[MEETING TO ORDER]
[00:00:10]
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. WELCOME TO THE FPUA JULY MEETING. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PRAYER.
>> GOOD EVENING. IF YOU WILL PRAY WITH ME. LORD, WE ARE THANKFUL YOUR PERFECT PEACE. WE PRAY FOR UNITY AMONGST WORLD LEADERS AND PRAY WE WOULD NOT WAR AGAINST ONE ANOTHER. WE ARE THANKFUL FOR YOUR GRACE THAT EMPOWERS US TO WALK THINGS WE OURSELVES COULD NOT. WE ASK THAT YOUR HAND BE ON THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE AND FPUA. I PRAY THAT PEOPLE WILL SEE OUR GRANT APPLICATIONS AND OUR REQUESTS AND REVIEW THEM AND APPROVE THEM FOR US TO COMPLETE THE GOOD WORKS WE SET BEFORE US. WE ASK HE WILL BLESS HIS BOARD AND STAFF AS WE PROVIDE ESSENTIAL UTILITY SERVICES TO THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. WE PRAY THIS IN
JESUS' NAME. 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. >>> PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
>> CONFIRM WE HAVE A QUORUM FOR TODAY'S MEETING. WE HAVE FIVE VOTING MET MEMBERS PRESENT AND ONE F POC MEMBER PRESENT.
[A. SET THE AGENDA]
>> PERFECT. CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA?
>> MOVE FOR APPROVAL. >> SECOND. HE MET CALL THE ROLL.
>> COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC TODAY ? IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, COME UP TO
[C. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
SPEAK, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK. I DON'T SEE ANY MOVEMENT IN THE GALLEY SO WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC MEETING FOR TODAY AND MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. HAS EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE MINUTES AND THEY ARE SATISFIED WITH THECONTENTS? >> MOTION TO APPROVE.
>> SECOND. >> PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
[D. CONSENT AGENDA]
ITEM D, THE CONSENT AGENDA. DOES ANYONE WANT TO REMOVE AN ITEM FOR DISCUSSION? IF EVERYONE HAS BEEN SATISFIED, MAY I HAVE AMOTION TO APPROVE? >> MOVE FOR APPROVAL.
[E.1. Recognition of Excellence - Kenneth Bowe]
THE REGISTER -- REGULAR AGENDA.>> THE FIRST TWO ITEMS ARE RECOGNITION OF EXCELLENCE.
MISSES CORTEZ WILL PRESENT BOTH OF THESE ITEMS.
>> THE FIRST ITEM IS RECOGNITION OF EXCELLENCE FOR KENNETH BOWE.
WE RECEIVED A MESSAGE FROM CITIZEN TOM KNOTT. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK HIM, HE HELPED SWITCH FROM AUTO PAY TO ACCREDIT ¿ FROM
[E.2. Recognition of Excellence - Kevin Parrish and Crew]
CREDIT CARD TO AUTO PAY AND DID VERY WELL. WISHING YOU ALL THE BEST. THE SECOND ITEM IS RECOGNITION FOR KEVIN PARRISH AND CREW. WE RECEIVED A MESSAGE FROM CUSTOMER DEBBIE PARSONS.THREE TO FOUR WEEKS AGO, KEVIN PARRISH AND CREW WERE AT HER SHE TOLD THEM NOT TO GO WITH THE TRUCKS ON HER DRIVEWAY. HE MADE SURE NO ONE DID. THEY WERE ALL SUPER POLITE TO HER AND EACH
[E.3. Community Partner Presentation by Main Street Fort Pierce]
OTHER AND VERY FRIENDLY. THEY HAD SOME EXTRA DIRT AND USED IT TO FILL A HOLE IN HER YARD WITHOUT HER ASKING. SHE IS A WIDOW AND APPRECIATES IT VERY MUCH.>> PERFECT. THANK YOU. MR. CHAIRMAN, THE NEXT ITEM IS A COMMUNITY PARTNER PRESENTATION BY MAIN STREET FORT PIERCE.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. >> YOU READY?
>> TAKE IT AWAY. >> ARE MAIN STREET PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1988 AND ACCREDITED IT IS AN ACCREDITED B STREET PROGRAM FOR 37 YEARS. I HAVE BEEN THERE 34 OF THOSE 37.
[00:05:01]
DON'T ANYBODY GO, I THOUGHT SHE WAS AT ALL. IT IS ONE OF APPROXIMATELY 50 PROGRAMS IN FLORIDA AND OVER 2000 IN THE UNITED STATES. WE WORK OFF OF FOUR POINT, ECONOMIC VITALITY, DESIGN, ORGANIZATION AND PROMOTION. AND IT HAS PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE IN DOWNTOWN. I HAVE TO TELL YOU, MY FIRST BOARD MEETING, I WAS A VOLUNTEER THEY ASKED ME TO BE ON THE BOARD OF MAIN STREET. I WAS WORKING FOR OF THE>> A FELLOW AND MY FIRST TIME COMING INTO A BOARD MEETING I CAME DOWNTOWN AND I KEPT LOOKING FOR THE PLACE IT WAS. I THOUGHT IT WAS CITY HALL. I KEPT DRIVING AROUND, PEOPLE WOULD WAVE AT ME THAT WILL THE BOARD LIKE I KNEW WHERE I WAS GOING. ANYWAY, IT WAS AT YOUR OFFICE ON WHAT IS A, FIFTH STREET, SIXTH STREET? I WOULD DRIVE EVERYWHERE AND COULD NOT FIND IT SO I MISSED THE FIRST BOARD MEETING. DON'T EVER DO THAT. THE NEXT BOARD MEETING I BECAME MANAGER OF MAIN STREET FORT PIERCE. I QUICKLY LEARNED A LESSON. SO, BY WORKING WITH BUSINESSES AND PROPERTY OWNERS, RESIDENTS, GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES AND SUCH, WE FOSTER PRIDE AND GROWTH. WE ARE DEFINITELY, OUR FAVORITE THING IS TO WORK WITH OTHER GROUPS AND MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. OUR MISSION IS TO PRESERVE, PROMOTE AND BUILD ON HISTORIC AND NATURAL TREASURES OF OUR DOWNTOWN WATERFRONT COMMUNITY, WHICH WE ALL KNOW IS BEAUTIFUL. AND DOWNTOWN, OUR VISION IS DOWNTOWN FORT PIERCE, THE HEART OF ST. LUCIE COUNTY, WILL HAVE AN INVITING ATMOSPHERE, HIGHLIGHTED BY HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE, UNIQUE NATURAL ASSETS AND WILL ENHANCE THE CIVIC, CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC VITALITY -- VIABILITY OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, RETAIL, SERVICE, ACADEMIC , GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY.
>> SO, IN 2011, WE WON THE NATIONAL MAIN STREET AWARD CALLED THE GREAT AMERICAN MAIN STREET. THEY PICKED THREE PROGRAMS AND THERE ARE ABOUT 2000 PROGRAMS IN THE UNITED STATES. SO IT IS A TOUGH THING TO SHOW THAT YOUR COMMUNITY HAS TAKEN THE TIME TO REBUILD ITSELF AND TO FALL INTO THE FOUR POINTS OF MAIN STREET. WE WERE ALSO NAMED , IN 2014, AS THE MOST IDYLLIC AND HISTORIC MAIN STREET IN THE NATION BY "USA TODAY".
ANNUALLY, MAIN STREET FORT PIERCE RECEIVES NATIONAL ACCREDITATION, WE HAVE JUST RECENTLY GOTTEN AND ALSO STATE A CREDIBILITY -- ACCREDITATION BY FOLLOWING THE DIFFERENT ROLES THAT THE NATIONAL MAIN STREET , IT IS HARD TO GET OUT, BUT IT IS SOMETHING WE FEEL IS VERY WORTH DOING. FRIDAYFEST IS THE LONGEST RUNNING STREET FESTIVAL ON THE TREASURE COAST. IT WAS TOM AND HIS FAMILY AND A SIXPACK OF BEER FOR THE FIRST ONE BUT NOW WE ARE UP TO ABOUT THREE OR FOUR CASES OF BEER NOW. WE MANAGED THE $350,000 MANATEE OBSERVATION AND EDUCATION CENTER, WHICH WELCOMES AT LEAST 50,000 PEOPLE A YEAR. THIS WAS A, I WILL HAVE TO MAKE A CONFESSION HERE, TOO. THIS WAS A GRANT FROM THE NAVIGATION DISTRICT AND THE CITY DIDN'T FEEL THEY COULD ACCOMPLISH IT.
SO WE HAD A COMMITTEE THAT HAVE BEEN PUT TOGETHER AND THEY TURNED IT OVER TO MAIN STREET BECAUSE ONLY CITIES COULD GET THIS GREAT. WE MANAGED IT AND RAISED EXTRA MONEY AND MADE IT HAPPEN. SO, BUT BOUDREAU WAS IN YOUR POSITION AT THE TIME. WE INVITED HIM TO LUNCH, THERE WERE THREE OTHERS AND WE WENT TO THE TIKI HUT. THERE WAS ONLY A TABLE FOR TWO SITTING THERE. SO THERE WAS A COUPLE SITTING AT A TABLE FOR FOUR. I WENT OVER AND SAID, WOULD YOU MIND MOVING OVER TO THE STABLE AND LETTING US HAVE THIS TABLE. BUD BOUDREAU SAID, WHATEVER YOU WANT, YOU SCARE ME.
