAVE COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF . AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO FIX IT? CONTRACTS ARE TOUGH . WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT. WE HAVE HAD ROUTINE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT. I KNOW YOU HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH WHETHER IT IS THE EQUIPMENT OR EMPLOYMENT SIDE OF IT. BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CALL THE PELICAN SWEEPER.

THE TURTLE SWEEPER. THE SLOW ONE. I GUESS THERE'S A COUPLE THAT REQUIRE CDL BECAUSE THEY ARE HEAVY DUTY VEHICLES. THE OTHER PART THAT COMES TO MIND IS, WHERE DO YOU DUMP IT? I'M SURE YOU HAVE DUMP STATIONS, BUT THAT REQUIRES MORE MANPOWER. YOU'LL HAVE TO REMOVE IT BECAUSE YOU ARE HANDLING IT TWICE. SOLID WASTE CONCEPT. HANDLE IT ONCE AND GET RID OF IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> MR. MIMMS. >> MADAME MAYOR, I WANTED TO RESPOND TO A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WERE SAID. NUMBER ONE, COMMISSIONER BRODERICK MENTIONED HAVING AN AD HOC COMMITTEE. THE ADVISORY BOARD WAS AN AD HOC COMMITTEE. THIS GROUP CAN CHANGE IT TO A CITY COMMISSION APPOINTED COMMITTEE. I BELIEVE THE SAME RESPONSIBILITY THAT YOU WANTED TO GIVE THAT AD HOC COMMITTEE CAN BE BESTOWED UPON THE ADVISORY BOARD TO GIVE THEM A TASK . FROM THAT TASK , COME BACK TO THE CITY COMMISSION WITH RECOMMENDATIONS.

>> THAT WOULD BE GREAT. >> AS FAR AS STREET SWEEPING AND THE QUANTIFICATION OF THE TONNAGE AND THE FREQUENCY, THAT IS ALL REPORTED BY OUR CITY ENGINEER TO THE STATE OF FLORIDA THROUGH OUR NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE TO ADHERE TO. MR. ANDREWS HAS ALL OF THE INFORMATION WILL BE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU THE LATEST REPORT.

>> OKAY. I WANTED TO ADD A LITTLE BIT TO WHAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT . WE JUST APPLIED TO BE A BRIGHT LINE STATION LOCATION. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ARE STRONG FAX IN THAT IS THAT WE ARE A TRANSPORTATION HUB. THE TURNPIKE MEETS I-95.

WE HAVE THE RAIL. WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE GOING THROUGH OUR CITY THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY STAYING IN OUR CITY. THEY ARE GOING THROUGH IT. AND I CAN TELL -- AND WE WANT TO BE. WE ARE IN A STRATEGIC LOCATION. BUT MY POINT IS WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE PARTICULARLY ON THE TRUCK ROUTES ALONG JENKINS AND EDWARDS AND ALONG KINGS HIGHWAY AND ALONG ST. LUCIE BOULEVARD WHERE PEOPLE ARE JUST PASSING THROUGH ST.

LUCIE COUNTY. AND SO I BELIEVE THAT THAT HEAVY TRAFFIC CONTRIBUTES TO A LOT OF THE APPEARANCE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE

[02:15:01]

THE QUEEN OF MORRIS CREEK AND TO OTHER AREAS. AND WE HAVE THEM FROM THE COUNTY, WHO HAS ALMOST ADOPTED MORRIS CREEK AS HIS PROJECT. A WONDERFUL AREA. I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO HIM FOR DOING THAT BECAUSE HE'S REALLY DEVOTED TO THAT CREEK.

THE BEACH VOLUNTEERS -- I KNOW I CLEANUP AT JETTY PARK A LOT.

