[00:51:28] BE A LITTLE LESS THAN LESS. MUCH LESS THAN ONE THIRD OF THAT AMOUNT. [B. Update on Sunrise Theatre management negotiations and status of audio and lighting equipment rental as follow up from October 20, 2025 City Commission meeting.] [00:51:34] BUT SINCE RENTING THE EQUIPMENT, WE'VE UPDATED OUR RENTAL COSTS AND WE SHOULD START SEEING THE NEW COSTS COMING IN THIS NEW YEAR. [00:51:44] WHEREAS THE SHOWS THAT WERE RENTED IN OCTOBER WERE STILL RUNNING OFF OF OLD RENTAL COSTS, NOT REALLY BRINGING IN AS MUCH MONEY OR NOT [00:51:54] ACCOUNTING FOR THE MONEY THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY SPENDING ON THE RENTAL EQUIPMENT. [00:51:59] SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT. AND THAT IN THE FUTURE WOULD, WOULD THE COMPANY WOULD BE THE COMPANIES ISSUE? [00:52:07] CORRECT. RIGHT. RIGHT. THEY'LL BE DOING THAT. OKAY. [00:52:10] ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SUNRISE? [00:52:12] ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD JOB. [00:52:19] OKAY. EXCUSE ME. THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE CONSENT AGENDA. [00:52:23] IS THERE ANY ITEM THAT ANY COMMISSIONER WOULD LIKE TO PULL? THERE ARE FOUR ITEMS ON HERE. [9. Consent Agenda] [00:52:27] MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO PULL CONSENT AGENDA 90. GOOD. OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE? MADAM MAYOR, I WANT TO PULL NANCY. I WANT TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY. I THINK YOU SHOULD TALK ABOUT THAT AND WHAT WE'RE DOING THERE. SURE. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. PUT ON THE SPOT. NO, THAT'S ALL RIGHT. ACTUALLY, I WAS GOING TO PULL IT, TOO. BUT YOU WERE. OKAY. IT'S FINE. OKAY. I'LL MOVE THAT. WE APPROVE THE REST OF THE CONSENT AGENDA A AND B SECOND. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. MR. BRODEUR. YES. COMMISSIONER GAINES. YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. YES, MA'AM. YES, MA'AM. AND C IS APPROVAL FOR THE MAYOR TO ATTEND THE 2026 FLORIDA LEAGUE OF MAYORS REGIONAL ROUNDTABLE IN OCALA, [C. Approval for Mayor Hudson to attend the 2026 Florida League of Mayors Regional Roundtable in Ocala, Florida from February 12 to February 13, 2026 at the cost of $527.04.] FLORIDA, FROM FEBRUARY 12TH THROUGH THE 13TH AT A COST OF $527. SO, MADAM MAYOR, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THIS IS AND YOUR STANCE AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO HERE FROM A MAYOR'S PERSPECTIVE. AND I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO ELABORATE ON THAT AND WHAT'S GOING ON HERE. THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF MAYORS IS A GROUP THAT'S RUN BY THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES, AND THERE'S A STAFF MEMBER ASSIGNED TO THEM. AND THEY'VE BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR A WHILE, AND I BUT I HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO BE A PART OF THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF MAYORS, BUT CONCENTRATE MY ACTIVITY WITH THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF OVERLAP HAS BEEN IN THE PAST. HOWEVER, THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF MAYORS HAS GOTTEN TO BE MUCH MORE SOPHISTICATED, AND THEIR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ARE MUCH MORE MEANINGFUL NOW. THEY'VE REALLY THEIR STAFF MEMBERS REALLY GOOD ABOUT WORKING WITH THE MAYORS. AND SO AT THE AUGUST CONFERENCE I CHOSE TO RUN FOR AND WAS ELECTED TO THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF MAYORS BOARD. AND BEFORE YOU THINK THAT'S REALLY, REALLY GREAT, THAT SEAT'S BEEN EMPTY FOR A LONG TIME. SO WE HAVE ANOTHER MAYOR FROM THE TREASURE COAST, KAREN STRAND FROM OCEAN BREEZE. IT'S HARD FOR CITIES THAT HAVE MAYORS THAT ARE ELECTED WITHIN THEIR COUNCIL TO HAVE MEMBERSHIP ON IT, BECAUSE THE IT CHANGES EVERY YEAR. SO IN FORT PIERCE, WE ELECT THE MAYOR LIKE WE DO IN PORT SAINT LUCIE AND LIKE THEY DO IN IN OCEAN BREEZE. PORT SAINT LUCIE IS ON THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF MAYORS, BUT THEY ARE ON THERE BECAUSE IT'S A LARGE CITY AND THEY HAVE THE TEN LARGEST CITIES. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT FORT PIERCE WAS REPRESENTED AND BECAUSE IT WAS, [00:55:02] IT'S A IT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET VALUE FROM. AND WE'RE ON THE MAP IN THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF MAYORS, AND THAT'S A GOOD THING. SO I JUST WANT TO ECHO, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, OUR SISTER CITY TO THE SOUTH IS THE IS IN THE 10TH LARGEST, FASTEST GROWING CITIES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. WELL, THAT GROWTH ALSO IMPACTS US HERE IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. OUR ROADWAYS ARE ARE CONNECTED TO THEIR ROADWAYS. AND SO WE SEE THE RESULTS OF THAT AND THOSE ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC. SO I THINK FORT PIERCE HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE AT THAT TABLE FOR YOU TO BE THERE TO GALVANIZE WITH FELLOW MAYORS OF SMALL CITIES, BIG CITIES PARTICULARLY AS WE ENGAGE THIS CURRENT LEGISLATURE AND LEGISLATURE IN THE FUTURE TO BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AS A COHESIVE GROUP OF MAYORS THAT FACE AND ISSUES WHEN TRYING TO RUN A CITY AND TO RUN A COUNCIL. THERE'S STRENGTH IN NUMBERS. AND I THINK THAT FORT PIERCE'S ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO INFLUENCE THAT AND ALSO MAYBE EVEN SET THE AGENDA AS TO THINGS THAT WE ARE A COASTAL CITY WHERE SOME OF THESE MAYORS ARE NOT COASTAL MAYORS. AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE COASTAL ISSUES ARE THERE, SAFETY ISSUES? ARE THERE GROWTH ISSUES? ARE THERE REPRESENTED IN THIS BODY OF, OF MAYORS? SO I WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN THIS TO THE PUBLIC. BECAUSE WE GO TO THE FLORIDA LEAGUE, I GO, I'M INVOLVED. I UNDERSTAND, BUT I THINK THAT IN THE FUTURE YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY AT THE, THE FLORIDA LEVEL, BUT WE'VE GOT TO THINK ABOUT FROM A NATIONAL LEVEL, TOO, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO NEED SOME NATIONAL SUPPORT WHEN IT COMES TO OUR CITY BECAUSE WE'RE A COASTAL CITY. SO THANK YOU, MADAM, FOR PUTTING YOURSELF TO WORK. EVEN MORE SO WITH THAT, I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE AGENDA ITEM C IF THERE ARE NO MORE COMMENTS, I'LL MAKE A SECOND, BUT I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT AS WELL. I REMEMBER THERE WAS SOME SESSION WE WERE AT FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES, AND MAYOR HUDSON HAD MENTIONED TO ME THE MAYOR'S GROUP MEETING, AND I SAID, WELL, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? TALKING TO ME? YOU SHOULD BE IN THAT MEETING. OH, I'M NOT ON THAT. I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE NOT ON THAT? AND CANDIDLY, I SAID, WE CAN'T LEAVE ANY DOOR UNOPENED TO VOICE THE CONCERNS OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. I SAID, LOOK, I DON'T MEAN TO ADD TO YOUR LIST OF DUTIES, BUT I THINK IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU GET INVOLVED IN THAT ORGANIZATION. AND I WAS PLEASED, THRILLED, ACTUALLY, WHEN SHE SAID, YES, I'M GOING TO TAKE THAT ON AND GET MY NAME IN THE HAT. JUST AS COMMISSIONER JOHNSON AND COMMISSIONER GAINES IS SAYING, THE CRITICAL NATURE OF WHAT THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO REMOVE HOME RULE, REMOVE OUR ABILITY TO GENERATE TAX REVENUE. THE ABSURDITY OF WHAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR ARE UP TO IS MIND BOGGLING. AND THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES I CONSIDER TO BE THE BEST ADVOCATES FOR THE CITIES IN THE STATE OF FORT PIERCE. THERE IS NO OTHER MECHANISM TO LOBBY APPROPRIATELY. I'M NOT EVEN SURE IF THOSE LOBBYING EFFORTS ARE GOING TO BE SUFFICIENT FOR WHAT WE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH, BUT HAVING THE MAYOR INVOLVED IN THAT GROUP AT THE HIGHER LEVEL OF THE MAYOR'S GROUP IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. EVERYBODY ON THE COMMISSION HERE IS INVOLVED IN THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES FOR THE EXACT REASONS THAT WE'RE ARTICULATING HOME RULE BEING BASICALLY ABOLISHED, TAX REVENUE BEING ABOLISHED. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THEY EXPECT US TO DO. MAYBE THE GOVERNOR IS GOING TO COME DOWN HERE AND RUN. RUN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ASK FOR. YEAH, EXACTLY. BUT I'M GRATEFUL THAT THE MAYOR IS INVOLVED AND THAT WE HAVE A VOICE ON THAT ON THAT BOARD. SO THANK YOU. MAYOR HUDSON. SAME HERE, MAYOR, AND I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT. I THINK I'VE SAID ENOUGH ABOUT TALLAHASSEE, 2026 WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT ALL DAY. YOU KNOW, I THINK WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THAT RIGHT? CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. YES. COMMISSIONER GAINES? YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. YES, MA'AM. MAYOR HUDSON. YES, MA'AM. OKAY. NEXT, WE HAVE THE APPROVAL OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE AND DAVID SMITH. [D. Approval of the Chief of Police employment contract between the City of Fort Pierce and David Smith.] MADAM MAYOR, I HAD THIS PULLED BECAUSE AT OUR MEETING LAST MONDAY NIGHT. IT SAID IT WAS COMING BACK IN FRONT OF US. AND AS BEING ON CONSENT AGENDA, PEOPLE DON'T READ. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE AUDIO IS STILL ON. SO IF NOTHING IS PULLED OR NOTHING IS BROUGHT ABOUT OUR NEW POLICE CHIEF, THEN THEY'RE LIKE, HERE WE GO. THEY SAID MONDAY MORNING AND NO ONE SAID ANYTHING ABOUT ABOUT THE POLICE CHIEF. SO YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NEVER SUPPOSED TO ASSUME ANYTHING, BUT WHEN IT SAYS APPROVAL, THAT MEANS THE CONTRACT IS IS SIGNED DOTTED SIGNATURES AND FEBRUARY 1ST. I HAVE A NEW POLICE CHIEF IN FORT PIERCE. IS THAT WHAT THAT I JUST WANT TO CORRECT. I JUST WANT TO SEE WHAT IT'S SAYING NOW IN AUDIO HAS BEEN RESTORED. WHEN THE MAYOR BEGINS SPEAKING ABOUT HER INVOLVEMENT IN THE SO AUDIO HAS BEEN RESTORED. MR. SORENSEN, HE'LL DISCUSS TO YOUR QUESTION, SIR. YES, IT'S BEEN SIGNED. MR. SORENSEN, JUST JUST GIVE SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AGREEMENT AND THE AGREEMENT TO BE HERE ON THE FIRST. OKAY. SO GOOD MORNING, JARED SORENSEN, HR MANAGER. THIS IS A GOOD DAY. PROUD TO BE HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE AGREEMENT. [01:00:04] THERE WERE JUST BASICALLY THREE THINGS THAT HE REALLY WAS INTERESTED IN. ONE WAS THE SALARY THAT HE ASKED FOR. ONE WAS HIS ACCRUAL RATE FOR VACATION AND SICK LEAVE. AND THEN HE WANTED TO HAVE YOU KNOW, A KNOW, POLICE VEHICLE WITH LIGHTS AND SIRENS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. I CAN TELL YOU, I'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, MAJOR SANTIAGO AND CHIEF REIDEL, ACTING CHIEF REIDEL, AND THINGS HAVE GONE WELL. WE'RE ALL SET. I'VE SPOKEN TO MR. SMITH MULTIPLE TIMES. HE ALREADY HAS A CONTRACT IN PLACE FOR A APARTMENT IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. HE WILL BE HERE BEFORE FEBRUARY 1ST. HE WILL BE ACTUALLY BE IN TOWN GETTING EVERYTHING SET UP. EVERYTHING IS GO. WE'RE WE'RE ALL SET. THIS IS THE FINAL APPROVAL. IF YOU GUYS CONFIRM THIS, THEN YOU'LL HAVE YOUR NEW POLICE CHIEF FEBRUARY 2ND. ALSO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE SWEARING IN HERE ON FEBRUARY 2ND AT 8:00. WE'VE BEEN WORKING OUT THE DETAILS WITH MAJOR SANTIAGO DOWN THERE. WE'RE GOING TO DO 9:00. WE MOVED IT TO 9:00. YES. OKAY. SORRY. IT WAS SET FOR EIGHT, BUT NOW IT'S GOING TO BE AT NINE. BUT WE'RE STILL WORKING OUT THE DETAILS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN ACTUAL PROGRAM LAID OUT AT SOME POINT, WHICH I'LL PRESENT TO MR. CHESS. BUT THAT'S WHERE WE STAND. WHAT WAS THE DATE? WHAT WAS THE DATE FOR SWEARING IN? I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS THE DATE FOR THE SWEARING IN? FEBRUARY 2ND. FEBRUARY 2ND. YES, MA'AM. WELL, THAT'S THE DATE THAT FORT PIERCE TURNS 125. WOW. WOW. GREAT JOB. ACTUAL DATE. THE ACTUAL DATE. AND CUPCAKES. YEAH. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FORT PIERCE CITY COMMISSIONER AS WELL THAT EVENING. OKAY. GOOD DAY. INTERESTING DAY. THE HE THE REASON HE'S CONCERNED ABOUT VACATION SO THAT PEOPLE DON'T THINK. WHAT, IS HE ALREADY GOING TO TAKE A VACATION? HE HAS FAMILY ISSUES. HE HAS. HE HAS A SITUATION WHERE HE NEEDS TO MANAGE SOMETHING FOR A WHILE. RIGHT. TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST WITH YOU, I HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT, AND HE SAID BASICALLY THAT ALL THE CHIEFS THAT HE TALKED TO, HE ASKED THEM WHAT WAS THE ONE THING THAT YOU WOULD ASK FOR IN YOUR CONTRACT? HE GOES, IF I COULD WIN BACK, I WOULD HAVE HAD THIS JUST IN CASE. HE HAS NO PLANS OF TAKING ANY TIME OFF ANYTIME SOON. HIS FAMILY WON'T COME UNTIL LATER ON IN THE YEAR, BUT BECAUSE HE'S EVEN TOLD ME THAT, YOU KNOW, HIS FIRST SIX MONTHS, HE'S LOOKING AT 15 HOUR DAYS, RIGHT? COMING HERE AND WORKING AND DOING WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO. BUT HE WANTS TO HAVE IT JUST IN CASE. HE'S GOT TO TAKE SOME TIME OFF TO GO DO SOMETHING. BUT THAT IT IS NOT HIS INTENTION TO COME DOWN AND NOT, YOU KNOW, BE. NO, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE, THAT THAT'S WHAT I WAS UNDERSTANDING THAT HE WAS, BECAUSE HE'S REALLY WE WANT HIM TO BE HIS FAMILY, TO BE HAPPY AND HIM TO BE HAPPY. FOR HIM TO WORK THAT HARD. THAT'S. YEAH. MADAM MAYOR, I GOT A QUICK COMMENT. I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT TO THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE THAT THIS TRULY THE HIRING OF A NEW CHIEF WAS A MAJOR EXERCISE FOR THE CITY TO GO THROUGH. AND IT SHOWS THAT THE COMMISSION STAFF, OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS, EXISTING CHIEF CAN ALL COME TOGETHER AND GET SOMETHING POSITIVE DONE FOR THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. THIS IS AN EXCITING DAY. IT'S GOING TO BE VERY EXCITING WHEN HE'S SWORN IN. I'M THRILLED WITH THE EFFORT THE ENTIRE TEAM MADE. MR. CHESS. THIS IS. I KNOW THIS IS ENTIRELY UNDER YOUR UMBRELLA, BUT THE TEAM DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB AND I COULD NOT BE MORE HAPPY. AND I GET IT. THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF PUSHING AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS I GET IT. THAT'S NORMAL IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS, RIGHT? BUT IN THE END, EVERYBODY WAS PULLING IN THE SAME DIRECTION. IT COULD HAVE BEEN SOME DIFFERENCES OF OPINION, WHICH IS NORMAL. EVERYBODY WAS PULLING IN THE SAME DIRECTION AND LOOK AT THE OUTCOME THAT WE HAVE. I'M VERY PROUD OF THE CITY TODAY AND THE ENTIRE TEAM'S EFFORT TO GET THIS DONE. IT'S REALLY REMARKABLE UNDERTAKING, AND I THINK EVERYBODY DID THEIR PORTION OF THE JOB TO GET IT DONE, AND I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER WITH THE FINAL RESULT. AGREED. ANYTHING ELSE? ANYBODY ELSE BEFORE I MAKE A MOTION? MADAM MAYOR, I JUST WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK AND THE CITIZENS OF FORT PIERCE SHOULD PERSONALLY THANK CHIEF RIDDLE FOR STEPPING IN. YES. OH, YEAH. AND DOING WHAT HE DID. AND EVEN WHEN THE COMMISSIONER IS UP HERE GOING AT IT AND BACK AND FORTH AND DOING OUR OPINION AS COMMISSIONER BRODERICK JUST SAID, AND THE TEAM WAS STILL WORKING. CHIEF RYDER STOOD IN AND KEPT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TOGETHER AND PROTECTED THE RESIDENTS OF RESIDENTS OF FORT PIERCE. SO FROM MY SEAT, CHIEF RYDER, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. AGREED. IF I CAN JUST ECHO THAT AND AS WELL AS CHIEF RIDDLE'S STAFF. BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THAT CHANGE MADE. WE HAD INTERIM POSITIONS THAT HAD MOVED TO DEPUTY CHIEF AS WELL AS SERGEANTS MOVED TO LIEUTENANTS. SO IT WAS A SHIFT IN THE ORGANIZATION OVERALL THAT WAS WELL MANAGED BY THE CHIEF AND THOSE OFFICERS THAT EXCELLENT JOB AS WELL AS STEPPING UP AS WELL. SO THERE WAS A NUMBER OF OFFICERS THAT REALLY HAD TO GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL ON AN INTERIM BASIS. [01:05:02] SO I APPRECIATE THAT. BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR MR. SAMPSON TO DO ONE THING. JUST STATE THE SALARY FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC. SO HERE WITH THAT SALARIES THAT WE'RE OFFERING, MR. SMITH, PLEASE. YES. $190,000 A YEAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. DO YOU WANT ANYTHING ELSE? COMMISSIONER. ONE FOLLOW UP COMMENT ON ON CHIEF RODELL. AND FORTUNATELY, WE HAVE THE BENEFIT OF HAVING CHIEF RIDDLE HERE FOR ANOTHER SEVERAL MONTHS. MY UNDERSTANDING. CORRECT, CHIEF. I SEE YOU NODDING. AM I SEEING YOU NODDING YOUR HEAD? WHAT'S THAT? ABOUT A YEAR. ABOUT A YEAR. BEAUTIFUL. SO WE HAVE THE BENEFIT OF HAVING THAT INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE TO BACK UP THE NEW CHIEF. CHIEF RIDDLE'S EXPERIENCE IN THE DEPARTMENT IS SIMPLY CAN'T BE COMPARED. SO THAT THAT'S SUCH A VALUABLE ASSET TO HAVE TO TO HELP THE NEW CHIEF GET HIS FEET UNDER HIM AND ALL THAT. SO THANK YOU FOR NOT BAILING OUT ON THE DROP PROGRAM EARLY. GLAD YOU'RE STAYING FOR THE NEXT YEAR AND CONTINUE ON WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING. YOU'VE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB, MADAM MAYOR. I CAN SAY SOMETHING TO YOU ABOUT CHIEF RIDDLE. SO I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE PRIOR. YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN HERE ABOUT TWO YEARS NOW, COMING THIS MARCH. AND PRIOR TO THAT, I HADN'T WORKED WITH HIM A WHOLE LOT. BUT I'VE WORKED WITH HIM EXTENSIVELY THE LAST 8 TO 10 MONTHS, AND HE'S DONE A FANTASTIC JOB DOWN THERE. THE EMPLOYEES REALLY RESPECT HIM. WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE ONBOARDING OF MR. SMITH, AND HE'S BEEN VERY, VERY HELPFUL IN ASSISTING THE PROCESS. HE'S GOING TO BE A GREAT WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND A GREAT PARTNER IN THE TRANSITION. HE'S JUST BEEN VERY, VERY HUMBLE, VERY, VERY LOOK, I'M JUST HERE TO I WANT TO BE ABLE TO LEAVE A LASTING IMPRESSION ON THE CITY. SO I APPRECIATE HIM. FROM AN HR PERSPECTIVE. IT'S MADE MY JOB A LOT EASIER WITHIN THE LAST TEN MONTHS. YEAH, GREAT. IT'S ALL BEEN SAID. BUT AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO ECHO CHIEF YOUR LEADERSHIP EXEMPLARY AND AND YOUR COMMAND STAFF AND KEEPING THIS TOGETHER AND THEN TO THOSE OFFICERS TO THE, THE THE PEOPLE THAT PATROL THE STREETS DAY IN AND DAY OUT, THE SERGEANTS AND LIEUTENANTS, THE RANK AND FILE OFFICERS FOR YOU KNOW, GOING ALONG WITH THIS. I KNOW IT COULD BE TOUGH, RIGHT? LISTENING TO US, WATCHING US, HEARING THINGS, SEEING THINGS. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A PROCESS. AND DIAMONDS ARE MADE FROM PRESSURE. AND SO WE HAD GREAT INTERACTION, WE HAD GREAT DIALOG. WE WERE ABLE TO CONVEY THE SENTIMENTS OF, OF OUR, OUR COMMUNITY. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR SHOWING UP, BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY SHOWED UP AND PARTICIPATED AND TALKED AND GAVE INPUT, VERY VALUABLE INPUT AND MADE OBSERVATION THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL IN THIS PROCESS. AND SO I THINK THAT'S A LESSON FOR US. MR. CHESS, AS WE CONTINUE THESE PROCESSES IS THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE INVOLVED. IT DOES HELP THE PROCESS. AND AND I KNOW IT WAS KIND OF MAYBE LAST MINUTE. YOU GUYS DID A LOT OF SCRAMBLING. MR. SORENSEN, I WANT TO THANK YOU. BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE'VE DONE IT LIKE THIS BEFORE. AND OFTENTIMES WE GET WE YIELD GREAT RESULTS WHEN WE DO CHALLENGE OURSELVES TO THINK OUT OF THE BOX TO NOT BE AFRAID TO MAKE COURAGEOUS DECISIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, WILL YIELD RESULTS. AND SO EVERYBODY, EVERYONE INVOLVED, PEOPLE AT CITY HALL DID A FANTASTIC JOB IN GETTING US THROUGH THIS PROCESS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO MOVING FORWARD. AGREED. AGREED. AND YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE STRENGTHS OF OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT, BUT IT'S ALSO SOMETIMES A PAIN IS THAT YOU HAVE CIVILIANS IN CHARGE OF THE MILITARY YOU HAVE CIVILIANS IN CHARGE OF. SO WE ARE WE ARE CIVILIANS UP HERE. WE ARE PEOPLE. WE ARE NOT TRAINED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. AND WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS THAT THAT DO HAVE INPUT INTO THAT. AND I KNOW THAT MUST BE FRUSTRATING SOMETIMES FOR THE TRAINED POLICE, LAW ENFORCEMENT. AND TO HEAR US THRASHING ABOUT UP HERE AND TRYING TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS. BUT THAT'S THAT'S THE WAY OUR COUNTRY WORKS. AND AND WE DID THIS WAS A PAINFUL PROCESS, I THINK WHEN WE WENT THROUGH SEVERAL MEETINGS WHERE WE WERE ALL KIND OF AIRING OUR CONCERNS AND OUR DIFFERENCES AND OUR PREFERENCES AND AND MAYBE IT'S PAINFUL TO GO THROUGH, BUT ON THIS SIDE OF IT, LOOKING TODAY, IT LOOKS IT LOOKS LIKE A PRETTY ROSY FUTURE. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, STAFF. AND THANK YOU, CHIEF RIDDLE. IT'S VERY, VERY RESPONSIVE, CHIEF. VERY RESPONSIVE AND VERY UNCOMPLICATED TO DEAL WITH. AND THAT'S A THAT'S A PLEASURE. SO THANK YOU ALL STAFF. AND THANK YOU TO OUR POLICE OFFICERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WITH THAT, MADAM MAYOR. YES, WE WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE NINE D. UNDER CONSENT AGENDA. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. MR. BRODERICK. YES, COMMISSIONER. GAINES. YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. YES, MA'AM. YES, MA'AM. OKAY. THE NEXT ITEM IS CITY COMMISSION, BOARD AND COMMITTEE UPDATES. [12. City Commission Boards and Committees Updates] [01:10:04] ALRIGHTY. WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO FIRST? I'LL GO FIRST, MADAM MAYOR. I'VE ONLY MET WITH ONE BOARD SO FAR THIS YEAR. THAT WAS THE TREASURE COAST COUNCIL OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT. WE MET LAST WEDNESDAY AND AND WE ELECTED I THINK WE ELECTED. EVERYBODY WENT BACK IN AS AS THE SAME GROUP. SAME GROUP WENT BACK IN AS OFFICERS. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MOST OF THE COUNCIL AND MEMBERS GOING TO TALLAHASSEE FOR LEGISLATION DAY. THAT'S, THAT'S WE'RE VERY INTERESTED IN THAT. AND WE ARE GOING TO ESTABLISH A SCHOLARSHIP FOR A LOCAL RESIDENTS OF OF ALL THOSE JURISDICTIONS, SOME SCHOLARSHIPS. SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. SO THAT THAT WOULD BE MY, MY BOARD UPDATE. MY, COMMENTS ARE REAL QUICK. AS YOU'VE SEEN OR HAVEN'T SEEN, WE HAVE BEEN CELEBRATING MARTIN LUTHER KING CELEBRATION ALL WEEKEND. IT WAS SOME GREAT EVENTS STARTING FRIDAY NIGHT AND THROUGH SATURDAY. WE HAD A YOUTH SYMPOSIUM SATURDAY MORNING FROM 9 TO 1, AND, AND ME BEING ME, I WENT IN JUST TO SAY HELLO AND GOT STUCK DOING A PRESENTATION BECAUSE THE PERSON DIDN'T SHOW UP. THEY ASKED ME, THEY ASKED ME, I SAID I WOULD, AND IT WAS GREAT. AND OUT OF THAT I WAS ABLE TO TALK ABOUT OUR YOUTH COUNCIL. SO I GOT SOME NAMES AND I'VE ALREADY SUBMITTED THOSE NAMES FOR SOME YOUNG LADIES TO COME. COME JOIN OUR YOUTH COUNCIL. SATURDAY AFTERNOON, I THINK THERE WERE 76. 77 STUDENTS IN A SPELLING BEE. THAT'S GREAT. AND I'M GLAD I WASN'T ON THE STAGE BECAUSE WHEN THEY GOT TO THEM IN ROUND, SOME OF THEM GOT TO THE END ROUND. WOULD YOU EMBARRASS YOURSELF? I MIGHT HAVE EMBARRASSED MYSELF BECAUSE I WAS SITTING THERE AND TRYING TO SAY, YOU KNOW, BUT THE YOUNG MAN, I THINK IT WAS A FOURTH GRADER FROM FRANCES K SWEET THAT FRANCES K SWEET THAT THAT ONE. SO TONIGHT THERE IS A A MARCH AND NAACP PROGRAM. AND THEN SATURDAY THERE IS A BREAKFAST AND A BLOOD DRIVE AND A WREATH LAYING. OH, I WAS GOING TO LEAVE THAT TO YOU. OKAY. AND THE WREATH LAYING. SO IF YOU'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING THIS THIS WEEKEND YOU KNOW, OR TONIGHT, COME, COME JOIN US. WALK WITH THE POLICE AND AND COME TO THE NAACP GATHERING AND DONATE BLOOD AND COME TO THE WREATH LAYING ON SATURDAY. LAST THING I'M GOING TO SAY IS MADAM MAYOR AND COMMISSION THIS WEEKEND. WE WE WE SAID GOODBYE TO A PIONEER OF THE NORTH FLORIDA AREA. MR. KENNETH DRUMMOND WAS WAS LAID TO REST. AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW, AND YOU RIDE AROUND LINCOLN PARK AREA AND OTHER PARTS OF FORT PIERCE, I WOULD EASILY SAY THAT 90% OF THE HOMES BUILT IN THAT AREA, ESPECIALLY THE OLDER HOMES BUILT IN THAT AREA, WERE BUILT BY MR. DRUMMOND. REALLY? ONE OF THE ESTABLISHMENTS THAT WAS BUILT WAS THE FAMILY STONE BROTHERS FUNERAL HOME BUILDING. HE BUILT THAT BUILDING. HE BUILT THAT BUILDING, HIS FIRST NAME, KENNETH DRUMMOND. DARRYL'S. KENNETH KENNETH DRUMMOND, HE HE BUILT THAT BUILDING IN IN IN 1967. FROM THE STORY I TAUGHT THAT WAS TOLD FROM MY FATHER 1967, WHEN A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THOUGHT THAT AS A AS A BLACK, YOU KNOW, CONSTRUCTION PERSON THAT I'M JUST BEING HONEST WITH YOU, THAT THE BUILDING WAS GOING TO FALL DOWN, THE BUILDING WAS GOING TO DO WHATEVER, BUT ALL HIS BUILDINGS ARE STILL STANDING. SO, I MEAN, SO HE, HE, HE PROVED HIM WRONG. HE LIVED A GREAT LIFE, 92 YEARS OLD. BUT IF YOU DRIVE AROUND THE LINCOLN PARK AREA DRIVE AROUND LINCOLN PARK AREA AND YOU SEE AN OLDER RESIDENT WITH A HOUSE AND AND MR. FREEMAN, I SEE YOU STANDING THERE. SO SOME OF YOUR HEADACHES YOU HAVE WITH THEM, THEM SQUARED OFF, LOTS SQUARED OFF BACK THEN. THAT'S THAT'S HOW IT WAS. BUT BUT SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE KUDOS TO, TO MR. DRUMMOND FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE AND THE LINCOLN PARK AREA. SO WITH THAT, MADAM MAYOR AND COMMISSION I PASS ON, I WOULD LIKE TO GO NEXT. [01:15:01] I'LL GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE BOARDS. SO SO IT'S ACTUALLY A TESTIMONY FOR RELIEF. SO I'M NO LONGER THE CHAIR OF THE FIRE BOARD. THAT'S GOOD. SO BUT I'M STILL ON THE FIRE BOARD. WE'VE MET A COUPLE TIMES. I THINK THE BIGGEST THING FROM FROM THE FIRE BOARD PERSPECTIVE, MADAM MAYOR, YOU SIT ON THAT BOARD WITH ME IS THAT WE CONTINUALLY ARE FACED WITH THE CHALLENGE OF STAFFING SAINT LUCIE COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT. WE ARE MAKING A NUMBER OF DECISIONS, OBVIOUSLY, TO BUILD NEW STATIONS AND FORECAST THE GROWTH AS WELL AS HIRING. SO RIGHT NOW, WE'VE SEEN LATELY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS HIRING. WE'RE IN A HIRING PHASE. THERE'S A WHAT WE CALL A HUMAN CAPITAL CLIFF. WE'RE COMING TO WITH RETIRING FIREFIGHTERS AND NEED TO ON BOARD FIREFIGHTERS. SO IT'S A GREAT CAREER OPPORTUNITY. AND SO FROM A FIRE BOARD PERSPECTIVE YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING I WANT TO MAKE SURE I COMMUNICATED HERE. WE HAVE A NEW CHAIR. NOW, IT IS THE THE MAYOR OF PORT SAINT LUCIE, CHAIR MARTIN. AND THE VICE CHAIR IS MR. TRAVIS LEONARD. SO THE FIRE BOARD WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD, AND WE'LL WE'LL PROVIDE AN UPDATE. I'M NO LONGER THE CHAIR OF THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATION, WHICH IS GOOD TO THAT CHAIR NOW IS MISS THERESA ARONSON. AND THE VICE CHAIR IS SOMEBODY I THINK IT'S COMMISSIONER FROM THE COUNTY, AND I'M NOT I THINK IT'S I'M NOT SURE I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE A COMMENT. I DON'T WANT TO EMBARRASS MYSELF, BUT THE TPO CONTINUES TO PLAN THE GROWTH IN THE FUTURE OF ROADS IN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY. AND WE'LL LOOK FOR CONTINUED UPDATES. THAT OF THAT. I DID MENTION LAST TIME THAT THERE WAS A VERY PASSIONATE DISCUSSION ABOUT RAIL AND RAIL FREIGHT MOVEMENT. AND SO LOOK FOR THAT TO, CONTINUE. WE WILL HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS VERY, VERY SOON ABOUT THAT, TO ADDRESS OUR CONCERNS AND CONCERNS OF OUR RESIDENTS HERE. BUT JUST KNOW THAT IT IS TOP AND CENTER WITH THE TPO WHEN IT COMES TO FREIGHT MOVEMENT AND TRANSPORTATION. ALONGSIDE OBVIOUSLY ROADS AND SIDEWALKS AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF. THE OTHER BOARD THE PORT ADVISORY BOARD MET WE HAD A GREAT PRESENTATION FROM MR. REVOLT. EVERYTHING IS MOVING ALONG PARTICULARLY WITH THE PORT AND THE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NORTHERN MARINA AREA. AND WE LOOKED AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT ITERATIONS OF HOW WE CONNECT THAT MARINA AREA TO THE LINCOLN PARK AREA AND DEALING WITH FLOOD WATER, AND SAW SOME GREAT GRAPHIC PRESENTATIONS THAT ARE PUBLIC. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THAT TO STAFF SO THEY CAN SHARE THAT WITH OUR AUDIENCE. I THINK IT'S BEEN SHARED BUT TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT THOSE TWO COMMUNITIES THERE AT AVENUE O TO THE MARINA FOR RECREATION AND FUTURE IS JUST GOING TO BE, I THINK, A FANTASTIC PROJECT. ONCE WE FIGURE OUT IF WE'RE GOING UNDER OR OVER THE RAILROAD, WE HAVE TO FIGURE THAT OUT OR GRADE CROSSING. SO WE THAT'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER DISCUSSION. IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT THE RAILROAD. SO THAT MEETING WAS HELD. MY FIRST I'M STILL I'M TEMPORARY RIGHT NOW ON THE TREASURE COAST REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL. OUR FIRST MEETING IS FOR THE YEAR IS COMING UP THIS FRIDAY. SO I'LL BE ATTENDING THAT. NOT MUCH ON THE AGENDA. THE FORMER MAYOR OF PALM BEACH, MARINO IS NOW THE CHAIR OF THE TREASURE COAST PLANNING REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL. AND I KNOW MAYOR MARINO AND HAVE WORKED WITH HER A COUPLE OF TIMES. SO LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, MY DIRECTION ON THAT COMMITTEE IS, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S SYNERGY ALONG THE TREASURE COAST ON THOSE PROJECTS THAT OVERLAP THE TREASURE COAST COASTAL AND REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I AM GOING TO BE BRINGING UP AND FOSTERING IS POSITIONING ON HOMELESSNESS AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I DON'T THINK WE'VE DEALT WITH FROM A REGION. I'VE HEARD SOME DISTURBING THINGS OF OF NEIGHBORING COUNTIES DUMPING PEOPLE INTO OUR COUNTY, INTO OUR CITY. AND THAT IS A POSITION THAT I AM GOING TO ADDRESS THROUGH THAT COUNCIL AND GET THEM TO TAKE UP A CONVERSATION THAT THIS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. AND THAT WE WILL ADDRESS THIS AS A REGION PLANNING COUNCIL, HOW WE COME UP WITH A SOLUTION TO THIS, BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING AWAY. WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS IT. SO LAST, I'LL SAY THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GAINES, FOR HIGHLIGHTING EVERYTHING ON MLK. I WANT TO INVITE YOU OUT, OBVIOUSLY, TO THE WREATH LAYING CEREMONY, WHICH IS THAT SATURDAY. IT WILL BEGIN PROMPTLY AT AT 1 P.M.. I AM THE MASTER OF CEREMONIES THERE. WE HAVE SEVERAL SPEAKERS. WE HAVE A LOCAL COMMUNITY SPEAKER, DOCTOR PINKY HENLEY. WE HAVE THE STATE DIRECTOR FOR THE NAACP WILL BE SPEAKING AND ANOTHER COMMUNITY PERSON. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU TO THAT WREATH LAYING CEREMONY. [01:20:05] AND I'LL, I'LL SAY THIS ABOUT MR. DRUMMOND. HE IS AN ICON. I WAS HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO VISIT WITH HIM WHILE HE WAS STILL LIVING. AND BOTH OF US WERE AT THE NURSING HOME, AND WE JUST HAPPENED TO WALK THROUGH AND SAW HIS NAME, AND I WAS REALLY I WON'T FORGET THAT, BECAUSE AT 92 HE WAS STILL VERY SHARP. HE RECOGNIZED WHO WE WERE AND THE NAMES HADN'T SEEN HIM IN A VERY LONG TIME. BUT TO KNOW THAT THAT'S MY LASTING IMPRESSION OF HIM WAS, YOU KNOW, HE WAS VERY SHARP. HE WAS HE WAS HAD HIS FACULTIES. HE UNDERSTOOD. HE HELD CONVERSATION. AND I WON'T FORGET THAT. AND SO I KNOW THE DRUMMOND FAMILY HAS HAD IMPACT ON THE CITY WITH FORMER COMMISSIONER DARYL DRUMMOND, WHICH IS HIS. THAT'S HIS. THAT'S HIS NEPHEW. THAT'S HIS NEPHEW. AND SO WE WANT TO SEND OUR CONDOLENCES TO THE DRUMMOND FAMILY AND THE RICHARDSONS RICHARDSON FAMILY AS THEY HAVE LAID HIM TO REST. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BRODERICK. COUPLE OF THINGS I'D LIKE TO FIRST. THANK COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. I SERVE ON THE TPO TRANSPORTATION PLANNING WITH COMMISSIONER JOHNSON AND HIM INDICATING THAT THERE WAS A PASSIONATE DISCUSSION REGARDING FEC. IT'S A GOOD THING HE DIDN'T HAVE A GAVEL WHEN HE WAS CHAIRMAN, BECAUSE I KNOW HE WAS LOOKING FOR ONE WHEN I WAS SPEAKING BECAUSE I WENT OFF ON FEC FOR A GOOD 15, 20 MINUTES AT THAT MEETING, TO THE POINT WHERE THE ENTIRE GROUP WAS LIKE, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO DEAL WITH FEC? I SAID, I DON'T KNOW, I HAVE NO IDEA. I'M AT A COMPLETE LOSS AS TO HOW WE'RE GOING TO MANAGE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH FEC. IT'S CHALLENGING TO SAY THE LEAST. AND FEC DOES COME UP EVERYWHERE. YOU KNOW, FPA ON THE SEWER TREATMENT PLANT IS RUNNING INTO ALL KINDS OF COST FACTORS AND EASEMENT ISSUES, TRYING TO GET DRAIN LINES UNDER THE TRACKS, NEVER MIND THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE ONGOING WITH THEM THAT I WON'T GET INTO THE I WON'T GET INTO THE WEEDS ON THAT. BUT THAT'S WHAT COMMISSIONER JOHNSON WAS REFERRING TO WHEN HIS FELLOW FORT PIERCE COMMISSIONER STOOD UP ON THE TABLE AND STARTED RANTING AND RAVING, LIKE I'VE BEEN KNOWN TO DO ON OCCASION. SO I'LL LEAVE THAT ONE AT REST. CURTIS. CURTIS WAS AN OUTSTANDING CHAIRMAN OF THE TPO. HE DID A GREAT JOB, AND IT WAS A PLEASURE TO SERVE WITH HIM IN THAT, IN THAT CAPACITY. I KNOW HE'S STILL ON THE TPO, BUT WE DO HAVE A NEW CHAIRPERSON AND I THINK SHE'LL DO A GREAT JOB. AND SECONDLY, PARKING COMMITTEE MEETS THIS WEEK. I KNOW THAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO GET IN FRONT OF THE CITY COMMISSION REGARDING THIS PAY TO PARK SCENARIO AND THE PARKING COMMITTEE. SEAN'S HERE. SEAN IS OUR NEW HEAD OF INTERIM HEAD OR PERMANENT? I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHERE HE'S AT. OF CODE ENFORCEMENT HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN DEALING WITH THE PROPOSED CONTRACTS WITH THE VENDOR THAT WE HAD BEEN SELECTED. AND SEAN GAVE A REPORT, A COUPLE OF PARKING COMMITTEE MEETINGS AGO, RELATIVE TO THE REDISTRIBUTION OF THE INCOME THAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR, A LARGER PERCENTAGE OF THIS, THE CONTRACT TERMS BASICALLY WENT SOUTH. SO THE PARKING COMMITTEE LOOKED AT THIS AND I SAID, LOOK, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THIS CONTRACT, I'LL USE THE PROPER TERM, IS NOT FAVORABLE TO THE CITY. I HAVE MORE I HAVE BETTER TERMS FOR THAT, BUT I'LL SAY MORE FAVORABLE AND REDUCING THE CITY'S INCOME STREAM, WHICH WAS THE PRIMARY REASON FOR GETTING INVOLVED WITH THIS TO BEGIN WITH, TO OFFSET THE COST OF THE MAINTENANCE OF THE PARKS, ETC., IT CHANGED IT TO THE POINT WHERE IT WAS NO LONGER PALATABLE. SO THE PARKING COMMITTEE TOOK A VOTE AT THAT MEETING TO SAY, WE WANT TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COMMITTEE TO CHANGE OUR RECOMMENDATION ABOUT SUPPORTING THIS PROPOSAL BASED ON THE CHANGES THAT SHAUN HAD. AND SHAUN HAD DONE A DEEP DIVE INTO THIS CONTRACT. HE KNEW THE INS AND OUTS OF THIS THING, LIKE THE BACK OF HIS HAND, AND THE PARKING COMMITTEE SAID, NO, WE DON'T ADVOCATE THIS ANY LONGER. SO I KNOW THAT THEY WANT TO MAKE A PRESENTATION TO THE CITY COMMISSION ON THIS. I KNOW THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN KIND OF SITTING OUT THERE BECAUSE WE REALLY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING WITH IT TO WRAP UP THE CONTRACT. AND BASED ON SEAN'S INPUT AND THE REVIEW THAT THE PARKING COMMITTEE DID, I THINK THIS THING IS DEAD ON ARRIVAL. SO WE JUST NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR THAT BECAUSE THAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION THEY'RE GOING TO COME IN WITH. I'M NOT SURE IF THEY'RE MAKING THE RECOMMENDATION OR IF THEY JUST HAVE ME BRING IT TO YOU FOLKS, WHICH IS FINE TOO. AND I AGREE WITH THAT ASSESSMENT BECAUSE I ASKED THEM FOR A VOTE AT THAT MEETING. I SAID, LOOK, IF WE'RE IF WE'RE LOOKING TO CAN THIS THING, LET'S GET IT ON THE RECORD, LET'S GET IT MEMORIALIZED, AND THEN WE'LL BRING IT TO THE CITY COMMISSION, BECAUSE WE NEED TO WRAP THIS UP IN ONE CAPACITY OR ANOTHER. AND AND IF WE'RE GOING TO KILL IT, LET'S KILL IT. IF THE CITY COMMISSION THINKS THAT WE CAN REVIVE IT AND TRY TO RENEGOTIATE. THAT'S FINE TOO. AND SHAUN, OF COURSE, WILL PROVIDE US SOME INPUT AT THAT MEETING, I'M SURE, AS WELL. BUT HIS INPUT ON THAT AS THE NEW INTERIM OF THAT DEPARTMENT WAS JUST OUTSTANDING. THANK YOU SEAN, YOU DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB. THE ANALYSIS OF THAT WAS SPOT ON AND BADLY NEEDED BY THE PARKING COMMITTEE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THIS BODY. SO JUST IT'S COMING. OKAY. SHORT OF THAT, I DON'T THINK I REALLY HAVE ANYTHING EXCITING TO TALK ABOUT. [01:25:01] I THINK THERE WILL BE A LOT OF MOURNERS OUT THERE IN THE CITIZENS. I DON'T KNOW, I KNOW IT'S NOT A POPULAR PROGRAM, BUT WE WE'RE STILL FACED WITH WE HAD A GOOD IDEA. I MEAN, WE HAD WE HAD WE KNEW WHAT WE WERE DOING AND WE KNEW IT WASN'T GOING TO BE POPULAR, BUT WE THOUGHT IT WOULD WORK. AND AND WE TOOK WE LOOK WE MADE THE DIFFICULT DECISION. WE PUT WE TOOK SOME PUSHBACK ON THAT. AND I UNDERSTOOD ALL THAT. AND IN LIGHT OF ALL THAT, THAT KIND OF SITTING THERE IN THE BACKGROUND, WHEN THE NUMBERS CHANGED AND THERE WAS NO LONGER A PALATABLE FINANCIAL DEAL, IT'S LIKE, WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE? YOU KNOW, THIS IS WE'RE UPSETTING THE OUR CONSTITUENTS, WE'RE UPSETTING THE COMMISSION. WE'RE CAUSING ALL THESE RIPPLES. AND FOR WHAT GAIN? THERE'S NO GAIN AT THE END OF THE DAY. OR THE GAIN WAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED. SO JUST THAT'S WHERE IT'S GOING AND IT'S COMING. SO I'M NOT SURE WHEN MANAGER CHESS WANTS TO GET THAT ON THE AGENDA FOR US TO DEAL WITH, BUT YEAH, IT'S OUT THERE. MADAM MAYOR, REAL QUICK TO COMMISSIONER BURKE AND THE PARKING COMMITTEE. WHENEVER WE GET THAT ON AGENDA, LET'S LET'S SOONER THAN LATER SO WE CAN DO WHATEVER WE'RE GOING TO DO. BUT AND WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON IN 2026 AND ALL THESE PLANS, WE GOT FIVE, TEN YEAR PLANS, I'M AGAIN GOING TO ASK THAT WE BRING UP FOR DISCUSSION THIS PARKING GARAGE, THIS PARKING, WHATEVER, WHATEVER WE'RE GOING TO DO, BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING AWAY DOWNTOWN PARKING IS NOT GOING AWAY. AND WE'VE ALREADY SEEN LIST OF STREETS WITH MONEY ATTACHED TO THEM, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO BRUSH OFF ONE OF THOSE STUDIES, LOOK AT IT AND WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION AMONGST US. WE DON'T HAVE TO AGREE TO IT AND WE DON'T HAVE TO SAY YES, BUT IT'S TIME FOR US TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ON SOME TYPE OF PARKING STRUCTURE. JUST A FEASIBILITY TO WHATEVER, JUST TO SEE, BECAUSE THE PARKING ISSUE IS NEVER GOING TO IT'S NEVER GOING AWAY AND WE JUST NEED TO DISCUSS IT. I DO HAVE AN UPDATE ON THAT. SO THE THE PARKING COMMITTEE IN WITH STAFF FROM ENGINEERING AND SHAUN PARTICIPATION. I THINK CHEYENNE WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN THAT DISCUSSION RELATIVE TO THE PARKING GARAGE. WE REQUESTED TO HAVE THOSE STUDIES BROUGHT BACK TO US SO WE COULD REFRESH OURSELVES AS TO THE INFORMATION, BUT I'LL GIVE YOU THE RECAP. WE DID THREE STUDIES. THEY ALL SAY THE SAME THING. WHY WE CONTINUE TO STUDY THIS IS BEYOND ME. YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO TAKE THE STUDY, TAKE THE LATEST STUDY AND SAY, OKAY, WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS THAT WE NEED, ETC.. AND THE FLOOR THAT WAS WITH THAT PARTICULAR STUDY WAS THAT THEY WERE THEY WERE TRYING TO SELECT LOCATIONS FOR THIS GARAGE. WELL, THEY WERE USING PROPERTY THAT THE CITY DOESN'T OWN, WHICH MADE NO SENSE TO ME WHATSOEVER. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO JUST SAY? WE'RE GOING TO JUST TAKE THIS PROPERTY OR PAY MARKET RATE? WELL, AS SOON AS WE SAY WE WANT TO PUT A PARKING GARAGE THERE, MARKET RATE FOR THAT PROPERTY JUST DOUBLED. SO THAT WAS NONSENSICAL. AND I REALLY DID NOT AGREE WITH THE PHILOSOPHY THAT WAS USED IN COMPILING THE REPORT. SO THE ESSENCE OF THIS COMES DOWN TO IS THAT THE CITY LOCATION, THAT WE CAN PROVIDE ENOUGH SQUARE FOOTAGE TO PUT A PARKING GARAGE IS THE JCPENNEY BISTRO, THE PARKING LOT BEHIND SECOND STREET BISTRO. AND THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE, REALLY IN DOWNTOWN THAT THE CITY CONTROLS SUFFICIENT LAND TO PUT UP A PARKING GARAGE. SO THE PARKING COMMITTEE IS LOOKING AT THIS AGAIN. COMMISSIONER. SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE COMING FORWARD WITH SOMETHING. AND I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT WE GO OUT AND BOND $35 MILLION TO BUILD A GARAGE. I'M SUGGESTING I'M AGREEING WITH YOU AND MANAGER CHESS TO SAY IT NEEDS TO BE INCORPORATED INTO OUR CAPITAL EXPENDITURE PLAN OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS. AND ONE OF THE AVENUES THAT WE HAD CONTEMPLATED NOT TO GET INTO THE WEEDS ON THIS, BUT I'LL JUST TELL YOU, THE MENTALITY WAS, IS THAT IN EARLY IN THE EARLY 2030S, WE ROLL OUT OF ALL OF OUR EXISTING BONDING, PARKING, GARAGE, CITY, MARINA, ETC. ALL THE BIG STUFF IS NOW OFF THE BOOKS. SO THAT FREES UP THIS REVENUE STREAM THAT WAS SERVICING ALL THAT DEBT WITH TO POTENTIALLY. I KNOW I'M WADING INTO MANAGER CHESS'S AREA OF EXPERTISE, BUT THE DEBT SERVICE THAT WE'RE REMOVING COULD BE UTILIZED TO FUND A BUILDING, A NEW PARKING STRUCTURE. AND WE ALL AGREE THAT DOWNTOWN, TO CONTINUE ITS REVITALIZATION AND MOVING FORWARD, WE NEED ADDITIONAL PARKING. WE'RE LOOKING AT A STRUCTURE OF SOMEWHERE AROUND 500 SPACES AT $35,000 PER SPACE IN TODAY'S DOLLARS. BY THE TIME WE GET AROUND TO BUILDING THIS, IT'S GOING TO BE A HECK OF A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE. BUT THAT DOESN'T DOESN'T PREVENT US FROM GETTING THE PLANS DRAFTED AND ALL THIS STUFF. AND CONCEPTUALLY COMING UP AND SAYING THE COMMISSION IS COMMITTED TO BUILDING THIS THING. AT SOME POINT IN TIME IN THE FUTURE, LET'S GET THE PLAN SPUN UP. LET'S GET THE ENGINEERING DONE, ETC., WHICH WE CAN AFFORD TO DO. AND THEN WHEN WE ROLL OUT OF ALL THIS BONDING EXPENSE AT THE END, IT'S NOT A LOT BONDING EXPENSE BECAUSE THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT DID A TREMENDOUS JOB IN GRABBING THOSE LONG TERM RATES AT LOW PERCENTAGE RATES, REDUCING IT. EXACTLY. AND WE'RE GOING DOWN IN THOSE NUMBERS EVERY SINGLE YEAR. SO BY THE TIME WE GET I THINK IT'S 2032. ALL THOSE BONDS HAVE BEEN PAID IN FULL. IT'S RIGHT AROUND THERE. I'M SURE JOHN WOULD KNOW OFF THE TOP OF HER HEAD, BUT I KNOW THAT IT'S EARLY IN THE EARLY 2030S. THAT'S RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, GUYS. YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE TO TAKE ON THE PROJECT NOW, IT'S TWO YEARS TO GET THE ENGINEERING WORK DONE. [01:30:05] IT'S TWO YEARS TO GET THE APPROVALS DONE AND THEN BIDDING AND ALL THAT. WE'RE LOOKING AT THREE YEARS TO COME OUT OF THE BOX. IT'S ALREADY 2026. THAT PUTS US AT 2029. AND WE HAVE THIS FUNDING MECHANISM AVAILABLE SHORTLY THEREAFTER. SO THE TIMING CONCEPTUALLY FOR THE CITY COMMISSION TO WRESTLE WITH THIS IDEA AND PRESENT IT TO THE CITIZENS AND SAY, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS NOW? YEAH. AND WITH THE CHANGES ABOUT PARKING, I KNOW COMMISSIONER COMMISSIONER GAMES. I STARTED TALKING, PARKING. HIS EYES ROLL AROUND IN THE BACK OF HIS HEAD. SO I'LL JUST SHUT UP NOW. I JUST SAID, WE NEED TO. EVERYTHING YOU SAID IT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED. STOP KICKING IT DOWN THE ROAD. LET'S DISCUSS IT AND SEE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH IT. AND IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT. IF NOT, THEN AT LEAST WE DISCUSS IT AND MOVE ON. WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER STUDY. WE DON'T NEED AN UPDATED STUDY. WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF STUDIES. WE'VE KILLED SO MANY TREES WITH STUDIES NOW, I COULDN'T EVEN BEGIN TO TELL YOU. AND AND WE'VE GOT THE WATERFRONT PROJECT, WHICH POTENTIALLY TAKES PARKING AWAY. A LOT OF IT. RIGHT. HALF THE PARKING IN DOWNTOWN EVAPORATES. RIGHT? RIGHT. SO WE ALL KNOW THAT. CORRECT. A PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE NOW IS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE. AND WE HOPE THAT PEOPLE CONTINUE TO COME DOWNTOWN. SO WE WHY DON'T WE SPIN UP THE OLD THE LAST STUDY AND SEND IT TO THE COMMISSION? IT BASICALLY SAYS THE SAME THING AS THE PRIOR TWO STUDIES, EXCEPT FOR THE DIFFERENT LOTS THAT THEY WERE USING, WHICH ARE INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND NOT CONTROLLED BY THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, WHICH MAKES NO SENSE TO ME. BUT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE YOUR LAND TO BUILD A PARKING GARAGE. I AGREE WE NEED TO TACKLE PARKING AND STOP TALKING ABOUT IT AND TACKLE IT. WE'LL GET IT BEFORE YOU ON THE AGENDA. THANK YOU. IS THAT. IS THAT IT FOR YOU? SO QUICKLY, I WILL RUN DOWN MINE. WELL, ON MARTIN LUTHER KING, I'M THE MASTER MISTRESS OF CEREMONIES FOR THE BREAKFAST, SO. AND I'LL BE AT THE WREATH LAYING CEREMONY, BECAUSE I ALWAYS PLAN TO DO THAT. AND OF COURSE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PARADE TO THAT. AND THAT WILL BE ON MONDAY THE 19TH. RIGHT. SO WE'LL BE GETTING DETAILS ABOUT WHERE WE GATHER AS THE USUAL PLACE AND OLD PLACE. YEP. MUSTARD OR AVENUE O AND AVENUE M, M, M AND 25TH ELKS. YEP. RIGHT. YEAH. AND WELL, THAT THE TIME WILL BE AT THE TIME WILL BE AT ARE WE GOING TO HAVE THE TRAM TAKE US FROM THE FROM THE THE END OF THE PARADE? TO THE BEGINNING. YES, BUT I'LL WORK OUT ALL THE FINAL. YOU'LL LET US KNOW WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO FOR THE PARADE AND WHAT TIME WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THERE. AND SO THAT'S. YES, THAT'S COMING UP. THE. YEAH, THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF MAYORS, WE TALKED ABOUT THE FORT PIERCE UTILITIES AUTHORITY. THE REPORT THAT I CAN GIVE IS WHAT A GREAT RIBBON CUTTING WE HAD AND WHAT A GREAT EVENT WE HAD. GREAT DAY FOR THE CITY. IT ACTUALLY. YES. FINALLY, SOME GOOD NEWS. MADE IT ON TO THE ON THE NEWS CHANNEL FIVE HAD A COVERAGE OF THAT OUT THERE ON THE EVENING NEWS. IT WAS LIKE THE SECOND STORY AND I WAS THRILLED TO SEE IT. IT WAS ONLY A TEN SECOND REPORT, BUT FINALLY A PIECE OF GOOD NEWS FOR THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. YEAH, RIGHT. WE'LL TAKE IT. EXACTLY. AND SO THAT'S WE'RE ALL EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND FIRE BOARD. ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO ADD TO WHAT YOU SAID IS THAT NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE A SHORTAGE, BUT THERE'S A SHORTAGE STATEWIDE OF FIREFIGHTERS, WHICH IS SURPRISING TO ME, BUT THAT THAT'S THAT'S A FACT. AND THE TREASURE COAST REGIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES WILL MEET THIS COMING WEEK. AND OR MAYBE IT'S THIS WEEK. NO, IT'S NEXT WEEK. NEXT WEEK. AND OF COURSE, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON AND I ARE GOING TO TALLAHASSEE, AND I WANT TO JUST TO SAY A WORD ABOUT THE HISTORY FEST THIS PAST WEEKEND, WHICH WAS WELL ATTENDED AND HAD A LOT OF DIFFERENT EXHIBITS AND THINGS GOING ON. AND IT WAS JUST A REALLY, REALLY GREAT, GREAT EVENT. AND THE WEATHER WAS PERFECT. SO AND ALSO, I WANTED TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT TOMORROW IS ELECTION DAY IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, DISTRICT TWO. SO PLEASE, EVERYBODY WHO LIVES IN DISTRICT TWO AND FORT PIERCE GET OUT TO VOTE. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. AND WITH THAT, MADAM MAYOR. I HAVE ONE OTHER THING. EVERYBODY ELSE HAS ONE THING. SO WE'LL GO THAT WAY. GO AHEAD. TWO THINGS, ACTUALLY, BUT THEY'LL BE QUICK. I AM PLEADING WITH MY FELLOW RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT TWO TO COME OUT AND VOTE. I DON'T CARE WHAT PARTY YOU'RE IN, WHAT DENOMINATION YOU'RE VOTING FOR. A 20% TURNOUT IN THE POLLS IS EMBARRASSING. I CHALLENGE THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT TWO OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE TO COME OUT AND VOTE. THIS IS THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THIS IS WHAT IT'S BASED ON. DON'T COMPLAIN ABOUT YOUR REPRESENTATION IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO COME OUT AND VOTE. SO I WANT I WANT TO SEE THE POLLS BUSY. I'LL BE THERE TOMORROW MORNING EARLY TO VOTE. I'M HOPING THERE'S A LINE OUT TO THE PARKING LOT TO VOTE. IT WOULD BE GREAT. SECONDLY, I HAVE A COMPLICATION. I HAVE A CLIENT MEETING AT THE JANUARY 20TH COMMISSION MEETING. [01:35:04] THEY HAVE ONE MEETING A YEAR. I AM THE MANAGEMENT AGENT FOR THIS PARTICULAR CLIENT. IT HAPPENS TO FALL ON THE SAME DAY. IT HAPPENED LAST YEAR AS WELL. SO I'M NOT GOING TO BE AVAILABLE FOR THE MEETING THAT NIGHT. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THAT. NONE OF US CAN GET SICK. EXACTLY. IF SO, WE'LL JUST DRAG ON IN HERE. SICK. YOU TAKE YOUR VITAMINS. GUYS. ALL RIGHT. HERE. SICK. ALRIGHT. A COUPLE OF THINGS I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT FOR OUR FRIENDS. THE OPENING RECEPTION FOR THE HIGHWAY MUSEUM EXHIBIT AT THE MUSEUM IS THIS FRIDAY. AND I NOTICED THAT SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE 16TH. YES. TIED INTO THE MUSEUM. NO, THIS IS THE MUSEUM. YEAH, THEY DO AN OPENING RECEPTION, AND IT'S THE EXHIBITOR FOR, OBVIOUSLY, THE HIGHWAYMEN PAINTINGS. SO FOR THOSE THAT ARE MEMBERS THERE, I PLAN ON ATTENDING THAT THIS FRIDAY. ALSO I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW FROM STAFF. AND MAYBE WE WORK TOGETHER. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO COMMEMORATE THIS 125TH BIRTHDAY? THAT THAT FEBRUARY 2ND IS A BIG DAY. YEAH. I MEAN, WE'VE GOT A LOT GOING ON HERE. AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT DAY AT CITY HALL. I'D MAYBE LIKE TO SEE SOME, SOME, SOME VISUAL DISPLAY OF BANTERING OR SOMETHING TO KIND OF CELEBRATE OUR 125TH DAY OF EXISTENCE, AND SEEMS LIKE IT SHOULD BE A GREAT DAY AT CITY HALL TO BE INVOLVED AND ENGAGED IN AND MAYBE HAVING YOU KNOW, INVITING THE PUBLIC TO COME BE A PART OF IT AND HAVING, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS ON DISPLAY SO THAT PEOPLE CAN BECOME FAMILIAR. WE'VE HAD SOME CHANGES OF LEADERSHIP AT CERTAIN POSITIONS, ETC. IT WOULD BE GOOD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A FULL SHOWING THAT DAY. AND STAFF UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED A LOT OF TRAFFIC HERE AT CITY HALL. YEAH, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT. AND THAT WAS IT. THOSE ARE THE ONLY TWO THINGS I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT. OH, AND ONE LAST, THE OPENING FOR THE RIBBON CUTTING FOR BLUEBIRD BISTRO. AND SIMPLY BECAUSE THAT'S IN OUR IN OUR AREA, IT'S 330 ON WEDNESDAY. I'LL BE THERE FOR THE RIBBON CUTTING. YOU'LL BE THAT GOOD? YEAH, I'LL BE THERE. ALSO, I DID SEE AN EMAIL RELATIVE TO THE GRAND OPENING OF THE HIGHWAYMAN MUSEUM IN FEBRUARY. SOMETIME. I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST THAT. GET ON OUR CALENDAR I. THE ACTUAL DATE AND THE TIME HASN'T BEEN SET YET. FEBRUARY 21ST OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY. IT'LL GET THERE WHEN WE HAVE THE SPECIFICS. OKAY. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. JUST. I'LL GET KILLED FOR THIS. I JUST WANT TO SAY GREAT JOB TO OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER FOR JOINING US. I MEAN, HIS ATTORNEY FOR JOINING US TODAY. SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO SAY. WE GAVE YOU AN EASY MORNING. WE GAVE YOU AN EASY MORNING. BUT TO TO OUR CITY MANAGER GIL KANE'S. YES. AND I MIGHT BE SICK. JANUARY. I MIGHT BE SICK JANUARY 20TH. THAT GAME IS JANUARY 19TH, BUT I. BUT I'LL PULL MYSELF IN HERE. OH, YEAH. THAT'S RIGHT. WELL, MISS, MISS HEDGES WAS OUT AT THE CANVASING BOARD TAKING TAKING OVER FOR US BECAUSE WE WERE HERE. I'M MESSING WITH HER. I'M GETTING. I'M GETTING THE THUMBS DOWN, BUT IT'S ALL GOOD. ALRIGHTY. ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE? ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO ADJOURN. WE'RE GOING TO BE LEAVING THE CHAMBERS AND TURNING THE LIGHTS OUT. WE'RE ADJOURNED. GOOD, GOOD. WHAT IS THE. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.