[00:00:01]
          COUPLE OF WEEKS I'M GONE. WE'RE READY. I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS 
          [1. CALL TO ORDER]
MEETING TO ORDER. THIS IS A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE COMMISSION. IT IS THURSDAY, AUGUST 15TH, 2024. 
          PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. WE JUST TO THE WHICH IS STAND, ONE NATION UNDER GOD AND LIBERTY AND JUSTICE. ALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. MAYOR HUDSON, PRESENT. MR BRODERICK, COMMISSIONER GAINES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER C. JOHNSON. 
          [a.  Discussion and direction regarding the City Manager, Nick Mimms.]
COMMISSIONER JEH JOHNSON, MA'AM. THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION REGARDING THE CITY MANAGER, NICK MIMS. THANK YOU, UH, MS. COX. UM, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO START BY SAYING THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CALLS AND YOUR PRAYERS AND YOUR MESSAGES. 
          MANY OF YOU HAVE REACHED OUT AND UM I APPRECIATE IT. I HAVEN'T SPOKEN TO ANYBODY. I WANTED TO SHARE THIS, UM. THIS EVENT AND UH WITH MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, UH, AND TALK TO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS BEFORE UM I HAVE SPOKEN TO ANYONE. AND SO, UM, THIS SPECIAL MEETING WILL ADDRESS, I THINK, AT LEAST 2 STEPS. TO BE TAKEN AS WE MOVE THE CITY FORWARD. UH, OUR CITY MANAGER HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH ACTIONS THAT IF PROVED TO BE TRUE WILL PREVENT HIM FROM SERVING AS OUR CITY MANAGER AND UNDER THE PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES, HE CANNOT SERVE AS CITY MANAGER AT THIS TIME BECAUSE HIS FATE IS NOT IN OUR HANDS BUT IN THE HANDS OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM. SO WE HAVE TWO DECISIONS THAT I SEE BEFORE US AND UH THE, THE NUMBER ONE IS THE STATUS OF OUR CITY MANAGER NICK MIMMS. AND UM WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE, UH, WITH OR WITHOUT PAY AND UH USUALLY THAT IS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST. WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION AS A COMMISSION, AND IF WE FOLLOW OUR PRACTICE, WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, UH, WE WOULD, UH, DECIDE ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE, DECIDE ON PAY OR NOT PAY AND ALSO CONDUCT AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION THAT WOULD BE CONDUCTED BY AN OUTSIDE ENTITY AND SO I, UH, LAY THAT OUT THERE FOR MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS FOR DISCUSSION. 
          MADAM MAYOR, UM, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR LAYING THAT OUT AND UM I THINK WE'VE PROBABLY ALL HAD CONSULTATION WITH THE CALL CAME FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY YESTERDAY, UM, REGARDING THIS. UM, I TOO HAVE RECEIVED, I GUESS, MESSAGES, TEXT MESSAGES, NOT CORRESPONDING WITH ANYONE, BUT JUST THE SENTIMENT OF HEARING FROM PEOPLE WITH CONCERNS ABOUT THE DIRECTIONS OF THE CITY, AND I WANT TO ASSURE THE PUBLIC, UM, THAT THE CITY WILL MOVE FORWARD. UM, WE HAVE A VERY UM RELIABLE STAFF, UM, AND ONE THAT'S BENEFITS THAT MR. MAMS HAD BEGUN TO PUT INTO PLACE UM BEFORE THIS CURRENT SITUATION WAS THE SELECTION OF TWO DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING ALONGSIDE HIM AND THE CITY HERE FOR I THINK FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW AND SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE THAT THAT GREAT EXPERIENCE OF CONTINUITY, SO SO I WANNA EXPRESS TO THE PUBLIC THAT THE CITY WILL BE OPEN TODAY, TOMORROW, AND ANY OTHER DAY THAT WE'RE DEEMED NECESSARY TO BE OPEN TO DO THAT AND CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. UM, AND SO AS WE LOOK TO THIS DECISION, UM, AND I, I, I'M SURE WE'LL GET INTO GREAT DEBATE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE LOOK AT THIS, BUT I JUST WANT TO AT LEAST OPEN WITH THOSE COMMENTS. UM, I, I TOO, UM, HAVE TALKED WITH OUTSIDE UM UM CITY MANAGERS, ETC. WHO'VE BEEN THROUGH A SIMILAR EXPERIENCES, AND THIS IS VERY MUCH IN THE PROTOCOL OF HOW THIS IS CONDUCTED. I WANT TO CAUTION TO THE PUBLIC THAT WE HAVE ONE SIDE OF AN ALLEGATION THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT, UM, AND THEN WE ARE SITTING HERE, UH, AT THIS MOMENT AND NOT FULL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THOSE CHARGES ARE, ETC. OURSELVES, BUT WHAT WE'VE READ EITHER ON THE PAPER, ONLINE, ETC. IS WHAT WE'VE READ. AND SO UNTIL WE GET THAT THAT'S BEEN GIVEN TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY. UM, I THINK OUR DUE DILIGENCE IS TO LAUNCH OUR OWN INVESTIGATION, UM, AND I SAY AGREE WITH YOU THAT WE WILL DECIDE TODAY IF, UM, YOU KNOW, ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE WITH OR WITHOUT PAY. SO THAT'S MY OPENING COMMENT, UM, BUT I JUST WANT TO ASSURE THE PUBLIC THAT THE CITY UH, THE TRUST THAT YOU ENTRUST IN THE OFFICIALS THAT SIT HERE IS THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE THE CITY FORWARD AND DO THE WORK OF THE CITY THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT, 
          [00:05:01]
COMMISSIONER BRODERICK. I WOULD ECHO YOUR SENTIMENTS, COMMISSIONER. AND I WOULD ADD THAT. TO KIND OF DRIVE INTO SOME OF THE MINUTIA HERE REGARDING AN INVESTIGATION. 
          OBVIOUSLY WE NEED OUTSIDE COUNSEL TO LEAD THAT INVESTIGATION. UM, I THINK THE STRUCTURE OF THAT SHOULD BE. 
          TENDERED TO THE CITY ATTORNEY TO MAKE A SELECTION BASED ON REFERENCES THAT SHE'S GIVEN FROM FOLKS THAT SPECIALIZE IN THIS TYPE OF THING, THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE CHANNELED THROUGH HER OFFICE. I'M GOING TO ASSUME. IS THAT HOW YOU WOULD PREFER THIS TO HAPPEN, JUST MADAM MAYOR COMMISSIONERS, UM, WE HAVE STARTED THE PROCESS OF, UM, LOOKING FOR THOSE OUTSIDE TO DO THIS THAT ARE COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT, NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE CITY, UM, BUT IT WOULD BE A PROCESS BETWEEN THAT INVESTIGATION, THEY WOULD BE INDEPENDENT. WE WOULD NOT BE IN CONTROL OF THAT, BUT IT WOULD GO THROUGH HUMAN RESOURCES AS WELL, UM, BECAUSE THERE ARE HR RULES THAT DO APPLY, SO HUMAN RESOURCES RULES. WOULD BE WHAT THEY ARE FOLLOWING TO DETERMINE IF THE ACTIONS THAT OCCURRED, WHAT OCCURRED, AND IF IT DOES VIOLATE OUR HUMAN RESOURCES POLICIES. IN THAT VEIN, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE INITIATE THAT IMMEDIATELY, GET THAT GOING TOMORROW, IN ESSENCE, UM, OBVIOUSLY AS THE THE COMMISSION IS INTERESTED IN WHAT THIS REPORT IS GOING TO SHOW, UH, AS ARE THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, SO THERE'S NO DELAY IN GETTING THAT MOVING ALONG IMMEDIATELY IN MY OPINION. LOOK, NO MATTER HOW YOU CUT THIS, IT IS A VERY UNFORTUNATE DAY FOR THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. 
          HOWEVER, TO BE EQUITABLE WE CAN'T HAVE A RUSH TO JUDGMENT HERE. THERE'S BEEN ALLEGATIONS MADE, ARRESTS MADE, ETC. BUT THIS IS GONNA BE PLAYING OUT IN THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, I WOULD PROJECT A COUPLE OF YEARS. 
          SO RUSH TO JUDGMENT AT THIS POINT IN TIME IS NOT ONLY UNFAIR, IT'S ILL ADVISED. SO WE HAVE TO LET THIS PLAY OUT THROUGH THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM. WE DON'T PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCESS. THIS IS HANDLED BY ALL OUTSIDE ENTITIES, FDLE, STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, ETC. ARE RUNNING THE SHOW HERE. THE CITY COMMISSION IS NOT ENGAGED IN THIS IN ANY CAPACITY. SO THE QUESTION COMES DOWN TO. HOW DID YOU PHRASE IT, SUSPENSION YOUR TERM WAS BETTER ADMINISTRATIVE ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE. MY POSITION ON IT IS. IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT WE DO NOT HAVE HEY JUDGMENT IN THIS MATTER. THAT ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE WITH PAY, I THINK WOULD BE APPROPRIATE AT THIS TIME. THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES MAY CHANGE RAPIDLY THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS AS MORE INFORMATION IS FORTHCOMING, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR INTERNAL INVESTIGATION IF VIOLATIONS OF HR POLICIES WERE. 
          DONE THAT SWAYS MY DECISION IN THE OTHER. IN THE OTHER DIRECTION. HOWEVER, AGAIN, NOT TO CAUSE A RUSH TO JUDGMENT, I THINK EVERYBODY NEEDS A FAIR HEARING. WITHIN THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND BY THIS BODY. SO MY SUGGESTION AT THIS POINT IN TIME, AT LEAST I WOULD SUPPORT THE POSITION OF SAYING ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE WITH PAY UNTIL CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE. AND THEY COULD CHANGE IN 2 WEEKS, THEY COULD CHANGE IN 1 MONTH, COULD BE 6 MONTHS. WE DON'T KNOW. AND THEN OF COURSE THE APPOINTMENT OF AN INTERIM CITY MANAGER, I THINK IS A CRITICAL LINK HERE. I WILL WEIGH IN ON THAT MOMENTARILY BECAUSE I KNOW MY OTHER COMMISSIONERS ARE WAITING TO JUMP IN HERE. OH YEAH, LET'S DEAL WITH ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE FIRST AND THEN WHAT, WHERE WE GO IN THE FUTURE AND I, I AGREE WITH YOU THAT UM WE'RE NOT IN A POSITION OF JUDGMENT AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT AND EVERYBODY DESERVES DUE PROCESS AND DESERVES A PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE. AND SO COMMISSIONER GAINES, THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, COMMISSIONER BRODERICK, UM, I WANT TO ALSO SAY FOLLOW UP WITH WHAT MADAM MAYOR AND COMMISSIONER JOHNSON HAS SAID, I'VE RECEIVED SEVERAL CALLS, SEVERAL TEXT MESSAGES, SEVERAL EMAILS. I AM NOT IGNORING YOU. I HAD THE SAME INFORMATION YESTERDAY THAT YOU GOT FROM THE NEWS AND WHATEVER YOU'VE BEEN READING ON FACEBOOK, SOCIAL MEDIA, THAT'S THE INFORMATION I HAVE. AND ONE THING I'VE LEARNED IS TO NOT MAKE COMMENTS UNTIL I AT LEAST HAVE READ SOMETHING OR SOME TYPE OF FACTS. 