IF YOU CAN GET PEOPLE TO GET UP AND MOVE, I WILL DO WHATEVER YOU NEED . SO WE PARTNERED WITH THE TREASURE COAST REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL AND DID A MASTER PLAN. WE HAVE DONE CHARRETTES , LEADING TO A NEW 2.5 MILLION STATE-OF-THE-ART DOWNTOWN LIBRARY. WE RESTORED OLD CITY HALL AT ABOUT $480,000, FUNDED THROUGH GRANTS . MAIN STREET FORT PIERCE RESTORED THE HISTORIC SUNRISE THEATER. THAT WAS ABOUT A $13 MILLION PROJECT.
ATTRACTED 60 NEW BUSINESSES USING OUR MARKETING STUDY CONDUCTED WITH THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. AND THEN WE RESTORED THE HISTORIC PLOTS -- PLATTS BACKUS HOUSE, ABOUT TO TURN HIS OLD AS ME THIS YEAR. WE CREATED THE FISH FENCE ALONG TICKELL TOMMY
[00:10:01]
HILL AND LED THE BINNEY CRAYON OUR PROJECT. WE HAVE A LOT OF FUN. THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED.>> I DON'T KNOW THAT FRIDAYFEST REALLY QUALIFIES BUT I WILL PICK
>> SO, WE ARE REALLY THRILLED WE HAVE THIS PARTNERSHIP ONGOING WITH FPUA. ANNUALLY, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE GOT ITEMS WE PARTNERED ON, BIG AND SMALL, WHETHER IT IS THROUGH THE MANATEE OBSERVATION CENTER OR SOMEPLACE WITH COFFEE WITH THE MAYOR. YOU GUYS ARE THERE FOR US, WE TRY TO BE THERE FOR Y'ALL. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THIS PARTNERSHIP, WHETHER AT FRIDAYFEST , ONCE A MONTH, WE WILL TALK MORE ABOUT IT OR COFFEE WITH THE MAYOR. THESE THINGS ARE INTEGRAL, THESE ARE ALL PART OF KEEPING OUR CITY MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
JUST TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FRIDAYFEST MORE IN DEPTH, AS EVERYONE KNOWS, IT IS HELD ON THE FIRST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH, IT IS FAMILY-FRIENDLY, WE HAVE LIVE MUSIC. IT IS ALSO A LAUNCHPAD FOR MULTIPLE SMALL BUSINESSES. EACH MONTH, FRIDAYFEST IS HOSTING, PROBABLY A MINIMUM, OF 30 SMALL BUSINESSES. EACH ONE OF THOSE TENTS AND VENDORS REPRESENTS A, YOU KNOW, NOT YET BRICK-AND-MORTAR LOCATION. THE BIG PART OF OUR ONGOING PARTNERSHIP WITH FPUA, EVERY OCTOBER WE HAVE THE KICKOFF TO PUBLIC UTILITIES WE, WHERE YOU GUYS ACTUALLY COME AND DO INTERACTIVE DISPLAYS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. YOU GUYS BRING THE GIANT AMERICAN FLAG, WHICH I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT . AS IT GOES UP, AS IT IS GLIDING UP, PEOPLE ARE STOPPING IN THEIR TRACKS TO, WHETHER IT IS TO RECORD IT OR GET PHOTOS, IT IS CONSISTENTLY ONE OF OUR HIGHEST PERFORMING SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS AND IT'S JUST, IT'S SOMETHING THAT MATTERS TO FOLKS. IT REALLY IS. IT IS GORGEOUS. WE ALSO, THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, HAD ENTIRE BOOTHS THAT WERE BEING RUN BY FPUA EMPLOYEES AND SOMETIMES THEY CIRCLE BACK. SOMETIMES WE GET A FPUA BOARD MEMBER THAT COMES AND VOLUNTEERS AT FLORIDA -- FRIDAYFEST. WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE IT AND WE KNOW THAT FPUA IS REPRESENTATIVE TO EVERYTHING WE ARE PART OF. ALSO, FOR COFFEE WITH THE MAYOR, WE WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS. WE DID SOMETHING WE HAD NEVER DONE BEFORE AT MAIN STREET, WE TALKED ABOUT OURSELVES AT A COFFEE WITH MAYOR. WE CAME TO YOU GUYS AND WE SAID, WE KNOW YOU GUYS ARE SCHEDULED FOR APRIL. WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO GIVE UP YOUR SPOT ON THE COFFEE WITH MAYOR ROSTER, WHICH TENDS TO BOOK OUT A COUPLE YEARS AHEAD OF TIME AND GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT MAIN STREET? I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE Y'ALL DID. THE RECIPROCITY IN OUR RELATIONSHIP IS ONGOING , A GREAT SOURCE OF APPRECIATION FROM US. WE WILL BE HAVING Y'ALL BACK IN NOVEMBER FOR BE THANKFUL. WE HAVE HAD YOU GUYS IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO.
THAT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US, FOR THE FIRST TIME, NOW, WAS IT WHEN 2005 WHEN COFFEE WITH MAYOR STARTED? THAT WE'VE HAD
>> JUST FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, COFFEE WITH MAYOR RUN SEPTEMBER THROUGH MAY . WHILE PERSONAL ATTENDANCE RANGES FROM 80 TO 100 PEOPLE, WHICH PACKS THE CLUB, WE DO BROADCAST IT ON FACEBOOK LIVE. IT IS AN OPEN PLATFORM TO SHARE ANY POSITIVE LOCAL NEWS OR ANNOUNCEMENTS AFTER A MAIN SPEAKER. SO, UM, IN TERMS OF ENGAGEMENTS AND ONGOING EVENTS THAT ARE ONGOING AND ANNUAL, WE HAVE THE WALKING TOURS WITH ART SHOWS, SHOP SMALL SATURDAY, WHERE WE PARTNER WITH DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES, SIGHTS AND SOUNDS ON SECOND STREET, WE PARTICIPATE ANNUALLY IN THE ST.
LUCIE COUNTY HISTORY FESTIVAL, AS WELL AS OUR ANNUAL CELEBRATION AND JUST A COUPLE DAYS FROM NOW WE WILL BE HOSTING AGAIN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF FPUA, THE FOURTH OF JULY STARS OVER ST. LUCIE CELEBRATION. WE ALSO HOST A COUPLE OF GOLF , FUNDRAISING EVENTS, WE ARE PLEASED TO HAVE YOUR SUPPORT FROM THAT, AS WELL.
I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T ADMIT THAT FPUA IS ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT PARTNERSHIPS. WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF ONGOING PARTNERSHIPS HERE LOCALLY. I WON'T READ ALL OF THEM TO YOU, BUT WHAT WE DO MAKE IT OUR MISSION TO WORK TOGETHER WITH ANYBODY WHO HAS A PLATFORM OR NEEDS ASSISTANCE IN THEIR PROJECTS AND FILL IN THE GAPS, WHERE WE CAN, AND IN THE SECTION OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND ECONOMIC VITALITY. IT MIGHT HAVE
[00:15:02]
BEEN, YEAH. >> SO, STARS OVER ST. LUCIE IN A COUPLE OF DAYS, LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. WE ARE HOPING THE WEATHER HOLDS OUT . I DON'T REALLY THINK THAT THE PICTURES DO IT JUSTICE BUT , AS YOU GUYS CAN SEE, WE GOT THE AMERICAN FLAG, THE FIREWORKS, IT'S A GREAT EVENT, IT BRINGS TOGETHER PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS TO COME DOWN AND HAVE A GREAT TIME .
SPECIFICALLY FOR THE FIREWORKS BUT FOR THE LARGER EVENTS. THIS YEAR, WE ARE EXCITED TO BE ROLLING OUT YOU CAN SEE THE QR CODE. THAT WAS ACTUALLY GENERATED BY FPUANET. WE WERE REALLY PLEASED YOU GUYS WERE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER A STATIC IP FOR US SO THAT IT HOSTS THE FIREWORKS WHEN THEY GO LIVE, INSTEAD OF HAVING TO HOPE PEOPLE WILL PICK THEM UP ON A LIVE STREAM ON SOCIAL MEDIA. IT IS NOW A STATIC LINK YOU GUYS HAVE GIVEN TO US OR ARE SHARING WITH US. YOUR TEAM WILL BE BROADCASTING THE FIREWORKS LIVE. WHICH WE ARE VERY PLEASED ABOUT.