ON THE WEEKENDS THE TRASH CANS ARE ALL FULL. FROM THE NIGHT BEFORE. WHEN THEY ARE FULL, PEOPLE HAVE THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO AT LEAST PUT THE GARBAGE AROUND THE EDGE OF THE CAN. THEY ARE TRYING TO PUT IT IN. AND YOUR GROUP COMES EARLY IN THE MORNING ON WEEKEND MORNINGS. AND THEY ARE EMPTYING THIS TRASH CANS . AND THEN THE NEXT MORNING THEY ARE FULL AND OVERFLOWING. SO I KNOW HOW HEAVILY USED THAT JETTY PARK IS. AND THAT'S ALSO VISITORS TOO. THOSE ARE NOT ALL TAXPAYERS IN THAT PARK. JC PARK CAUSEWAY PARK AND JETTY PARK ARE ALL PARKS THAT ATTRACT PEOPLE FROM OUT OF TOWN. I THINK YOU HAVE TOLD ME BEFORE WHEN YOU ARE THERE ON THE WEEKENDS IN TERMS OF ENFORCING PARKING THAT MUCH OF THE PARKING ISSUES ARE FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT FROM OUR CITY AND MAYBE NOT FROM OUR COUNTY . AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT STARTED AT THIS TIME. BUT WHEN WE HAD THE PANDEMIC , A LOT OF BEACHES DOWN SOUTH WERE CLOSED AND PEOPLE WERE LOOKING FOR BEACHES. BEFORE EVERYBODY DISCOVERED JC PARK AND JETTY PARK. SO WE HAVE A LOT MORE VISITORS , I THINK, THEN WE KNOW THAT WE DO. AND I THINK THAT IS A TREMENDOUS CHALLENGE BECAUSE WHEN YOU ARE NOT ON YOUR HOME TURF, YOU DON'T INTEND TO TAKE CARE OF IT LIKE YOU WOULD IF IT IS YOUR OWN HOME. BUT WHEN I AM CLEANING UP AT THE JETTY, I WILL TELL YOU THAT PEOPLE THANK ME. PEOPLE ARE VERY GRATEFUL . AND I KNOW THE HEAD OF THE SOUTH BEACH VOLUNTEER -- HER PHILOSOPHY IS THAT IT SHOULD BE A THING THAT YOU ENJOY DOING AND THAT YOU SHOULD NOT BE RESENTFUL. LOOK AT ALL OF THIS TRASH. THIS IS TERRIBLE. AND THAT IT IS CATCHING. THAT OTHER PEOPLE SEE YOU AND SAY, WELL, MAYBE I SHOULD DO THIS TOO. AND I HAVE HAD PEOPLE SAY , CAN I GET ONE OF THOSE? CAN I HELP? HOW DO YOU DO THIS? SO IT DOES ENCOURAGE OTHER PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT KEEPING THINGS CLEAN AND ALSO -- AND I TELL PEOPLE WHEN I SEE THEM AND TALK TO THEM I LIKE TO TAKE THE GARBAGE HOME. I TAKE THE GARBAGE AND PUT IT IN MY GARBAGE CAN. BECAUSE THAT IS GOING TO GET FULL BY THE NEXT DAY. SO I THINK IT IS CATCHING. AND ON THE OKEECHOBEE ROAD CORRIDOR, I HAPPENED TO COME OFF OF THAT AT NIGHT THIS PAST WEEKEND. AND IT WAS AMAZING HOW THAT CORRIDOR HAS GROWN. HOW BUSY THAT CORRIDOR IS. AND I WAS THINKING OF THE

[02:20:02]

I CANNOT IMAGINE THAT THEY WOULDN'T BE PART OF THAT TOO BECAUSE I JUST MET WITH THE MANAGER THERE AND TALK TO HIM AND THEY ARE VERY PROUD TO BE IN FORT PIERCE. AND IT IS A BIGGER STORE. AND I JUST THINK THIS INITIATIVE IS A GREAT IDEA. I'D LIKE PERSONALLY TO OFFER TO HELP . I THINK THIS SHOULD BE A COMMISSION EFFORT TOO. I THINK WE ALL SHOULD BE PART OF THAT ENCOURAGEMENT . AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SUGGEST , MR. MIMMS , THAT EVERY STAFF MEMBER -- WE HAVE MANY STAFF MEMBERS OUT AND ABOUT IN THE CITY. EVERY STAFF MEMBER COULD BE TASKED WITH, KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN. BECAUSE THEY ARE OUT AND ABOUT. AND I KNOW SOMETIMES WHEN I'M DRIVING I'M THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE AND NOT REGISTERING WHAT I SEE. AND PERHAPS THEY WOULD BE TOO. BUT SOMETIMES IF IT IS EVERYBODY 'S JOB, IT IS NOBODY'S JOB. BUT IF IT IS EVERYBODY'S JOB AND WE WANT TO TAKE PRIDE IN OUR CITY, THAT MIGHT BE AN IDEA FOR US TO PUT IN. AND I CERTAINLY WILL BRING THAT TO THE KEEP FORT PIERCE BEAUTIFUL COMMITTEE TOO.

ANYTHING ELSE ? >> I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT WHAT WAS ASKING FORT PIERCE -- THE COMMITTEE -- WE HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEIR MISSION STATEMENT IS . AND I'M SUGGESTING AT THE TIMELINE TO BRING BACK RESULTS . IT SHOULD BE FAIRLY BRIEF. 60 TO 90 DAYS. IT GETS BACK TO THIS BODY RAPIDLY. THE IDEAS THEY COME UP WITH CAN THEN BE DEPLOYED.

>> SOMETHING IN YOUR COMMENT TRIGGERED SOMETHING . KIDS WILL PROBABLY GET MAD AT ME, BUT I DON'T CARE. YOU MENTIONED WESTWOOD. THERE ARE THREE HIGH SCHOOLS -- FOUR HAS GOALS

LOCATED INSIDE CITY LIMITS. >> FORT PIERCE CENTRAL AND LINKIN PARK ACADEMY ARE IN THE CITY LIMITS. WESTWOOD IS NOT , BUT IT MIGHT AS WELL BE BECAUSE IT HAS A LOT OF FORT

PIERCE STUDENTS. >> MR. REALS, SINCE I HAVE A SENIOR, THESE KIDS NEED COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS TO GRADUATE . AND WE MIGHT GIVE THEM AN OLD TURTLE SWEEPER. WE CAN DO WHAT MY DAD DID -- PUT A BROOM IN MY HEAD. PUT A BROOM IN MY HAND AND SAY, HEY, GUYS. LEGALLY -- I KNOW YOU'RE LOOKING AT ME, MADAM ATTORNEY. COME UP WITH SOME TYPE OF PROGRAM WHERE SOME SATURDAYS , THE CITY OFFERS SOME COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS AND SOME KIDS SHOW UP WITH SOME BROOMS AND GO OUT FOR A COUPLE HOURS AND CLEANUP AND SWEEP UP. WHATEVER.

