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>> 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. >> MAYOR HUDSON . COMMISSIONER JOHNSON . COMMISSIONER GAINES. COMMISSIONER TAYLOR. THE FIRST ITEM IS A COMMENTS ON THE PUBLIC FOR NON-AGENDA ITEMS NOT
REQUIRING PUBLIC HEARINGS. >> THIS IS FOR ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN PUBLIC COMMENT. THESE SPEAK YOUR
[a. Discussion and decision regarding City Manager position. ]
NAME AND ADDRESS AND YOU WILL GET A 10 SECOND WARNING. SEEINGNO MOVEMENT , WE WILL MOVE ON. >> NEXT IS DISCUSSION AND DECISION REGARDING CITY MANAGER POSITION.
>> MS. HEDGES, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START US OFF?
>> YES, MA'AM, META-MAYOR. I THINK OUR HUMAN RESOURCES TEAM IS MAKING THEIR WAY TO THE TABLE. SO, FOR TONIGHT , I PROPOSE LET MYSELF AND HR WERE THINKING OF HOW TO PROCEED.
THERE IS ONE ISSUE I WANT TO ADDRESS WITH YOU BEFORE WE GET INTO ANY SUBSTANTIAL OF CONVERSATIONS, BUT THE INTENT AFTER THAT IS TO BASICALLY PASS OUT A BALLOT FOR YOU ALL TO SELECT YOUR TOP-RANKED CANDIDATE , AND THAT SHOULD GIVE YOU AN ANSWER AS TO WHETHER WE CAN NARROW CANDIDATES FOR DISCUSSION , OR IF THERE IS A CONSENSUS OF THREE OR MORE VOTES FOR A SPECIFIC CANDIDATE, AND THAT CAN KIND OF NARROW YOUR CONVERSATIONS. SO IF THAT IS AN ACCEPTABLE WAY TO PROCEED WITH EVERYONE , THAT WAS THE INTENT, BUT WE WILL OBVIOUSLY PROCEED AS
YOU DIRECT US. >> COMMISSION, SOUND GOOD? OKAY.
PROCEED. >> AND SO, TODAY , MR. SORENSEN, I BLINKED ON HIS NAME. I'M SO SORRY. MR. SORENSEN AND I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH ONE OF THE CANDIDATES, DEREK . WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY IS THAT HE DOES NOT RESIDE SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF FORT PIERCE . THE JOB POSTING , THE PREVIOUS REQUIREMENTS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THAT THE CITY MANAGER RESIDE IN THE CITY LIMITS . SO , THAT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION , AND WE HAD A DISCUSSION WITH HIM TODAY. WHAT HE ESSENTIALLY SAID WAS THAT HE LIVES ABOUT THREE MILES WITHIN THE CITY , SO IF THE COMMISSION IS WILLING TO WAIVE THAT REQUIREMENT -- I'M SORRY PICK WITHIN THREE MILES OF THE CITY, BUT HE LIVES OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS. YES, SIR. SO IF THE CITY COMMISSION WAS WILLING TO WAIVE THAT REQUIREMENT, HE WOULD LIKE THAT, BECAUSE HE IS, I THINK IT TAKES HIM APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES TO GET TO CITY HALL FROM WHERE HE LIVES. SO, BUT WENDY DID INDICATE IS THAT IF THE CITY COMMISSION IS TO REQUIRE THAT HE RESIDE IN THE CITY LIMITS , THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HE'S CAPABLE OF BEING ABLE TO COMMIT TO DO CURRENTLY DUE TO VARIOUS ISSUES . EMPLOYMENT FOR FAMILY , HOUSING MARKET, YOU KNOW , LEGITIMATE REASONS FOR WHY SOMEBODY FOR THEM TO BE HARD FOR THEM TO DO, SELL THEIR HOUSE AND MOVE. BUT WHAT HE SAID IS THAT, IN FAIRNESS TO YOU ALL , HE DID NOT WANT TO BASICALLY TAKE A POSITION AND ACCEPT A JOB WHEN HE COULD NOT MAKE THAT COMMITMENT TO YOU. SO , IF YOU ARE GOING TO REQUIRE THE CITY MANAGER TO RESIDE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS , HE WOULD HAVE TO WITHDRAW HIS CANDIDACY . I THINK IT IS RELUCTANTLY , I THINK IT'S A WAY TO PUT THAT , BUT HE WANTED TO BE FAIR TO ALL AND
FAIR TO THIS PROCESS. >> WELL IMA I APPRECIATE THAT. I APPRECIATE HIS FORTHRIGHTNESS . THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A REQUIREMENT, AND I WILL HAVE TO SAY IT IS , IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO ME. THAT THE CITY MANAGER LIVE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE.
>> MAYOR , I MAY CHIME IN ON THAT. I SHARE YOUR RESERVATIONS IN THAT AREA , AND I AM GOING TO QUALIFY IT BY SAYING THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS IN A VERY UNIQUE POSITION , THAT THEIR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY I THINK IS OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE. FUNCTIONS AND THINGS IN THE CITY, I KNOW THE COMMISSIONERS WE GO OUT OF OUR WAY TO ATTEND A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF SOCIAL FUNCTIONS AND A VARIETY OF ISSUES SUCH AS THAT, AND CERTAINLY LIVING IN THE CITY, WE ARE CONNECTED TO ALL OF THAT FABRIC OF ACTIVITIES THAT
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ARE TAKING PLACE. SO I DO SHARE YOUR SENSE OF CONCERN ON THATPARTICULAR ISSUE. >> MADAM MAYOR ?
>> YES, SIR. >> I WILL SAY TONIGHT, I DID DISCUSS IT WITH ATTORNEY HEDGES FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. I, TOO , SHARE THAT CONCERN, BUT I ALSO DON'T THINK YOU HAVE TO LIVE IN THE CITY TO BE A PART OF THAT COMMUNITY. WITH TODAY'S HOUSING MARKET , I FEEL LIKE IT IS A BIT UNREASONABLE TO ASK SOMEBODY TO DO THAT, TO LIVE IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE WITH THE LIMIT ON OUR HOUSING, AND JUST A GENERALLY CRAZY HOUSING MARKET.
I THINK WE, I MEAN , WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH DISCUSSIONS MY BUT I WOULD HATE FOR THAT TO BE THE REASON WHY SOMEONE IS DISQUALIFIED IN THIS PROCESS. I THINK MOVING FORWARD , I THINK I COULD SEE MAYBE AT LEAST BE WITHIN ST. LUCIE COUNTY , OR AT LEAST BE WITHIN A CERTAIN RADIUS OF THE CITY, BECAUSE I MEAN, EVEN OUR ANNEXATION PATTERN, YOU KNOW , I'M 15 MINUTES AWAY FROM CITY HALL AT LEAST , AND I AM STILL SOUTH, AND MY NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR ISN'T IN THE CITY. BUT THEY ARE JUST AS MUCH A PART OF THE COMMUNITY AS I AM. I THINK WITH THOSE FACTORS IN PLACE , I THINK IT MIGHT BE AN OUTDATED THING . BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL DECIDE IN THE CONTRACT SHOULD WE DECIDE WHO WE ARE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH. I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARILY SOMETHING WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION ON AT THIS MOMENT, BUT THAT, THAT IS MY OPINION ON THAT.
THEIR OPINION? >> I HEAR YOU MADAM MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. THE ISSUE I HAVE IS ON THE APPLICATION THAT WAS SENT OUT. IT SAID "LIVE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS." IF THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING. SO IF WE GET HERE TONIGHT AND WE SAY WE ARE GOING TO WAIVE THAT, HOW DO WE KNOW THAT SOMEBODY THAT WANTED TO APPLY THAT SAID, OKAY , WELL, THAT'S IN THIS AREA THAT SAID , OKAY, WELL I'M NOT INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, SO I AM NOT GOING TO APPLY. SO IT IS ALMOST LIKE WE ARE MOVING THE FINISH LINE DOWN THE ROAD AND WE ARE AT THIS POINT. SO IF IT HAS BEEN THAT WAY AND IT HAS BEEN THAT WAY SINCE BEFORE I GOT HERE THAT THE REQUIREMENT WAS INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, YOU CAN'T MAKE A CHANGE AT THE LAST HOUR, IN MY OPINION, TO INCLUDE SOMEONE THAT IS OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, JUST BECAUSE WE ARE AT THIS POINT.
YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG , AND I ASKED THE MADAM ATTORNEY AND HR DIRECTOR, BUT IN THE APPLICATION THAT WENT OUT OR IN -- NOT THE APPLICATION. IN THE --
>> JOB POSTING? >> JOB POSTING THAT WENT OUT, WAS THAT STATED IN THAT JOB POSTING?
>> MADAM MAYOR , COMMISSIONERS, I BELIEVE MR. SORENSEN, CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG, IT SAYS BASICALLY YOU EITHER, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO RESIDE , BUT IT ALSO GAVE THEM THE OPTION , OR BASICALLY ARE YOU WILLING TO RELOCATE TO WITHIN. IT IS NOT THAT YOU HAVE TO LIVE HERE CURRENTLY, BUT ARE YOU WILLING
TO RELOCATE INTO THE CITY. >> THAT IS CORRECT.
>> SO MADAM MAYOR , I, THE SIDE THAT I COME DOWN ON IS THAT THIS HAS BEEN IN PLACE. THIS IS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN CONSISTENT. I WOULD HAVE GREAT CONCERN TRYING TO CHALLENGE THAT AT THIS JUNCTURE, BUT I STILL THINK THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW IS THAT WE STILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXERCISE IT, AND IF THAT DOES COME UP, I APPRECIATE THE ATTORNEY AND HR FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION. SO CERTAINLY , THAT IS, YOU KNOW, I'M KIND OF FEELING IT DOESN'T DISQUALIFY , BUT IT IS FACTUAL INFORMATION FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION. SO, BUT I GUESS WE REALLY HAVE TO DECIDE ON IS WE KNOW WHO WE HAVE INTERVIEWED. WE KNOW WHAT MENTAL NOTES, PHYSICAL NOTES, WHATEVER WE TOOK BASED ON THAT, AND OF THOSE THINGS MADE AN IMPRESSION ON US, I THINK . AS WE BEGIN TO UNFOLD THIS AND MAKE OUR CHOICES KNOWN, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, I THINK IT WILL GO FROM THERE. WHAT I WANT TO THANK THE ATTORNEY AND HR FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION, BECAUSE I GUESS WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED IN
CASE SOMETHING DOES HAPPEN. >> RIGHT.
>> MADAM MAYOR, AND JUST TO BE CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT WITH ALL OF THIS , IT IS NOT A REQUIREMENT WITHIN OUR CHARTER THAT THEY LIVE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, BUT IT HAS BEEN A CONTRACT REQUIREMENT THAT YOU ALL HAVE REQUIRED IN THE PAST.
AND TO YOUR POINT OF BRINGING THAT UP, HE WANTED IT BROUGHT UP SO YOU ALL KNEW IN ADVANCE BEFORE YOU ALL STARTED HAVING DISCUSSIONS SO YOU ARE AWARE OF THAT ISSUE.
>> AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD, I MEANT TO MENTION BEFORE THAT THE REASON THAT IT IS IMPORTANT, IN MY OPINION, IS THAT THE CITY
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MANAGER IS THE PERSON WHO HEADS UP THE BUDGET PROCESS , AND THE BUDGET PROCESS SETS MILLAGE RATE . AND THE PEOPLE OF FORT PIERCE PAY TAXES , AND I, I BELIEVE THAT AT LEAST ONE OF THE REASONS WE HAVE REQUIRED IT OF THE CITY MANAGER IS WHATEVER THE TAXES THAT WE VOTE ON OUR PAID BY US AS WELL AS THE CITY MANAGER. THE CITY MANAGER IS A TAXPAYER AND I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT, IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE . SO, ANYTHING ELSE TO SHARE WITH US?>> NO, NOTHING ELSE TO SHARE THIS TIME. I DO HAVE THE BALLOTS IF YOU ALL ARE READY TO PASS THOSE OUT. I WASN'T SURE IF ANYONE HAD ANYTHING, HOPEFULLY BRIEFLY , THEY WANTED TO SAY, BUT WE WILL LISTEN AS LONG AS YOU WOULD LIKE.
>> MADAM MAYOR, I JUST WANT TO SAY, THANK YOU JUST LAUGH AGAIN.
I THINK I SAID THIS LAST NIGHT, THANK YOU MS. HEDGES FOR SETTING THIS UP, THE PROCESS. ALTHOUGH WE HAD A FEW BUMPS IN THE ROAD AS FAR AS WITHDRAWAL OF CANDIDATES. BUT OVERALL I REALLY WAS IMPRESSED WITH THE QUALITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT CAME IN THAT I INTERVIEWED. SO I CERTAINLY THANK THEM FOR PUTTING THEMSELVES OUT THERE, BECAUSE WHEN YOU DO THAT , IT IS OUT IN THE PUBLIC. SOME OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE CURRENT JOBS THAT THEY ARE IN, GET THEY STILL RAISED THEIR HAND TO WANT TO COME AND BE A PART OF WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO TO GET DONE HERE IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. WELL OF THE CANDIDATES, EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM, 76, 77, HOWEVER MANY ENTERED, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THANK YOU FOR THE PROCESS THAT YOU GUYS TOOK US TO IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL PROCESS TO GET CANDIDATES IN FRONT OF US.
SO , AT SOME POINT I HAD A LITTLE RELUCTANCE COULD WE GET THERE, BUT I FEEL CONFIDENT IN THE CANDIDATES . I FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT WE CAN SELECT THE CITY MANAGER OUT OF THE FIRST GROUPING OF PEOPLE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. >> AGREED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND EXCELLENT PROFESSIONALISM. OKAY. I THINK IT IS TIME TO PASS OUT THE BALLOTS UNLESS ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO SAY ANYTHING. SO ON THE BALLOT, THE TOP SPOT IS FOR YOU TO WRITE IN THE CANDIDATE YOU ARE SELECTING , AND THEN THE BOTTOM LINE IS FOR YOU TO INCLUDE YOUR NAME. AS A REMINDER, ALWAYS, PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR NAME.
>> THAT SAYS YOU HAVE TO WAIT A YEAR.
>> YOU COLLECT THEM? >> YES, SIR.
>> ALL RIGHT, MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS. IN THE ORDER THEY WERE JUST HANDED TO ME . COMMISSIONER JOHNSON HAS VOTED FOR RICHARD CHESS. MAYOR HUDSON HAS VOTED FOR LINDA COX.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR HAS VOTED FOR DEREK SCRAPCHANSKY .
COMMISSIONER GAINES HAS VOTED FOR RICHARD CHESS . AND COMMISSIONER BRODERICK HAS VOTED FOR LINDA COX. AND SO, THAT TALLY IS 2 FOR RICHARD CHESS, 2 FOR TRAN20 FOR, AND 1 FOR DEREK
SCRAPCHANSKY. >> BETTER ORDER DINNER.
>> SO , WITH THAT , I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU ALL TO HAVE
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DISCUSSIONS AS TO HOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED. OBVIOUSLY, YOU WILL ULTIMATELY, WITH WHICHEVER CANDIDATE YOU ARE SELECTING, NEED A MOTION TO SELECT THAT PERSON , AND DIRECTING ME TO START NEGOTIATIONS . BUT I THINK YOU ALL NEED TO GET TO 3 BEFORE WE EVEN GET THERE , SO I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU ALL.>> SO, COMMISSIONERS , WOULD EACH OF YOU LIKE TO ADVOCATE FOR YOUR CANDIDATE , OR WOULD YOU -- WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE
COMMISSION? >> MADAM MAYOR, I THINK MAYBE WE NEED TO, I THINK BEING CALLED ADVOCATION , I WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO HAVE COMMENTS MADE , AND I WILL MAKE COMMENTS ABOUT MY SELECTION HERE. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ALL OF THE CANDIDATES WERE EXCELLENT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LOOKED FOR WORK CRITICAL AREAS THAT I KNOW WE ARE GOING TO NEED SUPPORT IN.