          SO THAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT THAT I WANT TO SAY. I, I'M, I'M GLAD TO HEAR. THAT, UM, WE HAVE NOT FORGOT DUE PROCESS. I'M, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT. SO I, I, I SAY THAT, BUT THIS IS THE ONE THING THAT I, I WILL STAND BY AND THAT I THAT I NEED TO SEE HAPPEN. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT INTERNAL INVESTIGATIONS. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, I'VE HEARD MADAM ATTORNEY SAY, UM, IT'LL BE 
          [00:10:03]
OUTSIDE COUNCIL, IT'LL BE SOMEONE THAT UM THAT WE WON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER OR OR, YOU KNOW, DIRECT. WHAT, WHAT I WOULD PREFER IN THIS SITUATION IS THAT WE DO NOT USE ANY OUTSIDE COUNCIL ANY INVESTIGATION COMPANY, ANYBODY THAT THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE HAS USED BEFORE. I WANT THIS TO BE TOTALLY INDEPENDENT. I, I, I DON'T CARE IF YOU FIND SOMEBODY FROM CALIFORNIA TO COME IN THAT THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE LITTLE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, BUT I DON'T WANT ANY TIES TO ANY BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP THAT ANYBODY WE CHOOSE TO DO THIS INVESTIGATION. I WANTED IT TO BE THAT WE'VE NEVER USED THEM BEFORE. WE HAVE NO TIES TO THEM, NOTHING, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE NEED TRANSPARENCY MORE THAN EVER IN THIS INVESTIGATION, UM. 
          AND ONCE WE HAVE THAT INVESTIGATION, WE, WE, WE MAKE IT KNOWN TO, WE MAKE IT KNOWN TO NOT JUST OURSELVES, BUT EVERYBODY THAT'S IN THIS AUDIENCE, EVERYBODY THAT IS UM LISTENING. COMPLIANT TO OUR HR RULES, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER WE CAN DO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE TO BE TO HR RULES. HOWEVER, UM. 
          I'M, I'M NOT MY JOVIAL LAUGHING PERSON THIS MORNING BECAUSE I'M, I'M, I'M, I'M KIND OF UPSET RIGHT NOW CAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE EVERY TIME WE CITY TAKES A STEP FORWARD, WE TAKE 3 STEPS BACK. 
          SO, AND WE'RE HERE THIS AFTERNOON ON IT. HOWEVER, UM. 
          YOU KNOW, I, I, I WOULD GO ALONG WITH WHAT, WITH WHAT, UM. 
          MY COMMISSIONERS ARE, ARE THINKING ABOUT TODAY, UM, I JUST HOPE THAT WHATEVER DECISION WE ARE MAKING TODAY. 
          HAS BEEN MADE IN THE PAST. I DON'T WANT TO CHANGE OR DO SOMETHING SPECIAL BECAUSE IT'S OUR CITY MANAGER, I DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING THAT WE DIDN'T DO FOR ANYBODY BEFORE. SO WHATEVER WE'VE DONE BEFORE, IF WE'VE HAD THIS SITUATION BEFORE OR SOMETHING LIKE THIS SITUATION. WHATEVER, WHATEVER PATH WE TOOK THAT TIME, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT IT AND AND AND AND GO AGAIN, UM, BUT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, I DON'T KNOW, MADAM ATTORNEY WHEN. UM, THE CITY WILL GET OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION, OFFICIAL RECORDS, OFFICIAL WHATEVER. I DON'T KNOW THE PROCEDURE HOW, IF THAT COULD BE PASSED ON TO THE 5 OF US UP HERE. I HOPE IT CAN BECAUSE I, I WOULD LIKE TO READ IT MYSELF AND REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CHARGES ARE, WHAT THE FACTS ARE, AND EVERYTHING, SO I CAN BE READY TO IF. NEED BE WHEN THE INVESTIGATION STARTS, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER. I KNOW I DON'T KNOW, I CAN BE ABLE TO TO ANSWER THAT, YOU KNOW, HONESTLY AND COMPLETELY, SO, UM. WITH THAT SAID, I, I JUST ASKED THAT WE DON'T, WE DON'T CHOOSE ANYONE THAT WE'VE USED BEFORE. 
          I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE TIME FOR THAT. I THINK GET SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I USE CALIFORNIA BECAUSE THAT WAS THE FIRST THING THAT CAME OUT OF MY MIND OUT OF THE STATE. I'M JUST BEING HONEST, I, I SHOULD HAVE SAID FORT MYERS OR SOMEWHERE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, NOT, NOT OUT OF FLORIDA, BUT YOU GET THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE. 
          SOMEBODY THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WITH WITH THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE BECAUSE THE LAST THING I WANT RIGHT NOW. IS FOR THE PUBLIC TO SAY. THAT THE COMMISSIONERS, THE CITY IS NOT TAKING THIS SERIOUS AND WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET THEIR BUDDIES AND THEY'RE GOING TO PUSH THIS ON THE TABLE, PUSH THIS ON THE RUG, AND HUSH HUSH. BECAUSE YOU KNOW, IF WE CHOOSE THE WRONG PERSON, THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN. SO LET'S BE SMART ABOUT THIS. LET'S GET AN INDEPENDENT PERSON, OUR HANDS OFF, LET THEM DO, LET THEM SAY, LET THEM COME BACK AND GET THE ANSWERS WE ALL WANT AND THEN TAKE IT FROM THERE. AND COMMISSIONER BRODERICK, I, I AGREE WITH YOU, YOU KNOW, HOWEVER WE VOTE TODAY, THAT DOES NOT. THAT'S NOT IN UM CEMENT. IT'S NOT A CONCRETE. IF THIS REPORT COMES BACK THAT THAT THAT SHOWS, YOU KNOW, THESE ALLEGATIONS ARE TRUE. 
          THEN WE NEED TO CALL ANOTHER SPECIAL MEETING AS SOON AS WE GET THAT REPORT CALLED A SPECIAL MEETING AND, AND, AND, AND, AND VOTE ON IT RIGHT THEN. DON'T WAIT TILL THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING. LET'S CALL ANOTHER ONE LIKE WE DID TODAY AND HIT IT HEAD ON AND AND AND RIGHT THERE. SO I'LL SIT BACK AND LISTEN TO MY OTHER COLLEAGUES AND, AND GO FROM THERE. MADAM MAYOR JOHNSON, THANK YOU. AND YOU'RE RIGHT, COMMISSIONERS AND MADAM MAYOR, I, I APPRECIATE YOUR WORDS AND I WANT THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE TO KNOW THAT, UM, WE ARE ABOUT FAIRNESS, WE ARE ABOUT DUE PROCESS. WE ARE ABOUT KEEPING THE CITY RUNNING IN A VERY POSITIVE DIRECTION EVERY SINGLE DAY. UM, YOU KNOW, THIS, IT, IT HURTS EACH ONE OF US. YOU CAN HEAR, UM, AND OR SEE THE EMOTIONS WITHIN, UM, BECAUSE IT 
          [00:15:02]
IS A TIME OF TRIAL, AND IT IS A TIME OF UM, YOU KNOW, TROUBLE AND HURT, AND THAT'S WHERE I AM. I MEAN, MR. MIMMS AND I HAVE BEEN PROFESSIONALS IN AN INDUSTRY FOR, YOU KNOW, UPWARDS OF 25, 26 YEARS AT THE SAME TIME. YOU KNOW, UM. YOU KNOW, EACH OF US HAS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE AND UM WE ARE, WE ARE SEARCHING FOR THAT ACCOUNTABILITY. AND, YOU KNOW, I, I HOLD MYSELF AS ACCOUNTABLE AS I DO, UH, EACH INDIVIDUAL AND EACH RESIDENT HERE, BUT I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU, UM, A READING AND I WOULD, I JUST, I CAN'T BACK AWAY FROM IT AND IT HIT ME, UH, YESTERDAY AND LAST NIGHT, AND IT'S IN PAUL'S LETTER TO THE ROMANS AND IT SAYS, JUST DON'T PRETEND TO LOVE OTHERS, REALLY LOVE THEM, HATE WHAT IS WRONG, HOLD TIGHTLY TO WHAT IS GOOD. LOVE EACH OTHER WITH GENUINE, GENUINE AFFECTION AND TAKE DELIGHT IN HONORING EACH OTHER. 
          NEVER BE LAZY, BUT WORK HARD AND SERVE THE LORD ENTHUSIASTICALLY, REJOICE IN OUR CONFIDENT HOPE AND BE PATIENT IN TROUBLE. BE PATIENT IN TROUBLE AND KEEP ON PRAYING. 
          WHEN GOD'S PEOPLE ARE IN NEED, BE READY TO HELP THEM. ALWAYS BE EAGER TO PRACTICE HOSPITALITY. BLESS THOSE WHO PERSECUTE YOU. DON'T CURSE THEM, BUT PRAY THAT GOD WILL BLESS THEM IN EVERY WAY, AND SO THAT'S BEEN SPENT ON MY HEART, AND THAT'S BEEN ON MY MIND, AND WHETHER IT IT'S, IT'S, YOU HAVE FAITH IN, IN, IN A HIGHER POWER OR NOT. I SHARE THAT BECAUSE IT'S A, IT'S, THERE ARE WORDS OF POSITIVITY. THEY'RE WORDS OF, UM, ONE FOR PIERCE. THERE ARE WORDS OF ACCOUNTABILITY WITH EACH OTHER, AND I FEEL THAT WAY AND I FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT THAT AND UM THIS IS GONNA GO THROUGH A PROCESS. CITY GOVERNMENT, WHATEVER GOVERNMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE RULES AND WE HAVE PROCEDURES. WE HAVE HR MANUALS. WE HAVE THOSE MANUALS FOR A REASON. AND AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE TO DO OUR INVESTIGATION. 
          WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY THE PRINCIPLES AND THE RULES AND PROCEDURES THAT HAVE BEEN SET FORTH. SO I AGREE WITH EACH ONE OF YOU, UM, UM, AND WE'RE GOING TO INVESTIGATE, WE'LL FIND THE FIRM THAT'S APPROPRIATE TO DO SO, UM, WITH TRANSPARENCY, WITH DIRECTION, WITH CLEAR DIRECTION AND UH IT DOES NEED TO BE SET APART AND REMOVED JUST AS YOU SAID. COMMISSIONER, AND UM THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE I STAND AND THAT'S MY HEART, AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT EACH ONE OF THE LINE ITEMS I HAD, YOU KNOW, 2 OR 3 BULLET POINTS, MADAM MAYOR, UH, JUST AS YOU DID, AND YOU'VE OUTLINED THEM, UH, CLEARLY, AND I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS EACH ONE OF THOSE AND AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE OF OUR RULES AND PROCEDURES AND MAYBE BECAUSE OF HISTORICAL RECORD, ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE IS APPROPRIATE. THE DISCUSSION OF PAID OR UNPAID IS APPROPRIATE, UM, YOU KNOW, UNTIL THERE IS A VIOLATION. THAT WE FIND IF WE NEED TO CALL THE MEETING TOMORROW BECAUSE IT COMES OUT TOMORROW MORNING OR TONIGHT, THEN WE SHALL DO SO. UM, I BELIEVE WE SHALL DO SO WITHIN THE RULES OF OUR CHARTER. SO. UM, THAT'S WHERE I STAND AS FAR AS ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE, UH, IF IT NEEDS TO BE A DISCUSSION POINT OF PAID. I'M OK WITH THAT, COMMISSIONER, YOU TALKED ABOUT PAID. I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ELSE, UM, I WOULD STAND BY THAT AT THIS POINT UNLESS WE CAN HAVE OTHER CONVERSATION OR THERE'S OTHER POINTS THAT I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THAT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT. UH, SO THAT'S WHERE I STAND AT THIS POINT. THANK YOU. MS. HEDGES, SO WHAT WE'VE OUTLINED IN TERMS OF ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE, THAT IS UH SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST. THAT IS PART OF OUR. PERSONNEL RULES OR CHARTER CLARIFY AND, AND VALIDATE WHAT, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT THAT THAT WILL BE LEGITIMATE THING TO DECIDE. 