IT IS, IT IS ALSO, I CAN SAY RIGHT NOW, I HOPE THEY AR DONE FOR THE DAY, THE FIREWORKS CREW IS OUT AT YOUR SITE, YOUR LOCATION ON SOUTH BEACH, SETTING UP THE FIREWORKS THE ENTIRE CITY IS GOING TO ENJOY. AS MUCH AS OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY IS IMPORTANT TO US, OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH FPUA IS IMPORTANT FOR THE FIREWORKS BECAUSE YOU GUYS PROVIDE THE ACTUAL LAUNCH LOCATION. THAT IS CRUCIAL AND IT COULD NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT THAT SPACE. WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT Y'ALL PROVIDE SPACE, Y'ALL PROVIDE THE SUPPORT, BOTH FINANCIAL AND IN PERSONNEL, TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY. UM, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH HOW MUCH THIS EVENT IS ENJOYED BY PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER FORT PIERCE AND FRANKLY, AS ST. LUCIE COUNTY, VISITORS AND LOCALS ALIKE, THIS IS WHERE THEY COME TO SEE THE FIREWORKS, ALONG THE WATERWAY. WE MAKE SURE WE TALK ABOUT THIS EVENT WE MENTIONED FPUA EVERYWHERE WE CAN . UM, THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS PARIS WHICH WE HAVE BEEN PART OF 37 YEARS, WE ARE HOPING TO GO INTO 38, THIS YEAR'S THEME WAS COLOR ME CHRISTMAS, ITALIAN TO OUR HOMETOWN. IT DREW ABOUT 16,000 ATTENDEES WE ARE SURE OF . WE DO, IT IS PRIMARILY RESIDENTS, I WILL SAY THAT. THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE TRAFFIC DAY DOWNTOWN FOR THE YEAR IN DOWNTOWN FORT PIERCE AND THEN THE FOURTH OF JULY IS EITHER SECOND OR THIRD BUT THERE IS OVER 100 FLOATS. WE HAVE MORE THAN 2000, I THINK MY COUNT ENDED UP AROUND 2344 LAST YEAR, OF THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS. WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS.
THEY COME FROM ALL DIFFERENT SIDES, WHETHER IT'S FROM PEOPLE JUST HELPING WITH THEIR OWN ORGANIZATIONS BUT OUR PRIMARY PARTNERS, OUR FPUA, CITY OF FORT PIERCE AND QANTAS, WHICH IS OUR PARTNER WE COULD NOT DO WITHOUT. WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THEM.
>> I'D LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING. WE ARE WORKING ON A QUARTERLY REPORT FOR THIS QUARTER AND THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS WE HAD THIS LAST THREE MONTHS WAS OVER 1000 VOLUNTEER HOURS, WHICH EQUATES TO ABOUT $44,000. WE HAVE THAT ALMOST EVERY QUARTER. FORT
PIERCE IS A VERY GIVING TOWN. >> YES. THAT IS DOLLARS THAT ARE BEING INVESTED INTO THE COMMUNITY, NOT MAIN STREET. THAT IS PEOPLE GIVING THEIR OWN TIME BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. IN THE PARADE, THE LAST FLOAT IS ALWAYS FPUA BRINGING SANTA, MISSED SANTA, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS ALL KNOW THIS, BUT WE HAD TO MAKE A RULE A FEW YEARS AGO THAT FPUA COULD NO LONGER WIN AS A PARADE FLOAT BECAUSE YOU GUYS WERE A SHOE AND AND WERE WINNING EVERY YEAR. IS PRETTY ICONIC, YOU TOOK THE THINGS VERY SERIOUSLY. IT WAS UPSETTING PEOPLE. YOU GUYS GRACIOUSLY SAID, FINE, WE WON'T BE IN THE CONTEST. JUST KNOW THAT WE ARE BIG. THAT IS A HUGE THING. BETWEEN, AT THE END OF THE PARADE, WHEN SANTA IS COMING BACK TO LIGHT THE CHRISTMAS TREE, WE HAVE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE THE CITY, I MEAN, THE SYMPHONY, IT IS ALL THE BEST OF OUR CITY WORKING TOGETHER . NO ONE PERSON OR GROUP CAN TAKE CREDIT FOR THAT MOMENT AND IT IS MAGIC. WE COULD NOT DO IT WITHOUT Y'ALL, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I CAN SHOW YOU PICTURES OF THAT ALL DAY. WE DO MAINTAIN THE DOWNTOWN DIGITAL MAP. THERE IS ALSO A QR CODE ON IT. WE KEEP IT UPDATED WITH ALL THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES AS BEST WE CAN, LANDMARKS, GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS, ENTERTAINMENT. IT'S MORE THAN THAT, ACTUALLY , IT'S BEEN VIEWED OVER 52,000 TIMES, I
[00:20:06]
SHOULD UPDATE THAT IN THE PRESENTATION. THAT IS JUST IN THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS SO THAT GIVES YOU A BIT OF AN IDEA OF THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC TO WHICH. IT'S VIEWED UNIQUELY PROBABLY ABOUT 2500 TIMES PER MONTH. UM, SO WE HAVE THE FOCUS MAGAZINE, WHICH YOU GUYS SHOULD BE GETTING THE NEWEST ISSUE, BUT I DO HAVE , JUST AS AN ILLUSTRATION, HERE IS OUR JULY ISSUE. YET, WE'VE GOT STARS OVER ST. LUCIE OVER THE BACK. RIGHT NOW, WE'VE BEEN DOING IT CONSISTENTLY SINCE 2005, OUR ANNUAL CIRCULATION IS OVER 50,000 COPIES. THAT IS OUR ANNUAL CIRCULATION, DIGITAL AND HARD COPY, I GUESS I WOULD SAY. WE DO OVER 30,000 PHYSICAL COPIES A YEAR. DIGITAL IS ON TOP OF THAT. IT IS 32 PAGES. EVERY MONTH WE HAVE COLOR PAGES . I DON'T THINK WE HAVE EVER MISSED ONE. OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES ARE CONSISTENT AND ONGOING. WE ARE SUPPORTING ECONOMIC VITALITY BUT IT IS ALSO ABOUT MAKING DOWNTOWN A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO COME AND SPEND TIME. THEY ARE ABLE TO UTILIZE THE FPUA HOTSPOTS AND I AM REFERRING TO THAT AND MAYBE THAT IS NOT THE PROPER VERBIAGE BUT WE ARE BIG PROPONENTS OF THE INTERNET SERVICE YOU ARE PROVIDING DOWNTOWN. YOU WERE ONE OF THE FIRST TO UTILIZE IT. I DO LOVE TO TELL THE STORY HOW AFTER THE STORMS IN OCTOBER, MY OWN HUSBAND'S OFFICE AROUND THE CORNER, WHO HAD A PROVIDER WHO SHALL NOT BE NAMED, DID NOT HAVE SERVICE FOR THREE DAYS AND I HAD IT WITHIN TWO HOURS. A VERY NICE YOUNG MAN HELPED ME WITH THAT. IT IS JUST ANOTHER ILLUSTRATION OF THE IMPACT THE FPUA HAS DOWNTOWN AND HOW WE ARE ABLE TO PARTNER AND SHARE THAT SERVICE WITH OTHERS AND WHAT YOU GUYS ARE ABLE TO DO. WE HAVE MARKETABLE PARTNERSHIPS GOING ON DOWNTOWN IN THESE EVENTS. EACH OF THESE ARE DESIGNED TO WELCOME IN THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY IN. WE ARE MOVING FORWARD. IT'S JUST A GREAT PICTURE. I WANTED TO THROW IT OUT THERE. DOWNTOWN CONTINUES TO GROW, FORT PIERCE CONTINUES TO GROW. WE ARE PLEASED TO BE NEIGHBORS ACROSS THE STREET FROM FPUA IN ONE MANNER OR ANOTHER AND LOOK OUT OVER WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING, HOW YOU SUPPORT THE ROADWAYS AND SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY. WE SHOULD SAY THAT , EVEN IF WE CAN'T SIT HERE AND DETAIL EVERY MOMENT, THERE ARE 8000 MOMENTS EACH YEAR WHERE THE FPUA MAKES THE LIVES OF THOSE AROUND US BETTER. WE CAN ALWAYS PICK UP AND CALL WHEN THERE IS A PROBLEM. YOU GUYS ARE WITH US TO SOLVE IT. WE ARE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR THAT. THAT MAKES YOU GUYS FANTASTIC PARTNERS AND WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE YOU ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND TALK ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION OF THE PARTNERSHIP WE ARE PLEASED TO HAVE WITH FPUA. DO YOU GUYSHAVE ANY QUESTIONS? >> ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD?
>> I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIOS, BUT I CAN REMEMBER HOW, MAYBE 20 YEARS AGO, IT WAS 9/11, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS HAVE GONE BY, BUT I SANG PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN AT THE HOLIDAY
PARADE IN FRONT OF THE BIG TREE. >> WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT
>> I SANG IT. >> I AM GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP
. I WILL CALL YOU. >> THAT WAS 20 SOMETHING YEARS
AGO. >> WHAT ARE YOU DOING FRIDAY? WE
HAVE A STAGE. >> STRIKE MY REMARKS, PLEASE.
LAUGHTER ] >> I ALWAYS ENJOYED, EVEN BACK THEN, I REMEMBER, THERE WAS A SAVINGS AND LOAN AND I USED TO BE BACK THERE WITH THE BEER . I THINK WE DID THE BEER EVERY YEAR. EXACTLY. EXACTLY. I WAS THERE AND I ENJOYED IT. I CAN REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS SMALL AND NOW I SEE WHAT IT IS HERE LATELY. IT'S, LONG WAY . I AM VERY PROUD OF WHAT YOU'VE DONE,
DORIS, AND OTHERS. >> WE HAVE TWO MAIN STREETS AND WE WORK WITH THE LINCOLN PARK MAIN STREET, TOO. WE BOTH HAVE
DIFFERENT THINGS . >> LINCOLN PARK MAIN STREET, I THINK THEY DO A FANTASTIC JOB. THE COMMUNITY.