RIGHT NOW , SCHOOL JUST STARTED TODAY. THE SENIORS WHO HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING -- BE HONEST. THEY ARE TRYING TO PLAY CATCH-UP. SO THEY'RE TRYING TO GET AN HOUR HERE, AN HOUR THERE. SO THEY CAN GET THEIR DIPLOMA. SINCE WE ARE THINKING WE CAN COME UP WITH SOME YOUTH DAYS TO GET SOME COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS AND SOME CERTAIN AREAS OF THE CITY OR WHATEVER. A COUPLE HOURS. SWEEP IT. KEEP IT CLEAN. AND WE GO FROM THERE. ALMOST DOING TWO THINGS FOR THE KIDS . BUT YOU'RE ALSO TEACHING THEM PRIDE IN THEIR COMMUNITY. WAIT A MINUTE. I CANNOT BELIEVE IT LOOKS LIKE THIS. WHEN YOU SAY WESTWOOD DOES IT AT THE CREEK, IT BROUGHT UP THAT WE CAN OPEN IT UP TO OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS AND GO FROM THERE. JUST A

SUGGESTION. >> MADAME MAYOR, COMMISSIONER GAINES, I WILL BE HAPPY TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE DO THAT. MANY OF OUR CLEANUP EVENTS, WE HAVE VOLUNTEER HOURS. IF WE HAVE A GROUP OF KIDS THAT WANT TO GET TOGETHER AND DO A CERTAIN AREA, WE WILL PROVIDE THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY. BUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS I THINK WAS MENTIONED HERE TODAY THAT CAN HELP US -- YOU KNOW, WE CAN PUT OUT AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE WANT. AS MANY FLYERS AS WE WANT. YOU AS THE ELECTED BODY CARRY IT DIFFERENTLY THAN WE DO. YOU GUYS I BELIEVE CAN HELP US TREMENDOUSLY IN GETTING THESE MESSAGES OUT. YOU HAVE A SENIOR. TALK TO THE SENIOR AND GET THEIR FRIENDS INVOLVED. WE ARE HAPPY TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THESE HOURS.

YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY, THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS COMMENTS

[5. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC Any person who wishes to comment on any subject may be heard at this time. Please limit your comments to three (3) minutes or less, as directed by the Mayor, as this section of the Agenda is limited to thirty minutes. The City Commission will not be able to take any official actions under Comments from the Public. Speakers will address the Mayor, Commissioners, and the Public with respect. Inappropriate language will not be tolerated.]

FROM THE PUBLIC. >> ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION, PLEASE COME FORWARD. WELCOME.

[02:25:04]

COME TO THE PODIUM, SIR. >> THREE MINUTES OR HOW LONG?

>> THREE MINUTES FOR THE PUBLIC. FOR THE CONGRESSMAN, AS

LONG AS YOU LIKE. >> APPRECIATE IT. I THINK THE LAST CONVERSATION IS A PERFECT SEGUE INTO WHY I AM HERE. I HAVE NOT BEEN BASHFUL AND I NEVER AM. MR. MIMMS, YOU PROBABLY RECEIVED AT LEAST 100 EMAILS FOR ME IN CALENDAR YEAR 2023 ABOUT BLIGHT AND CLEANUP THAT NEEDS TO TAKE THESE. MR. BRODERICK, DON'T THINK IT COULD HAVE BEEN SAID ANY MORE SUCCINCTLY THAN THE WAY THAT YOU SAID IT. THERE IS TRASH EVERYWHERE . THOSE WERE YOUR WORDS, BUT I HAVE USED THOSE WORDS MANY TIMES. THERE IS TRASH EVERYWHERE. I WANT TO THANK THE CITY FOR RECENTLY GIVING ME TRAINING ON BOTH OF THE STREET SWEEPERS. THAT WAS JUST THIS PAST WEEK. I LOOK OVER TO BEING INSURED ON IT SO I CAN TAKE IT ON THE ROAD. I THINK THE CITY ALSO FOR ALLOWING ME TO DO RIDE ALONG'S WITH THE CODE ENFORCEMENT TO LEARN WHERE THERE'S CHALLENGES.

HOW IT TAKES PLACE. WHAT GETS ENFORCED. WHAT DOESN'T. IT WAS EDUCATIONAL FOR ME, TO SAY THE LEAST. BUT REGARDLESS OF THAT , ALLOWING ME TO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE THINGS -- IT HAS TO GET CLEANED UP . AND YOU ALL CAME UP WITH A LOT OF IDEAS JUST NOW. I'M SURPRISED A LOT OF THOSE IDEAS HAVE NOT BEEN IMPLEMENTED PREVIOUSLY. IT WAS SAID TO ME WHEN I WENT ON THE RIDE ALONG WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT THAT THE CITY HAS A POLICY OF WORKING THROUGH THE PHILOSOPHY OF BROKEN WINDOWS .