          UH, MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, YES, MA'AM, IN REVIEWING, UM, THE EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT AND SPEAKING WITH HUMAN RESOURCES THAT IS IN LINE WITH WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING, UM, HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER IS HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, BUT THE PROCESS THAT YOU HAVE OUTLINED IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST, AND I RECOMMEND WE SHOULD BE DOING. UM, MOVING FORWARD, THE ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE WITH OR WITHOUT PAY, UM, AND THE WITH PAY IS SOMETHING THAT HAS OCCURRED IN THE PAST. SO, UM, WHAT I HEAR IS THAT, UM, WE WOULD, AND NICK, MR. MIMS HAS BEEN OUR CITY MANAGER SINCE 2015 AND UM, SO AND HE'S BEEN WITH THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE FOR MANY MORE YEARS THAN THAT, UM, SO WHAT I'M HEARING IS A SUGGESTION THAT WE HAVE A UH. OFFER ADMINISTRATIVE ASK FOR ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE. VOTE ON THAT AND WITH WITH PAY UNTIL UH UNTIL WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION THAT WOULD, UM. MAKE US MAKE A DIFFERENT DECISION AND ALSO WHAT I HEAR IS AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION, UM, AND UH USING A OUTSIDE ENTITY THAT HAS NOT HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE BEFORE. AND 
          [00:20:01]
IT'S PROBABLY NOT, MAYBE NOT NECESSARILY TERRIBLY LOCAL, RIGHT, NOT NECESSARILY. OK. UM, IS, IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, COMMISSIONER BROADWAY, ON THE OUTSIDE COUNSEL TO CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION. THERE'S TWO POINTS THAT I WANT. I THINK UNDERSTOOD. OR I THINK SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD. AND I THINK IF THIS BODY ENDORSES THAT WE WOULD INCORPORATE IT IN SOME CAPACITY OF THE CITY ATTORNEY BELIEVES WE SHOULD ONE IS THAT. THIS OUTSIDE INVESTIGATORY. 
          FIRM OR PERSON CITY RECORDS. I WANT THAT IN THE RECORD, OUR RECORD THAT WE ARE REQUIRING THAT THEY BE GIVEN FULL COOPERATION AND UNFETTERED ACCESS TO WHATEVER RABBIT HOLE THEY'RE GOING DOWN THAT THEY ARE ALLOWED TO DO SO. SECONDLY, IN THE ISSUANCE OF A REPORT TO THE CITY. I WOULD LIKE THE INVESTIGATORY FOLKS TO MAKE A REPORT PHYSICALLY TO THIS BODY. 
          IN THESE CHAMBERS. I THINK IT'D BE IMPORTANT TO GET THE FLAVOR OF THE ENTIRE SCENARIO DIRECTLY IN A, IN EXCHANGE WITH. WITH WHOEVER IS CONDUCTING THIS UNDERTAKING. THAT'S TRANSPARENT, VERY TRANSPARENT. THE PUBLIC, THE PUBLIC WILL HEAR IT AS SOON AS WE'RE HEARING IT. UM, CAN I, CAN I ASK JUST ONE QUESTION ON THIS JUST SO THAT YOU KNOW WE GOTTA PROTECT OUR WE'RE WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT THE CITY HERE AND I DON'T KNOW CAUSE I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT HIM AND I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT HIM IN A WHILE. THE HR RULES. BECAUSE I KNOW CERTAIN INVESTIGATIONS AND CERTAIN THINGS I I KNOW EMPLOYEES HAVE CERTAIN TYPE OF RIGHTS, SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO PUT SOMETHING ON A UM. 
          AN INSPECTOR TO COME IN AND BREAK OUR RULES, SO I DON'T KNOW. I'M, I'M LOOKING AT MAD, MADAM ATTORNEY, I'M LOOKING AT THE HRRC I'M LOOKING AT THE HRA DIRECTOR, SO GET READY TO COME. 
          I, I DON'T KNOW. I, I, I, OK, I'VE NEVER GONE THROUGH THIS AND AND I WANT TO DO IT RIGHT AND I'M NOT JUST WANT TO DO IT RIGHT BECAUSE IT'S OUR CITY MANAGER, IF IT WAS ANOTHER EMPLOYEE THAT WAS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. I WANT TO DO IT RIGHT, SO WHEN IT COMES TO OUR HR RULES WHEN IT COMES TO OUR HR RULES, ALL I'M SAYING IS WHATEVER INVESTIGATOR. OR COMPANY OR LAW FIRM THAT WE GET, MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND, WHICH I KNOW YOU WILL, MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND OUR HR RULES BECAUSE I DON'T WANT DOWN THE ROAD THAT SOMEONE'S COME BACK AND SAY WE VIOLATED SOMEBODY'S RIGHTS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T FOLLOW OUR OWN HR RULES. SO I DON'T KNOW, COMMISSIONER BROWDER. I LOVE THE IDEA AND I'LL STAND BESIDE IT BECAUSE I WANT THE PERSON TO COME HERE OR THE COMPANY TO COME HERE AND TELL US EVERYTHING WE WANT TO KNOW ANYWAY, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S SOME TYPE OF IF WE HAVE IN OUR HR RULES. I KNOW BY MONDAY NIGHT AT OUR CITY COMMISSION MEETING. I KNOW BY MONDAY NIGHT THEN OR PROBABLY TONIGHT WHEN I GET A COPY OF THEM AGAIN AND REVIEW THEM, WHAT THE PROTECTIONS THAT WE GIVE OUR EMPLOYEES OR OR OR BECAUSE HE'S NOT, HE'S A CHARTER OFFICER, RIGHT? HE'S A CHARTER OFFICER, SO I KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE DIFFERENT RIGHTS THERE'S A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY, SO IT'S IT'S CERTAIN THINGS. I JUST WANT US TO BE, I JUST WANT US TO BE CLEAR. I WANT EVERYBODY TO SLOW DOWN. AS, AS COMMISSIONER JEREMIAH SAID, YOU HEAR IT IN OUR VOICES. A LOT OF US ARE UPSET THAT WE EVEN HERE TODAY AND, AND, AND I SEE THE AUDIENCE, THEY, THEY WANT TO KNOW AND THE PEOPLE ON TV AND LISTENING TO US. WE, WE, WE WANT CLOSURE, WE WANT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED. WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, BUT LET'S LET'S, LET'S SLOW DOWN AND DO IT RIGHT BECAUSE I WANT EVERYTHING RIGHT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE INVESTIGATION IS GOING TO UPHOLD, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID, COMMISSIONER BRODERICK, WE'VE HEARD THE ALLEGATIONS FROM WHAT YOU HEARD LAST NIGHT. I, I, I, I DON'T KNOW, SO, BUT I WANNA KNOW, AND I JUST WANT IT DONE RIGHT. SO, MADAM ATTORNEY, I DON'T KNOW IF WHAT WE'RE ASKING, YOU KNOW, IT'S WITH OUR HR RULES, IF THEY ARE FINE, IF THEY'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, REMIND US THAT, HEY GUYS, WE NEED TO CAN'T DO IT BECAUSE A 38, I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? SO LET'S JUST BE CAREFUL OF THAT. MADAM MAYOR COMMISSIONERS, UM, YES, SIR, THE REQUEST THAT WAS MADE IS APPROPRIATE WITHIN OUR HR RULES. 
          IT IS, IT IS ALSO CONSISTENT WITH PAST PRACTICES AS THE APPOINTING BODY TO YOUR CHARTER OFFICERS, YOU DO HAVE TO MAKE THE EMPLOYMENT DECISIONS AND AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE, YOU HAVE TO DO THAT IN A PUBLIC MEETING PURSUANT TO SUNSHINE LAWS. UM, SO THE ONLY WAY FOR THAT TO REALLY OCCUR IS IN A PUBLIC. 
          LIKE MEETING, UM, AND BEING ABLE TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS, UM, TO GET THE PROPER INFORMATION FOR ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE IS APPROPRIATE FOR YOU TO DO IN A PUBLIC MEETING, UM, WE WOULD HAVE THEM ATTEND THAT MEETING FOR YOU TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE ONCE THEY DO A PROPER THOROUGH INVESTIGATION. 
          THANK YOU. I JUST, I JUST, AND I'LL JUST ADD TO MY COMMENT ORIGINALLY WITHIN THE GUARD LINE, GUARDRAILS, WHAT NEEDS TO BE SET. I'M GONNA RELY ON YOU, SARAH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE GUARD RAILS ARE KEPT IN PLACE. THERE'S ANY ISSUES WITH THAT, YOU COME TO US. ABSOLUTELY, YES, SIR, AND I THINK ANY OUTSIDE 
          [00:25:03]
ENTITY THAT WE WOULD. EMPLOY? WOULD KNOW TO DO THAT VERY THING, BUT WE, WE, WE'RE MAKING IT CLEAR, MA'AM. THEY WILL HAVE OUR HR RULES. THEY WILL HAVE EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED. THEY WILL HAVE ACCESS TO EVERYTHING THEY NEED, UM, AND TO COMMISSIONER GAINES' POINT OF IT BEING SOMEWHAT UNAFFILIATED WITH THE CITY THAT WAS MY INTENT. I DO AGREE WITH YOU COMPLETELY. UM, IT WILL BE SOMEBODY FROM OUTSIDE THAT HAS NO AFFILIATION WITH THE CITY. WE HAVE NOT EMPLOYED BEFORE, UM, TO KEEP IT COMPLETELY FAIR, COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT. THAT IS WHAT WE WILL BE DOING. I WOULD JUST ASK THAT YOU WE HAVE SOME TYPE OF UH A TESTAMENT TO THAT, THAT THEY HAD SIGNED A SWORN AFFIDAVIT IN MY OPINION THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY, ANY OF US KNOW US AND WENT TO SCHOOL WITH US AND NONE OF THAT, RIGHT? ALL OF THAT I COULD ASK THEM TO DO THAT, ALL OF THAT, OK JOHNSON, THANK YOU FOR THAT BECAUSE MAYBE I DIDN'T SAY THAT RIGHT, I'M THINKING ABOUT THE CITY THEMSELVES. I'M TALKING ABOUT MYSELF RIGHT HERE ALL OF US UP HERE BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO. OUT THERE, OH, THEY WANT TO USE COMPANY X AND THOSE ARE GAINES'S FRIENDS FROM LAW SCHOOL. I, I, I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT. I JUST DON'T WANT TO HEAR THIS, SO, UM, WE DON'T NEED THAT RIGHT NOW, SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I WAS SAYING. SO I'M GLAD YOU, YOU CLARIFIED THAT I MAKE IT REAL PLAIN ENOUGH. THANK YOU. THAT ANYTHING ELSE FOR DISCUSSION, ARE WE READY FOR A MOTION? MADAM MAYOR, I JUST HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION ON THE, ON THE STATUS. SO, UM, BEFORE WE DO THAT MOTION AND AND MOVE FORWARD, WE'RE GONNA MAKE A MOTION ABOUT THE ADMIN LEAVE AND UH THE INVESTIGATIVE PART, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR? AND THE PAY AND OK. 
          SO, SO I WANT TO JUST TOUCH BRIEFLY BEFORE THAT IS MADE ON THE STATUS. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THE PARAMETERS OF, UM. 