>> MAIN STREET IS A FABULOUS PROGRAM NATIONALLY. IT'S ABOUT THE COMMUNITY REBUILDING ITSELF. THAT IS WHEN WE WON THE GREAT
[00:25:08]
AMERICAN MAIN STREET AWARD, IT WASN'T ABOUT ME, IT WAS ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY. THE SUPPORT FROM OUR COMMUNITY. YEAH.>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS? >> SO, THE STATISTIC THAT YOU OMITTED IS FROM THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.
>> WE SHOULD BRING THAT UP. >> GOD FORBID I TRY TO MAKE IT
>> WE ARE ALWAYS SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT.
>> WE DO HAVE A SLIDE THAT TALKS ABOUT HOW DOWNTOWN FORT PIERCE IS THE MOST VISITED LOCATION IN ST. LUCIE COUNTY. I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO SAY THAT. I REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE TRACKING THE STATS BY QUARTER. THERE WAS ALWAYS THE CAVIAR, WE HAVE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN SPRING TRAINING. I WOULD BE DARNED IF WE DIDN'T DOUBLE BEARS. THAT INCLUDE THE MARINA. DOWNTOWN FORT PIERCE IS THE HEART OF ST. LUCIE COUNTY. AND ALSO ONE THAT LIST IS THE FPUA ¿ FORT PIERCE MARINA AND THE BASEBALL, THE TOP FIVE FOR THE AT LONGWOOD FOR THE BASEBALL . I MEAN, I THINK THOSE ARE ALL INDICATIVE OF WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO ST. LUCIE COUNTY. WE WERE ALSO VERY PROUD TO BEAT TRADITION, TOO, TO BE HONEST
WITH YOU. >> NOW THEY HAVE THE HEART, SO I
DON'T KNOW. >> WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING. WE ARE WORKING ON SOMETHING SMALL AND SIMPLE. WE MET THE OTHER DAY WISHING AND PEOPLE FROM PUBLIC WORKS AND WE ARE GOING TO DO ON THE GROUND POTS WITH FLOWERS TO START BRIGHTENING UP SPOTS AROUND TOWN.
>> WONDERFUL. >> WE ARE GOING TO DO IT, THOUGH, SO PEOPLE CAN COME AND LEARN HOW TO MAKE THOSE PARTS AND PLANT THEM SO WE WILL BRING THE COMMUNITY INTO DOWNTOWN AND BE ABLE TO SHARE THE TO BE PART IN ALL OF THAT. I THINK IT WILL BE A LOT OF FUN. WE WILL DO A KIDS DAY, TOO.
>> ANOTHER COMMENT IS THAT NEXT YEAR THEY CELEBRATE THEIR 100TH
ANNIVERSARY. >> 100TH OR 125TH?
>> 1926 TO 2026. >> YOU ARE RIGHT. THAT IS TRUE.
IT WOULD BE A GREAT HELLION AS THEY HELP YOU WITH THE PARADE.
>> HE HAS VOLUNTEERED FOR YEARS. >> HE WAS PART OF ESTABLISHING THE PARADE AND REALLY BUILDING IT OUT . IN THE BEGINNING, HE WAS HERE WITH US FOR MANY, MANY YEARS UNTIL HE HAD FAMILY COMMITMENTS THAT TOOK HIM AWAY FROM BE PART OF IT, JUST IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS. IT WAS WELL OVER 30 YEARS. NEXT YEAR, YES, I GUESS WE HAVEN'T SUPPOSEDLY MADE A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT BUT IT IS TRUE, IN 2026, THE KIWANIS WILL BE THE GRAND MARSHALS.
>> AS WELL AS SEEN ANASTASIA SCHOOL, THE BUILDING IS OLDER BUT THE ACTUAL SCHOOL STARTED, ST. ANASTASIA IN 1926.
>> MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE MULTIPLE PARADES.
>> THE RK BUILDING IS ALSO 100 YEARS OLD.
>> WE DO HAVE THINGS EXCITING FOR THE PARADE THIS YEAR I THINK WILL HIGHLIGHT ALL THE UPCOMING ANNIVERSARIES. WE DO, WE DO HAVE SOME PLANS FOR HIGHLIGHTING THESE MULTIPLE MONUMENTS TO HISTORY THAT ARE ALL OCCURRING WITHIN THIS VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, INCLUDING OUR OWN BACKUS HOUSE THAT WILL BE 130 YEARS NEXT YEAR. WE GET BACK TO WHERE THE RECORDS ARE, SOME PLACES SAID 95, SOME SAID 96. WE HAD TO GO INTO NEWSPAPERS.COM TO GET THE CONFIRMATION. NOW WE KNOW FOR SURE. THERE ARE A LOT OF ANNIVERSARIES THAT COME UP NEXT YEAR.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU. IT WAS A
[E.4. City of Fort Pierce Retirement and Benefit Systems Update]
NICE PRESENTATION. >> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, DORIS. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PARTNERSHIP. >>> LET'S MOVE ONTO THE NEXT
ITEM. >> YES, ESTHER CHAMA, THANK YOU TO DORIS AND MICHELLE FOR VISITING WITH US TODAY. THE LAST PRESENTATION THIS AFTERNOON IS AN ANNUAL PRESENTATION TO THE FPUA ON THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE RETIREMENT SYSTEM. KEITH STEPHENS , DIRECTOR OF ELECTRIC AND GAS SYSTEMS WILL PRESENT THIS ITEM. HE WILL TALK ABOUT HIS PRESENTATION.
[00:30:03]
>> THANK YOU , MISTRESSES AND ARROWS, MR. CHAIRMAN, MAYOR, BOARD MEMBERS. WELL, AS MR. STINSON ERRORS SAY, I AM HERE TO DO THE ANNUAL UPDATE OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE RETIREMENT AND BENEFIT SYSTEM AS IT RELATES TO FPUA. AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE ONE PART OF THREE DIFFERENT AREAS, WHICH IS THE GENERAL MEMBERS, THE UTILITY MEMBERS AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO WE WILL START OUT , SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE HEARD SOME OF THIS BEFORE SO BEAR WITH ME FOR EVERYBODY ELSE. THERE ARE SEVEN MEN ON THE RETIREMENT BOARD, TWO CITY COMMISSIONERS, THE CITY DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND AN FPUA APPOINTEE, WHICH IS THE CFO, MICHELLE HARRIS. THREE ELECTED MEMBERS , THE CITY GENERAL, FPUA AND THE POLICE AND I AM THE ELECTIVE MEMBER FOR FPUA.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE FIVE CERTIFIED PUBLIC PENSION TRUSTEES WITH ONE PROCESS. WE HAVE OUR ATTORNEY, INVESTMENT CONSULTANT AND NINE MONEY MANAGERS. IT IS A DEFINED BENEFIT PLAN THAT WAS ESTABLISHED TO BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER 13 OF THE CITY CHARTER. THE BENEFITS ARE CALCULATED BASED ON THE MEMBER'S FINAL AVERAGE, THE TOP FIVE OF THE LAST 10 YEARS AND WE USE A 3% MULTIPLY. IT IS NOT A DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PLAN, SUCH AS 401(K), 403B, 457 OR IRA. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, IF YOU TAKE A PIE, YOU GET THE SAME PIE EVERY YEAR IN A DEFINED BENEFIT PLAN. A DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PLAN, YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE A DECISION TO LIVE UP SO MUCH OF THAT BY EVERY YEAR WHEN YOU RETIRE AND HOPE IT FILLS BACK IN YEAR-OVER-YEAR ON YOUR INVESTMENTS. WITH A DEFINED BENEFIT PLAN, YOU GET THE SAME BENEFIT EVERY YEAR, EVERY MONTH, ACTUALLY. IN 2024, WE WILL TALK ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO RETIRE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST 25 YEARS OF SERVICE OR, EXCUSE ME, AT AGE 60 AND FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE. MEANING YOU HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST FIVE YEARS VESTA BEFORE YOU CAN RETIRE. AND BE 60 YEARS OLD. IN 2024, THERE WERE SOME BENEFIT CHANGES. AS YOU KNOW, THE SEPTEMBER 3RD, 2024 -- SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024 VALUATION REFLECTS CHANGES TO INCREASE THE ANNUAL AND PENSION BENEFIT FROM 75% 2 100%. SOMEBODY COULD RECEIVE UP TO 100% OF THEIR PAY, IF THEY STAY THE YEAR WITH THE THREE MULTIPLIER . 