WRITE? IF YOU ARE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THAT -- IF THERE IS ONE BROKEN WINDOW AND IT IS NOT ATTENDED TO, AND THAT IS GOING TO RESULT IN THE DECAY OF MORE AND MORE BROKEN WINDOWS. THAT IS WHAT I WAS TOLD THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE CITY IS SO THEY DON'T WANT TO ALLOW ONE BROKEN WINDOW. BUT THE DECAY THAT EXISTS HAS BEEN WELL BEYOND A BROKEN WINDOW. IT IS WHAT THE COMMISSIONER SAID. GARBAGE EVERYWHERE. I SPENT ABOUT TWO HOURS JUST DRIVING AROUND . TAKING PICTURES OF NOT MCDONALD'S BAGS THROWN OUT OF THE CAR BUT TRUE DECAY THAT IS BEEN ALLOWED TO EXIST FROM THE INTERSTATE TO THE OCEAN.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER SOLUTIONS ARE, BUT IT'S GOT TO BE TO PROACTIVELY PREVENT THIS. WHETHER IT IS AT TURNPIKE IN KINGS HIGHWAY WHEN THERE ARE ROADSIGNS THAT ARE LAYING ON THE GROUND FOR WEEKS IF NOT MONTHS . SOMEBODY FROM THE TOWN OR THE COMMUNITY CAN GO AROUND AND PICK THAT UP, BUT THEY MIGHT BE IN SOME VIOLATION BECAUSE IT IS ACTUALLY COMMUNITY PROPERTY IF IT IS ONE OF THE SIGNS. WRITE? OR IF WE GO TO SOMETHING THAT I BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE CITY NUMEROUS TIMES AS YOU EXIT NORTHBOUND I-95. AND YOU WAIT AT THE LIGHT AT OKEECHOBEE ROAD IN NORTHBOUND I-95. AND YOU LOOK TO THE RIGHT AT THE PROPERTY AND THE FENCE LINE.

THERE'S PROBABLY A GARBAGE TRUCK OR A DUMP TRUCK LOAD OF GARBAGE DIRECTLY AT THE FENCE LINE THERE. THAT HAS BEEN THERE DIRECTLY AT THE ENTRANCE OF OUR CITY TO I WOULD SAY AT LEAST A YEAR. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER. AND I BROUGHT IT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE CITY AND IT IS NOT CLEANED UP. OR THE PROPERTY OWNER IS NOT CITED . OR WHATEVER HAS TO TAKE PLACE FOR THAT TO GET CLEANED UP . IT IS NOT DONE. IF YOU GO TO THE INTERSECTION OF OKEECHOBEE AND JENKINS ROAD AND LOOK AT ANY CORNER OF IT, THERE'S GOT TO BE 10 TEMPORARY SIGNS ON EVERY CORNER ALLOWED TO REMAIN THERE UNTIL ULTIMATELY THEY FALL DOWN OR SOMEBODY RUNS THEM OVER. IF YOU GO AND TURN RIGHT DOWN JENKINS WROTE TO HER MY KIDS GO TO SCHOOL AT INDEPENDENCE CLASSICAL ACADEMY BECAUSE THIS IS MY HOME TURF AS WELL. I LOVE THIS COMMUNITY. AND I THINK THE PEOPLE HERE ARE BEAUTIFUL. I DO NOT THINK THE ENVIRONMENT IS. BUT IT IS MY HOME TURF IN YOUR CAR LOTS THAT YOU USE. YOU TURN AND GO DOWN JENKINS ROAD. I BROUGHT THIS UP DAY ONE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. THE ROADWAY -- THERE IS NO SIDEWALK GOING FROM WALA TO THE SCHOOL.

COMMUNITIES IN BETWEEN. THE ROADWAY IS SO OVERGROWN WITH GRASS THAT IS OFTEN NOT MODE AND DIRT THAT THE KIDS ARE LITERALLY WALKING ON THE WHITE LINE OF THE ROAD TO GET TO SCHOOL ON GARBAGE TRUCKS AND DUMP TRUCKS AND BIG RIGS AND DOOLEY'S WITH TRAILERS DRIVING BY WITH IN

[02:30:03]

BUT AS I TURNED ONTO MLK COME I BROUGHT IT TO MR. MIMMS' ATTENTION. YOU GO DOWN DELAWARE ROAD. YOU WOULD BE BETTER OFF TRYING TO POINT WHERE THERE IS A CLEAN SPOT.

IF YOU WANTED TO BE PRODUCTIVE BECAUSE THE WHOLE OF DELAWARE LOOKS LIKE A TORNADO DEBRIS FIELD. WHETHER IT IS THE GUTTER BY THE CURB OR WHETHER IT IS THE SIDEWALK BEING OVERGROWN BY GRASS . OR WHETHER IT IS THE GARBAGE AND THE DEBRIS ON THE SIDEWALKS UP AGAINST THE FENCE LINES. IT HAS TO BE DONE. YOU COME DOWN ORANGE AVENUE. MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN ONTO U.S. 1. I THINK SOMEBODY HIT A TREE THERE PROBABLY SOMETIME IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF LAST YEAR. AND THE CITY CHAINSAW THE TREE OFF AT ABOUT FIVE FEET HIGH. BUT IT HAS REMAINED THERE EVER SINCE. NOT BEING TAKEN CARE OF.