          CITY HALL ARE PROTECTED, UM, UH, MISS HE HEDGES AND I HAD A CONVERSATION, YOU KNOW, BADGE ACCESS, KEYS, WHAT WHATEVER ACCESS, YOU KNOW, I'M ASSUMING THAT THOSE THINGS HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF PER OUR HR MANUAL. CAN YOU PLEASE CONFIRM? YES SIR, THE STEPS THAT WE COULD TAKE UH PRIOR TO THIS MEETING HAVE BEEN TAKEN REGARDING, UM, ANY SORT OF ACCESS. UM, THERE ARE ADDITIONAL HR STEPS THAT DO NEED TO BE TAKEN DEPENDENT UPON YOUR VOTE TODAY IN THE DIRECTION YOU GIVE US. UM, BUT BETWEEN MY OFFICE AND THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, WE ARE WORKING ON GETTING ALL OF THAT ACCOMPLISHED AND WE'RE WAITING FOR FURTHER DIRECTION AT THIS POINT BEFORE TAKING FURTHER STEPS. THANK YOU. AND TO REITERATE, THESE ARE THINGS THAT. WE MUST TAKE AS A CITY AND AND UM IT, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE CIRCUMSTANCES WE'RE FACED WITH. YES, MA'AM. MADAM MAYOR, I ALWAYS SAY THIS, SOMETIMES WE TALK AMONGST OURSELVES, AND WE TALK WAY UP HERE. AND WE SAY CERTAIN THINGS AND WE DON'T TALK DOWN HERE. AND PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU JUST SAID. SO CAN YOU CLARIFY WHEN YOU SAID STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN? CAN YOU CLARIFY WHAT HAS BEEN DONE OR WHAT HASN'T BEEN DONE IS, AS FAR AS TO, TO, TO THIS SITUATION. YES, SIR, MADAM MAYOR COMMISSIONERS, UM, MR. JOHNSON, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, DIRECTOR, AS WELL AS DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS HERE. MY UNDERSTANDING, AND HE CAN CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG, IS THAT HE HAS UH REMOVED BADGE ACCESS TO MR. MIMS' UM EMPLOYEE BADGE AS WELL AS TERMINATED ACCESS TO CITY DEVICES SO THAT UM REMOTELY TERMINATED SO THAT HE CANNOT ACCESS UM EMAILS, THINGS LIKE THAT, UM, CITY SYSTEM. UH, THERE ARE DEVICES THAT WILL NEED TO BE COLLECTED, UM, BUT THAT IS DEPENDENT UPON THE DIRECTIVE YOU GIVE TODAY REGARDING ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE, UM, AND MR. JOHNSON, AM I CORRECT IN WHAT I HAVE STATED? MR. JOHNSON. MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, UH, ATTORNEY HEDGES IS CORRECT. UM, THOSE ITEMS HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED THE FACILITY ACCESSED, UH, TELEPHONE AND EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS, THE BASIC THOSE ARE STANDARDS, STANDARD PROCESSES IN THIS TYPE OF UH PROCEDURE. THE THING IS THAT WE WILL HAVE TO CONSIDER BASED ON YOUR UH DECISION TODAY IS UM UPPER LEVEL APPROVALS, ACKNOWLEDGMENTS, UM, WHOEVER IS GOING TO BE THE INTRO OR OR WHAT HAVE YOU, WE HAVE TO THOSE WORKFLOWS HAVE TO BE ROUTED TO THAT INDIVIDUAL IN ORDER FOR BUSINESS TO CONTINUE ON AND THINGS TO BE, YOU KNOW, UH, TAKEN CARE OF. QUESTIONS TO MR. JOHNSON. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS? IS THERE A MOTION? 
          [00:30:02]
I'LL TAKE A WHACK AT IT, MADAM CITY ENGAGE THE SERVICES OF OUTSIDE COUNSEL WITH NO WORKING BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY CURRENTLY OR PREVIOUSLY? TO HEAD UP AN INVESTIGATION OF THIS ENTIRE MATTER. AND YOU WHEN ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE OR ANYTHING YOU WANT TO MAKE IT ALL IN ONE AND WE MAKE IT ALL IN ONE MOTION, MS. EDGES. YES, MA'AM, YOU COULD. OK. IN ADDITION, UM. MY, I MOVED THAT. MR. MIMS BE PLACED ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. WITH HIS FULL SALARY AND BENEFITS INTACT. IS THERE A 2ND 2ND. ALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. COMMISSIONER BRODERICK, COMMISSIONER GAINES, YES, MA'AM. 
          COMMISSIONER C. JOHNSON. YES, MA'AM, MISS J. JOHNSON. YES, MA'AM. MAYOR HUDSON, YES, MA'AM. THE NEXT THING THAT WE HAVE TO DECIDE IS, UH, WHO IS THE PERSON IN CHARGE, AND, UM, WE HAVE MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE TALENTED AND UM. AND, AND CAN DO THIS JOB, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A SUGGESTION THAT YOU MIGHT NOT BE EXPECTING, BUT I HAVE GOOD REASONS FOR IT. I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT THE CITY CLERK BE ACTING CITY MANAGER, AND HERE'S WHY SHE'S WORKED WITH US, UH, SHE'S A CHARTER EMPLOYEE ALREADY. SHE'S WORKED WITH US. THIS IS A VERY TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT. THIS IS NOT A PERMANENT APPOINTMENT. 
          THIS IS VERY TEMPORARY TO MOVE US TO THE NEXT STEP, AND WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT NEXT STEP IS. UH, SHE'S VERY FAMILIAR WITH ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, UH, WE HAVE A DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, AND WE HAVE AN ADMINISTRATIVE, WE HAVE, WE HAVE MANY PEOPLE THAT, UM, WHO'VE JUST, UH, ESPECIALLY MR. ANDREWS AND MR. JOHNSON HAVE JUST BEEN MADE IN CHARGE OF A NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS AND THEY'RE NEW TO THEIR JOB, UH, AND DOING A GOOD JOB AND SO I'M, I'M OFFERING THAT AS A WAY TO HAVE THIS TRANSITION BE A SEAMLESS AS POSSIBLE, AND AGAIN, I WANNA REITERATE THAT THIS IS TEMPORARY. THIS IS NOT PERMANENT, UM, AND THAT IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED ACTING, ACTING CITY MANAGER, UH, AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE IS GOING TO BRING, AND WE DON'T KNOW, UM, IF UH WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO UM HAVE OUR CITY MANAGER, MR. MIMS BACK, OR IF THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE THE CASE, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS, BUT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TODAY. WE NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING IMMEDIATE TODAY FOR SOMEBODY TO BE IN CHARGE OF THE CITY. SO I'M OFFERING THAT AS A SUGGESTION. MADAM MAYOR, SO, UM, TO ADD TO THAT ONE BEFORE, UH, COMING IN HERE TODAY, UM, THINKING ABOUT THE SITUATION AND WHAT WE SHOULD DO AS AN INTERIM, UM, I'M, I'M APPRECIATIVE OF YOUR SUGGESTION AND, AND I AGREE WITH IT BECAUSE I WANTED TO HAVE A GOOD DISCUSSION ON ONE OF OUR CHARTER OFFICERS BEING IN THE POSITION, UM, IT'S NOTHING AGAINST ANY OTHER EMPLOYEE WITHIN THE CITY. HOWEVER, UM, PRIOR TO THE PROMOTION OF OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS, THAT WAS A VERY GENERAL PRACTICE WHEN MR. MIMS WAS ON VACATION IN MY 8 YEARS SITTING HERE, UH, WHETHER IT BEEN THE CITY ATTORNEY OR THE CITY CLERK, UM. YOU KNOW, HE WOULD APPOINT, YOU KNOW, AND AS, AS AN ACTING, YOU KNOW, WHEN HE WAS ON VACATION, SO, UM, SO I AGREE WITH YOU IS, IS MY POINT, UH, WE COULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, FURTHER CONVERSATION, BUT I WANT, I WANT TO RAISE THAT, UH, ONE LEVEL IN CONVERSATION BECAUSE OF THE OPERATIONAL PORTION OF THE CITY. WE HAVE LIMITATIONS. MR. MIMS OR THE POSITION OF CITY MANAGER HAS A CERTAIN SIGNATURE AUTHORITY, UM, TO GET THE PROCESSES COMPLETED WITHIN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, THAT MIGHT BE, UM, CERTAIN APPLICATION IT MIGHT BE CERTAIN PARAMETERS FOR EXPENDITURES, SO THAT I WOULD ALSO SHARE UM AND SUGGEST THAT WE SHARE THAT RESPONSIBILITY WITH OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER MANAGERS TO INCREASE THEIR UM. PURCHASING AUTHORITY WITH, OF COURSE, LIMITATIONS, UM, EITHER TO TO MATCH WHAT THE CITY MANAGER IS TODAY AND OR ANY PURCHASE ABOVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT. BUT WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO BECAUSE EACH CHARTER OFFICER AND THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR A LOT OF WORK CURRENTLY. 
          AND SO THAT'S BEEN ON, ON MY HEART AND MY CONCERN, SO I WOULD LIKE TO DISTRIBUTE THE LOAD A LITTLE BIT, UM, MISS COX DOES HAVE A LOT OF WORK UH WITH IN FRONT OF HER ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS. AND NOW WE MAY ASK HER TO STEP UP AND DO THIS ADDITIONAL WORK LIKE YOU SUGGEST. SO MAYBE WE CAN COME UP WITH A PLAN TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT WITH HER BEING THE ULTIMATE INTERIM CITY MANAGER, BUT THE OPERATIONS OF THE CITY SHOULD NOT MISS A BEAT, UM, AND OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS, YOU KNOW, BE TASKED WITH A LITTLE BIT OF ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND OR SIGNATURE. AND, AND THEY HAVE ALREADY WORKED AS A TEAM, I THINK, IN THIS LAST 24 HOURS AND, UM, SO, UM, THE OTHER, YES, COMMISSIONER GAINES. I WAS 
          [00:35:01]
GOING TO GO, I WAS GOING TO SAY, I, I, I KNOW WHAT THE CITY. 
          CLARK ALREADY DOES, AND I'M, I'M SITTING HERE THINKING LIKE. 
          WOW, WE'RE PUTTING THIS ON HER NOW, AND I, I, I KNOW HOW SHE'S TRYING TO RUN. THAT HER OFFICE AND EVERYTHING SHE'S DOING IN THAT OFFICE NOW TO TRY TO PUT THE OTHER, YOU KNOW. OFFICER DUTIES ON HER, SO I'M GLAD THAT UM. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, YOU KNOW, SAID. SPREAD IT OUT OF SPREAD IT OUT OR DO SOMETHING BECAUSE I, I, I, I THINK IT'S TOO MUCH TO BE A CITY CLERK AND AN ACTING CITY MANAGER, THAT'S JUST ASKING A LOT. THAT'S JUST ASKING A LOT OF ONE PERSON TO ME, PRETTY SURE SHE CAN DO IT, BUT MIGHT NOT WANT TO CALL HER ONE OF THEM DAYS WHEN I MISSED SOMETHING ON MY, ON MY CALENDAR THAT YOU HAVE SO MUCH WORK DOING, YOU KNOW, GOING ON THAT I DON'T, YOU KNOW, THE CALENDAR, SO AND I, AND I THOUGHT THAT ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE AGREED TO THESE DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS WAS IN CASE WE WERE TRAINING THEM TO TO TO BE READY TO TAKE A POSITION IF, IF, IF, UH, MR. MIMS WOKE UP ONE DAY BECAUSE HE, YOU KNOW, WOKE UP ONE DAY AND SAID I WAS DONE, I'M RETIRED. THAT WE, WE WOULDN'T BE IN THIS POSITION, WE WOULD HAVE TWO DEPUTY MANAGERS READY TO FILL IN OR CON CONTINUE WHAT THEY'RE DOING, SO THE, THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY WOULDN'T WOULDN'T STOP. SO I DON'T WANT TO PUT. I KNOW MS. COX DOES A LOT, BUT I DON'T WANT TO PUT ALL OF THAT ADDITIONAL WORK ON ON ON HER, SO I I I JUST DON'T. I THINK THAT'S TOO MUCH FOR, FOR, FOR ONE PERSON AND AND AND I DON'T WANT TO BURN HER OUT BECAUSE SHE DOES A LOT FOR THE CITY THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CITY CLERK DOES. SHE HAS A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, HAT SHE WEARS. SO, UM, I, I, I DON'T, I, I, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, MR. JOHNSON AND, AND, AND MR. ANDREWS HERE, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL DAY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AT THE CITY ALONG WITH THE THE THE THE CITY CLERK, WE, WE, WE COME AND WE FIGURE OUT A WAY TO KEEP THE CITY GOING. AND THEN WE LOOK AT IT AND THEN IF NEED BE WHERE THIS, THIS THING IS DRAGGING OUT LONGER THAN WE, WE, WE THINK IT'S GOING TO BE AT THAT POINT, WE MIGHT NEED TO COME BACK AND SAY, DO WE NEED TO HIRE SOMEBODY THAT'S A FORMER CITY ATTORNEY, I MEAN A FORMER CITY MANAGER OR SOMEBODY WITH CITY MANAGERS, YOU KNOW, EXPERIENCE TO COME IN. ON AN INTERIM TERM AND WE KNOW THEY'RE ON AN INTERIM TERM AND SAY, UM, WE NEED YOU TO STEP IN KNOWING THAT THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON TO MAKE SURE THAT OURS CITY AND EVERYTHING IN OUR CITY DOESN'T MISS A BEAT, BUT I THINK WE, I, I JUST, I, I. NOT SAYING SHE CAN'T HANDLE IT. I KNOW SHE CAN, BUT FOR, FOR, FOR, FOR ME BEING IN THIS SEAT, THE 25 YEARS I'VE BEEN IN THIS SEAT TO SEE ALL THE STUFF THAT THAT THAT THAT THE CITY MANAGER DID. TO SEE ALL THE, THE, THE STUFF THAT THE CITY CLERK DOES RIGHT NOW, LIKE EVEN TODAY TO PUT THIS ON, TODAY, UM. AND WE HAVE 2 DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS. WE NAMED THEM THAT. WE HAD TWO DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS. SO NOW IT'S TIME TO, TO STEP UP AND SHOW OUT, SO TO SPEAK, N AS IN AS IN FOOTBALL, BASEBALL, NEXT MAN UP. NEXT WOMAN OR WHATEVER IT IS, I DON'T, DON'T CALL ME LADIES. I'M, I'M, I'M, I'M, I'M EQUAL, WHOEVER, BUT, BUT STAND UP AND AND THEN SEE HOW THAT WORKS. 