33 1/3. RIGHT UP TO THERE TO GET 100%. WE ALSO INCREASED $100,000 MAXIMUM PENSION AMOUNT TO 115 FOR ANY OWNER WHO RETIRED AFTER OCTOBER AND 1, 2012. ANYONE BEFORE THAT DATE WAS AUTOMATICALLY OKAY FOR THAT. THE IMPACT OF THE BENEFIT CHANGE INCREASED THE LIABILITY BY 1.6 MILLION. I BRING THAT UP, IT'S IN THE ACTUARIAL STUDY BUT I BRING IT UP BECAUSE ANY CHANGE THE BOARD RECOMMENDS, THE CITY COMMISSION EXCEPTS, CAN POSSIBLY NEGATIVELY AFFECT, IN THE SHORT TERM, THE WHOLE PLAN. SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY GOOD STEWARDS OF THE DECISIONS WE MAKE AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE MAKE TO THE CITY COMMISSION. AS YOU SEE, IT DECREASED ARE FUNDED RATIO BY 0.45%. THE VALUATION ALSO REFLECTED A CHANGE. WE CHANGED THE D.R.O.P. AND INCREASED IT TO SIX YEARS YOU CAN BE IN THE D.R.O.P. PROGRAM. ALTHOUGH THE STATE GAVE US THE OPTION TO GO ALL THE WAY TO EIGHT YEARS . WE MADE A DECISION AS A BOARD TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY TO ONLY GO SIX. YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE D.R.O.P. WAS FOR SECESSION PLANNING, ABLE TO REPLACE. I THINK IT HAS BECOME MORE THAN THAT AT THE STATE LEVEL. WE FELT WE WANTED TO KEEP IT, IF YOU'VE GOT SOMEBODY THERE SIX YEARS, IT'S PLENTY OF TIME TO TRAIN SOMEBODY TO REPLACE THEM. THAT IS A RECOMMENDATION WE MADE TO ONLY GET IS SIX YEARS. PEOPLE THAT ARE IN D.R.O.P., REMEMBER, ARE NOT CONTRIBUTING TO THE PLAN
[00:35:02]
ANYMORE. THEY ARE DRAWN FROM THE PLAN AND STILL WORKING. WE LOOKED AT, AS STEWARDS, THAT IS SOME OF THE DECISION-MAKING WE GO INTO. IN 2024, THERE IS YOUR EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS. THEY WERE OVER $1 MILLION. EMPLOYEES, I'M SORRY. THE EMPLOYER WAS OVER 3 1/2 MILLION DOLLARS. IN 2025, THE CONTRIBUTION RATES WILL BE , STILL 6.16, WHICH IS FIXED, FOR THE EMPLOYEES. THE EMPLOYER WILL BE 21.80. IT WAS 21.51 LAST YEAR. I WILL LET YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE, UM, MS. GIBBONS, YOU ASKED ME A QUESTION ABOUT THAT, I WROTE IT DOWN. IT IS IN THE ACTUARIAL STUDY BUT I DID WRITE DOWN, ONE OF THE THINGS I DID NOTICE, IN EACH AREA, WHETHER IT BE THE UTILITY OR THE GENERAL MEMBERS, WHICH IS THE CITY EMPLOYEES, OR THE POLICE, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE ALL TOGETHER FOR OUR INVESTMENTS AND HOW OUR MONEY IS PULLED, INDIVIDUALLY, EVERY YEAR, IT IS DECIDED BASED ON TO SUPPORT EACH INDIVIDUAL FUND SEPARATELY. THAT IS WHERE THESE NUMBERS COME UP.WE WILL SEE THAT LATER. LAST YEAR, I WILL LET YOU KNOW, THE GENERAL FUND, THEY WERE AT 18.57, LESS THAN US. NEXT YEAR, THEY WILL BE 19.74 SO THEY ARE GOING UP 1.2%. WE WENT UP .29%.
>> THAT IS THE CITY GOING UP? >> THAT IS THE CITY GOING UP PERCENTAGEWISE OF WHAT THEY HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE BASED ON THEIR SALARIES. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS STILL PART OF THE CITY, THEY ACTUALLY WENT FROM AN 18.7 TO 20.38. THEY ARE GOING UP A LOT. THOSE ARE THE KIND OF NUMBERS YOU WERE LOOKING FOR, MA'AM? AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2024, THE VALUATION INDICATES WE WERE AT 82% FUNDED. I WILL LET YOU KNOW THAT ALTHOUGH THAT IS TRUE, UM, I KNOW WE ARE BETTER THAN THAT NOW BECAUSE WE ARE A LITTLE LATE IN THE YEAR. I USUALLY TRY TO DO THIS IN MAY TO JUNE. WE'VE HAD A LOT GOING ON BEFORE I COULD GET TO IT. THE RECOGNIZED INVESTMENT RETURN WAS 7.40 BASED OFF OUR FOUR YEAR , I BELIEVE I MENTIONED THAT IN THE BUDGET WORKSHOP. WE HAVE A FOUR-YEAR SMOOTHIE. WE BASE EVERYTHING OFF RECEIVING 7.25% ON OUR RETURNS. AS YOU KNOW, THAT IS PRETTY GOOD. 2022 WAS A BAD YEAR. OUR ACTUAL MARKET RETURNS LAST YEAR WERE OVER 22%.
BUT, BECAUSE OF THE BAD YEARS OF 2022 AND EVEN PART OF 2023, THE OVERALL AVERAGE, YOU CAN LOOK AT 20 TO% MARKET RETURNS LAST YEAR, THAT PUT US AT 740. WE ARE DOING WELL SINCE SEPTEMBER 30TH, ALSO.
AS YOU SEE, AS OF SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024, OUR FUNDING VALUE WAS OVER 246 MILLION. IT IS NOW SITTING AT ABOUT 270 MILLION AS OF MAY 30TH. WE HAVE 270 MILLION, ALMOST 270 MILLION AS OF MAY 30TH, IN THE FUND. I RECEIVED THOSE NUMBERS. RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF YOU IS THE AMOUNT OF RETIREES AND WHAT WE ACTUALLY PAY OUT ANNUALLY OUT OF THE RETIREMENT FUND, OVER $17 MILLION. YOU CAN SEE THE AVERAGE BENEFIT OF EACH AREA, FPUA, CITY GENERAL AND POLICE. ON OUR INVESTMENTS, WE DIFFER, I ALWAYS WRITE IT, DIVERSIFY, DIVERSIFY, DIVERSIFY. EXCUSE ME. AS YOU SEE, WE SPLIT IT UP AND WE FOUND THIS HAS WORKED FOR US. WE DO GET IT LOOKED AT. WE HAVE A CONSULTANT WE USE. WE HAVE BEEN VERY HAPPY WITH THE CONSULTANT. THEY HAVE BEEN HAPPY WITH WHAT WE CHARGE OUR INVESTORS. WE ACTUALLY HAVE ONE OF OUR INVESTORS WE USED THIS YEAR, ACTUALLY, MONEY MANAGERS, WE ACTUALLY REPLACED THEM WITH SOMEBODY ELSE. WE DON'T DO THAT VERY OFTEN. WE HAVE PATIENCE WITH THEM, YOU HAVE TO HAVE PATIENCE. AFTER SO LONG OF NOT PERFORMING OR STAYING WHERE WE WANTED TO STAY, WE DECIDED TO GO AWAY FROM THEM. SO WHAT DOES HAPPEN EVERY NOW AND THEN. THE MAYOR WAS ON THE BOARD FOR A WHILE AND KNOWS WE DON'T MAKE KNEE-JERK DECISIONS AT ALL. THE COST OF LIVING. CURRENTLY, UNDER OUR NEW PLAN, WE CAN'T DO IT BASED OFF , LIKE YOU SAY, THE RETIREMENT BENEFITS SYSTEM UNTIL
[00:40:21]
OUR UNFUNDED LIABILITY IS PAID DOWN. UNFUNDED LIABILITY IS 71 MILLION RIGHT NOW. THAT DOES GET PAID DOWN. IT DID GET HIGH, 2022 RAISED IT, 2018 RAISED IT. EVERY TIME IT SEEMS LIKE WE GET DOWN A LITTLE BIT, GOES BACK UP. DOES EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND WHAT UNFUNDED LIABILITY IS? WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO EXPLAIN IT? OKAY. SO, I WILL EXPLAIN IT TO YOU, I AM NO EXPERT, BUT I WILL EXPLAIN IT TO YOU AS IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME. IT IS ALMOST LIKE A HOME MORTGAGE. YOU MAKE YOUR PAYMENTS ALL THE TIME. IF YOU HAD TO PAY EVERYBODY OUT RIGHT NOW, IF YOU HAD TO PAY YOUR MORTGAGE RIGHT NOW, THAT IS THE AMOUNT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY WITH THE EXISTING PEOPLE IN THE PLAN. THAT IS OUR UNFUNDED LIABILITY WE HAVE AGAINST IT. IT IS NOT A REAL NUMBER. IT IS BASED OFF OF 30 YEARS. I AM JUST LETTING YOU KNOW WE ARE IN REALLY GOOD SHAPE AND WE ARE GETTING IN BETTER SHAPE NOW. EVERYBODY TOOK THE HIT IN 2022. EVERYBODY IS TRYING TO COME BACK. OUR INVESTMENTS, LIKE I SAID, WE DID 22% LAST YEAR. THE FUND IS VERY HEALTHY AND WE ARE DOING BETTER. I JUST CAN'T MAKE ANY GUARANTEES, I HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD 11 YEARS, BASED ON WHAT I HAVE SEEN, I CAN DEFINITELY SEE THE EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS GOING DOWN LAST -- NEXT YEAR, UNLESS SOMETHING CRAZY HAPPENS, WHICH NONE OF US CAN CONTROL. AS I GET REMINDED BY OUR ACTUARY, PAST PERFORMANCE IS NO INDICATION OF FUTURE PERFORMANCE. YOU JUST DON'T KNOW. HE TELLS ME THAT ALL THE TIME. I AM FEELING VERYCONFIDENT. >> THIS IS A LINK. IF YOU GO TO FPU A.COM, YOU CAN LOOK AT THE FINANCIAL REPORT, IT IS THERE.