THERE WERE ATTRIBUTES TO ALL OF THE CANDIDATES THAT WERE POSITIVE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT KIND OF STRETCHED BEYOND JUST KNOWING THIS WAS THE EXPERIENCE. THE VARIED EXPERIENCE IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES. DIFFERENT ROLES .
DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS . WHAT IS CRITICAL FOR ME IS, YOU KNOW , WE TALK A LOT ABOUT OUR BUDGET RIGHT NOW. AND I , I LOOK AT A CANDIDATE THAT HAD A VAST AMOUNT OF BUDGETARY EXPERIENCE, AND WAS BY TRADE AN ACCOUNTANT AUDITOR TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO LOOK BEYOND THE NUMBERS , TO BEGIN TO SAY HOW DO WE MAKE THIS THING WORK , AND COMING IN WITH THAT VARIED EXPERIENCE WITH OUR ALREADY EXPERIENCED FINANCIAL TEAM , TO SAY HOW DO WE REALLY GO ABOUT THIS PROCESS AND INTEGRATION. THAT WAS ONE ATTRIBUTE. I THINK THE OTHER ATTRIBUTE IS THAT, LOOKING AT OUR CITY , AND OUR TENDENCY , THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING A RESOURCE IN FROM ANOTHER AREA THAT HAS CONNECTIONS, NOT ONLY THROUGHOUT THE STATE COME ABOUT FROM OTHER GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS AND OTHER PROFESSIONS THAT THEY HAVE WORKED WITH IS ALWAYS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GROW.
AND SO, KNOWING THAT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED PERSONNEL , TO BRING SOMEONE ELSE ON TWO COMPLEMENT THAT, THE OTHER TWO CHARTER OFFICERS, IS A WIN-WIN FOR THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE IN MY OPINION. AND THAT WEIGHED HEAVY ON ME TO KEEP THE COURT FUNCTIONING OF THE TEAM TOGETHER AND ADD TO IT. AND , AND THAT IS IMPORTANT TO ME, AND THAT IS HOW I CAME DOWN, WHEN I LOOKED AT THE CANDIDATE, A LOT OF MY QUESTIONS WERE DIGGINGBEYOND JUST THE SURFACE OF THE RESUME , BUT AS I MENTIONED, I WENT TO DEEP INTO SITUATIONS AND , AND , AND HYPOTHETICALS. AND I'D ALLOW FOR CANDIDATES TO EXPRESS UPON THEIR STRENGTHS AND THINGS THEY REALLY LIKED. AND EACH CANDIDATE HAD A UNIQUE KIND OF TALENT THAT THEY ARE REALLY STRONG ON. A LOT OF THEM WERE STRONG ON BUDGET. AT LEAST 3 OF THE 4 WERE REALLY STRONG ON BUDGETING AND THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION. THAT WAS KIND OF EQUAL, BUT THEN I MOVED BEYOND FANTASY WHAT COULD THEY ADD TO THAT TO GO FORWARD. SO, WHEN I MADE MY DEDUCTIVE CHOICE WITH THAT, THIS IS WHERE I ENDED, WITH MAKING THE DECISION THAT I
MADE . SO, THANK YOU. >> ANYONE ELSE WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT WHO THEY VOTED FOR OR ANYTHING?
>> I WILL GO TO MY MADAM MAYOR. IT LOOKS LIKE WE PICKED THE SAME CANDIDATE. I CHOSE MR. CHESS BECAUSE OF, ALSO , HIS OTHER POSITIONS WITH THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT BEING AN AUDITOR, YOU COME IN WITH A BULL'S-EYE ON YOUR BACK WHEN YOU WALK INTO A SITUATION. AND HE HANDLED THAT , FROM WHAT I READ, FOR WHEN HE TALKED TO ME, HE HANDLED THAT, SO HE KNOWS HOW TO GO IN AND FIND A SITUATION AND FIND THE PROBLEMS, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE THERE FOR TO DO. IN MY GUT , I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO NOT DO STATUS QUO AS THE CITY HAS DONE , JUST KEEP IT GOING, LIKE IT'S GOING . AND I THINK WE HAVE A CHANCE TO BRING SOMEBODY IN WITH THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE NEED , WITH , WITH EXTRA ATTRIBUTES THAT CAN HELP ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES HERE GET TO WHERE WE
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WANT TO GO. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ASKED MR. CHESS WAS IF YOU GOT THIS POSITION , YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR , ESPECIALLY BEING FROM BROWARD COUNTY , YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR THAT WE DON'T WANT TO BE BROWARD COUNTY. WE DON'T WANT TO BE MIAMI-DADE .WE DON'T WANT TO BE WEST PALM BEACH. WE WANT TO BE FORT PIERCE. BUT YOU ARE ALSO GOING TO HEAR THAT WE NEED TO GROW AND MAXIMIZE OUR CITY . HE SAID COMMISSIONER , I UNDERSTAND THAT. AND IF YOU ASK ANYBODY IN BROWARD COUNTY , THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT WE DON'T WANT TO BE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY . WE WANT TO BE BROWARD COUNTY . I UNDERSTAND THIS AREA . DOING MY JOB AS A STATE AUDITOR . I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO ST. LUCIE COUNTY BECAUSE HE AUDITED THE ST. LUCIE COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND HE HAD A CHANCE TO UNDERSTAND THE SURROUNDINGS OF FORT PIERCE . HE REVIEWED OUR STRATEGIC PLANS. HE LIKES WHERE WE ARE . HE AGREES THAT THE GYM OF FORT PIERCE IS THE WATERFRONT AND THE BEACHES . HE SAID THE LAST THING HE WOULD WANT TO DO AS A CITY MANAGER , AND HE WOULD PERSUADE ANY OF US NOT TO DO IT, IS TO OVER BILL THE VIEW AND THE AREA WE HAVE, BECAUSE IT IS KNOWN THROUGHOUT SOUTH FLORIDA , THE GEM WE HAVE HERE IN FORT PIERCE , AND HE WANTED TO COME BE A PART OF THE FUTURE THAT WE SET FORTH, AND GO . SO, MY , MY THING WAS , I DON'T WANT TO DO STATUS QUO. I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BRING SOMEBODY IN, NEW, HAVE THEIR EYES LOOKED ON EVERYTHING, AND GO FROM THERE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS HR OR SOMEBODY IN ONE OF MY MEETINGS , THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT SOMEONE IN TO RIGHT THE SHIP. THE SHIP, WHICHEVER WAY YOU WANT TO SAY, THE SHIP IS TURNING, BUT WE ALL KNOW THE SHIP IT HAS STOPPED SAILING. I'LL PUT IT THAT WAY.
WE MAY NOT BE TURNING LEFT AND RIGHT, BUT WE HAVE STOPPED SAILING. SO I WANT TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE FRESH EYES LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON AND SEE WHERE WE CAN TAKE IT. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANY OTHER , ANY OTHER CANDIDATE . ALL ARE GREAT , ALL OF THEM HAD GREAT INTERVIEWS TO THE POINT WHERE I THINK HR HAD TO COME KNOCK ON MY DOOR A COUPLE OF TIMES, BECAUSE I WAS IN THERE RUNNING MY MOUTH , BUT I WAS ACTUALLY ASKING QUESTIONS TRYING TO SEE WHERE WE ARE. SO COLLEAGUES AND MADAM MAYOR , MY DECISION CAME DOWN TO , TO SOMEONE NEW , THAT HAS NOT BEEN HERE , LOOKING AT WHAT WE GOT GOING ON , AND GOING FORWARD. I THINK THAT MR. CHESS HAS THE QUALIFICATIONS AND THE EXPERIENCE TO , TO DO THAT, BECAUSE I FEEL THAT IF HE COULD RUN THE BROWARD TRANSIT DEPARTMENT , AND IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT BROWARD TRANSIT, IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN DOWN THERE, THAT IS 1600+ EMPLOYEES JUST ON THE TRANSIT , AND HE CAN RUN THAT . WE HAVE ALL DONE OUR RESEARCH. NO PROBLEMS. THEY ARE HAPPY . AND I THINK HE WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO COME UP HERE AND COME UP HERE AND HELP THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE GET TO WHERE HE IS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STUCK WITH ME THAT MR. CHESS SAID , THAT IF HE WAS AWARDED THE POSITION , HE WANTED TO TALK TO EVERY EMPLOYEE IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE . NOT JUST THE MANAGERS. NOT JUST THE DIRECTORS, BUT EVERYBODY THAT WORKS FOR THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE , HE WANTS A ONE ON ONE WITH THEM TO GET ALL OF HIS EMPLOYEES. HE SAID HE DID IT DOWN SOUTH, AND HE SAID IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE , BECAUSE NOW HE UNDERSTANDS THAT EVERYBODY IS A OF THE TEAM. SO MADAM MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS COME OF THAT IS WHERE I CAME IN WITH MR. CHESS.
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>> OKAY. WHO WANTS TO GO NEXT? YOU WANT TO GO NEXT?
>> I WILL GO NEXT. I CONCUR WITH MY COLLEAGUES. I SAW THE SAME THINGS IN MR. CHESS . HE WAS DEFINITELY HIGH ON MY LIST. YOU KNOW , THIS HAS BEEN , I DID NOT COME TO MY CHOICE LATELY . THIS HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, ON MY HEART , IN MY PRAYERS SINCE AUGUST.
YOU KNOW, SINCE I KNEW , PREPARING MYSELF, HOPING I WAS GOING TO BE HERE TO MAKE THIS DECISION. I WAS NOT SURE WHAT I WAS ASKING FOR AT THE TIME, BUT I AM HERE. BUT COMING FRESH FROM , FROM THE CAMPAIGN, AND BEING NEW, AND HEARING THE CONCERNS OF OUR VOTERS AND OUR PROPERTY OWNERS AND OUR PEOPLE , WE NEED SOME CHANGE. WE NEED NEW PERSPECTIVES. WE NEED NEW DIRECTION. WE NEED NEW , WE NEED NEW ATTITUDES. WE NEED A NEW CULTURE IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE . AND I, I HAVE STRUGGLED WITH MAKING THAT DECISION, BECAUSE I HAVE COME TO REALLY LIKE WORKING WITH MS. COX . YOU KNOW , THAT ADDS A BIT OF EMOTION INTO THE DECISION-MAKING. IT IS A DIFFICULT THING WHEN YOU BECOME FRIENDS. BUT TRYING TO TAKE THAT SIDE OF MY BRAIN OUT OF IT , AND LOOKING AT WHERE I AM SITTING IN THE PEOPLE I REPRESENT IN DISTRICT 2 , IT'S NOT THAT I HAVE ANY QUALMS ABOUT HER ABILITY TO DO THE JOB . SHE'S PROVEN THAT. I KNOW SHE WOULD BE A GREAT CITY MANAGER, BUT -- AND MAYBE ONE DAY SHE WILL. I AM NOT A NEVER , MS. COX. I THINK WE GET SOMEONE HERE KNEW THAT CAN START FRESH , A FRESH PERSPECTIVE, IT MAKES HIM SERIOUS , HARD DECISIONS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE IN THE CITY. WE NEED TO MAKE SOME CHANGES. WE ARE NOT MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I MEAN HIM A LOOK AT ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE HERE LAST NIGHT. JUST MISINFORMATION.
BUT PEOPLE CARE ABOUT THE CITY. I KNOW , I KNOW THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT PATH FORWARD IN MY BRAIN. THE REASON I PICKED THE PERSON I DID, I FELT LIKE HE HAD THE MOST , AS YOU SAID, EACH CANDIDATE HAD VERY POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES, HAD THEIR OWN THING THAT THEY WERE REALLY STRONG ON CERTAIN THINGS. I FELT LIKE MR. SCRAPCHANSKY WAS THE MOST WELL-ROUNDED. HE WAS STRONG ON ALL OF THE HIGH POINTS THAT I HAD. SPECIFICALLY WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HR ISSUES AND FINANCE. HE WAS ABLE TO ARTICULATE MANY EXAMPLES OF HIS LEADERSHIP IN THOSE SPECIFIC AREAS . BECAUSE I AM OF THE CULTURE IN THE EMPLOYEES IN THE CITY ARE HIGH ON MY LIST, AND BEING ABLE TO MANAGE THAT MANY PEOPLE , AND MAKE CHANGES WHERE NECESSARY, AND RECOGNIZE PEOPLE'S STRENGTHS AND ABILITIES , AND MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE IN THE RIGHT POSITIONS, AND WORKING TOWARDS THE SAME GOAL.
HE FELT LIKE HE KNEW THE STRATEGIC PLAN BETTER THAN I DID. HE RATTLED OFF QUITE A FEW THINGS AND POINTS IN THERE , AND DEMONSTRATED HIS DEDICATION TO STICKING TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO I'M , I FEEL LIKE I AM THE MINORITY HERE ON OUR VOTES, BUT -- I ALSO THOUGHT MR. CHESS WAS A STRONG CANDIDATE, SO I AM WILLING TO COMPROMISE IF NEEDED. BUT I, I THINK MR. SCRAPCHANSKY HAD THE RIGHT SAUCE THAT WE NEED IN THE CITY . THE RIGHT BALANCE OF HIS MILITARY BACKGROUND WITH HIS ACTUAL CITY MANAGER EXPERIENCE . AND HE'S NOT BEEN LIVING IN THE CITY LIMITS, HE'S BEEN HERE A BRIEF TIME, BUT ENOUGH TO WHERE HE UNDERSTANDS WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON HERE, WHAT OUR STRENGTHS ARE, WHAT OUR CHALLENGES ARE. AND I FEEL HE HAD A REALLY GOOD GRASP OF OUR VISION AS A STRATEGIC PLAN, AND WHERE WE WANT TO SEE THE CITY MOVING IN THE FUTURE. SO I, I WILL END THERE ON THAT, BUT THAT
IS WHERE I AM AT. >> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK?
>> I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES THAT THE CANDIDATES WERE ALL OUTSTANDING. INASMUCH AS I WAS NOT MENTALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS OF THIS NATURE , I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED IT. AND I WAS EDUCATED , PERSPECTIVES, ET CETERA. AND BY
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THE WAY , THE THREE CANDIDATES THAT HAVE BEEN VOTED ON HERE TONIGHT WERE MY TOP THREE, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, IN THAT GROUPING. YEAH, I THINK EVERYBODY IS ON THE SAME PAGE WITH THAT. HAVING SAID THAT, MY CHOICE FOR MS. COX WAS BASED ON A VARIETY OF REASONS , AND I WILL TRY TO ARTICULATE ALL OF THEM SO I CAN GIVE YOU A GOOD CASE OF WHY MY POSITION IS SUPPORTING HER. I AGREE THAT WE NEED CHANGE. WE NEED SIGNIFICANT CHANGE. THIS COMMISSION HAS NOT ALLOWED MS. COX TO UNDERTAKE THAT CHANGE . THAT WAS OUR DECISION TO HANDCUFF HER , BASICALLY , WITH WHAT SHE COULD AND COULD NOT DO FOR THE MOST PART. IN LIGHT OF THAT FACT, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, SOMEBODY THAT IS INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEMS OF THE CITY , INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEMS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CITY, TO ME I THOUGHT COULD MAKE SURGICAL CHANGE IMMEDIATELY UPON ACCEPTING THE POSITION . AND MY OVERVIEW OF THE SITUATION IS THAT WE BRING SOMEBODY NEW IN FROM THE OUTSIDE, LET'S BE REALISTIC ABOUT IT. THIS IS A TWO-YEAR LEARNING CURVE.PERSONALLY , I DON'T HAVE TWO YEARS TO HAVE SOMEBODY IN TRAINING. I NEED ACTION NOW. I NEED ACTION TOMORROW. TO SATISFY MY DESIRES FOR THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE , I NEED CHANGE INSTANTLY. ONE OF THE TOPICS OF DISCUSSION WITH EVERY CANDIDATE , I AM GOING TO TAKE A PAGE OUT OF EVERY PRESIDENTS PLAYBOOK, WHAT IS YOUR 100 DAY PLAN. AND THE ANSWERS I GOT WERE INSUFFICIENT ON THAT POINT, BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE, THE CANDIDATES FROM OUTSIDE DID NOT HAVE THE INFORMATION NECESSARY TO TELL ME SPECIFICALLY WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO IN THE FIRST 100 DAYS. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS ? I WANT TO KNOW YOUR PLAN. MS. COX HAS A PLAN. I ASKED THAT QUESTION SPECIFICALLY , BECAUSE I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HER PLAN WAS.
CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE, POLICIES THAT NEED TO BE IMPLEMENTED, ET CETERA. TO ME IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO TAKE ACTION NOW. WE HAVE BIG THINGS ON OUR TABLE RIGHT IN FRONT OF US RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE KING'S LANDING, A RESIDENCE ISSUE. IT IS BIGGER FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT I THINK IT IS FOR US COLLECTIVELY. IT STILL NEEDS TO BE MANAGED AND DEALT WITH APPROPRIATELY. THAT INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE FROM A LOCAL PERSPECTIVE BECAME CRITICALLY IMPORTANT IN MY DECISION-MAKING AS TO THE CITY COMMISSION IS NOT ALLOWED TO RUN THE CITY . WE ARE SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDED FROM THAT IN THE CHARTER. SO I SCRATCHED MY HEAD, THINKING WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH SOMEBODY BRAND-NEW HERE THAT WE ARE EDUCATING AS TO WHAT THE ISSUES IN THE CITY ARE , AND THEY HAVE NO CLUE WHO ANY OF THE PLAYERS ARE? THAT IS A PORTION OF IT. ANOTHER PORTION THAT WAS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO ME IS ENGAGEMENT. IF YOU LOOK AT THE RESUMES OF THE CANDIDATES, MS. COX COMES FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. THAT TO ME IS A CRITICAL ISSUE THAT WE CAN ENGAGE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IMMEDIATELY IN HELPING US RESOLVE THE ISSUES THAT WE ARE BEING FACED WITH CURRENTLY. I THINK THERE ARE A VARIETY OF MEMBERS OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT ARE LOOKING TO STEP UP AND ASSIST THIS COMMISSION WITH MAKING CHALLENGING DECISIONS COMING DOWN THE PIPE . WE NEED SOMEBODY THAT CAN HURT THOSE CATS, GET THEM INTO THE ROOM , AND GET SOME QUALITY INPUT FROM THEM AND GOVERNING THE CITY MOVING FORWARD. TESTED WITH ANNEXATION, EXPANDING OUR TAX BASE, A WHOLE HOST OF REVENUE-GENERATING ISSUES THAT YOU KNOW IS A BIG CONCERN OF MINE. PROBABLY MY BIGGEST CONCERN FOR THE CITY. I NEED A BUSINESS ACUMEN LINING UP THE ASSETS THAT WE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE GOALS , AND I BELIEVE MS. COX BRINGS HER TO THE TABLE . IF YOU LOOK AT HER RESUME, EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT HER BUSINESS BACKGROUND IS COMPELLING IN THAT AREA. WE TALK ABOUT AN AGENT OF CHANGE. MY THOUGHT PROCESS WAS THAT , TAKE THE HANDCUFFS OFF, LET'S SEE WHAT SHE CAN REALLY DO. KEEPING IN MIND THAT SIX MONTHS FROM THE APPOINTMENT OF THE CITY MANAGER , THERE IS GOING TO BE A VERY CHALLENGING REVIEW MADE BY THE CITY COMMISSION AS TO THEIR MERITS AND THEIR SUCCESSES AND THEIR FAILURES, AND WHERE DO WE RANK THEM. MY SENSE OF IT WAS THAT IF WE UNLEASH HER , GIVE HER THE AUTHORITY OF THE FULL AUTHORITY OF A PERMANENTLY HIRED CITY MANAGER , WE ARE GOING TO SEE WHOLESALE CHANGE QUICKLY . WE ARE GOING TO SEE WHOLESALE CHANGE UNDER THE DOMINION AND WITH INPUT OF THE COMMISSION .
[00:35:03]
SHE HAS A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH EVERYBODY HERE , SO THAT PORTION OF THIS PROCESS DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PUT INTO PLACE WITH SOMEBODY NEW. YOU KNOW , THAT FEELING OUT PROCESS. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THAT LOCAL, ON THE GROUND KNOWLEDGE COMPONENT, TO ME , IS AS IMPORTANT AS SOMEBODY COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE. I'M SUGGESTING THAT SHE KNOWS THE CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE. SHE KNOWS WHERE THE BODIES ARE BURIED. SHE KNOWS THE SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET. SHE WAS NOT PART OF YOUR MANAGEMENTS REGIME . I THINK THAT POINT NEEDS TO BE MADE. SHE WAS AN INDEPENDENT CHARTER OFFICER OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE REPORTING DIRECTLY TO THE CITY COMMISSION, NOT TO CITY MANAGEMENT. SO THE IDEA THAT SHE'S COMPLICIT IN WHAT TO PLACE HERE -- I'M NOT SAYING ANYBODY IS SUGGESTING THAT . I JUST WANT TO MAKE THE POINT VERY CLEAR THAT SHE WAS NOT COMPLICIT IN WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE HERE. AS A MATTER OF FACT, IN MY MEETINGS, SHE WAS AN OUTSPOKEN CRITIC OF THE THINGS THAT WERE TAKING PLACE IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE . SO WHEN I LUMP ALL THOSE FACTS TOGETHER, I NEED SOMEBODY THAT CAN BE TAKING ACTION TOMORROW, THAT UNDERSTANDS WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, THE LEARNING CURVE IS NONEXISTENT , AND IF I'M DISSATISFIED IN SIX MONTHS, THEN I AM BACK TO WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW. I CAN BURN THROUGH SIX MONTHS AND WANT SOMEBODY PERFORM AND MAKE THOSE DETERMINATIONS ON MY OWN, JUST LIKE ALL OF YOU CAN. SO, MY THOUGHT WAS, SIMPLY , THAT INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, BOOTS ON THE GROUND, RESIDENT OF THE CITY, UNDERSTANDS THE COMPLEXITIES OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE , AND TRYING TO BALANCE ALL OF THOSE NEEDS AND WANTS IS A CHALLENGE. SO I THOUGHT THAT SHE COULD PROVIDE THAT , BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, AND I AM GOING TO STRESS THIS POINT, MY THOUGHT WAS UNLEASH THE HOUNDS. WE LET HER GO. WE GIVE HER THE AUTHORITY THAT SHE NEEDS AND SEE WHAT SHE CAN DO . AND IF WE ARE DISSATISFIED IN SIX MONTHS, THEN WE ARE BACK HERE AGAIN. AND THAT IS TRUE WITH ANY OF THE CANDIDATES, CANDIDLY, ANYBODY THAT WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS POSITION. SO I THOUGHT SHE HAS EARNED MY RESPECT IN THE JOB SHE HAS DONE TO DATE. JAMES, YOU WERE COMMENTING ON THAT. SHE HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL AT MAKING CHANGES WITHIN HER CONTROL.LET'S OPEN UP, LIKE I SAID, RELEASE THE HOUNDS, LET HER DO HER THING, AND SEE WHAT SHE CAN ACCOMPLISH FOR US IN SIX MONTHS, AND THEN COME BACK AND REVISIT THIS ISSUE.
>> I WANT TO ALSO SHARE THAT THE FOUR CANDIDATES , I LEARNED A LOT, AND I ENJOYED IT . I THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE ALL VERY INTERESTED AND OF HIGH CALIBER. I, TOO , SHARE A SENSE OF -- I DO NOT SEE LINDA COX AS CITY MANAGER AND STATUS QUO, BECAUSE I BELIEVE TRAN20 FOR HIS BEEN A CITY CLERK, HAS BEEN AN OBSERVER. IN HER OWN JOB, SHE IS CITY CLERK. IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT SOME OF THE REVIEWS THAT WE HAVE GIVEN HER, I REMEMBER DISTINCTLY THAT WHAT I HAVE SAID IS WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD SOMETHING IN LINDA COX THAT WAS MORE THAN A CITY CLERK. I DON'T WANT TO TAKE AWAY FROM CITY CLERKS, BECAUSE I HAVE ALSO ALWAYS SAID THAT THAT JOB HAS INCREASED IN IMPORTANCE. THE REASON IT HAS INCREASED IN IMPORTANCE IS THE CITY CLERK HAS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY OBEYS ALL OF THE RULES AND TRIES TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE NOTICE REQUIREMENTS IN THE NEWSPAPER, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT CANNOT FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE WITHIN HER CONTROL, SHE HAS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAS TO HAPPEN. AND THAT HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT. I WILL TELL YOU A STORY, BECAUSE I WAS HERE WHEN TRAN20 FOUR WAS HIRED AS A CITY CLERK. IN THE CITY CLERK BEFORE CLOSED THE OFFICE BETWEEN 12:00 AND 1:00, BECAUSE SHE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE IN THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE WHO KNEW OTHER PEOPLE'S JOBS.
EVERYBODY WAS IN THEIR LITTLE SILOS AND ONLY KNEW THEIR JOB.
AND WHEN SHE WAS HIRED , I SAID I WANT THE OFFICE OPEN BETWEEN 12:00 AND 1:00, BECAUSE THAT IS WHEN PEOPLE DO THEIR ERRANDS AND COME TO THE CITY HALL AND TRY TO GET BUSINESS DONE. AND SHE CROSSTRAINED THE EMPLOYEES IN THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, OPENED THE OFFICE IMMEDIATELY. ALSO I SAID I WANT THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE NOT TO BE , HAVE THE REPUTATION OF NOT PROVIDING PUBLIC RECORDS IN A TIMELY FASHION, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THE REPUTATION WE HAD AT THE TIME. SHE TURNED THAT AROUND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, BECAUSE SHE BEGAN PROVIDING ELECTRONIC RESPONSES TO PEOPLE . UP UNTIL THAT TIME WE HAVE BEEN PROVIDING
[00:40:02]
PAPER RESPONSES, AND PEOPLE HAD TO PAY. SO, CUSTOMER SERVICE TURNED TOTALLY AROUND UNDER MS. COX'S 1ST DAYS WHEN SHE WAS A CITY CLERK. BECAUSE OF HER BUSINESS CONTACTS AMONG PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS , WITH, WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY , BECAUSE SHE WORKED FOR THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. SHE WAS HEAD OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. THEY HAVE KEPT IN TOUCH WITH HER. THEY HAVE TRUST IN HER . THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY HAS TRUST IN HER. SHE HAS SERVED ON THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW TASK FORCE. SHE BASICALLY SERVES RIGHT NOW AS OUR BUSINESS NAVIGATOR. PEOPLE CALL HER WHENEVER THEY SAY I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT X, Y, OR Z . SHE IS A SERVICE ORIENTED PERSON IN HER JOB RIGHT NOW. I WILL HAVE TO TELL YOU , THAT I HAVE CHALLENGED HER ON MANY OCCASIONS SINCE LAST AUGUST , ARE YOU SURE THAT YOU WANT THIS JOB? BECAUSE , WE ALL KNOW THAT THE FIVE OF US ARE THE BOSSES . THE FIVE OF US HAVE DIFFERENT DEMANDS AND DIFFERENT STYLES AND DIFFERENT WISHES. WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT TIME SCHEDULES , AND IT IS A HUGE ADJUSTMENT TO WORK FOR 5 PEOPLE. IN ADDITION TO THE FACT THAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS ACCESS TO THE CITY MANAGER, TOO. AND THAT IS A HUGE TIME MANAGEMENT, BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT IF THE CITY MANAGER DOESN'T GIVE CERTAIN TIME TO CERTAIN PEOPLE , AND OUR CONSTITUENTS COME AND COMPLAIN TO US. I CAN'T GET IN TO SEE THE CITY MANAGER.WHATEVER. SO, THE DEMANDS ON THE CITY MANAGER ARE HUGE. IT , IT IS , SO, IT IS ONE THING THAT I CHALLENGED HER ABOUT, TO MAKE SURE THAT SHE WAS , IN HER HEAD , IN HER HEART , KNEW WHAT THIS JOB IS GOING TO ENTAIL. BASICALLY, WHAT SHE SHARED WITH ME IN THE INTERVIEW, AND I HAD NOT PRESSED HER TOO MUCH AHEAD OF THIS, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW SHE IS BEING, SHE IS DOING TWO JOBS FOR US, AND SHE, AND I , BUT I PRESSED HER IN THE INTERVIEW OF TELL ME WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE THAT, BECAUSE, I SAID , IN MY OPINION, YOU , YOU DID COME FROM YOU CAME FROM THE OUTSIDE, YOU CAME HERE, YOU HAVE BEEN AN OBSERVER THROUGH YOUR JOB AS THE CITY CLERK, YOU KNOW EVERY DEPARTMENT. YOU KNOW EVERY DEPARTMENT'S STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES. TELL ME WHAT YOUR PLAN IS. SHE HAS, SHE HAS BEEN LAYING OUT A PLAN AND HAS A PLAN, AND HAS, TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE THAT WE HAVE ALLOWED HER, SHE HAS MADE PERSONNEL DECISIONS . LAST NIGHT WE SAW THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR. WE, AND , IN MY OPINION , WE WILL NOT GET STATUS QUO WITH LINDA COX. I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY REMEMBER, AND THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND, AND I KNOW IT IS HARD TO UNDERSTAND, BUT THAT THERE ARE ONLY THREE PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR THIS COMMISSION .
THE CITY CLERK, THE CITY MANAGER, AND THE CITY ATTORNEY.
AND THE REST OF THE EMPLOYEES WORK FOR THE CITY MANAGER. AND SO SHE HAS BEEN A CHARTER OFFICER AND REPORTED TO US ALREADY . WE KNOW OF HER INTEGRITY AND HER WORK ETHIC .