          THEY'VE ALREADY DOING IT. THEY'VE ALREADY GOT THEIR. 
          THEY'RE, THEY'RE, UM, OBLIGATIONS UNDER EACH. LET THEM DO IT AND AND IF WE GOT TO PUT THE THREE TOGETHER THAT YOU GUYS MEET AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE GO. SO I'M LOVING YOUR IDEA, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. I THINK THAT'S THE BETTER WAY, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO PUT A TIMETABLE ON IT. WE NEED TO PUT A TIMETABLE ON THAT TO SEE HOW MUCH STRESS IS ADDING TO THESE THREE PEOPLE BECAUSE AT THAT POINT, WE HAVE A DUTY WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON, WE HAVE A DUTY TO STILL RUN THIS CITY FOR THESE PEOPLE OUT HERE. AND IF THAT MEANS WE GOT TO GO OUT AND HIRE SOMEBODY TO COME IN AS AN INTERIM CITY MANAGER WITH THE FULL KNOWLEDGE THAT THIS INTERIM. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? WELL, HAVE WE SIGN THAT UP, THAT'S SOMETHING WE MIGHT NEED TO LOOK AT BECAUSE WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T MISS A BEAT BECAUSE WHAT WE GOT BUDGET COMING UP, WE GOT ALL THIS, WE GOT A LOT OF STUFF COMING UP BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR AND, AND WE FIND OURSELVES HERE SO I DON'T MIND ONE PERSON I I I CAN'T AGREE WITH SITTING HERE TODAY, THE THREE OF THEM WORKING TOGETHER TO TRY TO, TO TRY TO MAKE IT WORK UNTIL WE, WE SEE HOW IT'S WORKING. I CAN AGREE WITH IT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT COME MONDAY AT CITY COUNCIL MEETING. WE GOT CITY COUNCIL MEETING MONDAY NIGHT. I'M LIKE, HEY GUYS, THIS IS NOT GONNA WORK. WE DON'T KNOW. THEY, THEY DID A GREAT JOB IN THE LAST 24 HOURS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S ABOUT 24 HOURS NOW WE'RE WORKING ON ABOUT 24 HOUR TIME NOW TO PUT THIS ALL TOGETHER TO 
          [00:40:01]
GET THE PEOPLE HERE THAT THAT AND THE CITY HASN'T MISSED A BEAT TODAY. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S, IT'S NOT GONNA GET ANY EASIER GOING, GOING FORWARD. SO THAT WOULD BE MY, MY SUGGESTION. I WOULD BE LEANING MORE WITH THIS SUGGESTION OF COMMISSIONER JEREMIAH JOHNSON. I'D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT MY OTHER COMMISSIONERS DOWN THERE SAID AND, AND, AND FOR EVERYBODY THAT'S LISTENING. YOU KNOW, I HATE TO HAVE TO TALK LIKE THIS. 
          THIS IS NOT A KNOCK ON MISS COX. IT'S NOT, I'M NOT SAYING THAT SHE CAN'T DO IT IF WE VOTE ON HER TO DO IT. I'M NOT SAYING IT. 
          WHAT I'M SAYING IS I FEEL ARNOLD GAINES, IT WOULD BE UNFAIR TO PUT ALL OF THIS RESPONSIBILITY ON HER TO BE THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY CLERK. SO IT'S, IF, IF WE GIVE IT TO HER, IT'LL GET DONE. BUT HOW LONG WILL WE HAVE HER? BECAUSE THAT'S STRESS FOR ONE PERSON. I LOVE THE THREE PERSON IDEA. 
          BROADWICK, I'M, I'M, I'M GONNA BE VERY GOOD COMMENTS I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF. POINTS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN MADE YET, MS. COX, ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THIS POSITION? I WOULD BE VERY WILLING TO SERVE IN ANY CAPACITY THAT YOU GUYS NEED ME TO BE IN. OK, SO I THINK THERE HAD TO BE, HAD TO GET OUT THERE. SECONDLY, IF YOU WERE TO TRANSITION TO INTERIM CITY MANAGER, OBVIOUSLY, COMMISSIONER GAINES' CONCERN IS WE'RE DOUBLE. STACKING YOU WITH TWO CHARTER POSITIONS. HOW WAS YOUR OFFICE STAFFED TO? NEXT MAN UP AS COMMISSIONER GAINES SAID IN YOUR OFFICE CURRENTLY TO TAKE OVER YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES, NOT FROM A CHARTER OFFICER PERSPECTIVE, BUT FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT, ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH THE ABILITY TO TRANSITION TO THE INTERIM POSITION KNOWING WITHOUT HAVING TO HAVE TO. TRY TO GO TO SLEEP AT NIGHT WORRYING ABOUT THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE. I WOULD NOT BE WORRIED ABOUT THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE. 
          TINA, MY RECORDS MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR, IS, IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING TRAINED TO DO ALL THE THINGS THAT I DO. SHE SUBS FOR ME ALL THE TIME IF I'M OUT OF TOWN, SO SHE'S QUITE CAPABLE TO DO THE JOB AS WELL. OK, SO TO DOVETAIL INTO THAT, BOTH OF YOUR COMMENTS WERE A TANDEM APPROACH OF THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS AND AN INTERIM CITY MANAGER. I THINK THAT'S A VERY WORKABLE SCENARIO, OF COURSE IT'S GOING TO BE REVISITED BY THIS BODY IF WE SEE ANY ISSUES WITH THIS OR IF THEY HAVE TO REPORT TO US THAT THERE ARE ISSUES, ETC. 
          INCREASED RESPONSIBILITY LEVELS AND FINANCIAL CONTROL TO THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, I AGREE, IS A IS AN OUTSTANDING IDEA TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THAT. STRESS OFF THE CITY MANAGER DIRECTLY, BUT I BELIEVE IN THAT FORMAT OF SET UP IF THE CLERK'S OFFICE CAN BE RUN WITHOUT MISSING A BEAT. AND WHEN THE COCKS CAN TRANSITION TO INTERIM MANAGER. 
          I'M FULLY IN SUPPORT OF THAT. MR. C. JOHNSON. SO TERMS MATTER TO ME AND WHAT WE USE AND WHAT WE TITLE THIS, RIGHT, SO, UM, I'M IN AGREEMENT STRUCTURALLY ON UH ESPECIALLY YOUR COMMENT ABOUT UM SIGNATORY AUTHORITY AND A DELEGATION THERE, UM, BUT JUST RECENTLY I'VE GONE THROUGH SOME THINGS. I THINK IT'S, IT MATTERS TO ME WHAT WE CALL THIS. UM, MRS. COX HAS AGREED THAT SHE WOULD SERVE IN A CAPACITY. I THINK IN THE ALIGNMENT THAT WE HAVE DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS, I, I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY RELEGATE THIS TO THE TERM OF ACTING CITY MANAGER. AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS IT CONNOTES THAT THIS IS AN ACTING PERIOD OF TIME ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE TO PROCESS WHAT HAS JUST HAPPENED OVER THE LAST 24 HOURS, US ALSO TO CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH MRS. COX ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE EXPERIENCE NOW BECAUSE IT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT. AND THEN IF WE GET TO SOME POINT, MAYBE IT'S A MONTH, MAYBE IT'S 2 MONTHS AND WE HAVE TO MAKE A CHANGE, THEN YOUR SUGGESTION, COMMISSIONER GAINES, OF BRINGING IN A NAME DESIGNATE INTERIM WITH SPECIFIC TIME FRAMES THAT WILL ALLOW FOR US TO CONTINUE ON BECAUSE WE'LL AT THAT POINT, WE'LL BE DOWN THE TRACK OBVIOUSLY WITH HOPEFULLY THE INVESTIGATION LAUNCHED, RIGHT? AND IN THAT AND SO UH THAT'S TERMS MATTER TO ME. AND I THINK THAT UM YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT BEEN SAID THAT WE HAVE SAID IS, I THINK WE JUST NEED TO BE CAREFUL THAT I WOULD PREFER WE CALL IT ACTING CITY MANAGER ALONG WITH THE DEPUTIES WITH THESE POWERS, BLANK, BLANK, BLANK, BLANK, UM, AND THEN AT THAT POINT WE CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THIS. WE CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS LIKE WE DO EVERY WEDNESDAY WHEN WE MEET WITH OUR, OUR STAFF, UM, AND THEN IF IT BECOMES A POINT THAT WE HAVE TO COME BACK AND REVISIT THIS, WE'RE ABLE TO STEP THAT UP AND GO OUT TO THE MARKET, DICTATE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT. AND AS I SIT HERE AND THINK ABOUT NOT ONLY BUDGET, WE'VE GOT ACTIVE NEGOTIATIONS GOING ON WITH THE UNION. UM, WE HAVE GOT UH COMING INTO A BUSY SEASON RIGHT NOW WITH OUR, OUR WEATHER PATTERNS. UH, WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT, AS THEY WOULD SAY. AND SO WE, UM, WE JUST 
          [00:45:02]
NEED TO BE CAREFUL WITH THAT, AND THAT'S WHERE I'M AT, UM, AND I THINK THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO UNDERSTAND UM WHAT'S OUT THERE, PEOPLE WILL BEGIN TO AVAIL THEMSELVES, I'M SURE, AND THEN I THINK IT GIVES US A LITTLE MORE TIME TO PROCESS THIS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE LOOKING. LOOK AT THIS FROM A RIGHT PERSPECTIVE. AND I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT YOU'RE, YOU AND I ARE THINKING ALONG THE SAME LINES, ACTING IT TO ME SAYS THIS IS TEMPORARY. THIS IS IMMEDIATE. WE NEED TO, THE CITY NEEDS TO BE, UM. IN GOOD HANDS IMMEDIATELY, BUT THAT IS NOT TO SAY THAT THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS ARE NOT FUTURE CITY MANAGERS AREN'T FUTURE, UH, AREN'T THERE, AND I THINK THIS WOULD BE A TEAM APPROACH BECAUSE THAT'S, I THINK, THE WAY THAT THEY HAVE OPERATED, UM, PREVIOUS TO THIS IN THE LAST 24 HOURS AND PREVIOUS TO THIS, AND I'D LIKE TO, MR. ANDREWS, I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU, ARE, WERE YOU, WOULD YOU, ARE, DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COMMISSION IS SAYING IN TERMS OF A TEAM APPROACH IN TERMS OF UH, MAYBE WE HAVE A TITULAR HEAD, BUT YOU, BUT WE NEED YOU AND MR. JOHNSON AND ALL YOUR STAFFS TO, TO, TO BE WORKING IN COOPERATION AND IN MAKING, TAKING CARE OF THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY. YES, MA'AM. HOW HOWEVER, THE COMMISSION DIRECTS ME, I'LL BE HAPPY TO. YOU'RE A GOOD SOLDIER. 
