[1. CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:07] >> THIS IS THE CITY FOR PIERCE REGULAR MEETING. PLEASE STAND FOR THE OPENING AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. >> IF YOU WOULD, THOUGH YOUR HEADS. >> PRECIOUS GOD, WE COME BEFORE YOU WITH HUMBLE HEARTS AND MINDS TO DO THE WORK OF THIS GREAT CITY. WE ASK FOR SPECIAL BLESSINGS AND HEALINGS ON ALL THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE CORONAVIRUS. WE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR ALL REPAIRS RESIDENTS IN THE NEED OF THE CITY AND COMMUNITY. WE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS BODY OF GOVERNMENT. LORD, IT IS OUR HONOR AND PRIVILEGE AS WE CELEBRATE OUR TEACHER AND TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK. WE APPRECIATE EACH OF THEM AND THEIR DEDICATION TO OUR YOUTH AND WE THANK YOU FOR GIVING THEM THE FORTITUDE TO DO WHAT THEY DO BEST. FATHER, MADE THE DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE HERE TONIGHT BE TO YOUR GLORY AND HONOR AND WE ASK FOR WISDOM AND DISCERNMENT IN THESE ACTIONS FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY IN YOUR PRECIOUS AND HOLY NAME WE PRAY, AMEN. >>MAYOR HUDSON: 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). >> THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA [5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES] IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 20, 2020 REGULAR MEETING. >> MOVE FOR THE APPROVAL. >> SECOND. >>MAYOR HUDSON: A MOTION AND A SECOND. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. UNTRAN15Á. >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. [7. LETTERS TO COMMISSION] >> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. HE FOLLOWING LETTER WILL BE KEPT ON FILE IN THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE. WE RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM JOHN LEESONLINDSAY A SEASONAL RESIDENT FROM CANADA IN SUPPORT OF THEIR VIGILANCE AND DISCIPLINE OF THE MANAGEMENT OF THE CORONAVIRUS. WE HAD NO ONE SIGN UP FOR [9. ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO AGENDA AND APPROVAL OF AGENDA] COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA AND APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AND MAYOR, WE NEED TO MAKE A CORRECTION TO THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED AT THE LAST MEETING. SO I WOULD ASK THAT YOU ENTERTAIN THE ADDITION OF RESOLUTION 20 ÃR Ã22 AS ITEM 13 D. >>MAYOR HUDSON: ALL RIGHT. IF THERE ARE NO OTHER CHANGES, WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION WITH THOSE CHANGES. >> MOVED TO APPROVE THE AGENDA, ADDEDADDING I ITEM 23. >> CORRECTED. >>MAYOR HUDSON: DID COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER SECONDED? >> YES. >>MAYOR HUDSON: THANK YOU, SIR. >> CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. UNTRAN15Á. >>MAYOR HUDSON: CITY CLERK, BEFORE WE GO ON I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE CHAIR OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION, KATHY IS IN THE AUDIENCE AND WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AS WELL AS OUR CITY MANAGER IN THE AUDIENCE, TOO. FOR THE RECORD. WE CAN PROCEED. [a. Second Quarter Financial Report] >> SO WE HAVE THE SECOND QUARTER FINANCIAL REPORT. >> MR. MORRIS, WELCOME. >>. >> OKAY. TONIGHT WE HAVE OUR SECOND QUARTER INITIAL REPORT. THESE ARE NUMBERS AT THE END OF NUMBERS AT THE END OF MARCH 31 WE SEE WE DO HAVE ONE ADDITION TO OUR YELLOW HERE. IT IS OUR MARINA. THE REVENUE BONDS ARE PROJECTIONS WERE NOT ON TARGET AS WELL AS THE END OF THE QUARTER THE POSITIVE -- THE INCOME OR NET OPERATING INCOME WAS NOT POSITIVE. AND WE ARE NOT ALARMED IT'S EVERYTHING THAT AFFECTED OUR WHOLE COUNTRY AND THE FUEL WAS DOWN AS WELL. AND THAT'S A GREAT NUMBER IT IS REVENUE AS WELL. THE VIEW BUILDOUT OR STATION IS COMPLETE [00:05:11] AS OF NOW. AND SO, THAT REVENUE SHOULD GENERATE OR SHOULD BE COMING BACK UP, BUT AT THE END OF MARCH. THOSE WITH THE NUMBERS. AND AGAIN, WE DO SEE OUR GOLF COURSE AND SUNRISE BUT THE WORK POSITIVE NET OPERATING INCOME AS WE MOVE FORWARD, YOU WILL SEE SUNRISE IS NOT TOO POSITIVE, BUT I WILL EXPLAIN THAT AS WELL. >> OUR PROJECTED OVERAGE AND SHORTAGES, I'M GOING TO BE HONEST. I'M NOT PROJECTING ANYTHING UNTIL THIRD QUARTER. OUR MARCH FIGURES ARE FABULOUS BECAUSE EVERYONE'S SPENT OUT THEIR MONEY. SO SOME OF THAT REVENUE IS GOING TO LOOK GREAT FOR MARCH BUT WHEN WE SEE APRIL OR MAY NUMBERS IT'LL GIVE US A BETTER PICTURE OF WHERE WE FARED OUT THROUGH ALL OF THIS. SO AS OF NOW THE ONLY NUMBER THAT I KNOW FOR DEFINITE IS OVERAGES IS OUR DELINQUENT AD VALOREM TAX. ANYTHING ELSE WAS IN THE THIRD QUARTER. AND MORE PRUDENT PROJECTION AS TO HOW IT AFFECTED US THE WEATHER WILL HAVE ORDER OVERAGE OR SHORTAGE. ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD? >> OKAY. WE LOOK AT OUR FINANCIAL POSITION FOR ALL OF THE FUND, WILL SEE WHERE WE ARE AT THE END OF THE SECOND QUARTER WITH OUR FISCAL YEAR 20 RESOURCES. FOR GENERAL FUND, FOR THE QUARTER ONLY SEEN ABOUT $782,000, WHICH IS SOMEWHAT OF A PICTURE AS TO WHERE WE NORMALLY WOULD BE HOWEVER, WITH THE 4.8 MILLION IN AVAILABLE RESOURCES. YOU WILL SEE THERE WHERE MARINA HAD THE NEGATIVE HUNDRED 47,000 AND IF YOU LOOK AT BETWEEN THE RESTAURANT SALES AND FUEL, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT WOULD BE ABOUT 180. SO THAT'S ATTRIBUTED TO THAT NUMBER THERE. YOU SEE THE NUMBERS IT'S RATED 29,000 588. GOLF COURSE HAD THE POSITIVE NET AVAILABLE RESOURCES OF $20,000, WHICH IS A PLUS FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS AT SECOND QUARTER THE FUND IS POSITIVE AND I'M PRETTY SURE IT'S ATTRIBUTABLE TO REMAINING OPEN DURING THIS DOWNTIME. SUNRISE, YOU SEE THE NUMBERS THEY ARE OF 330,000, BUT I WILL MAKE KNOWN THAT WE HAVE ALREADY TRANSFERRED ALL OF THAT $450,000 -- IT WAS BUDGETED. >>MAYOR HUDSON: COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER? >>COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER: I HAVE ONE QUESTION. I KNOW WE PRETTY MUCH SHUT DOWN THE SUNRISE FOR HALF OF THE SEASON, BUT YOU