WE KNOW WHAT THAT IS . WE DON'T, THE OTHER CANDIDATES , WHO ARE ABSOLUTELY QUALIFIED ON PAPER AND QUALIFIED IN CONVERSATION , YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT DAY-TO-DAY WORK ETHIC THEY HAVE. YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW. I AM NOT SAYING THAT THEY, THAT THEY DON'T HAVE IT, BUT WE, THIS , THIS IS A PERSON THAT WE KNOW. AND THIS IS A PERSON THAT IS KNOWN TO THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, THE ECONOMIC COMMUNITY, AND THE FORT PIERCE COMMUNITY. ANOTHER THING I WILL SAY ABOUT MS. COX IS WHEN SHE WAS HIRED , SHE DID NOT LIVE IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. WE SAID YOU MUST MOVE IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE . WITHIN TWO YEARS, SHE MOVED INTO THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. SO , SHE IS A TAXPAYER IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE , AND HAS BEEN SINCE ABOUT TWO YEARS AFTER SHE WAS HIRED. ALSO , WHEN SHE WAS HIRED, SHE BEGAN IMMEDIATELY TO GET CERTIFIED AS CLERK. AND SHE CHANGED THE SERVICE CULTURE AROUND IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE. CAN I BELIEVE THAT SHE WILL DO
[00:45:01]
THE SAME THING IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE , BECAUSE I , I DON'T WANT THE IMPRESSION LEFT, AND I'M NOT SAYING MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS SAID THIS, BUT I, I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT IS CLEAR THAT WE HAVE MANY FINE EMPLOYEES HERE WHO WANT TO DO A DO -- GOOD JOB. AND WHO WANT TO BE EMPOWERED. AND THAT IS LINDA COX'S STYLE. EMPOWERING THE PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR HER TO DO THEIR JOBS, ENCOURAGING THEM TO CHALLENGE HER IF THEY FEEL SOMETHING IS NOT GOING RIGHT , AND I THINK THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN LIGHT OF WHAT WE HAVE HAD IN THE PAST. WE NEED OUR EMPLOYEES TO KNOW THAT THEIR CONTRIBUTION IS VALUABLE , THAT THEY ARE HEARD , AND THAT THEY ARE HERE TO SERVE OUR CONSTITUENTS , THE TAXPAYERS. ONE THING I HAVE SAID TO THEM, AND I KNOW THAT LINDA COX BELIEVES THIS IS, YOU SEE , THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE EMPLOYEES HAVE EXCELLENT SALARIES , EXCELLENT BENEFITS , EXCELLENT VACATIONS, EXCELLENT RETIREMENT.THIS IS A , THIS IS A VERY GOOD PLACE TO WORK. BUT I REMIND, I WANT THEM REMINDED THAT PEOPLE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY DON'T HAVE THOSE KINDS OF BENEFITS. IN SOME PEOPLE DO WHEN THEY DON'T WORK, THEY DON'T GET PAID. SO WE WANT TO TREAT OUR TAXPAYER AS THEIR TIME IS VERY, VERY VALUABLE. VERY VALUABLE . BECAUSE THAT IS THE WORLD THAT THEY HAVE TO LIVE IN, AND WE CAN'T FORGET THAT. I KNOW THAT LINDA COX KNOWS THAT INTIMATELY , BECAUSE I , AND I HAVE WORKED WITH HER OVER THE YEARS, AND I BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE THINGS, ONE OF THE , ONE OF THE ASPECTS THAT SEEMS TO HAVE FOSTERED UP IN THIS PROCESS IS THAT SOMEHOW THE INTERNAL CANDIDATE IS NOT GOING TO BE, IS AT A DISADVANTAGE. AND I, I BELIEVE THAT THAT COULDN'T BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. I HAVE ABSOLUTE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN LINDA COX NOT ONLY TO LEAD THE CITY, TO DO IT RIGHT , BECAUSE SHE IS GOING TO FOLLOW THE RULES. SHE KNOWS THE RULES AND SHE IS GOING TO FOLLOW THE RULES, AND I BELIEVE THAT SHE WILL BE, HAVE ABSOLUTE INTEGRITY WITH DEALING WITH EACH OF US AND TREATING US AS EQUALS, BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS. WE ARE ALL EQUAL. SO I , I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT , I THINK THAT IS , THAT IS A MISPLACED IDEA THAT SOMEHOW THE INTERNAL CANDIDATE IS GOING TO JUST CONTINUE SAME OLD , SAME OLD. BECAUSE FOR MY CONVERSATIONS WITH MS. COX, NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. SHE HAS A PLAN. SHE HAS A LIST. SHE KNOWS WHAT SHE WANTS TO DO. SHE HAS EVALUATED THE DEPARTMENTS. SHE IS ANXIOUS , NOT ONLY TO GET STARTED IN MAKING THIS A BETTER PLACE IN TERMS OF THE CULTURE, BUT THE , IT'S ALREADY STARTED. IT'S ALREADY STARTED. THE
CULTURE HAS ALREADY IMPROVED. >> MADAM MAYOR?
>> YES, SIR. >> EVERYTHING YOU JUST SAID IS 100% TRUE. AND I AGREE WITH ALMOST ALL OF IT . I THINK SHE'S -- PERFECTLY QUALIFIED, PERFECTLY ABLE. I KNOW, I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT SHE WAS NOT A PART OF THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION AND THE SHENANIGANS THAT WERE GOING ON HERE IN CITY HALL. I KNOW THAT. BUT , WHEN I AM SPEAKING TO A VOTER , A TAXPAYER, A RESIDENT, WHATEVER WE WANT TO CALL THEM, A FORT PIERCE PERSON THAT IS INVESTED IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE , I AM NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SLEEP AT NIGHT IF I TELL THEM I AM COMMITTED TO TRANSPARENCY AND TO CHANGE AND TO MOVING IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION , WHEN THE HEADLINE READS WE ARE HIRING AN INTERNAL CANDIDATE. IT WON'T BE ABLE TO LIVE WITH MYSELF WITH THAT, BECAUSE PERCEPTION IS REALITY. I KNOW SHE WASN'T A PART OF THAT. I KNOW WHAT WAS A SEPARATE DEPARTMENT, BUT PERCEPTION IS REALITY. AT THE END OF THE DAY, SHE IS AN INTERNAL CANDIDATE, AND HAS BEEN AT A MAJOR DISADVANTAGE BECAUSE OF THAT, AND BECAUSE OF THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM OF WHY WE ARE HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE, AND THE EXIT OF OUR PREVIOUS CITY MANAGER. AND THAT IS UNFORTUNATE, I MEAN , TO
[00:50:03]
SAY THE LEAST. I MEAN, THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER WORDS I COULD SAY, BUT UNFORTUNATE IS THE BIGGEST. AND I, AND I HATE THAT IS THE PLACE THAT WE ARE IN. BUT , I CAN'T, I CAN'T LOOK A RESIDENT IN THE EYE AND SAY I AM COMMITTED TO MOVING IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION IF THAT'S THE CASE, AND I , THAT IS WHERE I AM AT ON THAT SITUATION. I AM HAPPY TO DEBATE, AND I, I, I REALLY REGRET THAT THAT IS WHERE I AM AT, BUT THAT , IT ISUNFORTUNATE. >> MADAM MAYOR? I WOULD LIKE TO ADD A COMMENT TO BOTH OF YOUR COMMENTS HERE. GIVEN FURTHER WHAT I AM THINKING ABOUT, RIGHT? SO , YOU MADE COMMENTS THAT YOU MADE POINTS ABOUT THE ATTRIBUTES OF MS. COX, AND I WOULD AGREE. I THINK WHAT WE HAVE UNCOVERED OVER THIS LAST YEAR IS THAT WE WERE A CITY OPERATING IN A SIDELOAD TYPE APPROACH TO BUSINESS. I HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH SIDELOAD TEAMS AND HAVE HAD TO TURN THINGS AROUND. MY APPROACH IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. AS I STATED EARLIER, WE HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY HERE TO NOT ONLY GROW THE CITY, BUT REALLY BEGAN TO PUT TOGETHER , BELIEVE IT OR NOT, A MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP TEAM THAT CAN WORK TOGETHER. I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE OPPORTUNITY THAT IS BEFORE US. THE END OF THIS DAIS, THAT YOUNG MAN IS LEAVING US WITH ALL OF THAT EXPERIENCE. THERE WERE STEPS PUT INTO PLACE WHERE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE THAT, AND I AGREE THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS GOING FORWARD. I SEE, IF WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS , TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A TEAM, A DREAM TEAM FOR THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE THAT WE ALL CAN ASPECTS OF GETTING INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, GETTING A TEAM THAT WORKS TOGETHER. YOU KNOW , WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE, I USED TO TAKE MY MEETINGS SEPARATELY. I'VE USED TO HAVE MS. COX THAT I WOULD MEET WITH OR TALK TO AND SOMETHING HIT ME AND SAID LET'S MEET , SO ALL THREE OF US IN MY STAFF MEETINGS ARE THERE. I TOOK IT FROM EITHER YOU OR SOMEBODY ELSE THAT'S DOING IT. I SAID LET ME TRY THIS AND SEE HOW IT WORKS. IT WORKED PRETTY WELL. I THINK THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, RIGHT? KIND OF THE TAIL END, BUT I SEE THAT GOING FORWARD. WHEN I AM SITTING IN MY STAFF MEETINGS, OFTENTIMES THERE IS INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, THERE ARE LEGAL PARAMETERS, THERE IS MAYBE A NEW IDEA THAT HAS NOT BEEN THOUGHT ABOUT COMING FROM THE COMMUNITY. I SEE THAT IS A WIN-WIN FOR THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE BASED ON THE CHOICE THAT I MADE FOR CITY MANAGER. THOSE THREE, SITTING IN THE ROOM, PULLING THE BEST OUT OF EVERYTHING FROM INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE , BECAUSE I, TOO, ASKED THAT QUESTION OF ALL OF MY CANDIDATES, BECAUSE IN THE BACK OF MY MIND I WANTED TO KNOW WHO HAD THE WHEREWITHAL TO COME IN AND BE ABLE TO TALK TO HR AND SAY OKAY, GIVE ME THE LIST OF PEOPLE THAT MAY BE ON CORRECTIVE ACTION PLANS, WHATEVER WE CALL THEM HERE. I DON'T KNOW THAT. BUT TO WALK IN AND SAY OKAY, GIVEN THAT SITUATION, HOW WOULD YOU REACT TO THIS. I PARTICULARLY ASKED THAT OF THE EXTERNAL CANDIDATES DEEPLY BECAUSE I KNEW MS. COX'S STANCE ON THIS. WE HAVE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THINGS SHE HAS IDENTIFIED , ET CETERA. WHAT I DID NOT KNOW WHERE THE EXTERNAL CANDIDATES. HOW COMFORTABLE ARE YOU TO COME INTO A SITUATION AND HOW QUICKLY CAN YOU GET UP TO SPEED, AND HOW QUICKLY COULD YOU MAKE A DECISION THAT COULD PROBABLY CHANGE SOMEBODY'S LIFE BECAUSE IT MAY BE A SEPARATION FROM THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. THAT MEANT A LOT TO ME AS AN HR PROFESSIONAL TO UNDERSTAND THE PSYCHE OF THAT. I CAN TELL YOU, ONE OF THOSE CANDIDATES WAS VERY COMFORTABLE IN BEING ABLE TO WALK IN TO DO THAT. THEN AGAIN DROVE MY CHOICE. SOME OF THE OTHER CANDIDATES WEREN'T SO COMFORTABLE WITH IT . AND SO, YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENT IS GOVERNMENT, BUT THIS GOVERNMENT IS, IS ATTEMPTING TO RUN LIKE A BUSINESS. GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE . HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE .
GETTING PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT POSITIONS IF THEY ARE NOT . OR SEPARATING PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT JUST PERFORMING IN THE ASPECTS OF WHAT NEED TO BE PERFORMD IN HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE AND SETTING THE EXAMPLE. I SEE US WITH THIS OPPORTUNITY, AND KNOWING WHAT IS COMING DOWN OUR, WHAT I'M GOING TO CALL OUR HUMAN CAPITAL CLIFF , BECAUSE WE ARE ABOUT TO LOSE SOME PEOPLE, SOME TALENTED PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING ON TO RETIREMENT. AND MY CONCERN IS SHIFTING MS. COX FROM A JOB THAT SHE HAS NOT ONLY BUILT THEM A BUILD THAT TEAM, AND NOW I HAVE TO GO FIND A CITY CLERK. WITH THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT YOU SAID THAT ARE EVER-INCREASING FOR A CITY CLERK. AND THAT CONCERNS ME. SO I AM TRYING TO RETAIN TOP TALENT , PUT TOP TALENT IN POSITIONS OF GREATER AUTHORITY , AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, BRING IN A RESOURCE THAT CAN GALVANIZE THIS TEAM , FOR MY THREE CONSTITUTIONAL
[00:55:06]
OFFICERS THAT I TALKED TO. THAT IS MY APPROACH FOR THIS. IT IS A BLEND OF WHAT YOU BOTH SAID IS I WOULD ASK YOU TO THINK ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE IT GIVES THIS CITY SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T HAVERIGHT NOW. >> I WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND BRIEFLY TO THAT. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, YOUR POINTS ARE BEDROCK , NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT. I HAVE BEEN IN THIS SEAT 2.25 YEARS GIVE OR TAKE. THANK YOU FOR DOING THE MATH OVER THERE. I SEE YOU COUNTING. RIGHT AROUND THERE. MY SENSE OF URGENCY , MY SENSE OF NEEDING URGENT CHANGE IS MY COMPELLING FACTOR . I WOULD ASK MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE LOOKING AT THEIR PRIMARY SELECTIONS ARE AN OUTSIDE CANDIDATE, ARE WE GOING TO GIVE UP SIX MONTHS, ARE WE GOING TO GIVE UP A YEAR, ARE WE GOING TO GIVE UP 18 MONTHS WHILE THE LEARNING CURVE IS STRAIGHT UP? BECAUSE THIS BODY DOESN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE THE CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE RIGHT NOW . IN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH MS. COX, SHE HAS A PLAN READY TO EXECUTE STARTING TOMORROW MORNING . THAT TO ME IS OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE THAT I DON'T HAVE SIX MONTHS TO WAIT. I DON'T HAVE ONE YEAR TO WAIT.
IN MY ESTIMATION, CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG, THAT THE LEARNING CURVE INTERNAL TO THE CITY GOVERNMENT , AND EXTERNALLY TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY , IS A MINIMUM OF TWO YEARS. I'M NOT SURE YOU CAN EVEN ACCOMPLISH IT IN TWO YEARS TO GET TO KNOW THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THE MOVERS AND SHAKERS IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, ET CETERA. NEVERMIND CITY HALL HAS TO BE DEALT WITH FIRST. THAT IS THEIR FIRST FOCUS. THAT IS WHY MY FIRST QUESTION TO EACH CANDIDATE WAS TELL ME WHAT YOUR PLAN IS, WHAT IS YOUR PLAN DAY ONE. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO EXECUTE ON? THE ONLY PERSON THAT GAVE ME AN ANSWER THAT HAD SPECIFICS IN IT WAS MS. COX. THE REASON BEING SHE HAS BEEN IN THE JOB FOR 6 MONTHS. WE HAVE TIED HER HANDS NOT ALLOWING HER TO MAKE THESE CHANGES, AND UNDERSTANDABLY SO .
JAMES, I WILL RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON AGENT OF CHANGE. I BELIEVE WITH HER BACKGROUND, SHE HAS THE ABILITY TO COME IN AND EFFECTUATE INSTANT CHANGE , COMPELLING CHANGE THAT IS GOING TO BE PICKED UP BY ALL THE MEDIA HERE AND ON THE NEWS CONTINUOUSLY . I'M CONFIDENT OF THAT BECAUSE SHE HAS SHARED WITH ME HER DETAILS FOR HER IMMEDIATE ACTION PLAN TO UNDERTAKE THAT. AND I COME BACK TO THE SIX MONTH TIMELINE. WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE CITY MANAGER'S ACTIVITIES IN SIX MONTHS. IN SIX MONTHS, TURN 25 HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO PRODUCE A RESULT OF THIS BODY IS LOOKING FOR, WE WILL TRANSITION TO ANOTHER CANDIDATE. MY COMPARABLE TO THAT AS WE SELECT AN OUTSIDE CANDIDATE TO COME IN AND EFFECTUATE CHANGE , IT IS NOT EVEN GOING TO START DURING THAT SIX-MONTH PERIOD. WE WILL BE SITTING THERE REVIEWING THEM IN SIX MONTHS SAYING WHAT HAVE YOU ACCOMPLISHED. I LOOK AT IT FROM THE DETAILS OF WHAT HAS TRANSFERRED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. WE HAVE TWO NEW DEPARTMENT HEADS. THOSE ARE BIG HIRES. ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS . PUBLIC WORKS IS ONE OF THE LARGEST APARTMENTS IN THE CITY WITH THE MOST STAFF I THINK NEXT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. I THINK IT IS THE NEXT LARGEST STAFFING. WE NOW HAVE A NEW TEAM AND THAT -- PLACE TO GET THAT ORGANIZATION STRAIGHTENED OUT. WHERE SHE HAS BEEN ABLE TO TAKE ACTION, IT HAS BEEN SWIFT AND EFFECTIVE FOR WORKING WITH OF COURSE OUR HR DEPARTMENT. ONCE AGAIN HIT IT OUT OF THE PARK ON THOSE RECENT ENGAGEMENTS. I DO BELIEVE WE HAVE A TEAM BEING COALESCED NOW. AND I BELIEVE SHE CAN BE AN EFFECTIVE AGENT OF CHANGE STARTING IMMEDIATELY . AND THAT SENSE OF URGENCY , GUYS, IS OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE TO ME. I CANNOT GET A WORKAROUND ON THAT IN BRINGING IN SOMEBODY NEW. I CANNOT IN MY MIND SQUARE IT UP. THEY SIMPLY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF OPERATIONS. I BROUGHT UP A COUPLE OF OUR HOT BUTTON TOPICS ARE SOME OF THE CANDIDATES. KING'S LANDING. THEY LOOKED AT ME LIKE, WHAT IS AT KING'S LANDING? IS THAT THE SHOW ON TV? SO, I, I AM REALLY CHALLENGED BY THAT, AND I AM VERY, VERY CONCERNED THAT A VACUUM OF LEADERSHIP FOR 6 MONTHS, A YEAR, 18 MONTHS , I DON'T KNOW HOW WE ARE GOING TO MANAGE THAT. IN A NORMAL SCENARIO THAT WE WOULD HAVE THE EXIT OR RETIREMENT OF A CITY MANAGER , AND A REPLACEMENT BEING TRAINED. WE DON'T HAVE THAT LUXURY. AND ON-THE-JOB TRAINING FOR SOMEBODY NEW COMING IN, ESPECIALLY TO THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE , WHICH WE HAVE TO ADMIT THE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT HERE IS VOLATILE. THERE IS NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT. WE NEED TO EFFECTUATE CHANGE IMMEDIATELY ,
[01:00:01]
AND I DON'T SEE HOW AN OUTSIDE CANDIDATE IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW US TO GET TO THAT POINT. MS. COX'S PLAN IS DETAILED . IT IS DIFFICULT. IT IS GOING TO BE A DIFFICULT IMPLEMENTATION.THERE IS GOING TO BE CHALLENGES WITH IT . HOWEVER , I BELIEVE SHE IS TOUGH ENOUGH. THERE IS ONE THING THAT I RESPECT ABOUT LINDA. IN MY COMPANY WHEN I MAKE A DECISION, NOBODY SAYS NO TO ME . IT IS MY DECISION. IT IS MY MONEY. IT WAS A BAD DECISION.
