Apr 20, 2020 City Commission Regular Meeting

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:42]

>> OPENING PRAYER. >> AND AS WE EMBARK ON CARING OF THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, WE ASK, OH LORD, THAT YOU LEAD AND GUIDE US AS WE MAKE DECISIONS, OH LORD. DECISIONS THAT ARE GODLY DECISIONS. AND LORD, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOU SPARING OUR LIVES AND ALLOWS IN US TO SEE THE SUNRISE THIS MORNING BECAUSE OUR ANY INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE GOING ON BEFORE US. AND FOR THAT WE ARE GRATEFUL, LORD. AND WHEN WE LOOK ABOUT THIS GLOBE, THIS WORLD, THIS NATION, THIS STATE, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE CITY, LORD, WE ARE STANDING HERE SEEKING JUSTICE AND LIBERTY FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS. AND LORD, WE MAY NOT DO WHAT IS PLEASING IN YOUR EYESIGHT, BUT FOR THAT, WE ASK FOR FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS AND LORD, AS WE LOOK ABOUT THIS NATION AND WE SEE THE PROBLEMS THAT ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW, AS FAR AS THIS ACADEMIC THAT IS TURNED INTO A PANDEMIC, WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS. BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT YOU HOLD THE FUTURE IN YOUR HANDS. AND FOR THAT WE ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO THROW YOUR ARMS OF PROTECTION AROUND US, LORD. LORD, WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE THE PHYSICIAN OF PHYSICIANS, YOU ARE THE SCIENTIST OF SCIENTISTS AND WE KNOW YOU HAVE THE VACCINE AND THE CURE FOR WHAT HAS BEEN PLACED ON OUR NATION. AND FOR THAT, WE ARE SEEKING YOUR MERCY AND YOUR GRACE AND LORD, A PLEA AND AN ANSWER TO MY PRAYER IS COME AND SEE ABOUT US. KEEP US, O HEAVENLY FATHER. AND AS I STAND HERE, AND I LOOK AROUND, WE HAVE SO MANY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE WORKING IN STRIVING TO DO THE BEST THAT THEY CAN TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES, OH LORD, THERE ARE SO MANY THAT ARE COMING SHORT. BUT I UNDERSTAND AND I KNOW, OH, LORD, YOU HOLD ALL POWER IN YOUR HAND WE ASK THAT YOU FEED AND NOURISH THEM, THE FAMILIES THAT ARE TORN APART AS A RESULT OF THE ANXIETY AND STRESS. MAKE THEM WHOLE AGAIN. TOUCH THEM, OH LORD. AND LORD, AS WE COME TO AN END OF THIS PRAYER AND PETITION, THERE IS ONE THING THAT WE ASK OF YOU, LORD, AND THAT YOU SAID THAT YOU WOULD NEVER LEAVE US AND YOU WOULD NEVER FORSAKE US. AND LORD, WE ARE BEHOLDEN TO THE PROMISE, THE PROMISE THAT YOU MADE. WE THANK YOU RIGHT NOW AS WE EMBARK ON THIS MEETING TO TOUCH THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF US SO THAT WE CAN MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE PROPER AND ON ONE ACCORD THAT YOU WOULD HELP US TO MAKE. AND FOR THAT AGAIN, OH LORD, KNOWING THAT YOU'VE ANSWERED OUR PRAYERS, WE SAY TO YOU THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND LET US ALL SAY 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.

>>MAYOR HUDSON: CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.

>> (ROLL CALL). >> WE WILL LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT HE IS PRESENT BY PHONE.

>> (CONTINUED ROLL CALL). HE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA

[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

[00:05:04]

>> THERE'S A MOTION IN A SECOND. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE MR. JOHNSON.

>> MR. SESSIONS. MAYOR HUDSON.

>> SO WE HAVE NO PROCLAMATIONS, NO LETTERS TO THE COMMISSION NO ONE FROM THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP.

[9. ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO AGENDA AND APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

>>MAYOR HUDSON: ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS? IF NOT I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

>> THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.

>>. >>.

[a. Presentation and acceptance of City Audit on all funds for fiscal year ended September 30, 2019, as prepared by DiBartolomeo, McBee, Hartley & Barnes, P.A.]

>>MAYOR HUDSON: YES, MA'AM. >> WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE CITY AUDITS ON ALL BONDS FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2019 IS

PREPARED BY HARTLEY AND BARNES. >>MAYOR HUDSON: ONLY. WELCOME.

MS. MORRIS, DO YOU HAVE AN INTRODUCTORY OR MR. MIMBS? NO? YOU'RE GOOD. YOU'RE GOING TO LET THEM GO SOLO. OKAY. ALREADY.

ELCOME, MR. BARNES. >> IS ARE -- YOU ARE JUST GOING TO TALK, MR. BARNES? IS THAT CORRECT?

>> I THINK THE POWERPOINT IS LOADED ON HERE.

>> GOOD EVENING MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS.

>>MAYOR HUDSON: WELCOME. >> THANK YOU.

>> SO WE FINISHED THE AUDIT BACK IN SEPTEMBER AND OBVIOUSLY, WITH SOME OF THE DELAYS IN THAT, WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED IT HAS TAKEN US A WHILE TO GET TO THIS POINT.

BUT WE ARE FINISHED. WE ARE DONE. I JUST DO A BRIEF FINANCIAL ANALYSIS. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH EACH ONE OF YOU TO GO THROUGH THAT REPORT AND ANY CONCERNS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. SO I WILL DO A VERY BRIEF PRESENTATION ON THIS. AND JUST HAD SOME HIGHLIGHTS. THE FIRST PAGE IS THE COMBINED BALANCE SHEET. THE MAIN THING TO POINT OUT HERE IS THAT YOUR CASH IS UP BY ONE 1.4 MILLION. YOUR RESTRICTED CASH IS UP 3.2 MILLION AND THOSE ARE MARINA DOLLARS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR SOME OF THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING THERE. THE OTHER IMPORTANT THING ON THE BALANCE SHEET IS THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT YOUR LONG-TERM LIABILITIES HAVE GONE DOWN BY $5 MILLION IN ONE YEAR. YOU ARE DOING A GOOD JOB AT PAYING DOWN YOUR DEBT. YOUR NET POSITION IS 9,144,000, WHICH IS EXCELLENT. AND I HAVE TAKEN A LOOK BACK FIVE YEARS AGO, IT WAS BORN HALF-MILLION. SO YOU HAVE DOUBLED YOUR FUND BALANCE. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE INVESTMENT IN CAPITAL ASSETS. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE USABLE PORTION IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS. AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2019, YOU ARE IN A GOOD FINANCIAL POSITION. SO COMING INTO THIS CRISIS, YOU PROBABLY COULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN A BETTER POSITION THAN YOU ARE. I THINK I TALKED TO A JEW AND SAID BOY, 10 YEARS AGO, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH DIFFERENT. SO YOU ARE FORTUNATE FROM A FINANCIAL POSITION TO BE WHERE YOU ARE AT

TODAY. >>MAYOR HUDSON: I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT IN THE SMALL PRINT DOWN THERE THE DEBT HAS BEEN DECREASING EACH YEAR, APPROXIMATELY 20 MILLION OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS. WE HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB.

>> ABSOLUTELY. AND DID DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS, REDUCING OR DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS REDUCES YOUR MONTHLY PAYMENTS AND MONTHLY PAYMENTS ARE -- THAT'S WHAT CAN GET GOVERNMENTS IN TROUBLE AND BUSINESSES IN TROUBLE. THAT'S WHEN YOU CAN GET INDIVIDUALS INTO TROUBLE.

ANYWAY YOU CAN REDUCE YOUR MONTHLY EXPENDITURES IS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE.

>> OUR STAFF IN COMMISSION HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB.

>> I THINK THE IMPORTANT POINT WE MADE AS YOU HAVE CONTROL OVER YOUR EXPENSES. OVER THE NEXT FEW MUCH YOU HAVE VERY LITTLE CONTROL OVER THE REVENUE SIDE. WE JUST DON'T KNOW IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. YOU ARE IN A PRETTY GOOD CAST, CASH POSITION BUT YOU WANT TO MONITOR AND KEEP AN EYE ON THEM, JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. EVERY GOVERNMENT IS IN THE SAME

POSITION. >> RIGHT.

>> SO THAT IS THE BALANCE SHEET.

>> GOVERNMENTAL FUND REVENUES. AS THE MOST IMPORTANT THEY ARE IS THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT YOUR

[00:10:02]

>> MAY ASK A QUESTION. >> COMMISSIONER PERLA.

>> I'M SORRY WHEN I TALK TO YOU I HAD THIS DOWN AND I MISSED IT. IT'S PROBABLY SIMPLE. I GOT TO PAGE 31, WHICH HAS TO DO WITH GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS, DIFFERENT DESCRIPTIONS IS NONEXPENDABLE AND RESTRICTED. I ALWAYS THOUGHT THOSE WERE THE SAME. AND COMMITTED AND ASSIGNED. SO ARE YOU MAKING UP OTHER WORDS FOR US OR CAN YOU TELL ME THE DIFFERENCE.

>> (LAUGHING) ON ME, PERSONALLY.

>> I GOT TO THAT PART IN ALL OF THE SUDDEN I HIT A ROADBLOCK THINKING WAIT, I JUST KNEW THEY WERE RESTRICTED AND UNRESTRICTED FUNDS. THAT'S ALL I EVER DEALT WITH. I KNOW WERE DEALING WITH COMMITTED, NONEXPENDABLE AND IS STARTING TO SOUND LIKE MY WIFE. THESE

ARE NONEXPENDABLE FUNDS. >> WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE THIS

AS COMPLICATED AS WE CAN. >> THANK YOU.

>> IT'S JOB SECURITY. >> THANK YOU MARK.

>> NON-SPENDABLE, THOSE ARE MOUNTS THAT CANNOT BE SPENT BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT IN A

SPENDABLE FORM. >> THANK YOU (LAUGHING).

>>MAYOR HUDSON: (LAUGHING). >> THAT CLEARED UP.

>>MAYOR HUDSON: OH BOY. >> THOSE ARE GOING TO BE YOUR PREPAID'S AND STUFF LIKE THAT. THAT'S WHAT THAT IS. RESTRICTED, YOU KNOW WHAT RESTRICTED IS. COMMITTED MOUNTS CAN BE USED OVER FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES BECAUSE OF A FORMAL ACTION OR ORDINANCE. THOSE ARE DOLLARS THAT YOU COMMITTED. THEN YOU HAVE ASSIGNED AMOUNTS THAT DO NOT MEET THE CRITERIA TO BE CLASSIFIED AS RESTRICTED OR COMMITTED. THOSE ARE DOLLARS YOU'VE ASSIGNED. THEY SAY HEY, WERE GOING TO USE THIS MONEY

FOR THIS CERTAIN PURPOSE. >> I KNOW WHAT UNASSIGNED IS.

>> AND YOU NOW -- RESTRICTED -- THE WAY I LOOK THAT IS RESTRICTED IS EXTERNAL.

COMMITTED IS INTERNAL. AND RESTRICTED IS OBVIOUSLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE YOU CAN'T CHANGE THAT. THE OTHER THINGS ASSIGNED, COMMITTED, YOU CAN TAKE ACTION TO CHANGE THAT.

AND THAT'S WHY -- YEAH. YOU'RE RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT USED TO BE RESTRICTED UNRESTRICTED.

I KNOW RESTRICTED I CAN'T TOUCH.

>> THANK YOU. >> YOU'RE WELCOME.

>> 'S ONLY GOVERNMENTAL FUND EXPENDITURES, NO INCREASE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR OF SIGNIFICANCE WAS IN PUBLIC SAFETY. BUT IT WAS BUDGETED. AND IT WAS FOR -- JUST FOR POLICE RACES. ANY QUESTIONS ON THE GOVERNMENTAL FUND EXPENDITURES?

>> I THINK THE ONLY THING TO POINT OUT IS YOUR EXPENSES PER RESIDENT WERE THOUSAND 22. SO ABOUT $25 LOWER THAN YOUR REVENUE FOR RESIDENTS. SO THAT'S GOOD.

& >> NEXT PAGE, COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT. I TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE. REVENUES ARE UP BY MILLION DOLLARS. YOU CAN SEE UNDER EXPENDITURES YOU HAVE MORE DOLLARS AVAILABLE FOR GENERAL EXPENSES. I'M SURE YOU'D LIKE MORE BUT IT'S MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. AND THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT, YOU SEE TRANSFERS AND. YOU DON'T SEE SIGNIFICANT TRANSFERS INTO THE FUND. YOU'RE HAVING TO MOVE MONEY INTO PAY YOUR DEBT AND YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO THAT ANYMORE. SO THAT'S VERY GOOD

NEWS. >> PAGE 6 IS SOLID WASTE FUND.

IT STAYED CONSISTENT FROM THE PRIOR YEAR. NET CASH FLOWS ARE JUST OVER MILLION DOLLARS. IT WAS ABLE TO TRANSFER OUT 882,000 FOR THE YEAR. STORM WATER FUND, IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM, 858,000. SO AGAIN, IT DID VERY WELL LAST YEAR. THE DOLLARS WERE SPENT INTERNALLY AND YOU HAVE A LOT OF CAPITAL PROJECTS I THINK YOU HAVE $4 MILLION IN CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

WHICH IS CAPITALIZED. >> THE NEXT PAGE IS A GOLF COURSE FUND. THE GOLF COURSE, AS I TALKED WITH EACH OF YOU DID SLIP FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.