KNOW, WOULD YOU TRANSFER THE ENTIRE AMOUNT THAT THEY WERE BUDGETED FOR AND WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO WITH IT? >> WELL, THE TRANSFER WAS TO BE TRANSFERRED AS NEEDED. THERE WAS NO RESTRICTION FOR WHAT WAS TO BE USED FOR IT WAS OPERATING RESOURCES. AT THE END OF THE SECOND QUARTER, THEY WERE ABOUT 100 OR SO THOUSAND SHORTAGE. AND SO WE NEEDED TO TRANSFORM THE FUNDS FOR THAT. IT IS STILL OPERATING IN OPEN. EVEN THOUGH -- WELL THE EMPLOYEES ARE STILL THERE. LET ME SAY THAT. AND THEY ARE STILL PROCESSING REFUNDS AND THAT SORTS OF THINGS AS LONG AS THE EMPLOYEES OF THEIR SOME OF THIS, A LOT OF THIS OPERATING EXPENSE THAT YOU SEE AND HEAR HIS MONEY THAT'S BEEN REFUNDED TO CUSTOMERS FOR SHOWS THAT HAVE ARTY BEEN BOOKED. SO THE TRANSFER HAD TO BE MADE OR NEEDED TO BE MADE. >> OKAY. I UNDERSTAND THAT. CONFUSION TO THE GENERAL FUND. IF YOU SAID SORRY DONE, AND NO ONE ELSE HAS ANY CONCERNS ABOUT IT, I'M OKAY. >> OKAY. PROCEED. >> WE SEE BUILDING AS WELL WITH THE POSITIVE QUARTER. IN OUR GRANT FUNDS, ALL OF THE FUNDS ARE OPERATING POSITIVELY. [00:10:11] THAT'S ONLY BECAUSE THE DROP DOWN IS NOT BEEN DONE AT THE END OF THE QUARTER. IF BRA TO REPORT THE CURRENT AVAILABLE RESOURCES ARE ABOUT $2.3 MILLION. WE HAVE UNREALIZED REVENUE POSSIBLY THAT WE ARE STILL -- WE SHOULD RECEIVE ABOUT 71,000. AND THEN THE EXPENSES OF ABOUT A MILLION. SO AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR WE ARE PROJECTING A POSSIBLE $1.4 MILLION OVER WHAT WAS BUDGETED BUT THAT IS PROJECTED. SO WE MAY -- I KNOW THERE WERE A COUPLE OF ITEMS RELATING TO THE REWRITE IT'S GOING TO BE COMING TO THIS AS WELL SO THERE WAS ADDITIONAL. >> IN THE PLAN? THE CRA PLAN? >> AND THEN THERE'S OUR NUMBER 8.4. WE WON'T SEE THE AMOUNT THAT YOU JUST APPROVED THE 125 UNTIL APRIL NUMBERS ARE IN BECAUSE IT WAS APPROVED IN THE MONTH OF APRIL. SO I'LL ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTION. >>MAYOR HUDSON: ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. MORRIS? >> SO BACK TO THE SUNRISE, WE ARE STILL -- I KNOW STEPS ARE WORKING ON A PLAN THAT WILL HOPEFULLY BE UNVEILED HERE SHORTLY BECAUSE IT SEEMS SOMEWHAT RIDICULOUS TO KEEP GOING ON AND ON AND ON. SO, IS SO UNFORTUNATE THE SUNRISE THEATER, FOR THE FIRST TIME WAS DOING SO WELL. I MEAN, I WAS ENCOURAGED SHARON AND HER STAFF HAS DONE A GREAT JOB AND THEN THIS HAPPENS. I THINK WE NEED TO BE VIGILANT AND WE ALSO NEED TO BE BUSINESSLIKE WILL WE TAKE A LOOK AT THIS IN THE FUTURE. IT'D BE INTERESTING TO KNOW WHEN I DON'T KNOW NOW BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE'S A MONTHLY CARRYING COST AS ITS "WE CAN DO TO SAVE SOME OF THAT MONEY OVER TIME AND PLAN B -- AMB AS FAR AS WHEN WE OPEN IS IT GOING TO BE SIX MONTHS A YEAR OR WHATEVER? I KNOW FOLKS IN THIS COMMUNITY RELY ON THE SUNRISE FOR A LOT OF THINGS AND IT WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL IF WE WERE NOT ABLE TO KEEP IT GOING FORWARD. BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. >> MR. MIMBS AND I HAVE HAD DISCUSSION CONCERNING THAT HE IS PREPARED TO ADDRESS THAT MOVING FORWARD LIKE YOU SAID TO BE PRUDENT AND LOOKING FORWARD, YOU KNOW WITH ALL THE UNCERTAINTY THERE IS A LOT THAT WE HAVE TO ALIGN OURSELVES AND PREPARE OURSELVES FOR. RIGHT NOW MAY IS THE MONTH WHERE I START WORKING ON OUR NEW BUDGET. AND COLLEAGUES, NATIONWIDE ARE HAVING -- WERE HAVING THE DISCUSSIONS WHERE WE BEGIN IN AN UNCERTAIN WORLD, YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START. AND THIS IS THE TIME WHERE WE HAVE TO START. SO JUST LOOKING AT THAT, A LOT OF STUFF THAT WE HAVE ALLOWED IN THE PAST WE CAN'T PRUDENTLY ALLOW MOVING FORWARD FOR THE BETTERMENT OF EVERYBODY AS A WHOLE. SO IT'S BEEN TOUGH DECISIONS THAT WERE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE. MOVING FORWARD. TO CLARIFY, OUR AUDITORS CAME AND LAST YEAR WE HAD A WONDERFUL GLOWING YEAR, YOU KNOW, BUT WHEN HE'S REPORTING, HIS REPORTING SEPTEMBER 30. A LOT HAS HAPPENED BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 30 AND NOW AND A LOT OF REVENUE THAT WE RELIED ON. IT'S BEEN DRASTICALLY CUT. >>MAYOR HUDSON: AND IT WOULD BE VERY INTERESTING TO SEE SUNRISE OPERATIONAL BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE REVENUE. >> RIGHT. >>MAYOR HUDSON: BUT THEY DO NOT HAVE EXPENDITURES ON SHOWS, EITHER. >> MOTHER'S EXPENDITURES. THERE COULD BE AN EXPENDITURE ON THE SHOW IF THERE IS NOT A BREAKEVEN. THERE'S ALWAYS AN EXPENSE AND HOPEFULLY, THE REVENUE IS ENOUGH TO GENERATE THAT EXPENSE AND MAKE A PROFIT WHEN THAT'S NOT ALWAYS -- >>MAYOR HUDSON: IF THEY'RE NOT OPEN, YOU'RE NOT GENERATING REVENUE AND THEY SHOULD NOT BE [00:15:03] GENERATING EXPENSE OR ASSOCIATED WITH THE SHOW. >> GREAT. >> SO THEY WOULD JUST BE DOING -- IT WOULD JUST BE HOURS AND SOME OTHER BASIC EXPENSES LIKE INSURANCE AND EVERYTHING. >> IT SHOULD BE. >> IT SHOULD BE. >> BUT IF YOU ARE A BUSINESS THAT IS READY TO BE OPEN ANYTIME, IS MORE RELATED TO THAT ANY BUSINESS THAT YOU KNOW WILL NOT BE OPEN FOR A WHILE AND YOU CAN PUT IT MOTHBALLS FOR A WHILE INCLUDING THE INSURANCE COSTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT. IS GOING TO BE A DIFFICULT TIME. THAT'S GOING TO BE A DIFFERENT CHARGE AND I'M HAPPY THAT STAFF IS OUT OF THE GAME. >> WHEN YOU SAY WE CAN'T PRUDENTLY DO IT IN THE FUTURE AS FAR AS FUNDING, COULD YOU SHARE WITH THE BOARD WHAT YOU HAVE IN MIND OR WHAT DO YOU? >> WELL WE'VE GOT TO -- AS WE TASK OUR GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENT, RIGHT NOW WE CUT EVERYBODY TO PERCENT OUT OF THEIR BUDGET AS A CONTINGENCY FOR WHAT WE MAY NEED FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR AS WELL AS THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR. OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS HAVE BEEN TASKS BUT LOOKING IN THEMSELVES AS TO HOW THEY NEED TO APPROACH CUTTING THEIR COSTS. AND SO, EVEN IN THAT, WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT WHAT MAY PROJECTED WISE, WHERE WE MAY BE SHORT AND THEN JUST THE EXPENSE HAS TO BE CUT. YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T -- THE LAST THING