IF YOU CLICK ON THAT LINK ON FPUA.COM, IT IS FOR 2024, 2023, 2022 AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TO LOOK AT, THE ACTUAL ACTUARIAL REPORT. I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE BASED ON
THIS PRESENTATION. >> YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU FOR GETTING BACK WITH ME WITH THEIR OTHER AVERAGES. AS I AM LISTENING TO IT AGAIN, I AM ALSO THINKING HOW MANY PLACES, MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE STATE STILL OFFER
PENSIONS? IS THAT TYPICAL? >> IS MORE THAN YOU WOULD THINK.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE AT THE FLORIDA PUBLIC PENSION ASSOCIATION, WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR TRAINING, RCE USE TO BE CERTIFIED PUBLIC PENSION TRANSFER -- EMPLOYEES. IF YOU ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN IT, WE COULD SET IT UP WHERE YOU COULD GO TO IT. I WILL SAY , I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU A NUMBER, BUT IT IS A LOT MORE THAN EVEN I THOUGHT. CITIES ALL OVER THE STATE OF FLORIDA THAT COME TO THIS. WHEN WE HAVE IT, WE HAVE AROUND, BIG BALLROOM, OBVIOUSLY, IT IS NOT ONE PERSON PER PLAN, BUT I AM GOING TO SAY I HAVE SEEN THAT ROOM, MR. CISNEROS, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN
THAT ROOM? >> I WOULD NOT WANT TO ESTIMATE.
>> THREE TO 500? >> I WAS PART OF THE RETIREMENT BOARD , PROBABLY 10 TO 15% OF THE CITIES IN FLORIDA, 11 CITIES
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. >> THERE IS A LOT. IT SURPRISED ME, MA'AM. I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER. I CAN SEE IF I CAN FIND THAT NUMBER GET IT TO ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS. I AM SURE THEY
CAN TELL ME THAT. >> I JUST GET NERVOUS WHENEVER I SEE BASICALLY, WE ARE GETTING TO A POINT WHERE IT IS ALMOST HARD TO RECRUIT TALENT, NOT JUST IN MY OWN BUSINESS, BUT I THINK WE ALSO STRUGGLE WITH THAT HERE. AND SOMETIMES THE YOUNGER GENERATION DOESN'T VALUE THIS, AS MUCH AS THEY SHOULD. TO ME, WHEN I SEE THAT NUMBER, BASICALLY, THAT PAYROLL FIGURE SHOULD BE 1.2. WHATEVER THEIR PAYCHECK IS, THEY SHOULD BE THINKING THEY ARE ACTUALLY GETTING PAID 120%. THEY ARE GETTING AN ADDITIONAL BENEFIT THEY ARE NOT EVEN REALIZING. I THINK IT IS HARD TO TRANSLATE THAT SOMETIMES. SO, AS THEY, MY BUSINESS MIND IS THINKING, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE COMMUNICATE THAT TO NEW EMPLOYEES AND TEACH THEM THE VALUE THIS HAS A SO THAT IT DOESN'T START TO RESCIND, I GUESS, THEN WE DON'T GET OLDER PEOPLE THAT ARE LIKE, I NEED IT IN FIVE YEARS, I SHOULD GO WORK FOR A MUNICIPAL. THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE INCOMING AROUND THAT AND ONE OF THEM IS THAT CONCERN, THE VALUE, THE 20% IS A BIG NUMBER. I WANT TO MAKE
[00:45:25]
SURE OUR EMPLOYEES RECOGNIZE HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS BECAUSE MOST OF THE PLACES THAT YOU GO TO GET A JOB, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU A 20% WHEN YOU ARE ONLY PUTTING IN SIX. ALL OF MINE WERE MATCHED UP TO 6%. YOU HAVE TWO DOUBLE IT. YOU WOULD PUT IN 12, THEY PUT IN SEX. SO THIS IS VERY GENEROUS. AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAN MAINTAIN IT AND THAT IT ISMARKETED PROPERLY, I GUESS. >> YES, MA'AM. I AGREE. I AM PRETTY SURE OUR HR DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WORKING HARD WITH , THEY ALL WORK VERY HARD TO PUT US OUT THERE IN A POSITIVE LIGHT. I CAN SAY, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE YOUNGER GENERATION, THANK GOODNESS, BUT I CAN TELL YOU, I CAN TELL YOU THAT A LOT OF THE NEW HIRES , THEY DO REALIZE IT. YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO CONVINCE EVERYONE. I ACTUALLY HAVE TO HAVE AN 18-YEAR-OLD AND 22-YEAR-OLD SO I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEIR MINDS ARE AND WHAT THEY ARE THINKING. AS A PARENT, I TRIED TO TELL THEM WHAT TO LOOK FOR OUT THERE. DON'T JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO LOOK FOR A CAREER AND LOOK FOR THE FUTURE. I CAN TELL YOU THAT FPUA IS LOOKED AT VERY HIGHLY FROM COMPLETELY ACROSS-THE-BOARD AS THE TYPE OF JOB BENEFITS, PAY AND EVERYTHING NOW. IT HAS GOTTEN SO MUCH BETTER. THAT IS MY PERSONAL OPINION.
>> I AGREE. ONE FOLLOW-UP QUESTION. IN THE D.R.O.P.
PROGRAM, YOU MENTIONED THEY DON'T PUT INTO THEIR ACCOUNT ANYMORE BUT THEY HAVE TO DRAW . HOW DOES THAT WORK? IS THERE A PERCENTAGE OF WHAT THEY HAVE TO DRAW AT THE TIME? WHAT DOES THAT
LOOK LIKE? >> WE WILL JUST USE EVEN NUMBERS. YOU RETIRE AFTER 25 YEARS. SO THAT IS 75% RETIREMENT, BASED OFF OUR CALCULATION OF THE THREE MULTIPLIER. SO WHEN THEY GO INTO THE D.R.O.P. PROGRAM, THEY HAVE BASICALLY RETIRED, EXCEPT THEY'RE STILL WORKING OUT OF THE D.R.O.P. PROGRAM. THEIR RETIREMENT FUND, WHILE THEY ARE STILL WORKING, IS GOING INTO RETIREMENT MONEY, THAT 75%, IS GOING INTO A RETIREMENT FUND MANAGED BY YOUR COMPANY THROUGH THE CITY. THAT IS WHERE I GOES. I BELIEVE, DON'T HOLD ME TO THIS, LIKE I SAID, I AM NOT THE EXPERT. I THINK 59 1/2, MOST PEOPLE TRY TO FIGURE IT OUT THAT WAY, THEY CAN PULL THEIR MONEY OUT WITHOUT PENALTY. AT 59 1/2, LET'S SAY THEY FINISHED THEIR SIX YEARS, WHICH IS VERY POSSIBLE, THEY CAN BE LESS THAN 59 1/2, THEY WOULD HAVE TO PAY A 12 PERSON PENALTY, I BELIEVE THAT IS THE NUMBER, DOES THAT SOUND ABOUT RIGHT? DON'T HOLD ME TO THE 12% BUT THERE IS A PENALTY . YOU HAVE TO PAY TAXES ON THAT AS YOU PULL IT OUT. SO THAT MEANS WHEN THEY GO TO RETIRE, WHILE THEY ARE IN THE D.R.O.P., THEY CAN RETIRE WITH A LUMP SUM OF MONEY PLUS AS SOON AS THEY FINISHED THE D.R.O.P., THEY START GETTING THEIR RETIREMENT, MORE MONEY, THEN THEY'VE GOT A LUMP SUM OF MONEY, TOO. THOSE ARE TWO BIG BENEFITS FOR PEOPLE. WHEN YOU'RE 18 AND 22 YEARS OLD, IT IS HARD TO LOOK 25 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD AND KNOW THAT WILL BE SITTING
THERE FOR THE INDIVIDUAL. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I MAY ADD, MS. GIBBONS, WE RECENTLY DEVELOPED A FINANCIAL SERIES TO THE HR GROUP FOR NEW EMPLOYEES . EXCUSE ME, FOR ALL EMPLOYEES, ACTUALLY, SO THEY LEARN HOW TO BUDGET PROPERLY AND WE PARTNERED WITH SOME OF OUR BANKING INSTITUTIONS TO PROVIDE TRAINING CLASSES FOR ALL OUR EMPLOYEES, HOW TO BUY A HOUSE, HOW TO SAY PROPERLY FOR RETIREMENT. WE HAD NEVER REALLY PROVIDED THAT IN THE PAST. HOPEFULLY, THAT WILL HELP THE NEXT GENERATION, THE YOUNGER GENERATION, UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEM AND WHAT WE PROVIDE FOR THEM, HOW TO BUY A HOUSE AND HOW TO SAVE. WE ARE TRYING TO TRAIN THAT NEXT GROUP. THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS WHO HAVEN'T, YOU KNOW, DON, THAT NEED SOME FINANCIAL, LONG-TERM FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND TRAINING. SO WE JUST STARTED THAT THIS YEAR.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> I WANTED TO ASK, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU EXPECT LESS EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS GOING
FORWARD. THAT SPECULATION? >> EMPLOYER. NOT THE EMPLOYEE.