IT'S A TREND WITH GOLF COURSES, THOUGH. IT'S NOT JUST THE CITY GOLF COURSE. IT DEFINITELY

[00:15:02]

HE MARINA, THE MARINA HAD ABOUT A NET CASH FLOW AFTER TRANSFERS WAS A -300,000.

THERE WAS CONSTRUCTION DURING THE YEAR. SO CERTAINLY, DIDN'T HAVE A GOOD APPEAR AS NORMAL, BUT THAT WAS DUE TO CONSTRUCTION. IT ALWAYS BOUNCES BACK. SUNRISE THEATER -- SUNRISE THEATER APPROVED FROM THE PRIOR YEAR. NET CASH FLOW WAS A NEGATIVE-650,000.

GETTING CLOSE TO THAT $500,000 BENCHMARK AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT TWO YEARS AGO, IT WAS OVER MILLION DOLLARS. SO THAT -- IT DID SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER THAN HE DID TWO YEARS AGO.

>> IN THE LAST PAGES THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT. AND YOU WOULD EXPECT WAS ONLY ACTIVITY THE LAST COUPLE YEARS IT DIDN'T DO THAT WELL AND HE DID. 550,000. I WENT THROUGH THERE

PRETTY QUICK. ANY QUESTIONS? >> ANY QUESTIONS?

>> NO. >>MAYOR HUDSON: I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD ON THE PHONE. AND APPRECIATE THIS GOOD REPORT. AS YOU SAID, THIS IS AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2019.

>> IT'S ANCIENT HISTORY. >> YES.

>> BUT IT DOES ÃMAKE IT DOES SHOW THE POSITION THAT YOU WERE IN COMING INTO -- TO WHERE WE ARE AT TODAY. YOU ARE IN A STRONG POSITION AND THAT IS CREDITED TO CITY EMPLOYEES IN

THIS COMMISSION ABSOLUTELY. >>MAYOR HUDSON: COMMISSIONER

PERLA. >> WHEN I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH MARK, I ALSO GOT THE FEELING THAT WE HAVE INSTITUTED PROCESSES AND HABITS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME THAT HAS GOT US INTO A POSITION OF STRENGTH. I MEAN, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, NEXT YEAR, IS GOING TO BE -- IS SCARY. IT REALLY IS BECAUSE I ONLY HAVE A FEEL -- I DO NOT HAVE A FEEL FOR IT. SO WHAT YOU DO IS YOU MAKE SURE THAT WE BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES AND THAT WE ARE READY TO GO AND AFTER TALKING WITH -- WE'VE GOT GOOD PRACTICE IS ALREADY THERE. SO I THINK WE ARE AHEAD OF THE GAME ON THIS. WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HOLDING STAFF TO THE SAME PROCESSES THAT WE DID IN THE PAST. THOSE OF US THAT WENT THROUGH THE 2010 2011 TIMES, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO GET THAT BAD, BUT WE KNOW HOW TO DO THAT. AND IT'S JUST -- IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT FORT PIERCE HAS THE ABILITY -- HAS EVERYTHING IN LINE TO BE ABLE TO SURVIVE THIS NO MATTER WHAT.

>> I FELT GOOD ABOUT THAT. YOU STILL CAUTION AS WE GO FORWARD IN TIME.

>> THE GOOD NEWS IS THE WHOLE WORLD IS IN THE SAME BUCKET AND THE BAD NEWS IS THE WHOLE WORLD

IS IN THE SAME BOAT. >> MARK, THANK YOU FOR THE PORTFOLIO AND THE TIME YOU SPENT WITH ME THIS WEEKEND GOING THROUGH IT AFTER HOURS I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. AND WE SOMEWHAT HAD A DISCUSSION IN THIS REGARD. AS FAR AS THE CITY IS CONCERNED, FORMER PORTFOLIO IN LIGHT OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT WE ARE IN NOW, ECONOMICS, DOWNFALL OF A LOT OF HER LOCAL BUSINESSES EVEN OUR CITIZENS ARE WALKING AROUND WITH NOTHING TO EAT. COULD YOU IDENTIFIER COULD YOU EXPRESS YOUR POSITION REGARDING THE CITY GRANTING COMING UP WITH THE GRANT OF ABOUT $50,000 WHERE 10,000 COULD GO TOWARD FEEDING THE HUNGRY EMERGENCY TYPE OF ASSISTANCE TO THE RESIDENTS OF FORT PIERCE OR PERHAPS IT COULD BE DISPERSED TO 1/3 PARTY. WE WOULD BE INVOLVED, BUT DISPERSED TO 1/3 PARTY FOR FOOD AND GIVING INDIVIDUALS FOOD, A PACKAGE OF FOOD WITH THE FIRST 10,000 AND THEN THERE'S THE REMAINING WITH THE FIRST 10,000 AND THEN THERE'S THE REMAINING 40,004 BUSINESSES THAT HAVE EMPLOYEES. I'M THINKING MORE ALONG THE LINES OF ALONE WITH FORGIVENESS ONCE THE FUNDS ARE EXPENDED TOWARDS WHATEVER.

>> SIMILAR TO THE FEDERAL PROGRAM.

[00:20:02]

>> EXACTLY. RIGHT. >> SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THOSE LINES BUT YOU ARE THE PROFESSIONAL. WHAT YOU THINK? WOULD YOU TELL ME?

>> WELL I GUESS IT WOULD HAVE TO COME FROM THE GENERAL FUND. I DON'T KNOW YOU CAN TAKE THE DOLLARS FROM OTHER FUNDS. I THINK A DONATION OR GIVING MONEY TO AN AGENCY, ONE CHECK, I MEAN, IF THE COMMISSION SO CHOOSES, THAT'S PRETTY SIMPLE. A PROGRAM WHERE YOU ARE GIVING OUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT GRANTS, WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLEX. I THINK YOU WANT TO WORK WITH STAFF ON THAT TO SEE HOW YOU COULD DO IT. I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS LIKE WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT -- THEY HAVE THIS -- THE LOAN FORGIVENESS RELATES MAINLY TO PAYROLL. IF YOU'RE GIVEN PEOPLE PAYROLL GRANTS, THEN AT THE END THEY HAVE TO PROVE THAT THAT IS WHAT THEY USED IT FOR, THEY PEOPLE WORKING. AND THEN IT CAN BE FORGIVEN IF THEY USED IT FOR SOMETHING OTHER THAN THAT, THEN THEY HAVE TO PAY BACK. YOU HAVE TO COME UP WITH THOSE TERMS AND HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING FOR THEM TO SIGN, OBVIOUSLY, TO AGREE TO IT. BUT THOSE THINGS ARE CERTAINLY POSSIBLE.

>> SO, I MEAN IS THAT A FAIR AMOUNT OF MONEY IN TERMS OF WHERE WE ARE, OUR PORTFOLIO 50,000 HUNDRED THOUSAND SHOULD BE MORE? WHAT YOU THINK?

>> YES. I THINK -- YOU JUST HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT. JUST LIKE WE TALKED, THE HARD PART RIGHT NOW IS REVENUES. WHAT IS GOING TO COME IN. AS LONG AS YOU KEEP YOUR OTHER EXPENSES TO A MINIMUM, YOU CERTAINLY HAVE DOLLARS AVAILABLE. YOU KNOW THAT. WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW IS HOW LONG UNTIL THE REVENUES GET BACK TO WHERE THEY WERE? BUT YOU KNOW, IT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT. AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET STAFF INVOLVED IF THAT IS THE

DIRECTION YOU WANT TO GO. >> SO HOW MANY MONTHS OUT. IF OUR REVENUE SOURCE WAS TO STOP TODAY HUMP LONG COULD WE OPERATE IN THE CITY.

>> THE GENERAL FUND -- IF YOU ARE JUST LOOKING AT THE GENERAL FUND CASH, COUPLE MONTHS. IF YOU TAKE FUNDS FROM, YOU KNOW, CASH FROM OTHER FUNDS, YOU COULD GO FURTHER. I MEAN AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THE UN 17 MILLION IN CASH, BUT A LOT OF THAT IS RESTRICTED. FOR WHAT CAN BE USED FOR. BUT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR CASH POSITION IS NOW. YOU WOULD WANT TO LOOK AT THAT. I GUESS THAT'S MORE IMPORTANT.

>> YES. >> I THINK WHAT YOU'LL SEE ALSO IS WHEN GOVERNMENTS COME IF THEY DO START DOING THESE KINDS OF THINGS, THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO TRY TO STRETCH IT OUT A LITTLE BIT. RIGHT? IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING NOW YOU'LL DO SOMETHING NOW AND THEN MAYBE WE'LL DO SOMETHING LATER WHEN YOU HAVE A BETTER SENSE OF WHAT REVENUE STREAMS ARE GOING TO COMMUNE WITH THE GOING TO BE. AND I THINK WE ARE A COUPLE OF MONTHS, AT BEST, FROM EVEN HAVING AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT MIGHT

BE, LET ALONE WHAT IT WILL BE. >> OKAY. THANK YOU.

>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. A LOT OF CLOSE OUT AND THEY'LL FOLLOW WHAT I WANT TO DO IN

TERMS OF MY REQUEST. >>MAYOR HUDSON: ARE YOU

FINISHED? >> I'M DONE IF YOU ARE.

>> AND NO MORE QUESTIONS? >> OKAY. THANK YOU, SIR.

>> I DO BELIEVE WE NEED A MOTION TO ACCEPT THIS.

>> I'M OF APPROVAL. >> SECOND.

>> A MOTION AND SECOND. CALL THE ROLL PLEASE.

>> (ROLL CALL) THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.

[11. CONSENT AGENDA]

>>MAYOR HUDSON: IS THERE ANY ITEM THAT ANY COMMISSIONER WANTS TO PULL IF NOT I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

>> MOVED TO APPROVE. >> SECOND.

>>MAYOR HUDSON: A MOTION AND SECOND. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.

>> (ROLL CALL). >> NEXT IS ORDINANCE 20 Ã010.

[a. Ordinance No. 20-010 - Final Budget Amendment of the General Fund 2018-2019 Budget. SECOND READING]

[00:25:11]

>>MAYOR HUDSON: THIS IS THE SECOND READING. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, PLEASE COME FORWARD.

>>MAYOR HUDSON: SEE KNOW WHEN I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ENTERTAIN AND MOTION.

>> MOVE FOR APPROVAL. >> SECOND.

>>MAYOR HUDSON: THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.

>> (ROLL CALL) . >> (ROLL CALL) WHAT'S NEXT, WE

[a. Resolution 20-R21 accepting the proposal of J.P. Morgan Chase Bank to purchase the Capital Improvement Refunding Notes authorizing the execution and delivery of a loan agreement.]

SERIES 2016 B AND LETTER C INTO PAY COST OF THE ISSUANCE THEREOF AND ALL OF THE CITIES NOT TO EXCEED $3 MILLION TAXABLE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT REVENUE REFUNDING NOTES SERIES TAXABLE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT REVENUE REFUNDING NOTES SERIES 2020 B. THE PROCEEDS WHICH WOULD BE REFUND ALL OF THE CITY'S OUTSTANDING TAXABLE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT REVENUE NOTES SERIES 1620 A INTO THE EXTENT NOT REFUND WITH THE PROCEEDS OF THE CITY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT REVENUE REFUNDING NOTES, SERIES 2020 A ALL OF THE SITTINGS OUTSTANDING REVENUE NOTES SERIES 2016-B AND 2016 C INTO PAY COSTS OF ISSUANCE THEREOF IN THE CITIES NOT TO EXCEED $7,315,000 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT REVENUE REFUNDING NOTES SERIES TAXABLE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT REVENUE NOTES SERIES 1620 A INTO THE EXTENT NOT REFUND WITH THE PROCEEDS OF THE CITY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT REVENUE REFUNDING NOTES, SERIES 2020 A ALL OF THE SITTINGS OUTSTANDING REVENUE NOTES SERIES 2016-B AND 2016 C INTO PAY COSTS OF ISSUANCE THEREOF IN THE CITIES NOT TO EXCEED $7,315,000 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT REVENUE REFUNDING NOTES SERIES 2020 C. PROCEEDS WILL ADVANCE REFUND ALL OF THE CITY'S OUTSTANDING CAPITAL REFUNDING NOTES 2018 INTO PAY COST OF ISSUANCE THEREOF. AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF LOAN AGREEMENTS WITH SAID LENDER TO SECURE THE REPAYMENT OF SAID NOTES, PROVIDING FOR THE PAYMENT OF SUCH NOTES TO BUDGET INTO APPROPRIATE NON-AD VALOREM REVENUES ALL AS PROVIDED IN THE LOAN AGREEMENTS. AUTHORIZING THE PROPER OFFICIALS OF THE CITY TO DO ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL THINGS DEEMED NECESSARY OR ADVISABLE IN CONNECTION WITH THE EXECUTION OF THE LOAN AGREEMENT AND THE SECURITY THEREFOR. AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF OTHER DOCUMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE ISSUANCE OF SAID NOTE, PROVIDING FOR

SEVERABILITY AND A DATE. >> THANK YOU, MIA MISS MORRIS.

>> GOOD EVENING. I'M LINDA HAS VERY YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB READING ALL THAT WE ARE GETTING READY TO DO (LAUGHING) AND TO KEEP IN THE VEIN OF OUR AUDITORS, WHEN THEY JUST EXPLAINED OF US REDUCING OUR DEBT BECAUSE, WE ARE REFUNDING OUR 2014 16 AND 18 SERIES BONDS. AND IT WILL SAVE US ABOUT $662,000 WITHOUT EXTENDING THE TERMS OR LENGTH OF THE LOAN. SO WE WILL BE ON OUR SAME DEBT SCHEDULE BUT WE ARE DECREASING THIS COST BY

COST BY 663,000. >>MAYOR HUDSON: COMMISSIONER

PER OWNER. >> I WANT YOU TO SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME, WE ARE NOT EXTENDING THE TERM OF THE LOAN.