WE WILL EVER LOOK AT IS HUMAN CAPITAL OR OUR PERSONNEL COSTS. SO IF WE CAN CUT SOME OF OUR EXPENSES WITHOUT DRASTICALLY MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO SERVICES, THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO. >> I JUST HOPE THAT WE WILL LET THE DEPARTMENT HEADS KNOW AHEAD OF TIME. >> RIGHT. THEY ARE AWARE. >> SO THEY CAN BE PREPARED FOR. >> AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, EMPLOYEES, WE DEFTLY WANT TO SAVE AND NOT START LAYING PEOPLE OFF. THAT'S A PRIORITY IN MY MIND ANYWAY. BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS, THE SITUATION WARRANTS SOME SERIOUS CUTS. BUT AS LONG AS THE DEPARTMENT HEADS KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT, AND THEY'RE NOT CAUGHT OFF GUARD. >> RIGHT. WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO CONVEY THAT MESSAGE, MR. MEMSET HAS BEEN LETTING THEM KNOW RIGHT NOW TO 1/2 PERCENT NOW AS THE NUMBERS COME IN AND WE'VE GOT A BETTER PICTURE AS TO WHERE WE ARE WHERE WE THINK WE ARE GOING TO BE WE MAY OR MAY NOT. WE ARE HOPING AND PRAYING THAT THIS DOESN'T LAST A DAY LONGER, BUT LOOKING AT WHERE WE ARE, WE'VE GOT TO PREPARE FOR LASTING A WEEK, A MONTH LONGER, TWO MONTHS LONGER. WE DON'T KNOW. >> ME ASK YOU THIS. YOUR KNOWLEDGE, HAVE WE HAD TO LAY OFF ANY PEOPLE OR FURLOUGH ANY. >> NOW. WE ARE NOT THERE AT ALL AS OF YET. >> OKAY. >> NO. WE HAVE NOT. LIKE I SAID EARLIER, ENTERPRISE FUNDS, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT AND IF IT WANTS, OKAY, THERE'S NO OPERATION OR ANYTHING, THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE DONE. YOU KNOW, THEY GENERATE THEIR OWN INCOME AND RIGHT NOW, GENERAL IS NOT IN A POSITION TO TRANSFER MONEY THERE OR ANY OF THE OTHER FUNDS, YOU KNOW, SO WE'VE GOT TO. >> ARE THEY OPERATING ON THE GOLF COURSE? ARE THEY RUNNING OPEN? >> YES. SO THERE AT NORMAL. >> YES. >> AND AS I HAD SHOWN EARLIER, 28,000 POSITIVE. >> OF THEIR MAKING MONEY THEN. >> CORRECT. >> THEY GOT TO STAY OPEN. >> PROBABLY BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE MUCH COMPETITION, TOO. >> YES. >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER? >> YES. I JUST HAD A QUESTION OR A THOUGHT, REALLY, THERE'S NO FEDERAL MONEY OUT THERE FOR, YOU KNOW, -- SUNRISE ON THE ROOM, PER SE, THEY JUST HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY. THERE'S NO FEDERAL GRANTS OR ANYTHING THAT WE CAN APPLY FOR? >>. >> OUR GRANT WRITER IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR GRANT FUNDS. HOWEVER, EVERYONE IN THE GRANT DIVISION RIGHT NOW IS A LITTLE PREOCCUPIED WITH TRYING TO HELP THE CITIZENS GET OUT, YOU KNOW, OF THIS MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE SET ASIDE. SO EVERYTHING IS THERE. HOWEVER, RIGHT NOW, THERE IS NOT A LOT THAT WE KNOW OF SPECIFICALLY FOR THE SUNRISE THEATER. [00:20:01] >> BUT WE WILL. >> DON'T YOU THINK THAT THE SUNRISE SHOULD TAKE THAT INITIATIVE THEMSELVES? THEY DON'T HAVE ANY GREAT WRITERS THERE. >> THEY DO NOT HAVE A GRANT WRITER THERE, BUT HEY, DURING THIS DOWNTIME, THERE'S A LOT THAT COULD BE POSSIBLY DONE. BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT. >>MAYOR HUDSON: I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA, BUT COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THE SUNRISE KNOWS TO DO THAT. >>COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER: OKAY. GIVE THEM A REPORT ON THAT THEN? >> OKAY. >>MAYOR HUDSON: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> WE WILL HOLD OUR BREATH UNTIL JUNE AND THAT'S WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO HIT US WITH THE BIG. >> HOLD YOUR BREATH AND PRAY WHILE YOU'RE HOLDING YOUR BREATH (LAUGHING) YEAH. AND THAT WE WILL HAVE A BETTER PICTURE. >> OKAY. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MS. MORSE. >> THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA [11. CONSENT AGENDA] IS THE CONSENT AGENDA. >> IS THERE ANY -- COMMISSIONER PERRONE A. >>COMMISSIONER PERONA: JUST 11 C FOR DISCUSSION. >>RESPONDENT I WANTED TO DISCUSS THE TRAIL -- WHERE IS IT AT? >> THAT IS E. >>MAYOR HUDSON: ANYTHING ELSE? >>MAYOR HUDSON: I WILL ENTER A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE. >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER? (ROLL CALL). [c. Approve lease to own purchase of four (4) 2019/2020 Peterbilt refuse collection trucks for the Solid Waste Division in an amount not to exceed $19,590.24 monthly, $235,082.88 annually, for a term of five (5) years.] >> ITEM 11 C IS APPROVED LEASE TO OWN PURCHASE OF FOUR 2019 2020 PETERBILT REFUGE REFUSE COLLECTION TRUCKS. IN $235,082.88 ANNUALLY FOR A TERM OF FIVE YEARS. IS THAT YOURS, MR. PERRONE A. >>COMMISSIONER PERONA: YES. IT IS. >> THE REASON WHY PULLED UP FOR DISCUSSION IS THAT WHEN WE STARTED MAKING THESE LARGE PURCHASES, WE HAVE TO GET COMFORTABLE WITH THESE LARGER NUMBERS AND I'M SEEING THIS IS HAPPENING BUT REALLY THERE IS AN OFFSET TO THIS, TOO, BECAUSE WITH THE OLDER EQUIPMENT I'M SURE YOUR MAINTENANCE COSTS ARE GETTING UP THERE AND THEY ARE DOWN SO IT'S COSTING YOU THERE. SO WHEN YOU MATCH THAT UP AGAINST A BRAND-NEW VEHICLES THAT MOST OF THEM ARE UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY HAVE -- THERE'S A DIFFERENCE. THAT NUMBER THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT REALLY IS REDUCED BY THAT IS THAT CORRECT? >> YOU ARE CORRECT. WE ARE PAYING FOR THAT. WE ARE EXPENSING THAT MONEY TODAY TO MAINTAIN AN OLD FLEET. YOU ARE CORRECT. A NEWER FLEET WILL SAVE MAINTENANCE COSTS. >>COMMISSIONER PERONA: TO ME THAT'S A BIG DEAL. WHEN WE START TAKING A LOOK AT THESE LARGER NUMBERS FOR LARGE CAPITAL PURCHASES, AND I KNOW THIS IS WHAT WE ARE DOING. WE ARE TRYING TO RENEW YOUR FLEET. OBVIOUSLY THEY ARE OUT THERE. WE COULD HAVE HURRICANES, WE COULD HAVE COVID-19 OR WHATEVER ELSE. YOU ARE DOING EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO DO TIME IN IN TIMEOUT WITHOUT FEELING WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MACHINERY IS ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THAT. I KNOW THIS IS GOING ON, BUT IN THE BACK OF MY MIND IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO STRESS THE FACT THAT THERE IS THE OFFSET OF REPAIR. I DON'T NEED TO KNOW WHAT THAT IS BUT I KNOW THAT YOUR SHOP IS VERY BUSY. >> THE SOLID WASTE TEAM, THE FLEET TEAM, THEY DO AN AMAZING JOB. AS YOU SAID WHETHER WE HAVE A HURRICANE OR COVID-19, TRASH IS STILL BEING GENERATED. WHILE WE HAVE SEEN A SLIGHT DECREASE IN SOME OF OUR COMMERCIAL COLLECTION WE'VE SEEN AN UPTICK IN A RESIDENTIAL. WE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO GENERATE WASTE, WHETHER IT'S COMMERCIALLY OR AT HOME AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE. WITH AN OLD FLEET, AN AGING FLEET, OUR SERVICE LEVEL IS DIMINISHED. IF WE HAVE A BREAKDOWN, THE TRUCK IS SITTING. NOT ONLY ARE WE LOOKING AT A COST TO REPAIR THE TRUCK NOW WE ARE LOOKING AT PAYING A DRIVER OVERTIME TO STAY ON ROUTE TO GET THE TRASH OFF THE STREET BECAUSE WE CANNOT LEAVE IT. THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR SUSTAINABILITY. WE DO BELIEVE THAT RENEWING THE FLEET WILL SAVE US MONEY IN THE LONG ONE. WE HAVE -- OUR SOLID WASTE MANAGER IN OUR FLEET MANAGER WORK VERY CLOSE WITH JOHN THEY RAN THE NUMBERS AND WE ARE ALL COMFORTABLE STATING BEFORE YOU ASKING FOR THIS [00:25:05] PURCHASE. OUR GOAL IS GO TO A FIVE YEAR REPLACEMENT PROGRAM. SOLID WASTE HAS A LIFE EXPECTANCY OF SEVEN YEARS. ONCE YOU HAVE A VEHICLE THAT HAS REACHED ITS LIFE EXPECTANCY, THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE DIMINISHES CONSIDERABLY. SO THE PLAN THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED IS THAT WE LEASE THESE VEHICLES TO OWN AND IN FIVE YEARS WE OWN THEM. WE THEN TURN AROUND TO SELL THE VEHICLE. AS WE GO INTO OUR NEXT CYCLE, FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, WE WILL HAVE A LARGER CAPITAL BACK TO THE CITY TO HAVE -- TO PURCHASE NEW. SO THIS YOU KNOW FIRST OR FOR FOR FIVE YEARS OF THE PROGRAM WILL BE MORE COSTLY THAN THE NEXT 5 TO 10 YEARS BECAUSE WILL BE ABLE TO SELL THE VEHICLES WHILE THEY HAVE TWO YEARS LIFE EXPECTANCY IN THEM AND THERE WILL BE GOOD VALUE TO SOMEONE. THERE ARE MANY SMALLER COMMUNITIES THAT WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A FIVE-YEAR-OLD TRUCK THAT COULD LAST THEM FOR AGES. BUT THIS IS, FORT PIERCE HAS GROWN. WE ARE GETTING BUSIER AND BUSIER AND WE ARE GETTING MORE BUILDING AND MORE COMMERCIAL. WE MIGHT HAVE HAD A LITTLE BUMP IN THE ROAD RIGHT NOW, BUT I THINK ONCE WE ARE THROUGH THIS WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE BOOM. THANK YOU. >>COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER: I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU A QUESTION. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH THE EXISTING STUFF? >> THE EXISTING STOCK WE HAVE ONE OR TWO VEHICLES THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE OFF THE ROAD . BUT WHILE WE ARE STILL RUNNING AN AGED FLEET, WE ARE GOING TO KEEP DEAL. OPERATIONAL JUST IN CASE WE NEED A BACKUP VEHICLE OR A SPARE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE EVEN WITH NEW TRUCKS, THEY REQUIRE MAINTENANCE AND THEY BREAK FROM TIME TO TIME. >> OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER SESSIONS? >> AND I CAN APPRECITE COMMISSIONER PERRONE IS CONCERNED. WITH JUST NORMAL PRACTICES ON ANY GIVEN DAY, WE BE LOOKING AT A SITUATION LIKE THIS. BUT WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT A HALF-MILLION DOLLAR PURCHASE, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE THINGS ARE NEEDED BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW. WE JUST HEARD A MINUTE AGO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS IN TERMS OF SALARIES OR ANYTHING.. BUT THESE ARE JUST THINGS WE NEED TO CONSIDER. I KNOW THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WENT A LONG TIME BEFORE THEY STARTED REPLACING THEIR FLEETS. WE KNOW IT CAN BE DONE. BUT I TRUST IN WHAT YOU SAY. IF YOU SAY WE NEEDED FOR THE FUTURE, YOUR OPINION IS GOING TO DEMAND IT. SO IT'S GONNA BE ALL RIGHT THEN ALL RIGHT. >> THANK YOU. >> I NOTICED THE CONTRACT IS A PIGGYBACK CONTRACT IS IT A STATE CONTRACTOR AND OTHER COMMUNITY DO YOU KNOW? >> THIS IS THE SHERIFF'S ASSOCIATION CONTRACT. >> THE OTHER THING I WAS GLAD TO SEE THAT THAT IS A FORT PIERCE BUSINESS PETERBILT SO IT'S A LOCAL. >> ABSOLUTELY. EXCELLENT. >>MAYOR HUDSON: AND YOU'VE GONE A LONG TIME WITHOUT NO EQUIPMENT IN SOLID WASTE, RIGHT? AND SO WE WERE JUST TURNING THE CITY AROUND AND WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO -- SO A LOT OF THINGS WERE GOING TO HAPPEN BEFORE KOVIC. ABSOLUTELY. >> I MOVE FOR APPROVAL. >> THANK YOU ALL. >>MAYOR HUDSON: CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE (ROLL CALL). >> . >> 11 E IS APPROVE AWARD OF BID 2020 Ã0252 MARINA INSIDE CONTRACTORS INCORPORATED FOR [e. Approve award of Bid No. 2020-025 to Marina & Site Contractors, Inc. for the Indian Hills Recreation Area Multi-Use Trail Improvements in an amount not to exceed $495,745.50.] THE INDIAN HILLS RECREATIONAL AREA MULTIUSE TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $495,745.50. >>MAYOR HUDSON: COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER? >>COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER: I COULDN'T LET HER GET PAST THE PUBLIC SO WE CAN START ANNOUNCING NOW. I HAD A TWO-PART QUESTION. WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO GET STARTED ON IT AND WHEN DO THEY EXPECT TO COMPLETE IT? >> MR. ANDREWS. >>COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER: I DO KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO BE REIMBURSED SO I WILL JUST ASK ABOUT THAT FOR THE PUBLIC JUST FOR THE RECORD. >>MAYOR HUDSON: ALREADY MR. ANDREWS. >> YES. YOU ARE COMPLETELY CORRECT. THIS IS 100 PERCENT REIMBURSABLE FROM DOT. WE ARE ANTICIPATING STARTING CONSTRUCTION OF THE SECOND WEEK OF JUNE AND WE ARE PROBABLY LOOKING AT A DURATION OF -- COMING AGO FOUR MONTHS. THE CONTRACTOR SHOOTING FOR THREE [00:30:03] MONTHS, BUT LOOKING AT FOUR MONTHS COMPLETION. >>COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER: OKAY. THAT'S VERY GOOD NEWS. >>MAYOR HUDSON: VERY GOOD MOODS NEWS. WE NEED THAT. >> THANK YOU. >>MAYOR HUDSON: COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER, DO YOU WANT TO MOVE APPROVAL? >>COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER: I MOVE APPROVAL. >> SECOND. >>MAYOR HUDSON: THERE IS A MOTION AND SECOND. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE? >> (ROLL CALL). >> NEXT WE HAVE SUBMITTAL OF [a. Submittal of applications for appointment to the Communitywide Council.] APPLICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE COMMUNITYWIDE COUNSEL. WE HAVE THREE APPLICATIONS THAT WERE SUBMITTED. WE STILL NEED ONE MORE APPLICATION SO IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON THE COMMUNITYWIDE COUNSEL, WE DO NEED PEOPLE FROM THE TARGET AREA. THIS WILL COME BACK. [b. Submittal of applications to serve on the Police Officers Retirement Fund - 185 Board.] >>MAYOR HUDSON: WERE NOT DOING THIS TONIGHT. >> AND WE ALSO HAVE SUBMITTAL OF APPLICATION TO SERVE ON THE POLICE OFFICERS RETIREMENT FUND [c. For Informational Purposes - House Rule: Code of Civility] WE ONLY RECEIVED ONE APPLICATION FOR THAT BOARD AS WELL. THAT WOULD BE A REAPPOINTMENTS ALL BRING THEM BACK TO YOU AT THE NEXT MEETING. >> OKAY. >> WE HAVE FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES THE HOUSE RULE CODE OF CIVILITY. AND THEN I WOULD -- WE HAD RESOLUTION 13 B WHICH IS THE ADDED ON RESOLUTION. SO IS RESOLUTION 20 ÃOUR 20 TO A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY FORT PIERCE SUPPLEMENT ITS RESOLUTION NUMBER 20 ÃOUR 21 BY AMENDING ALL REFERENCES TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT REVENUE NOTE SERIES 2014 A2 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT REVENUE NOTE SERIES 2014, PROVIDING FOR A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE IN PROVIDING FOR EFFECTIVE DATE. THIS IS JUST -- IT WAS AN INCORRECT REFERENCE WITHIN THE ORIGINAL RESOLUTION THAT WAS PREPARED. SO THIS IS JUST A QUICK. >> ONE LETTER CHANGE. IT WAS 214 N IT SHOULD JUST BE 214; IS THAT RIGHT? >> RIGHT. IT'S ALL ABOUT ONE LETTER. >>MAYOR HUDSON: I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL. >> SO MOVE. >> SECOND. >> CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER? >> YES. >> COMMISSIONER PERRONE AND. >> (ROLL CALL). >> NEXT WE HAVE COMMENTS FROM [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.] THE PUBLIC. >> THE SYSTEM FOR THE PUBLIC TO MAKE ANY COMMENT YOU WANT. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. MS. COX GIVES YOU A WARNING AND THE WARNING IS TWO SECONDS -- THREE SECONDS. THREE SECONDS. STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE, BUT FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. >> KATHY TOWNSEND YOUR ADDRESS PLEASE. >> 474 -- FORT PIERCE FLORIDA THANK YOU. SO I'M HERE AS A RESIDENT OF ST. LUCIE COUNTY TONIGHT AND I'M HERE -- I'M A FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER CHARTER SCHOOL IS OPENING UP. OF FIRST I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE YOU WORK WITH US IN LOCATING THE PROPERTY. WE HAD OBJECTIONS TO OVERCOMING THE CITY IS WORKED WELL WITH THE SCHOOL AND I KNOW THAT MAYOR, YOU AND COMMISSIONER SESSIONS AND ALEXANDER WERE HERE FOR THE GROUND BREAKING. THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE. BUT THE REASON WHY I'M HERE TONIGHT IS THERE IS A BOND AND THAT'S ON THE PROPERTY. WE ARE DOWN TO THE WIRE WE GETTING THE SCHOOL OPEN AND OUR ENROLLMENT. AND SO, THE BOND, IF THE BOND MOVING FORWARD IS NOT PUT ON THE MEETING NEXT MONTH, IN JUNE, WILL PREVENT US FROM BEING WHERE WE NEED TO BE. AND IF THE BOND HAS TO BE PAID BECAUSE IT'S NOT PROBABLY NEXT MONTH'S MEETING HERE AT THE CITY, WE HAVE TO PAY IT. THAT MEANS THAT 200 AND SOME ODD THOUSAND DOLLARS IS PAID BY THE SCHOOL WHICH MEANS NOT A PLAYGROUND, LESS TEACHER SALARIES. AND SO I NEED TO ASK IF YOU WOULD PLEASE -- I DO NOT KNOW HOW YOU DO YOUR AGENDAS BUT IF YOU WOULD SEE IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO HAVE THAT PUT ON THE JUNE AGENDA TO MOVE IT FORWARD SO THAT WE CAN GET THE APPROVAL AND MOVE FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THE OPENING DAY OF OUR SCHOOL BECAUSE WE HAVE FAMILIES WAITING TO MOVE IN. IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT THIS GETS PUT ON THE JUNE AGENDA. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE IN WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL. >> THANKS FOR BEING HERE. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS, PLEASE COME FORWARD. >> COURTNEY PURNELL, 2505 RAINBOW DRIVE FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA. >> THANK YOU. >> I'M DR. PURNELL PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT INDEPENDENT CLASSICAL COUNTY. I WANTED TO MENTION FROM THE EDUCATIONAL STANDPOINT WHAT THE FUNDS OF OUR TREE MITIGATION FUND IF IT'S CALLED TO EQUATE TO IN OUR SCHOOL. THE FUNDS WILL SIMPLY BE RETURNED TO THE FINANCE COMPANY WE CAN STICK TO OUR BUDGET. IF IT IS CALLED, THE FUNDS WILL BE WRAPPED IN THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT COSTS [00:35:01] AND ARE LEASE WILL INCREASE INCLUDING INTEREST ON THE FUNDS. WE ARE ALREADY HAVING TO ADJUST OUR BUDGET BECAUSE OUR FINANCE COMPANY FRONTED UP START UP FEES TO HELP FOR FUNDRAISING THAT WE ARE UNABLE TO ACHIEVE BECAUSE OF COVID-19. WHERE HE GAVE UP A PLAYGROUND AND HER PLANS ARE TRYING TO RAISE MONEY FROM A SPONSOR TO COVER THE COST OF ADDING THAT BACK IN. THE BOND BEING TERMINATED WOULD ALLOW US TO NOT ONLY STICK TO OUR ADJUSTED BUDGET IN TERMS OF NUMBERS, IT CAN HIRE FIVE TEACHERS TO INCLUDE BENEFITS. WE ARE PAYING FOR AN ENTIRE CURRICULUM SET FOR GRADES K THROUGH FIVE OR APPLY TO FURNITURE, FIXTURES AND EQUIPMENT NEEDED FOR AN ENTIRE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES IN OUR TERRITORY AND. NO MATTER HOW WE BREAK IT DOWN IT IS BETTER SPENT ON TEACHERS AND STUDENTS THEN COMPENSATED FOR LOSS OF TREES SPECIAL WILL REPORTING ALMOST HUNDRED $20,000 BACK INTO THE GROUND THROUGH OUR LANDSCAPING AND POTENTIALLY MORE THREE SPONSORSHIP WE ARE SEEKING. BUT IN THE END, IT'S ABOUT COST. IT'S ABOUT