[1. CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:03] >> I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. THIS IS MONDAY, DECEMBER 16TH, 2019. THIS IS THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE COMMISSION. PLEASE STAND FOR THE OPENING PRAYER. BY FATHER BERNARD SHEFFIELD OF ST. JULIAN OF NORWICH OLD CATHOLIC CHURCH, AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE. >> PLEASE BOW YOUR HEADS AS WE PRAY: DEAR WISE AND LOVING FATHER, THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF ALL WHO ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY. MANY AN ABUNDANT BLESSINGS WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU GIVE US, OUR LIFE, FAMILY, RELATIONSHIPS AND VOCATIONS. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE INVOLVED IN THE GOVERNING OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE ASK FOR THE CONTINUED WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING AND PATIENCE TO GOVERN WISELY. WE PRAY FOR THE AGENDA SET BEFORE US TODAY. WE CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THE TRUST OF THOSE WHO LIVE AND WORK IN AND AROUND OUR BELOVED CITY OF FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA. WE ASK THIS IN YOUR HOLY NAME, AMEN. >> AMEN. >> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. >> CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. >> MAYOR HUDSON, PRESENT. MR. ALEXANDER, PRESENT. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER PERONA, PRESENT. COMMISSIONER SESSIONS, PRESENT. >> FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE [5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES] DECEMBER 2ND, 2019 REGULAR MEETING. >> MOVE TO APPROVE. >> SECOND. >> THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER, YES. CHER JOHNSON, YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER PERONA, YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER SESSIONS, YES, MA'AM. MAYOR HUDSON, YES, MA'AM. [a. Presentation of Years of Service Award plaque to Commissioner Reginald B. Sessions for 20 years of service by Mark Sittig, Manager of Membership Resources, Florida League of Cities.] >> NEXT WE HAVE A SPECIAL PRESENTATION FOR THE YEARS OF SERVICE AWARD PLAQUE TO COMMISSIONER REJAL B. SESSIONS FOR 20 YEARS OF SERVICE FOR THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE AND HERE TO PRESENT THIS IS MARK SITTIG, MANAGER OF MEMBERSHIP RESOURCES FROM THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES. >> WELCOME, MR. SITTIG. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TONIGHT TO RECOGNIZE THIS OCCASION. IT'S NOT VERY OFTEN THAT WE GET ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT STAY IN OFFICE FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME AND WITH YOUR PERMISSION, I'D LIKE TO PRESENT THIS RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES INCORPORATED HONORING REGINALD SESSIONS FOR 20 YEARS OF ELECTED SERVICE AND PRESENTING HIM WITH THE JOHN LAND YEARS OF SERVICE AWARD IN RECOGNITION OF HIS UNSELFISH COMMITMENT TO MUNICIPAL LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE. WHEREAS AMERICA'S MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE LONG RELIED UPON THE UNSELFISH LEADERSHIP OF THEIR CITIZENS FOR LOCAL SELF GOVERNMENT, AND FLORIDA'S MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS SHARE THE TIME HONORED ROLE AS THE LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT CLOSEST TO THE PEOPLE. WHEREAS THIS RELIANCE PLACES EXTRAORDINARY RESPONSIBILITIES UPON CITIZEN LEGISLATORS, MUNICIPAL ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO MAKE SIGNIFICANT SACRIFICES OF THEIR TIME AND ENERGIES ON BEHALF OF THEIR CITIZENRY OFTEN FOR LITTLE OR NO COMPENSATION, MAKING THIS COMMITMENT A TRUE LABOR OF LOVE. WHEREAS MUNICIPAL LEADERS STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE GOVERNMENTS OF THEIR CITY, TOWN ORVILLEAGE AND COMMIT THEMSELVES TO PROVIDING QUALITY SERVICES, GOVERNING EFFECTIVELY, AND WORKING TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE, AND WHEREAS THE LEAGUE HAS NAMED ITS YEARS OF SERVICE RECOGNITION IN HONOR OF JOHN LAND, THE MAYOR BETWEEN THE YEARS 1949 AND 2014. A LEADER WHOSE DEDICATION IS UNSURPASSED AT THE NATIONAL AND STATE LEVELS, AND WHO MODELED THE WAY FOR DECADES OF MUNICIPAL LEADERS. WHEREAS SEVERAL TERMS IN OFFICE IS THE HIGHEST COMPLIMENT VOTERS GIVE TO AN EE LICTED OFFICIAL AND WITH THESE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE COMES THE STRENGTHENING OF WISDOM, DISCERNMENT AND STRONG LEADERSHIP SKILLS THAT BRINGS TREMENDOUS VALUE TO THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS OF FLORIDA. WHEREAS REJAL SESSIONS HAS HELD OFFICE IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE FOR 20 YEARS AND IS RECOGNIZED FOR THIS ACHIEVEMENT, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES INCORPORATED THAT REGINALD SESSIONS IS COMMENDED FOR HIS DEDICATION TO THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE AND IS HEREBY RECOGNIZED AS AN OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVANT IN FLORIDA, ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ASSEMBLED THIS 16TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2019, IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA, LEO LONG WORTH, PRESIDENT, SIR, CONGRATULATIONS ON 20 YEARS. [APPLAUSE] [00:05:19] >> THANK YOU. I TELL Y'ALL, I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS CITY COMMISSIONER FOR THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. IT'S PRACTICALLY MY ENTIRE ADULT LIFE HAS BEEN TOWARDS PUBLIC SERVICE. I SIT HERE AND I WAS REMINISCING YESTERDAY ABOUT A YOUNG MAN THAT CAME AND RECRUITED ME FROM SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, A YOUNG MAN BY THE NAME OF SAM CARTER. AND SAM WAS A LEGEND, AND SAM WAS KNOWN FOR RECRUITING STUDENTS TO GO TO SOUTHERN. SO WHEN MR. CARTER SHOWED UP AT MY DOOR, I WAS KIND OF SURPRISED BECAUSE -- WHAT ARE YOU HERE FOR, MR. CARTER, I'M ALREADY HERE, I'M SPENDING MONEY. SOUTHERN LOUISIANA IS ALREADY GETTING MY MONEY. I'M IN LAW SCHOOL. HE SAYS, NO -- AND I REMEMBER TELLING THIS STORY AT HIS EULOGY, HE SAYS, NO, I'M NOT HERE FOR RECRUITING BUT I'M HERE TO RECRUIT YOU TO COME BACK HOME. I SAID WHAT DO YOU MEAN, COME BACK HOME? THAT'S THE FARTHEST THING FROM MY MIND RIGHT NOW, COMING BACK TO FORT PIERCE. AND HE SAYS, WELL, YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT IT. WE NEED YOU, AND WE JUST VOTED IN A NEW DISTRICT WH, WE'RE A SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT, WE VOTED IT IN IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE AND THERE WAS A LAWSUIT FILED AND IT WAS SETTLED AND NOW WE HAVE A SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT, AND HE SAYS I'VE BEEN WATCHING YOU AND I BELIEVE YOU'RE THE MAN FOR THE JOB. AND STILL AT THAT POINT, I WASN'T CONVINCED I WAS COMING BACK HOME. BUT IT TOOK THE HEALTH DECLINING OF MY GRANDPARENTS THAT IT HAD RAISED ME TO MAKE UP MY MIND THAT HOME WAS THE PLACE FOR ME TO COME BACK TO BECAUSE THEY HAD PUT ME THROUGH COLLEGE AND LAW SCHOOL, AND MY GRANDMOTHER HAD A SIXTH GRADE EDUCATION AND MY GRANDFATHER HAD A TENTH GRADE EDUCATION, AND THEY WORKED REAL HARD AND LABORED FOR ME, SO I HAD TO COME HOME, AND WHEN I GOT HOME, SAM CARTER WAS THERE WAITING. AND I RAN FOR OFFICE, AND AT THE AGE OF 27, ACCORDING TO SANDY AT THAT TIME, I WAS THE YOUNGEST PERSON IN THE HISTORY OF THE CITY TO GET ELECTED IN PUBLIC OFFICE, AND I'VE BEEN RUNNING EVER SINCE. AND I MUST SAY THAT I'VE SEEN SOME VALLEYS AND SOME MOUNTAINS, AND I'M A FIRM BELIEVER THAT OUR CITY IS REALLY STARTING TO PROGRESS, AND I'M NOT JUST SAYING THAT TO BE STANDING HERE, BUT I'M SAYING THAT AS A REALIST BECAUSE I CAN SEE THE CHANGES AND THE TURNAROUNDS THAT WE HAVE MADE IN TERMS OF STRENGTHENING OUR ECONOMIC BASE, OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, AND THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE THAT WAS ONCE ON THE MAP CALLED BEDROCK BECAUSE OF THE DRUGS, WE'RE NOW BEING LOOKED AT BY SO MANY BUSINESSES NOW TO COME HERE BECAUSE IT'S A HIDDEN SECRET. AND I'M A FIRM BELIEVER THAT THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING. I USED TO MAKE DECISIONS AND I MADE DECISIONS BASED ON WHAT I THOUGHT WAS RIGHT. BUT AS I GOT MATURE IN MY RELATIONRE --AND MY RELATIONSHIT STRONGER, I THOUGHT IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH ME BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS IN THE WILL OF GOD TO DO AS MUCH AS I POSSIBLY COULD TO CHANGE THE LIVES OF PEOPLE IN OUR CITY. AND MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT, MY COLLEAGUES, THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS JOB. AND I TAKE IT VERY SERIOUS. AND I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS JOB BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE DEPENDING ON US TO MAKE A CHANGE AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE. AND ALL THEY HAVE IS TO RELY ON US AND IT'S JUST ONE DECISION THAT COULD IMPACT IN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE. SO I'VE LEARNED THAT AND I'VE MATURED AND I'VE GOTTEN WISER NOW NOT TO RELY ON ME BUT JUST TO DO ALL THAT I CAN IN THE WILL OF GOD BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, HE'S IN CONTROL. AND DON'T MATTER WHAT WE MAY THINK IS THE RIGHT DECISION, [00:10:04] SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO PRAY ABOUT IT AND LET HIM TAKE CONTROL OF IT BECAUSE YOU CAN'T PLEASE EVERYBODY. BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT. AND I WAS FOOLISH TO THINK THAT I COULD. BUT YOU HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT YOU FEEL ARE FAIR AND JUST AND IN THE OVERALL BEST INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU SERVE. AND IF I DON'T SERVE ANOTHER DAY AS FAR AS THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, I GIVE GOD GREAT GRATITUDE FOR ME, AND THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE HAVING ENOUGH CONFIDENCE IN ME OVER THE YEARS TO ELECT ME OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR THIS PRIVILEGE AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] [b. Zeta Phi Beta Proclamation being received by LaShonda H. Henderson ] >> THE NEXT ITEM IS THE ZETA PHI BETA PROCLAMATION BEING RECEIVED BY LASHONDA HENDERSON. WHEREAS, ZETA PHI BETA SORORITY INCORPORATED WAS FOUNDED ON THE CAMPUS OF HOWARD UNIVERSITY IN WASHINGTON, D.C. ON JANUARY 16TH, 1920, BY THE HONORABLE ARIZONA CLEAVE CLEAVERSTEMENS, MYRTLE TYLER FAITHFUL, HONORABLE VIOLA TYLER GOINGS AND HONORABLE FANNYP.D. WATTS, AND WHEREAS ZETA PHI B BETA -- >> FINISH READING, WE'LL TAKE A PICTURE. >> ZETA PHI BETA IS THE FIRST AND ONLY NATIONAL COUNCIL ORGANIZATION TO BE CONSTITUTIONALLY BOUND TO A FRATERNITY, ZETA PHI BETA INCORPORATED. ZETA PHI BETA IS THE FIRST SORORITY IN THE NATIONAL COUNCIL TO ORGANIZE AUXILIARY GROUPS AND FIRST TO CHARTER A CHAPTER IN AFRICA. MONROVIA, LIBERIA. AND TO HAVE NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS FOR ALL OPERATIONS. AND WHEREAS THE FOUNDERS BELIEVE THAT SORORITY ELITISM AND SOCIALIZING OVERSHADOWED THE REAL MISSION FOR PROGRESSIVE ORGANIZATIONS. SINCE ITS FOUNDING, ZETA PHI BETA HAS HISTORICALLY FOCUSED ON ADDRESSING SOCIAL CAUSES. AND WHEREAS, THE PRINCIPLES OF THE SORORITY ARE SCHOLARSHIP, SERVICE, SISTERHOOD AND FINER WOMANHOOD. THE SORORITY'S MOTTO IS "A COMMUNITY CONSCIOUS ACTION ORIENTED ORGANIZATION." AND WHEREAS, IN 1920, FIVE WOMEN FROM HOWARD UNIVERSITY FOSTERED THE IDEAS OF SERVICE, CHARITY, SCHOLARSHIP, CIVIL AND CULTURAL ENDEAVORS, SISTERHOOD AND FINER WOMANHOOD. THESE IDEALS ARE REFLECTED IN THE SORORITY'S NATIONAL PROGRAM FOR WHICH ITS MEMBERS AND AUXILIARY GROUPS PROVIDE VOLUNTARY SERVICE TO STAFF, COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS, FUNDED SCHOLARSHIPS, SUPPORT ORGANIZED CHARITIES AND PROMOTE LEGISLATION FOR SOCIAL AND CIVIC CHANGE. AND WHEREAS, THE CHAPTER WAS CHARTERED IN DECEMBER OF 1961 IN FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA WITH NAOMI TODD, LOIS DICKERSON, BETTY SEYMOUR, ALBERTA BRANDT, KATIE ALLSTON AND MARY ETTA BRYANT BEING ITS CHARTER MEMBERS AND WHEREAS, THESE WOMEN HAVE LAID THE GROUNDWORK IN SERVICE AND DEDICATION TO THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA SINCE ITS INCEPTION. THE CHAPTER CONTINUES TO DELIVER SERVICE FOR ITS CITIZENS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE. AND WHEREAS, ON JANUARY 16, 2020, THE FINER WOMEN OF ZETA PHI BETA SORORITY INCORPORATED WILL BE CH COMMEMORATING 100 YES OF EXCELLENCE IN THE AREAS OF SCHOLARSHIP, SERVICE, SISTERHOOD AND FINER WOMANHOOD. NOW THEREFORE THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE FLORIDA DO HEREBY ISSUE THIS PROCLAMATION IN THE HONOR OF ZETA PHI BETA SORORITY, INC., CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION, 100 YEARS OF SCHOLARSHIP, SERVICE, SISTERHOOD, AND FINER WOMANHOOD, IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, AND ASK ALL CITIZENS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE COMMITMENT OF THE ORGANIZATION AND ITS MEMBERS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. >> CONGRATULATIONS. >> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] [00:15:06] >> WHILE THEY ARE COMING, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING GREETINGS TO YOU, MAYOR HUDSON, COMMISSIONERS, MR. , MAAMS, CHIEF STAFF, FAMILY AND FRIENDS. IN LESS THAN 30 DAYS FROM TODAY, ON JANUARY 20, 2020, ZETA PHI BETA INCORPORATED WILL BE COMMEMORATING 100 YEARS OF SCHOLARSHIP, SERVICE, FINER WOMANHOOD, ALL OVER THE WORLD. OUR FIVE FOUNDERS AND OUR CONSTITUTIONALLY BOUND BROTHERS OF THE FRATERNITY FELT THE NEED TO CREATE A SISTERHOOD THAT DIDN'T FOCUS ON ELITISM BUT ONE THAT WAS COMMUNITY CONSCIOUS AND ACTION ORIENTED. WHILE I'M HAPPY TO NAME THE NOTABLE NAMES LIKE DR. ANITA HILL OR EVEN CHERYL UNDERWOOD, I PREFER TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR LOCAL CELEBRITIES. IN DECEMBER OF '16 -- DECEMBER OF 1916, A CHAPTER WAS CHARTERED IN FORT PIERCE TO READILY ASSIST ALL MAN KAIND THROUGH SCO LEAR SHIP, SERVICE AND COMMUNITY ACTIVISM. WITH POWERFUL LEADERS AND COMMUNITY PILLARS SUCH AT K.B. AUSTIN, LOIS DICKER SON, LEE ANN COLLINS, BEATRICE WILLIAMS, FLORENCE COZZI, BOBBY HOWARD DAVIS, SHELBY JONES, AND YES, ME, LASHONDA HENDERSON. WE PERSONALLY THANK THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE FOR CREATING AMAZING SPACE, FOR US TO OPERATE IN OUR PURPOSE AND CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP FOR TODAY, TOMORROW AND FOREVER. LASTLY, I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND OUR SORORITY SISTERS, FRATERNITY BROTHERS, OUR YOUTH, OUR FRIENDS IN THE COMMUNITY, IN THE WORDS OF SHIRLEY CHISHOLM, SERVICE IS THE VERY PURPOSE OF LIFE AT ANDT SOMETHING YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME. HERE'S TO 100 YEARS OF THE BEST SORORITY ON THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN. [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU. [c. Local Foods Local Places Proclamation being received by Caleta Scott, Steering Committee Leader.] >> OUR NEXT PROCLAMATION IS THE LOCAL FOODS LOCAL PLACES PROCLAMATION BEING RECEIVED BY MEMBERS OF THEIR STEERING COMMITTEE. WHEREAS, LOCAL FOOD, LOCAL PLACES HELPS CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN HEALTH BY ENGAGING WITH LOCAL PARTNERS TO REINVEST IN EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS CONSIDERED FOOD DESERTS. AND WHEREAS THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, THE USDA, AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, EPA, SPONSORED THE 2019 PROGRAM SUPPORTING LOCALLY LED COMMUNITY DRIVEN EFFORTS TO PROTECT AIR AND WATER QUALITY, PRESERVE OPEN SPACE, BOOST ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES, IMPROVE ACCESS TO HEALTHY LOCAL FOOD AND PROMOTE WELLNESS. AND WHEREAS, THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE WAS SELECTED AS ONE OF 15 COMMUNITIES IN THE COUNTRY TO RECEIVE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE CREATION OF A COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN. AND WHEREAS, VARIOUS COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS CAME TOGETHER TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO STRENGTHEN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES AROUND HEALTHY FOOD, EXPLORE PLACE-BASED OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD, EXPAND AWARENESS OF PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE FITNESS AND WELLNESS OPPORTUNITIES, EXPAND JOB TRAINING AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES RELATED TO THE FOOD INDUSTRY, AND EXPANDING BEAUTIFICATION AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES SURROUNDING MOORE'S CREEK. AND WHEREAS WITH A STEERING COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS FROM UFI EXTENSION, ST. LUCIE, THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN ST. LUCIE COUNTY, TREASURE COAST FOOD BANK, UNITED AGAINST POVERTY, FLORIDA SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, NUTRITIONAL CONSULTANTS AND 16 GREEN ACRES, THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE IS POISED TO STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY'S ECONOMIC OUTLOOK AND HEALTH. NOW THEREFORE I THE MAYOR OF THE [00:20:01] CITY OF FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA DO HEREBY PROCLAIM 2019 THE LOCAL FOODS LOCAL PLACES COMMUNITY TO PROMOTE AN ECONOMICALLY VIBRANT COMMUNITY. >> THANK YOU. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? CONGRATULATIONS. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. >> AS YOU ALL KNOW, CALETA IS NOT FEELING WELL SO SHE ASKED ME TO COME AND ACCEPT THIS ON BEHALF OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE, AND IT'S AMAZING AND MR. SESSIONS, YOU HAD MENTIONED THIS EARLIE, THE PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE MADE IN THIS COMMUNITY JUST IN RECENT YEARS HAS BEEN REMARKABLE, AND I THINK THAT INSTITUTION OF THIS LOCAL FOOD LOCAL PLACES PLAN IS GOING TO HELP US GREATLY AS WE MOVE FORWARD. I KNOW THAT YOU'LL BE HAVING ANOTHER MEETING WHERE THEY GO MORE INTO DETAIL INTO WHAT THE GOALS ARE AND WHAT THE ACTION PLANS ARE, BUT I CAN SAFELY SAY WE ARE ALREADY MOVING FORWARD WITH SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE IN HERE. VERY ECK S EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, WE JUST APPLIED FOR AND GOTTEN TO THE SECOND PHASE OF THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION CULTURE OF HEALTH PRIZE, AND SO WE'RE WORKING ON THE SECOND APPLICATION FOR THAT. 136 APPLICATIONS AND WE MADE IT INTO THE TOP 35. SO WE'LL BE WORKING ON THAT, THAT APPLICATION WILL BE DUE MID JANUARY. WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT ALL OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THROUGH ALL OF THE CROSSWALKS AND COMMITTEES THAT WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH ARE GOING TO MAKE A HUGE PART OF THAT APPLICATION AND BE ABLE TO SHOW HOW WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER WITH ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO MOVE THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TOWARDS A CULTURE OF HEALTH. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THIS AND LETTING US BE A PART OF IT. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] >> SHE DIDN'T STATE HER NAME FOR THE RECORD BUT THAT WAS STEPHANIE MYERS. >> THANK YOU. WE HAVE NO LETTERS TO THE COMMISSION NOR COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO THE [9. ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO AGENDA AND APPROVAL OF AGENDA] AGENDA AND APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. >> MOVE TO PROVE THE AGENDA. >> SECOND. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. >> MR. ALEXANDER, YES. MR. JOHNSON, YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER PERONA, YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER SESSIONS, YES, MA'AM. MAYOR HUDSON, YES, MA'AM. >> NEXT WE HAVE A PRESENTATION [a. Presentation of the Scooter Share Program by Zagster] OF THE SCOOTER SHARE PROGRAM BY ZAGSTER. >> MR. MIMMS. >> BEFORE US TONIGHT, WE HAVE MS. CHRISTIE JENSEN, A REPRESENTATIVE OF ZAGSTER ALL THE WAY FROM BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. SHE'S HERE TO GIVE US AN UPDATE AS TO OUR SCOOTER SHARE PROGRAM PILOT THAT WE HAVE GOING ON YOU CAN ASK HER ALL THE HARD QUESTIONS. >> HI, FOLKS. IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE WITH YOU TONIGHT. >> YOU WANT TO TAKE SOME OF THAT SUNSHINE HOME WITH YOU? >> SHE DOES. >> HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS ALSO HAVE THE PRESENTATION UP ON YOUR SCREEN. >> WE DO. >> AWESOME. THAT'S GREAT. SO -- >> PULL YOUR MICROPHONE JUST A LITTLE CLOSER TO YOU. THANK YOU. >> ABSOLUTELY. SUPER HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH YOU GUYS TONIGHT TO DISCUSS HOW THE SCOOTER SHARE IS PERFORMING AND HOW IT'S DOING IN YOUR COMMUNITY. SO A COUPLE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO GO OVER TONIGHT ARE BOTH THE ST. LUCIE COUNTY BIKE SHARE, THE E SCOOTER SHARE, THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE RECEIVED AND HOW WE WANT TO ENHANCE SERVICE IN 2020. SO RIGHT NOW IN FORT PIERCE, THERE ARE 250 E-SCOOTERS AND THERE ARE ALSO 50 BIKES AS PART OF THE ZAGSTER BIKE SHARE THAT IS CONTRACTED WITH ST. LUCIE COUNTY. RIGHT NOW OUR BIG THING IS MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU GUYS WITH THE COMPLETE MICROMOBILITY NETWORK SO THAT MEANS THAT PEOPLE CAN EASILY ACCESS BIKES AND SCOOTERS IN ORDER TO GET AROUND THE CITY, AND ALSO CONNECT WITH PUBLIC TRANSIT AS WELL. SO WE RECENTLY DID A POLL OF -- NOT A POLL, EXCUSE ME, A SURVEY OF OUR E-SCOOTER USERS. WE HAD OVER 250 RESPONSES. AND WE FOUND THAT OF THOSE 250 PEOPLE, 55% OF THEM WORK IN FORT PIERCE, AND FROM THE RESULTS, WE FOUND THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE RIDING E-SCOOTERS ARE REPLACING -- SO 33 PERS OF OUR E-SCOOTER TRIPS ARE REPLACING CAR TRIPS AROUND THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS A PRETTY BIG DEAL. YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE THE PHOTO ON THIS PAGE IS FROM YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY. ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO SCOOT INTO A GOOD BOOK. SO SINCE LAUNCH, WE'VE HAD ALMOST 30,000 E-SCOOTER RIDES. [00:25:03] THAT'S EQUAL TO ABOUT TWO SCOOTER RIDES PER SCOOTER PER DAY. THE AVERAGE RIDE TIME IS 30 MINUTES. WHAT THAT SHOWS US IS THAT PEOPLE ARE USING THEM FOR A WIDE VARIETY OF THINGS. MOSTLY FOR RECREATION IS WHAT WE'RE FINDING. PEOPLE RIDE THEM BECAUSE THEY LOOK FUN, THEY ARE FUN, PEOPLE WANT TO ENJOY GETTING AROUND THEIR CITY FOR FUN BY SCOOTER. WE HAVE ALMOST 15,000 USERS, AND IN THAT AGE -- THE AVERAGE AGE RANGE OF THOSE USERS IS 19 TO AGAIN NINE. SO FROM OUR SURVEY, WE GOT SOME REALLY GREAT FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE, BOTH ABOUT WHAT THEY THINK OF THE SHARE IN GENERAL. THE MOST COMMON SENTIMENTS I LISTED SO PEOPLE WANTING MORE SCOOTERS, PEOPLE WANTING A LARGER RIDE ZONE, SO THAT THEY CAN ACCESS MORE OF THE COMMUNITY BY E SCOOTER AND SHARING GENERAL SENTIMENTS OF HOW MUCH FUN THEY'RE HAVING WITH IT. FOR A CITY THAT DOESN'T HAVE A TON OF INFRASTRUCTURE, NO SHADE TO THROW THERE, BUT PEOPLE GENERALLY DO FEEL SAFE, WHICH IS GREAT. THE RESPONSES WE RECEIVED ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS ARE PRETTY IN LINE WITH WHAT WE SEE ACROSS THE U.S. WITH PEOPLE WANTING PROTECTED BIKE PADS OR MULTIUSE PADS SO NOT JUST FOR BICYCLES BUT FOR BIKES FOR NORMAL SCOOTERS FOR E BIKES, PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO ACCESS THE STREET SAFELY IN MOBILITY DEVICES SO THAT'S WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SEPARATED ON STREET BIKE LANES IT'S NOT NECESSARILY JUST FOR BIKES, FOR CLARIFICATION. THE ONE THING THAT WE DO FIND ACROSS THE BOARD, NO THE JUST IN FORT PIERCE, IS THAT PEOPLE REALLY DO WANT OFF STREET MULTIUSE PATHS, THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE TEND TO FEEL THE SAFEST. SO AS FAR AS WHERE PEOPLE ARE RIDING IN FORT PIERCE, THIS HEAT MAP IS OF THE GIS DATA THAT WE'RE ABLE TO COLLECT THROUGH THE SCOOTERS. ALL OF THIS DATA IS ANONYMIZED SO WE ARE NOT ABLE TO TIE IT BACK TO ANY USER, SO WE'RE NOT ABLE TO TRACK INDIVIDUAL USERS. OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE SAFETY CONCERNS WITH THAT. SO I PROMISE WE COLLECT LESS DATA THAN AMAZON DOES. SO THE NICE BRIGHT YELLOW AREAS ARE WHERE YOU'RE SEEING THE MOST RIDERSHIP. SO THIS IS BOTH START/STOP DATA, SO WHERE RIDES ARE STARTING, WHERE THEY'RE ENDING AND WHERE PEOPLE ARE RIDING. THE MORE PURPLE AREAS ARE WHERE WE'RE SEEING A LITTLE BIT LESS RIDING. WE RECENTLY EXTENDED THE RIDE ZONE JUST BELOW THE JOHN B. SPORTS COMPLEX, SO WE ARE STARTING TO SEE RIDERSHIP TAKE OFF A LITTLE BIT MORE THERE. OUR CURRENT RIDE ZONE, YOU'LL NOTICE, IS IN GREEN ON THE SLIDE. THE RED PORTIONS ARE WHERE SCOOTERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO RIDE. WE'VE WORKED A LOT WITH NICK AND SHYANNE ON HELPING CRAFT OUR RIDE ZONE AS WELL AS LOCAL PROPERTY OWNER, PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS WHO HAVE MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THEY'D LIKE THEIR AREAS TO BE BLOCKED OFF FROM SCOOTER RIDERSHIP. SO WE CONTINUE TO ADJUST THE ZONE AS NEEDED. AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE ARE MOVING TOWARDS BEING ABLE TO DEPLOY 450 SCOOTERS, AND THAT'S WITH THE MAXIMUM BER OF SCOOTERS ALLOWED PER CONTRACT WITH THE CITY. SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT EFFECTIVELY AND NOT HAVE IT SO THAT YOU HAVE A HUGE AMOUNT OF SCOOTERS IN ONE AREA AND NOT IN OTHERS, WE ARE ASKING TO EXTEND THE RIDE ZONE SO THE AREA THAT YOU SEE IN BLUE ON THE MAP IS WHERE WE'RE HOPING TO EXTEND THE RIDE ZONE TO. OBVIOUSLY YOU WANT TO WORK WITH THE CITY TO ACCOMPLISH THAT, AND BLOCK OFF ANY AREAS THAT COULD BE PROBLEMATIC OR UNSAFE FOR RIDERS. >> MADAM MAYOR, IF I COULD ASK A QUESTION REAL QUICK. ARE THESE LOCATIONS IDENTIFIED IN THE CONTRACT CURRENTLY? OR NO? IT'S JUST THE NUMBER OF SCOOTERS IN THE CONTRACT? >> SORRY? >> IN THE CONTRACT, IT'S JUST NUMBER OF SCOOTERS, NOT THE LOCATIONS, CORRECT? >> NOT LOCATIONS, NO. YEAH. >> BECAUSE I THINK ONE OF THE ZONES THAT I DON'T SEE OR WE WANT TO EXPLORE, THERE WAS SOME COMMENTS ABOUT THE BRIDGE, WHICH IS THAT WATER ISLAND CROSSING. IT'S CALLED SEAWAY DRIVE. YOU CAN BARELY READ IT ON THE SCREEN, BUT IT'S NOT MARKED IN RED. I'M PRETTY SURE THAT'S A NO -- >> THAT IS A NO RIDE ZONE. I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT'S NOT APPEARING IN RED ON THIS MAP SINCE THAT IS INDEED BLOCKED OFF. SO IF YOU WERE TO, LIKE, OPEN THE MAP RIGHT NOW, IT WOULD BE -- IT WOULD SHOW UP IN RED. SO THE WAY THAT -- JUST TO ANSWER ANY CONCERNS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE WITH -- I KNOW THAT PEOPLE HAVE SEEN SCOOTERS GOING ACROSS THE BRIDGE BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN STILL PUSH THEM, BUT IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO LIKE A [00:30:05] SAFETY CONCERN, LIKE, IF WE WERE TO LOCK THE SCOOTER UP ONCE IT HITS A NO RIDE ZONE, IT WOULD BE UNSAFE FOR USERS. SO WE STILL WANT PEOPLE TO, YOU KNOW, IN THE -- GOD FORBID THERE'S A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE AND THE SCOOTER STOPS WORKING, YOU CAN STILL PUR PUSH ON THEM. BUT IT'S REALLY A SAFETY THING AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE STAY SAFE. >> I DO HAVE A THEORY ON THAT. HOW MANY PEOPLE FORGET TO TURN THE APP OFF AND TURN THEIR RIDE OFF AS THEY'RE PUSHING IT? ARE THEY GETTING CHARGED PER MINUTE TO PUSH THE SCOOTERS? >> YES, THEY ARE. [LAUGHTER] >> ONE OF THOSE QUESTIONS. >> I GUESS IT'S -- SO IF YOU WERE TO END YOUR RIDE AND STILL PUSH IT, THE ALARM GOES OFF ON IT, SO I'M SURE IT'S LIKE A PEACE OF MIND THING WHERE PEOPLE DON'T MIND TO PAY TO PUSH IT ACROSS THE BRIDGE, SO LONG AS THE ALARM IS NOT GOING OFF. >> COMMISSIONER SESSIONS. >> NOW THOSE RED AREAS THAT ARE BLOCKED OUT, YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE INDIVIDUALS THAT LIVE IN THAT AREA CAME TOGETHER AND SAID, LOOK, NO, WE DON'T WANT SCOOTERS, OR HOW DID WE DETERMINE THAT THESE WERE GOING TO BE BLOCKED AREAS? >> YEAH, SOME THEM, YES. SO WE'VE HAD LAND OWNERS SAY, LIKE, THIS IS PRIVATE PROPERTY, WE DON'T WANT SCOOTERS IN OUR CONDO AREA. SO WE'VE -- >> BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT THIS RED AREA, IT ENCOMPASSES A LARGE, LARGE AREA ON BOTH SIDES HERE. AND I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT -- >> ONE OF IT IS THE GOLF COURSE. >> THAT'S THE WHOLE GOLF COURSE? >> YES, SIR. >> THE OTHER ONE IS INDIAN RIVER DRIVE. AND WE DECIDED ON THAT, RIGHT? >> YES. >> BECAUSE THAT WOULD NOT BE SAFE. >> SO ANY ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE MAKE TO THE NO RIDE ZONES, WE ALWAYS PASS THROUGH NICK AND SHYANNE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S IN LINE WITH THE VISION THAT THE CITY HAS. >> OKAY. SO THE ADDITIONAL SCOOTERS, THEY CERTAINLY WOULDN'T HAVE A DIFFERENCE IN THE MAKEUP OF CHANGE IN THOSE AREAS AS WE'VE ALREADY DETERMINED THAT IT'S A SAFE ZONE. >> MM-HMM. >> OKAY. I'M SURPRISED YOU'RE HERE, SERIOUSLY. AND WHEN I LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, IF YOU LIKE IT, I LOVE IT. I THINK YOU'VE BEEN A BLESSING FOR THE CITY, AND YOU HAVE REALLY HAD AN IMPACT ESPECIALLY ON PEOPLE THAT NORMALLY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE MOBILE AND GO BACK AND FORTH AND COMMUTE, NOW THEY FINALLY HAVE A MEANS OF DOING SO, AND IT'S BEEN SOMEWHAT ECONOMICAL SO IT TOUCHES THE LIVES OF PEOPLE THAT ARE LESS FORTUNATE THAN OTHERS AND DON'T HAVE THE WHEREWITHAL TO DO IT. BUT WHEN I LOOK AT THE ABUSE OF THESE SCOOTERS, AND SEEING THEM LAID ALL OVER THE ROAD AND ALL OVER THE CITY, IT'S STILL PROFITABLE FOR YOU AND YOU REALLY WANT TO BE HERE? >> YES, YES, WE DO REALLY WANT TO BE HERE. WE -- I MEAN, TO FOR US, I MEAN, YES, THE SCOOTERS DO TAKE A FAIR AMOUNT OF ABUSE, WHICH IS WHY WE ARE LOOKING TO INTRODUCE ANOTHER SCOOTER TYPE INTO OUR MOBILITY PORTFOLIO, SO RIGHT NOW WE OPERATE SPIN SCOOTERS, WE'RE LOOKING TO BRING IN LINK SCOOTERS, WHICH ARE A LITTLE BIT BEEFIER, THEY CAN TAKE MORE OF A BEATING, THEY ARE STILL APPROPRIATE FOR -- AS NICK MIMMS REQUESTED, BIG BOY SCOOTERS. [LAUGHTER] YOU'VE BEEN OUTED. >> ALL RIGHT. SO I MEAN, THEY HAVE A LONGER BATTERY LIFE BUT THEY CAN TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A BEATING. SO -- BUT I MEAN, YES, WE'RE PROFITABLE BUT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT BEING PROFITABLE, IT'S ALSO ABOUT HELPING PEOPLE GET AROUND THEIR CITY AND THEIR COMMUNITY MORE EASILY. YOU KNOW, CAR OWNERSHIP SHOULDN'T BE REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE IN SOCIETY. >> RIGHT. >> PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET AROUND WITHOUT ONE, AND THAT'S REALLY WHY WE'RE HERE. >> RIGHT. HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THEY'VE BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION ABOUT THE SCOOTERS THEMSELVES? I MEAN, ARE WE WORKING TOGETHER? >> YES, YES. SO OUR OPERATIONS MANAGER, PETE, HE WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND WHEN WE RECEIVE COMPLAINTS, WE DO ADDRESS THEM QUICKLY. >> ALL RIGHT. >> MR. ALEXANDER. >> YES, MY QUESTION IS A CONCERN OF THE AREA, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S [00:35:04] PRETTY MUCH DISTRICT 1 IS -- I DO SEE A LOT OF THOSE SCOOTERS IN DISTRICT 1, AND I KNOW IT'S A CREDIT CARD-TYPE USAGE. WHERE ARE ALL THESE CREDIT CARDS COMING FROM? I MEAN, I'M NOT BEING FACETIOUS, I'M SERIOUS. I SEE A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE RIDING THESE SCOOTERS. IS THIS A DEBIT CARD-TYPE THING OR IS THIS A LITTLE -- YOU GO TO THE CVS AND BUY A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, $10 CARD OF SOME TYPE, ANY TYPE OF CARD? >> SO THE WAY THAT THE APP WORKS IS THAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY BUYING CREDITS INTO THE APP, SO IF YOU WERE TO USE LIKE A VISA GIFT CARD AND YOU WERE TO, YOU KNOW, BUY THE FULL -- LET'S SAY YOU HAD A $10 VISA GIFT CARD AND YOU WERE TO PUT THAT INTO THE APP AND BUY THE FULL $10 OFF OF THAT VISA GIFT CARD, YOU WOULD THEN HAVE $10 OF CREDIT. >> BUT YOU DON'T CARE WHO'S ON THAT SCOOTER, WHO'S BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT SCOOTER, FOR THOSE 15, 20 MINUTES. YOU JUST -- ALL YOU WANT IS -- >> WELL, SO WE DO REQUIRE THAT YOU UPLOAD AN I.D. FOR AGE VERIFICATION. >> SO NOT WITH THE ONES I'M SEEING RIDING THOUGH THINGS, THEY DON'T HAVE I.D.S. >> YEAH, I MEAN, WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS SOME SMALL AMOUNT OF ABUSE OF THE SYSTEM AND PEOPLE SIGNING UP AND ALLOWING SOMEONE ELSE TO USE THE APP. >> OKAY. WELL, AS LONG AS YOU'RE AWARE OF IT. >> DEFINITELY. >> I'M FINE, YOU'RE OKAY WITH IT, I'M FINE WITH IT. BUT I JUST WANT MY POLICE OFFICERS NOT TO BE SET UP -- PUT UP, SET UP TO FAIL. >> TOTALLY. >> YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AND NOT -- THEY HAVE A JOB TO DO, AND THAT IS ONE OF IT, ONE OF THEM. BUT I DON'T WANT YOU TO PUT ANY MORE ON THEM THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE. >> DEFINITELY. >> FOR HAVING THOSE KIDS OUT THERE ON THOSE SCOOTERS IS NOT ONE OF THEIR JOBS. >> YEAH. >> YOU'RE SAYING YEAH, BUT -- >> NO, WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT WE -- >> OKAY, SO WHEN A LAWSUIT COMES, IT'S NOT THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, IT'S YOURS. >> CORRECT. YEAH, WE DO -- WE DO CARRY INSURANCE SO THAT WE CAN -- >> OKAY, YOU SAID TO THE WORLD NOW. >> YEAH, NO, I MEAN -- >> OKAY. >> WE WILL HAPPILY PROVIDE ADDITIONAL COPIES OF OUR COI, BUT I MEAN, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT WE ARE ABLE TO OPERATE IN THE CITY WITHOUT A COI. >> OKAY. I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, YOU SAID IT TO THE WORLD. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> COMMISSIONER PERONA. >> I'M SORRY, WERE YOU THROUGH? >> THANK YOU. BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE TO ALL THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE HAD. I BELIEVE THE SCOOTER SHOCK IS NOW OVER FOR MOST OF US. THEY BECAME PART OF OUR DAILY ROUTINES. WE LOOK FOR THEM AS WE DRIVE AROUND. IT ALSO -- I THINK I WAS INTERESTED TO SEE BETWEEN 19 AND 29, BUT THERE ARE THE YOUNG FOLKS THAT ARE NOW DISCOVERING PARTS OF FORT PIERCE THAT THEY PROBABLY NEVER SAW BEFORE, INCLUDING MY FRONT AND BACKYARD, BUT STILL, WELCOME TO FORT PIERCE, AND I THINK THOSE FOLKS, THEY RIDE AROUND ALL DAY, THEY MAY WANT TO GO GET A SANDWICH OR SOMETHING ELSE, SO IT'S ALL PART OF THE ECONOMY. I DO APPRECIATE THAT. WE TALKED ABOUT UNDERAGE USE OF THE VEHICLES, WHICH REALLY IS DISTURBING TO ME, BUT YOU HAVE AN ADULT THAT GOES AHEAD AND RENTS THE SCOOTER AND THEN HANDS IT OFF TO THEIR KIDS OR THEIR BROTHER OR TH THEIR SISTER, AND IT'S PRETTY HARD TO, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO STOP THAT SCOOTER USE AT THAT MOMENT IN TIME, AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE MAY HAVE TO DO THROUGH EDUCATION. THE ONE THAT GETS ME WORSE IS THE MULTIPLE USE ON A SINGLE SCOOTER. >> DEFINITELY. >> I MEAN, I'VE SEEN A FATHER WITH HIS CHILDREN, I MEAN, IT JUST -- IT'S JUST AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN, AND IT'S NOT FOR THAT. AGAIN, I THINK WE NEED TO BE A LITTLE BIT STRONGER IN THE EDUCATION PROCESS. IT WAS INTERESTING AROUND -- WHAT WAS IT, A WEEK AGO OR SO, THAT THE SCOOTER NUMBERS WEREN'T PUT OUT AS MANY AS YOU NORMALLY DID, AND WE ALL ENDED UP WITH FOLKS SAYING, WHERE ARE THE SCOOTERS GOING, WHERE ARE THE SCOOTERS GOING? MR. MIMMS CLARIFIED IT, THAT THERE MAY BE A CHANGEOVER IN THE TYPE OF SCOOTER THAT YOU USE. >> YEAH, WE ARE JUST WAITING FOR AN ADDITIONAL SHIPMENT OF SCOOTERS, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE [00:40:01] SEEING JUST LOWER DEPLOYMENT NUMBERS AT THE MOMENT. >> BUT OTHER THAN RECREATIONAL, REALLY THE INTENTION IS, IT'S MICROMOBILITY, YOU KNOW, IF I WANTED TO GO FROM POINT A TO POINT B, I CAN JUMP ON THIS THING, QUICKLY GET THROUGH TRAFFIC. AS SOON AS I GET TO POINT B, I END MY RIDE, LEAVE THE SCOOTER SITTING OUT IN FRONT OF WHATEVER ESTABLISHMENT THAT I'M AT, AND THAT WHOLE TRIP IF IT WAS A COUPLE MILES MIGHT HAVE ONLY COST ME A COUPLE DOLLARS. AND THAT'S THE REAL THOUGHT BEHIND THE MICROMOBILITY, BUT WE SEE THEM ALL OVER THE PLACE AND PEOPLE ARE HAVING FUN ON THE SCOOTERS, SO IT WAS INTERESTING TO FIND THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT 33% OF THEM USE THAT IN LIEU OF DRIVING A CAR. I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE. >> DEFINITELY. >> COMMISSIONER SESSIONS. >> I WAS AMAZED, I SAW SOME ABANDONED SCOOTERS IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE AND I'M LIKE, WAIT A MINUTE, WHAT'S GOING ON? AND I WAS TEMPTED TO GO OUT AND PUT THEM IN MY FENCE, BUT THAT'S -- YOU HANDLE THAT. >> YEAH. >> AND I'M SURE THAT WHILE YOYOUHEAR THE COMPLAINTS WE HAV, WHEN YOU COMPARE IT WITH OTHER CITIES THAT YOU'RE SERVING, THESE ARE JUST MINISTERIAL THINGS IN NATURE, BECAUSE I KNOW THE AREAS THAT YOU SERVE AND THEY HAVE MORE MAJOR BIGGER PROBLEMS AND I'M SURE THESE ARE JUST SMALL PROBLEMS THAT OBVIOUSLY -- I MEAN, WE'RE NOT REASON INVENTING THE WHEEL, YOU'VE DONE THIS BEFORE ON A HEAVIER SCALE, SO YOU COULD CERTAINLY HANDLE THE SMALL MAGNITUDE THAT WE HAVE. AND LIKE I SAID EA EARLIER, IF U LIKE IT, I LOVE IT. >> GREAT. WE TYPICALLY IN MOST COMMUNITIES WHEN WE FIRST LAUNCH SCOOTERS, THE FIRST 90 DAYS ARE USUALLY SCOOTERMADNESS, AS YOU PUT IT, COMMISSIONER PERONA, AND AFTER THAT, PEOPLE KIND OF GET USED TO IT, GET USED TO SEEING THEM AROUND. >> SCOOTER SHOCK. >> SCOOTER SHOCK. EXCUSE ME. >> MADNESS COMES LATER. [LAUGHTER] >> THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE TAKE ALL THE SCOOTERS AWAY. NO, BUT I MEAN, IT IS AN ADJUSTMENT PERIOD, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT, AND YOU KNOW, WHEN WE FIRST LAUNCHED, I TOLD NICK AND SHYANNE WE'RE GOING TO GET COMPLAINTS, WE'RE GOING TO GET PEOPLE THAT ARE SO CONFUSED WHY THEY'RE HERE, AND IF WE CAN JUST GET THROUGH THOSE FIRST 90 DAYS, WE CAN REALLY HAVE A SOLID PROGRAM OR AT LEAST GET SOME MEASURABLE RESULTS AND SEE IF THIS IS REALLY WORKING FOR THE COMMUNITY. >> IS THIS THE END OF YOUR PRESENTATION OR DO YOU HAVE MORE? >> I HAVE MORE. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE. SO YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED, WE ARE GOING TO ADD ANOTHER SCOOTER VENDOR, PROBABLY IN LATE JANUARY OF NEXT YEAR. SO PART OF THAT BEING ABLE TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL SCOOTER VENDOR THAT HAS A BEEFIER SCOOTER WITH A BATTERY LIFE THAT IS LONGER THAT CAN LAST FOR ABOUT 65 MILES, WE ARE WANTING TO, PER OUR CONTRACT, EXECUTE ON DOING 24 HOUR DEPLOYMENT. THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO USE THE SCOOTERS FOR 24 HOURS A DAY, IT JUST MEANS THEY WILL BE STAGED 24 HOURS A DAY. SO THAT JUST MEANS THAT PEOPLE THAT TYPICALLY RELY ON THEM EARLY IN THE MORNING HAVE ACCESS FIRST THING WHEN THEY TURN ON. AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WAITING FOR US TO DROP SCOOTERS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. SO THAT'S A BIG PART OF IT. ANOTHER THING THAT WE ARE WANTING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ABLE TO DO WITH THE CITY IS MOVE THE BIKE SHARE CONTRACT WHICH THE SCOOTERS SHARE CONTRACT IS PIGGY BACKED OFF OF AND HAVE THE CITY OWN THAT THAT SCOOTER SHARE CONTRACT. MOVING INTO 2020, THIS WILL BE A NO-COST BIKE SHARE CONTRACT. SO THE CITY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING FOR THE BIKE SHARE, MUCH LIKE YOU'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING FOR THE SCOOTER SHARE. THIS WOULD JUST COME WITH TAKING RESPONSIBILITY OF THAT BIKE SHARE CONTRACT. SO I MEAN, THE BIGGEST THING IS BEING ABLE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE BOTH BIKES AND SCOOTERS TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. >> MADAM MAYOR? >> YES. >> I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF OUR ATTORNEY REVIEWED ALL THIS. >> MR. SWEENEY? >> THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR THIS IS STILL A PROPOSAL COMING OUR WAY, SO I HAVE REVIEWED THE INITIAL CONTRACT AND AM FAMILIAR WITH IT, BUT THESE ADDITIONS WILL BE COMING THROUGH MY OFFICE WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS. >> AS LONG AS YOU'RE SATISFIED WITH IT, THEN SURELY YOU KNOW YOU PASS THAT ON TO US, RIGHT? >> ABSOLUTELY. IT WILL BE PRESENTED TO YOU ONCE -- I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO VET IT YET. THIS IS A HIGH LEVEL PRESENTATION. >> OKAY. >> MADAM MAYOR? >> YES. >> ONE LAST QUESTION. IN YOUR SURVEY, YOU TALKED ABOUT 55% WORK IN FORT PIERCE, THE USERS, USER GROUP. ANY NUMBERS ON WHERE THEY'RE [00:45:02] FROM AS IT RELATES TO TOURISM? AS FOLKS COME INTO TOWN, HOW MANY FOLKS OUTSIDE OF THE TREASURE COAST OR FORT PIERCE ARE USING THEM? >> I CAN GET THOSE NUMBERS OVER TO YOU. WE DID ASK FOR PEOPLE'S ZIP CODES IN THE SURVEY, SO WE HAVE 270 ANSWERS ON ZIP CODES AND I JUST NEED TO GRAPH THOSE AND SEND THOSE OVER. >> OKAY. I'D APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> LOOK AT THAT MAP. TO ANSWER HIS QUESTION, JUST LOOK AT THE AREA THAT'S HIGHLY CONCENTRATED WITH SCOOTERS AND YOU CAN SEE, IT'S NO COINCIDENCE THAT THE MOST POPULATED AREA WHERE THE SCOOTERS ARE BEING USED ARE THE AREAS OF PEOPLE THAT FINANCIALLY AREN'T AS STABLE AS OTHERS. SO I MEAN, AM I CORRECT, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THAT MAP? LIKE COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER POINTED OUT, DISTRICT 1 HAS QUITE A FEW. IT'S HEAVILY CONCENTRATED WITH THAT LIT UP AREA SO AS AN INDICATION AS TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE USING THEM, QUITE A BIT OVER ON THE BEACH. >> AND DOWNTOWN. >> RIGHT, AND QUITE A BIT IN THE AREA OF PEOPLE PROBABLY OF A LOWER INCOME THAN OTHERS, SO THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. >> WOULDN'T THE CREDIT CARDS ALSO? >> OBVIOUSLY THEY ARE. LIKE SHE SAID, YOU CAN JUST GO AND GET A CARD FOR THE MOST PART AND PUT $50 ON A CARD AND YOU OWN A CREDIT CARD. SO THAT'S NOT -- APPARENTLY IT'S NOT A PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY'RE RENTING THEM. >> YOU CAN DO IT WITH CASH. >> SO I NOTICE THAT -- THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN SURVEY THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT USING THEM. SO -- BUT WHAT I HAVE HEARD FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE ON THE SCOOTERS, AND THEY GENUINELY ARE AND THEY DON'T WANT TO BE THE ONES WHO HURT SOMEBODY, AND -- YES, AND SO THAT IS OF GREAT CONCERN TO MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS. AND THEY ARE CONCERNED THAT BECAUSE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE USING THESE, YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT MINDFUL OF BAD THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN TO THEM. AND SO I THINK IT IS A -- THERE'S A KIND OF A CONFLICT OF GENERATIONS HERE AND A CONFLICT OF PEOPLE WHO GREW UP WITH THE CAR BEING THE MAIN THING AND NOW ALL OF SOCIETY IS TRYING TO HAVE ALTERNATIVES AND I THINK THAT THAT -- I ESPECIALLY THINK IT'S A BAD PROBLEM FOR NIGHTTIME AND I HAD MENTIONED IT BEFORE THAT THE CURRENT SCOOTERS ARE NOT VERY VISIBLE AT NIGHT, AND SO IF SOMEONE COMES ZIPPING OUT AND YOU'RE DRIVING ALONG AND THEY'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION AND THEY'RE NOT OBEYING THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS, AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT THAT, I'M JUST SAYING THAT'S OF GREAT CONCERN TO MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS HERE. >> DEFINITELY. I THINK -- I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO IT WAS THAT MENTIONED EDUCATION, AND I THINK THERE'S DEFINITELY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE EDUCATION, REMINDING PEOPLE TO STAY VISIBLE THEMSELVES IN ORDER FOR PEOPLE TO SEE THEM ON THE SCOOTERS. IT'S THE SH SAME WITH OUR BIKE SHARE, WE ALWAYS ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO WEAR HELMETS AND BE VISIBLE BECAUSE THAT IS IMPORTANT. >> RIGHT, BECAUSE EVEN IF YOU GET BEYOND LIABILITY, NOBODY WANTS ANYBODY TO GET HURT AND NOBODY WANTS TO HURT ANYBODY, AND I THINK A LOT OF OUR DRIVERS ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. COMMISSIONER PERONA? >> THAT'S A GOOD POINT. I ACTUALLY RODE THE SCOOTER, I THINK I PROBABLY TILTED IT, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETWEEN 19 AND 25 BUT WHEN I DID IT, IT MOVED IT ALL THE WAY TO 29. BUT WHEN YOU'RE ON THE SCOOTER, IT'S FUN. EVEN WHEN YOU'RE ON THE ROAD, THERE'S A TENDENCY, I'M TELLING YOU, THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW THE RULES OF THE ROAD, BUT YOU DO, BECAUSE IT'S IS NOT ONLY FOR YOUR OWN PROTECTION, IT'S THAT EVERYBODY ELSE OUT THERE IS DOING THAT. SO IF YOU'RE RUNNING A RED LIGHT, I'M SURE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, IF THEY SEE THAT HAPPENING, THEY'LL JUMP IN THERE AND YOU CAN GET A CITATION, RIGHT? ON A SCOOTER. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> JUST COMING HERE AT THE MEETING TODAY, I WAS ON BINNEY AND THERE WERE TWO FOLKS RIDING IN MY LANE RIGHT TOWARDS ME, AND YOU KNOW, I'M THINKING TO MYSELF -- AND I KNOW THEY WERE HAVING FUN AND STUFF, BUT THEY DID ADJUST OVER. WHEN YOU'RE ON THESE VEHICLES, THEY ARE MOTORIZED VEHICLES AND YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE RULES OF THE ROAD. AGAIN, WE GO BACK TO THE EDUCATION ON THAT. >> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. >> MADAM MAYOR. >> YES, SIR. >> ARE THESE SCOOTERS, ARE THEY REFLECTORS, ARE THEY REALLY -- YOU KNOW, THEY SHOULD BE HIGHLY REFLECTED. >> THEY DO HAVE LIGHTS ON THEM. >> REFLECTORS, YOU KNOW, LIKE [00:50:01] THESE STRIPS, REFLECTOR STRIPS? >> THEY DO HAVE SOME REFLECTORS ON THEM. OBVIOUSLY THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVE. >> BUT IF I THINK IF A COMMUNITY IS COMPLAINING, MAYBE YOU OUGHT TO PUT SOME EXTRA REFLECTORS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE PUT SOME LIGHTS ON THE TIRES LIKE THE YOUNG PEOPLE WOULD. YOU KNOW. TAKE A LITTLE EFFORT, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY SATISFIED AND SMILE, SEE, AT LEAST THEY'RE TRYING, YOU KNOW? NOT BEING CUTE, JUST TRA CONCERNS. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> COMMISSIONER SESSIONS. >> AND I APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION AND WHAT YOU PRESENTED US WITH, AND OBVIOUSLY YOU WOULDN'T BE HERE, BUT WHEN I LOOK TO MY RIGHT, SPEAK NOW OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE AND I SAY THAT LOOKING AT MY POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEY HAVE SOME CONCERNS, THIS IS THE FORUM NOW TO ADDRESS THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO DO A WOULD HAVE, SHOULD HAVE, COULD HAVE LATER ON WHEN YOU HAVE THESE INDIVIDUALS HERE. IF YOU HAVE SOME CONCERNS, THEN THIS IS THE APPROPRIATE TIME, AND THIS PUBLIC FORUM TO ADDRESS IT AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. SO IF IT'S SOMETHING OF ISSUE, I LIKE WHAT I HEAR BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY AND WHAT YOU HAVE TO OFFER IN TERMS OF SUGGESTIONS OR ISSUES THAT MAY BE OF CONCERN TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FROM THE PUBLIC SAKE STANDPOINT. >> DEPUTY CHIEF? >> CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> YES, SIR. >> COMMISSIONER SESSIONS, ONE OF THE ISSUES WE PRETTY MUCH HAVE IS THE NIGHT RIDING. JUST THE OTHER NIGHT I WAS PATROLLING DOWN THE STREET AND I ALMOST RAN OVER SOMEONE ON A SCOOTER WHO, OF COURSE, IS VIOLATING TRAFFIC, GOING AGAINST TRAFFIC. THE VISIBILITY AT NIGHT IS ONE OF THE KEY ISSUES. WE LIKE TO ALSO SEE SOME TYPE OF A STRUCTURE MANUAL OR LITTLE PRINTED MANUAL OWNER EXPLAINING TO THE RENTER THAT, LISTEN, YOU MUST OBEY ALL TRAFFIC IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. SO THEY'LL KNOW IF WE DO HAVE TO CONDUCT A TRAFFIC STOP THAT THEY HAVE TO OBEY, AND ABIDE BY THE SAME RULES AS ANY OTHER VEHICLE, EVEN A BICYCLE. BUT LIKE I SAY, ONE OF THE MAIN CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE IS THE NIGHT RIDING. IT'S -- WE'RE FEARFUL THAT SOMEONE IN A CAR MAY NOT SEE THE SCOOTER GOING ACROSS THE STREET OR THEY MAKE A TURN, SCOOTER CROSS THE STREET, BECAUSE THEY VERY SELDOM YIELD TO THE RIGHT-OF-WAY. THEY JUST CROSS THINKING THEY HAVE THE RIGHT-OF-WAY. SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE CONCERNED. OF COURSE WE DO GET COMPLAINTS FROM THE CITIZENS. AS YOU ALL SPOKE ABOUT, REGARDLESS -- IT'S GETTING USED TO THAT TRANSITION FROM WALKING TO BICYCLING, NOW TO E-SCOOTERRING, WHICH IS NOW A -- THING, BUT LIKE I SAID BEFORE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY CONCERNS ME IS LIKE I SAID THE OTHER NIGHT WAS, I DIDN'T SEE THE SCOOTER, AND THANK GOD I LOOKED AT THE LAST MINUTE BEFORE I TURNED, AND I STOPPED MY VEHICLE BEFORE -- I PULLED HIM OVER AND I GAVE HIM A LECTURE AND TOLD HIM, LOOK, THIS IS NOT A SAFE VEHICLE FOR YOU TO BE ON, AND TO VIOLATE CERTAIN LEGAL RIGHTS AS FAR AS THE STREETS ARE CONCERNED. >> THANK YOU, SIR. >> THANK YOU. WE DO, IN THE APP, BEFORE EACH RIDE, WE DO HAVE A SAFETY MESSAGE THAT POPS UP REMINDING PEOPLE THAT THEY DO HAVE TO FOLLOW THE RULES OF THE ROAD, BUT WE ARE WORKING ON PUTTING STICKERS ON THE SCOOTERS THAT REMIND PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE SUBJECT TO FLORIDA STATE LAW REGARDING, YOU KNOW, MOTOR VEHICLE LAWS SO THAT THEY'RE REMINDED WHEN THEY GET ON, IT'S RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF THEM. >> AND HELMETS ARE REQUIRED? >> HELMETS ARE -- WHEN PEOPLE SIGN UP IN THE USER AGREEMENT, IT DOES SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE -- YOU ARE SIGNING UP SAYING THAT YOU WILL WEAR A HELMET. SO PEOPLE -- >> THEY'RE NOT DOING IT. I'M JUST TELLING YOU. >> IN OUR SURVEY, I THINK IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE 85% OF PEOPLE SAID THEY NEVER WEAR HELMETS. AND IT'S REALLY -- I MEAN, IT COMES DOWN TO A NUMBER OF THINGS. PEOPLE DON'T -- PEOPLE IN THE U.S. STILL THINK THAT HELMETS ARE DORKY, AND DON'T WANT TO WEAR THEM. OR PEOPLE JUST DON'T -- SIMPLY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO ONE BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING ON A SCOOTER AND THEY WEREN'T EXPECTING TO. OR THAT SORT OF THING. SO I MEAN, THERE ARE USERS THAT USE THEM BUT AS WE ALL KNOW, THEY ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. IT'S THE SAME ISSUES THAT EVERY CITY HAS WITH BOTH BIKE SHARE AND WITH SCOOTERS THAT PEOPLE DON'T WEAR HELMETS SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ONE WITH THEM WHEN THEY DECIDE TO USE MICROMOBILITY. >> MAYOR? >> MR. PEONA. [00:55:03] >> IT'S NOT ONLY THE HELMET. I'VE SEEN A LOT OF THEM RIDE WITHOUT SHOES. YOU'RE ON A SCOOTER -- I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE -- >> YOU'RE IN FLORIDA. >> BECAUSE YOUR FEET ARE PART OF THE PROCESS, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO GET IT GOING WITH YOUR FEET, IF YOU STOP ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU CAN PUT YOUR FEET OUT, AND I'M LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE FOLKS WITH NO SHOES ON THINKING THAT YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO GET -- BOTTOM OF YOUR FEET, YOU'RE GOING TO GET -- MAYBE THEY'LL LEARN BY DOING IT ONE TIME. >> UNFORTUNATELY IN OUR USER AGREEMENT, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ABOUT SHOES. >> COMMISSIONER SESSIONS? >> PEOPLE LIKE THE ONES THAT THE CHIEF WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT, THE ONES THAT WERE MORE FRIVOLOUS, A LOT OF TIMES THOSE AREN'T THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ACTUALLY RENTING THE SCOOTERS BUT THEY'RE SUBLEASING AND SUBRENTING CHILDREN THAT SHOULDN'T BE ON THEM THAT YOU HAVE NO RECORD OF WHO THEY ARE SO IF WE COULD HAVE MORE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WITH SOME TYPE OF SANCTIONS OR WHATEVER, FOR THEM TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SCOOTER, AND TO PLACE IT IN THE HANDS OF A YOUNG PERSON THAT'S IRRESPONSIBLE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE COME IN TO FIND AND LOOK FOR THEM, AND IF WE DID THAT, WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE MORE ACCOUNTABILITY AND A LOT LESS PROBLEMS WITH THE USE OF THESE SCOOTERS. >> DEFINITELY. YEAH. THANK YOU. >> OKAY. DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE INFORMATION? IS THAT IT? >> THAT'S ALL I GOT. >> WE APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE. ATTORNEY SWEENEY, I WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH THE CONTRACT. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THE NEXT ITEM IS THE CONSENT AGENDA. [11. CONSENT AGENDA] OF >> IS THERE ANY ITEM ANY COMMISSIONER WOULD LIKE TO PULL? IF NOT, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER, YES, COMMISSIONER SESSIONS, YES, MA'AM. MAYOR HUDSON, YES, MA'AM. >> NEXT IS THE PUBLIC HEARING ON [a. Legislative Hearing - Ordinance 19-072 - Text amendment to Chapter 21, Designating a No Wake Zone at Jaycee Park. SECOND READING] ORDINANCE 19-072, AN ORDINANCE BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF THE FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA AMENDING CHAPTER 21, ARTICLE 5 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES ENTITLED NO WAKE AND MINIMUM WAKE ZONES, AMENDING SECTION 21-79, AREAS DEFINED TO MODIFY LANGUAGE TO ALLOW FOR IDLE SPEED, NO WAKE ZONE WITHIN 500 FEET OF JAYCEE PARK BOAT RAMPS AS PROVIDED ABOUT I THIS CHAPTER OR ADMINISTRATIVE RULE PROVIDING FOR SELF RABILITY CLAUSE, REPALING ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS THEREOF IN CONFLICT HEREWITH AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. THIS IS THE SECOND READING. >> THIS IS THE SECOND READING. WELCOME, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO WHAT YOU SPOKE ABOUT BEFORE OR -- >> MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, WE DO NOT. WE ARE HERE TO ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. >> ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF BEFORE I OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, PLEASE COME FORWARD. STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND SIGN IN FOR ME, PLEASE. >> JOSE RUIZ. >> YOUR ADDRESS, SIR? >> 9313 DRIFT CIRCLE. FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA. ALL RIGHT. WELL, AS AL WAS -- JUST LIKE EVERYONE IN HERE, WE WERE SITTING DOWN AND WE WERE SPEAKING ABOUT OUR SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS TODAY, AND I WAS CURIOUS THAT THE SCOOTER SITUATION, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA, BUT WHY IS IT THAT THEY GET MORE OF A LENIENCY THAN RIDING THE JET SKI? THERE'S BEEN MORE PEOPLE INJURED ON A SCOOTER THAN THERE HAS BEEN ON A JET SKI, RIGHT? AS I RECALL, RIGHT? HAS THERE BEEN ANYTHING THAT HAS BEEN ADDRESSED AS ANY INJURIES AT JAYCEE PARK? I MEAN, I THINK IT'S MORE DANGEROUS TO RIDE A SCOOTER THAN IT IS TO BE IN JAYCEE PARK. AS I RECALL, RIGHT? SO I MEAN, I'M AGAINST THE WHOLE 500 FEET NO WAKE ZONE. I AGREE WITH BEING -- FOR THE SAFETY OF THE SWIMMERS, AT LEAST THE 50 FEET IS FAIR ENOUGH, BUT I MEAN, YOU TELL ME WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU SEEN AN ACCIDENT AT JAYCEE PARK? WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WHEN YOU GUYS WERE THERE RIDING JET SKIS OR SWIMMING IN JAYCEE PARK? SO I'M OVER HERE SPEAKING FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY TAKE THIS PARK AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY, HAVE A COOKOUT, PLAY BASKETBALL, ITHIN THAT CONCERN, YOU'RE STILL WITHIN A SAFETY DISTANCE WITH WHOEVER IS ON THE JET SKI. [01:00:01] A LOT OF THINGS WITH J JET SKIS, THRE DON'T OPERATE RIGHT SOMETIMES. IF YOU'RE 500 FEET AWAY AND YOU NEED TO ADJUST SOMETHING, WHAT AM I GOING TO SWIM 500 FEET? YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? BECAUSE IF THE -- MOST JET SKIS, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A PADDLE, SOME PEOPLE DON'T CARRY IT, BUT EVEN THEN, PADDLING 500 FEET TO GET TO SHORE, IT'S A LITTLE OUTRAGEOUS. BUT I'M JUST HERE -- I THINK WE SHOULD READJUST THE WHOLE 500 FEET NO WAKE ZONE, AND IP MEAN, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS TO ASK -- >> THANK YOU, SIR. NO. WE'RE GOOD. >> CAN I SAY SOMETHING TO YOU AS YOU WALK BACK TO YOUR SEAT? >> YES. >> THE WHEEL WITH THE LOUDEST WHEEL GETS THE MOST OIL. REMEMBER THAT. >> ALL RIGHT. WELL, WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THEM ON THE STREETS AND NOW WE CAN'T EVEN PUT THEM ON THE WATER, WHAT ELSE ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO? >> I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT REMEMBER THAT. >> EXCUSE ME, SIR. WE NEED TO LET HIM KNOW THAT THAT'S A STATE REGULATION, NOT CITY. STATE REGULATION, AND WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY WHAT THE STATE SAYS. YOU NEED TO TAKE TO TALLAHASSEE. >> I KNOW, BUT IF I GOT TO A BOARD OF COMMISSIONERSS THAT IS MY SUPPORT, I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD WORK AS A TEAM HERE. AND I MEAN FOR THE LAST -- I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS, JAYCEE PARK HAS BEEN THE WAY IT'S BEEN. >> THANK YOU, SIR. >> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, PLEASE COME FORWARD. >> I'M NOT VERY FAST. >> TAKE Y TIME. YOUR TIME. >> BRUCE MURRAY. 