>> THAT'S CORRECT. WE ARE NOT OF 2031 WE WILL BE DONE IS ALL THAT AS WE WERE ORIGINALLY. WE ARE JUST GOING TO SAVE $662,000.

>> I'M SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT, THE INTEREST RATE.

>> WE ARE GETTING A 1.26 PERCENT INTEREST RATE.

>> 1.26. >> PHENOMENAL.

>> AND THAT IS NET OF FEES, TO. >> CORRECT.

>> I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH MR. BROWNISH AND THAT WAS -- IT WAS QUITE GOOD NEWS BUT I THINK

THIS CAME ABOUT A WHILE BACK, >> WE WERE WORKING ON IT.

>> YES AND I'M GLAD I WAS A LITTLE HESITANT BECAUSE MY HESITATION CAUSED US TO GET A GREATER SAVINGS ON THE INTEREST RATE. SO EVERYTHING WORKS AND WORKS FOR THE GOOD. THIS

WORKED FOR OUR GOOD. >> COMMISSIONER PROMO --

CORONA. >> I ASKED A QUESTION. I SAID IS THIS AVAILABLE TO MOST MUNICIPALITIES? HE SAID WE ARE ONE OF THE VERY FEW THAT QUALIFY FOR THIS LOAN. IT SPEAKS LARGELY OF WHAT WE ARE LOOKED AT AS FAR AS IN THE

FINANCIAL WORLD. >> I CAN SAY THIS WAS ONE OF THE EASIEST REFUNDING SAID WE HAVE HAD IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. USUALLY WE HAVE TO PROVIDE SO MANY DOCUMETS TO PROVE OUR CREDIT WARS. AND WE DIDN'T -- THERE WAS ONE DOCUMENT. AND IT

[00:30:02]

WAS ALREADY APPROVED. >> MY FINAL COMMENT IS THAT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE PROCRASTINATION WINS.

>> (LAUGHING). >> IT DOES. AND HE WAS EXCITED ABOUT THE ABILITY TO DO IT. AND HE DOESN'T USUALLY GET EXCITED. GOOD FOR US. XES.

>> THE INTUITION. >> ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.

>> GOOD JOB. >> GOOD JOB.

>> BEFORE YOU LEAVE HAVE A QUESTION.

>> WE HAVE TO VOTE, TO. >> GO AHEAD.

>> AS FAR AS THE SAVINGS, ITSELF, FOR THE RECORD, TELL US WHAT THAT IS BY REFINANCING

THIS LOAN. >> 662,000 FOR THE LIFE OF THE LOAN. IS ABOUT 63,000, 62,000 ANNUALLY.

>> ON AN ANNUAL BASIS? ALL RIGHT. OKAY.

>> YES, MA'AM. >> ANYTHING ELSE?

>>MAYOR HUDSON: SHALL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

>> MOVED TO THE APPROVAL. >> A MOTION SECOND. CALL THE

ROLL, PLEASE. >> (ROLL CALL) NEXT, WE HAVE

[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.]

COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. >>MAYOR HUDSON: ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC NOW IS WELCOME TO SPEAK FOR THREE MINUTES. AND PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. DO YOU HAVE A SIGN IN SHEET IS COX?

>> I DID NOT WANT TO CREATE EXTRA PAPER. JUST TAKE YOUR NAME AND GIVE ME THEIR ADDRESS

I'LL TAKE IT DOWN. >>MAYOR HUDSON: GREAT RIGHT THERE AT THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE.

>>MAYOR HUDSON: WELCOME. >> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ELINOR SHUFFLING KNOWLES I LIVE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF FORT PIERCE AND I WOULD LIKE TO, TONIGHT, ADDRESS MR. SESSIONS. MR. SESSIONS, AND SATURDAY AFTERNOON WHEN I

WAS SPEAKING TO AT THE PARK, >> COULD YOU ADDRESS THE WHOLE COMMISSION. YOU CAN'T JUST ADDRESS ONE COMMISSIONER, IF YOU WOULD, YES, PLEASE.

>> I JUST WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION. WHEN WE TAKE AN OATH, AND WE ARE FOR A CITY REPRESENTING THE DISTRICT IN WHICH WE LIVE IN, IS IT NOT COMMON THAT YOU PROTECTED LOOKED AFTER THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH YOU REPRESENT?

>>MAYOR HUDSON: SO THIS ISN'T SOMETHING MORE WE CAN ANSWER THE QUESTION. SO YOU CAN JUST PLACE YOUR QUESTIONS AND IT MAY OR MAY NOT BE ANSWERED LATER.

>> OKAY. >> IS NOT A DIALOGUE BACK AND

FORTH. >> YOU REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH YOU RESIDE OR YOU REPRESENT THE DISTRICT.

>>MAYOR HUDSON: ALREADY. >> AND I HAD AN ISSUE SATURDAY AFTERNOON WHERE I EXPECTED MY COMMISSIONER TO PROTECT ME. IN MY COMMISSIONER ALLOWED SOMEONE TO CALL ME ALL COMMON NAMES, DID MEAN TO ME. MADE ME STEP OUT OF CHARACTER. AND I JUST WANT TO KNOW IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU WILL DEAL WITH EVERY DAY? IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT YOU REPRESENT THAT YOU ARE TALKING TO, DO YOU ALLOW OTHERS TO INTERRUPT THE CONVERSATION AND JUST DEMEAN THE PERSON THAT LIVE WITHIN YOUR DISTRICT? I'M JUST COMMON JUST QUESTION BECAUSE I WAS SO OUTDONE WHEN RICK REEVES WALKED UP WHEN I WAS HAVING A CIVIL CONVERSATION WITH COMMISSIONER SESSIONS. AND HE JUST STARTED DEMEANING ME, CALLING ME ALL KINDS OF NAMES TELLING ME TO GO AND HAVE JUST UNINSTRUCTED INAPPROPRIATE ACTIONS WITH MEN. AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY IS THAT A USUAL? I'M JUST -- I'M ADDRESSING. YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER YAY OR NAY. BUT TO MY SURPRISE, WHEN I WAS OUT THERE ASKING YOU TO VOLUNTEER, TO GIVE YOU MY TIME, AND ONLY THING THAT YOU HAD TO TELL ME WAS I JUST DON'T GET IT IS FOOLISH BUT YOU HANDLED YOURSELF WELL. ARE YOU TO PROTECT ME AS A CITIZEN? DO ALL PROTECT THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN YOUR DISTRICT? AND YOU JUST LET RANDOM PEOPLE JUST WALK UP AND JUST SAY ANYTHING? I JUST HAVE A PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE BEING SO FREE AND MAKING FULL OF US, ME, CAN SAY ABOUT ANYONE ELSE BUT SPEAKING OF ME, STEP OUT OF MY CHARACTER AND ALL I DO IS VOLUNTEER MY SERVICES WITHIN ST. LUCIE COUNTY TO ANYONE THAT NEEDS MY HELP. AND I WAS JUST BRUSHED OFF. JUST SO DISAPPOINTED. JUST SO DISAPPOINTED. I GUESS THAT'S MY TIME.

>>MAYOR HUDSON: THANK YOU MA'AM .

>> A MOVIE GUN. >> MS. LEWIS, CAN HAVE YOUR

ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. >> MATTER MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO

MAKE A COMMENT. >> IT'S NOT OUR TIME TO

[00:35:01]

COMMENT. >> I THINK I WOULD APPRECIATE IF WE WOULD WAIT UNTIL ALL THE PUBLIC.

>> YOU'RE RIGHT. RIGHT. >> MAKE SURE YOU WEEK, OKAY.

THANK YOU BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO HEAR MY RESPONSE.

>> YES, SIR. >> AND YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS

FOR THE RECORD, SIR. >> MR. COLLINS PRESIDENT OF -- 7203 PACIFIC AVENUE FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA.

>> I COME BEFORE YOU THIS AFTERNOON A LITTLE BIT DISTRESSED BECAUSE I LISTENED TO REPORTS OF HAVING PLENTY GOOD MONEY IN PLACE AND ALL THAT IS FINE AND GOOD, BUT WE KNOW THAT THIS IS A DIFFICULT SITUATION AND IT'S DIFFERENT. SO WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WE HAVE MONEY SITTING THERE AND NOT OUT INTO THIS COMMUNITY DURING THIS TIME I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY OF IT BEING USED FROM THE PEOPLE FROM WHICH YOU COLLECTED FROM. THAT MONEY IS NOT SITTING THERE TO MAKE YOU LOOK GOOD. YOU WANT TO LOOK GOOD, TAKE CARE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS. I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY OF YOU OR ANYTHING FROM YOU IN THIS WHOLE CRISIS THAT YOU'VE PUT OUT THERE TO SHOW THAT YOU ARE PRESENT. THE YOUNG LADY CAME UP BEFORE AND SAID THE COMMISSIONER WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE CARE OF HER WERE WAS A POLICE OFFICER? I SEE FOR IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW.

WE'VE BEEN OUT THERE TRYING TO GET TESTING FOR THESE PEOPLE THAT HAVE NOT HAD TESTING, THE WHOLE TIME THIS CRISIS HAS BEEN GOING ON. I HAVEN'T SEEN IN TODAY'S.

>> WERE NOT A POLICE. >> AND THAT WAS THEIR JOB WHERE THEY WERE DOING THEIR JOB SHE WOULD NOT HAVE TO ASK THAT QUESTION.

>> UNAWARE OF BLUE UNIFORM. >> THE CITY IS IN GOOD FINANCIAL POSITION, GRAY, NON- SPENDABLE FUNDS, THERE'S A WAY THEY COULD HAVE BEEN SPENT TO HELP YOUR CONSTITUENTS. YOU HAVEN'T HELPED ANYBODY THAT WE CAN SEE. NOBODY. YOU HAVEN'T FED ANYBODY. YOU HAVEN'T HELPED ANYBODY PAY A BILL AND YOU MAY HAVE SET UP SOME THINGS WITH THE UTILITY AUTHORITY, BUT THAT WAS ON DEB, WHAT'S ON YOU? WHAT'S ON YOU AS A BODY? THIS GOVERNING BODY NEEDS TO STEP UP, OKAY. THERE'S NO GOOD HAVING EVERYTHING IN LINE AND WHEN THE TIME ARRIVED NOTHING IS DONE. WHAT GOOD IS HAVING EVERYTHING IN LINE TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING IF YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING WITH IT WHEN THE TIME COMES U? WHEN THERE IS -- WHERE IS THIS GOVERNING BODY WHEN DURING THIS TIME, OF MAJOR CRISIS IN NEED, WE DON'T SEE YOU? WE EVEN KNOW YOU'RE THERE. YOU REALIZE THAT WE HAD THIS TEST SITE AND WE HAD EVERY NATIONALITY COULD THINK OF IN THIS BUILDING EVERY NATIONALITY COULD THINK OF COMING THROUGH THERE. I MEAN SIX PEOPLE SAYING WE GOT TURNED AWAY AT THE HOSPITAL. WE GOT TURNED AWAY AT THIS PLACE, BUT THEY FALLEN OUT OF THE TRUCK BECAUSE THEY'RE SO SICK. WHERE WERE YOU THEN? WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THESE PEOPLE ARE SAYING I AM HUNGRY? WE WENT OUT THERE TO PASS OUT MASKS AND FLYERS THEY SAID WE APPRECIATE THIS, BUT WE ARE HUNGRY. YOU HAVE MONEY SITTING THERE, HELP FEED THESE PEOPLE DURING THIS TIME OF CRISIS. EVEN IF YOU GO FLAT BROKE WITH THE MONEY YOU HAVE THERE, DO SOMETHING DON'T JUST SIT THERE.

>>MAYOR HUDSON: THANK YOU SIR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> RICK REED 2625 S. US1 ONE. I HEARD WHAT THE LADY SAID I'D LIKE TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT. FIRST OF ALL THERE ARE FOUR OF US SPENDBOARD MEMBERS OF THE NAACP. WE WORKED TIRELESSLY THIS LAST WEEK WE'VE HAD OVER 3000 PEOPLE. 3000 OF OUR FELLOW CITIZENS AND WERE GOING TO DO THE SAME THING TOMORROW 672 THE FIRST DAY OVER THOUSAND THE SECOND DAY 1300 THE NEXT DAY. THE ISSUE -- WE NEED TO LOOK AFTER -- I'M TELLING YOU PEOPLE

IN THIS COMMUNITY. >> I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE.

THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE HUNGRY AND AFRAID. THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE ALWAYS ON THE LOWER END OF THE SPECTRUM. WE HAVE A SERIOUS ISSUE. NOW, THE QUESTION WAS ASKED -- I WALKED UP TO A CONVERSATION AFTER COMMISSIONER SESSIONS THROUGHOUT THERE ALL DAY LONG I JUST GOT DONE FEEDING ROUTINE HUNDRED PEOPLE BURIED IN THE QUESTION WAS WHY WAS A WHITE MAN GIVEN THE MONEY -- IT WAS VERY RACIST. I RESPONDED ACCORDINGLY.

>> MAYOR? >> MA'AM.

>> I WON'T INTERRUPT IF YOU DON'T.