IMPOSING THAT COST ON THE BACKS OF OUR CHILDREN. IF THE BOND IS CALLED AND IT'S ABSORBED BY ARE LEAST EXPENSIVE THAT MEANS THAT LOSS TO HER TEACHERS AND STUDENTS. PERHAPS WE MUST MAKE COPIES OF CURRICULUM INSTEAD OF BUYING TEACHERS AND STUDENTS THEIR OWN MATERIALS. MAYBE WE MUST RUN TO STAPLES FOR COPIES INSTEAD OF LEASING THE PROPER EQUIPMENT IN OUR WORK ROOMS ARE NOT HAVING CHEERS IN OUR LOBBY YOUR PICTURES ON THE WALL. MAYBE TEACHERS WILL NOT HAVE THE SUPPLIES WE INTEND TO PROVIDE THEM WITH WORK CHILDREN HAVE TABLES WITH NO DESKS AS OUR EDUCATIONAL MODELS CALL FOR. NO MATTER HOW WE BREAK IT DOWN, IT ADDS UP TO A LOSS OF STUDENTSTO STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS DO NOT HAVE TO INCUR THESE TYPES OF PEACE. WE ARE NOT DEVELOPERS. OUR DEVELOPER DID NOT PAY THIS FEE THEY WILL NOT BENEFIT FROM IT BEING TERMINATED MEANS IT DOES NOT COST IN THE END. WE ARE HERE TODAY TO HUMBLY ASK YOU TO FURTHER HELP THE SCHOOL BY WAIVING THE FEE SO THE BOND CAN BE TERMINATED WE DO NOT HAVE TO FIND ANOTHER WAY TO SAVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME ON BEHALF OF THE CHILDREN OF FORT PIERCE. >> THANK YOU. >>MAYOR HUDSON: ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE? PLEASE COME FORWARD? >> GOOD EVENING REANIMATOR. I'M DR. HENLEY 2306 -- FORT PIERCE FLORIDA. I CAME HERE TODAY BECAUSE I WOULD'VE BEEN HERE EARLIER AT THE LAST MEETING, BUT BECAUSE OF PERSONAL ISSUES, I COULD NOT BE HERE FOR TWO REASONS. ONE WAS ON THE CODE ACCESSIBILITY BECAUSE I'VE BEEN SOMEWHAT DISAPPOINTED IN THE DECORUM THAT YOU WILL REPRESENT A WHEN I SAY WELL I DON'T MEAN ALL OF YOU. AND I'VE OBSERVED IT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. IN FACT I WROTE A LETTER A LONG TIME AGO THAT IS STILL IN MY COMPUTER BUT THE SPEAR WOULD NOT LET ME SEND IT. I THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE. BUT I DON'T DISOBEY THE SPIRIT. BUT I'M ASKING YOU ALL IN THE FUTURE -- WE HAVE TOO MANY ISSUES WITH PERSONAL AGENDAS AND PERSONAL ATTACKS ON EACH OTHER, AND ON PERSONNEL. I'M NOT AT LIBERTY TO DIRECT MY COMMENTS TO ANYONE IN PARTICULAR, BUT I WOULD HAVE MET PERSONALLY WITH THE COMMISSIONER BUT BECAUSE OF A DEATH IN MY FAMILY, HAD TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE ISSUES. I'M ASKING THAT WE LOOK AT -- ON YOUR CODE OF CIVILITY AS IT WOULD LOOK AT -- FOCUS ON THE BIG ISSUES. WE HAVE MANY. WE HAVE A POLICE DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW THAT IS UNDER ATTACK ALL THE TIME. AND I'M NOT MEETING NOW -- STANDING HERE IS A MEMBER OF THE POLICE COMMITTEE I'M STANDING AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE OFFICERS THAT ARE LEAVING RAPIDLY NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE DISSATISFIED WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, NOT BECAUSE OF DISSATISFIED LEADERSHIP YOU CAN HAVE DISSATISFACTION EVERYTHING, BUT BECAUSE OF THE SALARY. A YEAR AGO, ALMOST TO THIS TIME, WE MET WE WERE EXCITED THAT YOU ALL HEARD THE PRESENTATION. YOU SAW THE DIFFERENT KIND OF THINGS THAT THE POLICE CHIEF AND THE ADMINISTRATION WAS FACING. YOU SAW THAT THEY WERE WORKING WITH EXACTLY THE SAME ISSUES THE SAME NUMBERS IN 2008 IN 2019. WE WERE EXCITED THAT THOSE -- I'M NOT TALK ABOUT THE CITY COMMISSION I'M TALKING ABOUT THE MEETING THAT WE MET AND DATA WAS SHOWN WHERE WE WERE AND HOW OUR OFFICES ARE PAID SO MUCH LESS THAN EVER AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE FACING A CRISIS BECAUSE THEY'RE LEAVING TO GO NEXT DOOR AND SOMEWHERE ELSE. NOT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO, BUT BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO LIVE. AND I'M ASKING YOU WALL TO [00:40:02] SERIOUSLY CONSIDER BRINGING THOSE LEVELS OF OUR PAYMENT UP SO WE CAN RETAIN THESE OFFICERS. YOU THINK WE GOT A PROBLEM NOW, I WENT THROUGH THE TRAINING. I HEARD THOSE OFFICERS. I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE. TO HEAR THEM SAY I CAN'T FEED MY FAMILY. IT'S RIDICULOUS FOR US TO HAVE IN THIS CITY THAT WE SAY IS SO BEAUTIFUL AND YOU ALL HAVE BEEN HERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME. UNDERTAKING HOME 800 AND $900. WE'VE GOT TO PAY THEM IN ORDER FOR THEM TO DO THE JOB THAT IS BEFORE US. AND I HOPE YOU ALL DO. >> THANK YOU, MA'AM. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION? PLEASE COME FORWARD. >> I'M SO OLD I'M THE ONLY COUNTERPART THAT NEEDS GLASSES. FORT PIERCE, 39541 OF EVENING MET AMERICAN COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TONIGHT. I HAVE A GRADUATE DEGREE IN PUBLIC A MINISTRATION AND YEARS OF POLITICAL GOVERNMENT CONSULTING UNDER MY BELT SO SURPRISED TO LEARN THERE WAS NO ADMINISTRATIVE MECHANISM IN PLACE BY WHICH SOMEONE CAN BRING AN ITEM BEFORE THE COMMISSION AND REQUEST TO BE HEARD AT A MEETING SUCH AS THIS. WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE DELEGATION OF DUTIES WITHIN A MUNICIPALITY, I THINK THE AUTHORITY GIVEN TO SOME IN CERTAIN POSITIONS IT USURPS OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS TO REDRESS GOVERNMENT THAT'S MY PERSONAL OPINION I'M JUST ONE PERSON AS WELL. AND WHILE I'VE INVESTED THOUSANDS OF MY OWN PERSONAL DOLLARS I SEE A REALITY AND A DESTINATION IN FORT PIERCE. I UNDERSTAND THE SCHOOL IS MORE SIGNIFICANT AND MORE IMPORTANT THAN JUST ME. IT'S ABOUT THE STUDENTS THAT WILL WALK THE HALLS EACH YEAR IN GEAR TO BECOME LEADERS IN THEIR HOMES AND COMMUNITIES ENTREPRENEURS AND BUSINESS. SOMETHING THAT I DO NOT TAKE LIGHTLY. AND THOSE WERE INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT KNOW THAT TO BE TRUE AND HUNDREDS OF PARENTS OF SIGNED THEIR KIDS UP TO ATTEND SCHOOL THIS FALL ARE COUNTING ON US. I WAS TOLD THE ONLY WAY TO HAVE CERTAIN THIEVES WAIVED WAS TO BRING UP BEFORE THE COMMISSION ONLY TO FIND THAT THIS COURSE OF ACTION WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE. I HOPE YOU WOULD CONSIDER THIS OPPORTUNITY TO REDUCE THIS FEE FOR OUR SCHOOL AS AN ECONOMIC STIMULUS. I KNOW SCHOOLS DON'T IMPACT THE ECONOMY THE WAY STORES AND RESTAURANTS DO BUT WE KNOW BUYERS ASK WHERE ARE THE GOOD SCHOOLS AND QUALITY SCHOOLS EQUATE