[1. CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:13] THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE COMMISSION. PLEASE STAND FOR THE OPENING PRAYER BY-PASS PATS TORE CANDACE STAR OF C- STAR MINISTRY. >> FATHER, LET US BOW OUR HEADS. WE BLESS AND HONOR YOU THIS EVENING. WE PRAY FOR MAYOR HUDSON AND OUR CITY COMMISSIONERS AND OUR LEADERS DURING THIS CHALLENGING TIME. WE TAKE YOU WISDOM ASAS HAVE OUR CITY AGENDA, MAY OUR CITY OFFICIALS PRIORITIZE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY WITH THE COMMUNITY. HELP THEM CREATE FORUMS FOR OPEN DIALOGUE AND FORM COMMITTEES THAT REFLECT FORT PIERCE'S DIVERSITY. WE PRAY FOR TRUST AND UNITY IN OUR CITY, FOSTERING INTEGRITY AND A GENUINE DESIRE TO SERVE THE PUBLIC GOOD. FATHER, WE THANK YOU. YOU ARE OUR UNWAVERING COMPASS AND STRENGTH. WHEN YOU SPEAK, YOU ACT WITH PURPOSE. YOUR PRESENCE IS ETERNAL. WE PRAY, AMEN. >> AMEN. 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. >> CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. >> MAYOR HUDSON? >> PRESENT. >> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK? >> PRESENT. >> COMMISSIONER GAINES? >> HERE, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON? >> PRESENT. [5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES] >> COMMISSIONER TAYLOR? >> HERE, MA'AM. >> FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 7, 2025, REGULAR MEETING. >> I MOVE FOR APPROVAL. >> SECOND. >> THE MOTION AND THE SECOND. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. >> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK? >> YES. >> COMMISSIONER GAINES? >> YES, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON? >> YES, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER TAYLOR? [a. Jack Andrews, Years of Service Proclamation] >> YES, MA'AM. >> MAYOR HUDSON? >> YES, MA'AM. >> NEXT WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION. THIS IS A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING MR. JACK ANDREWS. WHEREAS JACK ANDREWS BEGAN HIS CAREER WITH FORT PIERCE'S ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT IN JUNE 1994 AND WHEREAS FOR NEARLY 31 YEARS, JACK ANDREWS HAS FAITHFULLY SERVED THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AND THE PUBLIC SERVICES DIVISION IN MULTIPLE CAPACITIES INCLUDING ASSISTANT CITY ENGINEER, CITY ENGINEER, AND DEPUTY CITY MANAGER OF PUBLIC SERVICES OVERSEEING ENGINEERING, PUBLIC WORKS AND THE INDIAN HILLS GOLFCOURSE AND HAS HELD LICENSURE SINCE 1994 AND IS AN ESTEEMED MEMBER OF THE FLORIDAFLORIDA WATER ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION AND, WHEREAS, JACK ANDREWS HAS EARNED NUMEROUS ACCOLADES AND CERTIFICATES OF APPRECIATION FROM VARIOUS COMMUNITY AGENCIES AND PARTNERS RECOGNIZING HIS EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND UNWAVERING DEDICATION. AND WHEREAS JACK ANDREWS HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THE COMPLETION OF NEARLY EVERY SIGNIFICANT CITY PROJECT DURING HIS TENURE, ING UNPARALLEL HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, AND WHEREAS HIS DEDICATION, CALM DEMEANOR AND EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF FORT PIERCE'S HISTORY HAS GREATLY BENEFITED THE COLLEAGUES, RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS ALIKE. AND, WHEREAS, AFTER SERVING THE FORT PIERCE COMMUNITY FOR 30 YEARS AND 10 MONTHS WITH AND SELFLESS DEDICATION TO THEREFORE, I, LINDA HUDSON, DO HEREBY ISSUE THIS PROCLAMATION IN HONOR OF JOHN JACK ANDREWS IN RECOGNITION OF HIS DEDICATED AND HONORABLE SERVICE TO THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE AND ITS RESIDENTS. >> CONGRATULATIONS. >> WE CAN GET SOME PICTURES. >> A MAJOR LOSS FOR US. [00:05:10] >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HERE YOU GO, JACK. >> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, CITY COMMISSIONERS. I HAD TO WRITE SOMETHING DOWN OR I WOULD STRAY OFF AND WE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT PROJECTS OR SOMETHING ELSE. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE CITY COMMISSION, THE ADMINISTRATION, MY FELLOW EMPLOYEES AND THE CITIZENS OF FORT PIERCE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND PRIVILEGE OF WORKING FOR THE CITY FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS. I HAVE SERVED UNDER, AND I COUNTED THEM TODAY -- I HAVE SERVED UNDER FOUR MAYORS, 15 DIFFERENT CITY COMMISSIONERS, AND NOW SIX CITY MANAGERS. IT HAS BEEN CHALLENGING AT TIMES, BUT IT'S TRULY BEEN REWARDING IN MY CAREER. THE CITY HAS A VERY DEDICATED STAFF, HARD- WORKING STAFF, AND I'M JUST HONORED TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF THAT, ALTHOUGH I AM NOT A NATIVE. MY WIFE AND I MOVED HERE 40 YEARS AGO, AND WE ARE HONORED TO CALL FORT PIERCE OUR HOME. AND, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE GUIDANCE AND THE SUPPORT THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN ME. >> THANK YOU, JACK. THANK YOU. MAYBE YOU NEED TO STAY HERE. JACK, I THINK SOME COMMISSIONERS MIGHT WANT TO SAY SOMETHING TO YOU. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FACE THE MUSIC ONE MORE TIME. COMMISSIONER GAINES? >> JACK, I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN WAITING FOR THIS DAY, BUT THEN I'M GOING TO BE GOOD TODAY. I JUST TOLD THE CITY COMMISSIONER TAYLOR, THIS IS A BIG HIT FOR THE RESIDENTS AND THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. WE THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE. TO OUR NEW CITY ENGINEER, YOU HAVE SOME LARGE SHOES TO FILL. BECAUSE ANYTIME WE ASKED MR. ANDREWS TO DO SOMETHING, IT WAS DONE. WHEN I GOT REPORTS AND SAW HIS NAME HAD SIGNED OFF ON IT, IT TOOK 20 QUESTIONS I HAD. IF YOU SIGNED OFF ON IT, I DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THOSE QUESTIONS BECAUSE I KNEW YOU LOOKED AT IT ONCE, TWICE, THREE TIMES, FOUR TIMES AND PROBABLY LOOKED AT IT AGAIN WHILE YOU'RE SITTING OVER THERE IN THE SEAT TO COME UP. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE IN YOUR 30 YEARS. YOU SAID YOU AND YOUR WIFE HAVE BEEN HERE 40 YEARS. FORT PIERCE WILL CLAIM YOU. I KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FIVE YEARS AND I SWEAR THEY'VE BEEN HERE ALL THEIR LIVES. WE'LL TAKE YOUR 40 YEARS. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, AND PERSONALLY THANK YOU AND THAT I'M HAPPY I WAS IN THE 15 NUMBER THAT WORKED WITH YOU, SO GOOD LUCK ON RETIREMENT. NOW I'M GOING TO TELL YOU IF SOMETHING COMES UP, I WILL SAY, HEY, CAN WE CALL JACK REAL QUICK. I PROMISE WE WON'T DO THAT. WE'LL TRY NOT TO BOTHER YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE DONE YOUR TIME WITH THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE AND TO PERSONALLY SAY THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK. >> JACK, YOU MAY NOT REALIZE IT, BUT I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU -- PROBABLY THE ONLY ONE SENIOR TO THAT WOULD BE THE MAYOR, BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE BOARDS AND COMMITTEES I'VE SAT ON THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD COMMENT ON IS I'VE NEVER SEEN JACK MAKE A PRESENTATION AT A MEETING WHEN WE HAD A QUESTION AND HE COULDN'T ANSWER IT. HIS BASIS OF KNOWLEDGE IS UNMATCHED. HIS LEVEL OF SERVICE AND CARE FOR THE CITY IS UNMATCHED. AND PERSONALLY I'M TRULY GOING TO MISS WORKING WITH YOU. AS COMMISSIONER GAINES SAID, WHEN YOU'RE INVOLVED, WE KNOW WE'RE GETTING STRAIGHT INFORMATION, LEGITIMATE ANSWERS TO OUR QUESTIONS, AND THAT INHERENT KNOWLEDGE IS NOT REPLACEABLE IN ANY CAPACITY. AND YOU CAN TRAIN PEOPLE FOR YEARS, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE [00:10:01] THAT KNOWLEDGE FROM 30 YEARS AGO. I REMEMBER WHERE THAT FILE IS. I REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT. THAT'S NOT REPLACEABLE. I'VE ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE OF IT WORKING WITH YOU AND ENGAGING WITH YOU, AND YOU ARE TRULY, TRULY GOING TO BE MISSED BY THE CITY AND I AGREE WITH ARNOLD. WE NEED TO HAVE YOU ON SPEED DIAL AT EVERY COMMISSION MEETING BECAUSE THERE WILL BE QUESTIONS THAT COME UP ENGINEERING STAFF AREN'T GOING TO KNOW BECAUSE OF THAT LONG-TERM KNOWLEDGE, YOU CAN'T POUR A CAN OF KNOWLEDGE IN. YOU WALKED AROUND WITH THAT IN YOUR HIP POCKET CONSISTENTLY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. YOU'LL BE SORELY MISSED. >> MR. ANDREWS, I THINK BACK EIGHT YEARS NOW WHEN I FIRST MET YOU. I WAS ON THE SURTAX SITTING IN THE ENGINEERING CONFERENCE ROOM OVER THERE, AND WE WERE HAVING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT STREET PAVINGS AND HALF CENT SALES TAX AND HOW COULD WE ALLOCATE THAT. OUR CONVERSATION GREW. I WON ELECTION. I WON RE-ELECTION. YOU ARE A WEALTH AND HAVE BEEN A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE. I WILL SAY THIS THAT YOU ARE THE EMBODIMENT OF THE TERM I PHRASE ONE FORT PIERCE. I WOULD GEF YOU GIVE YOU A LAPEL PIN BUT I HAVE A FEELING YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE WEARING JACKETS. I'LL MAKE SURE I GET IT TO YOU BUT AS A REMEMBRANCE OF THE WORK YOU'VE DONE HERE BECAUSE YOU TRULY EMBODIED ONE FORT PIERCE. YOU LOOKED AT ENGINEERING PROBLEMS THROUGHOUT OUR CITY, HOW DO WE SOLVE THEM, AND SOMETIMES IT TAKES, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS OF GOING THROUGH THAT. WE JUST CAN'T PAVE ROADS OVERNIGHT. WE PUT IT IN THE PROCESS. YOU WORK IT THROUGH SEQUENTIALLY, AND YOU'VE DONE THAT. WE'VE SEEN IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR CITY AND MORE TO COME THAT YOU'VE PUT IN THE ACTUAL QUEUE OF WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE AS WE MAKE OUR CITY EVEN BETTER FROM AN ENGINEERING PERFORMANCE STANDARD, OUR ROADS, OUR DRAINAGE, EVEN ADDRESSING STREET SWEEPING AND ALL OF THESE FACTORS YOU HAVE PLAYED A HAND IN, AND I HAVE ENJOYED WORKING I'M GOING TO BE THE COMMISSIONER TELLING THEM NOT TO CALL YOU. I THINK YOU HAVE PUT YOUR TIME IN. I'M SURE OUR STAFF AND WHO WE'RE BRINGING ON, THEY WILL HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT I'M SURE THERE WERE TIMES, TOO, YOU LEARNED AS WELL AS YOU WENT ALONG, AND I'M SURE YOU'VE POURED INTO THEM AND I'M SURE OCCASIONALLY THEY MAY REACH OUT. I'M SURE YOU'VE TRAINED THEM WELL IN THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS OR MONTH OR SO YOU'VE HAD THEM. THANK YOU, SIR, FOR A JOB WELL DONE. THANK YOU FOR EMBODYING ONE FORT PIERCE. AND THROUGH ALL TYPES OF COMMISSIONS THAT YOU'VE SEEN UP HERE, RIGHT, AND SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, AND GOD BLESS. GOD SPEED TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. ENJOY YOUR RETIREMENT AND DON'T FORGET ABOUT US. NOW THAT YOU'RE A CITIZEN, WE CAN ALWAYS RECRUIT TO YOU A BOARD, JACK. JUST DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE, OKAY? ALL RIGHT. TAKE CARE. >> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER? >> WELL, I DIDN'T GET A LONG OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU. IT'S ONLY BEEN A FEW MONTHS, BUT I HAVE KNOWN WHO YOU ARE FOR A LONG TIME. I THINK WE MET WHEN I WAS PROBABLY 18 THE FIRST TIME I WAS WORKING FOR THE COUNTY AND THE CITY COMMISSION CHAMBERS AND THE WORD LEGEND COMES TO MIND IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE BECAUSE NOT ONLY HAS YOUR TENURE BEEN SO LONG BUT YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF POSITIVE THINGS FOR THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. IT ALWAYS FELT LIKE JUST WATCHING CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS AND PARTICIPATING IN CITY BUSINESS, THE CITY HAS BEEN THROUGH A LOT OF CHAOS AND A LOT OF STRUGGLES AND CHALLENGES. YOU WERE ALWAYS CALM AND COLLECTED AND ALWAYS THERE AS THE GUIDING FORCE TO KEEP US ON THE RIGHT PAGE AND JUST ALWAYS FELT LIKE WHEN YOU GET UP TO THE MICROPHONE, EVERYBODY LISTENS BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND YOU'RE ALWAYS CALM. I REALLY RESPECT THAT. BUT THIS IS A HUGE LOSS TO THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SERVICE AND WISH YOU ALL THE BEST. >> THANK YOU. >> MR. ANDREWS, I THINK IT'S BEEN 13 YEARS WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER, AND I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT ALL THE PROJECTS THAT YOU HELPED CREATE, MOORE'S CREEK, WHAT YOU DID CLEANING UP MOORE'S CREEK, AND WE HAVE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE VERY ATTACHED TO MOORE'S CREEK, AN URBAN CREEK WE'RE PROUD OF, AND VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK, YOU'VE COBBLED ALL THOSE GRANTS TOGETHER A WATER CLEANING FEATURE AND THIS FEATURE AND THAT FEATURE, AND JETTY PARK AND ALL THE STORM WATER WORK YOU DID. AND WORKING WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, YOU REALLY DESERVE A COMBAT MEDAL FOR THAT. AND ALSO THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND ST. LUCIE [00:15:01] COUNTY AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS. YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THE GREAT RELATIONSHIPS THAT YOU FORGED FOR THIS CITY, AND I'M SURE THAT THEY CAME TO RELY ON YOU AS MUCH AS WE DID BECAUSE YOUR HONESTY AND INTEGRITY COMES THROUGH BUT ALSO WHAT COMES THROUGH, YOU'RE ONE OF THE MOST UNCOMPLICATED PEOPLE TO WORK WITH, I'VE EVER WORKED WITH, BECAUSE YOU DON'T BRING ANY DRAMA TO THE TABLE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. SO WE REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR THIS CITY, AND PEOPLE REALLY WILL NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH YOU DID, WHICH WAS OUTSIDE OF ENGINEERING, WITH ALL THE GRANTS AND EVERYTHING. THERE'S JUST SO MUCH THINGS THAT YOU -- AND I KNOW YOU ACCOMPLISHED, AND WE REALLY, REALLY DO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. AND I WANT YOU TO ENJOY YOUR RETIREMENT AND STAY IN FORT PIERCE. IT WARMS MY HEART YOU ARE A CITIZEN OF FORT PIERCE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR. CHESS, DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? >> AS I SAID IN OUR DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETING THIS MORNING, IN THE LIMITED TIME I'VE WORKED WITH YOU, YOU'VE BEEN GREAT. JUST LAST WEEK, HE SPENT X AMOUNT OF HOURS JUST SHARING THE CAP AT THAT POINT PROGRAM WITH ME, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, AND YOU HAVE A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE. YOUR DEMEANOR, THAT TYPE OF CALMNESS AND THAT PERSONALITY OF CHARACTER, OF CALMNESS, IS IMPORTANT IN THIS BUSINESS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT. AND YOU'VE BEEN VERY UP FRONT WITH ME IN TERMS OF GIVING ME A BRIEF HISTORY ABOUT THE CITY, ABOUT THE CULTURE, THE CHANGES AT THIS DAIS. I'LL TAKE IT AND USE IT DOWN THE ROAD. YOU'VE BEEN GREAT, AS I SAID. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN A WEALTH OF ASSISTANCE FOR THE CITY ITSELF IN TERMS OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, WHAT YOU SHARE WITH YOUR STAFF, YOUR TEAM, AND ALTHOUGH YOU'RE LEAVING, YOUR IMPRINT IS RIGHT THERE WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. I WISH YOU VERY WELL IN YOUR RETIREMENT AND THANK YOU FOR THE TIME WE SPENT TOGETHER, IT'S BEEN SHORT BUT SWEET. I APPRECIATE THAT. >> OKAY. SO, ONCE AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ] >> THANK YOU FOR YOURYOUR WORDS, AND HAVE A VERY GREAT TEAM TO WORK WITH. A LOT OF DEDICATED EMPLOYEES. >> YEP. AND MAYBE WE COULD TAKE ANOTHER PICTURE. WOULD YOU LIKE US -- WHAT DO YOU THINK? DOWN HERE OR STANDING -- >> STAND HERE AND DOWN THERE WITH THE PROCLAMATION. >> YOU CAN GO DOWN IF YOU WANT. >> THAT'S ALL RIGHT. MAYBE HIS FAMILY CAN COME UP. >> SO SAY THERE. MR. CHESS, COME ON. YOU CAN GET IN ON THE OTHER SIDE. >> THERE WE GO. THAT'S PART OF THE CONTRACT, GETTING PICTURES. >> ONE MORE. >> THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU AGAIN, JACK. >> BIG SHOES TO FILL THERE, MARK. GOOD LUCK. >> NO PRESSURE. >> BIG SHOES. [a. Letter from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement recognizing Detective David Teitelbaum for his valuable assistance in Operation Safe Highways that led to the successful prosecution of a human trafficking case.] >> WOULDN'T WANT TO FOLLOW HIM. >> THAT'S GREAT. >> THE FOLLOWING LETTERS WILL BE KEPT ON FILE IN THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE. WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT RECOGNIZING DETECTIVE DAVID TEITELBAUM FOR HIS VALUABLE ASSISTANCE IN [b. Britta Santana sent an email thanking Leroy Lewis and his team at Solid Waste for their prompt, professional, and courteous handling of recent issues with waste management. ] OPERATION SAFE HIGHWAYS THAT LED TO THE PROSECUTION OF A HUMAN TRAFFICKING CASE AND BRITTA SANTANA SENT AN EMAIL THANKING LEROY LEWIS AT SOLID WASTE [8. ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO AGENDA AND APPROVAL OF AGENDA] FOR THEIR PROMPT HANDLING OF A WASTE MANAGEMENT. THEN ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA. >> ANY CHANGES TO THE AGENDA? IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> A MEGS AND SECOND. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. >> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK? >> YES. >> COMMISSIONER GAINES? >> YES, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON? >> YES, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER TAYLOR? >> YES, MA'AM. >> MAYOR HUDSON? >> YES, MA'AM. [11. CONSENT AGENDA] >> OKAY. WE HAD NO ONE SIGN UP FOR [00:20:01] COMMENTS, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. >> IS THERE ANY ITEM THAT ANY COMMISSIONER WOULDWOULD TO PULL? IF NOT, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE? >> I WOULD LIKE TO PULL ITEM C. >> ALL RIGHT. >> I WILL MOVE. >> CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. >> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK? >> YES. >> COMMISSIONER GAINES? >> YES, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON? >> YES, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER TAYLOR? [c. Approval of expenditure in the amount of $308,771 to JSR Fueling Technologies, LLC for Fuel Station Improvements.] >> YES, MA'AM. >> MAYOR HUDSON? >> YES, MA'AM. >> ITEM 11C APPROVAL OF EXPENDITURE IN THE AMOUNT OF $308,771 TO JSR FUELING TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE FUEL STATION IMPROVEENTS. >> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK? >> I GUESS I JUST STRUGGLE WITH THE FACT THAT AN ITEM OF $308,000 OF CITY MONEY IS A CONSENT AGENDA ITEM AND I WANTED TO PULL IT TO LET THE FOLKS THAT ARE PAYING FOR THIS, THE TAXPAYERS OF THE CITY, KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE PURCHASING HERE. SO I'M NOT SURE WHOSE AREA -- >> OKAY, MR. CHESS? >> MR. ATKINSON. >> MR. ATKINSON? >> MADAM MAYOR -- >> DO YOU CONTEMPLATE WHO WAS GOING TO PULL THAT FROM THE AGENDA TONIGHT? >> WE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT CONSENT IN THE PAST, SO I'M FOLLOWING ALONG. >> UNDERSTOOD. >> SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A REPLACEMENT. WHEN I CAME IN, IT WAS TOLD TO ME THAT THERE WAS ISSUE WITH THE FUEL ISLAND AND HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE CARD READERS. SO IT WAS SAID THERE WAS MONEY SET ASIDE FOR A NEW FUEL STATION, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT EITHER REPLACING THE ENTIRE FUEL STATION OR REPAIRING A GOOD AMOUNT OF THE MAIN COMPONENTS. SO WE LOOKED AT THE TIMING AND SAW WHERE WE WERE. WE MADE A DECISION, A GROUP DECISION, TO GO AHEAD AND PROCEED WITH REPLACING THE MAJOR COMPONENTS, SO THAT WOULD BE A QUICKER TIME. OTHERWISE WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO COMPLETELY DEMO AND RIP UP CONCRETE AND THE WHOLE THING, WHERE THIS IS WHERE WE'RE JUST REPLACING THE PRIMARY COMPONENTS, WHICH IS THE FUEL PUMPS AND THE READERS AND THE CANOPY THAT'S OVERHEAD, PART OF THAT WAS IN DISREPAIR, SO LOOKING AT IT, WE LOOKED AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT BIDS TO TRY TO FIND SOMETHING THAT WAS IN, LIKE, A COMPETITIVE BIDDING ON A SOURCE WELL CONTRACT. WE PICKED A CONTRACTOR THAT WAS USED FOR MULTIPLE CITY PROJECTS BUT COULDN'T GET A LIKE FOR LIKE, BUT THIS IS A NATURE WHERE WE HAD TO GET THIS DONE, AND IT WAS DETERMINED TO GO AHEAD AND GET THE BEST PRICE, SO WE WORKED BACK AND FORTH WITH THEM. WE DO HAVE THE FUNDS AVAILABLE. IT'S NEEDED THAT WE GET THIS IN AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE. THAT INCLUDED REPLACING THE PUMPS, THE FUEL ISLAND ITSELF, THE PEDESTAL AND THE CONTROLLER TO MAKE OUR CELLS AND FPUA INTEGRATED TO WHERE THEY CAN USE OUR SYSTEM AND WE CAN USE THEIRS FOR REDUNDANCY IN CASE OF ISSUES. RIGHT NOW THERE'S CURRENTLY PEOPLE THEY HAVE TO COME IN AND WE OPEN THE PUMPS AND WE LOG EVERYTHING ON A GAS LOG, ON A PAPER, AND THEN THAT GETS INPUTTED. IF THERE'S A POLICE OFFICER THAT NEEDS TO GO GET FUEL AFTER HOURS, THEY WOULD NEED TO GO OVER THERE. AND USUALLY THERE'S A BLOCK, AN HOUR, TWO HOURS THEY SHOW UP. WE SHOW UP AND GET OUR FUEL. IT'S JUST NOT GOOD. THIS WILL GET US INTO WHERE HOPEFULLY BEFORE, I GUESS, THE HEIGHT OF STORM SEASON, THREE MONTHS, MAYBE FOUR, A TIME PERIOD WE CAN GET THIS INSTALLED, AND I PUT SOME CONTINGENCY MONEY IN THE ESTIMATE. I DID SEE THERE'S ONE SMALLSMALL -- SOMETHING WITH THE READERS THAT WE CAN DROP THAT PRICE JUST A LITTLE BIT FOR FOBS INSTEAD OF MAG READERS SO IT WILL DROP A COUPLE THOUSAND DOLLARS. IT'S NEEDED AND WE NEED TO GET IT REPLACED. THAT'S WHAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU. >> WHO ALL HAS ACCESS TO THIS? >> IT'LL BE WHOEVER HAS ISSUED A KEY FOB THAT GOES THROUGH THE FLEET AND FINANCE AND WHATEVER DEPARTMENT, WHOEVER HAS A VEHICLE. THE FOB WILL SAY WHO THE PERSON IS, WHAT VEHICLE, AND ALL THAT INFORMATION WILL COME OUT, SO IT ALL GETS INPUT INTO THE SYSTEM AND THEN WE CAN TRACK THE MILEAGE THAT COORDINATES IN, PUNCH IN HOW MANY MILES YOUR VEHICLE HAS. IT'S A REPORT. >> SO IT'S PUBLIC WORKS, POLICE DEPARTMENT, CITY VEHICLE IS USED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF AND ALL THAT? >> YES, SIR. >> THANK YOU. >> AND ARE THERE PROTECTIONS IN PLACE SO THAT PEOPLE DON'FOR [00:25:05] USE? >> WHEN YOU GO UP THERE AND YOU PUT IN -- YOU HAVE TO PUT IN -- IF YOU HAVE A KEY FOR YOUR CITY VEHICLE AND YOU WERE TO GO OVER AND TRY TO USE IT FOR YOUR OWN PERSONAL VEHICLE, YOU COULD END UP DOING THAT, BUT YOU WOULD GET CAUGHT PRETTY QUICK. SOME THEY PUT RINGS AROUND THE TRUCK SO IT ONLY GOES ON THIS SYSTEM DOESN'T HAVE THE FUEL RING AND DOES HAVE MUCH MORE PROBLEM. THE SYSTEM WE END UP COMING UP WITH INSTEAD OF DIGITAL IN CASE ANYONE SAW MECHANICAL BECAUSE OF OUR PROXIMITY TO THE OCEAN, WE THOUGHT IT WAS MUCH BETTER O GO WITH SOMETHING MORE RELIABLE, THE MECHANICAL SYSTEM, AND THAT'S WHY WE CHOSE THAT IN CASE ANYONE WONDERS. IT'S NOT JUST, OH, WE'RE GETTING NEW PUMPS BUT THEY'RE MECHANICAL. ALL THAT DIGITAL INFORMATION IS IN COMPUTERS ELSEWHERE. INSTEAD OF HAVING AN LCD SCREEN AND WHAT NOT. >> OKAY. COMMISSIONER? >> YES, TO FOLLOW YOUR QUESTION, MADAM MAYOR, IF SOMEONE GOES TO FILL UP, IT WILL BE IN THESE REPORTS. DO THEY STAY IN THE OFFICE? DO THEY GET SHIPPED TO ANY OTHER, TO THE CITY MANAGER? DO WE GET TO SEE THE REPORTS? >> THEY CAN BE REQUESTED. IT'S FINANCE. SOMEBODY WHO WORKS IN FINANCE AND THEN WE CAN PULL IT UP OURSELVES, ALSO, IN THE FLEET DEPARTMENT. WE CAN PULL THAT INFORMATION IF NEED BE. >> I TRUST MY CITY EMPLOYEES, PUT THAT ON THE RECORD, BUT I JUST KNOW MAYBE QUARTERLY WHEN THE SYSTEM IS UP AND RUNNING AND EVERYBODY IS USING THESE FOBS, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A REPORTREPORT TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHERE WE ARE WITH THE MONEY SPENDING SO I CAN KEEP MY EYES ON IT. >> WE CAN CHECK IT, ALSO, IF NEED BE TO LOOK AND HAVE IT SET FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MILEAGE, AND SAY THIS PERSON IS IDLING WAY TOO MUCH. AND WE ALSO HAVE -- >> THERE OUGHT TO BE SOME SORT OF MONITORING. >> WE'RE GETTING -- WE'RE UTILIZING TECHNOLOGY NOW TO HELP US OUT WITH ANY SHORTCOMINGS. >> SO I WAS GOING TO TAG ON THAT. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE USING TECHNOLOGY. YOU'RE DESCRIBING A MANUAL PROCESS OF SOMEONE HAVING TO KEY STROKE THAT IN. >> NOW. >> RIGHT NOW. BUT WE'RE GOING AWAY FROM THAT TO THIS. >> YES. >> AND I THINK THE OTHER THING -- YEAH, I WOULD JOIN COMMISSIONER GAINES. THIS WILL HAVE THE LEVEL AS WE LOOK AT OUR BUDGETS, ET CETERA, THIS TIES BACK TO CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS AND THEIR BUDGETS WHEN IT COMES TO GASOLINE, CORRECT? >> YES. >> SO WE CAN HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING, BECAUSE I'M SURE WE BUY FUEL, GAS AT A BULK PRICE OBVIOUSLY AND THEN WE UTILIZE IT FOR OUR COMPANY VEHICLES THAT WE MOVE AROUND THE CITY. IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO GET A GLANCE AT THAT WHERE WE ARE FROM A TOP LEVEL. IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO KNOW BECAUSE AT SOME POINT WE HAVE TO MAKE DETERMINING THINGS HERE. IF FUEL IS ESCALATING AND FUEL PRICES ARE UP, THEN WE MAY HAVE TO LOOK AT HYBRID- TYPE MODELS OF CARS OR WHATEVER IN THE FUTURE. I THINK WE HAVE TO MAKE A DATA DECISION WHEN IT IT TO THAT KIND OF STUFF, RIGHT? >> IT WOULD BE GOOD TO KNOW. I HAVE NO IDEA. >> NONE OF US DO, I DON'T THINK, MADAM MAYOR, WHAT WE'RE SPENDING ON GAS. >> WE DID HAVE A VERY DETAILED DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS THIS MORNING AND WE DO HAVE A MONITORING RECKON ONCILIATION PROCESS. WE CAN MONITOR MILEAGE AND GAS USAGE TO SEE IF ANYTHING IS UNORDINARY OR OUT OF SEQUENCE. IF WE SEE AN INDIVIDUAL, THE FUEL IS HIGH BUT THE VEHICLE THEY USE IS LOW, SO WE DO HAVE A WAY OF JUST ANALYZING THE TRENDS OF THE VEHICLE AND THE USAGE BY EMPLOYEES, BUT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT HAS ACCESS TO ALL THE PARTS TO THE SOFTWARE. TWO THINGS ARE GOING ON. WE'RE REPLACING THE HARDWARE. THE SOFTWARE IS STILL IN PLACE. THOSE REPORTS ARE BEING RAN TODAY, AND THEY'RE BEING RECONCILED TODAY. GOING FORWARD, THERE WILL BE MORE ACCURACY WITH AUTOMATION, MORE CONTROL WITH THE AUTOMATION WITH THE FOB AND FROM THE INDIVIDUAL STANDPOINT AS WELL AS THE VEHICLE USE. AND THAT CAN BE RECONCILED. NOT CALL THE CUSTODIANS OF THE FUEL SYSTEM ITSELF. SO THERE'S SOME CONTROLS IN PLACE. >> SO I HEAR YOU SAYING BETTER HARDWARE HERE BECAUSE OUR HARDWARE IS FAILING. >> BUT THE SOFTWARE IS STILL RUNNING THOSE REPORTS, RECONCILING IS BEING DONE. >> THANK YOU. >> AND SO THIS WILL LAST A WHILE? >> YES. THIS IS THE SAME -- WHETHER -- IF WE DID EVERYTHING NEW, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NEWER FUEL ISLAND, BECAUSE EVERYTHING ELSE IS NEW FOR THE MOST PART. I LOOKED AT OUR PALMS TO SEE WHERE WE WERE WITH OUR FUEL [00:30:02] THANKS, THEY'RE IN GOOD SHAPE, THE PUMPS ARE IN GOOD SHAPE. I WANTED TO MAXIMIZE AND TAKE ADVANTAGE NOW WITH WHAT WE HAVE TO TRY TO GET WHAT WE CAN -- AND THAT'S HOW WE END UP ADDING THAT CONTROLLER ON BECAUSE THEY SAID, OH, WELL, WE CAN DO THIS. I SAID, THIS IS OUR SHOT SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET IT. IT WAS ONLY 19 SOMETHING, IT WAS THAT OTHER PROPOSAL. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COMMISSIONER BRODERICK, DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? >> YES, I WOULD MOVE TO APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM -- WHICH ONE WAS IT? >> C. >> C. >> IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. >> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK? >> YES. >> COMMISSIONER GAINES? >> YES, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON? >> YES, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER TAYLOR? >> YES, MA'AM. >> MAYOR HUDSON? >> YES, MA'AM. [a. Quasi-Judicial Hearing - Review and Approval of an application for a Final Plat by applicant Jerardo Ayala of The Outdoors Quality LLC, to subdivide three (3) parcels into fourteen (14) residential lots; the Mohawk Final Plat is located at the northwest corner of Mohawk Avenue and Bryant Road. Parcel ID(s): 1428-702-0425-000-7, 1428-702-0382-000-3, 1428-702-0050-000-7] OKAY, NEXT WE MOVE ON TO OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS, AND WE HAVE A QUASI-JUDICIAL HEARING FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF AN APPLICATION FOR A FINAL PLAT BY APPLICANT JERARDO AYALA OF THE OUTDOORS QUALITY LLC TO SUBDIVIDE THREE PARCELLS PARCELS INTO 14 PLOTS. I'M SORRY IF I BUTCHERED YOUR NAME. >> MS. HEDGES, THIS IS THE ONLY QUASI-JUDICIAL. WOULD YOU READ THE PROCEDURES, PLEASE? >> YES, MA'AM. THE CITY COMMISSION SERVES BOTH A LEGISLATIVE AND QUASI- JUDICIAL ROLE. WHEN ACTING AS A LEGISLATIVE BODY THE COMMISSION ENGAGES IN LAW MAKING ACTIVITY BY PASSING LAWS AND ESTABLISHING POLICIES. WHEN ACTING AS A QUASI- JUDICIAL BODY THE COMMISSION APPLIES THOSE LAWS AND POLICIES AND IS HELD TO STRICTER PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS. QUASI- JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS ARE LESS FORMAL THAN PROCEEDINGS BEFORE A CIRCUIT COURT BUT ARE MORE FORMAL THAN THE NORMAL COMMISSION MEETING. QUASI- JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS MUST FOLLOW BASIC STANDARDS OF NOTICE AND DUE PROCESS AND DECISIONS MUST BE MADE BASED ON COMPETENT SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE. THEREFORE, COMMISSIONERS HAVE A DUTIES TO CONDUCT THE QUASI- JUDICIAL PROCEEDING LIKE JUDGES. THAT'S WHY THE COMMISSION HAS ESTABLISHED THE UNIFORM PROCEDURES FOR QUASI-JUDICIAL HEARING S THAT WILL BE FOLLOWED THIS EVENING. FINALLY, NO ONE SHOULD APPROACH ANY MEMBER OF THE CITY COMMISSION ON THE DAIS DURING THE HEARING. IF DOCUMENTS ARE TO BE GIVEN TO THE CITY CLERK, PLEASE GIVE THEM TO THE SERGEANT IN ARMS WHICH ARE ANY OF THE POLICE OFFICERS IN THE CHAMBER. >> THANK YOU, MA'AM. MADAM CLERK, HAVE WE MET THE ADVERTISING AND NOTICE REQUIREMENTS? >> YES, MA'AM. THE ADVERTISING FOR THIS ITEM HAS BEEN MET. >> AND SO WOULD YOU ASK COMMISSIONERS ABOUT EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS? >> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK? >> NO. >> COMMISSIONER GAINES? >> I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER. I THINK NO. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON? >> NO, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER TAYLOR? >> NO, MA'AM. >> MAYOR HUDSON? >> NO, MA'AM. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SWEAR IN THE WITNESSES? >> ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK STAND AND RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. DO YOU AFFIRM TO TELL THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH? THANK YOU. >> PROCEED. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THE MOHAWK FINAL PLAT APPLICATION, A REQUEST TO SUBDIVIDE APPROXIMATELY 4. 109 ACRES OF LAND, WHICH IS PART OF THREE PARCELS. WHEN CONSOLIDATED IT'S THREE PARCELS AND TO BE SUBDIVIDED INTO 14 RESIDENTIAL LOTS. THE SITE LOCATION IN COMPARISON TO THE CITY LIMITS, YOU CAN SEE IT'S ON THE EDGE OF THE CITY LIMITS. AND WE'RE IN AN AREA WHERE IT'S QUITE A PUZZLE PIECE. THAT'S A CLOSER AERIAL VIEW OFOF PROPERTY, THE THREE PARCELS AND A LARGER PARCEL THAT RUNS NORTH/SOUTH. IT RUNS ALONG MOHAWK AVENUE. BRYANT AVENUE RUNS ACROSS THE SOUTH, AND WE HAVE NORTH 25TH STREET RUNS TO THE WEST OF THE PROPERTY, U.S. HIGHWAY 1 TO THE EAST. THE BOULEVARD TO THE NORTH. THE EXISTING NOTICE IS R- 1, SINGLE FAMILY. IT'S CONSISTENT WITH BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY PROPERTIES IN THAT AREA. THE FUTURE LAND USE IS LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, CONSISTENT WITH SURROUNDING -- IMMEDIATELY SURROUNDING BOTH COUNTY AND CITY PROPERTIES. THIS IS A REPRESENTATION OF [00:35:02] THE PLAT THAT IS 14 UNITS AND YOU'LL SEE THEY'LL JUST RUN IN SEQUENCE DOWN THAT MOHAWK AVENUE. THEY'RE ALL SET OUT TO MEET THE R-1 ZONING STANDARDS, SO NOTHING ASKED FOR IN THAT RESPECT. THEY MEET THE LOW DENSITY FUTURE LAND USE. SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES ARE PROPOSED. WE DON'T HAVE ESSENTIALLY ANY AUTHORITY TO CONTROL DESIGN OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN THIS LOCATION, BUT THE APPLICANT DID PROVIDE US AN INDICATION WHAT THEY WOULD BE LOOKING TO BUILD. THE PROPOSED FINAL PLAT APPLICATION WE'VE REVIEWED IT TO GET REQUEST CITY DEPARTMENTS, REQUIREMENTS OF THE CITY LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AND THE GUIDELINES OF THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, SO, THEREFORE, STAFF RECOMMENDS -- IT SHOULD BE CITY COMMISSION IN THERE, SHOULDN'T IT? THE CITY COMMISSION RECOMMEND MOVE APPROVAL WITH THE FOLLOWIG CONDITIONS AND THAT'S USUAL CONDITIONS TO MY LAWS AND THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE MY LAWS BY THE CITY REVIEWING SURVEYOR, FULLY EXECUTED ST. LUCIE COUNTY ROAD AGREEMENT SHALL BE PROVIDED IN RESPECT OF HOW THE LOTS ACCESS MOHAWK. >> QUESTIONS OF STAFF? >> PRESENTATION? >> NO QUESTION BUT I CAN DEFINITELY SAY NO TO MY ANSWER. REFRESH MY MEMORY. >> I HAVE A QUESTION BUT GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER. >> DR. FREEMAN, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. IF I RECALL MOHAWK IS A COUNTY ROAD. >> YES. >> AND WHEN THE DEVELOPERS -- IS IT THE SAME DEVELOPMENT TEAM THAT WAS DEVELOPING ACROSS THE STREET? I'M ASSUMING THAT IT IS. >> YEAH, YEAH. >> THE COUNTY, IF I RECALL, WAS REQUIRING THEM TO DO RATHER EXTENSIVE UPGRADES OR RESURFACING OF MOHAWK. WAS THERE A RESOLUTION TO THAT? >> YES, AN AGREEMENT WAS REACHED, AND THE APPLICANT ARE WILLING TO SIGN THAT COMMITMENT. THE PLAT WOULD NOT BE APPROVED IF THAT WASN'T -- >> I'M ASSUMING THE COUNTY HAD TO SIGN OFF ON THIS IN SOME CAPACITY -- >> IF THEY HAVEN'T FORMALLY DONE THAT NOW, THEN THEY WILL DO THAT BEFORE THE PLAT IS RECORDED. >> THANK YOU. AND THEN BRYANT, IS BRYANT IN THE SAME CONDITION? WAS THAT A COUNTY -- >> IT IS A COUNTY, I THINK. >> WERE THEY REQUIRED TO DO IMPROVEMENTS THERE AS WELL? >> NO, THEY WERE JUST LOOKING AT THE ACCESS DIRECTLY ONTO MOHAWK. >> IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, THE COUNTY'S REQUIREMENT WAS FOR THEM TO REDO VIRTUALLY ALL OF MOHAWK, WHICH SEEMED A LITTLE EXCESSIVE, BUT WE'RE NOT THE COUNTY. >> I THINK THERE WAS A RESOLUTION THERE WHICH DOWNGRADED THAT SLIGHTLY. >> THEY STILL GOT HIT PRETTY GOOD? >> YES. >> THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON? >> GOING DOWN THAT SAME PATH, THIS OBVIOUSLY WOULD BE ANNEXED TO THE CITY AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT? >> YES. >> SO TALK TO ME ABOUT THE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA HERE. I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH IT. WE HAVE AN INTERMISSION OF COUNTY RESIDENTS, CITY, CAN YOU GIVE ME -- YOU SEE WHERE I'M GOING. >> THE CITY, ESSENTIALLY, IN THIS LOCATION -- >> YES. >> THE CITY LIMITS ARE FAIRLY RESTRICTED TO THE EAST OF MOHAWK, AND YOU CAN SEE JUST BY THE INDICATION OF THE TYPE OF FUTURE LAND USE ON THOSE, YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY ARE PRIMARILY CITY. >> OKAY. >> AND THE RU ARE ESECTIONALLY COUNTY, SO YOU'VE GOT THAT. THIS IS A ROAD AT THE MOMENT -- >> RIGHT. >> -- WHICH IS HALF IN THE CITY AND HALF OUT OF THE CITY. >> RIGHT. >> IN TERMS OF THE PROPERTY ON EITHER SIDE. >> IT GETS REAL DICEY. SO I'M ASSUMING WE HAVE SERVICES FOR UTILITIES IN THE AREA WHEN THEM COMING IN, ANNEXING IN, RIGHT? >> WELL, THEY WILL NEED TO, YES. >> I'M JUST THINKING FUTURE RISK. WE ARE ALWAYS CHALLENGED WITH THIS IS GOING TO BE 14 RESIDENTS HERE, WE'RE GOING TO BE RUNNING BOTH÷÷BOTH OF REFUSE TRUCKS UP AND DOWN THE STREET, OUR CITY VEHICLES, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE RUNNING -- THE COUNTY WILL BE RUNNING THEIR STUFF. THEN WE HAVE SEPTIC OUT HERE WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT, AND THIS IS PRETTY CLOSE TO A BODY OF WATER, WHICH IS TAYLOR CREEK TO THE SOUTH. AND THEN THAT GOES INTO THE INDIAN RIVER, LAGOON AREA. I WANTED TO KNOW -- I'M [00:40:04] VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS AREA AND IT'S BEEN PRETTY DICEY, RIGHT, BUT I THINK AS A COMMISSION, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS. THIS IS GOING TO PRESENT A CHALLENGE, I CAN THINK, IN THE FUTURE, BECAUSE IT'S VERY CONFUSING EVEN DURING AN ELECTION TIME BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE, WHICH DISTRICT AM I IN? AM I IN YOUR DISTRICT OR NOT? THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO BEGIN TO LOOK ABOUT -- >> WHERE DO I VOTE? >> I'M REALLY CONCERNED AT SOME POINT HERE BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF TRUCKS RUNNING UP AND DOWN THAT ROAD, AND IT'S A COUNTY GRADE ROAD. >> IT WILL HAVE TO BE REDONE. >> BUT IT WILL ONLY LAST -- I'M GOING TO LEAVE THAT ALONE. THANK YOU. I'M CLEAR. >> AND I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT THE ROAD, BECAUSE THERE'S A DOCUMENT ATTACHED THAT TALKS ABOUT THE DEVELOPER WILL IMPROVE THE ROAD. DO YOU KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING TO IMPROVE THE ROAD ALL THE WAY TO ST. LUCIE BOULEVARD OR JUST IN FRONT OF WHERE -- DO YOU KNOW THAT? >> I'M NOT SURE THE PARAMETERS THE COUNTY SET ON THAT. THE APPLICANT MAY BE ABLE TO GIVE MORE DETAIL ON ACTUAL PARAMETERS. >> OKAY, OKAY. >> USUALLY THE COUNTY DO REQUIRE THE LENGTH OF THAT TO BE -- >> CORRECT. >> -- IMPROVED. >> I THINK SOME OF US WERE AT -- >> YES. >> -- NOT GROUNDBREAKING BUT RIBBON CUTTING OF SOME HOUSES THERE, AND PEOPLE -- WE WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE ROAD. AND IT'S A COUNTY ROAD. I THINK WE MADE -- WE MADE SOME INQUIRIES AFTER THAT WHEN THAT ROAD WAS GOING TO BE IMPROVED BECAUSE -- AT ANY RATE -- ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> THE COUNTY'S RESPONSE WAS WHEN THE DEVELOPER PAYS FOR IT, IT WILL BE IMPROVED. >> CORRECT. I THINK THE COUNTY SAID, NOT ON OUR LIST. SO, ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF STAFF? ALL RIGHT. IS THE APPLICANT HERE? IS THE APPLICANT HERE? I'M NOT SURE THAT YOU STOOD UP AND WERE SWORN IN, BUT PLEASE COME FORWARD, AND IF YOU WEREN'TWEREN'T SWORN WILL YOU BE SWORN IN NOW, PLEASE? >> PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. DO YOU SWEAR OR AFFIRM TO TELL THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH? THANK YOU. >> PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, SIR? >> I'M THE BUILDING OF THE OUTDOOR QUALITY. MY NAME IS JERARDO AYALA, THE BUILDER. >> AYALA, IS THAT HOW YOU PRONOUNCE IT? GOOD. THANK YOU. >> SO ON THE ROAD PART, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO ONLY START FROM WHERE OUR HOMES ARE AT AND THEN WHERE THE LAST HOUSE IS UP TO. THAT'S WHAT WE HAD AGREED ON, AND THEY'RE ONLY GIVING ME ABOUT A YEAR FROM THE DAY IT GETS RECORDED WITH THE CLERK. RIGHT NOW I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO BE -- I'M TRYING TO GET A BONDING COMPANY, I'M SUPPOSED TO GET A BOND FOR THE $535,000 THEY'RE ASKING FOR. THEY ENDED UP RAISING IT MORE THAN IT WAS, AND I THINK WE SHOULD BE GETTING A RESPONSE BACK FROM THREE BONDING COMPANIES BY THURSDAY BEFORE WE AGREE TO SIGN ANY DOCUMENTS FOR THE COUNTY. BUT WE ARE WILLING TO DO THAT. WE'REALREADY AHEAD OF IT, SO WHY NOT? >> GOOD, GOOD. >> AND THEN, ALSO, I THINK YOU GUYS WERE ASKING THE QUESTION ABOUT IF THERE WAS SEPTIC. THERE IS SEWER. IT WAS NOT THAT LONG AGO, A FEW MONTHS AGO, THEY RAN CITY WATER AND SEWER OUT THERE ALL THROUGHOUT MOHAWK, ALSO ON IRIQOIS BECAUSE I'M BUILDING THERE AS WELL. >> I DID HAVE AN UNRELATED QUESTION. I DID ATTEND YOUR INITIAL OPENING. THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION. AT THAT TIME I REMEMBER HAVING A DISCUSSION REGARDING WHERE YOU WERE, WHAT YOUR TARGET MARKET WAS, AND YOU WERE LOOKING AT WORKFORCE HOUSING, IN ESSENCE, FIREMEN, TEACHERS, ET CETERA, POLICE. HOW DID THAT PLAN WORK OUT FOR YOU? >> WE'RE NOT TRYING TO BUILD CRAZY EXPENSIVE HOUSES THERE. >> RIGHT. >> SOMETHING VERY AFFORDABLE, MAYBE RUN 350. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO STAY AT. MOST OF THE HOMES ARE HIGHER THAN THAT, BUT ALSO IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE OR ST. LUCIE COUNTY, GOING OVER $400,000 IS JUST WAY TOO MUCH FOR THIS AREA. I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE, SO I KNOW BEING A LITTLE HIGHER THAN THAT, THAT'S TOO MUCH TO BE ASKING FOR. THE WAY WE HAVE IT SET UP THREE BEDROOM, TWO BATH, IS THE IDEAL FOR SOMEONE STARTING A NEW FAMILY OR SOMEONE THAT JUST WANTS TO HAVE A HOME TO LIVE, TO GO POINT A TO POINT B. >> I'M NOT PART OF YOUR MARKETING TEAM BUT THE QUALITY WAS OUTSTANDING. [00:45:02] >> RIGHT. >> THAT'S ANOTHER THING WE'RE TRYING TO SET OURSELVES APART FROM OTHER BUILDERS. PEOPLE ARE SPENDING THEIR MONEY IN A HOME, YOU MIGHT AS WELL GIVE THEM ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES, DOING METAL ROOFS, IMPACT WINDOWS AND DOORS. I KNOW NOW IT'S KIND OF REQUIRED TO DO THE IMPACT WINDOWS AND DOORS, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING I WANT TO THROW IN THERE. OBVIOUSLY WE DID TRY TO BREAK DOWN THE COST TO MAKE IT AFFORDABLE. ALSO ON OUR END WE'RE MAKING SOME PROFIT BUT KEEPING THE CLIENTS AND FUTURE CUSTOMERS HAPPY AS WELL WITH WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET VERSUS ANOTHER HOME THAT MAY PROBABLY BE $20,000, $30,000 CHEAPER THAN MINE BUT THEY'RE GETTING SOMETHING WELL BUILT THAT WILL LAST THEM FOREVER. >> ARE YOU GOING TO DUPLICATE THAT ON THE NEW LOTS? >> THEY'RE JUST GOING TO BE FLIPPED, LEFT SIDE AND RIGHT SIDE GARAGE AND DO IT THAT WAY. WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT MODELS WHERE WE WOULD DO THE COASTAL, COUNTRY AND A MODERN HOME. IT JUST WILL CHANGE ON THE APPEARANCE OF THE FACE OF THE HOME AND EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO FOR THE LAYOUT ON THE INSIDE OF THE HOUSE LIKE TILE, WALL FINISHINGS, PAINT COLOR, STUCCO. THINGS LIKE THAT. THAT'S THE ONLY THING WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE WITH. >> I DO GIVE YOU CREDIT. WE SEE PLENTY OF THESE PLANS THAT COME FORWARD, FOR SALE SIGNS GO UP AND THEN THE FOR SALE SIGNS GET KNOCKED DOWN WITH THE WIND TWO YEARS. THIS PROJECT IS COMING OUT OF THE GROUND. I APPRECIATE THAT. THE CITY NEEDS THAT TYPE OF PRODUCT. SO GOD SPEED, GET IT DONE. >> I WAS IMPRESSED WHEN WE WENT, TOOK THE TOUR -- >> THANK YOU. >> -- OF THE QUALITY OF THE HOUSES. ANYBODY -- COMMISSIONER GAINES? >> I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING WILLING TO BRING THIS TYPE OF PROJECT TO THIS AREA. THIS IS WHAT WE NEED. PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR -- WHEN PEOPLE HERE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THEY THINK THE WORST. I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU. THEY THINK THE WORST. THEY THINK THEY'RE GETTING A SHELL WITH THE ROOF AND, YOU KNOW T THEY'LL GO SPEND SOME MONEY ELSEWHERE. A PROJECT LIKE THIS, YOUR PROJECT, CAN START TO CHANGE THAT WHOLE ATTITUDE IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE AND THERE COULD BE SOME TEACHERS AND FIREMEN AND SINGLE MOMS OR SOME SINGLE DADS THAT MIGHT WANT TO SAY, LET ME INVEST IN THIS PRODUCT BECAUSE I KNOW SOMETHING, IT'S GOING TO LAST. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TYPE OF PROJECT TO FORT PIERCE. >> COMMISSIONER TAYLOR, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? >> NO. >> YOU GOOD? OKAY. ARE YOU GOOD? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO SAY? >> NO, I THINK THAT'S ABOUT IT. >> OKAY, THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION ON THIS ISSUE, PLEASE COME FORWARD. SEEING NONE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> HAVE A NICE DAY. >> WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE COMMISSION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE DISCUSSION OR A MOTION? >> MADAM MAYOR, I'M READY TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE 12-A. >> SECOND. >> THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. >> CLARIFICATION, IT INCLUDES THE TWO STAFF CONDITIONS, CORRECT? >> THE TWO STAFF CONDITIONS. >> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER BRODERICK? >> YES. >> COMMISSIONER GAINES? >> YES, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON? >> YES, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER TAYLOR? >> YES, MA'AM. >> MAYOR HUDSON? >> YES, MA'AM. [b. Legislative Hearing - Ordinance 25-016 - An ordinance amending the Code of Ordinances of the City of Fort Pierce, Florida, Establishing Chapter 125-Zoning, Article VII - Supplementary Regulations, Division 1 - Generally, Section 125-328 - Boardinghouses and Roominghouses; to regulate the standards of operation of Boardinghouses and Roominghouses. FIRST READING.] CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. >> NEXT WE HAVE 25- 016 AMENDING THE CODE ESTABLISHING CHAPTER 125 ZONING ARTICLE 7 SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS DIVISION 1, SECTION 125- 328 BOARDING HOUSES AND ROOMING HOUSES TO REGULATE THE STANDARDS OF OPERATION OF BOARDING HOUSES AND ROOMING HOUSES, REPEALING ORDINANCES THAT ARE IN CONFLICT FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. >> MR. FREEMAN? >> THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, CITY COMMISSION. THIS NEXT AMENDMENT TO THE CODE OF INANCES PROPOSES THE AMEND AMOUNT TO SECTION 125- 318, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THAT SECTION. IN RESPECT TO THE LONG- DISCUSSED INITIATIVE BY THE CITY TO ENFORCE STANDARDS FOR BOARDING HOUSES AND ROOMING HOUSES, AND THAT WOULD NEED TO BE DONE IN A MANNER WHICH PROTECTS AND PRESERVES THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND APPEARANCE AND GENERAL WELFARE OF÷÷OF CITIZENS OF THE CITY. NOW THIS ISSUE WAS FIRST PRESENTED TO CITY COMMISSION IN OCTOBER 2021. AND THEREAFTER IT WAS BROUGHT TO PUBLIC HEARING JULY 15, 2024, WHERE THE COMMISSION REQUESTED STAFF GO AND GET SOME ADDITIONAL CONSULTATION, WHICH WE DID. WE CONSULTED VERY STRINGENTLY WITH THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT AND THE CODE ENFORCEMENT TEAMS [00:50:02] TO FIND OUT, ONE, WHAT THEY WERE FINDING WHEN THEY WENT OUT THERE AND WHAT WERE THE VIOLATIONS LIKELY TO BE AND, TWO, WHAT WERE -- OR WHAT ARE THE STANDARDS THAT WOULD BE APPLIED TO THESE TYPETYPE PROPERTIES THROUGH BUILDING CODE, BUT, ALSO, THROUGH THE FIRE CODE. SO WE ALSO CONSULTED WITH THE FIRE DISTRICT, AND THEIR REPRESENTATIVES AND WE RECEIVED THAT FEEDBACK AND INCORPORATED IT INTO THE ORDINANCE. SO THIS WENT TO THE PLANNING BOARD IN SEPTEMBER 2023, AND THIS IS PART OF A WHOLE RAFT OF INITIATIVES AND CODE AMENDMENTS THAT STAFF HAD BROUGHT FORWARD THROUGH TO THE CITY COMMISSION LAST YEAR. IN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR WE BROUGHT TWO ORDINANCES FORWARD. ONE LOOKED AT THE DEFINITIONS IN THE CODE, AND WITHIN THAT ORDINANCE WAS A REVISED DEFINITION OF BOARDING HOUSE OR ROOMING HOUSE. AND SO THAT WAS SET OUT IN THE CODE. THAT MADE IT MORE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THAT OPERATION WOULD BE GAUGED AT. IT MEANS A BUILDING USED FOR LODGING, FOR COMPENSATION WITH ROOMS RENTED OUT INDIVIDUALLY WITH OR WITHOUT MEALS ANDAND OCCUPIED AS A SINGLE FAMILY UNIT. THIS DEFINITION IS NOT TO BE DEEMED TO INCLUDE A CONGREGATE LIVING FACILITY OR BED AND BREAKFAST. THOSE ARE DIFFERENT ENTITIES. THEN IN ORDINANCE 24- 31 PRESENTED AND ADOPTED IN SEPTEMBER 2024, WE LOOKED AT THE ZONING DISTRICTS WHERE THESE TYPE OF USES WOULD BE LOOKED AT THROUGH CONDITIONAL USE. THERE'S NO USE BY RIGHT. ALL WOULD BE APPROVED UNDER A CONDITIONAL USE WHICH WOULD COME THROUGH THE PROCESS. TECHNICAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, PLANNING BOARD AND CITY COMMISSION. AND THEY WOULD NEED TO COMPLY WITH THE CONTENTS OF THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCE WE'RE RECOMMENDING. SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS AMENDMENT IS TO ESTABLISH AND ENFORCE STANDARDS FOR BOARDING HOUSES AND ROOMING HOUSES IN THE CITY. AND WE, IN THIS ORDINANCE, WE'RE LOOKING AT MINIMUM MAINTENANCE STANDARDS WHICH REALLY NEEDS TO GUARANTEE THE LIVING STANDARDS AND CONDITIONS BOTH FOR THE OCCUPIERS OF THE PROPERTY BUT ALSO THE NEIGHBORS OF THE PROPERTY. SO THERE'S IMPACT OF THESE TYPES OF USES BOTH INDIVIDUALLY BUT ALSO ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD ITSELF. WE WANT TO TAKE CARE OF BOTH ENDS OF THAT. ONE IMPORTANT PART OF THIS IS WE'RE CONSULTING WITH THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT IS THE APPLICATION AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE AND THAT HAS A NUMBER OF ELEMENTS TO THAT WHICH WE'VE INCORPORATED INTO THIS ORDINANCE. THEY NEED TO HAVE THEIR OWN CONNECTIONS INDIVIDUALLY, EACH UNIT, THAT IS. EACH UNIT MUST HAVE AN OPERABLE WINDOW OR SECONDARY MEANS OF EMERGENCY EGRESS. THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR FIRE SAFETY. NO COOKING IN ANY BOARDING HOUSE UNIT OR ROOMING HOUSE UNIT. AGAIN, THAT CONSOLIDATES WHERE THE KITCHEN IS LOCATED, TRASH AND RECYCLING MAINTAINED IN COMPLIANCE WITH CITY CODE, HABITABLE ROOMS ARE NOT CARPORT, BASEMENT SPACE OR SIMILAR ACCESSORY STRUCTURE. WE DON'T HAVE THAT MANY BASEMENT SPACES IN FORT PIERCE, BUT IT'S IN THE MAINTENANCE STANDARDS. AND, ALSO, THEN, WE'RE GUARANTEEING ROOM SIZES AND THE ACTUAL PURPOSE OF THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDING THAT IS MEANT TO BE WHAT IT'S BEING USED FOR. THE EXTERIOR OF THE PREMISES SHOULD BE MAINTAINED SPECIFICALLY IN THE -- TO PREVENT ACCUMULATION OF STAGNANT WATER, ET CETERA, ANY ANIMALS, PETS, OR INSIDE HOUSED IN THE BOARDING HOUSE WOULD BE LICENSED, AND, AGAIN, ESSENTIAL SAFETY PROVISION, FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES AND SYSTEMS INSTALLED. [00:55:03] AND WE ALSO WANT TO MAINTAIN THE LIVING STANDARDS OF ACCOMMODATION WITHIN THE ROOMING HOUSE AND BOARDING HOUSE, ONE, TO PREVENT OVERCROWDING AND, TWO, TO GUARANTEE THE PURPOSE -- FIT FOR PURPOSE OF THE BUILDING. SO WE ARE IN THE ORDINANCE ITSELF, WE'RE DEFINING A MINIMUM GROSS FLOOR AREA OF EACH UNIT TO BE 70 SQUARE FEET MINIMUM AND THAT IS WHEN IT'S OCCUPIED BY MORE THAN ONE OCCUPANT IT WILL HAVE NOT LESS THAN 50 SQUARE FEET FOR EACH OCCUPANT. IF MORE PEOPLE ARE HOUSED IN A ROOM, THEN THAT ROOM WOULD NEED TO BE A LARGER SIZE ROOM. SO THERE'S LESS LIKELIHOOD OR WE HAVE MORE CONTROL IF WE NEEDED TO, TO MANDATE THE NUMBER OF OCCUPANTS WITHIN A ROOM AND BOARDING HOUSE. EACH ROOM SHOULD HAVE A MINIMUM WIDTH OF EIGHT FEET. SLIGHTLY LONGER THAN A BED AND, ALSO, EACH ROOM WOULD COMPLY WITH THE ADOPTED INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE. ANY PORTION OF A ROOM NOT HAVING A CEILING HEIGHT LESS THAN IN THAT CODE SHALL NOT BE INCLUDED IN COMPUTING THE TOTAL FLOOR AREA OF SUCH A ROOM. SO IF YOU HAVE A ROOM THAT HAS STAIRS IMPINGING ON THAT ROOM, THAT AREA BELOW THOSE STAIRS WOULD NOT BE COUNTED AS PART OF THAT ROOM AREA. NOW LOOKING AT PARKING REQUIREMENTS. ONE THING PEOPLE GET CONCERNED ABOUT, PARKING REQUIREMENTS. THEY ARE DEFINED WITHIN THE OFF STREET PARKING AREAS OF THE CODE. ROOMING HOUSES DID NOT HAVE ANY REQUIREMENT. SO WE'RE PUTTING IN THE CODE THAT BOTH USES HAVE THE SAME REQUIREMENTS. THIS IS A SUGGESTION WHICH IS INCLUDED IN THE CODE AT THE MOMENT TO LOOK AT PARKING STANDARDS FOR THESE USES AND OFFER A REDUCTION IF THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION STOPS ARE LOCATED CLOSE TO -- WITHIN A QUARTER MILE OF THE BOARDING HOUSE OR ROOMING HOUSE. THAT IS ENGAGED IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. SHOULD WE INCLUDE IT IN THIS ORDINANCE AS SOMETHING THAT THE COMMISSION WOULD CONSIDER, NO GUARANTEE IT WOULD BE GRANTED. WE DO RECOMMEND LOOKING AT TRANSPORTATION STOPS THAT THERE ARE BICYCLE RACKS AND FACILITIES ENHANCED SIDEWALKS AND SO FORTH TO ENCOURAGE THE REDUCTION IN CAR USE FOR THESE TYPE OF USES AND, EXCUSE ME, IT'S MORE THAN LIKELY THE OCCUPANTS OF THE PROPERTIES DO NOT HAVE SUBSTANTIAL ACCESS TO CARS OR VEHICLES BUT THATTHAT A SUBJECTIVE ANALYSIS. SO WE DO HAVE PRE- EXISTING BOARDING HOUSE OR ROOMING HOUSES IN THE CITY. SO IF THEY ARE LOCATED IN THE R-5 OR C- 2 ZONING DISTRICT THEY WILL NEED TO COMPLY WITH ALL PROVISIONS OF THE CODE, SPACE REQUIREMENTS AND PARKING REQUIREMENTS, COMPLY WITH THE FLORIDA BUILDING CODE, AND WITH THE FIRE CODE, IN EFFECT, AT THE TIME A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY IS ISSUED. SO THAT LETS -- IF THEY ARE LOCATED IN THE ZONING DISTRICTS, THEY WOULD BE GRANDFATHERED IN WHEN THEY WERE FIRST APPROVED. IF THEY'RE PRE- EXISTING IN R- 5 OR C- 2, THEY WILL BE ALLOWED TWO YEARS FROM THE DATE OF ADOPTION OF THIS ORDINANCE TO OBTAINOBTAIN CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO CONTINUE THEIR USE. NOW THAT PROCESS WOULD ENGAGE OTHER DEPARTMENTS OF THE CITY. IT WOULD ENGAGE THE TECHNICAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, THE PLANNING BOARD AND ALSO THE CITY COMMISSION. THAT WOULD TAKE THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT THEY WERE AT STANDARD. WE WOULD ALREADY KNOW THEY WERE IN THE RIGHT ZONING DISTRICTS SO THAT THEY ARE GIVING SOME GRACE IN THAT WAY. IF THEY'RE NONCONFORMING AND [01:00:09] NOT WITHIN, THAT MEANS THEY'RE NOT WITHIN THE ZONING DISTRICTS, ALL THOSE USES SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR A CONDITIONAL USE THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS TO MEET ALL THE CODES, BUILDING CODE AND FIRE CODE. AND, IN ADDITION, WE'RE TALKING MORE THAN PLANNING ISSUES, TALKING THE PLANNING USE. SO IF THE BUILDING HAS BEEN PERMITTED AS A SINGLE FAMILY OR A DIFFERENT USE, THEN THAT WILL NEED A CHANGE OF USE IN THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT THAT GETS CONFUSED WITH THE CHANGE OF USE. THE CHANGE OF USE IN THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT ENGAGES DIFFERENT STANDARDS OF CONSTRUCTION, SAFETY, ACCESS AND ALL THOSE THINGS LOOKED AT UNDER A BUILDING PERMIT. SO IT WOULD BE ENFORCED BY PRIMARILY CODE ENFORCEMENT IN THIS CASE. AND THE ARTICLE WOULD BE ENFORCED AND CONSIDERED AS A CIVIL VIOLATION, AND THAT WOULD BE PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 1 AND ARTICLE 2. SO HAVING ALL THAT IN FRONT OF THE COMMISSION, WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THE COMMISSION APPROVE THE AMENDMENTS AND WE'LL MOVE ON FROM THERE. THANK YOU. >> QUESTIONS OF STAFF? COMMISSIONER GAINES? >> THANK YOU, MR. FREEMAN. WHEN THIS CAME UP IN MY WEEKLY MEETING, ONE OF THE CONCERNS I HAD I'M SEEING IN OUR COMMUNITY WE HAVE APPROVED SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND THEN THE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ARE BEING TURNED INTO RENT ROOMS IN THE SINGLE FAMILY HOME. SO THIS IS IT GOING THROUGHOUT THE CITY. I GUESS IN THOSE SITUATIONS IF THEY'RE NOT IN A CERTAIN ZONE, THEY HAVE TO IMMEDIATELY COME AND CHANGE -- >> YES. >> OKAY. >> AND THEY WOULD NEED TO SHOW THEY MET ALL THE CRITERIA FOR MAINTENANCE, OCCUPANCY STANDARDS, ROOM SIZES, PARKING, ALL THE THINGS THAT ACTUALLY CAUSE THOSE UNITS TO STAND OUT IN A COMMUNITY. >> OKAY, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER BRODERICK? >> I'M GOING TO SPECULATE THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE NONCOMPLYING STRUCTURES NOW. >> WE'RE AWARE OF SOME BUT WE'RE ALSO AWARE THERE ARE MANY MORE THAT MAY BE AND ARE BEING USED AT THE MOMENT. >> I'M JUST KIND OF SCRATCHING MY HEAD THINKING, I UNDERSTAND THE GOAL HERE, AND I AGREE WITH THE MOTIVATION AND THE METHODOLOGY TO GET THERE. IT'S JUST THAT I'M NOT SURE HOW THEY WILL BE REPORTED TO THE CITY, CANDIDLY. I GUESS I HAVE TO TAKE IT ON FACE VALUE THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO REPORT THESE THINGS AS NOT OPERATING WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THE NEW CODE, ET CETERA, BUT I AM VERY CONCERNED THIS WILL BE ONGOING AND NOT GOING TO BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE CITY AUTHORITIES. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? >> WE NORMALLY COME ACROSS WHEN THE PROPERTY CHANGES HANDS AND THE DUE DILIGENCE OF WHOEVER IS PURCHASING THE PROPERTY AND MOST OFTEN THAN NOT THE PURCHASER ISN'T AWARE THAT THE PROPERTY CANNOT BE USED AS A MULTIPLE USE DWELLING AND THE VALUE OR SALE IS ON THE USE BEING ENGAGED. WE DO COME ACROSS THAT ISSUE. WE ALSO ARE ANTICIPATING, AS WE DO NOW, GETTING COMPLAINTS ABOUT EXISTING OPERATIONS. >> BUT THAT'S WHERE IT'S GOING TO COME THROUGH. >> IT WILL BE LIKE A WATERFALL EFFECT THAT THE ACTIVITIES CREATING THE MOST NUISANCE FOR THE COMMUNITY ARE THE ONES THAT WILL BE REPORTED FIRST. AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SPORADIC COMPLAINTS ABOUT THOSE, AND IT'S MAINLY A COMPLAINT ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE RATHER THAN THE USE OF THE THING. [01:05:01] TRASH IN THE YARD OR SOMETHING OR SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON. NOISY ACTIVITIES OR OTHER THINGS. BUT THEY DO COME UP. I'M NOT EXPERIENCING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF REPORTING OF THOSE AT THE MOMENT, SO YOU ARE RIGHT. THESE THINGS CAN OPERATE UNDER THE RADAR IF -- WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES. I DON'T KNOW WE WOULD WANT TO ALLOCATE THE RESOURCES TO GO AROUND A BLANKET SWEEP OF THAT. >> THAT COULD BE A RATHER FUTILE EFFORT. I THINK THAT THIS IS AN OUTSTANDING START. IT'S NOT THE SOLUTION. >> RIGHT. >> BUT WE'RE CASTING A BIG NET AND HOPEFULLY WE'RE GOING TO CATCH SOME OF THE ISSUES HERE. I'M CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING, THAT IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN. I DO TEND TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS ON THAT, THIS IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF ONE- OFFS AND IT WILL TAKE TIME. IT WILL SLOWLY COME IN AT THE BEGINNING AND WILL BE BUSY AND THEN IT WILL TAPER OFF QUICKLY AND THEN IT'S GOING TO BE JUST ONE- OFFS COMING IN AS THEY'RE UNCOVERED. >> THAT'S MY ANTICIPATION. I THINK WE HAVE SOME OUTSTANDING CODE ENFORCEMENT ISSUES THIS MAY HELP. I SEE IT AS, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIAL IF WE WANT TO UPGRADE -- >> YES. >> -- THE IMAGE OF RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATION IN THE CITY. >> I COMPLETELY AGREE. IT'S A GREAT TOOL IN THE TOOLBOX MOVING FORWARD, SO I