>> THANK YOU. >> RACISM COMES IN ALL FORM. I THOUGHT RACISM FOR YEARS, BUT THAT WAS A FORM OF RACISM AND DEGRADING COMMISSIONER SESSIONS

[00:40:01]

HER STUDENTS. >>.

>> ANYONE ELSE? ANYONE ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT?

>> I HAVE ONE THAT I'M GOING TO READING THAT I RECEIVED BY EMAIL.

>>MAYOR HUDSON: A READY. >> THIS IS AN ITEM FROM FRED BELLOC 5327 OAKLAND LAKE CIRCLE BOX 11 IN FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA ON SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2020, TESTING WAS HELD AT DREAMLAND PARK IN WHICH COMMISSIONER SESSIONS TOOK A MORAL STANCE TO HELP BRING AWARENESS TO THE COMMUNITY TO COME OUT AND GET TESTED. PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS SAID THIS SLOW CASE OF EARLY TESTING PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE BEST PART OF THE VIRUS WHICH HAS NO PROVEN DRUG OR VACCINE TO SLOW DOWN. MANY CLINICAL TRIALS ARE UNDERWAY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY TO FIND AN EFFECTIVE VACCINE. DOCTORS NEED TO KNOW WHO HAS COVID-19 TO CARE FOR SICK PATIENTS AS WELL AS TO PROTECT THE HEALTH CARE WORKERS AND NONINFECTED PATIENTS FROM SPREADING THE VIRUS. PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS NEED TESTING DATA TO FIND OUT WHERE THE VIRUS IS SPREADING AND INFORMATION THAT CAN INFORM POLICY SUCH AS WHEN TO ENFORCE OR EASE SOCIAL DISTANCING. WHEN OUR BACKS ARE AGAINST THE WORLD, YOU HAVE THREE OPTIONS. YOU ADJUST YOUR SITUATION OR YOUR RESUME WOULD YOU DON'T LIKE AND BECOME BETTER OR YOU RESIST AND YOU FIGHT BACK. COMMISSIONER SESSIONS CHOSE TO FIGHT BACK. HE CHOSE TO MEET THE MORAL STANDARD OF THE DAY FOR THE PEOPLE OF FORT PIERCE FLORIDA FOR COVID-19 TESTING. CITY GOVERNMENT BUT HIT MORAL STANDARDS WITH SOCIETY. OFTEN THOSE WHO ARE IN POWER DO NOT WANT TO TALK. THEY WANT TO CONTROL. WHY WAS IT COMMISSIONER SESSIONS HELPED ON APRIL 18, 2020 AND WHY WERE THERE NO POLICE OFFICERS AND PUBLIC WORKS STAFF IN THE CITY ON HAND AT DREAMLAND PARK ON SATURDAYS APRIL 18, 2020?

>>MAYOR HUDSON: THANK YOU, MA'AM. SO NOW CLOSE THE ACCOUNT TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT

[15. COMMENTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER]

PERIOD AND MOVE ON. >> NEXT WE HAVE COMMENTS FROM

THE CITY MANAGER. >> MR. MA'AM?

>> GOOD EVENING. SO WITH THIS TIME WE DO COME IN OUR AUDIENCE WE HAVE OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR BUT WHAT I'LL DO AT THIS TIME I'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF UPDATE AS TO WHAT THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING ON THUS FAR. AND WITH REGARD TO OUR PANDEMIC SITUATION, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SEVERAL FACILITIES THAT ARE CLOSED. YOU WILL TOOK A VERY GOOD STEP IN PUTTING A MORATORIUM ON OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS. I THINK THAT RELATED THE FEARS OF MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY MOVING FORWARD. OUR COMMUNICATION HAS BEEN CONSTANT WITH REGARD TO TEXT MESSAGING, EMAILS, VIDEO UPDATES, WE ARE DOING NOW. WE'VE RECENTLY EXPANDED OUR TEXT MESSAGING CAPACITY TO INCLUDE MANY OF OUR PASTORS. MANY PASTORS WERE NOT GETTING THE INFORMATION. BUT WE GOT THE INFORMATION FROM THE HELP OF THE ALLEGHENY FRANCISCAN MINISTRY. IN OUR CHIEF MAGISTRATE. SHE HELPED US RETRIEVE THE INFORMATION WE USE THAT TO EXPAND THE WORDING GET IT OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH TEST -- TEXT MESSAGING.

ONE OF THE MAJOR ISSUES THAT WERE GOING TO FACE IS WHAT EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT REOPENING RECOVERY. HOW ARE WE GOING TO REOPEN OUR COMMUNITY? HOW ARE WE GOING TO RECOVER FROM THIS ECONOMIC, MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH DISASTER? WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS REASONABLY. WE CANNOT DO THIS INDEPENDENTLY. WE HAVE TO DO THIS COHESIVELY. WE HAVE TO DO IT WITHIN THE COUNTIES. WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER BECAUSE IF WE MAKE A MOVE WITHOUT OUR NEIGHBORS AND ALLIES AND FRIENDS, IT WILL CAUSE AN IMBALANCE IN WHAT WE HAVE WITH OUR COMMUNITY. SO OUR RECOVERY EFFORTS WILL BE COHESIVE. AND THEY WILL BE COLLABORATIVE AND

[00:45:02]

RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE CERTAIN FUNDS THAT ARE GEARED TOWARD CERTAIN RESPONSIBILITIES.

NUMBER ONE IS SHIP FUNDING. SHIP FUNDING FOR THE 2017 2018 FISCAL YEAR WAS $270,000. WE HAVE BEEN DIRECTED TO REDIRECT THOSE FUNDS AND HOPEFULLY THOSE FUNDS CAN BE PUT BACK INTO OUR COMMUNITY WHEREBY WE CAN GET THE MONEY TO FAMILIES. WE CAN HELP OUT WITH RENTAL ASSISTANCE, MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE AND THINGS OF THAT SORT. ALSO WE BEEN AWARDED $355,000 TO THE CARES ACT. THAT MONEY IS GOING TO BE PURPOSED BY ASSISTING FOLKS WITH THEIR DAY-TO-DAY NEEDS AS WELL. NO SOMETHING THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PROVIDED AND PRESENTED TO YOU ALL TODAY WAS THE PUBLIC SERVICE AGENCY GRANTS. THAT WAS $50,000 MORE SO THAT WAS GOING TO BE UTILIZED FOR SUMMER CAMPS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. BUT BASED UPON THE SITUATION I BELIEVE WE NEED TO REPURPOSE THOSE FUNDS AS WELL. THAT'S $50,000 THAT CAN GO INTO OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP THE PEOPLE THAT ARE CURRENTLY SUFFERING. IN ADDITION TO THAT OF PRA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES, WE HAVE HUNDRED $50,000 THAT YOU ALL JUST RECENTLY APPROVED FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES THAT CAN BE REPURPOSED FOR BUSINESS RECOVERY JOB THESE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE, UNFORTUNATELY, HAD TO CLOSE THEIR DOORS. THEY HAD TO LAY PEOPLE OFF WORK FOR LOW THROWN EMPLOYEES. WE WANT TO ASSIST AS MUCH AS WE CAN. SO THAT WILL BE PRESENTED TO YOU HOPEFULLY WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. CARLITA SCOTT OUR GRANTS ADMINISTRATION DIVISION MANAGER, SHE IS PUTTING TOGETHER ALL OF THE PROGRAMS UNDER THE CDBG SHIP AND CARES ACT AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN UTILIZE THOSE FUNDS TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. AND OUR INTERNAL TEAM, WILL BE WORKING WITH ST. LOUIS COUNTY AND THE CITY OF PORT ST. LUCIE BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO, AGAIN, BE A COHESIVE AND COLLABORATIVE APPROACH WE CAN GET THE MONEY BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

>> SO WITH REGARD TO THE BUDGET, YOU SEE WHAT WE ARE DOING. THANK GOODNESS WE HAD ONE OF THE BEST RATES EVER 1.26 PERCENT. WE DID NOT EXTEND OUR MATURITY DATE AND WE ARE GOING TO SAVE OVER $600,000 OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS. $60,000 ANNUALLY. THAT IS SAVING A POSITION ANY FAMILY. SO WITHOUT REGARD ONE OF THE BIGGEST QUESTIONS IS WHEN YOU CAN OPEN THE BEACHES? OKAY. WE ARE GOING TO WORK WITH MARTIN COUNTY, ST. LUCIE COUNTY INDIAN RIVER COUNTY TO ENSURE THAT WE DO THIS TOGETHER. IF WE ARE TO GO OUT AND JUST OPEN OUR BEACHES ORGAN OF A FREEFALL IS GONNA BE A MAD RUSH ON HER BEACHES AND WE DO NOT WANT THAT. OUR CURRENT DATE THAT OUR EXECUTIVE ORDER IS SUPPOSED TO BE LIFTED IS APRIL 30. THAT EXTENDS THROUGH APRIL 30 AND MIDNIGHT OF THAT NIGHT, MAY 1, I BELIEVE THE EXECUTIVE ORDER SHALL EXPIRE. THAT IS AS OF RIGHT NOW. THAT MAY BE A TARGET DATE TO BEGIN OUR REOPENING PROCEDURES, BUT HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE A PLAN FORMULATED BEFORE THAT TIME IT IS OUR INTENT TO HAVE THOSE PARAMETERS IDENTIFIED AND PRESENTED TO YOU FOR YOUR APPROVAL AS WELL. SO IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RECOVERY OR THE CORONAVIRUS SITUATION OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO AS THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR ANY QUESTIONS WITHOUT

REGARD. >> SO I THINK MOST IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW IS THE MEDICATION WITH OUR PARTNERS.

>> YES, SIR. >> CAN YOU SPEAK TO HOW THAT HAS BEEN GOING AND WHAT HAS BEEN HELPFUL AND WHAT ISN'T.

[00:50:05]

>> ABSOLUTELY. IT SEEMS EVERY DAY IS ONE CONTINUOUS CONFERENCE CALL. WE ARE ON A CONFERENCE -- I KNOW COMMISSIONER JOHNSON KNOWS WE ARE ON A CONFERENCE CALL CONSTANTLY WHETHER IT'S WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ST. LUCIE COUNTY THE CITY OF PORT ST. LUCIE, CONSTANTLY ON THE PHONE AND CONSTANTLY COLLABORATING IN ENSURING THAT THE INFORMATION IS PASSED AND WE HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF INFORMATION. THERE WERE INCONSISTENCIES BUT I BELIEVE WE ARE GETTING THAT IRONED OUT. I BELIEVE WE AREACQUIRING THE RIGHT INFORMATION HOPEFULLY WE CAN UTILIZE AT A MOVING FORWARD. THE COMMUNICATION HAS BEEN FANTASTIC MUCH IMPROVED. WE WENT FROM A PANICKED STATE TO KNOW WE ARE IN A MORE PLANNING STAGE. THAT PLANNING STATE WILL LEAD US INTO RECOVERY FOR THE FUTURE.

>>MAYOR HUDSON: MANY OF YOUR EMPLOYEES ARE WORKING FROM HOME, RIGHT OR SOME OF THEM? SOME OF THEM HAVE SMALL CHILDREN AND SO, NO SCHOOL IS BEEN CANCELED FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. I'M WONDERING HOW THAT'S GOING TO ADJUST FOR CITY WORKERS AND EVERYBODY, THE WHOLE COMMUNITY IS GONNA HAVE TO ADJUST, RIGHT?

>> AS AN EMPLOYER, WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR EMPLOYEES, EVERY SITUATION IS DIFFERENT, WHETHER THEY HAVE A RELATIVE AT HOME THAT THEY NEED TO TAKE CARE OF FOUR CHILDREN AND WITH THE -- NOW THE CLOSURE OF SCHOOL FOR THE REST OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR, IT AFFECTS OUR FAMILIES AND WE NEED TO LOOK OUT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND THE FAMILIES OF THE TREASURE COAST ESPECIALLY IN FORT PIERCE. BUT WHAT WE'RE DOING, WE DO -- THE FAMILIES FIRST CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE ACT, WHICH GIVES THEM 80 HOURS OF TIME THAT THEY -- AN INDIVIDUAL CAN UTILIZE FOR THE CARE OF THEIR CHILD. SO ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES HOPEFULLY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THIS.

ALSO OUR SENIOR EMPLOYEES AND OR EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEMS OR HAVE HEALTH ISSUES. THEY'LL CAN QUALIFY TO UTILIZE THAT COVID-19 TIME THROUGH THE FF CRA. SO WHAT WE ARE DOING IS ADVISING EDUCATING AND WORKING WITH EMPLOYEES ON AN INDEPENDENT BASIS. IT'S A MATTER OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE EMPLOYEE AND THE DEPARTMENT HEAD AND I BELIEVE OUR STAFF IS DOING A GOOD JOB.

>> I THINK SO, TOO. I THINK THE WHOLE WORLD IS LEARNING TO WORK FROM HOME. I HAVE BEEN ON SEVERAL CONFERENCE CALLS AND WEBINARS WHERE PEOPLE ARE LEARNING HOW TO WORK FROM HOME AND LEARNING WHAT THE -- YOU KNOW, WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN TERMS OF PROBLEMS THE END SO, THE CONFERENCE CALLS I'VE BEEN ON A BEEN WITH OTHER MAYORS AND OTHER CITY OFFICIALS AND OTHER HANDLING THINGS. AND I'M VERY PLEASED THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY JUMPED ON THIS IN TERMS OF FINANCIAL PLANNING, IN TERMS OF HELPING OUR COMMUNITY. SOME OF THE SPEAKERS TONIGHT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HELPING YOUR COMMUNITY AND YOU ARE ALREADY DOING THAT AND WHEN YOU THINK

THAT MIGHT BE PRESENTED TO US? >> I WOULD LOVE TO PRESENTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I'D LIKE TO DO IT AT THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING FOR YOU ALL TO PUT YOUR STAMP ON WE CAN GET THIS MONEY OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY. AS OF RIGHT NOW, OUR PLAN IS BASED UPON OUR CONSOLIDATED PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED BY HUD AND APPROVED BY DESPERATE WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET YOUR APPROVAL, THAT WE CAN AMEND THIS PLAN TO GET THIS MONEY

BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY. >> HOT HAS GIVEN OF A SIGNAL THAT WE CAN REPURPOSE SOME OF THIS MONEY.