OTHERS CONES IN FRONT OF THE CITY HALL BUILDING HERE THAT HAVE PROBABLY BEEN OUT THERE FOR AT LEAST A YEAR WITH SPOTS THAT NEED TO BE FIXED THAT AREN'T. EVERY SEWER GRATE ON U.S. 1 HAS A GIANT BLACK TUBE OVER ALL OF IT PROBABLY TO PREVENT DEBRIS FROM GOING INTO THE STORM WATER. BUT THEY'RE JUST PILED UP WITH GARBAGE AND LANDSCAPE DEBRIS.

YOU HIT SEAWAY DRIVE AND GO UNDERNEATH THE BRIDGE. THERE ARE YEARS OLD BLOCKS LONG OF ORANGE CONSTRUCTION FENCE.

HANGING DOWN FOR GARBAGE ALL PILED UP AGAINST IT. OR WHATEVER THE CASE OF DISREPAIR IS. BLOCKS OF IT UNDERNEATH THE BRIDGE. WE HAVE BRIDGES THAT ARE OUT . I THINK ONE OF THE BEST MAINTAINED BUILDINGS IN THE CITY IS PROBABLY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THEY DO A GREAT JOB MAINTAINING THE LANDSCAPE THERE. BUT IF YOU SIT IN FRONT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT YOU CAN'T HELP BUT NOTICE THE 3 TO 4 STORY GOLF FENCE BEHIND IT. HANGING OUT ABOUT TWO STORIES WITH PROBABLY A DOZEN HOLES IN IT BIG ENOUGH TO DRIVE A GARBAGE TRUCK THROUGH IT. THAT IS DECAY. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE AWARE THERE WAS A BREAK-IN AT MY HOME. OR VANDALISM.

WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. MY WIFE'S TIRES STOLEN. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT UPSET ME MORE ABOUT IT IS THAT I BROUGHT IT UP MONTHS BEFORE THAT IN THAT AREA OF A 1A I THINK I COUNTED ABOUT 28 STREETLIGHTS THAT ARE OUT IN ABOUT A SIX-BLOCK AREA ON U.S. 1, RENDERING THE AREA BASICALLY BLACK AT NIGHT, WHICH IS NOT GOOD FOR PREVENTING ANY CRIME IN ANY AREA. HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. THAT IS A DECAY. THE CELL PHONE TOWERS THAT ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE HALF OF THEIR EXTERIOR BODY BLOWN OFF BUT THEY STAND TALLER THAN ANYTHING ELSE IN THE CITY SO WE LOOK AT THEM. THAT IS DK WHEN THEY ARE NOT FIXED. IF THE CITY REALLY IS LIVING BY THIS BROKEN WINDOWS POLICY TO SAY THIS IS HOW WE PREVENT FURTHER DECAY -- WE CAN'T ALLOW A BROKEN WINDOW. IT IS FAILING IN THAT RESPECT. IT IS RESULTING IN MORE AND MORE AND MORE DECAY . I WILL BE A PARTNER IN EVERY PLACE I CAN. I SIT ON THE COMMITTEE OF TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE. I'M CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR GRANTS. I'M CONSTANTLY LOOKING TO SPEAK TO EVERY GOVERNMENT ACROSS THE WHOLE OF THE AREA I REPRESENT TO FIND OUT DURING APPROPRIATIONS TIME WHAT YOU MIGHT BE LOOKING FOR. SOME PEOPLE CALL IT AN EARMARK OR A COMMUNITY GRANT FOR SOMETHING.

WHERE WE CAN PARTNER ON SOMETHING WHETHER FOR A SEAWALL OR WITH THE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND. WHEREVER IT MIGHT BE. DOLLARS CAN BE FOUND . ALWAYS HERE IS A PARTNER FOR THAT. HAPPY TO BE A

[02:35:01]