APPLAUD THE WORK. I CAN TELL THERE WAS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TIME PUT INTO THIS PROBABLY BETWEEN YOUR DEPARTMENT, LEGAL, ET CETERA, CODE ENFORCEMENT. IT SEEMS THIS WAS A JOINT EFFORT. I APPLAUD THE ENTIRE TEAM FOR CREATING THIS WHOLE PACKAGE. I THINK IT WILL BE A GOOD TOOL. >> THANK YOU. >> WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING? >> I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR STAFF. THANK YOU, MR. FREEMAN. A LONG TIME COMING. TO BE CLEAR, ON THE PLACES THAT WE NOW KNOW THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS BOARDING HOUSES, ET CETERA. IF FOR SOME REASON, YOU HAVE A LOT OF STANDARDS HERE, LET'S JUST SAY IT'S NOT THE APPROPRIATE SIZE OF A ROOM, ET CETERA, HOW DO WE HANDLE THAT WITH THIS? IS THERE A GRANDFATHERING OR HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO WHAT OBVIOUSLY MAY NOT BE THERE NOW AND NOT EVEN FEASIBLE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T -- I GUESS YOU CAN KNOCK DOWN WALLS AND MAKE IT BIGGER, BUT WHO IS GOING TO DO THAT, RIGHT? HELP ME UNDERSTAND GRANDFATHERING AND HOW WE DEAL WITH OUR CURRENT KNOWN ISSUES WITH BOARDING HOUSES. >> IF THOSE BOARDING HOUSES OR ROOMING HOUSES ARE LOCATED IN AN AREA THAT WOULD BE -- THAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THAT AREA. THEY HAVE TWO YEARS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT BEFORE THEY NEED TO DO SOMETHING WITH IT. IF THEY'RE OUTSIDE OF THAT AREA, THEN IF WE'RE SAYING WE'RE GOING TO APPLY APPROPRIATE STANDARDS, ONCE YOU SET THE STANDARDS, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO APPLY. THEY'LL BE COMING FROM FRONT OF YOU IF THEY ARE REQUIRED TO AND IT MAY BE THEY COME IN FRONT OF YOU AND ARE NOT ABLE TO MEET THOSE STANDARDS. WE ARE ANTICIPATING WE WILL ENFORCE THOSE STANDARDS. WE DON'T WANT THIS TO BE A GRAY AREA. >> OKAY. >> IF WE'RE SAYING WE'RE SETTING THESE, WE'VE SPENT -- EVERYBODY KNOWS LEGAL, BUILDING, CODE ENFORCEMENT, FIRE, ALL UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE STANDARDS. THESE ESSENTIALLY HAVE NOT COME FROM STAFF. THEY'RE NOT SUBJECTIVE. THEY ARE FROM ACCEPTED INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE, WHICH ARE USED ALL OVER. WE'RE NOT CREATING THESE OUT OF THIN AIR. IT'S SOMETHING PEOPLE SHOULD BE COMPLYING WITH NOW. I THINK PEOPLE ARE PUTTING THEMSELVES AT RISK BY RENT ING OUT PROPERTY OR OCCUPYING PROPERTY THAT DON'T MEET THESE STANDARDS. >> AND I GET THAT AND WE HAVE -- THE HIGH STANDARDS OF SAFETY IS CONCERNING TO ME IN SOME OF THESE AREAS. SO IF I HEARD YOU RIGHT, NOT ONLY STANDARDS BUT THE PLACES RESIDENTS CAN BE, MEANING ZONING PARTICULAR AREAS, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THAT PART? WHERE THEY CAN ACTUALLY RESIDE. >> WE LOOKED AT THE APPROPRIATE ZONING FOR THESE, AND WHAT WE CONSIDERED WERE WHAT SIMILAR USES WERE ALLOWED IN VARIOUS [01:10:01] OWNINGS. AND WHAT WERE THE LIKELY IMPACTS OF THESE USES WITHIN AN AREA THAT IS ALREADY RESIDENTIAL OR WITHIN AN AREA WHICH IS, IN TERMS OF THE C2 ZONING IS A TRANSITIONAL USE ZONE BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL. SO THOSE ARE THE AREAS OF WHERE YOU WOULD NORMALLY FINDFIND TRANSITIONAL USE. THE R- 5 IS A HIGH- DENSITY ZONING. IT ALREADY ALLOWS CERTAIN TYPES OF USES THROUGH PERMITTED USE AND CONDITIONAL USE. AND YOU WOULD SAY A LOT OF THOSE THINGS ARE VERY SIMILAR. THEY'RE CALLED DIFFERENT THINGS. THEY OPERATE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENTLY, BUT THEY'RE VERY SIMILAR IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS THEY MAY HAVE WITHIN THEM AND THE WAY THEY OPERATE. FROM A ZONING POINT OF VIEW THAT WAS OUR CONSIDERATION IF WE WERE LOOKING TO PLAN THE CITY FROM ZERO, WHERE WOULD THESE TYPE OF USES WOULD WE WANT TO PUT THOSE OR CONSIDER WHERE THEY COULD BE PUT? AND SO WE NOT ONLY DID THAT, WE ALSO LOOKED AT WHAT WOULD OCCUPANTS OF THE ZONING DISTRICTS BE EXPECTED TO BE PROTECTED FROM OR TO BE EXPECTED, OKAY, THAT COULD BE HAPPENING IN A HIGH- DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AREA? WE DIDN'T THINK IT WAS APPROPRIATE FOR THE LOWER DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AREAS BECAUSE OF THE COMMUNITY CHARACTER OF THOSE, AND THAT RAMPS UP TO ANYTHING BELOW HIGH DENSITY. WE LOOKED AT, WELL, WOULD THESE USES BE APPROPRIATE IN MEDIUM DENSITY. WE LOOK AT THE TYPE OF USES IN MEDIUM DENSITY AT THE MOMENT IN THE CITY AND WE GAUGED THAT WOULD NOT BE USED WITH. THERE MAY BE ALREADY, AND I THINK THERE ARE, THESE TYPE OF USES THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE ZONING DISTRICTS IN THE CITYCITY TERMS OF RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS. >> SO IF I HEAR YOU RIGHT, THEN, IF THERE IS SUCH A CONDITION NOW WHERE THERE'S A BOARDING HOUSE INSIDE AN AREA THAT EVERYTHING AROUND IT IS SINGLE FAMILY HOME OR WHATEVER, HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THAT SITUATION IN THIS? >> THEY WOULD COME IN AND THEY WOULD BE REVIEWED. >> OKAY. >> I CAN SEE SOME OF THESE BEING ACCEPTABLE. >> OKAY. BE ACCEPTABLE. >> IF THEY'RE BEING MANAGED CORRECTLY, IF THEY'RE RUN CORRECTLY, BEING MAINTAINED CORRECTLY, IF THEY'RE NOT CAUSING NUISANCE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, ALL THOSE THINGS WOULD BE DISCUSSED BY CITY COMMISSION AS IT CAME THROUGH. >> OKAY. >> IF THEY WERE ABLE TO PROVE THAT, THEY MAY BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT AS A NONCONFORMING USE THROUGH A CONDITIONAL USE. >> LAST QUESTION PIGGYBACKING OFF COMMISSIONER GAINES. ROOMS RENTED WOULD ALSO HAVE TO COME AND REPORT NOW AND LINE UP TO THE STANDARDS OF THAT PARTICULAR THING GOING FORWARD. THEY HAVE A COUPLE YEARS TO DO THAT. >> YES. >> THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER TAYLOR, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? >> I DO. THANK YOU. THE PARKING SPACES THAT YOU NOTED, ARE THOSE -- ARE WE GOING TO BE REQUIRING PAVED PARKING SPACES OR A DESIGNATED PARKING AREA? >> AS IT COMES THROUGH, CONDITIONAL USE, IT COULD BE EITHER. IT COULD ALSO BE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF PARKING SPACE, THE TRANSITIONS, THE STORM WATER IMPACTS OF THE PARKING. WE CANNOT STABILIZE PARKING. YOU HAVE THAT MESH TYPE PARKING CONSTRUCTION WHICH ALLOWS GRASS TO GROW THROUGH. THAT WOULD BE APPROVEDAPPROVED NEGOTIATIONS WITH ENGINEERING AND PRESENTED TO THE CITY COMMISSION. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, AGAIN, OPTIONS FOR THAT, BUT ESSENTIALLY IT WILL NOT BE PARKING ON GRASS. IT WILL NOT BE PARKING ON SOIL. IT WOULD BE ACCESSIBLE PARKING. >> I WAS MAKING SURE WE WEREN'T LIMITING IT TO PAVED ONLY. JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS. SO THERE'S TWO IN THE DRAFT ORDINANCE, TWO ITEMS REFERENCING MAINTAINING THE EXTERIOR PREMISES. IT JUST STUCK OUT TO ME. MAINTAIN BOTH INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR BUT NUMBER SEVEN, MAINTAIN THE EXTERIOR TO PREVENT THE ACCUMULATION OF STAGNANT WATER. IT STUCK OUT TO ME THAT WAS IN THERE. WHAT'S THE REASONING? >> YOU HAVE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROPERTY THAT SHOULD BE MAINTAINED, THE CONDITION OF THE WINDOWS, THE [01:15:02] ROOF AND THAT SORT OF THING, AND MAINTENANCE OF THE NONCONSTRUCTED AREAS WHERE YOU MAY HAVE STANDING WATER AND WHAT WE WANT TO REDUCE IS THE LIKELIHOOD OF MOSQUITO BREEDING. >> IS THAT NOT SOMETHING IN OUR MAINTENANCE STANDARDS OF MOST PRODUCTS? >> THIS IS IN THE INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE, SO I DIDN'T WANT TO START TO CUT OUT AND SAY IN THAT RESPECT -- WE ALSO HAVE IT OVER HERE. WHEN PEOPLE NEED TO COMPLY WITH SOMETHING, IF IT'S ALL IN FRONT OF THEM, I FIND THAT FAR BEST FOR BOTH THE APPLICANT, THE DEVELOPER OR THE STAFF TO SAY THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON. >> I AGREE WITH THAT. I JUST WANT TO RE- EMPHASIZEEMPHASIZE YOU HAVE MENTIONED THE PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE IT'S NOT JUST WHAT'S IN THIS ORDINANCE÷÷ AS FAR AS THEIR REQUIREMENTS ON MAINTAINING THE PROPERTY. >> YES. >> VERY SPECIFIC THING CAME OUT, I DON'T WANT THEM SAYING, THESE ARE THE ONLY ITEMS II TO DO WHEN WE'RE REFERENCING THE MAINTENANCE CODE AS A WHOLE. >> AND THAT PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE CAN CHANGE. WE'RE REFERRING TO IT BY REFERENCE, WE KNOW BUILDING CODES CHANGE AND THE MAINTENANCE CODE MAY CHANGE, ALSO. >> DO WE HAVE A LIST OF ANY OFOF WE'RE AWARE OF THAT WE WILL NOTIFY ONCE THESE CONDITIONS ARE APPROVED? >> I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC LIST, BUT I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT AND I KNOW THEY HAVE PRIORITY LOCATIONS AND THAT'S THE FIRST SWEEP WOULD BE FOR THOSE. >> OKAY. TO FOLLOW UP ON COMMISSIONER TAYLOR. IF WE VOTE ON THIS, I THINK A MASS PUBLICATION TO THE PUBLIC THAT THIS CHANGE IS COMING, SO IF YOU'RE OUT THERE DOING THIS, THEY NEED TO BE READY BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT YOU. WHEN WE KNOCK ON THE DOOR, THEY'RE LIKE, WE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT. A MASS PUBLICATION TO SAY THESE ARE THE NEW STANDARDS AND WE'RE GOING TO HOLD YOU TO THEM. >> SPECIFICALLY TO THE REALTOR ASSOCIATION AND PEOPLE IN THAT WORLD. >> GOOD IDEA. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. THE ZONES WHERE IT'S CONDITIONAL USE ARE FOR NEW, BUT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AN EXIST ING ONE CAN COME IN AND PERHAPS BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE IF THEY FULFILL ALL THE REQUIREMENTS? >> THE COMMISSION THEN WOULD BE ABLE TO MAYBE IMPLEMENT TIME LINES THROUGH THE CONDITIONAL USE, MAYBE MORE STRINGENT STANDARDS. THE CONDITIONAL USE WOULD HAVE THIS AS A BASELINE BUT THAT WOULD NOT PREVENT THE COMMISSION MAKING SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIFIC APPLICATIONS. WE KNOW THESE THINGS -- I KEEP SAYING THESE THINGS -- THESE USES ARE ALL OVER AND THEY OPERATE IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND EACH WILLWILL DIFFERENT PARAMETERS TO LOOK AT. >> AND SO I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE PARKING BECAUSE THERE WAS ONE PARAGRAPH YOU SAID YOU MADE IT AND THAT MAY BE REDUCED. YOU'RE RECOMMENDING THIS GO IN THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS, BUT YOU'RE SAYING IT'S NOT SHALL BUT MAY. >> CORRECT. >> BECAUSE OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES MAY PLAY INTO IT. >> CORRECT. >> DID I UNDERSTAND THAT RIGHT? >> WE MIGHT HAVE A CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE WE HAVE ONE OF THESE USES CREATING ISSUES IN A NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE COMMISSION HAS THE ABILITY TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL PARKING. >> RIGHT. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE HAD EXPERIENCE WITH, I THINK, I'M CASTING BACK IN MY MEMORY COMPLAINTS ABOUT HOUSES IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE PEOPLE ARE SAYING, THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE LIVING THERE, BUT THEY CLAIM THEY'RE ALL RELATED. >> YEAH. >> AND I THINK THAT IS A CHALLENGE. BECAUSE YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO THE GENEALOGY CHART. THE ENFORCEMENT, PERHAPS, MIGHT BE DIFFICULT IN THOSE [01:20:05] SITUATIONS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT COMPLAINT HAS BEEN LODGED AND PEOPLE SAY THEY JUST DON'T BELIEVE THAT 15 PEOPLE WITH EIGHT CARS, THEY'RE NOT ALL FAMILY. SO I THINK THAT WILL BE A CHALLENGE IN ENFORCEMENT, AND I HOPE SOMEBODY HAS THOUGHT THAT THROUGH. I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT GETS CHECKED OUT. BUT I ALSO AM REMINDED AND I WANT TO REMIND THE COMMISSION IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN ONE OF THE THINGS WE SAID WE WANTED TO DO WAS IMPROVE BUILDING STOCK SO NOBODY LIVED IN CONDITIONS THEY SHOULDN'T LIVE IN. >> YES. >> AND WE WERE ALL AFRAID THAT WAS HAPPENING IN FORT PIERCE PERHAPS. AND I THINK THIS IS ONE WAY WE'RE TRYING TO DO THAT, AND, IN ONE SENSE, WE'RE TALKING -- WE KNOW PEOPLE ARE HAVING TROUBLE FINDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND SO WE'RE NOT TRYING TO TAKE THE LAST VESTIGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AWAY, BUT IT'S OUR JOB TO PROTECT THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THESE CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. >> YES. >> AND WE MADE THAT PLEDGE AS A COMMISSION TO SAY WE'RE GOING TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN OUR CITY FROM BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF OR LIVING IN A SITUATION THEY SHOULDN'T BE LIVING IN. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THIS BECAUSE FORT PIERCE 100 YEARS AGO HAD LOTS OF ROOMING HOUSES. LOTS OF BOARDING HOUSES BECAUSE THE RAILROAD -- YEAH -- FOSTERED THAT AND IT WAS A COMMON THING. I APPRECIATE THIS, AND I KNOW WHAT THE NEIGHBORS WANT. THEY DON'T WANT NOISE, AND THEY DON'T WANT A LOT OF CARS, AND THEY DON'T WANT A LOT OF GARBAGE, AND THEY DON'T WANT LOITERERS, PEOPLE HANGING AROUND OUTSIDE MAKING TROUBLE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. AND SO THAT'S ALSO WHAT WE'RETRYING TO PREVENT. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER -- COMMISSIONER GAINES? % >> NO QUESTION, MADAM MAYOR, BUT YOU STRUCK CURIOSITY. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOUR HISTORY ON THE BOARDING HOUSES OF OLD FORT PIERCE BECAUSE IT JUST TRIGGERED SOMETHING BECAUSE GOING BACK TO MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER -- >> OF COURSE, YES. >> THAT'S HOW HE CAME. >> GET OFF THE RAILROAD AND STAY IN A BOARDING HOUSE. >> THAT'S HOW I FELL IN LOVE WITH FORT PIERCE, THAT HISTORY. >> I HAVE A LIST OF THEM. I'LL GET IT TO YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> ANYTHING ELSE? >> NO. >> ALL RIGHT. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, PLEASE COME FORWARD. STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. >> DIANE WILLIAMS JOHNSON. >> WELCOME. YOU DON'T NEED TO BE SWORN IN. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. >> OKAY. I'M COMING BACK AGAIN BECAUSE MY COMMUNITY IN THE NORTH END OF FORT PIERCE AND THE LINCOLN PARK COMMUNITY BY LINCOLN PARK ACADEMY, THAT ROOMING HOUSE IS STILL DOING THE SAME STUFF, AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ADULTS WITH LICENSE, SERVICE DOGS, DOGS ARE COMING AND POPPING -- THEY'RE CROSSING OVER, THERE ARE CHILDREN IN THAT ROOMING HOUSE, I'M TALKING ABOUT TODDLERS. I SEE IT. YOU CAN'T EVEN GO TO PULL YOUR TRASH CAN IN. HEY, MAMA, THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THERE'S THIS ONE GUY, I'M SURE THERE'S SOMETHING MENTAL GOING ON, HE'S STANDING THERE LOOKING, TO ME, LOOKING IN MY HOUSE. HE'S STANDING ON THE SIDEWALK. HE'S OUT ON AVENUE M AND 19TH STREET WALKING IN FRONT OF CARS, AND IT'S JUST NOT A GOOD FEELING. THEY ARE SITTING OUT ON THE FRONT PORCH. THEY HAVE CHAIRS EVERYWHERE. THERE'S A MOBILE HOME IN THAT PARK. THERE'S DIRTDIRT GRASS GROWING UP IN THERE. IT'S JUST NOT A GOOD FEELING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE I'M A HOMEOWNER, AND I WAS RAISED IN THE NORTH END OF FORT PIERCE, BUT THE ROOMING HOUSE IS OVER ON 13TH STREET, COMMISSIONER GAINES, YOU DON'T REMEMBER THAT -- >> YES, I DO. >> THE ROOMING HOUSE THAT I REMEMBER. SO THOSE ARE THE CONCERNS, AND I CAME HERE TONIGHT FOR SOME OF MY ELDERLY NEIGHBORS, RETIRED EDUCATORS AND ALL, ASKED IF I COULD COME. I'M KIND OF NERVOUS BUT I DID WHAT THEY ASKED ME TO DO. WE HAVE IN THE PAST SENT PICTURES AND EMAILS AND EVERYTHING. THE TIME THEY DID SHUT IT DOWN FOR EIGHT MONTHS, THERE WAS A SHOOTING THERE ON MOTHER'S DAY. THEY HAVE FAULTY -- MAYOR, [01:25:01] I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER, GOING ON WITH THE ELECTRICAL AND THEY SHUT IT DOWN FOR EIGHT MONTHS AND OPENED IT BACK AGAIN. I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER THE ADDRESS, IT'S 19TH OFF AVENUE M. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. >> THANK YOU. I WANT YOU TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION BECAUSE WE'VE DONE OUR PART AND WE'RE STILL, OOH, KIND OF THING. >> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. ANYONE ELSE WANTING TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION? ANYONE ELSE? ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. MR. FREEMAN, YOU HEARD HER -- >> ABSOLUTELY. >> YOU MADE A NOTE OF IT. SO IF THE YOUNG LADY WOULD SAY THAT HER VISIT HERE TONIGHT WAS -- IS GOING TO BE PRODUCTIVE, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. >> JUST A QUICK FOLLOW-UP TO THAT, KEVIN. NOW THIS PARTICULAR MATTER, THIS SHOULD BECOME A CODE ENFORCEMENT ISSUE, CORRECT? >> IT WILL BE INITIALIZED BY CODE ENFORCEMENT. WE ADVISE CODE ENFORCEMENT ABOUT WHICH SECTIONS OF THE CODE THEY SHOULD BE ENFORCING. >> IT SOUNDS LIKE BUILDING WILL BE INVOLVED AS WELL. THANK YOU. >> AND MAYBE POLICE. >> I WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT AND BRING A MOTION ON THIS, BECAUSE THIS IS -- WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS AT THIS PARTICULAR ADDRESS AND THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF INCIDENTS IN THAT AREA. WHAT WE'RE -- AND TO THE PUBLIC LISTENING, WE'RE TRYING TO BRING SOME STANDARDS TO PROTECT HOMEOWNERS AND PROTECT THOSE THAT DWELLING IN THE BOARDING UNITS. I'VE ALWAYS HAD CONCERNS OF WHO IS NEXT DOOR IN SOME OF THESE SITUATIONS. WE'VE HEARD FROM CONSTITUENT. IT'S SOMETHING THAT CONCERNS ME AND GIVES ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOME STANDARDS WHEN IT COMES TO THIS. WE HAVE TO HAVE STANDARDS FOR SAFETY OF THOSE INSIDE THE BOARDING UNITS BUT ALSO THE NEIGHBORHOOD THEY'RE THEY'RE IN. IT GIVES US ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THIS, TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT ALL OF OUR CITIZENS. IT MAY NOT BE PERFECT BUT, THANK YOU, MR. FREEMAN, FOR BRINGING THIS FORTH. THIS HAS BEEN TWO YEARS WE'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION. WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO -- THE COMMUNITY IS GOING TO ACT A CERTAIN WAY. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ONE FORT PIERCE AND HOW WE ARE COMING TOGETHER TO PROTECT ALL. I WOULD MOVE WE ADOPT LEGISLATIVE HEARING ORDINANCE 25- 016, ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCE IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. >> I'LL SECOND IT. >> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK? >> YES. >> COMMISSIONER GAINES? >> YES, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON? >> YES, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER TAYLOR? >> YES, MA'AM. >> MAYOR HUDSON? >> YES, MA'AM. >> THANK YOU. [a. Resolution 25-R35 appointing Ginetta Bernard and Emily Fingerhut to the Arts and Culture Advisory Board as appointees of the Board. ] >> THANK YOU. >> THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC HEARING. WE MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 25-R- 30 OF FORT PIERCE TO THE ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY BOARD AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. SO THIS RESOLUTION APPOINTS BOTH GINETTA BERNARD AND EMILY FINGERHUT TO THE BOARD AS APPOINTEES OF THE BOARD. THE BOARD GETS TO APPOINT TWO OF THEIR OWN MEMBERS. >> IS THERE A MOTION? >> MOTION TO APPROVE. >> SECOND. >> CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. >> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK? >> YES. >> COMMISSIONER GAINES? >> YES, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON? >> YES, MA'AM. [b. Resolution 25-R36 accepting City Audit on all funds for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024, as prepared by DiBartolomeo, McBee, Hartley & Barnes, P.A.] >> COMMISSIONER TAYLOR? >> YES, MA'AM. >> MAYOR HUDSON? >> YES, MA'AM. >> THEN WE HAVE RESOLUTION 25-R36 THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE FLORIDA AND THE FY- 2024 COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2023, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE, AND I THINK WE HAVE MR. MARK BARNES. >> DO YOU HAVE ANY LEAD INTO THE AUDITOR? >> I DON'T. >> MR. BARNES, WELCOME. >> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. I'M MARK BARNES WITH THE FIRM DIBARTOLOMEO, MCBEE, HARTLEY & BARNES PA AND WE HAVE COMPLETED THE AUDIT OF THE CITY'S FINANCIAL. >> I THINK YOU NEED YOUR MIC A LITTLE CLOSER TO YOU. >> SORRY. WE'VE COMPLETED THE AUDIT. CLEAN OPINION. WE HAD NO FINDINGS STAFF DOES A FANTASTIC JOB. YOU'VE RECEIVED YOUR LARGE BOOK, AND THEN WE JUST WOULD LIKE [01:30:03] TO GO THROUGH THE COMPARATIVE FINANCIAL ANALYSIS. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE LARGE FINANCIAL, WE CAN ADDRESS THEM, BUT I CERTAINLY WASN'T GOING TO GO THROUGH THAT LARGE ON THE FIRST PAGE A COMPARATIVE BALANCE SHEET, AND THIS IS -- I'LL HAVE TO GO TO THIS. THIS IS CITYWIDE, SO THIS IS ALL OF YOUR FUNDS COMBINED, AND I JUST HIGHLIGHTED A COUPLE OF SOME OF THE INCREASES AND DECREASES, CASH AND INVESTMENTS WENT UP BY 17 MILLION. A LOT OF THAT HAD TO DO WITH A RECEIVABLE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR RELATED TO PENSION FUNDS. THE OTHER THING I HIGHLIGHTED, I THINK IS A BIG CONCERN FOR YOU ALL YOU WERE ABLE TO PAY YOUR DEBT DOWN BY OVER $11 MILLION, SO EACH YEAR YOU'RE CONSISTENTLY PAYING DOWN YOUR DEBT, PUTS YOU IN A VERY GOOD POSITION. AND THEN AT THE BOTTOM FUND EQUITY WENT UP BY 9. 3 MILLION, YOUR REVENUES EXCEEDED YOUR EXPENSES FOR THE YEAR. SO IT'S A VERY STRONG BALANCE SHEET. AND SOME OF THE OTHER MINOR DITCHESES ON DIFFERENCES EACH YEAR, YOU KNOW, WITH REPORTS WE SEEM TO BE HAVING THESE LARGER SWINGS IN THE PENSION LIABILITY GOES UP OR DOWN. AND THE DEFERRED INFLOWS GOES UP OR DOWN AND REALLY THOSE ARE ALL LONG- TERM, SO IT REALLY DOESN'T AFFECT YOU IN THE CURRENT PERIOD OTHER THAN IT COULD INCREASE YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS, IT COULD DECREASE YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS BUT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE WITH THE MARKET, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE THESE LARGER FLUCTUATIONS YEAR TO YEAR. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE BALANCE SHEET? SECOND PAGE. THE MAIN THING I HIGHLIGHTED WAS THE INCREASE IN YOUR TAXES FROM 30÷÷30 TO 34 MILLION, THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS LOWERING TAXES BUT THERE'S ALSO SALES TAX AND FRANCHISE TAX INCLUDED IN THAT. MOST OF THE OTHER REVENUE STAYED CONSISTENT. YOUR CONTRIBUTION FROM THE UTILITY AUTHORITY DID GO UP BY ABOUT $8 MILLION OR $800,000, EXCUSE ME. >> I WISH. >> EXACTLY. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THE REVENUE STAYED PRETTY CONSISTENT. QUESTIONS ON THE GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS REVENUE? GOVERNMENTAL FUND EXPENDITURES, YOU CAN SEE YOUR GENERAL GOVERNMENT EXPENSES, THE TOP LINE THERE, INCREASED. THE MAIN INCREASE THERE WAS ABOUT A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN PROPERTY VALUES. YOUR PAYMENT TO THE FPRA FOR YOUR SHARE OF THEIR REVENUE WENT UP BY 1. 5 MILLION. THE REST OF THE INCREASES ARE IN INCREASES IN HIRING AND SALARIES. PUBLIC SAFETY WENT UP AS WELL AND, AGAIN, THAT'S RAISES, INSURANCE, AND OTHER EXPENSES, AND THAT'S CONSISTENTLY, OBVIOUSLY PUBLIC SAFETY IS IMPORTANT. IT'S CONSISTENTLY GONE UP AS SALARIES GET MORE COMPETITIVE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THEN THE OTHER THING I HIGHLIGHT IS CAPITAL CAPITAL OUTLAY, THE PURPLE, AND YOUR MAIN PROJECTS LAST YEAR, JC PARK FLOATING DOCKS, OHIO AVENUE, AND YOU CONTINUE TO PURCHASE VEHICLES EACH YEAR, GOT ON A NICE PROGRAM THERE. >> 17TH STREET IS IN THERE, TOO. >> YOU'RE RIGHT. QUESTIONS ON GOVERNMENTAL FUND EXPENDITURES? THE NEXT PAGE, COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT, AND, AS I MENTIONED, INCREASED TAXES DUE TO PROPERTY VALUES AND NEW CONSTRUCTION, SO YOUR REVENUE WENT UP $2. 5 MILLION. THE OTHER THING THAT IS HELPING, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE SOME MONEY TO SPEND ON OPERATIONS. SO YOUR OPERATING EXPENDITURES WENT FROM 1. 3 MILLION LAST YEAR TO 2. 4 MILLION. MAJOR EXPENDITURES THERE, 500K SPENT ON THE FACADE, 400K SPENT ON THE FREEBIE CARS AND [01:35:03] 500K IN THERE FOR DOWNTOWN POLICE SERVICES. AND YOU'RE ABLE TO TRANSFER MONEY OUT, MOVED TO PAY DOWN DEVELOPMENT BONDS AND SUBSIDIZE THE SUNRISE THEATER WITH A $500,000 CONTRIBUTION. QUESTIONS ON COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT? PAGE FIVE IS SOLID WASTE. BOTH REVENUES AND EXPENSES WENT UP ABOUT THE SAME LANDFILL COSTS ARE UP, SO OBVIOUSLY YOUR RATES HAVE TO GO UP TO KIND OF COUNTER THAT. AND THE FUND WAS ABLE TO TRANSFER $500,000 TO THE GENERAL FUND, AND IT HAD POSITIVE CASH FLOWS OF 782,000, WHICH IS PRETTY CONSISTENT WITH THE PRIOR YEAR, SO IT'S A PRETTY CONSISTENT FUND YEAR TO YEAR. QUESTIONS ON SOLID WASTE? PAGE SIX IS THE STORM WATER FUND. AND, AGAIN, REVENUES AND EXPENSES ARE PRETTY CONSISTENT, OTHER THAN IN 2023 REVENUES WERE HIGHER, AND THAT WAS BECAUSE YOU RECEIVED A $1. 2 MILLION REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT FOR GEORGIA AVENUE DRAINAGE BASIN. YOU DID THE WORKS AND THEY REIMBURSED YOU FOR A PORTION OF IT. SO THAT WAS REVENUE TO THE CITY. QUESTIONS ON STORM WATER? OKAY. PAGE SEVEN IS THE GOLF COURSE. SIGNIFICANT INCREASE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR, OVER 400,000. AND THE INCREASE WAS DUE TO 7,100 MORE ROUNDS OF GOLF. AND IT REALLY, FOR THE GOLF COURSE, HAD A VERY GOOD YEAR AND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE YOU CAN SEE IT DIDDID NET POSITIVE CASH FLOWS OF 47,000. SO THAT'S VERY SIGNIFICANT, $345,000. >> GOOD SHARE. >> ANNIE AND DANNY. >> QUESTIONS ON THE GOLF COURSE? OKAY. THE NEXT PAGE IS THE MARINA FUND. AGAIN, THE MARINA FUND STAYED PRETTY CONSISTENT. VENUE WAS UP IN 2023 . IT WAS UP 400,000. REVENUES ARE DOWN IN '24 BUT PART OF THAT RELATED TO FUEL SALES. FUEL WAS A LITTLE LESS EXPENSIVE, SO YOUR ACTUAL FUEL REVENUE WENT DOWN A BIT. AT THE BOTTOM 430,000 NET CASH FLOW VERSUS 395 IN 2023 SO, AGAIN, VERY CONSISTENT. QUESTIONS ON MARINA? >> I DO HAVE A QUESTION. 430,000 NET CASH FLOW, WHERE DOES THAT NET 430,000 DOLLARS PARK ITSELF? IS IT IN SOME TYPE OF RETAINED EARNINGS FOR FUTURE INVESTMENT? IS IT CONTRIBUTED TO THE GENERAL FUND? >> YEAH. AND, ALSO, AT TIMES YOU WILL TRANSFER MONEY TO THE GENERAL FUND. BUT ANYTHING -- BUT THEY WOULD RETAIN THE FUNDS. THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES. THIS IS BEFORE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES AND THE MARINA. YOU SPEND A LOT OF MONEY THERE. I WOULDN'T SAY THAT THIS IS JUST ACCUMULATING. >> WE DON'T HAVE A PIGGY BANK FULL OF MARINA MONEY? >> NO. THAT'S A GOOD POINT. OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE MARINA? OKAY. PAGE NINE IS THE SUN RISE THEATER. REVENUES CREASED BY OVER A MILLION DOLLARS. INCREASED TICKET SALES ALONG WITH A FULL YEAR, RIGHT? WE'RE DONE WITH -- WE HAVE COVID BEHIND US, SO THEY HAD A FULL SEASON. THEY STILL HAD $766,000 OPERATING LOSS. AND THE FPRA MADE A $500,000 CONTRIBUTION. SO IT IS A BETTER YEAR FROM 2023, BUT IT'S STILL NOT -- I THINK WHERE TRADITIONALLY IT WAS ALWAYS, HEY, IF WE COULD GET TO THE $500,000, IF WE COULD HAVE A NET LOSS OF $500,000 THAT WE SUPPLEMENT FROM THE FPRA, WE'RE HAPPIER THERE. SO YOU'RE CLOSER. [01:40:01] YOU'RE CLOSER THAN WERE YOU IN 2023. QUESTIONS ON SUNRISE? PAGE TEN IS THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT. AND YOU CAN SEE REVENUES HAVE GONE DOWN A LITTLE BIT, A FEW HUNDRED THOUSAND. IT STILL HAS POSITIVE CASH FLOW, $1.6 MILLION. THEY HAVE A PRETTY LARGE CASH BALANCE IN THE FUND. SO, QUESTIONS ON BUILDING DEPARTMENT? AND THEN THE LAST PAGE IS ANIMAL ADOPTION. IT HAD A SIGNIFICANT OPERATING LOSS, $1. 3 MILLION. THE MAJOR EXPENSES IN THAT FUND, 900,000 IN PAYROLL AND RELATED EXPENSES, AND THEN YOU HAVE 588,000 IN OPERATING EXPENSES -- VETS, DIFFERENT EXPENSES TO OPERATE THE FACILITY. QUESTIONS ON THE ANIMAL ADOPTION CENTER? >> MADAM MAYOR, I THINK THIS IS THE LAST BUDGET AREA. NOT REALLY ON THIS, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JUMPED OUT TO ME WHEN I WENT THROUGH MY SESSION HERE, AND IT'S JUMPING OUT TO ME HERE, IS THAT STARTING WITH THE ANIMAL, THE MARINE, SOLID WASTE, ET CETERA, MY IMPRESSION IS THAT OUR OPERATING EXPENSES ARE GROWING, IN PARTICULAR AREAS WE HAVE CONSUMER TOUCH OR CONSUMER ISSUES. AND I HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION WITH MR. ATKINSON THE OTHER DAY. WE ACTUALLY TOOK A LITTLE TOUR OF MY DISTRICT TO SEE SOMESOME THINGS, AND I THINK IT BECKONS THAT QUARTER GOING TO HAVE TO ADDRESS SOME THINGS SOONER THAN LATER MR. CHESS, AS WE COME INTO THIS, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS AT THE END OF THE RACE, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET A BETTER SENSE OF THIS DURING THE RACE OF THESE OPERATING EXPENSES. WHAT I'M CONCERNED WITH IS, FOR INSTANCE, DUMPING FEES HAVE GONE UP FOR US TO DUMP OUR REFUGE AT THE CITY DUMP OR WHEREVER WE DUMP TRASH, BUT YET IT'S LARGELY PUT OUT ON CURBS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. AND SOMEHOW THAT'S PROBABLY THE RESULT OF MORE TRIPS AND MORE DUMPS WHICH ESCALATES THE PRICE AND HOW HAS THAT BEEN OFFSET BY THE CONSUMERS, ET CETERA, PUTTING THIS WASTE OUT THERE? AND SO AS THINGS ARE GOING UP, WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS WILL STOP WITH THE ECONOMY AND THINGS, STUFF IS GOING UP, AND MY CONCERN IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO FIND OURSELVES IN A SITUATION AND WE SHOULD HAVE A TOUCH POINT TO GET A SENSE ARE WE TRACKING, NOT TRACKING, ET CETERA. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE IMPACT POINTS ARE. SOLID WASTE I'VE GOTTEN A BETTER FEEL AFTER HAVING THAT CONVERSATION. BUT FOR THE MARINA, I DON'T KNOW. I KNOW PRICES ARE GOING UP. WHAT IS IT WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF WE MAY NEED TO INCREASE? THIS ANIMAL ADOPTION CENTER IS VERY OBVIOUS TO ME OPERATING EXPENSES÷÷EXPENSES THIS FACILITY, WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD HANDLED ON THIS AND IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUR HEAD AROUND BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT MAYBE SOME STRATEGIC ALTERNATIVES TO DOING THIS. I'VE HAD A BRIEF CONVERSATION WITH THE COUNTY. WE CAN'T SUSTAIN THIS KIND OF LOSS, AND WE HAVE TO -- THERE'S A DIFFERENT SET OF COMMISSIONERS WHEN WE HAD A DEAL, A PARTNERSHIP. MAYBE THE MENTALITY HAS CHANGED. I JUST KNOW THAT, FOR ME, IT WAS A COMMON THEME LOOKING AT OPERATING EXPENSES WHEN IT CAME TO DIFFERENT ENTITIES AND THERE WERE PUBLIC TOUCH POINTS, DRIVEN BY THE PUBLIC, MEANING, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IF WE HAVE AN OVERBREEDING OF ANIMALS, RIGHT, THEY'RE IN THE STREET AND WE HAVE TO PICK THEM UP, THAT'S AN OPERATING EXPENSE. IF WE HAVE A LOT OF REFUGE OUT THERE AND MORE TO BE PICKED UP AND MORE FUEL AND DUMP CHARGES, THAT'S DRIVING OUR OPERATING EXPENSES. I WANTED TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS WITH YOU WHAT I SAW. THE FUTURE IS CERTAINLY UNCERTAIN AND THINGS WILL CONTINUE TO GO UP IN PRICE, RIGHT? AND SO LET'S BE AWARE OF THAT. THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK? >> I WILL ECHO COMMISSIONER JOHNSON'S COMMENTS, I REFER TO THEM AS USER FEES, NEED TO BE ADJUSTED ACCORDINGLY. WE RECENTLY HAD AN ADJUSTMENT IN TRASH PICKUP COSTS TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY, NOT A [01:45:05] POPULAR DECISION, MIND YOU. FUEL CHARGES AND EQUIPMENT AND PERSONNEL THAT HAS TO OFFSET THE ANIMAL ADOPTION CENTER, WE CAN'T AFFORD A LOSS LEADER THAT EQUATES TO 2. 5% OF OUR ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET. THAT CAN'T BE SUSTAINED. I AGREE WE NEED TO LOOK AT FEES AND COSTS, I'VE BEEN AN ADVOCATE OF DOING A MACRO LOOK AT FEES AND COSTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY FOR EVERYTHING THAT FOLKS ARE PAYING FOR IN ANY CAPACITY INCLUDING RENTAL INCOME WE DERIVED FROM THE RIVER WALK CENTER AND THINGS OF THIS NATURE TO GENERATE ADDITIONAL REVENUE TO OFFSET SOME OF THESE LOST LEADERS THAT WE'RE STILL CONTINUING TO CARRY ON THE BOOKS. IF WE DON'T THERE'S A BRICK WALL COMING, A BUDGET BRICK WALL COMING THAT WE'RE GOING TO RUN INTO IN A SHORTFALL OF CASH FLOW. THIS IS A VERY SIMPLE BUSINESS MODEL AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. THE $63 MILLION OPERATING BUDGET TO OPERATE THE CITY IN THE YEAR WE'RE IN CURRENTLY. I'M NOT SAYING RIGHT THE SHIP, TWEAK ITS COURSE. IF I WAS GOING TO DO AN ASSESSMENT UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE CITY MANAGER TO SAY, OKAY, WE NEED TO CHERRY PICK THESE NEGATIVE CASH FLOW SCENARIOS AND ELIMINATE THESE THINGS FROM OUR OPERATING BUDGET OR AT SOME POINT IN TIME THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THAT IS TO INCREASE REVENUE. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? INCREASE TAXES, AND NOBODY HERE WANTS THAT -- THE CITIZENS DON'T WANT IT. THAT'S AN ABSOLUTE NONSTARTER AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. WE CAN FIX THIS INTERNAL BUT BUT IT WILL TAKE WORK AND HEAVY LIFTING FROM THE CITY MANAGEMENT TEAM, ET CETERA, TO IDENTIFY AND THE OTHER IS COLLECTING RECEIVABLES WHICH WE'VE ALL BEEN ENLIGHTENED TO THE LAST WEEK OR SO THAT -- YOU HAVE A MILLION BUCKS OUTSTANDING, WE NEED TO COLLECT IT. IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT. PAY YOUR BILL. I KNOW I HAVE TO PAY MY BILL ON MY PROPERTIES, ET CETERA. I THIS I THAT'S THE OBLIGATION. THEY HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO PAY THEIR BILL. I KNOW IN DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR AUDITOR, THERE ARE MECHANISMS TO WRITE IT OFF. WRITE OFF A BILL THAT'S OWED? I'M NOT GOING TO PAY MINE AND -- HOW IS THAT EQUITABLE TO THE FOLKS THAT ARE PAYING THEIR BILLS BECAUSE THEY HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO DO SO, YET SOME OF THE LARGEST PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE CITY BY A FOOTPRINT ARE SAYING, NO, WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY THAT. THAT'S JUST NOT RIGHT AND YOU LOOK AT THOSE RECEIVABLES COMPARED TO OUR NEGATIVE CASH FLOW, THIS HAS TO BE RECONCILED, AND SO I AM SUGGESTING TO THE CITY MANAGER YOU HAVE A COMMISSION HERE, AND I KNOW THIS IS YOUR BACKGROUND SPECIFICALLY, BUT I CONSIDERED THIS NEGATIVE FUNDING ISSUE ON OPERATIONS, SOME CAN BE FIXED THROUGH ADJUSTING FEES AND COSTS TO THE BENEFICIARIES OF THAT SERVICE. WE HAVE TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT DECISION AS TO CONTINUE TO DEDICATE TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO UNDERWRITE THESE OPERATIONS. I'M PICKING ON THE ADOPTION CENTER UP HERE ON THE SCREEN AND IT HAS THE LARGEST AMOUNT OF RED INK. THE LARGEST OPERATION IN THE CITY, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER. I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION FROM THE CITY STANDPOINT, THE COUNTY STANDPOINT, ABOUT JOINING FORCES AND COMING UP WITH SOMETHING THAT'S BIGGER AND BETTERBETTER ASSIST ALL PARTIES AND GET AWAY FROM THIS MASSIVE AMOUNT OF RED INK. I WAS GOING TO APPLAUD THE ANIMAL ADOPTION CENTER IF THEY INCREASED BY 50%. THE 50% DOESN'T EVEN PUT A DROP IN THE BUCKET. THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF YOUR INITIAL MAGIC FEATS TO UNDERTAKE HERE BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO TAKE A LITERALLY MAGICIAN'S ACT TO THESE CHALLENGING AREAS IN OUR BUDGET. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. I'M QUITE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS, THOUGH, AS I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS. IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO GET DEALT WITH. >> COMMISSIONER GAINES? >> MADAM MAYOR AND COMMISSIONER BRODERICK AND COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, I AGREE 100%, BUT [01:50:03] I'M TIRED OF SAYING WE HAVE TO DO THIS, WE HAVE TO DO THIS, LET'S JUST DO IT. >> YEP. >> I DON'T WANT TO HIT THE BRICK WALL. I DON'T WANT TO STIR THE BOWL JUST TO MISS THE BRICK WALL. WE ALL KNOW THE BRICK WALL IS THERE. AND IT'S CLOSER THAN WE MIGHT THINK IT IS. LET'S JUST START, THE FIVE OF US UP HERE, LET'S START MAKING THESE HARD DECISIONS WE NEED TO MAKE. THEY'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT US REGARDLESS. LET'S DO WHAT WE'RE ELECTED TO DO, LET'S GET READY FOR THE BLUE AND GOLD, FOR THE GREEN AND RED SHIRTS THAT WILL COME IN ON MONDAYS AND YELL AT US, WE KNOW WHAT'S COMING. LET'S MOVE THE CAN OFF THE ROAD, PICK IT UP. I WAS GOING TO SAY THROW IT IN THE TRASH. JUST HOLD ON FOR A SECOND UNTIL WE FIX IT. LET'S JUST START DOING IT. WE ALL KNOW WE DON'T WANT TO RAISE TAXES SO LET'S LOOK AT OURSELVES. LET'S MAKE THE HARD DECISIONS. THE FIVE OF US, WE'RE GOING TO RELY ON YOU, BUT ME PERSONALLY, WE HAD TO GET HERE AND MAKE THESE DECISIONS AND JUST TAKE IT FROM THERE. IT'S GOING TO BE ON US. I'M READY TO MAKE THEM. LET'S PUT IT OUT THERE. WE ARE ELECTED TO DO A JOB. WE HAVE TO PROTECT THE TAXPAYERS, PROTECT THE RESIDENTS, AND I AGREE WITH YOU 100%. IF YOU STAT OP PAYING YOURS AND GET A WRITE-OFF, SOMEBODY LET ME KNOW SO I CAN STOP PAYING MINE, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE PAY OUR BILLS, AND WHAT KILLS ME ABOUT WHAT I SAID, SOME OF THE ONES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WILL BE THE FIRST TO CALL IF THEIR TRASH IS NOT PICKED UP. OR SOMETHING IS WRONG. I'M JUST BEING HONEST WITH YOU. YOU KNOW I'M TELLING THE TRUTH. IF THE TRASH IS NOT PICKED UP, SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE STREET OR SOMETHING IS WRONG, THEY'LL BE THE FIRST TO CALL THE CITY TO TRY TO GET SOMEBODY OUT THERE, BUT YET, YOU KNOW, OUTSTANDING BILLS. I AGREE WITH YOU 100% ON THIS. MADAM MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, LET'S DO IT. >> DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO CONTRIBUTE? >> DITTO ON BOTH COMMISSIONERS. I THINK WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. THE SECOND HEAD IS ANALYZING OUR EXPENSES AND OUR DEPARTMENTS AND THE VERY MAKEUP OF HOW OUR CITY IS FUNCTIONING AND IF WE'RE DOING THAT. I'M HAPPY TO HAVE MR. CHESS TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE AND SEEING WHERE WE CAN OUTSOURCE SPECIFIC SERVICES, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, ANY WAY WE CAN REDUCE THE EXPENSES TO MAKE THOSE TAXPAYER MONEY GO FURTHER. I DIDN'T WANT TO FEEL LIKE I WAS IGNORING YOUR QUESTIONS. I DID HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS I KEPT YOU IN MY OFFICE FOR OVER AN HOUR, SO I DID HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS I HAD ANSWERED. >> IT WAS A GOOD MEETING, YES. >> YOU'RE PATIENT. I THINK WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. IT'S TIME TO MAKE SOME HARD DECISIONS. GET THE CITY WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE FINANCIALLY. >> AND WE ALL KNOW THAT CLIMATE IS -- PROPERTY TAX IS THE SUBJECT OF THE CLIMATE AND EVERYBODY THIS IS THAT THE PROPERTY TAXES ARE HIGH, RIGHT? WHEREVER THEY LIVE IN FLORIDA, THEY THINK THEY'RE HIGH. THE LEGISLATURE IS PAYING ATTENTION AND THEY'RE TRYING TO DO SEVERAL THINGS TO REDUCE THEM FOR OUR BUDGETS AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, GIVE US UNFUNDED MANDATES. I THINK THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES OUR TAXPAYERS WANT IS TO BE ABLE TO CHARGE FEES FOR SERVICE AND COLLECT THE MONEY. [01:55:03] WE HATE TO DO THAT TO INCREASE THE COST ON OUR CITIZENS WHEN THEIR COSTS ARE ALREADY INCREASED IN OTHER AREAS. IT'S A PUZZLE. I WILL SAY FOR YOU, MR. CHESS, AND MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS WHO WEREN'T HERE, THE ANIMAL SHELTER, THE ANIMAL THAT HAS BEEN A CONUNDRUM WE HAVE TRIED TO SOLVE FOR A LONG TIME. AND WE HAVE -- WE'VE HAD VARIOUS ITERATIONS. WE'VE HAD A NONPROFIT RUN IT. ONE TIME WE WERE WITH THE COUNTY. THE COUNTY AND THE CITY WERE CONTRIBUTING TO IT. AT SOME POINT THE COUNTY BROKE AWAY. THE COUNTY IS NOT, AS FAR AS I KNOW, THEY DON'T HAVE AN ADOPTION CENTER, THEY JUST HAVE AN ANIMAL SHELTER, AND SO IF WE CAN JOIN FORCES WITH THEM AGAIN THAT WOULD BE GREAT. AND THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL PLANS TO MAKE THIS NOT A LOSING PROPOSITION AND THOSE PLANS HAVE NOT COME TO FRUITION FOR WHATEVER REASON. IT'S A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE SOLVED AND SO I THINK THE COMMISSION IS VERY EAGER TO WORK WITH YOU TO SEE WHAT WE CAN COME UP WITH IN TERMS OF THE CREATIVE SOLUTION. ANIMAL CONTROL AND THE SAFETY OF ANIMALS FALLS UNDER THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF REALLY BUT FORT ST. LUCIE DOES THEIR THING. THERE COULD BE A MORE EFFICIENT WAY TO DO IT. IT'S BEEN FRUSTRATING. WE TRIED A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. YES, SIR? >> YOU HIT IT RIGHT ON THE HEAD AND IRONIC I HAD AA TOP LEVEL WITH ENTITIES IN PORT ST. LUCIE AND THE COUNTY. THAT LONG LIST OF THINGS, MAYBE YOU ADD TO THAT. I THINK THE OTHER THING WE NEED TO DO IS WE HAVE GOT TO BRING THE PUBLIC ALONG TO BRING THEM UP TO SPEED ON THIS. THEY HAVE NO IDEA SOME OF THE THINGS, AND THERE MAY BE SOME CREATIVE IDEAS OF THINGS WE HAVE TO RETHINK SOME THINGS EVEN FROM A REFUSE STANDPOINT. I LEARNED ON MY TOUR WE MAY HAVE TO BRING OPTIONS WE DON'T HAVE NOW TO HELP MITIGATE SOMESOME THIS STUFF AND HANDLE WASTE THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND OTHER PARTS OF OUR STATE. WE HAVE TO TELL THEM WHAT THE REAL ISSUES ARE HERE. AND THERE'S PROBABLY THE MENTALITY THAT JUST SAYS, HEY, I PUT IT ALL OUT BY THE CURB EACH AND EVERY WEEK AND THEY'RE GOING TO PICK IT UP. THAT COMES AT A COST. I DON'T THINK PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT, IT'S AT A COST AND SOMEBODY HAS TO PAY FOR THAT, RIGHT? IT'S PERSONNEL EVEN IF THEY'RE WORKING OVERTIME. WE HAVE A LOT OF CONVERSATION BUT SOME TRUCKS BREAK. WE HAVE TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE REALLY FACED WITH WHEN THIS COMES TO THIS STUFF. >> AGREED. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, I LIKE THAT, AND I DON'T KNOW THE LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS. I TALKED ABOUT LETTING THE PUBLIC SEE, PUT IT IN BLACK AND WHITE. I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN. I DON'T KNOW THE CONTRACTS OR WHATEVER. PUT A BREAKDOWN AND PICK UP TRASH JUST ON A MONDAY. ON A MONDAY, THE PUBLIC WILL UNDERSTAND IF THEY SEE A BREAKDOWN. I GUARANTEE HALF OF THE PUBLIC DOES NOT KNOW WHAT IT COSTS TO OPERATE ONE OF THOSE TRUCKS. TO PICK UP THE TRUCK AND HOW TIME, MAN TIME. WE TALKED ABOUT GAS TONIGHT. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A ONE- TIME FILL UP. I DON'T KNOW. SOMETHING, IF POSSIBLE, NOT BREAKING ANY ORDINANCE OR, YOU KNOW, LEGAL THINGS, MAKE A LITTLE MEMO. LET PEOPLE SEE IT'S NOT JUST US TALKING. THEY CAN SEE FOR THEMSELVES. >> OUR EMPLOYEES OF SOLID WASTE, WE ARE PROUD OF THEM AND THEY WORK HARD. WE REALLY APPRECIATED THEM WHEN PORT ST. LUCIE AND THE COUNTY WERE HAVING THEIR GARBAGE WOES. [02:00:02] THEY HAD SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THEIR HAULER, AND SO PORT ST. LUCIE HAD TO GO TO A DIFFERENT HAULER. THEY HAD TO GO TO FEWER TRIPS, HAD TO CHARGE MORE. ALL DURING THAT TIME WE WERE JUST IN THERE PLUGGING AWAY TO HAVE OUR OWN EMPLOYEES DO THAT. THEY'RE DOING A LOT WITH A LITTLE. I KNOW THEY ARE. AT ANY RATE, IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, MR. BARNES, ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE AUDITOR? ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY. SO WE NEED TO HAVE A RESOLUTION, A MOTION. >> MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION 25-R36. >> SECOND. >> CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. >> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK? >> YES. >> COMMISSIONER GAINES? >> YES, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON? >> YES, MA'AM. >> COMMISSIONER TAYLOR? >> YES, MA'AM. >> MAYOR HUDSON? [14. 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.] >> YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING WITH US. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> OKAY, NEXT XHEBTS FROM COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. >> THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION. COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME. >> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, CITY MANAGER, BOARD MEMBERS, I LIVE AT 5708 PALMDRIVE. >> I THOUGHT I RECOGNIZED YOU. >> I'M HERE ABOUT THE PAID PARKING ON THE BEACH. I WAS RAISED IN FORT PIERCE. I RETIRED FROM THE FORT PIERCE UTILITIES AUTHORITY, MY WIFE WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE IN FORT PIERCE. WE DO ALL OUR BUSINESS HERE IN FORT PIERCE INCLUDING EATING OUT HERE A LOT DOWNTOWN. WE REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE YOUNG THERE WAS PAID PARKING IN DOWNTOWN, AND YOU CAN STILL SEE SOME OF THOSE LITTLE METAL THINGS CUT OUT OF THE SIDEWALK, AND NOW IT'S BEING TALKED ABOUT AGAIN ON THE BEACHES. THAT'S WHY I'M HERE. WE BELIEVE IT'S A BETTER DOWNTOWN NOW BECAUSE THEY'VE REMOVED THAT PAID PARKING THAT WAS DOWNTOWN. MY WIFE'S FATHER PASSED AWAY WHEN SHE WAS 10 YEARS OLD AND LEFT A WIDOW WITH CHILDREN. MEDICALLY SHE COULDN'T DRIVE. SHE HAD TO WALK TO WORK. THEIR ENTERTAINMENT WAS A YOUNG NEIGHBOR STARTING HIS OWN FAMILY, WOULD LOAD THEM UP AND TAKE THEM TO THE BEACH FOR THEIR ENTERTAINMENT. AND THEY COULDN'T AFFORD THAT IF THEY HAD TO PAY TO PARK. I'M JUST SAYING. WHEN MY SON WAS YOUNG, I BOUGHT A USED BOSTON WHALER SO WE COULD FISH. THE RAMP WHERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PAID PARKING THERE. AND NOW I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT. AS A YOUNG FAMILY, IT WOULD BE HARD. MY WIFE AND HER BROTHER PAID FOR A BENCH ON THE JETTY TO HONOR HER FATHER AND MOTHER, AND WE WALKED OUT THERE ON EASTER. AND YOU'RE TELLING ME NOW WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO GO SEE THAT BENCH THAT WE PAID TO GO SEE. I'M A FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE KWANIS CLUB. NOW YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT PARENTS WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO GO THERE AND PLAY AT THAT PARK. HALF THE TIME THERE'S DIRTY COMING OUT OF TAYLOR CREEK, AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CHARGING PEOPLE AT THE CAUSEWAY TO PAY TO PARK THERE. SO THEY HAVE TO PAY TO SWIM IN DIRTY WATER. I'M JUST QUESTIONING ALL OF THIS. IN MY MIND, IT DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT. WHEN WE VISITED FORT MYERS WITH SOME FRIENDS, WE WANTED TO GO TO THE RESTAURANTS ON THE BEACH, AND WE DID THE FIRST NIGHT. THE SECOND NIGHT WE DIDN'T GO TO THE BEACH BECAUSE WE HAD TO SO WE WENT TO THE RESTAURANTS IN TOWN AND WENT TO THOSE SO WE DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY AN ADDITIONAL $15 OR $20 TO GO AND EAT. DOWN SOUTH OF HERE THEY'RE PUTTING UP FAKE LITTLE SCAN CODES ON THE PARKING METERS TELLING PEOPLE, SCAN THIS, STEALING THEIR INFORMATION AND THEY'RE TELLING THE RESIDENTS LOCALLY, DON'T DO THIS. HOWEVER, TOURISTS DON'T KNOW THAT WHEN THEY COME HERE. TO ME, AGAIN, IT'S JUST -- I'VE BEEN GOING THERE MY WHOLE LIFE AND I HAVE TO PAY TO PARK. >> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND STAYING THROUGH THE MEETING. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WANT TO GO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION, PLEASE [15. COMMENTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER] COME FORWARD. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. WE'LL MOVE ON. >> OKAY. NEXT WE HAVE COMMENTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER. >> MR. CHESS? [02:05:01] >> I WANT TO THANK MR. BARNES FOR THE PRESENTATION, AND MS. MORRISON FOR THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. WE GET THIS QUICK SUMMARY FROM THE AUDITORS, BUT A LOT OF HARD WORK GOES INTO DEVELOPING THAT REPORT, BECAUSE I'VE DONE IT ACROSS MY CAREER. IT IS NOT JUST ONE PERSON, A TEAM, THE ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, THE ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, A LOT GOES INTO PREPARING A REPORT AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED YOU TO STAY. I WENT TO YOUR OFFICE TO THANK YOU ALL PERSONALLY FOR THE GOOD WORK YOU'VE DONE ON THAT. YOUR COMMENTS REGARDING THE BUDGET IS TAKEN TO HEART TO ME. AND I SPOKE TO MR. ATKINSON. I MET WITH THE MARINE DIRECTOR LAST WEEK ON HIS BUSINESS MODEL. EXTENSIVE CONVERSATION WITH MS. MORRIS. WE HAVE A MEETING ON FINANCIAL STRATEGIES. WE'RE GOING TO DO A REALLY DEEP DIVE ON THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS WHICH WE SHOULD BE MAKING MONEY AND WILL DO A DEEP ANALYSI ON THE FEES, ON THE BUSINESS MODELS TO IMPROVE THAT SITUATION AND WILL LOOK AT THE GENERAL FUND AS WELL. I THINK I COMMUNICATE THAT HAD TO MS. MORRISON AND WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE THE HARD DECISIONS. REGARDING MR. GAINES' COMMENTS ABOUT WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING, WE SHOULD BE DOING THE COST OF BUSINESS. TAKE OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS AND SAY WHAT IT COSTS TO RUN IT. BY LINE ITEM, BY SERVICE. AND THEY CAN GET AN IDEA AND WE CAN FRAME THE NARRATIVE OF WHAT IT COSTS TO OPERATE EFFICIENTLY AND SO THEY CAN UNDERSTAND AND WE EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT IS IT WE'RE DOING, THE SERVICES, WHAT IT'S COSTINGUS AND WE CAN DO PIE CHARTS AND GRAPHS AND IN LAYMAN'S TERMS THIS IS WHAT IT COSTS FOR US TO CONDUCT BUSINESS AND THIS MAY BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF IMPROVING SERVICES SERVICES THERE MAY BE FEES, MAYBE NOT. MAYBE REDUCING EXPENDITURES BASED ON OUR BUSINESS MODEL. WE'RE GOING TO DO A DEEP DIVE INTO THAT. I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT IT BUT I WANT TO THANK MS. MORRISON AND TEAM, THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB. THE AUDIT DOESN'T HAPPEN WHEN THE AUDITOR ARRIVES. IT HAPPENS DURING THE YEAR. OCTOBER 1ST IS WHEN IT BEGINS. THEY COME AFTER THE FACT WHEN THE YEAR END IS OVER. YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE NUMBERS. KEEP MAINTAINING THOSE CONTROLS. I KNOW I'M SAYING A LOT, BUT IT'S PASSIONATE TO ME. YOUR MESSAGE IS VERY CLEAR ON HOW THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. ME, I CAN'T DO IT ALONE. THE TEAMS, THEIR PARTNER SHEDS, WE'RE GOING TO DO A DEEP DIVE, ANALYZE OUR BUSINESSES, OUR BUSINESS STRUCTURE, OUR BUSINESS NEED, OUR BUSINESS OPERATIONS AND OUR BUSINESS MODEL. THANK YOU. >> AND AREN'T YOU GOING RIGHT INTO BUDGET TIME SOON? YOU GET THROUGH THE AUDIT AND THEN YOU GO RIGHT INTO BUDGET. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO MAKE THOSE COMMENTS. >> THANK YOU, SIR. MS. COX, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? [16. COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION] >> NO, MA'AM. >> WE'LL MOVE ON TO COMMISSION COMMENTS. WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO FIRST? COMMISSIONER JOHNSON? >> SO, I'LL BE BRIEF. A COUPLE THINGS, IN A COUPLE WEEKS WE WILL HAVE OUR QUARTERLY CLEANUP. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE CONTINUE TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT EARLY. THERE IS ANOTHER ENTITY IN OUR CITY, RESTORING A VILLAGE. THEY WILL ALSO ON THAT SAME DAY THE QUARTER CLEANUP THAT WE DO WILL BE RESTORING THE VILLAGE. 25TH STREET, THAT'S A PROJECT THAT MR. LEE AND A NUMBER OF ASSOCIATES TAKE ON THERE. IT'S AN ALL DAY PROJECT FOR THEM. REALLY WORKING ON THE CORRIDOR OF 25TH STREET, MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT DAY FOR THE CITY, BUT ALL OF THE ENTITIES THAT GO OUT AND HANDLE THEIR RESPECTIVE STREETS THAT WE HAVE SIGNS ON AS WELL AS THIS LARGE GROUP THAT WILL BE THERE, AND JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE ALL ORGANIZATIONS, ALL GROUPS, EVEN IF UP GET FINISHED EARLY TO GO OVER AND MAYBE JOIN AND RESTORE THEVILLEAGE ALONG 25TH STREET. HAPPY TO REPORT I'VE SEEN SOME ACTIVITY BEHIND THE OLD GARDEN CITY SCHOOL, TREES HAVE BEEN REMOVED AND LOOKS LIKE THAT PROJECT WITH THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB IS START TO GO MOVE A LITTLE BIT, SO THAT'S ONE OF THE TEEN CENTERS THEY WERE GOING TO PUT ON THE EDGE TO BRING THOSE COMMUNITIES TOGETHER. SO I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT. ALSO, MADAM MAYOR, WE HAD A FIRE BOARD MEETING. I'M NOT SURE IF A MEMBER WENT OUT TO A MEETING, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THE MAYOR AND I -- ALL OF THE CITY OFFICIALS TO INCLUDE COUNTY AND CITY, WE PASSED, WHAT WAS IT, A RESOLUTION, I THINK -- [02:10:03] >> FIRE BOARD REFORM. >> IT BASICALLY HAS TO DEAL WITH PARKING STRUCTURES AND HAVING THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT CAN BE BROUGHT TO EXTINGUISH AN ELECTRICAL CAR FIRE. AND IT'S SOMETHING WE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WHEN I LOOKED AT OUR STRUCTURE, WE DO HAVE SPRINKLERS IN OUR GARAGE. THERE'S GOING TO BE A REQUIREMENT THAT PARKING GARAGES ARE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE SPRINKLERS TO BRING A CERTAIN VOLUME OF WATER TO BEGIN SUPPRESSING AN ELECTRIC CAR FIRE WHICH BURNS HOTTER, NOT JUST IN THE CHARGING STATIONS, BUT PEOPLE WHO JUST COME HERE FOR BUSINESS AND PARK FOR WHATEVER, AND IF SOMETHING STARTS. SO THE MAYOR AND I HAD IMMEDIATE CONCERNS BECAUSE PROJECTSPROJECTS COMING ALONG RIGHT NOW. AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE AWARE OF IT. WE BACKED IT UP TO GO INTO EFFECT JUNE 1ST. THERE WILL BE A BLITZ OF INFORMAION TO ALL OF OUR BUILDING DEPARTMENTS, THE BUILDING ASSOCIATION. WE NEED TO GET THE WORD OUT ON THIS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT PROJECTS COMING UP AND THEY HAVE PARKING STRUCTURES AND THAT THEY HAD NOT PLANNED FOR THIS LEVEL OF WHAT I'M GOING TO CALL WATER SUPPLY AND DELIVERY WHEN IT COMES TO THIS, AND SO IF YOU CAN IMAGINE THE FORETHOUGHT THAT WENT INTO BUILDING OUR GARAGE HERE, SOMEONE WAS GENIUS BECAUSE THEY PUT IN A WATER SUPPLY IN OUR GARAGE. IT'S TYPICALLY NOT DONE OR DONE TO THAT LEVEL. THERE'S A HIGH DEGREE OF WATER DELIVERY THAT IS NEEDED IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE. IT WAS SOMETHING I WANTED TO BRING TO THIS BOARD. WE JUST NEED TO BE REAL AWARE OF IT, AND I KNOW I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, KING'S LANDING PROJECT. I KNOW YOU'RE TALKING MAYBE WITH THOSE AND HOPEFULLY OUR BUILDING DEPARTMENT IS HEARING THIS AND THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT AND THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT COME. WE HAVE QUITE A BIT OF LEARNING THAT DAY THATTHAT WE KNOW ABOUT. THAT'S IT. >> AND WE DID LEARN THAT IT WAS GOING TO GO INTO EFFECT? 2026. ST. LUCIE COUNTY IS DOING IT EARLY BECAUSE WE'RE DOING IT FOR SAFETY AND BECAUSE A LOT OF BUILDING IS GOING ON IN ST. LUCIE COUNTY, AND THEY BELIEVE IT'S A SAFER THING, SO WE WERE -- WE DID LEARN A LOT THAT DAY. >> LEARNED A LOT THAT DAY, YEAH, QUITE A BIT. THAT IS IT FOR ME AT THIS POINT. I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS. >> WHO WANTS TO GO NEXT? >> SEND IT DOWN THAT END. >> COMMISSIONER GAINES? >> NOT TOO MUCH TONIGHT, BUT SINCE YOU TALKED ABOUT THE FIRE BOARD. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE PASSING OF MR. LEWIS. I DON'T HAVE THE DETAILS AT THIS TIME. I THINK IT'S THIS FRIDAY, A LONG- SERVING FIREMAN OF ST. LUCIE COUNTY. I WANT TO HONOR HIM AND HIS FAMILY AND HIS PASSING. SO, OTHER THAN THAT, I'M GLAD YOU TALKED ABOUT THE ROAD CLEANUP. I'M TIRED OF GETTING EMAILS, BUT I DID JUST GIVE ANOTHER GROUP THAT WANTED TO PARTICIPATE, SO SHE'S FINDING A ROLE FOR THEM. I HAVE TWO MORE GROUPS THAT WANT TO PARTICIPATE SO I'LL GET THAT WORD OUT, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, AND COMMISSIONERS, THAT IF YOU FINISH EARLY ON TELL THEM TO START EARLY AND GO MEET UP AT 25TH STREET, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TONIGHT, MADAM MAYOR. >> COMMISSIONER TAYLOR? >> NOTHING FOR ME, THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK? >> NOTHING, I'M GOOD. >> ONE QUICK, IF I CAN. FOR MR. LEWIS, I WON'T GET AHEAD OF THE FAMILY, YOU'RE RIGHT, THE SERVICE -- THE FIRE BOARD WILL BE THERE. THOSE OF US WHO CAN MAKE IT, WE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, DO NOT DO RESOLUTIONS YET. THAT'S SOMETHING WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT AT THE FIRE BOARD AND FIND OUT HOW. WE'VE HAD SOME TRAILBLAZERS AND PEOPLE HAVE GONE ON THAT WE DIDN'T ISSUE THAT. THERE IS A STATEMENT THAT THE CHIEF HAS PREPARED AND IF THE FAMILY WISHES, I CAN SHARE THAT AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME DURING THE SERVICE. WE WILL BE THERE. THE HONOR GUARD AND THE FIRE -- WHAT DO YOU CALL THEM? THE FIRE AND COMMAND STAFF WILL BE THERE IN HONOR OF THAT. >> THEY WERE JUST THERE FOR RUSSELL ROGERS WHO IS THE FIRE CHIEF, RIGHT, RIGHT. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THE [02:15:02] LEGISLATURE IS IN THE SECOND TO THE LAST WEEK, AND THIS IS A CRITICAL WEEK. ON THE CALL THIS WEEK, THE NEXT TWO DAYS WILL BE CRITICAL FOR SOME OF THE BILLS THAT ARE BEFORE US AND THE CR- A BILL IS UP IN THE COMMERCE COMMITTEE TOMORROW. THAT WILL BE REALLY CRITICAL BECAUSE THE SPONSOR IN THE SENATE AMENDED HIS OWN BILL AND MADE IT MUCH MORE PALATABLE FOR CITIES, AND SO WE ARE -- I REACHED OUT TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMERCE COMMITTEE AND SAID, WE SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT, BECAUSE IT REMOVED A LOT OF THE REALLY BAD THINGS THATTHAT IN THAT BILL. SO THIS WEEK IS REALLY CRITICAL, AND NEXT WEEK, OF COURSE -- AND ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN AT THE LAST MINUTE, BECAUSE THEY CAN TACK SOMETHING ON A BILL. IT'S ALWAYS A BIG RELIEF WHENEVER THE LEGISLATURE IS NOT IN SESSION. >> RIGHT. >> A GOOD WAY TO SAY THAT. >> SO, WITH THAT, UNLESS THERE'S ANYTHING FURTHER, WE'RE GOING TO BE ADJOURNING. SO IF EVERYBODY WILL LEAVE THE CHAMBERS, WE'RE GOING TO BE TURNING OUT THE LIGHTS AND WE'RE GOING TO BE PACKING UP. IF YOU WANT TO TALK TO ANYBODY, YOU CAN TALK TO THEM * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.