I'VE EARNED IT. HERE, I BROUGHT UP SOME PRETTY BAD IDEAS, AND HER RESPONSE HAS BEEN NO , THAT IS AN AWFUL IDEA. WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO THAT. SHE IS NOT AFRAID TO PUSH BACK ON THE COMMISSIONERS. SHE IS NOT A YES PERSON. I'M SUGGESTING TO YOU FOLKS THAT I WOULD REALLY LIKE SOMEBODY TO EXPLAIN TO ME HOW WE ARE GOING TO MANAGE THROUGH THE NEXT YEAR OR 18 MONTHS WHILE SOMEBODY IS GETTING THEIR FEET UNDER THEM AND TRYING TO GET UP TO SPEED. WE ARE LOSING OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, ONE OF OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS WITHIN TWO MONTHS GIVE OR TAKE? THAT IS A 60 DAY WINDOW AND THEN THAT ENTIRE SUPPORT SYSTEM IS GONE.
SO I AM JUST SUGGESTING HERE THAT WE GIVE HER THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE JOB, TAKE THE HANDCUFFS OFF, LET HER DO THE JOB , AND REASSESS IT IN SIX MONTHS AND SEE HOW SHE HAS DONE.
>> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK , THANK YOU FOR THAT. I'LL BE, I WILL GO ON RECORD TO SAY I'M NOT LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY TO COME HERE AND MAKE A CHANGE TOMORROW. I WANT SOMEBODY TO COME IN HERE AND LOOK AT EVERYTHING , AND SEE WHAT EVERYTHING IS. YOU SAID EARLIER THAT SHE KNOWS EVERYTHING. SHE KNOWS WHERE YOU SAID ALL OF THE HIDDEN BONES ARE. YOU SAID THAT. I WANT SOMEBODY TO COME IN AND LOOK AT OTHER SPOTS WHERE THE HIDDEN BONES ARE NOT AND FIND THOSE BONES AND BRING THEM TO OUR ATTENTION. I THINK WE ARE SELLING THESE UNDER CANDIDATES SHORT BY SAYING THAT THEY CAN'T COME IN AND HIT THE FLOOR RUNNING RIGHT AWAY, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE DOING RIGHT NOW IN THEIR JOBS. IT IS NOT LIKE THEY ARE SITTING THERE AT HOME , NOT DOING THEIR JOBS RIGHT NOW -- I HAVE AN ISSUE, JUST LIKE COMMISSIONER TAYLOR. I'M GOING TO HAVE A BAD ISSUE , OR I'M GOING TO HAVE A BAD PROBLEM LOOKING AT A RESIDENT AND SAYING THAT THIS IS NOT STATUS QUO. I KNOW I WILL LIKE YOU SAID AND LIKE THE MAYOR SAID , THAT SHE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. NOTHING. THEY DON'T REPORT TO HER. THE CITY ATTORNEY DOESN'T REPORT TO THE CITY MANAGER. GO READ OUR CHARTER, AND YOU WILL SEE IT CLEAR AS DAY. HOWEVER, THE PERCEPTION TO ME, AS YOU SAID, THE IMMEDIATE CHANGE, THE PERCEPTION TO ME THAT WE WILL SEND TO THE PUBLIC IS THAT WE ARE STATUS QUO , AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MS. COX. I HAVE WORKED WITH MS. COX SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE , SINCE YOU SAID, 2.25, I'VE BEEN HERE 3.25. I WAS HERE BEFORE YOU PICS IF YOU SAID 2.25 I AM AT 3.25. I HAVE WORKED WITH HER, I WORKED WITH HER BEFORE I GOT HERE, BECAUSE WE HAD TO SIGN THEM PAPER . CALL THEM PAPERS. YOU HAD TO SIGN THE PAPERS. SHE WAS LIKE, I'M GOING TO READ THE PAPERS. COME AND SIGN THE PAPERS. READ THE PAPERS. DO YOU REMEMBER THAT? READ THE PAPERS.
SO I READ THE PAPERS. SO I GET IT. IT'S NOT ABOUT, IT IS NOT ABOUT HER CAPABILITIES. IF IT WAS THAT, WE WOULD NOT HAVE LISTED HER FOR EVEN AN INTERVIEW. I KNOW WHAT SHE HAS DONE. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOMEBODY COME IN FRESH. I UNDERSTAND, AND I DON'T THINK , FROM YOUR CONCERNS OF THE LEARNING CURVE , I THINK THEY ARE READY TO JUMP IN. I ASKED THE SAME QUESTIONS YOU ASKED ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES AROUND HERE, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU GOT THE ANSWERS YOU GOT. I WASN'T IN YOUR ROOM. A LOT OF LAUGHTER IN MY ROOM, BECAUSE SOME OF THE STUFF THEY WERE TELLING ME I HAD TO LAUGH BECAUSE IT BUT IT WAS FUNNY, TOO, THAT I WAS ASKING. YOU BROUGHT UP KING'S LANDING. MY CANDIDATE, THE WHEN I CHOSE , HE ASKED A QUESTION, HE SAID, WELL , CAN YOU TELL ME HOW THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT WAS PUT INTO PLACE ? AND I SAID , I CAN TELL YOU WHAT I WAS TOLD, BECAUSE I WASN'T HERE. AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE AGREEMENT WAS PUT IN PLACE , AND AFTER THE AGREEMENT WAS PUT IN PLACE, IT WAS GIVEN TO LEGAL TO LOOK FOR FORMAT ,
[01:05:02]
FORMAT AND CORRECTION OF HOWEVER YOU WRITE IT. IF I'M WRONG, THAT'S WHAT I WAS TOLD. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WASN'T IN THE INITIAL NEGOTIATIONS. HE SAID THAT TO HIM WAS ASININE, BECAUSE HOW CAN YOU NOT HAVE LEGAL EYES ON SOMETHING WHEN A PROJECT OF THAT MAGNITUDE 1ST COMES IN YOUR DOOR ? SO I , THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS. NOW, YOUR, YOUR CANDIDATE , YOUR CANDIDATE , DEREK , WE SAID TODAY, ARNOLD , DEREK. I SAY JUST CARMI ARNOLD AND HE SAID JUST CALL ME TARIK. SO, YOUR CANDIDATE SAID THE SAME THINGS THAT SOMEBODY SAID THAT, YOU KNOW , THERE IS A TEAM.THERE IS A IMMUNO, CHAIN OF COMMAND , AND HE WILL RELY HEAVILY ON HIS MILITARY, HIS MILITARY TRAINING. THAT, THAT , THAT , NOTHING WRONG WITH MILITARY . MILITARY PEOPLE, PLEASE DO NOT WRITE ME. PLEASE DO NOT CALL ME. I UNDERSTAND THE TRAINING, BUT WE HAVE GONE THROUGH THAT IN SUCH A WAY WHERE WE HAD SOMEONE WHO WALKED DOWN THAT PATH. SO , I CHOSE MR. CHESS , BECAUSE I WANTED TO BRING SOMEBODY IN THAT COULD HAVE THE EXPERIENCE . HE'S DONE IT , TO FIND THE BONES THAT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT . I HOPE HE LOOKS AND THERE ARE NO BONES WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT, BUT I WANT HIM TO FIND THOSE BASED ON HIS EXPERIENCE IN TWO STATES , THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND THE STATE OF FLORIDA , AS AN AUDITOR . THAT IS SOMETHING THAT , A SKILL SET THAT A LOT OF US DON'T HAVE. HE IS ACTUALLY WORKING AS AN ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER , OVER AT TRANSIT WITH 16,000 EMPLOYEES UNDER HIS HAND RIGHT NOW BASED
>> 16,000. I'M SORRY. 16,000. >> 1600?
>>'S 1600 RIGHT NOW. WITH THE TRANSIT DEPARTMENT DOWN THERE IS A BIG PART OF BROWARD COUNTY ECONOMICS , MONEY , BECAUSE THEY GOT THEM EVERYWHERE. HE'S BRINGING IN, YOU TALKED ABOUT, MADAM MAYOR , YOU TALKED ABOUT THE ECONOMIC AND THE BUSINESSES AND THE WHATEVER. HE'S COMING IN AND STILL HAS TIES FROM, FROM , FROM NEW YORK. HE HAS TIES FROM GEORGIA. HE HAS TIES FROM BROWARD COUNTY. HE HAS THE CONNECTIONS TO BRING PEOPLE TO FORT PIERCE. HE KNOWS WHEN OUR JEWEL IS IN FORT PIERCE. HE WANTS TO PRESERVE THAT. BUT HE ALSO KNOWS WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN. HE KNEW IT. SO , ALL I AM SAYING IS I GET YOU. I HAVE TO DISAGREE WITH YOU IF YOU WANT SOMETHING IMMEDIATELY. I DON'T WANT ANYTHING IMMEDIATELY DONE, BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE HAVE DONE SOMETHING IMMEDIATELY, WE GOT TO GO BACK AND FIX IT . WE GOT TO GO BACK AND FIX IT. SO LET'S BRING SOMEBODY IN, LOOK, THEY ARE READY , THEY ARE READY TO GO . GET THEM IN READY TO GO , AND WE GO FROM THERE. AGAIN , THERE IS NOTHING THAT I CAN SAY THAT MS. COX DID ANYTHING WRONG . I WILL BE UP HERE AND SAY SHE DID EVERYTHING WE ASKED HER TO DO. I AGREE WITH YOU GUYS . WE PUT HER IN A POSITION AND WE HANDCUFFED HER. I AGREE WITH THAT. THAT'S FACT. THAT'S IN THE RECORDS THAT SHE CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH. WE MADE THAT DECISION. HOWEVER, AT NO TIME DID WE SAY THAT THOSE SIX MONTHS WAS GOING TO TURN INTO A PERMANENT POSITION. WE WENT THROUGH AN INTERVIEW. WE ALWAYS SAID THAT. AND SO, WE SET WE WERE GOING TO SELECT THE BEST CANDIDATE. AND THAT IS WHAT I TRIED TO DO BASED ON WHAT I'VE READ, BASED ON MY REVIEWS , BASED ON TALKING TO ELECTED OFFICIALS IN BROWARD COUNTY. THAT IS WHY I CAME TO MY DECISION. SO I , I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER TAYLOR. IT IS GOING TO BE HARD FOR ME TO LOOK AT A RESIDENT AND SAY THAT WE DID NOT DO STATUS QUO. IT JUST IS. I AGREE WITH THAT. AND WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER BRODERICK, I'M WITH YOU , AND I UNDERSTAND YOU ARE ADAMANT FOR CHANGE AND YOU WANTED IT YESTERDAY. CAN YOU ACTUALLY LIKE THAT ABOUT YOU , BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT AFRAID TO
[01:10:02]
SAY IT, BUT AT THIS POINT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING SOMEBODY IN WITH SOME NEW EYES, AND THAT IS WHERE I'M GOING.YOU ARE GOING WITH CHANGE , I AM GOING WITH NEW EYES. IT'S SOMETHING, I DON'T KNOW IF CURTIS SAID IT OR YOU SAID IT.
MAYBE YOU SAID IT, MR. TAYLOR, THAT, THAT THE CANDIDATES , THE CANDIDATES, THE LIST, SOMEBODY SAID THE THREE ON OUR LIST -- YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO PAT MYSELF ON THE BACK, BECAUSE IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE FIRST MEETING AND THE FOUR NAMES THAT I SELECTED, THEY ARE STILL HERE. YOU KNOW , I GOT SPOOKED AWAY, BUT THEY ARE STILL HERE. SO, RIGHT? SO THAT IS WHERE WE ARE. THAT IS WHERE WE ARE. SO , ALL OF THE CANDIDATES CAME IN AND DID WHAT WE ASKED THEM TO DO, BUT RIGHT NOW, MY DRIVING FORCE IS NEW EYES ON THE PROBLEM. IT IS AS SIMPLE AS
THAT. >> I GUESS I REALLY, I HAVE TO DISAGREE. I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM , AND I, I WAS ALSO ON THE BALLOT THIS TIME, SO I HAVE NO PROBLEM SAYING TO PEOPLE THAT , AND MANY PEOPLE THAT I KNOW KNOW MS. COX. AND SO , AND , AND MOST PEOPLE , IF YOU DON'T WORK HERE IN THE CITY, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE CHARTER OFFICER THING WORKS. EVEN IF YOU TRY TO EXPLAIN IT TO PEOPLE, THEY STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.