ONE THAT I RESIDE IN THAT I WANT TO SEE BETTER. I THINK THE BRIGHT LINE STATION COULD BE A GREAT ADDITION TO OUR COMMUNITY. MY INTENT IS NOT -- NO PUN INTENDED TO DERAIL THAT IN ANY WAY. BUT THERE IS AN OLD SAYING ABOUT CLUBS. I WOULD NOT WANT TO BE A MEMBER OF A CLUB THAT WOULD HAVE ME AS A MEMBER OF ITS CLUB. I DON'T KNOW THAT THE TRAIN COMPANY CAN LOOK AT IT AND SAY I WOULD HAVE A STATION IN A PLACE THAT WOULD ALLOW THE LOCATION OF WHERE WE ARE PUTTING THIS STATION POTENTIALLY TO LOOK LIKE THAT. WE ALLOW THE TRAIN COMPANY TO NOT MAINTAIN THEIR EASEMENTS ALONG U.S. 1. THE GRASS BECOMES THREE FEET HIGH ALONG THE TRAINS. THE AREA DIRECTLY TO THE SOUTH OF THIS BUILDING HAS BEEN A STORAGE AREA OF THEIR RAILROAD TIES AND THEIR MIDDLE AND EVERYTHING FOR I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG. BUT IF WE WANT THEM TO CLEAN IT UP AND USE IT AS THAT AND BEAUTIFY IT, THAT WOULD BE A GREAT THING FOR THE CITY. BUT WE CAN'T ALLOW THEM TO TREAT IT THE WAY THAT IT IS BEING TREATED UNTIL THAT HAPPENS OR THE REST OF THE RAIL CORRIDOR. THAT IS -- I THINK THAT IS PUNITIVE TO EVERY MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY. I KNOW THE COMMISSION DOES NOT NECESSARILY WANT TO BE PUNITIVE TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS TO GET HIT IN THE POCKETBOOK. BUT IT IS PUNITIVE TO EVERY MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY WHEN THERE IS DECAY IN THE CITY AT THE SCALE THAT WE ARE SEEING IT AND WHEN IS THE COMMISSIONER PUT IT THERE IS TRASH EVERYWHERE. SO I WOULD JUST THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO GO WELL BEYOND MY THREE MINUTES. I STAND HERE ALWAYS READY TO TAKE CRITICISM , RECEIVE SUGGESTIONS WHERE I CAN DO BETTER OR WHERE I CAN BE A PARTNER WITH YOU ALL TO HELP THIS COMMUNITY AND ANY PART OF THE COMMUNITY BE BETTER. I DID WANT TO SAY ONE OTHER THING IF YOU WILL GRANT ME THIS. I WAS LOOKING AT THE BRIGHT LINE BUDGET. I ONCE SAID IT WAS ABOUT $20 MILLION. THAT IS WHAT I SAW FOR WHAT I WAS READING. IF THAT IS THE NUMBERS YOU CAME UP WITH, GREAT. MY PERSONAL ENCOURAGEMENT AS ONE IDEA RELATED TO THAT IS MAYBE MAKE IT $18 MILLION AND TAKE ABOUT $2 MILLION OFF OF THAT AND COMMIT IT TO THE BEAUTIFICATION OF FORT PIERCE AND THE CITIZENS THAT LIVE HERE DAY IN AND DAY OUT. THE HOME FIELDERS. THAT'S ONE QUICK SUGGESTION ABOUT SOMETHING I SAW IN THE BUDGET IN THAT. IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. IF YOU DON'T, I WILL LEAVE YOU MY BOOK OF PHOTOS FROM AROUND THE CITY AND I WILL GET OUT OF YOUR FACE FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

>> THANK YOU, SIR. >> CONGRESSMAN, I'LL JUST SAY THANK YOU. YOU AND I HAVE HAD A LOT OF GREAT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE CITY AND I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS. I APPRECIATE THE IDEA OF YOU DRIVING AROUND WITH ME AND LOOKING AT DIFFERENT THINGS. AND HAVING IT CARE AND CONCERN FOR OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE A CARE AND CONCERN. WE ARE BORN AND RAISED HERE OR INVESTED HERE. HOWEVER IT MAY BE. AND SO ARE YOU. SO I JUST SAY THANK YOU. TOUGH WORDS ARE NEVER EASY. LOOKING AT THE FACTS OF SITUATIONS YOU HAVE HEARD US TALK ABOUT TODAY . AND WE ARE WORKING ON THEM. WE HAVE A STAFF THAT CARES . AND I WANTED TO CONVEY THAT TO YOU. AND I KNOW YOU HAVE TALKED TO THOSE STAFF MEMBERS AND YOU HAVE HEARD THEIR CONCERNS AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO MAKING FORT PIERCE A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY AND JUST ENJOY LIFE . FROM MY HEART TO YOURS, THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE . SOMETIMES IT IS GOOD TO HAVE A CONVERSATION THAT SAYS, HEY, LOOK AT IT FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE. I APPRECIATE THAT.

THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER GAINES.

>> THANK YOU FOR COMING IN TODAY. I THINK SINCE I HAVE BEEN IN OFFICE WE HAVE HAD MAYBE ONE OFFICIAL CALL ON THE PHONE. YOU INTRODUCED ME RIGHT WHEN I GOT SWORN IN AND SAID,

[02:40:02]

FORWARD. >> I SEND IT OFF TO D.C. IN THE MORNING. ZOOM MIGHT BE QUICKER. HAPPY TO FIND ONE THIS WEEK OTHERWISE, THE WEEKEND FOR THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS .

>> I UNDERSTAND YOU WILL BE BACK IN D.C. I'M ALWAYS UP IN D.C. TOO. I JUST HAD MY DAUGHTER GRADUATE. WHENEVER YOU HAVE THE TIME , I WILL MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE. AND WE WILL PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER. BETWEEN BOTH OF US, I THINK WE