          YES, YOU ARE. WELL, I JUST WANTED UH AND UH MR. JOHNSON, UH, WOULD YOU, MR. JOHNSON, WOULD YOU COME FORWARD, PLEASE? YEAH. MR. JOHNSON, YOU HAVE A LOT ON YOUR PLATE, WE KNOW, AS DOES MR. ANDREWS, WHAT, UH, DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COMMISSION IS TALKING ABOUT AND THEN OUR TERMS OF OUR TEAM APPROACH. YES, MA'AM, COMPLETELY. AND DO YOU, CAN YOU WORK WITHIN THAT SYSTEM AND UH HELP US OUT AND TERMS OF GOING, MOVING THE CITY FORWARD. MOST MOST MOST DEFINITELY, MOST DEFINITELY MOST DEFINITELY, MOST DEFINITELY MOST DEFINITELY, MOST DEFINITELY, YES SIR, YES, GO AHEAD. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR BOTH GENTLEMEN, IF I COULD. WHAT IS YOUR, UH, CURRENT, UH, SIGNATURE LIMIT AS FAR AS FINANCIAL AND THEN WHATEVER. WHATEVER WORKFLOWS DO YOU ENCOUNTER ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS THAT MR. MIMMS MAY HAVE ASSIGNED YOU OR MAY NOT HAVE ASSIGNED YOU, BECAUSE THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME AS FAR AS THE WORKFLOW AND THE BUSINESS ORGANIZATION IF YOU COULD BOTH SPEAK TO THAT, THAT'D BE GREAT, MR. JOHNSON, IF YOU WANT TO GO. 
          OK. ALL RIGHT. UM, SO FROM, UH, BEING THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER OF UH ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, UH, THE WORKFLOWS INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, THE ONBOARDING TERMINATION, EMPLOYEE INVESTIGATIONS, UH, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, UM, AND I WOULD, UH, HAVE A CERTAIN APPROVAL PROCESS FOR UH INCOMING NEW HIRES, UH, ANYTHING BEYOND MIDPOINT, MR. MITT REQUIRES MR. BIM'S AUTHORITY TO APPROVE HER SALARY BASIS, UM, REGARDING, UM, EXPENDITURES, ALL IT EXPENDITURES FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE CITY, INCLUDING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AT SUN RA THEATER WILL ROUTE TO ME FOR APPROVAL PRIOR TO GOING TO HIM AND REVIEW, UM, FOR THOSE UM ITEMS THING THAT CAME ABOUT BASED ON THE LAST BUDGET MEETING ACTUALLY. UM, SO THOSE THINGS HAVE RECENTLY CHANGED, UM, SPENDING LEVELS, UH, STANDARD, I THINK IT'S 20. I'VE NEVER ACTUALLY WENT BEYOND IT. 
          SO I THINK IT'S 25,000, I THINK. I KNOW WE INCREASED MR. THE CITY MANAGER POSITION TO 50, A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO. AND SO I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY, UM, I DON'T RECALL THE IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION WITH THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS. I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH OTHER ENTITIES THAT MAYBE IT LIMITS IT AT 15 OR 20, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, YOU'RE NOT SURE EXACTLY I THOUGHT YOU MEANTCARS. I'M SORRY, SO OUR LIMIT IS 10. ANY ANYTHING BEYOND 10 REQUIRES NICKS AND ANYTHING BE HARD TO SAY MANAGERS, ANYTHING BEYOND THAT 50 THAT YOU INCREASED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO COMES BEFORE THE COMMISSION. MADAM MAYOR COMMISSIONERS, IF I CAN JUST JUMP IN FOR ONE SECOND, THAT IS PURSUANT TO OUR CODE. IT'S LAID OUT IN OUR CODE THAT THE CITY MANAGER'S AUTHORITY VERSUS WHAT THEN HAS TO COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION FOR APPROVAL, UM, SO CHANGING THOSE LIMITS ISN'T REALLY SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO AS WE'RE SITTING HERE NOW BECAUSE IT IS WITHIN OUR CODE AND WE'LL NEED TO FOLLOW THE CODE. UM, SO JUST KEEPING THAT IN MIND. I JUST WHAT ABOUT FOR OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS WHERE I'M BEING SPECIFIC. DID WE DECLARE THAT IN THE CODE? I DON'T RECALL THAT. THAT'S, I DO NOT BELIEVE WE HAVE DONE ANYTHING SPECIFIC TO THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS. THOSE ARE RELATIVELY NEW, SO THAT HAS NOT MADE ITS WAY INTO OUR CODE, UM, BUT THERE IS A PROCESS DEPENDING ON WHICH DEPARTMENTS THEY ARE OVER WHERE EVERYTHING ROUTES TO THEM FOR REVIEW BEFORE IT MAKES ITS WAY TO THE CITY MANAGER, SO THEY ARE ALREADY INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS CURRENTLY, JUST FINAL SIGNATORY AUTHORITY UP TO THE 50,000 AS CITY MANAGER. YEAH, I WANT TO BE SURE WE'RE CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT ON THAT PART TOO, AND FOR THE PUBLIC'S RECORD TOO, UM, ANYTIME THE CITY MANAGER POSITION HAS EVER SPENT ANY DOLLAR AMOUNT, UM. UP TO $50,000. HE HAS A REPORT AND A SUMMARY SHEET THAT HE'S BEEN PROVIDING TO US FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS NOW AND SO THE AGENDA FOR THE PUBLIC. THAT'S RIGHT. AND FOR THE FOR THE PUBLIC, SO OBVIOUSLY MS. COX, YOU WOULD 
          [00:50:03]
CONTINUE THAT, SO, UM, YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. JOHNSON, COMMISSIONER, I'M, I'M WELL WELL NO, MR. ANDREWS, YOU HAD, I'M SORRY, YOU WERE, YOU. YOU ASK QUESTIONS. YES, COMMISSIONER, UM. MY CURRENT DUTIES INVOLVE ENGINE OVERSEEING ENGINEERING. PUBLIC WORKS AND THE GOLF COURSE RIGHT NOW, SO I EXPENDITURES COME THROUGH ME FIRST AND THEN GO ON TO CITY MANAGER OR COMMISSION IS APPROPRIATE, SO. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. MR. GANG, THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. UH, I, I JUST HAVE TO BE MEAN. I, I WOULD, I WOULD NOT HAVE EXPECTED. ANY ONE OF THE LAST 3 PEOPLE. THAT WE ASKED. WHAT THEY DO THE JOB, OR COULD THEY DO THE JOB. THEY, THEY ARE ALL HARD WORKERS, SO I KNEW THEY WERE GONNA GET UP AND SAY, YES, WE COULD BE DONE, IT COULD BE DONE. I DIDN'T EXPECT ANYTHING DIFFERENT. I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT NOW WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO DO? WE HAVE 2 DEPUTY MANAGERS, I MEAN, TWO DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKING CHARGE AND GIVEN CERTAIN DUTIES. UM, AND WE'RE TRYING TO NAME ONE OR TRYING TO NAME SOMEONE WE CAN'T DO 3 SO THE ACTIVE ACTING. ACTING CITY MANAGER. SO ARE WE SAYING NOW THAT THE DEPUTIES WILL CONTINUE TO DO. WHAT WE'D ASKED THEM TO DO PRIOR AND THEN WHEN THEY GET TO THEIR LIMIT, THEY GET TO THEIR LIMIT. THEY BRING IT TO THE CITY CLERK, AND SHE MAKES THE FINAL DECISION AS THE ACTING AND ANYTHING OVER THE LIMIT OF $50,000 SHE WOULD HAVE TO COME AND PUT IT AT US. IS THAT, IS THAT, IS THAT YOUR, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR? I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR BECAUSE WHEN YOU FIRST, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU FIRST. BROUGHT IT UP. I THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO TAKE OVER ALL THE DUTIES. THAT THE CITY MANAGER HAD. AND THAT'S NOT JUST WAITING ON OUR TWO DEPUTY MANAGERS. THAT'S NOT JUST WAITING ON OUR TWO DEPUTY MANAGERS TO COME THERE AND SAY, HEY, I'VE REACHED MY LIMIT. CAN YOU SIGN OFF ON THIS? MHM THERE ARE OTHER DUTIES THAT HE STILL HAD THAT THESE TWO GENTLEMEN. 
          WE'RE NOT DOING. SO ARE WE SAYING NOW THAT THEY'RE GONNA DO THEIRS AND ALL THE DUTIES THAT THEY'RE NOT DOING THAT THE CITY MANAGER WAS DOING IS GOING TO FALL ON TO BE DONE BY THE CITY CLERK. I IS THAT WHAT WE'RE SAYING? IS THAT, IS THAT WHAT WE'RE ASKING? WELL, WHEN I STARTED THIS CONVERSATION, WE'VE, WE'VE SINCE TALKED ABOUT SIGNING AUTHORITY AND MONEY. 
          THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO HAVE, WE HAVE TO HAVE ONE PERSON IN CHARGE. AND BUT THAT ONE PERSON. IT IS ONLY IMMEDIATELY. AND SHORT TERM. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS WHO HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. AND THE CITY MANAGER HAD CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS REPORTING TO HIM. 
          AND SO I WOULD SEE THIS OPERATION MOVE ON SEAMLESSLY. 
          UNTIL SUCH TIME WHICH IT'S 2 WEEKS, IT'S A MONTH, WHATEVER THAT WE SAY THIS ISN'T WORKING, OR NOW WE HAVE NEW INFORMATION OR OR THE. OR WHATEVER CHANGES THIS IS A VERY SHORT TERM. I, I, I, I, I YOU, MADAM MAYOR, AND I HEAR YOU AND I UNDERSTAND, I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE TO NAME SOMEBODY. WE HAVE TO HAVE A CITY MANAGER, UH, UH, AND YOU KNOW, AND WE HAD TO GIVE HIM THAT TITLE AS COMMISSIONER CURTIS JOHNSON SAID WE HAD TO GET HIM THAT TITLE ACTIVE. I I UNDERSTAND THAT. I, I'M JUST GONNA, I, I, I PUT ON THE RECORD AND, AND I'LL BE I'LL I'LL SAY, I JUST, I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT WE'RE ASKING MISS COX. SHE, SHE SAYS SHE CAN DO IT, BUT YOU KNOW, OF COURSE I, I EXPECTED HER TO SAY THAT WE'RE PUTTING A LOT ON MISS COX AND I I JUST THINK THAT IF WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION TODAY, WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND DO THAT, BUT I KNOW IT'S TOO LATE FOR US TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR FOR OUR MONDAY MEETING, BUT WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO PUT IT ON WHATEVER NEXT MEETING, WE NEED TO PUT IT BACK ON OUR MEETING TO, TO CIRCLE BACK AROUND TO THIS TO SEE HOW IT'S GOING AND HOW EVERYTHING IS RUNNING BECAUSE I JUST DON'T WANT TO BURN MISS COX OUT AND WE WOULD BE, WE WOULD HAVE THE SAME WITH THE OTHER DEPUTIES THAT, THAT IS A CONCERN OF MINE WHO ARE, WHO ARE ALREADY NEW TO THEIR DUTIES, UH, AND, UH, WHO, WHO EITHER ONE COULD BE FUTURE CITY MANAGERS. WELL, ALL ALL WE'RE IN A BIND RIGHT NOW. I DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO LOSE A DEPUTY, A DEPUTY CITY MANAGER BECAUSE 
          [00:55:01]
THEY GOT MORE WORK AND I DON'T WANT TO LOSE A CITY CLERK. THAT BECOMES STRESSED OUT IN OVER 2-3 WEEKS WHENEVER WE DECIDE SOMETHING, AND THEN WE WE'RE REALLY IN A. A BUY. THAT'S THAT'S ALL I'M TRYING TO SAY. I JUST FEEL IN IN THIS SEAT HERE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ASKING A LOT FOR MISS COX AND AND SHE MIGHT NEXT WEDNESDAY GET ME IN MY ONE ON ONE MEETING AND AND AND TELL ME SOMETHING DIFFERENT, BUT AS TODAY, I'M SAYING WHAT I'M SAYING, SO I'VE HEARD FROM BOTH DEPUTY MANAGERS, MS. COX SAYS SHE CAN DO IT, SO IF, IF, IF WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT THEY CONTINUE TO DO WHAT THEY'RE DOING. WHATEVER THE OTHER MANAGER, OTHER DUTIES THEY'RE NOT DOING, WE'RE GOING TO PUT THAT ON MS. COX NOW AS ACTIVE UNTIL WE DECIDE IF IT'S WORKING OR NOT WORKING, IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING? THAT THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE. YES THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE. YES AND IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR ANYTHING TO ADD INTO THIS? IS, IS THERE A MOTION? WE. MADAM MAYOR, UM, I MOVED THAT, UM, WE, UM, APPOINT MRS. UM LINDA COX AS OUR ACTING CITY MANAGER, UM, AND WORK SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, MR. JACK ANDREWS, AND UM MR. DEON AND SHAY JOHNSON, UH, IN THEIR CONTINUING ROLES, UH, WITH ALL SIGNATORY, UM, AUTHORITY AND LINE ITEMS ALIGNED APPROPRIATELY BASED ON THEIR CURRENT POSITIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES. THERE'S A SECOND. I GOT ONE QUICK QUESTION JUST ONE I WAS TRYING TO GET YOUR ATTENTION. ONE QUICK QUESTION AND I'LL BE QUIET. MADAM ATTORNEY DOES. DOES OUR CITY CODE DICTATE. I NEEDED TO ASK THIS QUESTION BEFORE. DOES I DID CITY CODE DICTATE TO SITUATIONS LIKE THIS? DO WE, DO WE, DO WE APPOINT THE THE OTHER, YOU KNOW, CHARTER OFFICER THAT THAT FALLS IN IT'S SOMETHING LIKE THIS, OR DOES IT, DO WE GIVE IT UP TO OUR, IT'S UP TO THE CITY OF THE THE CODE SAYS UP TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, I MEAN, CITY COUNCIL TO MAKE THAT DECISION. I'M JUST CURIOUS. 