1710 FRANCES COURT. I CAN'T OUTRUN THIS GUY SO PLEASE REMEMBER THE DISCLAIMERS THAT I'VE GIVEN IN THE PAST, NO MATTER WHAT I MAKE REFERENCE TO HERE, I AM NOT REPRESENTING THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE CITIZENS ON PATROL, OBSERVATION PATROL OR THE FORT PIERCE POLICE DEPARTMENT, EVERYTHING IS MY OWN STATEMENT. JAYCEE PARK SWIM AREA IS UNIQUE. IT'S THE ONLY MARK SWIM AREA IN THE COUNTY. IT'S SHALLOW ENOUGH FOR TODDLERS AND PRESCHOOL AGED KIDS, HAS NO DANGEROUS CURRENTS LIKE CAUSEWAY OR THE OCEAN PARKS, IT'S VISIBLE FROM PICNIC PAVILIONS AND SITTING AREAS AND KIDS CAN PLAY FREELY WITH OTHERS THEIR OWN AGE. THE PARK HAS ATR ATTRACTIONS THT BRING FAMILIES OR COMPANIES WITH PARTY GROUPS WITH HUGE NUMBERS ON WEEKENDS AS WELL AS PRESCHOOL AND DAYCARE GROUPS DURING THE WEEK DURING THE SUMMER SEVERAL BUS LOADS EVERY DAY. JET SKIS NOT FISHING OR RIVER CRUISE BOATS OPERATED BY EXPERIENCED BOATERS POSE A SERIOUS HAZARD. CONTRARY TO STATEMENTS THAT COMPLAINTS COME ONLY FROM NEIGHBORS, I'VE BEEN FLAGGED DOWN ON PATROL DOZENS OF TIMES DURING MY YEARS WITH THE CITIZENS OBSERVATION PATROL BY PARENTS OF KIDS IN THE SWIM AREA COMPLAINING ABOUT J JET SKIS RUNNING DIRECTLY AT OR ALONG THE SWIM BARRIER, CREATING BIG WAVES GOING ON TO THE KIDS AND SCARING PEOPLE. I'VE SEEN DRIVERS FALL OFF THE SKIS WHICH WILL STOP, BUT NOT UNTIL AFTER THEY'VE GONE SEVERAL FEET BEYOND WHERE THE RIDER FALLS OFFER, SERIOUSLY ENDANGERING KIDS IN THE SWIM AREA. I'VE ALSO BEEN FLAGGED DOWN BY PEOPLE OF MY GRANDPARENT AGE CONCERNED ABOUT UNATTENDED KIDS AT RISK IN THE SWIM AREA WITHOUT PARENTAL SUPERVISION WHO WANT ME TO TALK TO THE PARENTS. I THINK IF THERE WERE FORT PIERCE POLICE OFFICERS THAT WORKED THE BEACH AROUND, THEY WOULD SUPPORT THESE STATEMENTS AND SAY THEY'VE HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCES. PEOPLE WILL GENERALLY NOT CALL 911. SOME BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW THE RULES THEMSELVES AND OTHERS BECAUSE IT'S INCONVENIENT OR THEY DO TO THE WANT TO BE THE ONE THAT STANDS OUT AS THE SNITCH IN THEIR PARTY GROUP. EVEN AFTER GIVING UP MY COP LEADERSHIP POSITION, PARK NEIGHBORS AND OTHERS STILL CALL AND EMAIL ME ABOUT SAFETY CONCERNS BECAUSE THEY SEE ISSUES GOING ON FOR HOURS ON END. I'VE URGED THEM TO CALL 911 OR CONTACT CITY OFFICIALS, SORRY, NICK, I KNOW YOU'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF VIDEOS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, POSSIBLY GIVING THE FALSE IMPRESSION THAT ONLY NEIGHBORS COMPLAIN. THEY'RE DOING IT BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY PLACE THEY CAN REALLY GO AND GET ATTENTION TO IT. PARK USERS COMPLAIN JUST AS MUCH. THERE'S JUST NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE. TWO WEEKS AGO, THIS COMMISSION HAD A DISCUSSION PROPOSING ENFORCEMENT AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE SLOW SPEED LIMIT. ENFORCE WHAT? ZOOMING AROUND SHOWING OFF ON A JET SKI IS NOT NECESSARILY ILLEGAL. WITHOUT THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE AND THE STATE LIMITATION AND THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, FOR POINTING OUT THAT THAT IS A STATE DISTANCE THAT'S PROPOSED THERE, THERE'S NOTHING TO ENFORCE. WE HAVE BOATING UNDER THE INFLUENCE IF YOU HAVE PROBABLE CAUSE TO MAKE A STOP, RECKLESS BOATING OR RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT [01:05:02] MIGHT BE CITED BUT USUALLY ONLY AFTER -- >> I'M GOING TO HAVE STOP YOU THERE, MR. MURRAY. SORRY, YOUR TIME IS UP. >> OKAY. >> YOUR TIME IS UP. THANK YOU. >> YOU CAN'T ENFORCE GOOD JUDGMENT, YOU NEED THIS ORDINANCE SO THERE'S SOMETHING TO ENFORCE OUT THERE. >> THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU, SIR. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, PLEASE COME FORWARD. ANYONE ELSE? WOULD YOU SIGN IN FOR US PLEASE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. >> GOOD MORNING, GOOD AFTERNOON, GOOD EVENING. OKAY. SO -- >> NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. >> 715 SOUTH OCEAN NAME. MICHELLE ONGARZO. I JUST HAVE A QUICK COMMENT ON THIS. I KNOW THAT I SPOKE TO SOMEBODY IN REGARDS TO THIS, HOWEVER, SALTY'S WATER SPORTS IS ONE OF OUR SPONSORS, THEY SPONSOR OUR CHILDREN THAT ARE ILL AND HE GIVES OUT RIDES. I PARTICULARLY WENT ON A RIDE WITH THE INSTRUCTION OF SALTY'S, SO YOU KNOW, WE WENT TO JAYCEE PARK AND I HAVE TO SAY, CONTRARY TO T THIS GENTLEMAN HERE, IT WAS VERY SAFE. THEY TOOK US OUT ON A TOUR, WE WERE WITH THE INSTRUCTOR, AND WE DID PULL INTO THE SHORE BUT IT WAS VERY SLOW, YOU KNOW, SO I THINK WITH INSTRUCTION, I THINK THAT IT WOULD KEEP IT SAFE. I DON'T THINK THAT PROHIBITING, YOU KNOW, THEM -- SPEAKING WITH THAT GENTLEMAN, A 500-FOOT ANCHOR, HOW DO YOU GET TO SHORE? SO THIS PARTICULAR CHILD WAS 15 YEARS OLD BUT A SMALL 15-YEAR-OLD, SO THEN YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO REASON FOR HIM TO HAVE TO GET OFF THE JET SKI TO GET TO THE SHORE. WHAT IF HE WANTS TO PLAY AT JAYCEE PARK? NOW, WHAT THEY DID DO IS INSTEAD OF WHERE THE SWIMMERS WERE, THEY DID TAKE US TO THE SECTION TO THE RIGHT OF IT, SO WE WERE ABLE TO SLOWLY GO UP TO SHORE, GET OFF AND THEN ENJOY JAYCEE PARK, BUT YET AGAIN, I BELIEVE IT'S INSTRUCTIONAL JUST LIKE IT IS WITH THE S ZAGSTERS. THEY MADE US DO PAPERWORK REGARDING THE BOATING INSTRUCTIONS AND BEFORE WE GOT ON THE JET SKIS, WE BASICALLY HAD TO GO THROUGH INSTRUCTION, MAKE SURE WE KNOW HOW TO USE IT, IT TOOK US 15 MINUTES TO LEARN HOW TO TURN IT ON, TURN IT OFF, WHERE THE KILL SWITCH WAS, AND ALSO HE DID STATE, YOU KNOW, TO FOLLOW HIM, WE FOLLOWED HIM AND WE WENT FAST WHERE WE WERE ALLOWED AND THEN WE WENT SLOW AND WHEN WE WENT TO THE SHORE, TURNED OFF THE ENGINES AND KIND OF IDLED UP SLOWLY. SO I DON'T KNOW, I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER SITUATION WHERE YOU SHOULD LEAVE TO THE EDUCATIONAL PORTION OF THESE PEOPLE THAT EITHER OWN THEM OR RENT THEM OUT FOR THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE DO NEED IT FOR TOURISM. I REALLY -- I THINK IT'S A GREAT THING. >> THANK YOU, MA'AM. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, PLEASE COME FORWARD. ANYONE ELSE? SIGN IN FOR US, PLEASE, AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. >> CHRISTIE JOHNSON. I LIVE AT 14 PERRY STREET IN BROOKLYN, MASSACHUSETTS. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A QUICK COMMENT TO ADDRESS THE GENTLEMAN WHO MENTIONED SCOOTER INJURIES. WE HAVE NOT HAD A SINGLE REPORTED SCOOTER INJURY. WE ALSO HAVE NOT HAD A SINGLE REPORTED BIKE INJURY, AND IN LOOKING UP THE STATISTICS WITH BOATING INJURIES, NONE OF THEM HAVE ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN YOUR COUNTY. IT'S MOSTLY MIAMI-DADE. SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT FOR THE RECORD. >> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, PLEASE COME FORWARD. THANK YOU, MA'AM. SIGN IN FOR US, PLEASE. >> AGAIN, I'M TOMMY NAMAN, 150 WOOD CREST DRIVE, FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA. I'M GOING TO ECHO THIS FIRST GENTLEMAN, HIS SENTIMENT ON THE FACT THAT EVERYTHING THAT AS IS OVER THERE SHOULD STAY AS IS, SIMPLY BECAUSE IT'S WORKING, IT'S BRINGING -- IT'S PART OF OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR BOATIN/WATER ENJOYMENT AND I KNOW IT FROM BEING A LIFELONG RESIDENT HERE. I'M A 30-YEAR CAREER FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC, I'VE SPENT MANY YEARS OVER AT OUR FIRE STATION OVER HERE. I'VE NEVER HAD ONE CALL OR HEARD OF ONE CALL TO JAYCEE PARK FOR AN INCIDENT WHATSOEVER. AND SO MY THOUGHT IS, LET'S NOT MESS UP SOMETHING THAT'S -- OR TRY TO FIX SOMETHING THAT'S NOT BROKEN. ESPECIALLY IF IT'S COMING FROM BASICALLY AN AREA OF JUST COMPLAIN OF MAYBE NOISE OR MAYBE IT'S JUST TOO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE IN AN AREA THAT'S BOTHERING SOME RESIDENTS, YOU KNOW, I WAS A YOUNG PERSON AT ONE TIME AND I REMEMBER ACTUALLY LEARNING TO WATER-SKI. [01:10:02] I KNOW THAT'S BEEN REPLACED BY NOW WE WAKEBOARD AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT IN ALL THOSE YEARS, I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING OR HEARD OF ANYTHING BAD HAPPENING. AND REALLY, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN KNOWN FOR A GREAT PLACE TO GO TO LEARN TO WAKEBOARD. OF COURSE IN MY EARLIER YEARS, TO LEARN TO WATER-SKI, AND I THINK THERE'S A GOOD -- WITH THE PEOPLE THAT COME FOR THE PARTIES AND SWIM IN THE SURF, AND YET STILL THE OTHER SIDE OF THINGS, WHERE YOU CAN ENJOY WATERCRAFT. I MEAN, WHERE ELSE IS THERE TO GO AS FAR AS CITY OF FORT PIERCE WATERS TO DO THAT. SO I JUST THINK WE SHOULD LEAVE WHAT'S NOT BROKEN, LET'S LEAVE IT ALONE. >> THANK YOU, SIR. DID YOU SIGN IN? >> YOU CAN SEE THAT FAR? I PRINTED IT, BUT I HADN'T SIGNED. THAT'S GOOD VISION. >> NO, I DON'T THINK SO. THE COMMISSION ON THIS SUBJECT? ANYONE ELSE? SIGN IN FOR ME, PLEASE, AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. >> GOOD EVENING. RAY REYNOLDS, FORT PIERCE. THIRD GENERATION FORT PIERCE, GROWING UP AT JAYCEE PARK, HAVE NEVER BEEN UP HERE BEFORE TO ASK ANYTHING FROM THE CITY, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN UP HERE TO THANK THEM FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE. BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'M GOING TO SAY WE NEED TO LEAVE IT ALONE. 500-FOOT SETBACK IS GOING TO DO ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE, IT'S GOING TO ELIMINATE IT COMPLETELY. THERE'S ONLY ONE OF TWO PLACES HERE YOU CAN GO WATER-SKIING, ENJOY ANYTHING THAT'S NOT A MANATEE ZONE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I HAVE BEEN MANY, MANY, MANY HOURS AT JAYCEE PARK. THE BIGGEST THING IS EVERYBODY KEEPS SAYING IS EDUCATION. THERE IS ENFORCEMENT THAT CAN BE DONE. THEY'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE BOATER'S REGISTRATION CARDS, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO TAKE CLASSES. THOSE ALL HAVE -- THOSE CLASSES ALL SAY WHAT THE SETBACKS AND REQUIREMENTS ARE TO STAY AWAY FROM OTHER PERSONAL WATERCRAFT OR OTHER BOATS OR SWIM AREAS. SO ALREADY IF I BELIEVE IT'S A 50-FOOT SLOW SPEED OF A SWIMMING AREA. IF YOU LIMIT THAT, YOU'RE GOING TO PUT EVERYBODY INTO SHALLOW WATERS AND YOU'RE GOING TO START TEARING UP GRASS FLATS AND EVERYTHING ELSE. AS ANYONE SAID, YOU CAN'T SWIM BACK IN, BUT THAT'S THE SAME WITH A BOAT OR ANYTHING. DOING THIS WOULD BE THE SAME, NO OFFENSE, BUT LET'S STOP THE SCOOTER PROGRAM BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE ALL OVER THE SIDEWALKS. THEY'RE ALL OVER THE SIDEWALKS IN FORT PIERCE. NO MATTER WHAT EDUCATION YOU DO, THE APPS ARE THERE, IT TELLS YOU HOW TO OPERATE THEM, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE OPERATED -- I'M ALL FOR THE SCOOTERS BUT THIS IS THE SAME THING SAY, WELL, BECAUSE A FEW PEOPLE AREN'T DOING IT RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO STOP IT. I DO THE HYDROFLIGHT THERE, WHICH IS A -- IT DOESN'T IMPACT WAKE AT ALL. WE HAVE LOTS OF PARTIES AND STUFF, WE DON'T CHARGE, WE DON'T DO ANYTHING. BRINGS A LOT OF PEOPLE TO FORT PIERCE WHERE THEY HAVE FUN AND EXCITEMENT. IT'S SOMETHING THEY DON'T GET TO DO. IF WE WERE OUT 500 FEET, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THAT WHATSOEVER. AND AGAIN, BEING MANY, MANY, MANY HOURS THERE, THERE'S NO PATROL, THE SWIM AREA WAS JUST NOW REINSTATED, THE BEU S WERE JUST NOW PUT UP FROM THE HURRICANE A FEW MONTHS AGO BECAUSE I PERSONALLY PUT THEM UP. FORT PIERCE POLICE DEPARTMENT CONTACTED ME WITH MY POSITION I'M AT NOW, WE WENT AND PUT THE MARKERS BACK UP. SO IF IT'S BEEN AN ISSUE OF SWIM AREA, YOU HAVEN'T HAD IT MARKED FOR YEARS. ALL THE BEU EE MARKERS HAVE NOT BEEN THERE. THEY'RE ALL CURRENTLY IN PLACE NOW, AND IF WE JUST ENFORCE IT, AND HAVE PEOPLE THERE AND EDUCATE PEOPLE AND TELL THEM THE SETBACKS AND STUFF, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM. THERE'S BEEN NO INJURIES OR ACCIDENTS AS OF NOW, SO -- >> THANK YOU, SIR. >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, PLEASE COME FORWARD. >> NICK, 715 SOUTH OC OCEAN. I DON'T HAVE A DOG IN THIS FIGHT. THIS PARTICULAR FIGHT. BUT WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY IS APPLICABLE TO THIS CITY. THERE'S ALREADY TOO MUCH REGULATION IN THIS TOWN. YOU'RE GOING TO END UP DRIVING AWAY ANY TYPE OF DECENT BUSINESS OR THE INVESTOR CLASS OR THE ENTREPRENEURIAL CLASS IF YOU KEEP ON JUST TRYING TO CREATE NEW ORDINANCES OUT OF THIN AIR THAT ACTUALLY IMMOBILIZES THIS TOWN. SO I DON'T HAVE A BOAT, I DON'T GO TO THE PARK, BUT I SYMPATHIZE WITH THE OTHER GENTLEMAN. I WOULD THINK ABOUT ANYTHING BEFORE ADDING MORE LAYERS OF BUREAUCRACY AND, IN FACT, CUT ORDINANCES OR FIND ANOTHER PLACE FOR JET SKIS, BUT THAT JUST [01:15:03] ISN'T POSSIBLE, I GUESS, SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, PLEASE COME FORWARD. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. I'M CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING. YES, SIR. >> A FEW COMMENTS. ONE I MADE BEFORE AND JUST WANT TO REITERATE, I'M NOT IN SUPPORT THE ORDINANCE, AND I'VE HAD MANY DISCUSSIONS. BRUCE AND I HAVE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT TOO. AND IT OKAY TO DISAGREE SOMETIMES, AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE, THIS ONE OF THOSE CASES. WE HAVE A MIXED USE PARK THAT HAS BEEN ENJOYED BY MANY, MANY PEOPLE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND WE'RE CHANGING IT AND WE'RE RESTRICTING ACCESS TO A DIFFERENT -- TO A GROUP THAT HAS BEEN USING THE PARK FOR MANY DIFFERENT REASONS, AND SOMETIMES -- AND I'LL GIVE YOU A CASE IN POINT IS WHEN YOU'RE IN A BOAT AND A STORM COMES UP IN THE AFTERNOON, AND YOU HAVE TO BEACH THAT VESSEL TO GET SAFELY TO SHORE TO TAKE SHELTER DURING A 20-MINUTE AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORM AND THEN YOU GO BACK ON YOUR VESSEL. THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF A CASE WHERE IF WE RESTRICT THE AREA, WE'RE NOW CAUSING AN ISSUE FOR THE BOATING MARINE VESSEL PUBLIC, POTENTIALLY. POTENTIALLY. BECAUSE IT'S A RESTRICTION. CAN YOU ANCHOR? SURE, YOU CAN ANCHOR BUT THEY'LL HAVE TO GET SAFELY TO SHORE TO GET OUT OF A STORM SITUATION. SHALLOW WATER HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP MANY TIMES, BEACH ACCESS POINTS ARE READILY AVAILABLE IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE FOR SWIMMING, RECREATION ACTIVITY. THERE'S MILES OF BEACHES. WE HAVE CAUSEWAY PARK, ACROSS THE BRIDGE, IT'S .3 MILES IN LENGTH SO IT IS A GREAT SWIM AREA, PROTECTED BY A SANDBAR WHICH HAS SOME CURRENT, I WILL ADMIT, BUT UNLESS YOU GO BEYOND THAT SANDBAR, YOU'RE REALLY NOT INFLUENCED BY THE CURRENT AND IT'S A GOOD SWIM AREA. WATERCRAFT ON THE BEACH, THE WAKE ZONE, BUT I BELIEVE AS I SAID BEFORE, WE'RE CREATING AN ISSUE BY PUSHING THE MARINE VESSEL PUBLIC OUT AWAY FROM THE SHORE, AND THEN I WILL GO BACK TO ENFORCEMENT. WE HAVEN'T TRIED ENFORCEMENT. THERE ARE VERY -- THERE'S A LOT OF LATITUDE IN THE MARINE INDUSTRY. MR. REYNOLDS JUST SPOKE -- GAVE US SOME INFORMATION. HE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT WHERE HE WORKS. I'M NOT GOING TO SAY IT EITHER, I'LL LET HIM TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT IF HE WANTED TO, BUT HE'S PART OF THE PROCESS AND HE'S BEEN INVESTED IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE AND WHAT'S HAPPENING AT JAYCEE PARK FOR MANY YEARS ALSO, ALONG WITH MR. NIGH MAN. I'VE TALKED TO BOTH OF THESE FELLOWS AND MANY OTHERS ABOUT THIS, AND IT'S JUST -- WE'RE PUTTING IN A RULE, AND I'M STILL GOING TO ASK THE QUESTION, HOW ARE WE GOING TO ENFORCE IT OR WHO'S GOING TO ENFORCE IT? WE HAVEN'T EVEN TRIED TO ENFORCE WHAT'S EXISTING AND YET WE'RE GOING TO MAKE ANOTHER RULE WITH A SIGN OUT IN THE WATER THAT WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN OR SOMEONE HAS TO MAINTAIN, A TAXPAYER HAVE TO MAINTAIN, A SIGN THAT TELLS ME I CAN ONLY DO THIS, THIS, THIS AND THIS BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO ENFORCE IT. SO THAT'S MY RESERVATION AND THAT'S MY HESITATION, THAT'S WHY I VOTED AGAINST IT THE FIRST TIME. THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I STILL STAND. THAT IS WHERE I STILL STAND, IT'S NOT KIND. I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S THE RIGHT TIME, AND I BELIEVE THIS IS THE ONE PLACE IN FORT PIERCE WHERE YOU CAN BOAT, JET SKI, ELECTRIC SURFBOARD, SKIRF, HYDROFOIL -- >> SWIM. >> SWIM, YEP, AND WE CAN -- AND I KNOW THERE ARE MEANS AND METHODS OF PROTECTING SWIM AREAS. AND THAT INCLUDES BUOYS, ROPES, BARRIERS. ACTUALLY OUR CURRENT DESIGNATION OF THE SWIM AREA IS NOT THE CORRECT FOLLOWING OF THE EXISTING ORDINANCE. WE'VE SET UP BUOYS IN A LINE THAT I DON'T BELIEVE MET THE INTENT OF THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE. AND IT MIGHT CHANGE TONIGHT AND THAT'S OKAY. THERE ARE AMENITIES AND ACCESS POINTS FOR THE SAFETY OF SWIMMERS, THE BOATERS, THE MARINE VESSELS, AND I JUST BELIEVE THAT ENFORCEMENT AT THIS POINT -- THERE'S A LOT OF LATITUDE THERE, AND WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A DIFFERENT WAY, NOT JUST BY CREATING ANOTHER RULE. SO THANK YOU. >> CO COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. >> I BELIEVE TONIGHT THE PUBLIC HAS SPOKEN, AND MR. REYNOLDS, HE DON'T EVEN REMEMBER ME, BUT I WORKED FOR HIS PARENTS FOR MANY YEARS, AND HE WAS A LITTLE SMALL TO THE, BUT I THINK THE PUBLIC HAS SPOKEN AND I THINK THE [01:20:03] PUBLIC CAN BE SELF-POLICING OUT THERE IN THIS AREA, AND THAT JAYCEE PARK HAS BEEN THERE FOR MANY YEARS, AND I BELIEVE THEY CAN DO WHAT WE CAN'T DO, AND THAT'S THAT WE CANNOT BE OUT THERE TO -- WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE OUT THERE, AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE THERE. AND AS COMMISSIONER JOHNSON SAYS, IT'S MULTIPLE PURPOSE. AND I AGREE WITH HIS ASSESSMENT TONIGHT, THAT THE PARK IS THERE AS IT IS, AND IF ANYTHING HAPPENED OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, I'LL BE HEART BROKEN, BUT I THINK THE PUBLIC WILL BE MORE SU KNOW, THINKING MAYBE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHANGED, BUT I THINK THEY CAN POLICE THEMSELVES, THEY CAN GET SOME YELLOW FLAGS OR WARNING FLAGS OR SOMETHING IF THEY SEE THINGS GOING ON AND THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF THAT LITTLE BEACH. THAT'S THE LITTLE PRIVATE LITTLE PIECE OF PARADISE AS WE SPEAK OF -- NOT NOW, SIR, WE'RE SPEAKING NOW. SO YOU ALL HAD YOU'RE ALL CHANCE, SO WE'RE GONNA -- WE'RE GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE TONIGHT. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. >> OKAY. ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONER SESSIONS. >> I GUESS I'M LOOKING FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE, OUR CITY ATTORNEY, YOU'VE REMINDED US SINCE THE LAST MEETING, TO SOME DEGREE OUR HANDS ARE TIED FROM THE STATE LEGISLATION REQUIRING THIS MINIMUM FOOTAGE. COULD WE FOR THE SAKE OF THE PUBLIC AND EDUCATION DETERMINE WHETHER IT'S SUITABLE OR NOT? CAN I GET SOME ELABORATION OR SOME -- SOMEBODY TO SPEAK ON THAT ISSUE? >> MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONER SESSIONS, I'LL DEFER BECAUSE THEY DID A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF LIFTING ON THIS BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THE ORDINANCE AS PROVIDED RIGHT NOW IN CONJUNCTION WITH WORKING WITH THE FLORIDA WILDLIFE COMMISSION WHICH HAS THE ULTIMATE JURISDICTION OVER THE WATERWAYS ESTABLISHED THAT 500 FEET WAS THE MINIMUM. FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE, FOR ME, WE ARE ON A SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE, AND IF YOU WERE TO TRY TO CHANGE SOMETHING, FIRST OF ALL WE'D HAVE TO DO MORE RESEARCH, BUT SECOND OF ALL, CHANGING SOMETHING THAT SUBSTANTIAL WOULD MEAN THAT WE'D HAVE TO BRING THIS BACK ANOTHER TIME. BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T BE THE SAME, IT WOULD BE SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT, FROM MY LEGAL PERSPECTIVE. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, SIR? >> YES. >> OKAY. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. >> SO MY QUESTION ABOUT THE LEGALITIES OF IT IS, NO ONE IS TELLING THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY 500 FEET, AND IF WE HAVE A NEW RULE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, HOWEVER, IF WE IMPLEMENT, I'VE HEARD SOME LANGUAGE, IF I HEARD IT CORRECTLY, FROM STAFF THAT IF YOU DO IMPLEMENT A RULE, THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND THE FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION HAS SUGGESTED AND/OR THEIR TYPICAL IS 500 FEET. DO I HAVE THAT ACCURATE? >> MS. ADAIR? >> MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, I WONDER IF WE COULD PUT THIS PICTURE UP AGAIN. I BELIEVE THAT THE STATE STATUTE FOR PROTECTING PUBLIC BOAT RAMPS PROVIDES FOR 300 TO 500 FEET, AND WE RECOMMENDED AS PARKS COMMITTEE 500 FEET BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO PROTECT UP THROUGH THE SAILING CLUB. AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S A 500 FEET FROM ANY POINT TO THAT BOAT RAMP IN THIS PICTURE. SO IT HAS TO BE IN A CIRCUMFERENCE, THAT'S THE WAY THE STATE REQUIRES TO BE, AND THE WAY FWC REQUIRES THE APPLICATION. SO THE STATE STATUTE SPECIFIES 500 FEET. IT COULD BE A LITTLE BIT LESS, BUT IT WOULDN'T DO FOR US WHAT WE NEED TO DO, WHICH IS TO PROTECT THE SWIMMING BEACH AND THE BOAT RAMPS. AND WE ARE TRYING TO JUST, YOU KNOW, MEET OUR OBJECTIVE, IS TO HAVE PARKS THAT ARE RELAXING, WELCOMING, RECREATIONAL AND SAFE, BUT ALSO FOR US TO ENJOY. AND YOU KNOW, WE HAD A LOT OF DATA THAT SAID THIS WAS NOT SAFE FOR THE CHILDREN BHO FREQUENT WHO FREQUENTTHIS PARK SO MUCH. [01:25:01] >> OKAY. AND THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO INDIRECTLY IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME THAT THERE'S ALREADY A RULE IN PLACE THAT WILL ALLOW LAW ENFORCEMENT TO REGULATE ACTIVITY WITHIN THE BOAT RAMP ZONE, AND THAT WOULD BE AT THE DISCRETION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT TO REGULATE AND ENFORCE UP TO 300 FEET OR 3 TO 500 FEET AS WAS STATED SOME ENFORCEMENT ACTION. THAT'S WHAT I HEAR. THAT'S WHAT I HEAR. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, THERE'S NOT A RULE IN PLACE UNTIL YOU PASS THIS ORDINANCE AND THEN FWC PROVIDES A PERMIT FOR THIS 500-FOOT IDLE SPEED NO WAKE ZONE. RIGHT NOW THERE IS NO REGULATION SO THERE IS NOTHING TO ENFORCE OTHER THAN WATERCRAFT GOING INSIDE THE SWIM AREA. >> OKAY. SO IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME SOME MORE DISCUSSION CAN BE HAD BECAUSE WE DO HAVE AN ORDINANCE DESIGNATING A SWIM AREA AT JAYCEE PARK, 180 FEET. WE ALSO IMPLEMENTED A KAYAK LAUNCH, CANOE/KAYAK LAUNCH IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN THAT'S ALREADY BEING DESIGNATED. BUT THE CALLS AND THE CONVERSATION THAT I HAVE HAD IS THAT WE ARE NOW ISOLATING A GROUP FROM ACCESSING JAYCEE PARK WITH THEIR MARINE VESSEL BECAUSE WE'RE NOW SAYING, SORRY, YOU CANNOT COME TO THIS BEACH, YOU CAN ANCHOR, BUT YOU CAN'T COME TO THE BEACH. AND THAT'S SOME OF THE ISSUE. THE OTHER PART OF IT IS, TO THE FOLKS THAT I HEARD TONIGHT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEIR ACTIVITY, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IF SOMETHING WERE TO GO WRONG, WHICH IT DOES ON THE WATER ALL THE TIME, MOST OF THE TIME NOT, BUT IT'S ALSO THE DEEP WATER SECTION IS ALSO WITHIN THAT ZONE, SO NOW WE'RE FORCING THE MARINE VESSEL GROUPS OUTSIDE OF THE DEEP WATER ZONE INTO A SHALLOW WATER ZONE WHICH THEN HAS A POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. SO IT'S DELICATE. AND I KNOW, YOU GUYS HAVE TALKED IT ABOUT IT AND TALKED ABOUT IT, SO HAVE I. IT'S A CHALLENGE, I JUST FEEL THAT IT'S A MULTIUSE PARK, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANSWERS BY THE WAY. HERE WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO WE ACCOMMODATE THE MULTIPLE USES AND WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE IN THE BOOKS THAT SAYS HERE'S THE SWIM AREA, IT'S 180 FEET, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE POINT IS OF START -- POINT OF BEGINNING, SOMEWHERE NEAR THE BOAT RAMP OR NEAR THE KAYAK LAUNCH. BUT AT THIS POINT -- >> [INAUDIBLE] >> THE BUOYS ARE IN PLACE, I USE THAT PARK ALL THE TIME, BUT THEY'RE NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE EXISTING ORDINANCE. THE WHOLE BEACH IS KIND OF ISOLATED AS A SWIMMING AREA AND THAT'S OKAY. IT'S BEEN THAT WAY FOR A LONG TIME. I REMEMBER THE ORDINANCE STATING 180 FEET. >> BUT WHAT INITIATED THE NEW -- THE NEW -- >> YOU MEAN THE PROPOSAL? >> YES. >> WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? >> MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, I BELIEVE WHEN THE SHIR IF'S DEPARTMENT DIVE TEAM WENT OUT TO LOCATE THE BUOYS AND ANCHORS THAT WERE IN PLACE BUT BUOYS MISSING, I DO BELIEVE THEY FOLLOWED THE ORDINANCES THAT WERE ON THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE. >> SO WHAT INITIATED THIS ORDINANCE NOW? >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER WANTS TO KNOW WHAT PRECIPITATED THIS, AND THIS WAS LAST SUMMER. MR. MIMMS. >> MADAM MAYOR, CITY COMMISSION, YOU AS A EXPHI SUBMISSION ARE REQUESTING THE PARKS ADVISORY COMMITTEE REVIEW THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE AND COME BACK TO YOU WITH A RECOMMENDATION. SUBSEQUENT TO THAT, THE PARKS ADVISORY COMMITTEE PROVIDED A RECOMMENDATION WHICH YOU ALL ACCEPTED AND DIRECTED STAFF TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO COME BACK WITH AN ORDINANCE TO EXECUTE YOUR VISION. SO HERE WE ARE. >> SO IF IT DON'T PASS, THEN WHAT? >> IF IT DOESN'T PASS, THEN IT IS STATUS QUO. >> RIGHT, WHICH HAS AN EXISTING ORDINANCE. DO WE KNOW WHAT THIS ORDINANCE IS? WE HAVE AN EXISTING ORDINANCE? >> NOT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, SIR. NO, SIR. >> CAN WE FIND THAT -- IS IT THIS ORDINANCE OR IS THERE ANOTHER ORDINANCE RELATED TO THE SWIM AREA AT JAYCEE PARK? >> MR. REELS, DO YOU KNOW, OR -- >> 9-395? >> I DO NOT HAVE THAT INFORMATION WITH ME TONIGHT. >> YOU CAN PULL IT FROM MUNI CODE IF YOU NEED TO. IT WILL BE IN THE CODE OF ORDINANCES. >> SECTION 21-2. [01:30:34] >> SUBSECTION C, RIGHT? >> YES, SIR. >> WOULD YOU READ THAT OUT LOUD FOR US, MIKE? >> YES, MA'AM. I'M TRYING TO GET MY EYES FOCUSED ON THAT. >> I KNOW. >> THE AREA DESIGNATED AS A RESTRICTED AREA IS DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS. AN AREA LYING ON THE WESTERN SHORE OF JAYCEE PARK LOCATED ON HUTCHINSON ISLAND IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA. THIS AREA WAS WITHIN THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON BUT IS NOT WITHIN THE INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY. IT IS AN AREA LOCATED AT A POINT WITH LATITUDE 27 DEGREES, 27 FEET, 10 INCHES AND LONGITUDE OF 80 DEGREES, 17 FEET 24 INCHES ON THE NORTH AND BOUNDED ON THE SOUTH BY PULLING LOCATED 27 DEGREES, 2709, AND LONGITUDE FOR 80 DEGREES 1723 TO THE SOUTH. SUCH TWO POINTS BEING 130 FEES WEST OF THE HIGH WATER LINE OF THE SHORE OF JAYCEE PARK BEACH, BEING 180 FEET LONG. >> IS THAT THE PART YOU REMEMBERED? >> THAT'S THE PART I REMEMBERED. I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY BY GPS . WHERE THE POINT OF BEGINNING IS, SO -- BUT EITHER WAY, IT'S 180 FEET FROM START TO FINISH. IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, LAST TIME I SCALED JAYCEE PARK IN A MAP, IT'S APPROXIMATELY THE BEACH IS 400 FEET LONG, SO WE'RE GOING FROM -- MY POINT IS, IN THE 180 FEET, WHEN I SCALED IT BEFORE, IF YOU GO TO THE MAP, IF YOU GO BACK TO THAT -- THE MAP U, THE LAST TIME I LOOKED AT THIS WITH THE CIRCLE, THAT ONE, LAST TIME I SCALED IT, IF THIS MAP IS TO SCALE, THAT RADIUS IS 500 FEET FROM BOAT RAMP TO THE NORTH, SO 180 FEET WOULD BE MAYBE TO THE MIDDLE OF THE JAYCEE PARK WITH THAT SIDEWALK TRAVERSES THE MIDDLE OF THE PARK. SO I'M IN AGREE EMENT WITH THE EXISTING ORDINANCE, I'M JUST BELIEVE IT'S AN ENFORCEMENT THING. AND WE ALSO HAVE DESIGNATED KAYAK AND A CANOE LAUNCH NEAR THE BOAT RAMPS FOR FOLKS TO TURN AROUND, BACK UP INTO THE UNIMPROVED DRIVE AREA, UNLOAD THEIR KAYAK AND LAWN. LAUNCH. NOW JET SKIS USE THAT, BOATS USE THAT, AND THEY SHOULDN'T. THEY SHOULD NOT. SO FROM AN ENFORCEMENT PERSPECTIVE, WE SHOULD EDUCATE, ENFORCE, BUT TO THE NORTH OF THE PARK, WHERE THIS TREASURE COAST SAILING GROUP IS, THAT'S THE MULTIUSE AREA. CURRENTLY. I'M NOT AGAINST THE CHURCH GOES SAILING GROUP, I JUST BELIEVE THERE'S MANY OPTIONS FOR UTILIZATION OF THAT BEACH AND I BELIEVE THAT THE EXISTING SHOULD BE PRESERVED. AND I BELIEVE IT'S -- IT SAID 130 IN THE ORDINANCE. I'M SORRY. 130 FEET FROM -- HIGH WATER, THAT'S WESTERLY, SO -- AND I BELIEVE -- I HADN'T MEASURED THE EXISTING BUOYS HOW FAR THEY'RE OFF SHORE. 130 FEET IS A LONG WAY. BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DISTANCE IS TODAY. BUT THEY'RE OUT THERE, AND THEY'RE DESIGNATED AS SWIM AREA AND THAT'S A GREAT THING. I BELIEVE WE CAN IMPROVE THAT BEFORE WE MAKE AN ORDINANCE. THIS JUST SAYS YOU SHALL. >> YOU'RE NOT TOTALLY RESTRICTING THE JET SKIS FROM THAT AREA. YOU'RE JUST RESTRICTING THEM FROM GOING AT HIGH SPEED, IS THAT NOT RIGHT? >> MADAM MAYOR, THAT IS CORRECT. THERE IS NO EXCLUSION OF JET SKIS OR ANY OTHER MOTORIZED WATERCRAFT OF ANY SORT. I DID A LITTLE BIT OF CALCULATING, AND AS 4 MILES PER HOUR, IT TAKES 1.4 MINUTES TO GO 500 FEET. AT 25 MILES PER HOUR, IT WOULD BE .23, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A MINUTE AND A HALF MORE APPROXIMATELY, THAT'S ALL WE'RE ASKING, IS THAT THEY GO SLOWLY TO 500 FEET, AND THEN AFTER THAT, THEY HAVE 8,822 FEET ACROSS THE WATER. SO WE'RE ONLY ASKING FOR A VERY SMALL PORTION OF THAT TO BE PROTECTED, AND WE'RE ONLY ASKING FOR IDLE SPEED. I HAVE ON THE ANCHORING ISSUE ISSUE,THE JET SKIS HAVE IN MOST [01:35:08] SENSORILY DONE A NICE JOB OF NOT PULLING THEM UP ON THE BEACH BUT JUST LEAVING THEM OUT FAR ENOUGH. THEY'RE STILL GROUNDED BUT THEY'RE IN THE WATER AND IT PROVIDES SPACE FOR KAYAKS TO ALSO LAUNCH. SO THEY STILL JUST WALK RIGHT IN. I MEAN, IT'S RIGHT THERE. >> SO THE REDUCED SPEED IS REALLY STILL ALLOWING ALL THE USES, IT'S JUST NOT ALLOWING THE HIGH SPEED AND ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SAID IS ENFORCEMENT, BUT ENFORCEMENT IS AN ENFORCEMENT WHETHER IT STAYS THE SAME OR WHETHER IT'S 500 -- WE STILL HAVE ENFORCEMENT. I MEAN, WE STILL HAVE TO -- AND THIS IS -- WE ALL -- I REMEMBER THE HEAT OF LAST SUMMER WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THE COMPETING USES AND THE HEAVY USES AND WE WANTED TO MAKE -- WE WANTED TO MAKE IT ATRACHTIVE AND SAFE FOR EVERYBODY. SO I APPRECIATE THE PARKS COMMITTEE MAKING THIS STUDY AND DOING THE RESEARCH AND COMING UP WITH WHAT YOU THOUGHT AND THINK IS A WAY TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYBODY SAFELY. >> IF WE ASK FOR A NO WAKE ZONE, NO WAKE MEANS NO WATER GOING OVER A CHILD'S HEAD, YOU KNOW, AS THOUGH WE HAD A M MANATEE ZO, IS A NO MA NA TEE ZONE IS THE SAME, MA REASON PATROL SEE YOU GOING THROUGH A MANATEE ZONE MAKING A WAKE, THEY WILL PULL YOU. AND THERE'S CONSEQUENCES. SO WHY IS THIS SO DIFFICULT FOR US TO SAY NO WAKE ZONE THAN GOING THROUGH ALL OF THIS? AND THEN WE CAN HAVE A SAFE A AREA. >> MAYOR, I CAN HELP WITH THAT. >> OKAY. >> SO ONE GENTLEMAN TALKED ABOUT SKIING, LEARNING HOW TO -- OH, THAT WAS ACTUALLY MR. NIGHMAN, TALKED ABOUT LEARNING HOW TO SKI. WHEN YOU HAVE -- THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE OF MANY, BUT YOU HAVE AN IMAGINARY ZONE WHICH COULD BE MARKED WITH A BUOY THAT SAYS NO WAKE FROM THIS POINT BEYOND. SO IF YOU'RE COMING FROM THE NORTH, YOU'RE TRAVELING SOUTH IN YOUR VESSEL, EVEN IF IT'S A RESIDENT, MAYBE SOMEONE GOING TO THE CANAL TO THE SOUTH, YOU'RE AT -- YOU'RE ON PLANE IN A VESSEL, ON PLANE MEANS YOU'RE GOING FASTER SO YOUR BOAT IS ON TOP OF THE WATER TRAVELING AT A BETTER SPEED. THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HIT AN IMAGINARY LINE WHERE I HAVE TO SLOW DOWN, AND THEN I CAN GET BEYOND THAT LINE ON THE OTHER SIDE AND THEN I CAN PICK IT BACK UP AND GO AGAIN. IT SEEMS MINUTE TO EVEN TALK ABOUT, BUT THE BRAKING AND THE PATTERNS -- BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS, WHEN YOU GO OUTSIDE OF THE 500 FEET TO THE WEST, IT'S TOO SHALLOW TO TRAVEL. IT'S TOO SHALLOW. I HAVE A BAY BOAT, AND IT'S JUST TOO SHALLOW. YOU'LL HIT BOTTOM. SO WHEN YOU GET TO THAT ZONE, IT'S A BREAK IN THE PATTERN, IT'S A BREAK IN THE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY, IT'S A POINT IN TIME WHERE DO I GO SLOW, DO I GO FAST, AND THEN THE OTHER GENTLEMAN WAS TALKING ABOUT IF YOU WERE TO BREAK DOWN BECAUSE YOU WANT TO STAY CLOSE TO THE PARK BECAUSE YOU'RE UTILIZING THE PARK AS YOUR SPOT TO COME TO AND FROM, AND I DON'T KNOW, THERE'S JUST SO MANY ACTIVITIES, I JUST FIGURED THAT IF WE WERE TO ENFORCE SAFE BOATING TECHNIQUES AS IT SITS TODAY, THAT WE WOULD BE OKAY. WE WOULD BE -- FWC COULD HELP YOU GO REGULATE THAT, MA REASON PATROL. BECAUSE I'M TELLING U I'VE BEEN PULLED OVER, I'VE SPENT THOUSANDS OF HOURS AT JAYCEE PARK AND PROBABLY HAVE HAD TIMES WHERE I WAS THE ONLY ONE OUT THERE, BUT IF MARINE PATROL WOULD HAVE COME UP, THEY SAID, OH, YOUNG PLAN, YOU'RE TOO CLOSE. THIS IS WHEN I WAS YOUNGER. AND I WAS PROBABLY WITHIN A COUPLE HUNDRED FEET OF SHORE. BUT THEY HAD THAT LATITUDE, THEY HAVE THAT LATITUDE TODAY TO STILL COME TO ME, MR. REYNOLDS COULD TALK ABOUT IT, AND SAY, YOU'RE TOO CLOSE. YOU'RE OPERATING YOUR VESSEL IN AN UNSAFE MANNER. AND IT'S THAT LATITUDE THAT THEY HAVE, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS THAT LATITUDE. DO I DISAGREE WITH IT? NO, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH IT. ARE THERE FOLKS ON THE WATERWAYS THAT DISAGREE AND IT'S AN INCONVENIENCE? ABSOLUTELY. WHEN YOU GET PULLED OVER BY MA REASON PATROL, PLAN ON 20, 30 MINUTE, BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO CHECK YOUR FIRE EXTINGUISHER, YOUR LIFE PRESERVERS, YOUR REGISTRATION, AND GOOD, WE WANT TO KEEP THE BOATING PUBLIC, MARINE PUBLIC SAFE. >> SURE. >> INCLUDING THOSE THAT ARE UTILIZING THE BEACH. AND THIS IS JUST A COMPETING USE AND THIS IS THE ONLY SPOT IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. LIKE I SAID, IT'S OKAY TO AGREE [01:40:04] TO DISAGREE. >> MADAM MAYOR, I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF THE CODE OVER THE LAST 15 MINUTES AND FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE SWIMMING ZONE, WHICH IS SECTION 21-2. MIKE, IF YOU HAVE THAT UP. WHAT'S BEING SUGGESTED TO BE CHANGED IN THIS SECOND READING IS SECTION 21-79. AND I JUST WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT IN THE DISCUSSION THAT'S UNFOLDING, MIKE, IF YOU GO BACK TO THAT 21-2, VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING IS PROHIBITED FROM BEING IN THE SWIMMING ZONE. IF YOU'LL READ UNDER B, NO BOATS, MOTORCRAFT, SAILBOAT, WATER-SKI, JET SEE, CAD MA RAN, SURFBOARD, WIND SURFBOARD OR ANY DEVICE WHICH FLOATS PROPELLED BY WIND, PADDLING OR MOTOR. QUITE FRANKLY, I CAN'T THINK OF A SINGLE THING OTHER THAN MAYBE A FLOAT THAT YOU USE YOUR ARMS FOR -- >> WIKI RAFT >> THAT WOULD NOT BE PROHIBITED FROM BEING IN THE SWIM AREA, BUT WHAT I'M CLARIFYING FOR YOU IS WE'VE SAID THAT THIS IS THIS AREA THAT'S 180 FEET BY 130 FEET, THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE MODIFIED BY THIS ORDINANCE THAT'S TALKED ABOUT 500 FEET. SO YOU HAVE A PROHIBITION OF EVERYTHING, INCLUDING THE KAYAKS AND THE SAIL CLUB CANNOT BE IN THE SWIM ZONE, AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A SEPARATE PROHIBITION ON TOP OF THAT. SO JUST SO THIS COMMISSION IS CLEAR WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO IF YOU PASS THIS ORDINANCE. DOES