CAN GET SOMETHING DONE. >> I'M GOING TO SHARE MY COMMENTS. YOU SHARED YEARS. YOU AND I HAVE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS . I THANK YOU FOR TAKING INTEREST AND WRITING AROUND AND TAKING A LEVEL LOOK. WHAT YOU SAW DEMONSTRATED THIS MORNING WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS IN THE WORKS THAT JUST DID NOT HAPPEN THIS MORNING. KEEP FORT PIERCE BEAUTIFUL . OUR STRATEGIC PLAN -- WE ARE BEGINNING TO ADDRESS AND PUT IN CONCRETE MEASURES TO ADDRESS WHAT YOU HAVE ELOQUENTLY STATED FROM THE PODIUM THIS MORNING. WHAT I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE STAFF AND ELECTED OFFICIALS, INCLUDING MYSELF -- WE APPRECIATE HEARING FROM YOU THIS MORNING. BUT WHAT I DON'T WANT TO UNDERMINE IS THE STAFF THAT WORKED REALLY HARD THAT HAS BEEN WORKING FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS AS I HAVE BEEN SITTING IN THE SEAT TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES . THE WHEELS OF GOVERNMENT TURNED SLOW SOMETIMES. YOU HAVE HEARD THIS MORNING OUR BUDGETARY CONCERNS AS WE AS A GROWING CITY ARE FACING AN EMERGING CITY HERE OF GROWTH . AND SOMETIMES WE WILL REALIZE AND HOPEFULLY OVER THE NEAR FUTURE REALIZE SOME OF THE TAX REVENUE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES YOU HAVE POINTED OUT. SHORTAGE OF WORKFORCE IS AN ESCALATION PROBLEM WE HAVE DEALT WITH CONTINUOUSLY. IT IS GREAT TO HEAR THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT NOW IS FINALLY UP TO FULL STAFF. WE STILL HAVE VACANCIES IN OUR CITY, BUT WE NEED WORKERS TO BE A PART OF IT. YOU ARE OUR FEDERAL RESOURCE. I HAVE COME TO YOU PERSONALLY. I HAVE COME TO YOUR STAFF AND MET WITH YOUR STAFF ASKING FOR HELP . THE OLD HOSPITAL IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, WHICH IS A HOUSING AUTHORITY BUILDING, IS IN DISREPAIR. I CAME TO YOU

[02:45:02]

THAT ALLOWS OUR STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS, THE CITY OFFICIALS, OUR FEDERAL LEGISLATORS TO SAY, WE ARE GOING TO TAKE PRIDE IN THIS. IF SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN HERE, WE HAVE TO HAVE A UNITED FRONT TO MOVE FORWARD TO DO THAT. YOUR COMMENTS TODAY AS A PART OF THAT UNIFICATION IS A TOUGH CONVERSATION. THANK YOU. BUT ALSO, TOUGH CONVERSATIONS ARE COMING BACK YOUR WAY TO SUPPORT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE. WE NEED SOME MORE FEDERAL HELP HERE WITH RESILIENCY. YOU HEARD SOME OF THAT STUFF. YOU ALSO HEARD THAT THE SUPPLY CHAIN AND THINGS THAT ARE CAUSING US TO NOT GET THE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT HERE ARE BEYOND OUR CONTROL. A LOT OF THE DISREPAIR THAT YOU SEE WITH SOME OF THESE DOWNED LIGHT POLES AND OTHER THINGS ARE AS A RESULT OF THAT . I ALSO CALL ABOUT LIGHTS BEING OUT ON 10TH STREET AND AVENUE D. KIDS ARE PLAYING AT NIGHT. I AM OUT THERE ON THE STREET AND I SEE THESE KIDS. SO I TOO AM ADDRESSING THAT. BUT I ELECT TO ADDRESS IT IN A WAY THAT I'M SEEKING THE SUPPORT OF MY FELLOW CITY COMMISSIONERS .

SIR, I INVITE YOU -- I HAVE ALWAYS INVITED YOU TO BE A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION. I ALSO INVITE YOU TO BE A PART OF THE BEAUTIFICATION. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU AT THE BEAUTIFICATION DAY. BECAUSE THE CITY COMMISSIONERS ARE DOING THAT.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO BE A PART OF THAT, SIR.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. I HOPE MY COMMENTS ARE RECEIVED

JUST AS WELL. >> IS THIS A CONVERSATION?

>> CONVERSATION. >> ABSOLUTELY. HAPPY TO GET ON THE STREETS ON BEAUTIFICATION DAY. THAT IS ONE EASY THING.

TO THE POINT OF SOME OF THE PROJECTS, ALWAYS HAPPY TO LOOK AND SEE WHERE WE CAN FIND THE GRANTS. WE HAVE DONE IT IN CITIES UP AND DOWN THE BREATH OF THE DISTRICT FROM THE HALF OF PALM BEACH COUNTY THAT I HAVE, MARTIN COUNTY, AND RIGHT UP TO THE BORDERS WHERE THIS DISTRICT ENDS. YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE PROJECTS PERMITTED AND READY TO GO WITH THE APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO MATCH IF THERE IS A MATCHING FUND ELEMENT, BUT WE WILL FIGHT TOOTH AND NAIL FOR ANYONE OF THOSE. WE HAVE DONE SEAWALLS IN THE PAST AS AN EXAMPLE OF DIFFERENT PLACES. THERE IS A VARIETY OF THINGS. SIMILAR TO WHAT WERE BROUGHT UP TODAY. DEFINITELY EXPERIENCE AND SUCCESS . IF YOU SEE A PLACE , 100% CAN LOOK AT THOSE ONES.

>> I WILL MAKE IT QUICK. CONGRESSMAN, THANK YOU FOR COMING THIS MORNING. YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELL RECEIVED . I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH CONGRESSMAN. WE HAVE A DIRECT LINE OF COMMUNICATION , WHICH I'M VERY PLEASED ABOUT . AND WE WILL FOSTER THAT RELATIONSHIP . I BELIEVE WE HAD SET THE UNDERPINNINGS FOR PLANS HERE TODAY. THAT PLAN EXPANDING AND MOVING FORWARD IS EXCITING.