THE EMPLOYEE IS FIXED. I WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THE YEARS. IT IS IN THE ACTUARIAL REPORT HOW IT WENT UP. IT IS BASED ON HOW GOOD WE DO ON OUR INVESTMENTS AND WHEN YOU MAKE CHANGES TO THE
[00:50:10]
PLAN. THAT IS WHY I MENTIONED THE 1.6 MILLION OVER THE WHOLE PLAN, HOW WE CAN NEGATIVELY AFFECT. WE WOULD HAVE HAD EVEN MORE POSITIVE HAVE WE NOT MADE THOSE CHANGES. THOSE CHANGES WERE NEEDED FOR OTHER REASONS. WE HADN'T MADE A CHANGE IN THE A LOT OF YEARS AND $100,000 SOUNDS LIKE A LOT. BY THE WAY, THAT NUMBER IS MANDATED THROUGH THE IRS BUT THE IRS IS MAXED WAY BEFORE WHERE WE ARE WELL OVER 200,000. I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE NUMBER IS. IT CHANGES EVERY YEAR. I HAVEN'T HAD TO WORRY ABOUT THAT SO I DIDN'T GO BLOOD. I DID LOOK ONE TIME AND IT WAS OVER 200,000. WHEN I SAY THE EMPLOYER, IF WE DO WELL AND WE PAY OUT IN THERE ARE INDICATORS, I DID NOT MENTION ALL OF THEM, IT IS AMAZING WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THE DATA. I DO ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO LOOK AT THE ACTUARIAL REPORT. THERE IS SO MUCH GOOD STUFF THERE, IT IS AMAZING. THERE ARE 12 RETIREES OVER 90 YEARS OLD STILL DRAWING ON THE PLAN. I AM ASSUMING THEY WERE OLDER WHEN IT FIRST STARTED. I DON'T THINK THEY DRAW THAT MUCH. THINK ABOUT IT, HOW LONG HAVE THEY BEEN DRAWING AND THE SALARY BACK THEN? I'M NOT SURE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU CAN SEE ALL THAT AND IF THOSE STATISTICS ARE THERE IN THE ACTUARIAL REPORT. I HOPE THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION. IF WE DO REAL WELL, 6.16 IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE FIXED. OBVIOUSLY, IT WILL COME DOWN. I WAS DOING THAT, IF YOU LOOK BACK. I KNOW, I AM GOING TO SAY AT LEAST 2017. I KNOW IT WAS IN 2020. YOU WILL SEE THE NUMBERS, IT IS IN THE ACTUARIAL REPORT, MA'AM.>> ALSO, DO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE RETIREMENT PLAN , DO THEY
INCREASE, AS WELL? >> NO, MA'AM. THAT WAS IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE I CAN SHOW YOU RIGHT HERE. BECAUSE OF THE PLAN, BECAUSE OF THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY WOULD HAVE TO BE ZERO IN THE WAY IT IS WRITTEN IN THE CITY CHARTER FOR THE RETIREMENT BENEFIT PLAN, THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE ZERO AND WE WOULD HAVE TO BE 100% FUNDED. THAT IS HOW IT IS WRITTEN RIGHT NOW. WE EVEN LOOKED, BECAUSE WE HAD RETIREES COME IN, ESPECIALLY IN 2022 AND 2023. THINGS ARE ROUGH, THAT IS WHEN YOU SEE EVERYBODY. THE BAD THING IS, WHEN IT IS ROUGH FOR THEM, IT IS ROUGH FOR EVERYBODY.
SO THEY'VE COME IN TO SEE ABOUT C.O.L.A. AND WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS, LIKE A 13TH CHECK. WHAT WE HAVE FOUND OUT, BECAUSE OF STATE LAW, WE ARE JUST NOT ALLOWED TO DO IT.
WE DID LOOK AT SOME THINGS FOR RETIREES. YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE HAS NOT BEEN A C.O.L.A. BECAUSE OF THAT. BUT, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY, THERE WILL BE ONE DAY. THE BOTTOM LINE IS, WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THE PLAN. WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE PLAN. LIKE YOU SAY, IT HAS TO BE A HEALTHY PLAN. UP UNTIL A FEW YEARS AGO, YOU CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE ACTUARIAL REPORT, I HAVE NEVER SEEN US BELOW 90%. THE MAYOR CAN TELL YOU THAT.
2022 WAS A VERY BAD YEAR. FOR EVERYBODY, NOT JUST OUR FUND.
BUT IT'S COMING BACK. WE SEE THAT ALREADY. WE WERE DOWN, I BELIEVE I SAW IT IN THERE, THIS NUMBER, I THINK WE WERE DOWN TO $205 MILLION. NOW WE ARE TO 70. THAT SHOULD TELL YOU SOMETHING.
WE ARE STILL PAYING OUT THE RETIREMENT. THAT MONEY HAD TO COME FROM INVESTMENTS. I HOPE THAT HELPS ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
>> MR. CHAIR, I HAVE A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION. I THINK IN THE PAST I HAD ASKED AND YOU CAN JUST TELL ME TO STOP ASKING IT IF IT IS NOT EVER GOING TO HAPPEN BUT HAVING SOME SORT OF AWAY FOR THE EMPLOYEE TO SELF FUND THEIR OWN C.O.L.A.? I THINK THAT WAS, I THINK I WANT TO SAY MAYBE LAST YEAR I ASKED THAT QUESTION IF THERE WAS. WE HAD, CAROLINE HAD SAVINGS AND SO I WAS THINKING MAYBE THERE WOULD BE SOME WAY FOR THE EMPLOYEE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A LITTLE STASH, TOO, TO HELP WITH THEIR OWN, IF THEY NEEDED TO DRAW FROM IT. BUT I DON'T KNOW IF WE EVER , FURTHER, IF IT WAS TOO CONVOLUTED BEING IT WAS A
PENSION. >> I WILL TAKE THAT. MS. GIBBONS, WE DO HAVE A 457 AND A 4013 , WHATEVER THE OTHER NUMBER IS. WE DO HAVE THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH MISSION SQUARES SO THE EMPLOYEES CAN CONTRIBUTE TO A SEPARATE PROGRAM INDEPENDENTLY IF THEY WISH TO INVEST AT A HIGHER LEVEL OR HAVE A C.O.L.A.
ADJUSTMENT FOR FUTURE ADJUSTMENT. WE DO HAVE THAT PROGRAM CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TO ALL EMPLOYEES.
[F. DIRECTOR COMMENTS]
>> ALL RIGHT. NO MORE QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[00:55:09]
>> DIRECTOR COMMENTS? >> I HAVE A HANDFUL TODAY.
EARLIER TODAY WE RECEIVED NOTICE WE WERE AWARDED A $250,000 GRANT FOR WINDOW REPLACEMENT AT THE ADMIN BUILDING. THE ADMIN BUILDING, THE DOORS AND SHE WENT THERE THE FOLLOWING DAY AND WENT THE FOLLOWING DAY AND WAS SELECTED DIRECTOR OF MAIN STREET. EARLIER TODAY, I DID SEND AN EMAIL TO THE BOARD. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD A CHANCE TO SEE IT. IT WAS THIS ONE, I BELIEVE. FPUA WAS AWARDED ANOTHER $5 MILLION .
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ENTIRE PROJECT TEAM, THE WASTEWATER GUYS, THE ENTIRE TEAM, INCLUDING RACHEL AND HER TEAM. A HUGE THANK YOU TO THE GOVERNOR , WHO HAS BEEN A BIG SUPPORTER OF THIS PROJECT. WE WILL MAKE SURE WE POST THAT ON SOCIAL MEDIA SHORTLY. THE NEXT ONE IS A LITTLE BIT, A LOT OF INFORMATION BUT I THINK IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS REALLY FANTASTIC FOR CUSTOMERS. IN MAYO THE FLORIDA MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION, WHO HOSTS THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE LATER THIS MONTH, MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE PROMISED NETWORK.
IT'S A NEW STATEWIDE ONLINE PLATFORM THROUGH THE LOW INCOME UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, LOW INCOME HOUSING UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. SHORTLY AFTER THEY MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT, THE GRANTS TEAMS GOT TO WORK AND, ESSENTIALLY, IF YOU QUALIFY FOR S.N.A.P., WHICH IS A SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, YOU ARE ELIGIBLE, ESSENTIALLY, FOR THIS ASSISTANCE, WHICH HELPS YOU PAY UTILITY BILLS. THE TEAM GOT TOGETHER AND THEY WERE ABLE TO CONNECT THE DATA BETWEEN THE PROMISED NETWORK AND FPUA DATA. WE WERE ABLE TO CONNECT CUSTOMERS TO RECEIVE A TOTAL OF $1.22 MILLION IN UTILITY ASSISTANCE, AN AVERAGE OF 144 , I'M SORRY, $1044 PER CUSTOMER.
IT PROVIDES ASSISTANCE ONCE A YEAR FOR A CUSTOMER. WE WILL MAKE SURE TO PUT THIS, WE DID PROMOTED THROUGH EMAIL AND SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT WE WILL MAKE SURE WE HAVE A PRESSURE RELIEF SOMETME SHORTLY. ONCE WE DO THE PRESS RELEASE, WE WILL SHARE HOW TO ACCESS THE PROGRAM SO THAT FOLKS WHO WANT TO APPLY CAN APPLY. IT WAS REALLY AN AUTOMATED PROCESS, MUCH MORE EFFICIENT THAN IT WAS BEFORE, WHICH WE USED TO DO THROUGH THE CHURCH ON SEVENTH STREET. IMAGE OF CHRIST. YEP, THAT PROGRAM.