AND, BUT , I , I HAVE NO PROBLEM , I, I'M SORRY , I WOULD NOT LOSE A WINK OF SLEEP. I DON'T KNOW, YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE TALKED TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAN I HAVE TALKED TO, BUT, BUT, I JUST HAVE THE CONFIDENCE IN MS. COX TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE BUDGET, THE STAFF, WHATEVER CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE. YOU'VE GOT 400, 300+ EMPLOYEES OUT THERE, THEY ARE LISTING TO US SAYING WHAT ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT? WHAT ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT WE NEED CHANGE. THERE , ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS HAPPENED BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR PREVIOUS CITY MANAGER AND THE SUDDENNESS OF IT AND THE WAY THIS HAS PLAYED OUT HIS PEOPLE, OUR STAFF NEEDS STABILITY, AND NEEDS IT RIGHT NOW. WE NEED SOMEBODY WHO UNDERSTANDS WHO THE STAFF PEOPLE ARE WHO ARE DOING THEIR JOB, PERFORMING AS THEY SHOULD , AND PULLING THEIR WEIGHT, AND WHO IS NOT. THAT, THAT IS TO ME , ONE OF THE CHANGES IS WHAT IS EXPECTED OF YOU? EXCELLENCE. AND DO IT. AS LONG AS YOU DO YOUR JOB, YOU ARE FINE. AND, BUT THAT IS BADLY NEEDED. I SHARE COMMISSIONER BRODERICK'S CONCERN OF THAT IS NEEDED YESTERDAY . AND A , I LOOK AT IT TOTALLY DIFFERENT. A NEW PERSON COMING IN FROM THE OUTSIDE, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO SAY, OH, WE DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE BROWARD COUNTY. THEY ARE GOING TO SAY WE DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE FORT LAUDERDALE, IS WHAT THEY SAY ALL THE TIME. FORT PIERCE, FORT LAUDERDALE. SO , THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO EXPLAIN. NO, NO, NO, HE'S NOT GOING TO MAKE IT LIKE FORT LAUDERDALE. NO. NO. NO. THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO EXPLAIN. AND LAST NIGHT, COMMISSIONER BRODERICK, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT YOU KNEW BY THE TIME EVERYBODY LEFT AFTER THE LITTLE GEM THING THAT THE WORD WOULD BE OUT THERE AND THE MISINFORMATION WOULD CONTINUE. AND IN MY LITTLE ABILITY TO VIEW ON SOCIAL MEDIA THIS MORNING, YOU WERE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. Q WERE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. YOU , YOU CAN TALK TO CONSTITUENTS , AND YOU CAN EXPLAIN TO THEM , AND THEY MAY OR MAY NOT ACCEPT IT OR UNDERSTAND. TO USE IT ON THIS SIDE OF THE DESK, SOMETIMES YOU REALLY DON'T GET IT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY , NOT ONLY OF THE PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR THE CITY, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE NOT WORKING DIRECTLY FOR YOU. THEY ARE WORKING FOR THE CHARTER OFFICERS, MOSTLY FOR THE CITY MANAGER, YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY NOT ONLY FOR THE STAFF, BUT ALSO FOR THE CONSTITUENTS. SO, I BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE HAVE IS THE FURTHEST THING FROM STATUS QUO. I KNOW THAT YOU SAID IT IS PERCEPTION, AND, BUT, THERE ARE A LOT OF MISPERCEPTIONS THAT HAVE TO BE CORRECTED ALL THE TIME. AND I WOULD STAND UP, AND I DO STAND UP FOR THE FACT THAT I KNOW THAT
[01:15:06]
, BECAUSE OF THE SILOS AND THE POSITION THAT 25 WAS IN, SHE HAS HAD A FRONT ROW SEAT OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THIS CITY, AND NOW HAS AN ACTIVE PLAN TO MAKE THIS A BETTER PLACE , INCLUDING BUDGETING . AND I, I SHARE YOUR, YOUR , YOUR ADMIRATION FOR MR. CHESS'S , YOU KNOW, FINANCE , HE'S VERY STRONG IN FINANCE.VERY STRONG IN THE AUDITING. I WAS IMPRESSED WITH THAT. I THINK THAT THAT IS, IS A , IS A BIG STRENGTH FOR HIM. HIS, HIS, MOSTLY HIS WORK HAS BEEN IN TRANSIT . AND SO, AND THERE PROBABLY WAS A LITTLE BIT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THAT.
BUT MS. COX KNOWS THE PLAYERS IN ST. LUCIE COUNTY, WORKS WITH THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WORKS WITH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, AND THE ADMINISTRATOR OF PORT ST. LUCIE, WORKS WITH THE EDC HAS ALL OF THOSE CONTACTS ALREADY ESTABLISHED. IT, IT IS WHAT SHE HAS MADE THIS A SMOOTH TRANSITION . AND , AND WHAT SHE IS NOW BEING DESCRIBED AS IN A DISADVANTAGED WAY , BECAUSE SHE HAS MADE IT A SMOOTH TRANSITION .
>> MADAM MAYOR , CAN I , CAN I COME I CANNOT COMMENT BACK ON SOMETHING YOU SAID, BECAUSE SOMETHING YOU SAID EARLIER, THAT YOU TALKED TO MR., COMMISSIONER TAYLOR THAT WE MUST BE TALKING TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE. I, I HAVE TALKED TO CITY STAFF . I HAVE TALKED TO PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY . AND SITTING HERE LISTENING TO YOU WITH MS. COX'S CONNECTIONS AND EVERYTHING , I AM STARTING TO BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE TELLING YOU ONE THING , AND THEY ARE SAYING SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT TO ME. STAFF HERE , PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY ARE, ARE, ARE NOT SAYING WHAT YOU ARE SAYING. MAYBE THEY ARE SAYING THAT TO YOU. THEY ARE NOT SAYING THAT TO ME. SO I HAVE TO LISTEN. I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE -- LET ME, I KNOW THE PEOPLE THAT DON'T LIKE MS. COX. EVERYBODY KNOWS THE PEOPLE. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE. I'M TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE THAT I WENT OUT AND SAID , HEY, GUYS, WE ARE IN THIS PROCESS. WHAT YOU THINK? AND I GOT OPINIONS FROM PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY. I GOT OPINIONS ON PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. I GOT I'M NOT GOING TO CALL ON NO NAMES, BECAUSE I DON'T DO THAT.
IF YOU DID THE SAME THING AND THEY ARE TELLING YOU WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, I BELIEVE THEY ARE TELLING YOU SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND THEY ARE LOOKING AT ME AND TELLING ME SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
SO I'M JUST TELLING YOU THAT I GUESS IF YOU ASKED A QUESTION AND I COME BACK AND ASK A QUESTION, YOU GET AN ANSWER THAT THEY THINK YOU WANT AND THEY COULD BE GIVING ME THE ANSWER THAT THEY THINK I WANT. BUT IT IS NOT, WHAT YOU ARE HEARING AND WHAT YOU ARE SAYING , I DID NOT HEAR THAT. AND SO I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT ON AND TAKE IT OUT WITHOUT TALKING. I'M NOT POINTING ANYBODY OUT, YOU KNOW , IN THIS PUBLIC HEARING, CALLING ANY EMPLOYEES NAMES OR THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT I DID A LOT OF TALKING ABOUT THIS PROCESS GOING FORWARD, AND I ASKED PEOPLE POINT LINK, YOU KNOW, DO YOU WANT MS. COX AS THE CITY MANAGER? DO YOU WANT US TO GO OUT AND, AND LOOK FOR SOMEBODY ? AND I GOT, IF SHE IS THE BEST CANDIDATE -- ONE OF THE THINGS I GOT IS IF SHE'S THE BEST CANDIDATE, I CAN DEAL WITH THAT.
BUT IF THERE ARE OTHER CANDIDATES, PLEASE LOOK AT THEM, TOO, IN A NUTSHELL. AND THAT'S WHAT I DID. I HEAR YOU. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT. I AGREE WITH YOU THAT MAYBE YOU AND I ARE GETTING DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT RESPONSES.
>> AND I WILL ALSO SAY THAT WE, WE'VE LEARNED, I THINK I HAVE TO LEARN IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN, THAT NOBODY LIKES THE BOSS, RIGHT? AT EVERY ORGANIZATION I'VE EVER BEEN IN, IF YOU START
ASKING PEOPLE, YEAH, YOU -- >> LET ME, LET ME, I'VE BEEN SITTING HERE LISTENING TO SOME THINGS AND BOTH OF YOU HAVE IN COMMON ABOUT THE PLANS OF MS. COX. AND MAYBE I DIDN'T GET THE DETAIL THAT YOU GOT HER WENT TO THE LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING THAT.
IT SOUNDS LIKE SHE HAS LAID OUT DAY ONE PEOPLE THAT EITHER HAVE CHALLENGED OR MAYBE IN THE RUNGS POSITIONS OR WHATEVER. THAT CONCERNS ME . I'M LOOKING AT TRYING TO RUN A CITY RIGHT NOW WITH $63 MILLION. WE ARE TRYING TO FIND RESOURCES OUT HERE TO
[01:20:04]
MAKE SURE WE HAVE THINGS IN PLACE . WHAT I CAN TELL YOU ABOUT WHOLESALE CHANGE, IMMEDIATELY , IT CAUSES PANIC AND CHAOS . CAN THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE SHIP THAT MAY BE DOING OKAY OR MAYBE SALVAGEABLE WILL JUMP OFF OF THE SHIP, ALONG WITH THE PEOPLE WHO GET REMOVED FROM THE SHIP. AND THEN YOU HAVE TO TRY TO SETTLE THIS CULTURE OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO WE KEEP THIS THING TOGETHER, BECAUSE PEOPLE AT THAT POINT ARE MAKING THE DECISION THAT I AM OUT. THAT FRIGHTENS ME. IT FRIGHTENS ME TO THE POINT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE AT THE CLIFF OF RETIREMENT THAT ARE LEAVING, INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE , AND MORE IMPORTANTLY , WHAT FRIGHTENS ME IS HOW DO WE REPLACE THAT. THE COST OF HUMAN CAPITAL HAS GONE UP , MEANING WHEN WE HIRE PEOPLE NOW , THEY COST MORE THAN PROBABLY WHAT WE ARE PAYING RIGHT NOW, IF WE ARE GOING TO GET QUALITY PEOPLE IN THESE POSITIONS. I CAN RESPECT THAT THERE IS A PLAN IN ADDRESSING CERTAIN ISSUES, BUT IN THE BACK OF MY MIND, THAT ALSO WEIGHS INTO THAT ABILITY OF THAT CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICER DOING THAT AND NOT BLOWING A HOLE IN THE BUDGET, PUTTING US IN A POSITION OF HOW DO WE EVEN CONTINUE TO GET STAFF TO WANT TO COME TO WORK. THAT CONCERNS ME. THE LEVEL OF CONVERSATION AND DETAIL MAYBE THAT YOU'VE HAD MAY NOT FRIGHTEN YOU , BUT IT CAUSES ME SOME CONCERN . A LOT OF CONCERN. DON'T GET ME WRONG . I AM NOT HERE ADVOCATING FOR PEOPLE NOT DOING THEIR JOB , THE STATUS QUO OF NOT HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE, THE STATUS QUO OF WORKING IN A SILO. I HAVE LONG BEEN OVER THAT. I GET IT. BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT THERE IS AN ART TO THIS, AND SOMETIMES WHEN YOU GET THAT IN THE HAMMER COMES DOWN HARD FOR YOU, THERE ARE, THERE IS SOME COLLATERAL DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF THAT, AND SO , WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL. THAT IS ALL I AM SAYING. AGAIN, I GO BACK TO THE POINT NO ONE IS TRYING TO LOSE THE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF MS. COX. I THINK SHE IS A VALUABLE MEMBER OF THE TEAM THAT CAN HELP US BUILD A DREAM TEAM FOR THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE , ADDING A NEW PERSON TO THAT I CAN BRING THEIR EXPERIENCE. AND I WANT TO SAY THIS, WE ARE ABOUT TO ENTER INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS, AND I SPECIFICALLY DRILL DOWN WITH EACH CANDIDATE, AND I GOT DOWN TO TWO THAT REALLY TALKS TO ME IN DEPTH ABOUT BUDGET . I ASKED THEM ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH ZERO-BASED VERSUS BUILDING BUDGETS VERSUS HOW WOULD YOU, HOW DO YOU CURRENTLY DO BUDGET, BECAUSE I REALLY WANTED TO SEE THEIR PHILOSOPHY ON BUDGETING. BECAUSE OUR BUDGETING RIGHT NOW, IF WE REALLY WERE FRANK ABOUT IT, WE DON'T DO BUDGET IN THE CITY. WE MOVE SOME NUMBERS AROUND A BALANCE SOMETHING.THERE HAS NOT TRULY BEEN AN AUDIT. I GOT THAT FROM MR. CHESS , BECAUSE HE BEGAN TO TAKE INTO QUESTIONING PARTS OF THE BUDGET THAT HE KNEW WHERE THINGS WERE AND HOW DO WE BEGIN TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS TO REALLY ON SURFACE WE MAY HAVE $7 MILLION SITTING IN AN ACCOUNT SOMEWHERE THAT WE DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ASKING IN THAT BUDGET PROCESS FOR JUSTIFICATION. SO, THOSE THINGS WEIGH HEAVY ON ME BECAUSE OF THE FINANCIAL POSITION THAT WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW IS A CITY, AND WHAT I KNOW THAT'S COMING.
WE DO NEED TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THOSE AREAS IN OUR CITY THAT WE HAVE TO INVEST IN. PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC WORKS. AND THOSE ARE THE BIGGEST DEPARTMENT AND THEY COST A LOT OF MONEY.
AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THAT RIGHT, BECAUSE WITHOUT THOSE TWO, THE PUBLIC TRUST GOES AWAY FOR ALL FIVE OF US . ALL OF US . WE OWE THAT TO THE TAXPAYERS. SO HOW DO WE DELIVER THAT? AND I WANT TO KEEP MS. COX IN A POSITION THAT NOT ONLY HAS AN INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, BUT ALSO SETS HER UP FOR AN OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A VACANCY IN THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER IN TWO MONTHS, IN 60 DAYS. WHEN I THINK ABOUT THAT, WHO IS MORE QUALIFIED THAN HER TO GO INTO THAT POSITION OR BE A CANDIDATE IN THAT POSITION TO MOVE THE CITY FORWARD AND BE A PART OF THE TEAM THAT TURNS THIS WHOLE SHIP AROUND AND GETS STUFF DONE AROUND HERE . SO
AM COMING FROM. >> I JUST WANT YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WE ARE AUDITED EVERY YEAR. WE ARE
AUDITED EVERY YEAR. >> THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT WE HAVE AUDITS, BECAUSE I KNOW BECAUSE I DO BUDGETS AS WELL FOR THE ORGANIZATION, MONEY IS MOVED AROUND AND PUT INTO CATEGORIES.
AND THEY ARE LEGITIMATE THAT WILL PASS ANY AUDIT TEST THAT IS OUT THERE. I GOT THAT. I AM NOT AT ALL TRYING TO SAY WE ARE
[01:25:02]
PLAYING GAMES IN AUDIT. WE HAVE CLEAN AUDITS. THINGS ARE THERE .BUT SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO CHALLENGE THE BUDGET PROCESS AND THERE ARE RIGOR TESTS THAT YOU PUT YOUR BUDGETS THROUGH , THAT WILL HELP US IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES THAT, YOU KNOW, WE MAY NOT BE REALIZING RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE A LOT OF ASSETS IN THE CITY THAT WE OWN , THAT QUITE FRANKLY YOU HAD POINTED OUT THAT WE ARE WOEFULLY UNDER CHARGING WHEN IT COMES TO MARKET RATE.
THAT IS A PART OF A BUDGET PROCESS. IT IS A PART OF THE REVENUE SIDE. HAVE WE REALLY DUG INTO THAT TO REALLY UNDERSTAND?
>> KNOW WE HAVE NOT. >> WHAT THIS REVENUE IS GENERATING. WELL, AN AUDITOR WOULD ASK THOSE TYPES OF QUESTIONS BECAUSE THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND IT. WE NEED TO
UNDERSTAND IT. >> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK.
>> I AM GOING TO CHANGE THE TOPIC HERE MOMENTARILY. I'M NOT NECESSARILY SAYING WE ARE AT THIS POINT, BUT APPARENTLY WE HAVE AN IMPASSE. I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO SIT HERE ALL EVENING AND TALK ABOUT THIS, BUT I WOULD LIKE US TO UNDERSTAND THAT IF WE TRULY ARE AT AN IMPASSE, MS. HEDGES, CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO US
WHAT THE -- >> WE DO HAVE SOME DECISIONS TO
MAKE TONIGHT. >> WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE,
RIGHT. >> CERTAINLY. MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO COME TO A MAJORITY CONSENSUS ON A CANDIDATE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED AS YOUR CITY MANAGER, YOU ARE IN A POSITION WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SELECT AN INTERIM CITY MANAGER. THAT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE MS. COX IN BOTH THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY CLERK ROLE, SHE WOULD HAVE TO SELECT SOMEONE TO BE AN INTERIM CITY MANAGER WHILE YOU PURSUE WHATEVER DIRECTION OF AN ADDITIONAL CANDIDATE YOU ARE DIRECTING US TO DO, WHETHER THAT IS INTERNAL, AGAIN , WHICH I THINK, CANDIDLY , I DON'T SUGGEST , AS YOU ALL ALLUDED TO . IT HAS BEEN A LOT OF WORK TO DO INTERNALLY. SO IF YOU ARE AT AN IMPASSE AND WANTING TO SEARCH ADDITIONALLY, I THINK YOU SHOULD PROBABLY LOOK AT THAT BEING EXTERNALLY DONE .