I THINK IT IS A VERY POSITIVE THING. FROM OUT OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE ANALYZED AND ADDRESSED , THERE IS A SOLUTION AND THAT SOLUTION IS GOING TO BE DYNAMIC. AND I THINK IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE EXPLOSIVE TO IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY IN WAYS WE HAVE NOT THOUGHT ABOUT YET. FROM A POSITIVE PERSPECTIVE, THE INPUT WAS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ISSUES ARE. WE HAVE A PLAN. WE JUST NEED TO EXECUTE THAT PLAN. SOMETIMES GOVERNMENT WORKS SLOW. MAYBE WE CAN LIGHT

[02:50:04]

>> IN QUEUE, COMMISSIONER. >> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US. I KNOW THAT YOU USUALLY ARE IN THE PARADE, BUT I WANTED TO REMIND YOU OF THE MARTIN LUTHER KING PARADE. I KNOW YOU ALWAYS ARE A PARTICIPANT. IT STARTS AT 10:00. SO YOU'RE WELCOME TO RIDE WITH US. ARE WE HAVING A TROLLEY? WELCOME TO RIDE WITH US IF YOU LIKE. APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY . AND I APPRECIATE YOUR LIVING IN FORT PIERCE AND CARING ABOUT FORT PIERCE.

>> IT ENDS UP BEING A COLD MORNING FOR THE PARADE FOR

WHATEVER REASON. >> EXACTLY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

COMMENTS SECTION. >> ANY OTHER MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION? PLEASE COME

[6. City Commission Boards and Committees Updates]

>> NEXT, WE HAVE CITY COMMISSION BOARD AND COMMITTEE

UPDATES. >> IS THERE A VOLUNTEER TO

START? >> MINE IS PRETTY EASY.

>> THANK YOU FOR STARTING. >> SAME THING. WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF EXCITING, DYNAMIC ISSUES TO DISCUSS. WE WILL BE

REPORTING BACK. >> COMMISSIONER GAINES.

>> NEW LEADERSHIP. >> CANNOT HEAR YOU.

>> I KNOW WE HAVE CHANGEOVER LEADERSHIP. OFFICERS LAST

WEEKEND. >> COUNCIL OF LOCAL

GOVERNMENTS. >> THAT WAS THAT. LOOKING FORWARD TO ALL THE UPCOMING MEETINGS. WE HAVE NOT HAD ONE YET, SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THEM.

>> I DON'T HAVE A COMMENT, BUT I DO WANT TO LET THE COMMISSION KNOW THERE WAS AN ALERT SENT OUT. THERE IS A HOUSE BILL. I KNOW MISSES COX FORWARDED IT TO YOU. WAYS AND MEANS.

>> WINGS AND MEANS -- WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE. ONE, TWO,

THREE. >> THIS BILL IS DEALING WITH EXEMPTION. WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THIS. IN PARTICULAR, IT COULD BE SOME SHORT FUNDING IF THIS BILL PASSES. WE ARE LOOKING AT CLOSE TO AN $800,000 GAP LOSS IF THIS ALL GOES THROUGH WITH JUST THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE . SO I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT -- MAKING INVESTMENTS AND DOING THINGS. CERTAINLY A LOT OF THAT IS HOMEOWNERSHIP HERE IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. $800,000 POTENTIAL GAP IF THIS BILL GOES THROUGH, WHICH MAKES IT EVEN TOUGHER TO BE IN CITY GOVERNMENT TO DELIVER ON THE SERVICES THAT WE ARE TRYING TO DELIVER ON WITH THAT TYPE. SO I JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ EMAIL . SEND AN EMAIL NOTE TO OUR RESPECTIVE LEGISLATURE FROM THE CITY TO LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU ARE CONCERNED . THIS HAS SIGNIFICANT LOCAL IMPACT .

AND THAT YOU WOULD REALLY HOPE AND FAVOR THAT THEY LOOK AT THIS AND REALLY VET IT BEFORE THEY MAKE THE CHANGES THAT ARE PROPOSED. OKAY? IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, WE WILL WORK THROUGH OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION . BUT I THINK AS WE PREPARE TO DO THE BATTLES IN TALLAHASSEE , TO BE THE VOICE OF OUR LOCAL CITIZENS WE REALLY HAVE TO BE INTO THIS. THANK

YOU. >> AND I THINK WE HAD AN EMAIL FROM OUR OWN LOBBYIST'S. I HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO READ IT. I KNOW I WAS ON THE CALL AND I THINK YOU WERE ON THE CALL.

THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF BILLS .

ÚSTARTING RIGHT OFF THE BAT. SO IT'S GOING TO BE A SHORT SESSION. BUT IT COULD BE VERY MEANINGFUL. I WANTED TO JUST REMIND EVERYBODY OF THE HISTORY FESTIVAL SATURDAY , JANUARY 13TH OVER AT MUSEUM POINT PARK. AND THEN ALSO THE PARADE AND MARTIN LUTHER KING. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THEM. TONIGHT IS THE MARCH. SO THERE'S LOTS GOING ON IN FORT PIERCE. FOR THOSE TWO EVENTS.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.