THAT HELP? >> IT DOES. THANK YOU. >> CLARIFIES, YEP. YEP. BUT IT'S NOT A PROHIBITION, IT'S A REDUCED SPEED IN THE 500 FEET. >> AGAIN, YOU WILL HAVE TWO LAYERS. LU HAVE A SWIM ZONE WHERE YOU CAN BASICALLY DO NOTHING, NOTHING, AND THEN OUTSIDE OF THIS RECTANGULAR SWIM ZONE, YOU WILL BE AT NO WAKE. >> RIGHT. RIGHT. COMMISSIONER PERONA. >> SO JAYCEE PARK HAS BEEN HERE A LONG TIME. WHEN IT WAS FIRST PUT TOGETHER, IT WAS A BEACH, COUPLE OF PICNIC TABLES, AND A PLACE TO PUT YOUR FISHING BOAT IN. AND SINCE THAT TIME, ALL THESE NEW THINGS CAME ABOUT. I KNOW WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND STUFF, THEY DIDN'T EVEN INVENT THE JET SKI YET, YOU KNOW, AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE BECOMING DOWN THE PIKE THAT ARE ALSO GOING TO BE COMPETING TO ADD TO THIS. WHAT WE DID IS, IN RESPONSE TO ALL THE ISSUES THAT WE HAD THIS SUMMER, BECAUSE IT WASN'T THE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE THAT ARE VERY RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE CAUTIOUS AROUND KIDS AND PEOPLE IN THE SWIMMING AREA, THEY'RE GOING TO DO IT RIGHT, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE FUN, THEY RESPECT THE AREA, THEY RESPECT THE PARK. BUT NOT EVERYBODY DOES THAT. FWC ISN'T GOING TO BE THERE EVERY MINUTE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING IT RIGHT. THE FORT PIERCE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS NOT GOING TO BE THERE TO MAKE SURE. THERE'S BEEN MAYBE NOT A LOT OF INJURIES BUT THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS TO THE POINT WHERE SWIMMERS -- PARENTS WHO HAVE YOUNG SWIMMERS DON'T EVEN LET THEIR KIDS GO IN THE WATER. AND THIS IS PART OF OUR RESPONSE THAT WE ASKED THE PARKS COMMITTEE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT. IF I COULD HAVE THAT AT O 100 FEET, THE DISTANCE BACK 100 FEET RATHER THAN A CIRCLE, MAKE A RECTANGLE AND DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I WOULD RATHER -- I WOULD PREFER THAT. I THINK HAVING THE NO WAKE ZONE DOES HELP US WITH ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE THE SIGN IS UP THERE, YOU SEE A BOAT FLYING THROUGH THAT AREA, WE ALREADY KNOW WE HAVE A PROBLEM. I DON'T WANT TO JUST CREATE A RULE OR REGULATION THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT ONE USE. THE WAY I LOOK AT IT IS TRYING TO COME UP WITH A BALANCE WHERE WE DO KIND OF PRESERVE THOSE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY MADE A LONG TERM COMMITMENT TO. AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE WE HAVE FOLKS OUT THERE THAT ARE JUST NOT GOING TO PAY ATTENTION TO ANYTHING. I MEAN, AS FAR AS THEY'RE CONCERNED, IT'S A JET SKI PARK. OR IT'S A KAYAK PARK OR -- I'VE EVEN SEEN -- EARLY MORNING, I'VE SEEN FLY FISHERMEN OR FISHERMEN IN THE SWIMMING ZONE BECAUSE I GUESS THAT'S WHERE THE FISH ARE. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON. WE JUST HAVE TO COME UP WITH REASONABLE WAYS TO BE ABLE TO GIVE CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PROTECTION TO THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE USING THE WATER, ESPECIALLY THOSE NOT ON A MOTORIZED CRAFT. I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT THE 500 FEET, BUT I'M MORE INTERESTED IN THE PROTECTION OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE, AND THAT IS THE SWIMMERS AND THE FAMILY MEMBERS AND -- >> AND ALL THE DIFFERENT USES. >> AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT A PROHIBITION, MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT CLEAR. IT'S JUST WHEN I -- I OWN TWO JET SKIS, AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THIS, 20 YEARS AGO, THE [01:45:03] BIGGEST PART OF A JET SKI IS THAT I COULD DRIVE THAT THING IN TO ABOUT 20 FEET OFF SHORE GOING FULL BLAST SPRAYING THE PEOPLE UP ON THE -- AND I DID THAT. IT WASN'T ILLEGAL, AND I WASN'T IN A SWIMMING ZONE. BUT I'M JUST TELLING YOU, THAT'S PART OF THE ATTRACTION, IS BEING ABLE TO BE VIEWED FROM THE BEACH. AND AT 500 FEET, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET VIEWED MUCH FROM THE BEACH. YOU'RE GOING TO SAY, YEA, I SEE THAT LITTLE SPLASH OUT THERE. AND I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT THAT, BUT IN THE MULTI-USES THAT ARE GOING ON IN THIS SMALL FACILITY, VERY, VERY WELL USED FACILITY, IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY YEAR, WE HAVE ONE OR TWO MAJOR ISSUES THAT HAS HAPPENED JUST ON JAYCEE PARK. EITHER IT'S A PARKING ISSUE, IT'S NOT ENOUGH PA VILLE YOB USE, BAD USE OF BOATING SAFETY FOR OUR SWIMMERS, SAILING, THE WHOLE BIT. SO IN THE ABSENCE OF BEING ABLE TO NARROW THAT DOWN ANY CLOSER TO SHORE WITHOUT VIOLATING ANY TYPE OF FLORIDA RULE OR REGULATION, I MEAN, I CAN'T SEE ANY OTHER WAY BUT TO ACCEPT WHAT THE PARKS COMMITTEE IS GIVING US. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. >> I DO HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION. IF THERE'S GOING TO BE A BUOY DESIGNATED OR MULTIPLE BUOYS DESIGNATING THE ZONE IF THIS WERE TO PASS? >> MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, THERE WOULD BE SIGNS OUT IN THE WATER AND AT THE BOAT DOCK JUST SAYING IDLE SPEED, NO WAKE ZONE. WITHIN 500 FEET. >> OUT IN THE WATERWAY, THOUGH, RIGHT, AT 500 FEET? >> YES, SIR. >> AS WELL AS AT BOAT DOCK. >> WHO HAS TO MAINTAIN THOSE? >> THOSE ARE FWC-SPECIFIED SIGNS. MIKE, I'D DEFER TO YOU. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, WE WOULD BE PLACING THOSE AND MAINTAINING THEM. >> CITY OF FORT PIERCE WOULD HAVE TO MAINTAIN THOSE? >> YOU THINK IT WILL BE DRAGGED AWAY -- >> SO WE'D HAVE TO MAINTAIN THOSE SO NOW WE'RE IN THE MARINE INDUSTRY. SO -- OH, BOY. TALK TO ME ABOUT REFLECTIVITY, RED, GREEN, WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO REQUIRE US, ARE THEY GOING TO REQUIRE ELECTRICITY, SOLAR POWER, ARE THEY GOING TO BE REQUIRED TO BE LIT? BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU NOW, COMING IN AT NIGHTTIME FROM A FISHING TRIP, DUSK, BECAUSE THE PARK CLOSES AT SUNSET, DUSK, IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO SEE. WHAT HAVE THEY INDICATED FOR THAT? FWC, WHEN I SAY "THEY." SORRY. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, MY CONVERSATION WITH FWC DID NOT INDICATE ANY LIT SIGNAGE. BUT REFLECTIVE. WHETHER THAT'S RED OR GREEN, I DO NOT KNOW. CHARLENE? >> I DO BELIEVE THESE ARE THE STANDARD SIGNS JUST AS YOU SEE THE MANATEE ZONE, SPEED ZONES THAT ARE ALL OVER THE RIVER. >> SO WE'RE NOT REQUIRED TO DESIGNATE THE CHANNEL, PER SE, WE'RE JUST PUTTING OUT THE SIGN THAT SAYS THIS -- IF THIS WERE TO PASS, THAT IT WOULD BE A NO WAKE ZONE, THAT'S THE SIGN, IT WILL BE REFLECTIVE? BECAUSE THERE ARE FOLKS THAT LIVE IN -- WHAT IS IT, COAT NUT COCONUTDRIVE TO THE SOUTH? >> JENNINGS COVE. >> JENNINGS COVE, THANK YOU, THAT ARE GOING TO BE TRAVELING IN TO COME BACK HOME IN THE NIGHTTIME THAT WOULD NEED TO KNOW, DID THAT SIGN EXIST -- ALL RIGHT. YEAH, I JUST -- I'M GOING BACK TO ENFORCEMENT. WE HAVE RULES IN PLACE THAT WE CAN HELP OURSELVES. WITHOUT CREATING MORE RULES. >> OKAY. SO I'D LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS ENOUGH. >> MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE AS PREVIOUSLY ACCEPTED. >> IS THERE A SECOND? >> I'LL SECOND FOR DISCUSSION. >> OKAY. >> I FOR ONE DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF LIMITING THE ACTIVITY AS FAR AS JET SKIING IS CONCERNED. INITIALLY I BELIEVE THAT THERE WERE SOME COMPLAINTS THAT I REALLY DIDN'T THINK WERE LEGIT BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS. HOWEVER, WHEN YOU L LOOK AT IT FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT, WE'RE NOT DOING AWAY WITH JET SKIS, BUT IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A NO WAKE ZONE, SO THE JET SKIS WILL STILL BE ALLOWED TO USE THE JET SKIS BUT JUST NOT AS FAST AS THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY. AND REST ASSURED EDUCATION IS [01:50:06] NOT GOING TO BE THE ONLY THING THAT ENFORCES THIS, BUT THOSE NEIGHBORS OUT THERE, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THE WHEEL WITH THE LOUDEST NOISE GETS THE MOST OIL, AND I WAS TRYING TO TELL THE GENTLEMAN THAT EARLIER. IT IS WHAT IT IS. AND THESE NEIGHBORS HAVE SOME CONCERNS. IT'S THEIR HOME AND THEY HAVE LEGITIMATE CONCERNS BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF SWIMMERS AND CHILDREN AND, GOD FORBID, IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN, NOT TO SAY THAT IT HASN'T, AND THANK GOD IT HASN'T HAPPENED UP TO THIS POINT, BUT I MEAN, AS WE PROGRESS AND START HAVING MORE ACTIVITY IN OUR PARKS, WE NEED TO PREPARE OURSELVES TO REGULATIONS TO A CERTAIN DEGREE. AS THE -- GET BIGGER, LET'S FACE IT, YOU'RE GOING TO NEED MORE REGULATIONS TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE. THAT'S JUST THE BASIC CONCEPT AND PRINCIPLE THAT GOES ALONG WITH THIS JOB. AND WHILE I'M NOT FOR BUREAUCRACY, BULL WHEN THERE'S GROWTH IN DEVELOPMENT, IT REQUIRES REGULATIONS. BUT I DON'T SEE THAT WE'RE TAKING ANYTHING AWAY OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SPEED. IF IT WEREN'T FOR THAT, I WOULD CERTAINLY NOT SUPPORT IT BECAUSE IF IT WAS GOING TO ELIMINATE THE ACTIVITY ALL TOGETHER, I WOULDN'T SUPPORT IT, BUT GIVEN THAT THEY'RE STILL GOING TO BE ABLE TO USE THAT AREA, AND I'VE BEEN OUT THERE ON A JET SKI AND I'VE ACTUALLY FALLEN ON MY JET SKI AND BUT FOR MY LIFE JACKET AS FAR OUT AS 500 FEET, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE DROWNED. SO I SYMPATHIZE AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT'S BEING SAID IN TERMS OF THE JET SKI ACTIVITY, BUT I STILL FEEL WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO PROTECT ALL OF THIS ACTIVITY IN THIS JAYCEE PARK THAT WE PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO, AND THAT'S ATTRACTING A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM PALM BEACH ALL THE WAY UP TO VERO. IT'S GOING TO START GETTING MORE CONGESTED. YOU THINK THE PARKING IS HECTIC NOW. IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE. SO THIS IS JUST ANOTHER REGULATION TO TRY TO KEEP THINGS DOWN CALMLY AND I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO HURT ANYTHING. AGAIN, I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE PRECLUDING THE JET SKIERS, BUT WE'RE JUST ASKING THEM TO SLOW IT DOWN AND REST ASSURED WITH THE NEIGHBORS ENFORCEMENT COUPLED WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, IT WILL HAPPEN. >> ANYTHING ELSE? ARE WE READY TO CALL THE ROLL. PLEASE. >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER, NO. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, NO, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER PERONA, YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER SESSIONS, YES, MA'AM. MAYOR HUDSON, YES, MA'AM. [b. Legislative Hearing - Ordinance 19-073: Transmittal Hearing for an application submitted by the property owner Cone & Graham, Inc, and Applicant/representative Brian Nolan, AICP, ASLA of Lucido & Associates, for a Future Land Use Map Amendment for twelve (12) parcels of land, 10.31 acres in total, to change the Future Land Use designation for parcel IDs 2417-342-0006-000-9, 2417-343-0001-100-8, 2417-343-0001-000-7, 2417-343-0001-150-3, 2417-343-0003-000-1, 2417-343-0002-000-4, 2417-343-0004-000-8, 2417-342-0007-000-6, 2417-343-0003-010-4,2417-342-0008-000-3, 2417-342-0008-010-6, 2417-343-0006-000-2, from General Commercial (GC) to Medium Density Residential (RM). FIRST READING] >> OKAY. NEXT WE HAVE ORDINANCE 19-073, AN ORDINANCE BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA AMENDING FEUT TOUR LAND USE MAP OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO CHANGE THE DESIGNATION OF 12 PARCELS GENERALLY LOCATED AT OR NEAR 1919 SOUTH 35TH STREET FROM CITY OF FORT PIERCE GENERAL COMMERCIAL TO CITY OF FORT PIERCE MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL PROVIDING FOR SELF RABILITY CLAUSE, PROVIDING FOR APPEAL OF ORDINANCES OR PARTS THEREOF IN CONFLICT, PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE, THIS IS THE FIRST READING. >> MR. CREGAN. >> THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION. BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS A FUTURE LAND USE MAP AMENDMENT FOR 1919 SOUTH 35TH STREET. IT COMPRISES OF 12 PARCELS THAT ARE APPROXIMATELY 10.31 ACRES IN SIZE. THE CURRENT FUTURE LAND USE ON THE PROPERTY IS GC GENERAL COMMERCIAL WITH A ZONING OF C3 GENERAL COMMERCIAL. THE REQUEST TONIGHT IS THE FUTURE LAND USE CHANGE FOR 12 PARCELS FROM GC GENERAL COMMERCIAL TO RM MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL. THERE WILL ALSO BE A REZONING APPLICATION THAT WILL COME TO YOU AFTER THE FUEL TOUR LAND USE HAS MADE ITS WAY FOR THE STATE'S FIRST REVIEW. SO STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST AS THE PROPOSED VEM MENTD FOR THE SITE IS A MULTIFAMILY APARTMENT COMPLEX. IT IS CONSISTENT WITH SECTION 22131 OF THE CITY CODE AND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. IT DOES NOT AVERSELY AFFECT THE PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, CONVENIENCE AND GENERAL WELFARE AND PLANNING BOARD RECOMMENDED APPROVAL BY A VOTE OF 4-0 OF THIS REQUEST AS PRESENTED. SO JUST TO SHOW YOU AS PROPOSED, THE FUTURE LAND USE FOR THE 12 PARCELS WOULD BE RM MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL. POSSIBLE ACTIONS BY THE CITY COMMISSION ARE TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT FOR TRANSMITTAL TO THE FLORIDA ECONOMIC DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AS STAFF AND PLANNING RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OR YOU CAN OPPOSE FOR TRANSMITTAL. I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU. >> ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF BEFORE I OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, PLEASE COME FORWARD. AND SIGN IN FOR ME, PLEASE, AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. >> LEE DOBBINS WITH THE DEAN NEED LAW FIRM HERE IN FORT [01:55:04] PIERCE. I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE APPLICANT. >> WELCOME. >> THANK YOU. >> WE DO NOT HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR YOU HERE TONIGHT. WE'RE JUST HERE REPRESENTING THE APPLICANT. I ALSO HAVE HERE WITH ME BRIAN NOLAN WITH LUCY DOUGH AND ASSOCIATES, THEY'RE THE LAND PLANNER ON THE PROJECT AND WE'RE JUST AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. >> ANY QUESTIONS OF MR. DOBBINS? ANY QUESTIONS OF BRIAN LUCIDO? NO? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, PLEASE COME FORWARD. SEEING NO ONE, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. ENTERTAIN DISCUSSION OR A MOTION. >> MOVE FOR APPROVAL. >> SECOND. >> MOTION AND A SECOND. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER, YES. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, YES MA'AM, COMMISSIONER PERONA, YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER SESSION, YESM. MAYOR HUDSON, YES, MA'AM. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. [a. Resolution 19-R49 Appointing members to the Historic Preservation Board] >> NEXT WE HAVE RESOLUTION 19-R49, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA CERTIFYING THE APPOINTMENT OR REAPPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. I'M GOING TO DISTRIBUTE FOR YOU. BALLOTS. WE'RE ASKING THAT YOU SELECT TWO MEMBERS. THERE ARE TWO EXISTING MEMBERS SEEKING REAPPOINTMENT AND TWO NEW APPLICANTS TO THIS BOARD. >> OKAY. SO BASICALLY EVERYONE VOTED FOR HOLLY THEUNS AND CHARLIE HAYEK. >> WE AGREE. EVERYBODY AGREED? >> YES. >> MY GOD. >> EVERYBODY AGREED. >> IT'S THE SEASON. >> IT'S DIFFERENT POINT VALUES BUT IN THE END, EVERYBODY CHOSE HOLLY THEUNS AND CHARLIE HAYEK. >> MOTION TO APPROVE. >> SECOND. >> MOTION AND SECOND. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. >> PLER ALEXANDER, YES, COMMISSIONER YON SON, YES, MA'AM, COMMISSIONER PERONA, YES, [b. Resolution 19-R50 Removing existing members pursuant to Ordinance 19-044 and appointing new members to the Board of Adjustment.] MA'AM, >> NEXT WE HAVE RESOLUTION 19-R50, RESOLUTION REMOVING EXISTING MEMBERS AND CERTIFYING THE APPOINTMENT OF NEW MEMBERS TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WITH THIS ONE, WE HAVE FIVE SEATS. THIS IS THE BOARD THAT WE'VE RECONSTITUTED SO THAT YOU CAN EACH SELECT A MEMBER. WE ONLY HAVE FOUR APPLICATIONS THUS FAR. SO -- THIS IS THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT. >> I WAS MOVING ON TO THE PARKING. >> ONE MORE. SO IF EACH OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SELECT ONE -- >> MOVE TO APPROVE. WE ONLY HAVE FOUR. >> WE ONLY HAVE FOUR. >> I NEED TO HAVE THE SPECIFIC PERSON APPOINTED BY EACH OF YOU SO I'LL HAVE TO HAVE EACH OF YOU CALL OUT A FLAME. >> I'M GOING TO BE THE FIFTH ONE WHO'S GOING TO TRY TO RECRUIT SOMEBODY ELSE SO YOU WON'T -- >> BILL NUNN. [02:00:02] >> JIM CRIST. >> IT'S ON YOUR AGENDA. >> IT WAS ON THE -- >> STANLEY HULA. >> COMMISSIONER SESSIONS WANTS ONE. >> COMMISSIONER SESSIONS NEEDS A PIECE OF PAPER. >> STANLEY HULA. >> THERE'S ONLY ONE LEFT. >> THAT WOULD BE REBEXCA ISSAC. >> SO WE PULLED -- >> BILL NUNN AND JIM CRIST HAVE ALREADY BEEN SELECTED. IT'S ALREADY BEEN PICKED. >> WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEEK APPLICATIONS, BUT THUS FAR -- >> I'M GOING TO -- >> OR YOU CAN RECRUIT. >> MADAM MAYOR, SO WE CAN CLARIFY FOR THE PUBLIC, IF WE COULD HAVE THE CLERK READ WHO HAS MADE SELECTIONS AND THEN THEY'LL KNOW. >> COMMISSIONER JOP SON HAS SELECTED JIM C RI. ST. COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER HAS SELECTED STANLEY HULA, COMMISSIONER PERONA HAS SELECTED BILL NUNN. >> AND COMMISSIONER SESSIONS HAS -- >> COMMISSIONER SESSIONS HAS NOT MADE HIS SELECTION YET. HE'S NOT REQUIRED TO SELECT THE PERSON THAT'S ON THIS LIST. HE CAN SELECT SOMEONE ELSE. >> HERE IT IS RIGHT HERE. >> OKAY. THEY'VE BEEN REMOVED THEN. >> COMMISSIONER SESSIONS, YOU'RE NOT REQUIRED TO SELECT THE REMAINING PERSON. YOU CAN SELECT -- YOU KNOW, YOU CAN APPOINT SOMEONE ON YOUR OWN AS LONG AS THEY'RE QUALIFIED. THEY DO HAVE TO BE CITY RESIDENTS IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE. >> OKAY. I'LL DO THAT. >> PARDON ME? >> I'M GONNA SELECT -- I HAVE TO DO IT NOW? >> YES. >> IF YOU WANT TO. >> NO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO. >> I'LL HAVE TO SPEAK WITH THEM, CONSULT WITH THEM AND SEE. >> DO WE HAVE ENOUGH TO HAVE A -- >> SO AT THIS POINT BASED ON THE THREE THAT I HEARD, WE WILL NOW HAVE A QUORUM OF THREE, BUT ALL THREE WILL HAVE TO BE PRESENT TO HAVE A MEETING OF THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT. >> CORRECT. >> THAT ALSO MEANS UNTIL WE -- WE'RE GOING TO NEED THOSE. WHEN IS THE NEXT MEETING? >> WE DON'T HAVE A MEETING SCHEDULED. MADAM MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, YOU ALL TAKE YOUR TIME, THERE'S NO MEETING SCHEDULED. >> AND I THINK, MADAM MAYOR, IF I COULD. >> YES. >> I THINK THAT THEY ONLY MET A HANDFUL OF TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR. >> RIGHT. FOUR TIMES. >> THEY MEET ON AN AD HOC BASIS BASED ON IF THERE'S AN APPLICATION FOR EITHER VARIANCE >> MADAM MAYOR, IF I MAY, THERE IS A POTENTIAL APPLICATION COMING FORWARD SHORTLY, SO THEY HAVE -- THAT APPLICANT HAS INQUIRED AS TO WHAT THE STATUS IS OF THIS BOARD. >> OKAY. BOARD OF THREE AT THIS POINT. >> YES. >> OKAY. ALL RIGHTY. WELL, WE'LL -- I'LL GET ON IT. >> TAKE YOUR TIME. GLL STILL NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE THREE APPOINTMENTS. >> I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE THREE APPOINTMENTS. >> SECOND. >> THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER, YES. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER PERONA, YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER SESSIONS, YES, MA'AM. MAYOR HUDSON, YES, MA'AM. [c. Submittal of applications for appointment to the Parking Committee.] >> OKAY. THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE SUBMITTAL OF APPLICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE PARKING COMMITTEE. THOSE APPLICATIONS WILL COME BACK TO YOU IN THE FORM OF A RESOLUTION AT OUR NEXT MEETING. >> I WAS READY TO APPOINT MINE TONIGHT. I APPOINTED MINE TO THE BOARD I OF ADJUSTMENT, HOW ABOUT THAT. >> SO MY APPLICANT HADN'T PUT AN APPLICATION IN YET. >> IF HE'D GET TO ME, I'M HAPPY TO ADD IT BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING. THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM AT ALL. SO THE NEXT WE HAVE IS COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. [14. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC Any person who wishes to comment on any subject may be heard at this time. Please limit your comments to three (3) minutes or less, as directed by the Mayor, as this section of the Agenda is limited to thirty minutes. The City Commission will not be able to take any official actions under Comments from the Public. Speakers will address the Mayor, Commissioners, and the Public with respect. Inappropriate language will not be tolerated.] >> OKAY. NOW IT'S TIME FOR COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. ANY PERSON WISHING TO COMMENT ON ANY SUBJECT MAY BE HEARD AT THIS TIME. PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENS TO THREE MINUTES. YOU WILL HAVE A WARNING LIGHT, FIVE SECONDS, IS THAT RIGHT, MS? >> THREE SECONDS. >> THREE SECONDS. GETS SHORTER ALL THE TIME. AND SO PLEASE SIGN IN AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND PLEASE ADDRESS THE COMMISSION AS A WHOLE. >> HELLO. MY NAME IS TIFFANY, I AM A -- THE NEW OWNER OF 715 SOUTH OCEAN DRIVE UNIT E. I RECENTLY BOUGHT THIS CONDO LAST -- IT WAS END OF OCTOBER. I BOUGHT THIS CONDO WITH MY SON WHO IS A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE AND HE WANTED TO BUY A SPORTS CAR BUT I CONVINCED HIM TO INVEST IN A PROPERTY. I BOUGHT THIS CONDO NOT KNOWING THE AREA. I HAVE BEEN ON HUTCHINSON ISLAND ONCE BEFORE, I WAS DOING SOME [02:05:01] WORK IN PORT ST. LUCIE AND I VISITED THERE. MY REALTOR IS FROM FORT PIERCE. I'M A COLLEGE PROFESSOR, SHE WAS ONE OF MY STUDENTS, AND SHE SUGGESTED THAT I LOOK AT THIS AREA BECAUSE IT'S UP AND COMING AND IT'S HOPING TO GET TOURISTS. I GAVE HER THE ZONE FROM FORT PIERCE TO FORT LAUDERDALE, AND THE ONLY RESTRICTIONS I WANTED WAS THAT IT WAS CLOSE TO THE BEACH, THAT IT HAD NO RENTAL RESTRICTIONS AND THAT I COULD USE IT FOR SHORT TERM VACATION RENTAL BECAUSE THIS WAS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT ME AND MY FAMILY -- BY THE WAY, WOOER FROM MICHIGAN SO WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO COME HERE AND USE THIS CONDO AT OUR LEISURE BUT ALSO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT IT. SO WE BOUGHT THIS AFTER I LOOKED ON CITY OF FORT PIERCE'S WEBSITE, SAW THAT YOU GUYS HAD A PROCESS IN PLACE FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS, I ALSO CHECKED WITH -- I'VE HEARD WONDERFUL THINGS TONIGHT, I'M GOING TO TALK REALLY FAST NOW, ABOUT GROWTH AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND I'M CLOSE BY AN AREA SIMILAR TO THIS, SCOOTERS, EVERYTHING, BRINGING PEOPLE. I SEE THE CITY, I SEE IT NEEDS GROWTH, I WANT TO BE A PART OF THAT. BUT I ALSO SEE A PROCESS IN THIS THING WHICH I MET MY NEIGHBOR, SHE'S GOING THROUGH THE PRO SE I HAVEN'T STARTED, IT HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED TO ME BY PEOPLE EVEN CLOSE, THEY JUST LEAVE THE CITY AND GO ELSEWHERE. BECAUSE THIS PROCESS FOR THIS PERMIT SEEMS UNOBTAINABLE. AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW A CITY CAN HAVE A PERMIT WHERE EVERYONE HAS BEEN DENIED. AND EXCEPT FOR MY NEIGHBOR WHO'S NOT BEEN FULLY APPROVED. SO I'M ASKING THAT THE COUNCIL OR -- THE COMMISSIONERS LOOK AT THIS ORDINANCE THAT THEY HAVE AND THE PROCESS, BECAUSE I'VE LISTENED TO ALL THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S SOME INTERPRETATION ISSUES THAT ARE BEING INTERPRETED DIFFERENT HERE THAN FOUR MILES DOWN THE ROAD, OR FOUR MILES UP THE ROAD. SO I'M ASKING THAT THEY LOOK AT THIS TO MAKE IT FEASIBLE FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME TO BRING PEOPLE TO THE CITY TO ENJOY THE CITY TO BRING TOURISM TO PUT FORTH A GOOD NAME FOR THIS. I DON'T SEE HOW YOU CAN TALK PROGRESS AND NOT TALK TOURISM AND NOT TALK AIRBNB. >> THANK YOU, MA'AM. YES, SIR. >> I THINK THIS YOUNG LADY HAS BEEN MISSING -- BECAUSE WE DO HAVE RENTALS, SHORT TERM. SEE THAT YOUNG MAN ON THE END DOWN THERE? GET HIS NAME AND -- >> UNDER 31 DAYS? >> YES. >> SO THIS IS NOT A DIALOGUE, SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL DISCUSS IT -- >> TELL HER TO GET THAT YOUNG MAN'S NAME DOWN THERE AND LET HER SPEAK TO HIM. >> I SHOULD CLARIFY, THOUGH, I MEANT UNDER 31 DAYS. BECAUSE I'M A PROFESSOR, I GET THREE DAYS OFF, MY SON A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE, HE GETS LIKE FOUR OR FIVE DAYS OFF. WE DON'T WANT 31 DAYS BLOCKED BECAUSE THEN WE CAN'T USE IT. >> OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION, PLEASE COME FORWARD. SIGN IN AND STATE YOUR NAME, AGAIN. THANK YOU. >> MICHELLE ONGARZO, 715 SOUTH OCEAN DRIVE. OKAY. SO YOU GUYS HAVE ALL MET ME MULTIPLE TIMES, I'M SURE YOU WISH I WOULD STOP COMING BUT I'M NOT GOING TO STOP COMING UNTIL ALL OF THESE ISSUES GET RESOLVED. I HAVE A LETTER DATED OCTOBER 22ND FROM LINDA COX WHICH IS MY APPROVAL LETTER. IT HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE TO FINANCISH THIS PERMIT BECAUSE THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT REFUSES AND I'VE SPOKEN WITH MR. MIMMS AND EVERYBODY UP ON THIS BOARD PRETTY MUCH, SO WHERE THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, REQUIRING ALL THESE THINGS, GETTING ALL THESE LICENSINGS WHICH ARE COMPLETELY DISCRIMINATORY COMPARED TO UNDER 30 DAYS VERSUS 31. IT'S NOT THE SAME. YOU GUYS DON'T HOLD THE SAME STANDARD BETWEEN THE TWO PERMITS. HOWEVER, THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE PROPER ZONING. I WAS TOLD HIRE A PROFESSIONAL. I DID. I HIRED A PROFESSIONAL, JEFF COLLINS, RETIRED FIRE CHIEF. IT WAS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND IN PORT ST. LUCIE, HENCE I HIRED HIM. IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING HIM, YOU KNOW, HE PUT IN OF AN OPINE. THE OPINE WAS NOT HEARD BY PAUL THOMAS. PAUL THOMAS BASICALLY STATED THAT, YOU KNOW, HE WAS GOING TO VIEW US UNDER CHAPTER 3, WHICH IS INCORRECT. IT IS CHAPTER 10. WE HAVE TALKED TO MOMADINI OVER [02:10:04] AT TALLAHASSEE, THE DBPR. WE ARE DBPR-CERTIFIED, WE HAVE EVERYTHING, EIN, WE ARE LICENSED BY SUN BIZ AND YET WE CONTINUE TO GET BEING OPPRESSED BY FORT PIERCE BUSINESS TAX RECEIPT, WHICH IS LINDA CO XS DEPARTMENT. EVEN LINDA COX EVEN STATED ON THE RECORD THAT OCEAN, WHICH YOU'RE REFERRING TO, IS SELF GOVERNING. YOU GUYS ALLOW -- THERE'S THIS PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT BETWEEN OCEAN AND ANYBODY ELSE THAT WANTS TO GET A PERMIT. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. IT'S PREJUDICIAL. AND I'M TIRED OF IT, I'M SICK OF, YOU KNOW, WHEN I COME IN TO CITY HALL, IT'S LIKE A SCATTER,% I CAN'T GET PETE SWEENEY TO RETURN MY PHONE CALLS EVEN AS OF TO DATE, MULTIPLE EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS CANNOT RETURN. THERE'S ONLY ONE PERSON ON THIS PANEL THAT HAS BEEN 100% SUPPORTIVE, AND YOU KNOW, AND I ACTUALLY FEEL SORRY FOR JENNIFER. JENNIFER HAS GOTTEN STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS SITUATION. I AM REQUESTING FOR AN EXTENSION WHICH I REQUESTED FROM LINDA COX AND SHE ABSOLUTELY DENIED ME. I REQUESTED A MEETING WITH YOU, MAYOR, YOU REFUSE TO MEET ME. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PETITION IS. POSITION IS. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT, UNLESS YOU THREATEN A LAWSUIT, YOU CAN'T GET A MEETING WITH ANYBODY IN THE CITY. YOU GUYS ARE OPPRESSING RESIDENTS. AND IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE. I MEAN, CAN WE NOT ALL WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THE CITY POSITIVE? I LOVE FORT PIERCE, I WANT TO STAY HERE FOREVER, BUT I'M REALLY DISCOURAGED. >> THANK YOU, MA'AM. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION, PLEASE COME FORWARD. SEEING NO ONE, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND MOVE ON. >> NEXT WE HAVE COMMENTS FROM [15. COMMENTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER] THE CITY MANAGER. >> MR. MIMMS. >> MADAM MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COMMISSION, ACTUALLY THIS IS THE LAST MEETING OF 2019, THE LAST MEETING OF THIS DECADE. I BELIEVE THIS DECADE HAS BEEN A FAIRLY WONDERFUL FOR THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, ESPECIALLY THE LAST THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX YEARS, AND I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THIS MEETING BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I THINK 2019 HAS BEEN A HISTORIC YEAR IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT, I'M NOT GOING TO GO DOWN THE LIST, I'LL BE HERE ALL NIGHT, BUT I THANK YOU AS A COMMISSION THAT HAVE WORKED TOGETHER VERY WELL, AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE THIS YEAR, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO 2020. >> THANK YOU, SIR. [16. COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION] MR. SWEENEY. >> DITTO. >> HE SAID IT BEST, RIGHT? >> VERY WELL. THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHTY. >> COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION. >> OKAY. COMMISSIONER PERONA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START? >> SURE. I'D LIKE TO FOLLOW UP WITH PUBLIC COMMENT RECENT. I HATE EVER TO HEAR THAT FORT PIERCE IS ALMOST DISCRIMINATING OR PURPOSELY CAUSING SOMEONE WHO'S TRYING TO CREATE A BUSINESS TO HAVE ANY ISSUES OTHER -- THAT WOULD NOT HAPPEN IN ANY OTHER COMMUNITY. MY THOUGHT IS THAT WE ALREADY APPROVED THIS, AND THAT IT WOULD GO THROUGH THE SYSTEM AND IF THERE WERE ANY TYPE OF OBSTACLES, THOSE OBSTACLES WERE CAUSED BY EITHER SOME FORM OF STATE RULE OR WHATEVER ELSE, AND FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD TONIGHT IS THAT THAT'S NOT SO, IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS HAPPENED WITHIN OUR OWN POLICY AND OUR OWN CODES, AND I'M SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT. AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW FOR CERTAIN IF THIS WAS IN STEWART, FLORIDA, WOULD IT HAVE THE SAME ISSUE AS FAR AS AFTER IT GOT APPROVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION, AND IT WAS JUST GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS, IS THAT SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN FORT PIERCE THAN ANY OTHER PLACE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA? AND IF SO, WHAT RULE AND REGULATION DO WE HAVE THAT'S KEEPING THIS MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE WE ALL HEARD THE APPLICATION ORIGINALLY. IT WAS A QUASI JUDICIAL, MR. SWEETEN SWEENEY DID A REALD JOB OF TELLING US WHAT PARAMETERS HAD TO STAY WITHIN, IT THE END OF THE NIGHT, IT WAS APPROVED. OF COURSE IT'S NOT APPROVED, I'VE HEARD BUILDING DEPARTMENT MENTIONED. MY UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S PREVENTING THIS IS A STATE REGULATION OR A STATE RULE THAT HAS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED BEFORE THIS GETS TO BE A REALITY. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY WEIGH-IN ON THAT? IS THIS SOMETHING THAT IS JUST UNIQUE TO FORT PIERCE OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT IS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA THAT THE ISSUES ALL COME FROM? >> MR. MIMMS. >> MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONER PERONA, IF YOU'RE SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT MICHELLE? >> YES. >> MICHELLE'S PARTICULAR SITUATION, I WOULD SAY THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE WHAT YOU COULD HAVE DONE. [02:15:01] YOU APPROVED THIS AS A CONDITIONAL USE. AND I BELIEVE THAT SHE WENT FOR A USE OF LESS THAN 30 DAYS. SO IT'S CLASSIFIED AS A VACATION RENTAL. OUR BUILDING OFFICIAL AND OUR CITY CLERK HAVE TO FOLLOW CERTAIN GUIDELINES WITHIN A CERTAIN CITY OF FORT PIERCE RULES AND REGS AND ALSO THE STATE OF FLORIDA, I GUESS, STATUTES, AND ALL OF THOSE PROCESSES ARE LISTED ON OUR WEBSITE. THEY WERE LISTED ON OUR WEBSITE PREVIOUS TO THE APPLICATION. THERE IS NOTHING NEW, THERE'S NOTHING OUTSTANDING, THERE'S NOTHING TROUBLESOME ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING. AND I'VE SPOKEN TO MICHELLE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. SHE HAS A DIFFERING OPINION THAN OUR BUILDING OFFICIAL. AND THERE IS A PROCESS TO APPEAL THE BUILDING OFFICIAL'S DETERMINATION. SO BASICALLY I'VE EXPLAINED THAT TO MS. LONGARZO AND WE ARE HAPPY TO HELP HER IN ANY POSSIBLE WAY, BUT IF SHE HAS A DIFFERING OPINION, THEN SHE HAS TO GO THROUGH THE PROPER APPEALS PROCESS, WHICH IS THROUGH THE FLORIDA BUILDING COMMISSION. SO WE'RE NOT TRYING TO PUT ANY DIFFERENT RULES OR REQUIREMENTS ON ANY APPLICANT. WE WELCOME DEVELOPMENT. WE USHER THE FOLKS THROUGH THE PROCESS AND WE SHALL CONTINUE TO DO SO. >> YOU KNOW, IN THIS PARTICULAR -- >> COMMISSIONER? GO AHEAD. >> THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION, JUST SO HAPPENS THAT MS. LONGARZO IS THE FIRST ONE. IF YOU REMEMBER WHEN WE DID THE SHORT TERM RENTAL OF 31 DAYS OR MORE, UNDER SIX MONTHS, THAT FIRST PERSON, IT WAS DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE WERE LEARNING AS WE WERE GOING, AND I'M NOT SAYING -- I'M NOT TRYING TO SAY STAFF FAILED OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, I'M JUST SAYING THAT I'M MORE INTERESTED IN -- BECAUSE AS WE HEARD EVEN TONIGHT, THERE'S SOMEBODY RIGHT BEHIND THAT APPLICATION WHO WANTS TO GO THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS. AND THAT PERSON WON'T BE THE LAST. THERE WILL BE ANOTHER ONE AFTER THAT AND ANOTHER ONE AFTER THAT AND ANOTHER ONE AFTER THAT. I'M SAYING IF WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT ISN'T WORKING, AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT STAFF IS TRYING TO USHER THE APPLICANT THROUGH THE PROCESS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO IDENTIFY THAT PROCESS AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT ARE THE HANGUPS, WHAT ARE THE ISSUES THAT'S CAUSING THIS NOT TO HAPPEN. BECAUSE THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE THE LAST TIME WE TALK ABOUT T THIS. I DON'T MEAN TONIGHT. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT IT MAYBE THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, IF WE CAN HAVE OUR BUILDING OFFICIAL COME IN HERE AND NOT TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THESE APPLICATIONS -- OH, MAN, I GAVE IT -- >> YOUR WRIST IS RINGING. >> THAT'S NOT YOUR SHH METER, IS IT? >> YEAH, THAT TELLS ME TO BE QUIET. BUT I JUST WOULD LIKE FROM MY PARTICULAR SITUATION BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE READY FOR. AND AN UNDERSTANDING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN IT IS RIGHT NOW. SO I KNOW THAT IT ISN'T THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE AND IF IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, WE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT CAN FIX THAT. IF WE WANT TO. IF WE WANTED TO. I MEAN -- SO I JUST DON'T -- I NEED TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING. WE DID APPROVE THE APPLICATION, WE DID OUR PART, BUT AS IT GOES THROUGH THE PROCESS, I THINK THAT I WOULD LIKE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT APPLICANT HAS TO GO THROUGH. >> AND CAN I JUST FOLLOW UP ON THAT? >> SURE. >> MY MEMORY IS, WHEN WE DID APPROVE IT, WE SAW PROBLEMS THAT WERE GOING TO BE ENCOUNTERED BECAUSE OF THINGS THAT WERE GOING TO HAVE TO BE MET. AND IN FACT THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE APPLICANT SAID WE UNDERSTAND THIS AND WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW THE RULES AND WE UNDERSTAND SO THERE WAS DISCUSSION THAT NIGHT OF THINGS THAT WERE GOING TO HAVE TO HAPPEN THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO AT ALL WITH THE CITY OF F FORT PIERCE, IS MY MEMORY. NOTHING AT ALL TO DO WITH THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. THINGS WERE GOING TO HAVE TO HAPPEN, AND SO I JUST THINK THAT WE APPROVED IT AND SAID CONDITIONAL USE, BUT YOU KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO JUMP THESE HURDLES DOWN THE WAY, AND SO I WATCH THE PLANNING BOARD MEETING AND THE PLANNING BOARD MEETING TOLD THEM THE SAME THING, AND THERE WAS GOING TO BE PROBLEMS BUT WE APPROVED IT. MR. MIMMS, DID YOU WANT TO CHIME IN? >> TO RESPOND TO THAT, THEN I WANT TO ASK THE COMMISSION A QUESTION. I DON'T LOOK AT ANYTHING AS A PROBLEM, I LOOK AT IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RESOLUTION. SO IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, I GUESS, RECONFIGURE OR REMODEL OR IMPROVE THE STRUCTURAL CAPACITY OR [02:20:02] CONFIGURATION OF THE PARTICULAR UNIT THAT IS BEING -- THAT IS OF ISSUE, THEN IT'S A MATTER OF HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO INVEST TO MEET THE STATE, THE FEDERAL AND THE LOCAL STANDARDS CH THAT'S IT. WE'RE NOT TRYING TO REINVENT THE WHEEL. SO THE NEXT THING I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE CITY COM ITION IS, WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS WITH THE CRA ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS WITH THE CITY COMMISSION, WE CAN HAVE A REFRESHER COURSE RIGHT HERE AT A CONFERENCE AGENDA AND WE CAN GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS AS IT IS TODAY, AND WE HAVE NOT CHANGED THEIR PROCESS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. >> SINCE 2011. >> I DON'T NEED A COMPLETE REFRESHER COURSE BECAUSE I REMEMBER THAT, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S AN INTERPRETATION ISSUE THAT'S GOING THROUGH THAT, I DON'T UNDERSTAND. >> OKAY. >> AND THAT'S THE PART. THAT WOULD BE A REAL QUICK AT A CONFERENCE AGENDA TO BE ABLE TO SIT THERE AND SAY THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE MET FOR THIS -- IT'S A VACATION RENTAL, VACATION RENTAL BECAUSE IT'S DIFFERENT THAN THE SHORT TERM. >> CORRECT. >> AND THAT'S THE THING I WANT TO GET MY ARMS AROUND. >> DIFFERENT STATUTES COVER DIFFERENT SHORT TERM VERSUS VACATION AND THAT'S HARD TO KEEP STRAIGHT AND PEOPLE READ THEM SOMETIMES, IT'S THE SAME THING. >> AND IF WE HAVE A GOOD HANDLE ON IT, THEN IT WILL BE EASIER, I THINK, TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT HOW THIS IS BEING DONE. AND THAT WE WON'T HAVE ALL THESE FOLKS THAT ARE CONSTANTLY FAILING TO BE ABLE TO DO WHAT THEY THINK THEY CAN DO IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY'RE BLAMING FORT PIERCE FOR NOT GETTING IT DONE. >> SOMETIMES IT'S -- THE REALTOR HAS LED PEOPLE TO BELIEVE. >> WE KNOW THAT. WE KNOW THAT IN THE PAST. >> WE DO KNOW THAT, RIGHT? >> SO I MEAN, I WOULD LIKE TO -- AT LEAST THE PART ABOUT THE INTERPRETATION OF THE STATE LAWS, THE BUILDING CODES AND WHATEVER AND HOW IT RELATES TO THESE ISSUES IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE IS WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR, AND IF I COULD GET TWO MORE OF YOU TO SAY THE SAME THING, WE CAN GET IT ON A CONFERENCE AGENDA. >> BUILDING CODE TOO, BUT ALSO I THINK WE HAVE TO KNOW WHAT STATE STATUTE REQUIRES AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME. >> I WOULD AGREE. >> HAVING NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BUILDING CODE. >> MAKE IT EASIER FOR US, AND THAT INFORMATION WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC IMMEDIATELY AND IT MIGHT SAVE SOME OF THESE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE MICHELLE ROLLING THROUGH CITY HALL ON A DAILY BASIS, AND TRYING TO GET SOME ANSWERS, BUT OKAY, I DO APPRECIATE IT. >> I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT TOPIC WITHOUT MAKING A COMMENT BEFORE WE GET OFF AND I HAVE TO COME BACK AND SAY SOMETHING, BUT THERE WERE CONDITIONS, I WAS THE DISSENTING VOTE OF THE VOTE THAT EVENING, BUT THERE ARE ALSO CONDITIONS WITHIN THE APPROVAL THAT I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THOSE ARE SATISFIED YET, DO WE HAVE LETTERS OF AGREEMENT, DO WE HAVE OTHER OWNERS WITHIN THIS COMPLEX. SOME OF MY HESITATION AND WHY I WAS AGAINST THE APPLICATION AT THE TIME, THE TWO DAYS BECAME A THING, AND IT WAS SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT DO WE HAVE AGREEMENTS IN INSTALLING ANOTHER HANDICAPPED SPACE, THE SIDEWALKS -- >> THE PARKING AND ALSO THE FIRE -- FIRE SUPPRESSION. >> RIGHT. SO THAT'S A PART OF THE CODE THAT WE AS POLICY MAKERS CANNOT REGULATE THE BUILDING OFFICIAL. I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT BECAUSE HE CARRIES A LIE ALICENSE INDEPENDENT OF THEY OF FORT PIERCE COMMISSION. IT'S INDEPENDENT OF US AND IT'S THAT WAY FOR A REASON. BECAUSE HE IS LICENSED TO ADMINISTER THE FLORIDA BUILDING CODE IN THE WAY THAT IS BLACK AND WHITE AND THE WAY HE INTERPRETS IT. THE CHALLENGE IS TO GO TO TALLAHASSEE AND SAY, I CHALLENGE YOUR OPINION, SIR OR MA'AM, AND THAT'S JUST -- THAT'S THE RULE. THAT'S THE RULE. CERTIFIED BUILDING OFFICIAL. >> WHEN HE'S TALKING ABOUT STATE STATUTES. >> I DON'T KNOW WHY WE POLITICIZE THE WHOLE THING AND THE ENTIRE STATE OF FLORIDA TO BE UPSIDE-DOWN. SO THAT'S PART OF THAT PROCESS BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MORE EDUCATION ON IT TOO. SO I SUPPORT YOU THERE. >> YES, SIR. >> THE SECOND PART HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT. I HAVE TO SAY THAT THIS WEEKEND, I REALIZED THAT THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE HAS NOW GOT A NEW LABEL, AND IT IS THE COMMUNITY WHERE SERIOUS ATHLETES COME TO DO THEIR THING. >> DID YOU SEE SOME SERIOUS ATHLETES THIS WEEKEND? >> THIS WEEKEND, WE HAD A 50K AND 100K OUT JUST IN BEAR POINT, AND I WILL SAY THAT THERE WERE 13 FINISHERS, 13 INDIVIDUALS AND TWO TEAMS THAT RAN 62 MILES IN THE TRAILS THIS WEEKEND. IT STARTED AT 6:00 IN THE MORNING AND SOME OF THEM DIDN'T GET DONE UNTIL ALMOST MIDNIGHT, [02:25:03] AND VERY DETERMINED PEOPLE. AND THEN THE VERY NEXT MORNING, WE HAD THE GAME-ON TRIATHLON, THE TEASURE COAST TRIATHLON SERIES WENT THROUGH, IF YOU WERE OUT ON THE ISLAND, THERE WERE CYCLISTS, THERE WERE RUNNERS, THERE WERE EVERYTHING GOING ON. ALL TOLD, THERE WERE PROBABLY 350 SERIOUS ATHLETES IN OUR COMMUNITY LAST WEEK. AND WHEN YOU READ THE DOCUMENTS FOR REGISTRATION AND HOW THEY DESCRIBE WHAT OUR TOWN IS, YOU JUST GET THE WARM FUZZIES ABOUT IT'S LIKE A HIDDEN GEM AND THIS IS THE BEST PLACE FOR IT ALL. SO I MEAN, I'LL MAKE A COPY OF WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT US, BUT I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY AS THE VENUE FOR SERIOUS ATHLETES. AND -- IN FACT, IN THE 50K AND THE 100K, WE HAD THREE FROM OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY THAT CAME HERE. WE HAD FOLKS COME IN FROM ALL DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA, JUST TO PARTICIPATE IN IT. IT WAS KIND OF FUN. >> WHAT -- >> I RAN A RELAY. MY WIFE AND I DID A RELAY WITH A FRIEND. WE DID A 50K. AT SINKS IN TH 6:00 IN THE MORNN 12.3 MILES AND MY WIFE RAN 12.3 MILES AND WE WERE NO FUN AT ANY PARTY THAT NIGHT, I'M TELLING YOU. WE WERE OUT. AND THEN I GOT BACK IN THERE AND HELPED TREASURE COAST SPORTS COMMISSION DID AN ABSOLUTE SENSATIONAL JOB. THOSE GUYS AND GALS ARE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. THE TDC WAS REPRESENTED THROUGH THE WHOLE THING. WE HAD A LOT OF PARTNERS, ST. LUCIE COUNTY M MOSQUITO CONTROL, YOU NAME IT, THEY WERE THERE. PEOPLE JUST SHOWED UP FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE TO HELP SUPPORT THAT. IT'S GETTING TO BE THE THING NOW. >> SPORTS TOURISM. >> SPORTS TOURISM. THERE IS TALK OF DOING A 100-MILER NEXT YEAR. >> THERE WAS A TRIATHLON SUNDAY MORNING. >> THE NEXT MORNING. THAT'S WHAT I SAID. THAT'S INDEPENDENT, BUT I MEAN, JUST TO -- >> WHAT GROUP WAS THAT? SAME GROUP? >> NO, IT'S GAME ON. IT'S THE -- GAME ON, I THINK, IS THE -- THEY WERE THE ORIGINATORS, BUT IT'S PART OF THE TREASURE COAST TRIATHLON SERIES. BECAUSE I MEAN, THEY WERE -- I MEAN, YOU COULDN'T EVEN CROSS THE STREET BECAUSE LIKE FOR AN HOUR, THEY WERE CONSTANTLY UP AND DOWN ON EVERYTHING. >> MADAM MAYOR, IF I MAY, COMMISSIONER PERONA, BUT KIM DELANEY, ONE OF OUR FAVORITES, SHE ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED IN THE -- ON SUNDAY. >> ANYWAY, THAT'S IT, MAYOR. >> COMMISSIONER SESSIONS. >> I JUST WANT TO -- LIKE CITY MANAGER POINTED OUT, THIS IS OUR LAST MEETING FOR THE YEAR. AND WE HAVE MADE GREAT STRIDES IN TERMS OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE FOR OUR CITY. AND WE'RE TO BE COMMENDED FOR THAT. AND THE THINGS ABOUT IT IS THAT, WHEN YOU MAKE GREAT STRIDES,GHT- WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS THAT YOU HAVE AN INCREASE IN POPULTION, AND IT'S CALLED GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND I HEARD THE WORDS "REGULATIONS" USED TONIGHT SOMEWHAT IN A BAD WAY, BUT LET'S FACE IT, AS WELL GO INTO THAT, TAKE TO ANOTHER LEVEL, IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE IN A LOT OF INSTANCES WHAT WE CALL CROWD CONTROL. SO WHILE I'M NOT A PROPONENT OF REGULATIONS, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S ALL ABOUT PROTECTING THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF THE CITIZENS. AND ON THAT NOTE, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT THE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AT A SAFE HAVEN WHERE OUR CHILDREN COME TO FIND A SAFE HAVEN WHERE INDIVIDUALS WAS -- THEY WERE ACTUALLY SHOT IS DEVASTATING. AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT AND WALK THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND ALSO TALK TO WILL, AND THERE ARE SOME THINGS AND SOME CONCERNS THAT HE HAS AND IT'S GOING TO COST SOME MONEY. SO LET'S FACE IT, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY ULTIMATELY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR A LOT OF THEIR VENUE, BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT IN A JOINT EFFORT. AND HE HAS SOME CONCERNS AND SOME OF THE THINGS HE'D LIKE TO PUT IN PLACE, I BELIEVE ARE GOING TO PROTECT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO PREVENT INCIDENTS LIKE [02:30:05] THIS FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE, BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE AGE GROUP OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE, IT JUST MAKES NO SENSE. THESE AREN'T EVEN ADULTS THAT ARE DOING THIS. THESE ARE 14-YEAR-OLDS AND 15-YEAR-OLDS WALKING AROUND WITH ARTILLERY LIKE THEY'RE IN THE ARMY OR SOMETHING. AND HOW THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THESE TYPE OF WEAPONS CEASES TO AMAZE ME. BUT AT ANY RATE, WE HAVE GOT TO BE MORE PROACTIVE AND IMAITIVE E IN TERMS OF HAVING A ZERO TOLERANCE LEVEL FOR THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR. IT'S COMING UP TO THE CHRISTMAS SEASON, AND THINGS START TO GET A LITTLE HOTTER EVERY YEAR ABOUT THE SAME TIME, BUT FOR OUR JOINT EFFORTS WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, WHATEVER IT TAKES, WE HAVE GOT TO HAVE A LOT MORE VISIBILITY IN THESE HOT SPOTS BECAUSE WE CAN'T ALLOW SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO HAPPEN OR TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN WITHOUT DOING ALL THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN TO STOP IT FROM HAPPENING. SO THIS IS A SMALL CITY AND I ALWAYS SAY THIS, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF COMMUNICATING WITH THE PEOPLE OUT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WE CAN GO OUT THERE AND WE CAN TALK TO THESE PEOPLE. THESE PEOPLE, THEY GIVE THEMSELVES AWAY, THEY'RE SO STUPID, THEY'RE ON FACEBOOK WHO THE CULPRIT IS, WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO DO IT. AND IT'S JUST A MATTER OF US MONITORING THESE YOUNG PEOPLE AND WE CAN STOP A LOT OF THIS CRIME. SO AGAIN, I HOPE THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING, JOIN FORCES, WHATEVER IT IS, WE'RE NOT TOO PROUD TO ASK FOR HELP, IF WE NEED IT, LET'S ASK FOR IT, AND LET'S ERADICATE AND STOP SOME OF THIS CRIME BECAUSE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO HAPPEN TO A BABY, AND OH BABY, WE SEND THEM TO THESE PLAYGROUNDS AND THESE BASKETBALL COURTS WITH THE ANTICIPATION OF THEM BEING IN A PROTECTED ENVIRONMENT, AND YOU GOT DRIVE-BYES. DRIVE-BYES. WE CAN'T TOLERATE THAT AND WE'VE GOT TO DO ALL WE CAN TO STOP IT. SO THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. >> MADAM MAYOR, I JUST HAVE TO -- YOU KNOW, I CAN'T END THE END OF THIS YEAR ON A SOUR NOTE, BUT YOU KNOW, THOSE TWO YOUNG LADIES, I DIDN'T KNOW FROM -- IF I SEE THEM AGAIN, I WOULDN'T RECOGNIZE THEM. SO WHEN THEY COME IN HERE WITH A MATTER OF CONCERN, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY COME TO THAT PODIUM, I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE A DIALOGUE, I KNOW THAT, I'VE BEEN HERE LONG ENOUGH FOR THAT. BUT WHEN I ASKED THEM TO SEE MY CITY MANAGER WHEN THEY HAVE SOME CONCERNS, HOW DO I KNOW THAT THEY'VE SPOKEN TO CITY MANAGER 10 TIMES? I WOULDN'T KNOW IT. HOW WOULD I KNOW THEY'VE SPOKEN TO YOU? I WOULDN'T KNOW IT. ALL I SAY, IF THEY HAVE A CONCERN, WHO I'M TELLING THEM TO SEE. I WOULDN'T TELL THEM TO SEE YOU. SO I DON'T WANT TO BE SHUT DOWN AS THOUGH YOU MAY SHUT DOWN SOMEONE AT THAT PODIUM, THAT'S YOUR PREROGATIVE. BUT YOU DON'T SHUT ME DOWN. I DON'T APPRECIATE THAT. SO IF I TELL THEM TO SEE THE CITY MANAGER, YOU LET ME HAVE THAT LAST WORD OF TELLING ANYBODY TO SEE THE CITY MANAGER. BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE ONE VOTE A PIECE. EVERYBODY UP HERE. I'M GONNA SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS ON THAT. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. >> THANK YOU, MA'AM. A LOT OF GOOD THINGS HAPPENED IN THE CITY THIS PAST SUNDAY FOR THE MAIN STREET SIGHTS AND SOUNDS KIWANIS CLUB, LION'S CLUB, VOLUNTEERS, PUBLIC WORKS, CITY OF FORT PIERCE EMPLOYEES ALL AROUND. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT. WHAT AN AWESOME TURNOUT FOR THE PARADE. IT SEEMED LIKE RECORD NUMBERS YET AGAIN. THE NUMBER OF FLOATS WERE DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT BUT THAT'S OKAY. THE NUMBERS THAT WERE HERE TO SEE IT LOOKED LIKE THEY INCREASED YET AGAIN AND THAT'S HARD TO BELIEVE. >> RIGHT. >> THAT EVERY SINGLE YEAR, THAT'S HAPPENING OVER AND OVER. SO, A LOT OF GOOD THINGS TO COME. I WAS LOOKING THROUGH SOME OF THE EMAILS FROM SUNRISE THEATER. IT LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF GREAT VENUES COMING HERE AND THERE'S A LOT GOING ON, OF COURSE, THIS MONTH FOR THE HOLIDAYS, BUT I SAW A FEW THAT CAUGHT MY [02:35:07] INTEREST. MICHAEL WINSLOW WAS THE GENTLEMAN OFF OF POLICE ACADEMY THAT MADE ALL THE NOISE IN THE SOUND EFFECTS, IF YOU'D EVER SEEN THAT MOVIE. HE'S COMING TO THE BLACK BOX. I DON'T KNOW, I JUST WAS BROWSING THROUGH. JACK HANNA, THAT ONE CAUGHT MY ATTENTION A MONTH AND A HALF AGO, AND THEN IF YOU'RE 80S MUSIC LOVER, LET'S SAY THE 70S, WAIT A MINUTE, TEMPTATIONS, MICHAEL BOLTON, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF STUFF. >> GEORGE THOROUGHGOOD. >> THAT'S RIGHT, I REMEMBER THAT ONE NOW. SO IT'S JUST INTERESTING, BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND AN EVENT NOT TOO LONG AGO, AND IT WAS A PACKED HOUSE. AND GROUP -- YOU KNOW, AGES OF ALL RESPECTS. SO INTERESTING TO SEE THAT IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. AWESOME. JUST WANTED TO SAY HAPPY HOLIDAY, MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU, TO EVERYONE IN THE CITY. AND THANK YOU, STAFF, FOR YOUR HARD WORK IN 2019, LOOK FORWARD TO A GOOD 2020. THE DAWN OF A NEW DECADE, I GUESS, I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN CALL IT AN ERA YET, BUT WE'RE STARTING SOMETHING NEW, SO IT'S EXCITING. A LOT OF GOOD THINGS HAPPENING, SO APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. >> MADAM MAYOR. >> YES, SIR. >> I FORGOT ONE THING. >> SURE. >> I THINK THE CITY MANAGER FORGOT ONE THING. IS THERE SOMETHING YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE OFFERING TO THE EMPLOYEES? >> OH, WE'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF THAT, SIR. I GOT YOU. >> REALLY? >> YEAH, I GOT THAT. WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THAT, SIR. >> THE EMPLOYEES? >> NO, SIR, ABSOLUTELY NOT. >> OKAY. >> SO I LEARNED A COUPLE OF THINGS -- I LEARNED A LOT IN TALLAHASSEE, BUT TWO I'LL SHARE WITH YOU. THERE'S A CYBERSECURITY BILL, BECAUSE CITIES ARE CONTINUING TO BE ATTACKED. NONDERS NEW ORLEANS JUST GOT AT. SO THIS IS A BILL THAT THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES IS SUPPORTING, ASKING FOR AN ASSESSMENT AND TRAINING AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR CITIES. SO -- FROM THE BUDGET. THE ASSESSMENT OF THE THREATS, OF CYBERSECURITY AND BEING HACKED. >> THEY'RE NOT ASKING THE CITIES FOR ASSESSMENTS? >> NO, NO, NO, NOT MONEY, ASKING THE STATE FOR MONEY. >> OKAY. OKAY. >> I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED. >> ANYWAY, WE'RE SUPPORTING THAT, AND THERE'S ANOTHER BILL THAT IS GOING TO BAN SMOKING IN ALL PUBLIC PARKS, COUNTIES AND STATE PARK, AND ONE BILL, THE HOUSE, I THINK, INCLUDES CITIES BUT THE OTHER ONE DOESN'T INCLUDE CITIES YET, BUT THE LEAGUE IS GOING TO SUPPORT THAT. AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GO TO OUR BEACH PARKS, PARTICULARLY JETTY PARK, THE CIGARETTE BUTTS THAT ARE ALL OVER THAT PARK ARE -- MAKES THAT PARK SO UNATTRACTIVE, AND THEN THE NICOTINE GETS IN THE WATER AND THE WHOLE -- SO I'M NOT ONE FOR BANNING SMOKING, I MEAN, PEOPLE GET TO SMOKE IF THEY WANT TO SMOKE, BUT IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY, BEING ABLE TO CONTROL THE LITTER, IT JUST WOULD REALLY ABSOLUTELY CONTROL THE LITTER, AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHY THEY'RE DOING IT. I THENG THEY'RE DOING IT BECAUSE OF THE SECONDHAND SMOKE, BUT TO ME, IT WOULD BE A REAL BOON IF WE COULD NOT HAVE SMOKING IN THE PARK BECAUSE OF THE LITTER OF THE CIGARETTE BUTTS. AND THEY'RE VERY HARD TO CLEAN UP, LET ME TELL YOU THAT. SO ALSO I WANTED TO REMIND YOU AT THE SUNRISE THEATER THIS COMING FRIDAY NIGHT IS SOUND OF THE SEASONS WHICH IS PUT ON BY OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN SOME OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS. IT'S FREE AND YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE A TICKET AHEAD OF TIME. CHILDREN SERVICES COUNCIL. SOUND OF THE SEASONS. AND COFFEE WITH THE MAYOR IS THIS FRIDAY, AND THE SPONSOR IS CENTER STATE BANK, AND FORT PIERCE JAZZ AND BLUES SOCIETY, THEY COME AND PLAY CHRISTMAS MUSIC, SO EVERYBODY IS INVITED, AND I ALSO WANT TO WISH EVERYBODY A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR, AND A SAFE NEW YEAR, AND SO RIGHT NOW, WE'RE GOING TO ADJOURN, BUT I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT IMMEDIATELY -- YES? >> ONE MORE THING? >> YES, SIR. >> THIS IS FOR ALL OF US FOR INFORMATION, WE NEED TO MONITOR THIS. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT LEGISLATION BEING PASSED IN TALLAHASSEE, THERE'S ALSO A PROPOSED BILL OUT THERE WHERE THERE'S A GENTLEMAN I BELIEVE UP IN NORTH FLORIDA WHERE HE'S PROPOSING THAT MUNICIPALITIES ARE NOT ABLE TO [02:40:08] COLLECT REVENUES FROM THEIR LOCAL UTILITY SERVICES >> OH, YES, HOUSE BILL 653. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> YES. >> SO WE NEED TO MONITOR THAT. >> THE LEAGUE IS OPPOSED TO THAT AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. >> YEAH. >> OKAY. SO WE'RE UPON ADJOURNMENT, HERE'S WHAT -- IF EVERYBODY IN THE CHAMBERS WOULD START TO ADJOURN RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO ADJOURN, AND WE'RE GOING TO TURN OUT THE LIGHTS AND THE PEOPLE UP IN THE DAIS ARE GOING TO PACK UP THEIR THINGS AND IF YOU WANT TO TALK TO SOMEBODY UP IN THE DAIS, YOU CAN TALK TO THEM OUT IN THE FOYER. SO IF YOU'D PLEASE START MOVING TOWARD THE REAR, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.