>> WE DO NOT WANT TO DO THAT WITHOUT YOUR APPROVAL. WE DON'T WANT TO JUST AS FAR SPENDING MONEY, WE WANT YOU ALL TO BE A PART OF THE APPROVAL PROCESS AND IDENTIFY THOSE NEEDS AND TASKS THAT WE CAN GET. RIGHT THERE WERE LOOKING AT ALMOST $800,000 THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY THE PUT BACK IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR THE PURPOSES OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RECOVERY, HOUSING AND FAMILY ASSISTANCE AND ALSO HOPEFULLY, THE CREATION OF A VIRTUAL RECOVERY

CENTER. >>MAYOR HUDSON: ANYTHING FOR YOU COMMISSIONER JOHNSON RECESSIONS? ANY QUESTIONS?

>> IN ADDITION TO DOING THE CORONAVIRUS STUFF YOU HAVE RECEIVED OUR 2019 ANNUAL REPORT AND ARE 2021 CALENDAR. AND IT WAS BROUGHT TO US BECAUSE OF OUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY, MANY OF THE PICTURES WERE CAPTURED BY OUR COMMUNITY AND FORWARDED TO US THAT WE UTILIZE THEM IN CREATING OUR CALENDAR.

>> ALSO, THE 2020 STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN WAS PROVIDED TO Y'ALL ON APRIL 16. AND THAT

[00:55:02]

THAT'S OUR GAME PLAN. >>MAYOR HUDSON: WHAT YOU HAVE DONE SO FAR IS TRY TO KEEP THE CITY MOVING FORWARD, BUT ALSO TRY TO ADDRESS THE SITUATION THAT WE ARE IN. SO YOU'VE BEEN ON DUAL TRACKS, ISN'T THAT CORRECT.

>> ABSOLUTELY. WE STILL HAVE A CITY TO OPERATING AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE A PANDEMIC CRISIS TO RESPOND TO. AND THE LAST THING I WANTED TO REPORT TO ALL IS THAT WE HAVE A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE PBA UNIONS FOR BOTH THE OFFICERS AND THE SERGEANTS AND LIEUTENANTS.

HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BE RATIFIED BY THE UNIONS THIS FRIDAY, HOPEFULLY WE CAN PRESENT THAT TO YOU ALL AT THE NEXT CITY COMMISSION MEETING AND GET OUR POLICE OFFICERS THE SALARY INCREASES THAT THEY DESERVE EVEN THOUGH THEY DESERVE MUCH MORE. AT LEAST WE CAN GIVE THEM SOMETHING IN THE MIDST OF THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION.

>>MAYOR HUDSON: THEY CAN DO IT IN MAIL-IN BALLOTS OR HOWEVER THEY RATIFIED.

>> HOPEFULLY. >> HOPEFULLY THEY DO. WE CAN

COMPLETED MOVE FORWARD. >> ANYTHING ELSE FOR MR. MIMBS?

[16. COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION]

THANK YOU, SIR. >> NEXT WE MOVE ON TO COMMENTS

FROM THE COMMISSION. >> MR. SWEENEY. OKAY.

>> SORRY. (LAUGHING) COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS?

>> YES. AS I HAVE BEEN QUARANTINED FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS, AND MY CONCERN IS MY CITY OF FORT PIERCE. AND AS I LISTEN TO IS GOING ON HERE, IT SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET ALONG. THE NEW SOMETIMES I'M BLUNT AND IMPARTED THE HEADACHES, BUT IS BECAUSE A LOT OF MY CITY OF FORT PIERCE. AND I WILL NOT STAND BY AND NOT SAY ANYTHING WHEN I SEE THINGS THAT I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT IN MY CONCERN IS WHY DID NOT THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE ASSIST COMMISSIONER SESSIONS AND CROWD CONTROL, EVEN JUST OUTDOOR.

>> FORT PIERCE CAN HAVE ONE TESTING SITE WITHOUT A WHOLE LOT OF DAMN DRAMA? I DON'T UNDERSTAND? AND FOR THE COUNTY TO SIT THERE AND NOT DO A DAMN THING AND WE'RE STEADY GROWING WITH THIS VIRUS, I HAVE SOME CONCERNS. AND ME BEING A COMMISSIONER, NO ONE'S GONNA TELL ME TO SHUT UP. NO ONE'S GOING TO STAND THERE AND CALL ME BECAUSE I AM SICK OF THIS FOOLISHNESS THAT THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE WANT TO SIT BACK WILL HELP, WE CAN SUBSIDIZE THE GOLF COURSE, WE CAN SUBSIDIZE SUNRISE THEATER BUT WE CAN'T DO NOTHING FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE? BUT FOR JUST A FEW.

>> NO MORE. I AM SO OUTRAGED TODAY THAT GOD KNOWS ALL HAVE TO GO IN PRAYER JUST TO KEEP MY SANITY. THIS IS A BUNCH OF FOOLISHNESS. AND IF WE CANNOT, -- WE NO LONGER NEED TO BE COMMISSIONERS BECAUSE IF WE STAND BY AND LET OUR FELLOW MAN FALL TO THE GROUND, AND WILL GIVE HIM A HELPING HAND, WE HAVEN'T FED ANY CHILDREN. WE HAVEN'T HELP PEOPLE TO FEED THEIR CHILDREN. THE SELF GRATIFICATION ABOUT REFUNDING LOANS AND ALL THAT, WHAT YOU GET TO DO WITH THAT? YOU CAN GIVE IT TO THE SUNRISE THEATER? YOU CAN GIVE IT TO THE GOLF COURSE? I AM SO OUTRAGED WITH THIS FOOLISHNESS. Y'ALL DON'T WANT ME IN YOUR PRESENCE. I PROMISE YOU. I WILL DISRUPT -- I AM -- BELIEVE ME, THIS IS SO DISHEARTENING TO HEAR THIS FOOLISHNESS TALK ABOUT OPEN UP BEACHES, OPEN UP YOUR HEART TO THE COMMUNITY. THAT'S WHERE WE

[01:00:02]

YOU CAN TELL ME YOU TELL ME HIM IN THE TRI-COUNTY. WHILE MANY OF FORT PIERCE? HOW MANY SICK PEOPLE IN FORT PIERCE? HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN'T FEED THEMSELVES? HOW MANY? THERE'S A WHOLE LOT. AND I'M TELLING YOU I AM SO DISAPPOINTED ABOUT THIS NONSENSE. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. I HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO SAY. BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK THE MEDICAL AND THE SCIENCE. I WANT TO THANK THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. I WANT TO THANK THE FIVE DISTRICTS. I WANT TO THANK THE BUS DRIVERS THAT ARE OUT THERE TAKING THESE CHANCES TO GET PEOPLE BACK AND FORTH ON THEIR JOBS. THEY'RE RIGHT THERE DRIVING PEOPLE UP AND DOWN UP AND DOWN, JUST TO GET BACK TO THEIR JOBS BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO SURVIVE. WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE WORD SURVIVAL MEANS? NO. NO EVIDENTLY BECAUSE WERE SAFE AND SOUND. IF IT WASN'T FOR MY LITTLE GRANDSON, CHOPPING DOWN ON ME PAPA YOU CAN GO OUT THE DOOR. YOU CAN GO OUT THE DOOR.

I WOULD PROBABLY BE RIGHT DOWN THERE IN THE MIDST OF ALL THIS FOOLISHNESS. AND THAT'S ALL I

HAVE TO SAY. >>MAYOR HUDSON: COMMISSIONER

PERRONE? >> NO, MA'AM. I WILL HAVE COMMENT LATER, IF I DO. THANK YOU.

>> ALREADY. COMMISSIONER SESSIONS?

>> FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING I SHARE THE SAME SENTIMENTS THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY STATED BY MY COLLEAGUE, COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. WE SIT IN THESE FOUR WALLS AND WE STAND PROUD AND WE SMILE UPON OUR AUDITOR. AND OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR WHEN THEY LOOK AT US AND TELL US THE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE SAVED ANNUALLY, THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE SAVED OVERALL, $660,000 ANNUALLY, $63,000. OUR AUDITOR COMES HERE TODAY AND TELL US WE'RE IN ONE OF THE BEST FINANCIAL SITUATIONS THAT WE HAVE BEEN IN FOR OVER 15 YEARS.

AND WHILE WE STAND HERE, GUESS, TRY TO TAKE CREDIT FOR THAT AND THERE'S SO MUCH SUFFERING GOING ON AROUND AROUND US OUTSIDE OF THESE FOUR WALLS, I, FOR ONE, WILL NOT TAKE ANY PRIDE IN WHAT I HEARD IN TERMS OF OUR PORTFOLIO UNTIL WE START GIVING IT TO THOSE THAT ARE IN NEED. UNTIL WE START TRYING TO RESCUE, HELP AND ASSIST THE BUSINESSES, THE BABIES, THAT ARE CRYING. THAT ARE HUNGRY. THAT I'VE SEEN FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS. HOW DARE ANY OF US SIT HERE AND LISTEN TO HER CITY MANAGER TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS AND WHAT WE CAN DO. THE FUTURE IS NOW. THIS IS AN EMERGENCY. EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCE IS WHAT IT IS. I'M NOT LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE IN TERMS OF AN SBA OR ANYTHING ELSE. WHAT I WAS JUST TOLD US WE HAVE THE MONEY. AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE NEED TO HELP AND ASSIST THOSE IN NEED BECAUSE THEY ARE IN DIRE STRAITS. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I HAD SPOKEN WITH MARK EARLIER AND HE ALLUDED TO IT WHEN HE GOT UP BEFORE US, WHAT OUR FINANCIAL SITUATION WAS AND HOW WE WERE IN SUCH BETTER SHAPE THAN OTHER CITIES. WHAT I'M GOING TO REQUEST IS THAT WE A LOT $10,000 TO BE GIVEN TO SOME FACILITATOR, DOESN'T MATTER WHO IT IS, AS A MATTER FACT, I THINK THEY'RE COMING UP -- DOING IT RIGHT NOW. BUT GREATLY TO A FACILITATOR TO FEED THE HUNGRY. THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE -- AND IF YOU

[01:05:09]

HE WAS SUFFERING. AND THERE'S SO MANY FAMILIES OUT THERE LIKE HIMSELF, SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I PLEAD UPON YOU TO LET'S FIGURE THIS OUT, TURN IT OVER TO STAFF, MR. GEORGE COLLINS CAME BEFORE US AND I THANK HIM FOR WHAT HE SAID BECAUSE HE'S BEEN OUT THERE SAYING THE SAME THING AND THAT'S WHY HE AND I ARE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS. THOMAS JEFFERSON, LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, I GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU AND RECRUIT BOTH DEAL SHOULD BEEN PUT IN JAIL THAT DAY BECAUSE YOU DISRESPECTED ME. THAT'S WHY WANTED THE POLICE OUT THERE.

AND THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE. IN 20 SOMETHING YEARS OF DOING THIS, OF CLONINGER BO POWELL, DENNIS SPEECH, DAVID RECORD, AND WOULD REALLY HURT ME SO MUCH ÃBUT WHAT REALLY DEVASTATED ME THAT I WOULD HAVE THE -- MY OWN IN A POSITION IN TURN HIS BACK, NOT TO ME, BUT HE LIED TO ME. AND YOU KNOW, EDDIE BACK USED TO DO A REAL GOOD JOB OF THIS, AND HE WAS A LEGENDARILY GOOD LOOK OVER TO A CITY MANAGER HE COULD TELL HIM WHAT WAS ON MY MIND -- ON MY MIND AND EXPECT US TO SECONDED. AND FIRE HIM. AND EDDIE DID A REAL GOOD JOB, HE WAS THE -- EDDIE JUDGMENT BUT YOU KNOW, I'M NOT CAN EVEN ASK FOR THAT BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE SUPPORT TO DO THAT TONIGHT WE'VE GOT TOO MUCH WE GOT TO CONCENTRATE ON. I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, YOU DISAPPOINTED ME. YOU HEARD ME. HERE'S THE COMPANY THAT COMES UP HERE FROM FORT LAUDERDALE. I HAVE BEEN CONTACTED BY THE MAYOR OF PEMBROKE PARK SHE SAYS REGGIE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A COMPANY DOING GREAT THINGS HERE AND, THEY HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME AND I ACCEPTED THEM WHEN THEY CAME IN AND DID FREE IT WAS A SUCCESS. SO I IMMEDIATELY STARTED PLEADING WITH HER, PLEASE SHARE WITH ME THAT INFORMATION. PLEASE SHARE IT WITH ME SO I CAN BRING SOMETHING TO MY COMMUNITY. A COMMUNITY IN DIRE STRAITS THE COMMUNITY IN NEED OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHAT WE COULD GET SOME TESTING DONE. BECAUSE I'M BEING TOLD THAT THE COMMUNITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS SOMETHING GOING ON IN DELAWARE, BUT WHEN I RIDE THROUGH THERE I DON'T SEE ANYBODY STANDING THERE BUT STAFF. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, BUT THAT FAILED. WE TESTED 185 PEOPLE ON SATURDAY. AND TODAY, CLOSE TO 200. I PRAY TO GOD THEY'LL COME BACK TOMORROW, BUT THEY MAY TELL ME TO GO TO HELL. AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE THEY WERE DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE AUDACITY OF A POLICE OFFICER TO STOP PEOPLE LIKE RICK REED AND IRIS JEFFERSON FROM RAISING HELL.