          MADAM MAYOR COMMISSIONERS, UM, THIS SPECIFIC SITUATION IS NOT ADDRESSED. UM, BUT THE CHARTER OFFICERS ARE APPOINTED AT THE WILL OF THE CITY COMMISSION, SO IT IS YOUR DECISION 100% WHO YOU APPOINT, UM, AND ALL OF YOUR CHARTER OFFICERS SERVE AT YOUR WILL. THEY CAN BE REMOVED AT ANY TIME WITH OR WITHOUT CAUSE, UM, AT YOUR DIRECTION. THANK YOU FOR THAT, MADAM ATTORNEY. I KNOW WE ARE, I KNOW WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF REVAMPING A WHOLE LOT, WHOLE LOT OF ORDINANCES AND CODES AND EVERYTHING, SO IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT HOPEFULLY NO ONE EVER HAS TO DEAL WITH THIS AGAIN, BUT SOMETHING, BUT SOMETHING THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT THAT, YOU KNOW, AND AND HAVE SOME TYPE OF LANGUAGE IN THERE JUST IN CASE THIS HAPPENS AGAIN. SO WHOEVER'S SITTING HERE THE NEXT TIME WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE MORE GUIDANCE BASED ON, YOU KNOW, PAST PERFORMANCES. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR THAT, MADAM. UM, WE'RE READY TO VOTE? CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. MR. BRODERICK. YES, COMMISSIONER GAINES, MA'AM. MR. C. JOHNSON. YES, MA'AM. MR. JOHNSON. YES, MA'AM. MAYOR HUDSON, YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. 
          [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.]
ALREADY, WE'LL MOVE ON. OK ON THE AGENDAS COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO MAKE A COMMENT. YOU HAVE 3 MINUTES. UH, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND MS. COX WILL GIVE YOU A WARNING OF 10 SECONDS. 
          YES, SIR. GOOD EVENING. CITIZEN OF FORT PIERCE, REGINALD SESSIONS. I WANT TO SAY THIS. YOU PURPOSE IS TO DICTATE AND DETERMINE RATHER, THE FATE OF MR. MIMMS AS IT RELATES TO HIS EMPLOYMENT, BE THAT IT MAY TEMPORARY, IT IS. HOWEVER, DO NOT MISLEAD THE PUBLIC OR INTERFERE. WITH A BIGGER JURISDICTION, WHICH IS THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. AND I SAID THAT TO SAY THIS. BY SENDING OUT AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS TEAM MAY BE PUTTING THE BUGGY BEFORE THE HORSE. THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WILL BE DOING AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION THAT WILL DETERMINE THE CRIMINAL ISSUE. HOWEVER, IF YOU ARE GOING TO SEND OUT AN INDEPENDENT TEAM TO INVESTIGATE. YOU MAY HAVE SOME TAMPERING WITH WITNESSES ISSUES. YOU HAVE TWO INDIVIDUALS OUT ON THE FIELD TRYING TO INVESTIGATE. SO BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THAT. WE HAVE A STATE ATTORNEY OVER THERE. OH, I'M SORRY. FORMER STATE ATTORNEY THAT'S NOW THE CITY ATTORNEY THAT NEEDS TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE. BECAUSE THAT'S A VERY DELICATE ISSUE. 
          [01:00:02]
BE CAREFUL IN SENDING OUT AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS TEAM BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THIS IS UNDER CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AND YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT YOURSELVES IN A POSITION WHERE YOU INTERFERE, COINCIDE, CONFLICT WITH THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. 
          ANOTHER THING IS, WHY DUPLICATE THE SERVICES TO THE TAXPAYERS. 
          STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS GOING TO DO THE INVESTIGATIONS. 
          SO WHY SPEND THE TAXPAYERS' MONEY. TO DO AN INVESTIGATION THAT ULTIMATELY IS GOING TO BE DONE BY THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. BE CAREFUL WITH THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. 
          WHO'S NEXT? YEAH. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. LISA PRINCE, Y'ALL ALREADY KNOW MY ADDRESS, BUT MY CONCERN IS MORE FOR THE CITY, THE COMMUNITY. EVER SINCE WE HEARD ABOUT THE INFORMATION ON LAST NIGHT, OF COURSE, EVERYBODY HAS THEIR CONCERNS, AND PEOPLE HAVE REACHED OUT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE COMMUNITY. AND I DON'T LIKE THE FEAR MONGERING THAT HAS GONE OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, NOT BY THE CITY COUNCIL OR THE COMMISSIONERS. BUT THIS IS NOT A BLACK OR WHITE ISSUE. THIS IS NOT ABOUT PEOPLE LOSING THEIR JOBS IF SOMETHING HAPPENS WITH THE CITY MANAGER. THIS IS A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AND AS FAR AS THE COMMISSION THAT YOU CAN ADDRESS THAT TO THE PEOPLE, TO LET THE PEOPLE KNOW THAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS, EITHER WAY, RATHER THE CITY MANAGER KEEPS HIS JOB OR THE CITY MANAGER DOES NOT KEEP HIS JOB, THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A REFLECTION OF PEOPLE THAT GOT HIRED DURING HIS TENURE OR THE FACT THAT IF HE, DO YOU GET WHAT I'M SAYING, WE NEED TO HAVE A DIFFERENT ASSURANCE BECAUSE WE CAN SPEAK ABOVE THE PEOPLE HEAD AS UM COMMISSIONER GAINES HAS SPOKEN, BUT SOMETIMES WE NEED TO SPEAK IN LAYMAN'S TERMS, AND WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE ELEPHANT THAT'S IN THE CITY, NOT JUST IN THE ROOM. SO THIS IS NOT A BLACK OR WHITE ISSUE. THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE ABOUT PEOPLE LOSING THEIR JOBS IF SOMETHING HAPPENS WITH THE CITY MANAGER. THIS IS ABOUT A LEGAL ISSUE THAT HAS COME FORTH, THAT HAS TO HAVE DUE PROCESS THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF STEP BY STEP IN. EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE DONE IN DECENCY AND ORDER. I AGREE WITH ATTORNEY SESSIONS. WE DON'T AGREE UPON A LOT, BUT I AGREE WITH ATTORNEY SESSIONS THAT THE DOUBLING OF THE FINANCES, WE, IF THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS GOING TO HAVE AN INVESTIGATION. THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES WILL HAVE AN INVESTIGATION IN THE CITY PROBABLY SHOULD SIT THAT ONE OUT AND JUST LET THE DUE PROCESS TAKE ITS PLACE. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU, MA'AM. WHO'S NEXT? N. GOOD AFTERNOON KE ANDREA DAVIS, RESIDENT OF FORT PIERCE. I JUST WANT TO CAUTION THE COMMISSION UM OF PUBLIC MEETINGS FOR THE STATUTE 286.0114. YOU HAD A FULL ROOM OF PEOPLE HERE. YOU'RE MAKING DECISIONS BEFORE THE THE PUBLIC IS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD. WE CAN'T GIVE OUR INPUT ON YOUR DECISIONS BECAUSE YOU'VE ALREADY MADE THEM. SO I WOULD SAY THAT PERHAPS THE AGENDA NEEDS TO BE REVAMPED. UM, I ALSO WORK FOR A CITY, SO PUBLIC COMMENTS, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE MATTER THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING ON BEFORE YOU TAKE THE VOTE. AND SO I WOULD REFER TO THAT STATUE. THE OTHER PART OF IT IS, IT'S NOT SPECIFIC ENOUGH, UM, MRS. COX, UM, DUTIES, HOW LONG THIS WILL BE. SO I DO ASK THAT YOU REVISIT IT AT A CERTAIN POINT IN TIME AND NOT SAY MAYBE 60 DAYS, MAYBE 30 DAYS, MAYBE 40 DAYS, BUT ACTUALLY PUT IN TODAY, WHAT, HOW LONG YOU ARE, WHEN YOU WILL READDRESS IT. WHAT IS SHE GOING TO BE DOING? WHO'S GONNA BE DOING WHAT? HOW LONG THIS WILL BE, BECAUSE I THINK IT IS VERY HARD TO BOTH DO THE CITY. MAN'S JOB AND THE CITY CLERK'S JOB. AND SHE SAID THAT SHE WAS TRAINING SOMEONE JUST LIKE OUR CITY, DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS ARE BEING, WERE BEING TRAINED. SO NOT THAT THEY AREN'T CAPABLE OF DOING THE JOB, BUT I DON'T LEAVE IT IN THE AIR WHEN YOU'RE GONNA READDRESS HOW THE TEAM IS WORKING. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MA'AM. WHO'S NEXT? WHO'S NEXT? OH. RICK REED 2625 SOUTH US 1.. 1ST OF ALL, I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH DUE PROCESS. EVERYBODY'S PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY BEYOND ALL REASONABLE DOUBT, THAT BEING SAID, Y'ALL ARE ACTING. WHERE'S THE MONEY? WHERE, WITH ALL THE THE KINDNESS AND GENEROSITY OF ALLEGHENY MINISTRY, $7.1 MILLION. WHERE'S THE MONEY? AND Y'ALL JUST SIT UP THERE AND ACT LIKE YOU DON'T KNOW. I, I'VE STOOD AT THIS PODIUM FOR YEARS AND ASK, WHERE'S THE MONEY? IN 2022. I WRITE A THING EVERY 
          [01:05:06]
MONTH. IN 2022. I WROTE AND CAME UP HERE AND ASK AT THE TIME THEY HAD A FUNCTION. I REMEMBER COMMISSIONER JEREMIAH JOHNSON WAS QUESTIONING WHY NOTHING WAS HAPPENING. I WAS HERE TWO MONTHS AGO WHEN Y'ALL TERMINATED THE LEASE. AND YOU WERE TALKING IN THE THIRD PERSON. YOU, YOU, YOU ALL DIDN'T KNOW REALLY WHAT WAS GOING ON. NO OVERSIGHT AND THAT'S Y'ALL'S RESPONSIBILITY. HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN? WHAT WERE Y'ALL DOING? WHY ARE YOU ALL ACTING LIKE YOU'RE SHOCKED TODAY AND JUST DEVASTATED BEYOND BELIEF. HAVE YOU, I, I DIDN'T HEAR YOU ENACT ANY DIRECT ANYBODY TO INVESTIGATE. 