NOT THAT STAFF IS NOT CAPABLE OF DOING IT, BUT I THINK THEY WOULD BOTH AGREE WITH ME THAT THIS HAS TAKEN UP A VERY LARGE AMOUNT OF TIME TO DO INTERNALLY . SO THAT IS IF A DECISION IS NOT MADE. IF A DECISION IS MADE , WHETHER IT IS THE INTERNAL OR AN EXTERNAL CANDIDATE, YOU STILL ARE GOING TO NEED TO PICK AN INTERIM CITY MANAGER , AS OPPOSED TO AN ACTING CITY MANAGER BASED ON CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS WITH MR. MIMMS, HIS EMPLOYMENT HAVING BEEN TERMINATED THIS WEEK. SO YOU, AT ANY POINT TONIGHT, NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PICK AN INTERIM CITY MANAGER. I WILL TELL YOU IN ANTICIPATION OF THAT HAPPENING , I SUSPECTED THAT PROBABLY YOUR TWO TOP CHOICES WOULD BE YOUR TWO DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS, BOTH OF WHOM HAVE INDICATED THEY ARE WILLING TO DO SO IF THAT IS WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE THEM TO DO. MR. JOHNSON DID INDICATE THAT HE WOULD HAVE MORE OF A LEARNING CURVE TYPE THING AND WOULD NEED MORE ASSISTANCE IN HIS ABILITIES TO DO THAT. MR. ANDREWS HAS INDICATED, AS YOU ALL HAVE ALLUDED TO, YOU HAVE HIM UNTIL APRIL 23, I THINK, AND HE MY HE CLAIMS THAT HE WILL GIVE HIM A DAMAR. HE DID NOT SAY THAT. I'M ADDING THAT PART. BUT HE SEEMS PRETTY ADAMANT AS TO WHEN HE IS GONE. SO YOU ALSO COULD PICK WHOMEVER YOU WOULD LIKE IS YOUR INTERIM CITY MANAGER. THAT IS KIND OF THE LANDSCAPE OF WHAT YOU ARE AT NOW. I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU ARE AT AN IMPASSE. I WILL BE CANDID WITH YOU. I THINK COMMISSIONER TAYLOR RIGHT NOW IS YOUR SWING, FROM WHAT I AM HEARING. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID , I DON'T KNOW IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION --
>> THE NEW GUY. >> BUT I ALSO WILL SAY THIS. IN ANTICIPATION OF POSSIBLY BEING IN THIS SCENARIO , I PREPARED
YOU A SECONDARY BALLOT. >> I KIND OF FIGURED.
>> I STOPPED AT TWO IN THE HOPES THAT I WOULD ONLY NEED TWO. SO YOUR FIRST BALLOTS WERE LABELED TOP SELECTED CANDIDATE, SO I HAVE THOSE. YOUR SECOND BALLOTS ARE LABELED CITY MANAGER SELECTION, IN HOPES THAT THAT GETS US TO THREE VOTES. IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO PASS THOSE OUT, WE CAN DO SO.
>> I THINK BEFORE WE DIGRESS ANY FURTHER IN THIS DISCUSSION , AND IN THE INTEREST OF COMPROMISE , AND RECOGNIZING MY FELLOW
[01:30:01]
COMMISSIONERS OPINIONS AND CHOICES , I AM WILLING TO MAKE A COMPROMISE , AND I AM PREPARED TO MAKE A MOTION AS SUCH.>> ALL RIGHT. >> I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE AUTHORIZE THE CITY ATTORNEY TO BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS WITH MR. CHESS IS OUR NEXT CITY MANAGER .
>> IS AT A HIGHER AND AS THE CITY MANAGER?
>> YES. THAT FELT OBVIOUS. >> I WILL SECOND THAT MOTION.
>> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? CALL THE ROLL PLEASE.
>> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK. >> NO.
>> COMMISSIONER GAINES. >> YES .
>> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. >> YES.
>> COMMISSIONER TAYLOR. YES. >> MAYOR HUDSON.
>> NO. >> MADAM MAYOR, THAT MOTION IS UNDERSTOOD AND I WILL PROCEED AS DIRECTED BY THE MAJORITY VOTE.
THE SECONDARY ISSUE THEN IS I BELIEVE THAT YOU SHOULD SELECT AN INTERIM CITY MANAGER, UNDERSTANDING THAT WHAT WILL OCCUR WITH MR. CHESS , HE AND I WILL, AND UTILIZING YOU, I'M NOT GOING TO CUT YOU ALL OUT OF THIS, BUT WE WILL COME TO HOPEFULLY A CONCLUSION AS TO CONTRACT, SALARY, START DATE THEM IN TERMS OF THE CONTRACT. IN THE MEANTIME, YOU WILL NEED A CITY MANAGER THAT CAN PROCEED IN AN INTERIM ROLE MOVING FORWARD.
AND SO, I MENTIONED THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SELECT THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS. YOU CAN CHOOSE WHOMEVER YOU WOULD LIKE, BUT THAT DECISION DOES I THINK NEED TO BE MADE RELATED TO AN INTERIM CITY MANAGER.
>> COMMISSIONERS, WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE?
>> I HAVE A QUESTION, JACK -- ARE YOU WILLING , ARE YOU WILLING TO STEP INTO THAT VOID FOR THE NEXT EIGHT WEEKS?
>> COMMISSIONER, I AM WILLING TO DO WHATEVER THE COMMISSION DESIRES . I WOULD LIKE TO , MY GOAL WAS TO KIND OF HAVE SOME TIME WITH THE , OUR NEW PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR AND OUR NEW CITY ENGINEER BEFORE I LEFT , BUT I AM KIND OF SET ON MY DATE .
>> THAT'S FINE. I AM NOT LOOKING TO EXTEND YOUR TIME.
I'M JUST ASKING IF YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO STEP INTO THAT VOID FOR THE NEXT EIGHT WEEKS, GIVE OR TAKE. I BET YOU MISS THE DAYS OF ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, NOW, DON'T YOU, JACK?
>> WANT TO GO BACK TO JUST BEING AN ENGINEER?
>> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK, BEFORE YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION , AND BASED ON MR. ANDREWS ANSWER THAT HE JUST SAID , I THINK IT IS MORE IMPORTANT FOR , AND IT IS JUST AS ARNOLD GAINES SPEAKING, IT IS MORE IMPORTANT, IN MY OPINION, THAT MR. ANDREWS SPEND TIME WITH THESE NEW HIRES IN A POSITION THAT HE'S COMFORTABLE WITH. THIS NEW , THIS NEW CITY , IS IT ENGINEER?
>> PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING.
>> PUBLIC WORKS, RIGHT, I THINK THAT WOULD DO, BE A GREATER BENEFIT FOR THE RESIDENTS OF FORT PIERCE . MY CONCERN WAS , BASED ON WHAT YOU SAID, MADAME ATTORNEY , WITH MR. JOHNSON, DID HE SAY WHAT TYPE OF ASSISTANCE HE WOULD NEED?
>> WE DID NOT GET INTO A LOT OF DETAIL. I DON'T KNOW IF HE IS IN THE BUILDING. I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO SAY THAT OTHER THAN IF HE IS IN THE BUILDING AND HE CAN HEAR US. SOMETIMES HE JUST POPS UP WHEN HIS NAME GETS A SAID, SO I WAS HOPING THAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN, BUT IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE HAPPENING. YES. HE
USUALLY JUST SEEMS TO POP UP. >> THE LOGICAL SELECTION WOULD BE ONE OF THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS. SEEING AS THOUGH WHAT WE ARE FACED WITH NOW, YOU KNOW, DROPDEAD DATE, DON'T ASK ME AFTER THAT DATE, AND ONE THAT SAID HE NEEDS SOME HELP, WHAT ARE OUR OTHER OPTIONS FOR INTERIM CITY MANAGER?
>> MS. HEDGES. >> YES, SIR, MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS , YOU COULD SELECT SOMEBODY FROM THE OUTSIDE. YOU COULD SELECT SOMEBODY FROM BELOW.
>> WE ALSO HAD AT ONE TIME HELP FROM THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES IN TERMS, IN TERMS OF, THEY HAD CITY MANAGES -- MANAGERS THAT WERE PART OF, LIKE , A STABLE OF SENIOR CITY MANAGERS THAT ARE WILLING TO HELP IN AND HELP. RETIRED. YES.
>> YES, MA'AM , I DO BELIEVE THAT OPTION EXISTS . I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH MR. CHESS ,
[01:35:01]
IF YOU SET HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE HIM TO GET HERE, BUT I ANTICIPATE AND HOPE , HAVING HIS CONTRACT ON FOR YOU IN MARCH , BUT I DON'T KNOW IF HE GAVE ANY INDICATION TO ANYONE RELATED TO HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE HIM TO BE ABLE TO COME HERE TO START WORKING. SEE? I SAID HIS NAME AND HE APPEARED. MR. JOHNSON,>> COME ON DOWN. >> HE ALREADY GOT THE LOOK,
LIKE, REALLY? >> MR. JOHNSON, THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT YOUR POSSIBLY BEING INTERIM CITY MANAGER . I THINK THAT, COMMISSIONER GAINES, DID YOU WANT TO ASK HIM A
QUESTION? >> IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION, MR. JOHNSON, THAT WHEN ADVISED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF YOU BEING FILLING IN , INTERIM, IS IT INTERIM? I WANT TO SAY THE RIGHT WORD, INTERIM CITY MANAGER, YOU HAD SOME RESERVATIONS. I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THOSE RESERVATIONS ARE, OR IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU REALLY FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO PUT YOU IN A POSITION WHERE YOU WILL TAKE IT BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE IT FOR THE CITY, BUT YOU REALLY DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING, BECAUSE THAT IS NOT GOING TO BENEFIT THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. NOT PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT PUTTING YOU ON THE
SPOT . >> YES, MADAM MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER GAINES . I AM A FIRM BELIEVER THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW. YOU JUST HAVE TO COME TO THOSE CONCLUSIONS. AND BEING APPOINTED THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, THERE WERE SEVERAL THINGS THAT I WAS TASKED WITH DOING. YOU KNOW, I'VE EVALUATED SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS . I DID ANALYSIS ON THOSE DEPARTMENTS. I HAVE, YOU KNOW, HAD TO RE-ORGANIZE AND STRUCTURE THE HR DEPARTMENT. THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT I AM JUST AWARE THAT ARE JUST OUTSIDE OF MY RADAR, MY PURVIEW. THAT IS JUST AN HONEST TRUTH. AND SAYING, YOU KNOW, WITH HAVING SAT IN THAT SEAT FOR MR. MIMMS AND INSTANCES WHEN HE WAS AWAY, I WOULD HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH HIM AND THEY WERE JUST THINGS THAT I SIMPLY DIDN'T KNOW, I JUST WASN'T AWARE OF. IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT I CAN'T FUNCTION, BUT THERE ARE JUST THINGS THAT I KNOW I DON'T KNOW, AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT I PROBABLY HAVEN'T BECOME AWARE OF THAT I DON'T KNOW. THAT IS THE ONLY RESERVATION, YOU KNOW, THAN I HAVE. IT IS ONLY A TEMPORARY CAPACITY, AND I AM SURE WITH JACK AND LINDA, IF WE WERE TO GO THAT ROUTE, JUST LIKE WE SUPPORTED EACH OTHER UP UNTIL THIS POINT, I DON'T SEE THAT CHANGING. YOU KNOW, SO WE WILL MAKE IT THROUGH.
>> WE PROMISE TO GO EASY ON YOU IN CASE THERE IS STUFF YOU
DON'T KNOW . >> I APPRECIATE IT.
>> IT IS JUST TEMPORARY. I THINK YOU ARE MORE, MORE THAN QUALIFIED AND READY FOR IT IN MY OPINION, IF YOU ARE WILLING.
>> MADAM MAYOR, IF I CAN. >> MR. SORENSEN.
>> IN TALKING WITH MR. CHESS GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE REALLY DID NOT GET A FIRM DATE FROM HIM ON HOW LONG HE WOULD WANT TO TURN IN A NOTICE FOR . I WOULD IMAGINE IT WOULD BE WITH THAT TYPE OF POSITION 3 TO 4 WEEKS I WOULD IMAGINE, AND HOWEVER LONG NEGOTIATIONS WOULD TAKE. SO WHAT MOST YOU WOULD PROBABLY BE LOOKING AT AN INTERIM POSITION, MAYBE TWO MONTHS AT THE MOST. IS WHAT I AM JUST GUESSING, BECAUSE WE HAVE ALREADY DONE THE BACKGROUND CHECKS ON ALL OF THE CANDIDATES.
WE'VE ALREADY GOT MOST OF THE REFERENCES CALLED. YOU KNOW, REALLY FROM AN HR PERSPECTIVE, IT IS NOT GOING TO TAKE LONG FOR HIM TO GET ON BOARD IT WITH THE REMAINING PAPERWORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. IT IS REALLY THE NEGOTIATIONS. AND I DON'T KNOW, I HAVE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH, YOU KNOW, ANY OF THE APPLICANT ABOUT THAT. I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS TAKE WITH ME. WE ALREADY HAVE A CONTRACT WE WOULD WORK OFF OF. THERE ARE PROBABLY SOME MINOR CHANGES WE NEED TO DO. I WOULD NOT IMAGINE NEGOTIATIONS WOULD TAKE TOO LONG. WE REALLY ARE GOING TO GET DOWN TO WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS, WHAT IS THE PAY, AND MAYBE SOME CONTRACT ENOUGH. SO I WOULD GUESS, MAYBE, 1 TO 2 MONTHS AT
THE MOST. >> SO, MR. JOHNSON, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH US?
>> NO, MA'AM , NOT AT THIS MOMENT.
>> I KNOW. I KNOW. YOU HAVE BEEN A TROOPER SO FAR, TOO, AND WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK. WE KNOW YOU HAVE STEPPED UP AND DONE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE DONE, SO WE APPRECIATE IT. ALL RIGHT. WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE? YOU WANT TO --
>> JUST IN FAIRNESS TO MR. ANDREWS, GIVEN THAT TIMEFRAME , IS THAT SOMETHING YOU ARE ABLE TO DO OR WILLING TO DO, UNDERSTANDING THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT -- A TWO MONTHS, OR I WOULD HOPE LESS, FINGERS CROSSED, TIMEFRAME .
>> I THINK I WOULD OFFER TO THE COMMISSION THAT MR. JOHNSON MAY
[01:40:03]
BE YOUR BEST ALTERNATIVE . AND I AM HERE . I AM WILLING TO HELP.I CAN ADD MY KNOWLEDGE ON THE ENGINEERING, THE PUBLIC WORKS , AND THAT END OF IT, TO KEEP THAT ROLLING . YOU KNOW , I NEED TO DEPEND A LOT ON OUR NEW PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR. I HAVE HIGH HOPES FOR THAT, THAT THAT IS REALLY GOING TO, TO HELP. BUT, TOO, AS THE FIGUREHEAD , HE MAY BE YOUR BEST BENEFIT, AND I CAN BE STILL IN MY POSITION AS DEPUTY TO AID SUPPORT TO HIM.
>> COMMISSIONERS? >> I'M HAPPY WITH THAT.
>> I'M GOOD. >> DO WE NEED A FORMAL VOTE ON
THAT? >> YES, MA'AM, YOU WOULD NEED A
FORMAL VOTE ON THAT. >> IS SOMEONE WILLING TO MAKE
THAT MOTION? >> THE QUESTION BEFORE WE MAKE A MOTION, MADAME MAYOR. I'M SITTING HERE, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WE ACTUALLY KIND OF PUT THESE TWO GENTLEMEN ON THE SPOT, SO I DID NOT EXPECT THESE TWO GENTLEMEN TO COME APPEAR IN FRONT OF US AND SAY NO I DON'T WANT IT. LET'S JUST BE HONEST.