>> PLEASE. >> THAT'S WHY I NEEDED THE POLICE TO STOP THIS KIND OF CONFUSION. I ASK YOU, NICK, PLEASE GIVE ME OFFICERS AND YOU

[01:10:02]

SOME LIVES ARE GOING TO BE SAVED, BROTHER. THANKS BE TO GOD. I'M DISAPPOINTED. MAKE MEMS. I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED. THE ONLY REASON WHY GOT INVOLVED IS BECAUSE WHEN THEY CAME HERE, THEY WERE CATCHING SO MUCH RED TAPE THEY WERE ABOUT TO LEAVE. BUT I STEP TO THE PLATE I SAID WAIT A MINUTE. BUT WE DO ALL I CAN. PLEASE DON'T LEAVE WITH THOSE FREE TESTS. MY COMMUNITY NEEDS THEM. PLEASE DON'T LEAVE. AND THEN WHEN I GOT INVOLVED I SAW HOW THEY WERE TREATED. BUT PRAISE BE TO GOD I THOUGHT IT WAS CITY COMMISSIONER NOW IS TREATED LIKE THEY WERE BUT WORSE. NICK, IF I HAD THE SUPPORT AND THAT NIGHT I WOULD HAVE CALLED TO FIRE YOU. THAT IS GOD'S BLESSING THAT I DON'T BECAUSE YOU DESERVE IT BASED ON WHAT YOU DID AND HOW YOU TURNED YOUR BACK TO THIS COMMUNITY. ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS MAKE A PHONE CALL. WE ARE SITTING OUT THERE CHASING HOODLUMS OUT OF THE PARK, PEOPLE CARING HIM.

IT'S NOT MY JOB. AND THEN THE PEOPLE SHOW ME PICTURES OF WHERE THEY'RE GOING AND EVERETT CITIES. THIS IS A REPUTABLE COMPANY. THEY'VE GONE ANOTHER CITY THEY HAVE POLICE ON THE GROUNDS TO STOP CONFUSION LIKE WHAT SHE JUST DESCRIBED. I'M HURT. I'M DISAPPOINTED, BUT I'M MOTIVATED AND I'M ENCOURAGED. IN FORT PIERCE, JUST WANT TO SAY IT'S GONNA BE ALL RIGHT. WE ARE GOING TO SURVIVE. I KNOW GOVERNMENTS SOMETIMES LOOK -- IT LOOKS DIM AND YOU MAY BE DISAPPOINTED IN US, BUT WE ARE GOING TO MAKE IT. ESPECIALLY IF IT'S REGGIE SESSIONS HAVING ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT. IF THERE'S A BREATH IN MY BODY I'M GONNA DO ALL I CAN WHY I CAN. I DON'T TAKE A LOT OF CREDIT TODAY WHAT I HEARD FROM MARK UNTIL WE DISPERSE LIKE COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER SAID SOME OF THAT MONEY TO SOMEBODY IN NEED BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT THE LINES, I SAW UP THERE WITH ABOUT A THOUSAND PEOPLE WAITING TO GET FOOD. IF WE WALK OUT OF HERE TONIGHT, AND DON'T ALLOT SOME MONEY TO SOME POOR CHILD

TO FEED SOMEBODY. >> IN TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, SO TO HIT THE FAMILIES ALREADY, ALL OF THOSE THAT ARE ON A LOW INCOME, TO BOMBARD THEM WITH THIS PANDEMIC, IS JUST THINGS ARE ROUGH OUT THERE. AND I WISH YOU WOULD ALL JUST RIDE AROUND AND SEE WAS GOING ON.. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO WITH JUDGMENT LET ME GET BACK TO THE BUSINESS AT HAND I'M THROUGH VENTING. THANK YOU, SHERIFF DEPARTMENT THANK YOU, BRIAN MASS.. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS MAKE A HUMBLE REQUEST TO YOU ALL, ALL THREE OF YOU -- I'M SORRY COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER, THANK ADJOURNED THE PHONE, THAT WE, THE CITY FORT PIERCE COME UP WITH A GRAND, MAYBE 10,000 -- I JUST CAME UP WITH A FIGURE

[01:15:06]

SO MAKE THAT FORMAL MOTION THAT WE ALLOT $50,000 TO COME OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND TO GO TOWARDS HELPING THE NEEDY, $10,000 GRANT TO FEED THE POOR AND 40,000 TO GO TOWARD SMALL BUSINESSES. AND IT WILL BE FIRST COME FIRST SERVE. BUT HOPEFULLY, I PRAY AND TRUST IF WE -- IF WE SET THE RULES AND THE PARAMETERS IN PLACE, WE CAN MAKE SURE THE BUSINESSES THAT NEEDED THE MOST WILL GET IT. THANK YOU.

>> MR. PERRONE? >> AND I SHARE YOUR EMOTIONS, TOO, WE HEARD FROM TH CITY MANAGER TALKING ABOUT $800,000 WHICH INCLUDED FEEDING AND ALSO INCLUDED BUSINESS ASSISTANCE AND EVERYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT. SO I THINK WE ARE READY HAVE A PLAN GOING FORWARD. THIS IS A NON-AGENDA ITEM AND I HAVE A PROBLEM MAKING ANY TYPE OF A -- CONSIDERING ANY MOTION THAT IS NOT IN FRONT OF US WE HAVE NOT HAD SUFFICIENT TIME TO LOOK AT THE INFORMATION AND FIND OUT WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING, WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM. AND I DON'T MEAN TO THROW COLD WATER ON THIS BUT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW-UP FORMAT AND I THINK THAT'S MOST IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW, BUT WE CAN HAVE AN EMERGENCY MEETING IF YOU WANT.

WE CAN DO WHATEVER WE HAVE TO DO TO GET TO THAT POINT. I AM CALLING FOR A POINT OF ORDER

AND THAT. >> I AGREE.

>>MAYOR HUDSON: I DID NOT HEAR A SECOND. SO IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION?

>> I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE COURT. I MEAN THIS IS A NON-AGENDA ITEM. SO ARE WE WITHIN OUR RIGHTS TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE WITH THE MOTION ARE NOT.

>> I'M GOING TO DO FOR THAT TO THE CITY ATTORNEY. I'D LIKE HIS GUIDANCE, PLEASE.

>> COMMISSIONERS, THAT WOULD BE MOST TYPICALLY APPROPRIATE. THE AGENDA IS SET AND WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, IT COULD HAVE BEEN ADDED AT THAT TIME EVEN ON SHORT ORDER AT THAT TIME COULD HAVE BEEN ADDED. THAT IS TYPICALLY IN HISTORY AND PRESIDENTS OF THIS COMMISSION OTHER COMMISSIONS THAT I'VE SEEN IF SOMETHING IS ESSENTIALLY WALKED ON, IT IS WALKED ON AT THAT TIME ADDED TO THE AGENDA. THE AGENDA WAS SET AT THE BEGINNING WITH THE MEETING WAS NO ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS AND SO IT BECOMES PROBLEMATIC TO ADD SOMETHING NOW AS TO THE POINT OF ORDER.

SO THE AGENDA IS SET. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S JUST -- THAT'S THE RULES OF ORDER.

>> ME ASK YOU A QUESTION. >> SO AS FAR AS PROTOCOL IS CONCERNED, YOU ARE SAYING THAT WE COULD NOT JUST COME IN THIS PARTICULAR SETTING, IN THE MIDDLE OF A MEETING, WHILE WE ARE ALL HERE, WE COULDN'T ALLOW $50,000 TO BE GIVEN TO A PARTICULAR FUNDING SOURCE FOR PURPOSES OF FEEDING THE POOR AT HELPING THE SMALL BUSINESSES? YOU'RE SAYING WE CAN'T DO THAT?

>> #MAGA. >> HE BROUGHT UP AN INTERESTING POINT. WE ARE DOING SOMETHING THAT'S IMPROPER NOT LEGAL IN FOLLOWING PROTOCOL THAT'S ONE THING I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT CONVENIENCE. THESE ORIGIN CIRCUMSTANCES AND COMMISSIONER PERRONE IS NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL. WE ARE DOING THINGS THAT HAVE NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE AND HOPEFULLY MAY NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. I DON'T WANT TO STICK TO BUSINESS AS USUAL BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE SEEN WHAT I'VE SEEN, IF IT'S JUST FOR CONVENIENCE PURPOSES I WOULD BEG UPON YOU

[01:20:20]

OF LEGALITY, THEN SO BE IT. >> MATTER MAYOR? COMMISSIONER SESSIONS? THAT'S MY GREATEST CONCERN IS THE LEGALITY. THE REASON I BRING THAT UP AS I CLEARLY AGREE TO WITH YOU ALL OF THIS IS EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES BUT IT'S NOT IN THE SAME CATEGORY AS IN THE LAST 25 MINUTES WE BEEN IN THE BUILDING AND HAS UNFOLDED TO THE POINT WHERE WE NOW HAVE TO DECLARE THAT WILL HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING TOMORROW OR TAKEN ACTION ITEM. WHAT I MEAN BY THAT COMMISSAR IS THAT YOU COULD SEE THAT IT COULD ALWAYS BE UTILIZED AND AGAIN I HOPE IT NEVER WOULD BE. BUT ONCE THE AGENDA IS SET, IF IT WAS FORESEEABLE THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE AGENDA EVEN AT THE OUTSET OF THE MEETING, AND THAT WOULD'VE BEEN THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO AMEND THE AGENDA.

>> OKAY. >> SO.

>> AND THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND AGAIN -- SO IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR US TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT -- FROM STAFF THERE WORKING ON A PLAN ALREADY. I THINK THE WORD TWO WEEKS, THEY HOPE TO HAVE SOMETHING DONE. WE CAN TASK STAFF TO WORK ON THIS A FASTER RATE PRIORITIZE IT QUICKER AND MAYOR, MAYOR, YOU CAN CALL A SPECIAL MEETING AND WE CAN GET THIS THING DONE. I JUST WANT COMMISSIONER SESSIONS TO UNDERSTAND I SHARE THE SAME FEELING YOU DO, BUT I WANT TO DO IT THE RIGHT WAY. AGAIN IT'S JUST LIKE THE LAST MEETING WE HAD, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US, THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT WERE JUST NOT DOING THINGS -- AND THIS IS BUSINESS AS USUAL BECAUSE THIS IS THE USUAL BUSINESS THAT KEEPS US OUT OF TROUBLE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TRANSPARENT AND MAKE SURE THEY WERE DOING WHAT WE BEEN ELECTED TO DO. THE WAY AROUND IT IS TO EMPOWER STAFF TO GET MOVING ON THIS QUICKER. WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THIS IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

>> THERE'S COMPLICATIONS WITH JUST ALLOTTING MONEY. AND SECOND OF ALL, THERE IS SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COUNTY THAT ARE IN THE FEEDING BUSINESS RIGHT NOW. SARAH'S KITCHEN, THE TREASURE COAST FOOD BANK AND THE SCHOOL BOARD. MUSTARD SEED, RIGHT. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS BUSINESS THAT ARE GOING TO BE FEEDING PEOPLE AND COLLECTING CONTRIBUTIONS AND ALL OF THIS HAS TO BE THOUGHT THROUGH WE CAN'T DO THIS IN A SPEEDY FASHION. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON DOING AWAY ON WAYNE ON THIS. I DON'T WANT TO BREAK PROTOCOL AS FAR AS WHAT'S LEGAL FROM THIS BECAUSE OF MANY THINGS. SOME ITEMS I WROTE DOWN -- I AGREE 10,000 WORD FEEDING IS A GOOD NUMBER. IT JUST HAS TO BE FROM THE RIGHT SOURCE THEN TALKED ABOUT. I DON'T KNOW WHO IT GOES TO AND HOW DO WE DECIDE WHAT GOES TO HOW DO WE DISTRIBUTE IT? YOU KNOW OUR CITY MANAGERS BEEN UP HERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT HE'S BEEN THEY GET ABOUT AND ALL THE MONEY THAT HE HAS PLANNED AND HOW WE CAN STOP THIS PLAN PROCESS AND REALLOCATE FOR THE EMERGENCY PURPOSE. SO I DO AGREE WITH THAT. THE $40,000 FOR THE SMALL BUSINESSES, OR JUST BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT. THESE ARE ALL GREAT PLANS AND GREAT IDEAS. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ORDER IS THERE.

HE OTHER THING THAT I COME BACK TO EVERY TIME, OUR CHURCHES ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.