HOMEOWNERSHIP. HOMEOWNERSHIP INCREASES TAX REVENUE AND HOMEOWNERS MAKE A DEMAND FOR JOB CREATION AND BUSINESSES TO BOOM IN OUR COMMUNITY. I BELIEVE WE STIMULATED EVEN THOUGH THE MEASUREMENT MAY BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT. OUR ENROLLMENT PROCESS TOOK A HUGE HIT AFTER COVE 19 PREVENTED US FROM BEING PRESENT IN THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE ANOTHER HURDLE TO JUMP OVER NOT KNOWING WHAT THE FINANCIAL FUTURE HOLDS FOR US OR OUR ENROLLMENT NUMBERS HOLD FOR US IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS. THIS IS A PROJECT THAT IS FISCALLY TIGHT. WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR SPECIAL FAVORS JUST TREAT US LIKE ANY OTHER PUBLIC SCHOOL AND PLEASE ALLOW US TO GET ON THE AGENDA. WE NEED SOMEONE TO CALL THIS ITEM SO WE CAN EXPRESS THE INTEREST. THIS MONEY IS NOT GOING BACK INTO A DEVELOPERS POCKET. THIS MONEY GOES BACK TO OUR FINANCE COMPANY WHO FRONTED THE BOND MONEY. IF THE BOND IS CALLED THE GETS PUT ON THE BACKS OF OUR CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOL. IF IT'S NOT CALLED IN ITS TERMINATED, THAT GOES BACK TO THE FINANCE COMPANY AND WE CAN REMAIN WITHIN OUR BUDGET THAT WE ARE WORKING IN WHICH IS ABOUT AS TIGHT AS IT CAN BE WE ARE NEGOTIATING NUMBERS ON ALMOST A WEEKLY BASIS BASED ON OUR UPDATED ENROLLMENT AND EXPENSES. WE ARE TRYING TO DO IT AS BEING FISCALLY SOLVENT AS POSSIBLE BUT WERE ASKING FOR THE COMMISSION'S HELP AND IT'S JUST BEEN ONE ROADBLOCK AFTER ONE ROADBLOCK AFTER ROADBLOCK. WE ASKED FOR THAT TONIGHT. >> ANYONE ELSE? >> MY NAME IS REBECCA. 3268 LAKESHORE DRIVE FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA. >> I'VE BEEN A BUSINESS OWNER IN DOWNTOWN FORT PIERCE FOR ABOUT SEVEN YEARS NOW. AND I LOVE THIS LITTLE TOWN. I GO TO WORK EVERY DAY AND I DO NOT CALL IT A JOB BECAUSE I LOVE IT SO MUCH. BUT RECENTLY, WITH THE COVETED 19, IT HAS BECOME A REAL STRUGGLE. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THE CITY IS LOOKING INTO THE GRANT PROGRAM. I WAS HERE FOR THE FIRST MEETING TO DISCUSS IT. I DID HAVE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS THAT I WANTED TO BRING UP AFTER WE HAD DONE THE PREVIEW, BUT THERE WAS NOT THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT. YOU HAD TO GET UP PRIOR TO THE PRESENTATION. SO UNFORTUNATELY I DID NOT GET MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED. I SENT AN EMAIL JUST HIGHLIGHTING A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ON THE [00:45:01] APPLICATION PROCESS. I WON'T GO THROUGH IT ALL TONIGHT, AT THE END OF THE APPLICATION I WAS GOING TO THE PROCESS AND THERE IS SOME REDUNDANCY BECAUSE AT THE END IT'S ASKING FOR A LOT OF INFORMATION, A LOT OF ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE ATTACHED YOUR 2019 AND 18 SCHEDULE SEES, YOUR -- WILL READ IT OFF. BANK STATEMENTS, FEDERAL INCOME TAX RETURNS, STATE BUSINESS REGISTRATION BUSINESS TAX RECEIPTS PHOTO ID EXISTING MORTGAGE NOTE EXISTING LEASE AGREEMENT. A LOT OF THOSE THINGS AS A SMALL BUSINESS -- FOR EXAMPLE, MY LANDLORD, WE HAVE A LEASE AGREEMENT WITH A HANDSHAKE. FIRST THREE YEARS WITHOUT A LEASE NOW WE'VE AGREED TO THE RATE FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS WE HAVE A HANDSHAKE IN AN EMAIL. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ATTACH OTHER THAN THE ORIGINAL LIEN NOTE THAT SAYS I AGREE TO THE TERMS. THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE NOT COMPLETED THE 2019 INCOME TAX RETURNS BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT HAS EXTENDED THE DUE DATE. THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION ON HERE -- THERE'S EVEN A REQUEST FOR BANK STATEMENTS, WHICH I REALLY DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE NECESSITY FOR A PERSON PER BUSINESS BANK STATEMENT BUT I APPLIED FOR THE EI DL LOAN WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. I DID NOT HAVE TO SUPPLY 20 PERCENT OF WHAT THE CITY IS ASKING FOR IN THIS APPLICATION. NOW GRANTED, DID NOT GET THE $10,000 LOAN, AND I'M STILL HURTING IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT I GUESS MY LAST REQUEST FROM EVERYONE IS THURSDAY ONCE A MONTH DBA MEETING WITH ALL THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES THE THIRD FRIDAY OF THE MONTH. >> THE LAST FRIDAY -- THE LAST WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH (LAUGHING) AND I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY BENEFICIAL IF SOMEONE, COMMISSIONER, MAYOR -- I KNOW YOUR SCHEDULES ARE TERRIBLY TIGHT, BUT I THINK YOU WOULD GET A REAL FEEL FOR THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DOWNTOWN AND THE STRUGGLE THAT WE ALL HAVE RIGHT NOW. I MEAN, IT IS -- WE'VE ONLY LOST ONE BUSINESS IN THE LAST WEEK. CONCERNED THIS COULD BE MORE TO GO. >>MAYOR HUDSON: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. >> ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION PLEASE COME FORWARD? >> CHRIS EINSTEIN. 512 S. SECOND STREET FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA. >> I WANT TO ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS GRANT PROGRAM AS WELL. I PERSONALLY AM NOT APPLYING BUT I HAVE TENANTS IN HELPING THE DOWNTOWN LOCAL BUSINESSES AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE LAST PAGE OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SMALL BUSINESSES FOR 25 AND UNDER, IT'S REDUNDANT IT'S ASKING FOR INFORMATION AND VERY CONFUSING ESPECIALLY NUMBER 10 ASKING FOR DOCUMENTABLE PROOF OF CRISIS DUE TO COVETED 19. LETTERHEAD FROM EMPLOYER INDICATING LAYOFF, LOSS OF INCOME AND REEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANT BENEFITS AND/OR HOSPITAL RECORDS. NONE OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH SMALL DOWNTOWN BUSINESS. AND WE WENT AND ASKED FOR CLARIFICATION AND THEY SAID JUST TURNING WHATEVER YOU WANT TO WILL LET YOU KNOW IF YOU'RE MISSING ANYTHING OR WHATEVER YOU HAVE ON HERE. WE ARE, ACCORDING TO YOUR RULES AND -- ON THE APPLICATION SAYS IT WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED IF IT'S NOT A COMPLETE APPLICATION. EVEN DOWN TO BUSINESS TAX