BUT EVERYBODY HEARD THE HESITATION IN THEIR VOICES. I WANTED TO ASK COMMISSIONER CURTIS JOHNSON AND MADAM MAYOR , THE POOL OF INTERIM CITY MANAGERS FROM THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES , WITH THAT , I'M JUST ASKING BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW . WITH THAT BENEFIT THE RESIDENTS MORE? I KNOW IT COMES WITH A COST. I GET THAT. I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW I DON'T KNOW THAT TO BE A FACT, I DON'T KNOW HOW THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES WORKS. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS THINK, BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES, BECAUSE I'M ACTUALLY JUST COMING IN TRYING TO LEARN EVERYTHING, WITH THAT BENEFIT MORE, THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE THEN OUR TWO STANDUP EMPLOYEES READY TO STEP IN FOR THE TWO MONTHS THAT WE ARE HERE? THAT IS MY QUESTION TO
, AND I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER. >> WELL, I CAN SAY THAT THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD ARE WITH RUSS BLACKBURN , WHO WAS THE PREVIOUS CITY MANAGER OF PORT ST. LUCIE, OR AT LEAST THE LAST TIME I TALKED TO HIM, WAS PART OF THAT TEAM. THAT IS WHAT THEY DO , IS THEY COME IN AND HELP WHEN A CITY HAS -- AND SO, THAT, THAT CERTAINLY SOMEBODY COULD MAKE THIS WORK . WHILE THEY WOULD CERTAINLY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH FORT PIERCE, BUT SOMEBODY LIKE HIM IS CERTAINLY FAMILIAR WITH ST. LUCIE COUNTY, AND WE COULD CERTAINLY -- BUT I'M NOT , I'M NOT SAYING THAT. IT'S JUST THAT WHEN I CALLED THE LEAGUE OF CITIES, THEY TOLD, THEY GAVE ME TWO NAMES AMEND THE FIRST MAN'S NAME, HE WASN'T IN TOWN, AND THE SECOND ONE WAS RUSS BLACKBURN AND I TALKED TO HIM. HE IMMEDIATELY SAID YOU NEED TO DO THIS AND THIS AND THIS AND I WILL BE HERE TO HELP YOU IF YOU LIKE. CERTAINLY MS. HEDGES COULD MAKE SOME CALLS AND WE COULD EXPLORE THAT POSSIBILITY. I DO THINK THAT IS AN EXPERIENCED CITY MANAGER, WHEN THAT WOULD COME IN FROM THE OUTSIDE, AND BE ABLE TO LEARN
FAST. >> I'M JUST, I, MADAM MAYOR , AND CITY COMMISSIONERS, I'M JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE, BECAUSE I HEARD HESITATION. IF I HEARD HESITATION , I DON'T WANT TO PUT -- I'M NOT SAYING THERE WOULD BE, BECAUSE I KNOW THEY WOULD DO A STANDUP JOB, AND AS COMMISSIONER TAYLOR SAID, WE WOULD NOT PUT IT ON THEM, PUT IT ON ANY OF THEM , BUT I AM THINKING IN MY HEAD, SOMETHING POPS UP THAT WE DON'T SEE COMING. KNOCK ON WOOD, KNOCK ON SOME WOOD THAT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN. WE WOULD BE IN A POSITION, WHILE WE ARE TRYING TO WORK OUT THE CONTRACTS, WOULD WE BE IN A POSITION, REALLY, TO HANDLE IT , OR DO WE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO PUT EITHER ONE OF THESE GENTLEMEN IN THAT POSITION. SO I WOULD RATHER, I'M THINKING , AT LEAST EXPLORE. NOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG WE HAVE BEFORE WE GOT TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION, BUT AT LEAST IF IT'S IF I CAN GET A DAY OR TWO TO EXPLORE THAT -- AND I DON'T KNOW WHEN WE HAVE TO COME BACK AT THE NEXT
MEETING, RIGHT? >> YES, SIR , YOUR NEXT MEETING IS GOING TO BE MARCH 3. SO IF YOU, I DO THINK YOU CAN WAIT AND LEAVE AN ACTING POSITION , THAT IS ABOUT A WEEK. SO IF YOU
[01:45:03]
WANTED ME TO MAKE THOSE PHONE CALLS, GIVEN THE ISSUE , I, I THINK, YOU KNOW , I CAN NEVER GUARANTEE ANYTHING, SO KEEP THAT , BUT A WEEK AND IF YOU GAZE -- FEW DAYS GIVEN THE ISSUES THAT JUST CAME UP, I CAN CALL THE LEAGUE FOR ASSISTANCE FOR AN INTERIM CITY MANAGER . I SAW TRAN20 FIVE STAND . I DID NOTKNOW IF THAT WAS -- OKAY. >> YES, PLEASE.
>> MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS. I JUST WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT IF YOU DO DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH MR. JOHNSON AS AN INTERIM CITY MANAGER , WE WILL, BETWEEN JACK AND I AM A WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT HE HAS ABSOLUTELY ALL OF THE SUPPORT THAT HE NEEDS. WE WILL NOT LET HIM FAIL. WE WILL NOT LET HIM GO, YOU KNOW.
ILL-INFORMED OR ANYTHING. WE WILL BE SUPPORTING HIM ALL , EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. YOU CAN DO THE OUTSIDE. I'M NOT GOING TO SAY EITHER WAY. BUT I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT WE WILL MAKE SURE HE GETS ALL OF THE ABSOLUTE SUPPORT THAT HE
NEEDS. >> MADAM MAYOR, IF I CAN CHIME IN, TWO -- TOO , SHANE IS PROBABLY GOING TO KILL ME. BUT I WOULD, FROM AN EMPLOYEE PERSPECTIVE , I WOULD REALLY TAKE A LONG HARD LOOK OF GOING OUT. WE'VE HAD MS. COX, BUT WE HAVE BEEN OUT AN ACTUAL LEADER FOR OVER HALF A YEAR , AND THE EMPLOYEES ARE TIRED. I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I TALKED TO THEM. I KNOW BECAUSE I'M TIRED. MS. COX IS TIRED. WE ARE READY TO MOVE FORWARD. HE'S BEEN A STAPLE IN THE CITY FOR A LONG TIME, AND IF WE CAN SHORT HIM UP TO WHERE WE DON'T, I THINK HIS BIGGEST CONCERN IS HE DOES NOT WANT TO LET THE COMMISSION DOWN BECAUSE HE DOESN'T KNOW, HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE DOESN'T KNOW. IF WE CAN MAKE SURE WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE THINGS, IT WOULD BE MORE CONTINUITY UNTIL WE GET SOMEBODY IN TO PUT HIM IN THERE . I PROBABLY WILL BE FIRED TOMORROW FOR SAYING THAT.
>> GOODBYE. >> I WOULD ECHO THAT. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE EMPLOYEES TO JUST HAVE SOME SENSE OF NORMALCY IN, YOU KNOW, ONE MORE TRANSITION IS JUST GOING TO BE
DIFFICULT ON EVERYONE. >> AND YOU HAVE BEEN KIND OF
WORKING AS THAT TEAM? >> 100%.
>> YOU AND SHAY AND JACK . >> I WAS IN THE SAME BOAT . WE ALL HAVE OUR STRENGTHS, AND COMING TOGETHER AS A TEAM , WE WORK EXTREMELY WELL TOGETHER, AND I DON'T SEE THAT EVER-CHANGING. I THINK, YOU KNOW , TOGETHER WE WILL KEEP DOING WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING VERY WELL.
>> I THINK IN THE MEANTIME IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT COMES UP THAT WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS FOR, WHATEVER, WE CAN REACH OUT TO SOME OF OUR, I STILL KNOW A LOT OF CONTACTS AND CITY MANAGERS THAT I HAVE WORKED FOR.
>> BREASTS HAS ALWAYS BEEN GREAT. HE IS ALWAYS BEEN THERE
WHEN I NEEDED HIM. >> AND IF AT THAT TIME IF MR. JOHNSON IS NOT AS COMFORTABLE WITH HIM, IN THE MEANTIME WE CAN STILL REACH OUT AND TALK TO THE LEAGUE AND SEE WHAT THEIR CAPABILITY IS. I'M LOOKING AT THE EMPLOYEES. WE REALLY, IT IS
WHERE I AM COMING FROM. >> MADAM MAYOR, LET ME MAKE A COUPLE OF QUICK COMMENTS HERE . WE NEED STABILITY RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE CHANGE. CHANGE HAS JUST BEEN INITIATED. UNTIL WE GET TO THAT POINT , WE NEED SOME FACTION OF STABILITY. I'M GOING TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. THERE IS NOBODY THAT UNDERSTANDS THE ISSUES BETTER HAN THE FIVE PEOPLE SITTING UP HERE RIGHT NOW. SO IF HE NEEDS GUIDANCE, IS GOING TO GET GUIDANCE FROM US.
THAT'S LEADERSHIP FROM THE TOP DOWN, SO I AM SUGGESTING, WITH THE SUPPORT OF MR. ANDREWS AND MS. COX , THAT SHAY WILL BE WELL ARMED TO HANDLE THE DECISION-MAKING THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE, AND HE WILL HAVE THE INPUT , I'M NOT SEEING ANY INPUT FROM US IS NECESSARILY THE GREATEST THING , BUT HE'S GOING TO GET THE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ON ANY ISSUES THAT COME DOWN THE ROAD, BECAUSE I THINK OVER THE LAST YEAR WE HAVE BEEN THRUST INTO THE POSITION OF MICROMANAGING TO A CERTAIN EXTENT. I KNOW THAT IS NOT OUR FUNCTION HERE, BUT WE HAVE BEEN PUT IN THAT POSITION. HE WILL BE FINE.
>> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK , RECEIVED. I STANDDOWN OVER HERE.
I JUST THREW IT OUT THERE. I JUST THREW IT OUT THERE.
>> IT FORCED US TO DISCUSS ALL THE POSSIBILITIES, AND I THINK
THAT IS A GOOD THING. >> MADAM MAYOR, I WOULD ECHO THAT. I WOULD LIKE TO DIRECT STAFF, JUST SO THAT WE HAVE A BACKUP , IF YOU WOULD NOT MIND REACHING OUT TO SO WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION. I'M A BIG PROPONENT OF AT LEAST ASKING, THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH THE FACTS AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT THAT COULD BE WITH SUPPORT FROM THE LEAGUE BUT WHAT WOULD IT TAKE, WHATEVER COMMITMENT, JUST A WEEK KNOW THAT, BUT WHAT I HEAR IS REFRESHING. THANK YOU MS. COX, THANK YOU STAFF, THANK YOU MR. ANDREWS, THANK YOU MR. JOHNSON , AND THANK YOU TO THE
[01:50:03]
FIVE OF US , BECAUSE WE ARE ALL IN THIS BOAT RIGHT NOW WHATSOEVER. WE HAD BIG CHALLENGES WITH THE CITY THAT WE HAVE GOT TO WORK ON TOGETHER. THE ONE THING THAT WE HAVE BEYOND FORT PIERCE IS THAT WE ALL MEET WITH STAFF WEEKLY. I HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT ALTHOUGH WE ARE FIVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE, PROBABLY FIVE DIFFERENT OUTLOOKS I THINK THERE IS A CONSENSUS BECAUSE WE ALL SEE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME STUFF THAT WE ARE TRYING TO GET ADDRESSED. WE SEE CHALLENGES AND CAPS WITH THE BUDGET. WE SEE A CITY THAT WE WANT TO LOOK EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL. WE HAVE COMMUNICATION THAT WE WANT TO BE BETTER , AND THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE COMMON THINGS THAT WE HAVE NO MATTER WHAT DISTRICT YOU REPRESENT THAT WE AGREE ON.>> PEOPLE THAT PUT US UP HERE WILL SEE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY , WILL ACT AND RESPOND DIFFERENTLY. I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE US THAT WE ARE IN THIS, ALL OF US. THIS IS WHAT ONE FORT PIERCE REALLY LOOKS LIKE BECAUSE WE CAN ALL BE DIFFERENT, BUT OUR LITTLE PARTS AND OUR SUMS ADD UP TO ONE , AND THAT IS WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. WE ARE IN THIS BOAT TOGETHER.
THE DECISION WE MADE HIM A WE'VE GOT TO MOVE FORWARD. WE WILL EVALUATE THIS IN SIX MONTHS OR 12 MONTHS WHENEVER IT COMES. BUT THE MATTER OF THE FACT IS WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER NOW.
>> GO AHEAD. >> SORRY, I, I WAS, I APOLOGIZE, MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS. BEFORE MS. COX STOOD UP, THE QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED OF ME IS COULD WE TALK WITH THE LEAGUE OF SOMEBODY COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE COMING IN FOR ASSISTANCE. IF THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO, TO FINISH THAT THOUGHT, SORRY, WE CAN DO THAT. I CAN DO THAT BETWEEN NOW AND MARCH 3RD MEETING, AND IF YOU WANTED TO APPOINT SOMEONE AT THAT, HE WOULD HAVE AN OPTION OF IF THERE IS AN EXTERNAL FOR YOU TO ALL TO CONSIDER IF THAT IS WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO.
>> MADAM MAYOR, OR, I JUST WANT TO THROW MY TWO CENTS IN I THINK. I THINK THIS IS THE WHOLE REASON WHY WE HAVE DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS TO STEP IN WHEN WE NEED ONE IN THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS, AND I KNOW I HAVE NOT BEEN HERE LONG, BUT , MR. JOHNSON HAS PROVEN IN MY EYES THAT HE IS MORE THAN CAPABLE OF MAINTAINING THIS POSITION, AND COUPLED WITH THE SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT HE HAS, I HAVE EVERY CONFIDENCE THAT HE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS INTERIM CAPACITY.
>> MADAM MAYOR, I TAKE MY QUESTION BACK ABOUT THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES . I, I, I COMMAND MS. COX FOR COMING TO THE MICROPHONE AND STANDING UP SAYING THAT WE WILL WORK TOGETHER TO, TOO, TO MAKE THAT POSITION DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO , SO I, I, I AM GOOD OVER HERE IF WE MAKE THE DECISION TONIGHT TO MAKE MR. JOHNSON THE, THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER SO THIS PROCESS CAN START. I, I, I HEAR WITH THE HR MANAGER IS SAYING.
THERE STAFF WANTS SOMETHING , SO I GET IT, I HEAR EVERYBODY. SO I SAY WE DO THAT . I THINK, AND I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, I THINK COMMISSIONER JOHNSON WAS SAYING , EVEN IF WE , AND I DO WANT TO PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH, EVEN IF WE NAME HIM INTERIM CITY MANAGER , YOU STILL WANTED TO MAKE A CALL TO SEE WHAT IT WAS?
>> FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES. >>
>> JUST FOR INFORMATION SO WE HAVE THE INFORMATION, SO THAT IS
WHERE WE ARE. >> SO WE NEED A MOTION FOR, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON , NO, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE CITY
MANAGER. >> DO YOU WANT TO BE?
>> IF YOU ALL ARE READY FOR THAT DECISION TONIGHT --
>> ARE WE READY FOR THAT DECISION TONIGHT?
>> I'M PREPARED TO MAKE A MOTION. I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPOINT SHAY JOHNSON AS OUR INTERIM CITY MANAGER.
>> SECOND. >> ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? CALL
THE ROLL, PLEASE. >> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK.
>> YES. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON.
>> YES. >> COMMISSIONER TAYLOR.
>> YES. MAYOR HUDSON . >> YES. ARE THERE OTHER DECISIONS WE HAVE TO MAKE TONIGHT ?
>> NO, MA'AM. THOSE ARE ALL OF YOUR DECISIONS. ON THE MARCH 3 AGENDA I WILL BRING YOU THE RESOLUTIONS RELATED TO MR. JOHNSON, FORMALLY SOLIDIFYING THIS VOTE, AND HR AND I WILL GET WITH MR. CHESS FIRST THING TOMORROW AND START CONVERSATIONS RELATED TO BRINGING HIM HERE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF STAFF OR ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY.
WE ARE GOING TO BE ADJOURNING , SO IF EVERYONE
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.