OUR NONPROFITS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB AND I LEAN ON THEM AND RELY ON THEM EVERY SINGLE DAY TO DO THAT. AND I APPRECIATE WHAT THEY DO. AND THEY ARE DOING A GOOD JOB. AND WHATEVER WE CAN DO HERE, THAT'S WITHIN OUR RULES AND PROCEDURES, LET'S DO IT. BUT I THINK THE MANAGER HAS A GOOD PLAN. I'VE TALKED TO HIM ABOUT IT. I'VE HEARD FROM HIM ABOUT IT. HE HAS SHOWN US TONIGHT THAT HE HAS A PLAN. AND IT'S GOOD. THE OTHER THING TO THINK ABOUT -- AND I TALK ABOUT THIS OFTEN WITH FOLKS IS WHAT DOES THE THREE MONTH VISION LOOK LIKE? NO ONE KNOWS. NONE OF US KNOW. SO WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO BALANCE THE NEEDS OF THE

[01:25:01]

IT'S LIKE LOOKING AT YOUR ACCOUNT AND HOW I STRETCH IT OUT HOW DO I START FROM ZERO AND OH MY GOSH, GOT TO GET TO THREE MONTHS FROM NOW. THAT'S THE DEAL. SO JUST THINKING ABOUT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND HOW WE ARE GOING TO INTERACT AND WHAT ARE FOLKS DOING? ARE THERE FOLKS DOING THINGS EVERY SINGLE DAY IN OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY. THEY ARE TRYING TO STAY ALIVE IN THE GIVING AT THE SAME TIME. AND IT'S IMPRESSIVE. SO, COMMISSIONER, I HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR. I JUST DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN ACT ON RIGHT THIS SECOND BUT WE'VE BEEN CHALLENGED BY COUPLE COMMENTERS THAT THE MONEY IS SITTING STILL, THERE'S FOUR POLICE OFFICERS HERE WE DID DO ANYTHING AND THAT'S OKAY. I FEEL LIKE WE ARE DOING SOMETHING. I FEEL LIKE HER MANAGERS DOING SOMETHING. HE IS THINKING AHEAD AND BEING PROACTIVE. CAN WE DO A BETTER? OF COURSE. EVERY SINGLE DAY WE CAN DO SOMETHING BETTER. WE CAN WAKE UP AND TRY AGAIN AND WORK HARDER DOING THAT ÃMY GOD ONE MORE ITEM -- I THOUGHT ABOUT JOHN.

>> HAD FINISHED AS. >> AND FINISHED IT.

>> I KNOW. I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT THE SAME.

>> OKAY. ALL RIGHT. JUST DON'T FORGET ABOUT ME.

>> NO. THAT'S OKAY. I'LL THINK OF IT WHEN IT'S MY TURN.

>> ALL RIGHT. MR. SESSIONS. >> I'LL SAY THIS MUCH DONE FROM HEARING FROM OUR CITY ATTORNEY, THAT COULD BE SOMEWHAT OF A CAVEAT, BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN, COMMISSIONERS JOHNSON, A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WERE TALKED ABOUT HER LONG TERM. THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE NOW THAT ARE HUNGRY AND STARVING. AND I'LL THINK THEY CAN WAIT A COUPLE WEEKS. AND IF WE ARE GOING TO SIT IN HERE AND HERE WE JUST HEARD BASED ON -- IT WOULD BE ONE THING IF THEY CAME IN THERE AND SAID LOOK, CITY FORT PIERCE YOU ALL ARE DOING BAD. BUT WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED TO MUCH IS GIVEN MUCH IS EXPECTED. AND WE ARE THE POLITICAL FOREFATHERS.

CHURCHES ARE CHURCHES. AND THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALLGAME AND SERMON FROM HERE UNTIL. BUT IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US. WE HAVE THE ABILITY WE'VE COLLECTED TAXES IN OUR COMMUNITIES SUFFERING. WE HAVE A LITTLE MONEY SAVED UP THAT WE CAN HELP. SO I UNDERSTAND WE CAN DO IT TONIGHT, BUT MAYOR, IF WE COULD GET IN HERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, SINCE STAFF IN A DIRECTION TO WORK OUT THE DETAILS SO WE CAN HAVE AN EMERGENCY MEETING, GET BACK IN HERE IN A COUPLE OF DAYS, NOT A COUPLE OF WEEKS COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. I PLEAD WITH YOU. WE DO KNOW FROM ONE DAY TO THE OTHER LET ALONE NEXT WEEK. WHAT MAY HAPPEN. THAT IS TOO LONG. THIS IS NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL. THIS WARRANTS US COMING TO THE CALL AND TRYING TO RESCUE AND HELP THOSE LESS FORTUNATE. YOU AND I WILL SLEEP TONIGHT. YOU AND I WILL HAVE A MEAL TOMORROW. BUT THERE'S SOME PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE NOT GOING TO BE.

YOU'VE GOT SOME BABIES OUT THERE THAT ARE HUNGRY. I SAW IT. I'VE SEEN IT. SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE COULD GET BACK IN HERE WITHIN A DAY OR SO LET THEM WORK OUT THE DETAILS AND FOLLOW PROTOCOL AND GET SOME THINGS DONE, PLEASE.

>> LOOK OVER THE POLITICS. LET'S FORGET THE POLITICS. LET'S COME TOGETHER IN ONE ACCORD HELP SOMEBODY. HAVE THE LOVE WITHIN US TO TRY TO HELP SOMEBODY. I DON'T CARE WHO LIKE SEWER WHO DISLIKES WHO LET'S DO ALL WE CAN. THIS IS NOT DOING THINGS AS USUAL.

LET'S CUT OUT THE BUREAUCRACY OF THE PAPERWORK AND THE RULES, SHORT OF FOLLOWING THE LAW, LET'S DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO HELP PEOPLE. SO, I HOPE WE CAN GET IN HERE REAL SOON AND HAVE A MEETING, AN EMERGENCY MEETING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS AND HELP THESE BUSINESSES. THAT HELP INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE OUT THERE STARVING THAT ARE HUNGRY. YOU

[01:30:03]

NOT BASED ON WHAT THAT YOUNG MAN JUST TOLD US ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO HELP. WE GOT IT.

IT'LL BE ONE THING IF WE DO BUT WE HAVE THE MONEY. ON THAT NOTE, I WILL END WITH THIS. I ENCOURAGE THE COMMUNITY TO COME OUT. WE'VE GOT ONE MORE DAY OF TESTING. OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR STATE GOVERNMENT IS SAYING THAT IT IS ALL ABOUT TESTING NOW. THEY'RE GOING TO PUT -- HOPEFULLY US BACK TO WORK UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I MAY DISAGREE OR AGREE BUT THAT'S MY OWN PERSONAL OPINION. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, PLEASE, WE DO NOT HAVE THAT MANY TESTS LEFT, BUT WHATEVER WE HAVE, WE HAVE A NUMBER, 772-940-1020. YOU CAN CALL AND SET UP AN APPOINTMENT. WE ARE TRYING TO TAKE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE IN NEED THAT HAVE THE ACTUAL AILMENT AND SYMPTOMS ARE SYMPTOMATIC AS OPPOSED TO ASYMPTOMATIC BECAUSE ASYMPTOMATIC INDIVIDUALS I MIGHT HAVE A COMMENT TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. YOU ALL ARE TAKING A CHANCE BEEN UP HERE WITH ME TONIGHT. BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS. BUT AT ANY RATE, THAT'S WHAT ASYMPTOMATIC IS ALL ABOUT. WE DON'T KNOW WHO HAS IT. BUT JUST AS A MEANS OF IDENTIFYING PEOPLE, THERE LIKE MYSELF BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS NOT GOING TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL OR WAY TO THE POINT WITH HER ALMOST DYING. IN ORDER TO GET HELP AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY DOING THAT. IT TAKES THEM IN DIRE STRAITS TO GO TO LAUREN WHEN. SO, ALLIED HEALTH, THEY'RE GOING TO BE UPSET WITH BE BECAUSE THEY TOLD ME COMMISSIONER, WE GET THE ABILITY WERE TESTS. I'M GET A RIDE THIS AS LONG AS I CAN WHEN THEY TELL ME GOOD DAY THAN GOD BLESS THEM. I APPRECIATE WHAT THEY'VE DONE, AT ANY RATE FIRST COME FIRST SERVE. IF YOU WANT TO GET TESTED WE MADE IT CONVENIENT. WE PUT IN THE NORTHWEST SECTION OUT IF YOU WANT TO EXCLUDE ANYBODY BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN COMING ALL OVER, FROM ALL OVER. THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THEY CAN'T GO TO WORK UNTIL THEY GET A SEAL OF APPROVAL TO GO BACK TO WORK. THIS COMPANY IS GETTING RESULTS WITHIN FOUR DAYS.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF COST GIVEN FOR PEOPLE TO WANT TO GO BACK TO WORK BUT THEY CAN'T GO TO WORK. SO THAT IS A PLUS, TOO, FOR THEM AND I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THIS COUNTRY ALLIED HEALTH TAKING T UPON THEMSELVES AND THEY'RE NOT ASKING FOR ONE DYING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET IN TERMS OF REIMBURSEMENT, IF THEY GET ANYTHING AT ALL. THAT'S NOT MY BUSINESS. BUT THEY'RE OFFERING A GIFT TO SAVE LIVES AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO ALL WE CAN TO ASSIST THEM. AND I WANT TO BUY POLICE DEPARTMENT. I WAS SO DISAPPOINTED THAT THAT HAPPEN. THAT I COULDN'T EVEN HAVE A SECURITY OFFICER. AND MAYOR, THIS IS NO REFLECTION ON YOU. BUT I SEE YOU WITH AN ESCORT FOR 5 TO 6 MONTHS, AN OFFICER MAKING $75,000 TAKING YOU BACK AND FORTH AND HELP, WE CAN EVEN GET AN OFFICER TO SIT OUT THERE? THAT'S WHAT HURT ME. THAT'S WHAT REALLY BOTHERED ME. IN YOUR SITUATION MIGHT HAVE WARRANTED THAT.

WHAT I KNOW IS WE COULD HAVE DONE IT. WHEN I LOOK OVER AT THE FOOTBALL GAME AND I SEE TWO OFFICERS OVERSEEING A FOOTBALL GAME WATCHING THEM PLAY FOOTBALL DRINKING SODAS AND HOT DOGS AND HAMBURGERS, I KNOW WE COULD HAVE DONE IT. BUT BY THE CITY MANAGER DID NOT SEE A DEMONSTRATE IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THIS BUT WE SAW ALL THE OTHER THINGS GOING ON. EXCUSE ME.

YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE AT YOUR COMMUNITY. FORGET ABOUT ME. I THOUGHT YOU AND I WERE CLOSER THAN THAT. I'M THROUGH. THANK YOU.

>>MAYOR HUDSON: COMMISSIONER JOHNSON.

>> THANK YOU MAN-- MA'AM. >> WILL TALK ABOUT THE TESTING THAT IN THE CALLS HIM ON EVERY SINGLE DAY, EVERY OTHER DAY IF NOT EVERY DAY, THIS EFFORT

[01:35:09]

>> OF THE PEOPLE THAT CAME FROM DISTRICT TO.

>>MAYOR HUDSON: MR. SESSIONS. >> ALL RIGHT. I'M GLAD YOU

FEEL THAT WAY. >> THERE'S FOLKS I CAN'T DRIVE

THAT NEED TO BE WALKABLE. >> WE PICK THEM UP.

>>, DO BETTER THAT I CAN LEAVE AND YOU CAN HAVE THE FLOOR ABOUT HERE. YOU DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. I'VE GOT LIVES TO SAVE.

>> ON FIELD UP ABOUT IT YOU, SIR.

>> DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO. >> IT TAKES COMMUNICATION TO MAKE STUFF LIKE THIS HAPPEN I'M GOING TO STAND NEXT QUARTER REAL QUICK. UNDER THE STANDARD THIS QUARTER BECAUSE HE AND I TALKED ABOUT IT TOO? LIKE SO YOU ARE. HOW YOU GONNA SIT

THERE. >>MAYOR HUDSON: COMMISSIONER SESSIONS -- MR. JOHNSON IS SPEAKING.

>> I SERVED YOUR COMMUNITY AND MINE. DISTRICT TO IN DISTRICT 1.

>> THANK YOU. >> I BEEN SWING OUT THERE. YOU DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. YOU HAVEN'T MADE THIS A BLACK AND WHITE AND.

>> I HAVEN'T SAID THAT ONE TIME. MY GOODNESS. ALMOST 45 YEARS OLD AND NEVER BEEN CALLED A RACIST EXCEPT FOR TWO TIMES WHILE SITTING IN THIS -- UNBELIEVABLE.

>>MAYOR HUDSON: CONTINUE, COMMISSIONER.

>> CHEESE. >> SO THIS TAKES COMMUNICATION COORDINATION IN A CONCERTED EFFORT ACROSS THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHERE TO GO, HOW TO GO WHAT KIND OF SOCIAL MEDIA, TV ADVERTISEMENTS, RADIO ADVERTISEMENTS. IT'S A GOOD THING. WE'VE ACCOMPANYING HERE DOING THIS THAT I DID NOT KNOW WAS COMING. THAT WAS MY PROBLEM WITH THAT LAST MEETING.

IT TAKES COMMUNICATION. I'VE NEVER KNOWN MR. MIMBS NOT TO COMMUNICATE SOMETHING FROM ONE OF US. ONE IS COMMUNICATED AND WHAT IS REQUESTED, AND WHEN IS REACHED OUT. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN BECAUSE THIS IS A PANDEMIC, WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER WHICH CAN GET THE WORD OUT. THEY DO A GREAT JOB. THIS IS NOT A COUNTY THING, BY THE WAY WHICH IS MY EMPLOYER. THIS IS A REGIONAL APPLICATION. IT'S THE FIRE DISTRICT, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE FOLKS I SEE ON THERE. I DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE. BUT THERE COORDINATING AND COMMUNICATING. THERE IS A PLANNING SESSION THAT LEADS UP ALL OF THIS. THOSE LIAISONS THAT REACH OUT TO SMALL BUSINESSES TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. IT'S COORDINATED.