THIS IS A MUCH MORE AUTOMATED PROCESS. THE LAST THING I HAVE FOR YOU, THE NEXT BOARD MEETING WILL BE JULY 14TH AT 4:00 P.M.
IN THESE CHAMBERS. THAT IS ALL I HAVE.
>> ANY QUESTIONS? >> YES. THE PROGRAM, YOU SAID YOU WILL NOTIFY US HOW TO REGISTER TO GET THOSE FUNDS? IS
IT A CERTAIN INCOME? >> YES, MA'AM.
>> IT IS INCOME BASED. IT IS LOW INCOME HOUSING.
>> I KNOW IT IS S.N.A.P., BUT IF THEY DON'T GET S.N.A.P. BUT
THEY ARE LOW INCOME? >> I THINK THEY CAN STILL GO IN THERE AND QUALIFIED. IT IS THROUGH A DIFFERENT AGENCY SAID THEY TAKE CARE OF QUALIFYING THE APPLICANTS. THEN THEY WILL CONNECT US. IF THEY ARE A FPUA CUSTOMER, THEY WILL CONNECT US AND WE WILL GET THE ACCOUNT CONNECTED. THEY QUALIFY, WE WILL BE ABLE, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM THEIR DATA ACCOUNT TO SEE IF THEY QUALIFY FOR UTILITY ASSISTANCE.
>> YOU'VE ALREADY GOT PEOPLE SET UP AUTOMATICALLY. THEY
DON'T EVEN DO ANYTHING? >> IT WAS A ONE TIME SNAPSHOT.
THIS MEANT THAT IS AMAZING. IT FEELS GOOD WHEN YOU GET TO DO THAT KIND OF STUFF. THEY JUST GOT $1000. YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW
IT WAS THERE. >> IT'S REALLY, REALLY NICE, I TALKED ABOUT IT EARLIER, TODAY IS REALLY NICE BECAUSE IT IS THE SUMMER MONTHS WHICH KING MAKE THE BILL GO UP .
>> WAS IT APPLIED TO THEIR ACCOUNT AUTOMATICALLY?
>> YES, MA'AM, IT WAS. >> INCREDIBLE. IT FEELS SO GOOD.
THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO DO ANYTHING. YES.
>> ASHLEY, COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE.
>> GIVE US THE DETAILS. WE LIKE TO GIVE MONEY BACK.
>> 168 PEOPLE. 1168 PEOPLE. SO WE SEND THEM THE DATA FOR ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS, ALL 30,000 OF THEM. RESIDENTIAL ONLY. THEY RUN IT THROUGH THEIR SYSTEM, NOT JUST THERE, BUT ANY KIND OF GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE, HOUSING ASSISTANCE, SECTION 8, THINGS
[01:00:01]
LIKE THAT. THEY REVIEW THEIR ELIGIBILITY AGAINST THEIR MEASURES AND THEN THEY SEND US AN EXCEL FILE WITH ALL OF THE ACCOUNT NUMBERS AND CUSTOMER NAMES AND AMOUNTS TO APPLY. WE APPLY THEM. IF THERE IS ANY KIND OF SCENARIO WHERE WE HAVE TO SEND IT BACK, LIKE THE ACCOUNT IS CLOSED ALREADY, WE SEND IT BACK BECAUSE IT IS PART OF THE CONTRACT. BUT IT'S MUCH, MUCH MORE EFFICIENT AND MUCH NICER THAN WHAT WE HAD BEEN DOING WITH THE IMAGE OF CHRIST, JUST BECAUSE THOSE ARE ALL PHYSICAL CHECKS. THEY TAKE ABOUT THREE MONTHS FOR US TO GET IT. WE RECEIVED THE FILE ON JUNE 10TH. I APPLIED ALL THE PAYMENTS JUNE 10TH. WE DID OUR COMPLIANCE ON THE 11TH. WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY PUSHBACK FROM THEM SO WE MUST BE DOING IT RIGHT.>> HOW DO WE ALERT THE CUSTOMERS TO THAT?
>> THE PROMISE PROGRAM SENDS A TEXT MESSAGE DIRECTLY TO THE CUSTOMER. IT LETS THEM KNOW THEY ARE BEING REVIEWED FOR ELIGIBILITY. IT ALSO LETS THEM KNOW THEY HAVE BEEN AWARDED FUNDS. THEN IT LETS THEM KNOW THAT WE HAVE 45 DAYS TO APPLY THOSE FUNDS. WE DO HAVE TO GET IT DONE IN 10.
>> THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING.
>> WOW. >> WE DO ANTICIPATE TO RECEIVE AWARDS IN JULY, AS WELL AS AUGUST. THIS IS ALL EXCESS FUNDING FROM THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE SO MORE
TO COME. >> IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE A WAY TO LET THEM KNOW THAT FPUA DID THIS FOR THEM. IT DIDN'T
JUST COME OUT OF THIN AIR. >> I HAD A CUSTOMER TODAY I WAS HELPING OUT AT A KIOSK. HE WANTED TO PAY HIS BILL. WE GOT THERE, WE PULLED UP HIS ACCOUNT AND IT SAID, MR. BURKE, YOU'VE GOT A CREDIT. HE HAD NO IDEA. I'M NOT SURE IF MAYBE HIS PHONE NUMBER, HE WAS VERY EXCITED AND VERY THANKFUL. THAT WILL LAST HIM NINE OR 10 MONTHS, BASED ON HIS BILL AMOUNT. IT REALLY IS A
SIGNIFICANT HELP. >> WE SHOULD HAVE A PRESS RELEASE ON THAT. THEY WILL THINK IT IS A SCAM.
>> WE ARE GOING TO PUT TOGETHER A PRESS RELEASE. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE ASHLEY LEVINE. SHE IS THE QUARTERBACK FOR THIS PROGRAM. SHE IS THE PROJECT MANAGER OF THE PROGRAM.
>> GIVE HER THE UNSUNG HERO AWARD.
>> IF A CUSTOMER CALLS AND SAYS IF THEY GOT THIS TEXT MESSAGE, WE SHARE THE SCRIPT THAT PROMISE GAVE US SO WE CAN LET THEM KNOW THIS IS NOT A SCAM AND TO CALL BACK WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO. WE GET THEM APPLIED AS SOON AS THEY COME IN BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CUSTOMERS. NOT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT YOUR ELECTRIC BILL, YOU KNOW, IS A
BIG THING. >> THEY WOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN IT HAD FPUA NOT INITIATED IT. RACHEL BROUGHT IT TO THE CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM THE CONFERENCE. OUR DEPARTMENTS COLLABORATED ON THE IMPLEMENTATION AND SET UP.
RACHEL MADE SURE SHE GOT ALL THE PAPERWORK SIGNED AND EVERYTHING SO WE COULD GET THAT JUNE AWARD. OTHERWISE, WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO
WAIT UNTIL JULY. >> IT IS JUST ONE MONTH.
>> $250,000 AND 1 MILLION STRAIGHT TO OUR CUSTOMERS. GOOD
JOB, LADIES. >> ARE THERE OTHER SERVICES OR ORGANIZATIONS OR ANYTHING THAT WILL BE, IS THIS PART OF A COLLABORATION OR IS THIS ISOLATED TO UTILITIES?
>> IT IS ISOLATED TO UTILITIES. IT IS ISOLATED TO ELECTRIC ONLY.
BUT, AT LEAST THAT IS THE INFORMATION THEY WANT US TO SEND. I AM SURE IT WILL EXPAND , LIKE DURING COVID, WE HAD A WALK, FOR A BRIEF TIME, THEY ASSISTED WITH WATER PAYMENTS. IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHERE THEY HAVE THE EXCESS FUNDING AND WHERE THEY WILL ALLOCATE IT BUT WE WILL TAKE IT ALL.
>> IS THIS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE?
>> WHEN IT WAS SIGNED OFF, THERE WILL BE MORE WHERE THAT CAME
>> GOOD INFORMATION. OKAY. ANYMORE?
[G. ATTORNEY COMMENTS]
>> THAT IS A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW. YOU WILL SEE A SLIGHT MODIFICATION TO YOUR AGENDA. WE HAVE SEPARATED OUT THE CONTRACTS THAT REQUIRE THE CHAIR'S SIGNATURE ONLY AND NOT THE BOARD'S APPROVAL. THIS IS INTENDED TO KILL ONE ¿ TWO BIRDS
[01:05:03]
WITH ONE STONE. THIS IS PER RESOLUTION THE BOARD APPROVED A COUPLE YEARS BACK. HOWEVER, WE WOULD LIKE BOTH THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC TO SEE WHAT CONTRACTS HE IS SIGNING OFF ON. SO WHEN THOSE CONTRACTS COME ABOUT, WE ARE HAPPY TO EXPLAIN EACH OF THEM BUT THEY HAVE BEEN PROCURED AS THE CHARTER AND OUR OWN INTERNAL POLICIES BUT HE HAS THE AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO THOSE CONTRACTS. HOWEVER, THE CHAIR IS AUTHORIZED TO SIGN THECONTRACTS. >> OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE
ATTORNEY? >> THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP
FILLING OUT THE FORMS. >> EVERYBODY MADE IT IN UNDER THE WIRE.
I MEAN SHE WAS HELPING EVERYBODY.
>> THANK YOU. >> COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD?
>> I HAVE NO COMMENTS. >> ANYTHING? ANYTHING FROM
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.