          WHERE THE REST OF THE FUNDS ARE. UH, UH, HOW DO I KNOW AS A CITIZEN IN 2022, HOUSTON, WE GOT A PROBLEM. AND Y'ALL DON'T KNOW NOTHING. IT MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE WHATSOEVER. 
          WHERE IS THE MONEY? AS FAR AS, UH, UH, UH, THE CITY CLERK, SHE HAS A HIGH TURNOVER IN HER OFFICE. SHE'S KNOWN FOR HAVING A HIGH TURNOVER IN HER OFFICE. UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK, MAYOR, YOU PULLED A YOU PULLED A COUP OFF. I, I GOT TO GIVE YOU CREDIT ON THIS ONE. YOU, YOU CAN TAKE THE WORST SITUATION AND THE WHOLE COMMISSION, SIR. I'M LISTEN, TURN YOUR HEARING AID UP, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL CAN MAKE THE BEST OUT OF THE WORST. 
          I'VE SEEN YOU DO IT 100 TIMES. YOU'RE SKILLED AT THAT. 
          UNBELIEVABLE. ONE LAST THING, SINCE I'M TALKING ABOUT ALLEGHENY MONEY AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE ALL HERE. IN 2020,, 1 OF OUR COMMISSIONERS WAS RUNNING FOR OFFICE, AND HE GOT $10,000 FROM ALLEGHENY MINISTRY. FROZEN PHARAOH FOUNDATION. AND THE NUNS GAVE HIM $10,000 AND IT SAYS FROZEN FERROOEL WILL EDUCATE AND INFORM TARGETED COMMUNITIES WITH HISTORY OF LOW RATES OF INVOLVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN THE US CENSUS AND REGISTERING TO VOTE. I, I LOVE THIS. WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT, AND, AND, AND I FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY. I LOVE IT. THE LINCOLN PARK AREA WHERE UH THESE NUNS INFUSED $7.1 MILLION. FROZEN PHARAOHS DOWN IN PORT SAINT LUCIE. 
          WHERE'S THE $10,000? WHO'S NEXT? YOUR TIME'S UP. WHO'S NEXT? ANYONE, ANYONE ELSE? OK, THIS IS CLOSING PUBLIC COMMENT TIME AND BRINGING IT BACK TO THE COMMISSION, UH, FOR ADJOURNMENT UNLESS ANY COMMISSIONER HAS ANYTHING THEY WANT TO ADD TO THIS. ANY COMMISSIONER? MR. ANDREWS, ANYTHING? ALL RIGHT, MS. COX. ANYTHING? THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. I, UH, WE, WE WILL CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD JUST LIKE. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN AND WORKING AS A TEAM WHICH THESE GENTLEMEN ARE FINE GENTLEMEN, AND I, I APPRECIATE WORKING WITH THEM ALWAYS. MS. HEDGES, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? THINK FURTHER, MA'AM. OK, ARE WE READY TO ADJOURN? A COMMISSIONER GAINS, JUST A QUICK QUESTION. UM, MADAM ATTORNEY, JUST, JUST A QUICK QUESTION CAUSE. WE, WE, UM, THE INVESTIGATION THAT WE ARE SUMMING UP, RIGHT, THE INVESTIGATION WE'RE SUMMING UP, WE'RE FOLLOWING OUR CITY AND HR RULES, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING THE INVESTIGATION OR WHERE WE'RE DOING AN INVESTIGATION TO SEE YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE, UM, FIND SOMETHING THAT WE COULD COME BACK AND AND CHANGE THIS, UM, ADMINISTRATION LEAVE, UM, SITUATION WITH MISTER WITH MR. UM MA'AM, BECAUSE I DON'T, I, I, I, I DON'T WANT TO RUN AND FILE OF OF ANY CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION. SO I'M JUST CURIOUS IF WE CAN IF WE CAN SPEAK ON IT. YES, MADAM MAYOR COMMISSIONERS, UM, SO, UH, WE WILL NOT BE DIRECTING THE ATTORNEY THAT DOES THIS INVESTIGATION HOW TO DO HIS OR HER INVESTIGATION. 
          ONCE THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE MAKES A FORMAL FILING DECISION, THEY WILL PREPARE DISCOVERY. DISCOVERY WILL BE RELEASED THAT WILL INCLUDE INFORMATION RELATED TO WITNESS INTERVIEWS, I WOULD PRESUME RECORDED WITNESS INTERVIEWS, ALL OF THEIR REPORTS, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS, SO WE WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY THROUGH PUBLIC RECORDS TO GET COPIES OF ALL OF THOSE, SO. NOT DIRECTING THE ATTORNEY THAT WE HIRED TO DO THIS, HOW TO DO HIS OR HER JOB, THEY WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO OBTAIN ALL OF THOSE MATERIALS TO DO THEIR INVESTIGATION THAT MAY NOT NECESSITATE SPEAKING TO ADDITIONAL WITNESSES. IT MAY NECESSITATE THAT, BUT I, I PRESUME, AS YOU AND I BOTH KNOW A MEMBER OF THE BAR IS NOT GOING TO TAMPER WITH ANY SORT OF WITNESS OR INTERFERE WITH ANY CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION. 
          THEY DON'T WANT TO COMMIT A CRIME, NOR DO THEY WANT TO LOSE THEIR BAR LICENSE. UM, BUT THEY MAY HAVE THE ABILITY TO REVIEW 
          [01:10:01]
ALL OF THE MATERIAL AND HAVE TO DO NOTHING BUT REVIEW THAT, COMPARE THAT TO OUR RULES TO THE EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT AND COME TO A DECISION TO PRESENT TO THIS BODY. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, UM, JUST THE LAST COMMENT, UM, I CAN, I CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON MISS PRINCE TO TO COME IN AND SAY EXACTLY WHAT NEEDS TO BE SAID, UM. MS. PRINCE, THAT'S THE ONE THING THAT I DID NOT, THAT'S THE ONE EMAIL OR TEXT MESSAGE THAT I, I, I HAVE NOT HEARD. BUT LET ME BE CLEAR TO ANYONE LISTENING TO THIS, AND I CAN STAND ON MY OWN 2 FT HERE. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY UP HERE. WE'LL TOLERATE ANY TYPE OF RETALIATION OF ANY ANY CITY EMPLOYEE. REGARD REGARDING THIS MATTER AND I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THEM, BUT I SPEAK FOR MYSELF. I KNOW I WILL NOT. SO IF THAT'S THE FEAR OR THE FEAR MONGERING OR THAT'S THE RUMORS THAT ARE GOING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, IT CAN STOP TODAY BECAUSE AS LONG AS I'M SITTING IN THIS CHAIR, THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN. THANK YOU, MADAM. WE AGREE, MADAM MAYOR, I WANT TO ECHO A COUPLE OF POINTS, UM, AND, AND THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT UM WE ARE, WE HAVE 3 CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS ON WHICH WE'RE RESPONSIBLE TO REPORT TO US. 
          ONE HAS AN ALLEGATION. UM, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED A FORMAL CHARGE AND DOCUMENT. UM, SO ONCE THAT DOCUMENT COMES, UM, THE PEOPLE THAT WE HIRE WILL HELP ADVISE US FROM OUR HR POLICY MANUAL ON WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO, WHICH IS PROCESS TO THAT EMPLOYEE THAT WE EMPLOY. AND SO AS A CERTIFIED HR PROFESSIONAL, I CLEARLY UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT THAT PROCESS WILL BE THAT, UM, THIS LAW FIRM WILL LOOK AT THOSE MATTERS, MAKE AN INVESTIGATIVE REPORT OF THAT THAT WERE THESE VIOLATIONS OF OUR CURRENT CODES, ETC. WHERE THEY'RE IN TROUBLE, GRAY AREA, ETC. AND THAT'S WHAT I LOOK FORWARD TO HEAR FROM THAT PARTICULAR PIECE OF ADVICE SO THAT WE ARE BETTER INFORMED AND WE CAN MAKE A DECISION IF IT COMES TO WEEKS, IF IT COMES IN 2 MONTHS, AS TO WHERE WE GO WITH THE STATUS OF MR. NICK MAS, WHO'S THE UM WHO'S NOW NOT THE CITY MANAGER OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. UM, I, I THINK ALSO, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S CONCERNING ME, UM, AND I APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC SHOWING UP TODAY. IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE THE PUBLIC SHOW UP TO HEAR CONCERNS AND I ALSO APPRECIATE YOU SENDING NO EMAILS, BUT IT'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY, UH, IS A VERY SMART COMMUNITY. 
          AND I THINK THAT WHAT I DO KNOW AND APPRECIATE ABOUT THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE IS THAT THE PEOPLE OF FORT PIERCE ARE VERY RESILIENT. THEY UNDERSTAND AND THEY WILL SEEK TO UNDERSTAND. 
          AND THOSE, THERE ARE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO WANT TO SOW DOUBT AND DECEIT. BUT ONE THING I KNOW ABOUT THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE AND THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, IS THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE PRIDEFUL PEOPLE, PRAYER FOR PEOPLE. JUST PRAY FOR YOUR CITY AND YOUR ELECTED LEADERS. AND LET THIS RUN ITS COURSE. WE WILL HAVE THOSE ANSWERS AND WE WILL COMMUNICATE VERY CLEARLY IN TERMS THAT EVERYBODY WILL BE COMFORTABLE AND UNDERSTAND. BUT JUST UNDERSTAND, DECEIT IS BEING SOWN AND MISREPRESENTATION IS BEING DISPLAYED OFTEN. THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY. THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR COMMENTS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO MOVING FORT PIERCE FORWARD. THANK YOU. AND, AND MS. COX AND MR. ANDREWS AND MR. JOHNSON, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT WE KNOW THAT, UM, THIS HAS CAUSED A GREAT DEAL OF CONCERN WITH OUR STAFF, OUR EMPLOYEES, AND WE WANT THEM TO BE REASSURED AND WE, UM, I WANT. 
          WE WANT THIS TO BE A SEAMLESS WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO AS A COMMISSION AND AS A STAFF, AND NOT ONLY THAT, WE WANT OUR CITIZENS TO KNOW THAT WE ARE THE CITY COMES FIRST FOR. US IN TERMS OF THE COMMISSION AND OUR EMPLOYEES, AND I WANT OUR EMPLOYEES TO KNOW THAT WE STAND BEHIND THEM AND THAT WE WANT, WE WANT THINGS TO SETTLE DOWN AND PEOPLE TO GET TO TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE IN A SAFE AND GOOD PLACE AND OUR CITIZENS ALSO, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR BEST TO GET THINGS BACK TO NORMAL AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. MISTER JOHNSON, DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? BUT THE MAYOR AND UH COMMISSION TO ECHO AND CONFIRM THAT SENTIMENT WE ACTUALLY DURING OUR HUDDLE THIS MORNING, WE ACTUALLY UH WE DRAFTED A UH NOTICE TO ALL CITY EMPLOYEES AND STAFF AND SAID THAT OUT VIA EMAIL AND VIA SNAPCOMS EXPRESSING THOSE EXACT SENTIMENTS THAT WILL MOVE FORWARD, BE RESILIENT, HOW WE ACTUALLY PROVIDED RESOURCES TO 
          [01:15:01]
OUR EAP PROGRAM FOR THOSE, UM, YOU KNOW, MORALE AND, AND EXPECTATION AND DISAPPOINTMENT AND THERE'S JUST A LOT OF EMOTIONS THAT COME OUT OF UNCERTAINTY. SO WE'VE ACTUALLY UM NOTIFIED OUR EMPLOYEES, WE SENT A LETTER, A MEMO IDENTIFYING RESOURCES AND ENCOURAGING THEM ALONG THOSE LINES. SO THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. ALREADY, ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER? SHALL WEJOUR? WE'RE GOING TO BE MOVING OUT OF THE COMMISSION CHAMBERS AND UH WE'LL BE ADJOURNING, SO PLEASE MOVE OUT INTO THE FOYER.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.