WHEN YOU THIS IS AN EMERGENCY. THIS IS A TIME OF WE NEED TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. BUT WE HAVE TO DO BETTER. SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS ON THAT. I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL THAT THIS IS HAPPENING. WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. THERE'S A LOT OF EMOTION GOING ON IN THE BEGINNING STAGES OF THIS AND IT WILL DRAG ON FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S COMING NEXT. FOR US TO GET ANIMATED AND EXCITED, I JUST THINK IT'S OUT OF CHARACTER.

-- I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT'S OUT OF HER WHERE IT'S COMING FROM. BUT WE DO HAVE AN EMERGENCY.

AND YES, WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES BUT HAS TO BE STRATEGIC, WELL-PLANNED AND THOUGHT OUT.

AND SO I THINK THERE ARE STEPS WE CAN TAKE TO DO THAT. AND I DON'T THINK WE DID IN THIS CASE, BUT I'M GLAD I'M GLAD THEY'RE IN OUR COMMUNITY. I'M GLAD THINGS ARE HAPPENING FOR PEOPLE TO GET TESTED. I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE TESTING. I'M WORRIED ABOUT STEP TWO. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE TEST COMES BACK POSITIVE? HOW DO WE ADDRESS THAT? THERE ARE PEOPLE AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT LONGWOOD, TRADITION MEDICAL PSL HOSPITAL, THERE TALK ABOUT IT.

>>MAYOR HUDSON: CLEVELAND CATALYTIC -- CLINIC.

>> WE HAVE TO BE IN TUNE WITH THE CONVERSATIONS BEFORE WE CAN REACT, OVERREACT, UNDER REACT.

WHATEVER IT IS. AND I APPRECIATE NEXT WORDS TONIGHT. THEY TALK ABOUT A UNIFYING EFFORT ACROSS THE TREASURE COAST. THERE'S ALWAYS JACKSONVILLE BEACH. THEY OPENED UP THIS WEEKEND. ALL THE SUDDEN THERE'S 500 PHONE CALLS ST. LUCIE COUNTY WOULD NOT EVEN OPEN UP. MARTIN COUNTY, WHEN YOU GET OPEN UP INDIAN RIVER WHEN YOU GET OPEN UP THERE? WHAT HAPPENS? THE THREE COUNTIES STARTED TALKING TO EACH OTHER IN A CONFERENCE PHONE CALL THEY SAY WE HAVE TO DO THIS TOGETHER AND FIGURE IT OUT. LET'S LEARN WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND US AND NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE OR A PREMATURE MANEUVER OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. I FOR ONE BELIEVE THAT BEACHES AND SALTWATER IS A HEALER TO GIVE HER SHARON

[01:40:13]

FAST. >> I AGREE WITH ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE SAID. I THINK IT'S A PROCESS THAT HAS TO BE UNDERTAKEN. I THINK IT CAN BE DONE WITH EXPEDIENCY AND TAKEN IN STRIDE. WE CAN CALL AN EMERGENCY MEETING. I WANT TO ASK NICK IF YOU COULD GIVE US INFORMATION ON HOW FAST YOU CAN GET THAT INFORMATION. HE TALKED ABOUT TWO WEEKS. COMMISSIONER SESSIONS ASKED FOR SOMETHING SHORT OF THAT. I AGREE WITH THAT. BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT WALLS AND HURDLES YOU HAVE TO CROSS TO GET TO THAT

SPOT. >> WE CAN BE READY MORE THAN LIKELY FRIDAY IF NOT MONDAY. BUT IF YOU ELECT TO DO SOMETHING THIS WEEK AND DISCUSS HOW WE REALLOCATE HUD, CDBG AND OR SHIP FUNDING IN OUR CARE SECTOR FUNDING WE CAN DO THAT FRIDAY OR MONDAY. OUR STAFF WILL BE READY. UNFORTUNATELY, WE CANNOT GET INTO THE FBI RATE FUNDS UNLESS YOU CALL THE SPECIAL FPR A MEETING AND THAT CAN BE HELD RIGHT AFTER.

>>MAYOR HUDSON: AT THE SAME TIE.

>> YES. OKAY. BUT YOU ARE COMMITTED TO BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.

>> YES, SIR. >> OKAY. AND MAYOR, HOW MANY HOURS DOES IT TAKE TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING?

>> I THINK IT'S SIX, ISN'T IT. >> FPR IS DIFFERENT.

>> WILL DO IT. WE WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN. WE WILL CALL IT.

>> AND ALSO, I THINK THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS TO IDENTIFY SOURCES THAT WE ARE GOING TO GIVE MONEY TO COME IF WE DO BECAUSE I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THAT'S GONNA BE THE BIGGEST ISSUE WITH ME IS TO MAKE SURE -- WE'VE HAD EMERGENCIES THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THIS NATION, HURRICANES, TORNADOES, FIRES FLOODS, WHATEVER, AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE BIG STORIES AFTER EVERYTHING IS OVER WITH HIS HELP LIMITED RESOURCES GOT MISSPENT AND THERE ARE FOLKS OUT THERE AFTER THE FACT, MUCH LIKE MR. JOHN'S AT ABOUT THREE MONTHS, SIX MONTHS, YOU'RE OUT WE CAN TELL BECAUSE WE SPENT EVERYTHING ON SOMETHING THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE HELPED OUT.

>> WILL THE GOOD NEWS IS WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF AN EMERGENCY. ALL PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES HAVE BEEN WAIVED. WE CAN ACT AND WE CAN ACT FAST. SO IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL WANT TO PURSUE, THEN WE CAN IMMEDIATELY BEGIN PUTTING THE MONEY IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE THAT NEED IT OR THE PEOPLE THAT CAN DO SOMETHING WITH IT TO AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT ON OUR

COMMUNITY. SO -- AND ALSO. >> AND THAT IS THE MOST CRITICAL THING IS THAT IT GETS TO THE RIGHT PLACE.

>> YES, MA'AM. >> AND I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.

THANK YOU. >> YOU TELL ME FRIDAY OR MONDAY IT'S UP TO YOU. WE'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN.

>> GET IT TO US BY FRIDAY. >> AND WE WILL.

>> FRIDAY IS PREFERABLE, BUT MONDAY AT THE LATEST ABOUT THAT.

>> SIX HOURS SO THAT MEANS BY MONDAY AT NOON IF YOUR ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT OUT OF WE DON'T GET A PHONE CALL THAT WE CAN HAVE A MEETING MONDAY EVENING.

>> IF WE CAN MAKE NOTIFICATION FRIDAY, WE CAN HAVE THE MEETING MONDAY IF YOU LIKE OR SOME

BEFORE. >> THAT WORKS.

>> AS FOR THE FPR A WE HAD A MEETING SCHEDULED THAT HAS BEEN ADVERTISED FOR TUESDAY.

>> IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE APRIL 28, BUT THAT HAS -- BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE ANY ESSENTIAL ITEMS ON THAT, WE CHOSE TO CANCEL IT. EXAMINE CANCEL THE.

>> THE ADVERTISING. >> DID WE NOTICE OF

CANCELLATION. >> SO WE COULD DO BOTH ON TUESDAY IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?

[01:45:01]

>> THIS TUESDAY? >> I THINK TUESDAY'S QUICK

THAT'S TOMORROW. >> NO THE 20TH A WEEK FROM

TOMORROW. >> DO BOTH MEETINGS.

>> THIS IS THE 20TH. >> OKAY. YES.

>> I'M SAYING THE AD -- THAT WAS A REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING ALTHOUGH I'VE NOTED IT AS CANCELED ON OUR WEBSITE, WE COULD TAKE THAT OFF BECAUSE MY CHALLENGES THE SEVEN-DAY

ADVERTISING REQUIREMENT. >> EVER GOING TO MEET FOR THE FPR WE AUTOMATE FOR THE OTHER ONE AT THE SAME TIME. RIGHT?

>> DOES EVERYBODY AGREE WITH THAT SO THAT WOULD BE TUESDAY.

>> YOU WANT TO GO TUESDAY? >> A WEEK FROM TOMORROW.

>> FPR IS AT 4 O'CLOCK. >> THAT'S AT 4 O'CLOCK. WE

COULD START. >> STARTED FOR THE HAVE THE EMERGENCY CITY COMMISSION AFTER THAT.

>>MAYOR HUDSON: WHATEVER. I DON'T CARE.

>> STARTED FOR STARTED THREE. >> WHATEVER WORKS. APRIL 28

WILL HAVE EVERYTHING. >> YOU FIGURE OUT WHICH IS THE

MOST IMPORTANT. >> RIGHT.

>> MAYOR IF I MAY IT WOULD BE OKAY TO HAVE THE CITY COMMISSION MEETING BEFORE IS WHAT I'M HEARING THE CONSENSUS BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE MAY BE MORE ISSUES THAT THEN LEAD INTO I WANT TO BE CLEAR ON HEARING.

>> THAT'S FINE, WHATEVER MAKES SENSE.

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR.

MIMBS. >> I'M JUST GONNA LEAVE IT AT THAT FOR THOSE ITEMS. I JUST WANT TO SAY TO THE COMMUNITY IN THE PUBLIC AND OR LAW ENFORCEMENT FIRST RESPONDERS HEALTHCARE WORKERS, I APPRECIATE GOING TO BATTLE EVERY SICK DAY. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT AND THAT WE SAY THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. IT'S ONE OF THOSE -- IS ONE OF THOSE TIMES WE JUST DON'T KNOW. YOU'RE WALKING INTO AN UNKNOWN SITUATION WHERE SOMEONE IS COMING TO VISIT OR WE ARE VISITING A BUSINESS AND -- I THINK I HEARD LAST MEETING THAT SOME OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS GOING OUT AND VISITING SMALL BUSINESSES IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY. SO -- AND I APPRECIATE THAT. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ACTIVITY. THERE WAS -- ABOUT A WEEK AGO, A BIG DRIVE IT THROUGH THANK YOU AT

LONGWOOD. >> I SAW THAT.

>> THEY WERE VERY APPRECIATIVE. WERE STRAPPING IN AND TIGHTENING HER SHOELACES AND

HERE WE GO. THANK YOU. >>MAYOR HUDSON: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO I WILL JUST CLOSE WITH ECHOING THE THANKS TO ALL THE SMALL BUSINESSES AND THE GROCERY STORE WORKERS AND THE TREKKERS IN THE POLICE AND FIRE ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE TRYING TO ADJUST AND WE ARE -- THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THIS COUNTRY HAS NEVER BEEN IN MUCH LESS OUR CITY, OUR COUNTY AND STATE. THINK WE ARE ALL STRUGGLING AND TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PEOPLE OF FORT PIERCE WHO ARE DOING THE SOCIAL DISTANCING AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO WORK AND I THINK THAT THE WHOLE TESTING ISSUE IS -- IS REALLY BAFFLED THE WHOLE WORLD ABOUT THE WHOLE TESTING ISSUE BECAUSE THE TESTING HAS SO FAR BEEN DONE ON PEOPLE WHO HAVE SYMPTOMS OR WHO ARE IN NURSING HOMES OR HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH SOMEBODY WHO IS BEEN -- TESTED POSITIVE. THERE ARE PRIORITIES FOR THE TESTING THAT HAVE BEEN OF NECESSITY, HAD TO BE THE WAY THEY ARE.

AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HAS THE ANSWER ON THE TESTING. AND I THINK WERE ALL LOOKING TO OUR STATE AND NATIONAL LEADERS IN TRYING TO WORK WITH THEM AS BEST WE CAN. I FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT THE CITY AND WHAT THE CITY HAS DONE IN TERMS OF COOPERATION AND VOLUNTARY COOPERATION AND UNDERSTANDING THE SERIOUSNESS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING. AND SO, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT AND I -- I WANT TO THANK NICK FOR THINKING AHEAD IN TERMS OF THIS MONEY AND SEEING THIS NEED AND ALREADY THINKING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT. AND I ALSO KNOW THAT YOU, AS A MANAGER HAVE TO MANAGE RESOURCES AND HAVE TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE WHOLE CITY AND YOU HAVE TO DO -- YOU WORK FOR FIVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND THAT SOMETIMES THEY SAY IS LIKE A CITY MANAGER IS LIKE HAVING FIVE WIVES AND SO THERE ARE

[01:50:05]

AND ONE OF THE PHRASES THAT WAS USED TO ME IS THAT WE NEED TO BE AS CYBER HYGIENIC AS WE ARE WITH WASHING YOUR HANDS IN THE SOCIAL DISTANCING BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY THE BAD GUYS ADJUST WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD, DO. SO, ALSO, I WANTED TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT IS LISTENING THAT WHILE YOU ARE SAFE AT HOME, YOU CAN DO THE CENSUS. IT TAKES FIVE MINUTES.

WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT MONEY TONIGHT AND A LOT ABOUT THE SHIP FUNDS IN THE CDBG FUNDS IN SOME OF THE FUNDS COMING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THOSE FUNDS GET ALLOCATED BASED ON THE CENSUS COUNT. AND SO WE NEED A COMPLETE ACCOUNT FOR THIS CITY AND THAT SOMETHING PEOPLE CAN DO WHILE WORKING AT HOME. SO WITH THAT, I THINK WE SHOULD ADJOURN BUT BEFORE WE ADJOURNED, I JUST WANT TO ANNOUNCE A WHAT WE WILL DO IS PACK UP OUR STUFF APPEAR. WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK EVERYBODY TO LEAVE THE CHAMBERS AND WE WILL BE TURNING OUT THE LIGHTS.

>> (INDISCERNIBLE). >> SIR.

>> THANK YOU, SIR.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.