RECEIPTS. TWO OF OUR APPLICANTS TODAY WERE TOLD Ã BUT ONE WAS TOLD TO GO TO THE COUNTY CLERK. ANOTHER ONE WAS TOLD THAT JUST GO AHEAD AND -- I'M SORRY WE WENT UP TO GET CLARIFICATION AND THEY WERE OUTSIDE AND THEY SAID IT'S OKAY. WE CAN VERIFY THAT WHEN YOU SEND IN YOUR APPLICATION BECAUSE IS NOT AVAILABLE TO GET ONLINE AND THE ONLY WAY -- WHEN I CALLED IN TO TRY TO GET A COPY IT SAID ON THE VOICEMAIL TO EMAIL IN OR LEAVE YOUR REQUEST ON THE PHONE WILL CALL YOU BACK. WHILE ACCORDING TO THE PROCESS, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE ALL THIS INFORMATION IN ORDER TO TURN IT IN BUT YET I WENT WITH MY TENANT I SETTLE HELP YOU WILL SEE. I DID NOT KNOW IF CITY HALL WAS OPEN OR NOT. WE WENT IN AND CLEVE WAS OUTSIDE SAID WE CAN VERIFY THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU WHICH IS FINE GREAT. BUT FOR OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE READING THE APPLICATION PROCESS, YOU'VE GOT HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION. I WENT BACK UP THIS AFTERNOON ANOTHER APPLICANT HAD QUESTIONS. ONE, WHEN YOU GO TO PRINT IT OUT ONLINE IT'S NOT PRINTING CORRECTLY AND I SENT TO EVERYBODY HOW IT IS LOOKING. AGAIN NOT FAIR WERE TRYING TO GET THE INFORMATION INCORRECTLY? IT'S NOT A LEVEL PLAYING GROUND EITHER ALTHOUGH RULES HAVE TO BE ADHERED TO YOU CAN'T PICK AND CHOOSE WHO CAN TURN AND WHAT INFORMATION. WE ARE FINE IF YOU PULL IT BACK CORRECT THE MISTAKES AND THEN [00:50:03] FIX IT EVEN TRY TO FIX -- PIXEL PROPRIETOR, YOU HAVE TO CLICK ON SOLE PROPRIETOR THE NEXT ITEM AND THE LLC INFORMATION IN ORDER FOR IT TO GO THROUGH OR YOU GET ERROR. EVER MESSAGES. WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S JUST BECAUSE OF EVERYBODY TRYING TO GET ON AT THE SAME TIME OR IF IT'S A CODING ERROR, I DON'T KNOW BUT IT'S NOT A LEVEL PLAYING GROUND. >>MAYOR HUDSON: THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION? PLEASE COME FORWARD? >> GOOD AFTERNOON. 522 N. 18TH STREET FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA. FIRST OFF, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TONIGHT. I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS AND I WANT TO COMMEND YOU ON THE STIMULUS PACKAGE THAT YOU PASSED LAST MONTH. THAT WAS A DISPLAY OF GREAT LEADERSHIP AND THANK YOU. BUT THE REASON -- ONE OF THE REASONS I'M HERE TONIGHT IS TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION ON THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR CHILDREN AND PROVIDING A PLATFORM FOR A GREAT EDUCATION HERE IN OUR WONDERFUL CITY. I SPENT 21 YEARS IN THE MILITARY LEADING MEN INTO COMBAT. MANY TIMES -- MOST TIMES OUTSIDE OF THE U.S., FIGHTING FOR THE FREEDOMS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN. IN THE FOUNDATION OF ANY GREAT SOCIETY BEGINS WITH OUR CHILDREN AND IT BEGINS WITH A STRONG EDUCATION PLATFORM. AND WHAT I HEARD TONIGHT WITH THESE YOUNG WOMEN WHO CAME UP HERE AND PLEADED WITH US TO PLEASE, FIND A WAY TO EXPEDITE THIS PROCESS, THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO AND ARE WILLING TO SUPPORT YOU GUYS AND HELP YOU ACCOMPLISH THAT MISSION. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM THAT IS THAT WE JUST EXPERIENCED WHAT WE CALL A PANDEMIC WARTIME SCENARIO WITH AN ATTACK ON OUR COUNTRY. WE DON'T KNOW WHERE IT CAME FROM BUT THERE'S A LOT OF ANXIETY OUT HERE. AND ONE THING THAT WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IS TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE ANXIETY BY PROVIDING THE LEADERSHIP TO OPENING UP THE SCHOOL, DOING WHATEVER IT TAKES TO ALLOW OUR CHILDREN, OUR FAMILIES, TO BEGIN TO PLAN THE FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN. AGAIN, IS THE BASIC FOUNDATION OF A STRONG COUNTRY, A STRONG COMMUNITY AND A STRONG FORT PIERCE. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK AND THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR EFFORTS. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU, SIR. >> ANYONE ELSE, PLEASE COME FORWARD. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. WE WILL CLOSE THIS PART OF THE [15. COMMENTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER] MEETING AND MOVE ON. >> OKAY. THE NEXT ITEM IS COMMENTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER. >> MR. MIMBS? >> GOOD EVENING MADAME MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COMMISSION. THE FIRST THING I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS -- IN YOUR PACKAGE OF THE CITY MANAGER'S REPORT AS WELL AS THE PURCHASE ORDER REPORT AND TODAY YOU ARE ALSO PROVIDED A CORONAVIRUS UPDATE REPORT WITH THE VARIOUS INITIATIVES IN THE VARIOUS ACTIONS THAT WE ARE TAKING TO RESPOND TO THIS UNFORTUNATE SITUATION. BUT IF YOU DON'T MIND, I WOULD LIKE FOR OUR GRANTS ADMINISTRATION MANAGER, THIS IS SCOTT TO COME UP AND GIVE US AN UPDATE ON OUR ACTIVITIES TODAY WITH THE LAUNCH OF OUR GRANT PROGRAM IF THAT'S OKAY. >>MAYOR HUDSON: THAT WOULD BE GREAT. MS. SCOTT, WELCOME. >> GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. SO TODAY WAS QUITE A DOOZY. IT WAS QUITE AN UNDERTAKING. WE WERE WORKING ALL OVER THE WEEKEND TO TRY TO GET THE APPLICATION UP TO PAR AND TO MAKE IT MATCH ALL THE THINGS THAT WE SAID WE NEEDED IT TO DO. I WANT TO THANK SHAY, IT, FOR BEING IN THERE WITH US THIS WEEK AND BECAUSE WE'VE NEVER DONE IT BEFORE. THE CITY FORT PIERCE IS TYPICALLY A PAPER TYPE OF TOWN, PAPER TYPE OF PLACE. SO IT WAS A BIG DEAL TO MOVE IT FROM OLD SCHOOL TO GIVE PEOPLE OPTIONS TO DO ESPECIALLY SINCE WE HAVE THE CORONAVIRUS SO I WANT TO START OFF WITH THAT BECAUSE THAT WAS MAJOR TO ME TODAY. THIS MORNING WE STARTED OFF WITH A LITTLE BIT OF SNAFU BECAUSE THE LINK WAS NOT AVAILABLE. SO WE WERE THEN INUNDATED WITH ALL THE CALLS. WE ALSO HAD SOME INFORMATION WHERE PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT CITY HALL WAS OPEN TO COME AND PICK UP APPLICATIONS AND THAT IS NOT THE PROCESS. WE HAD A LOT TO DEAL WITH AND FIGURE OUT THIS MORNING. AROUND NOON, THE LINK WAS MADE AVAILABLE AND THINGS STARTED TO SETTLE IN. OVERALL, WE HAD -- TODAY WE SCREEN 215 BUSINESSES ONLINE, 561 [00:55:05] HOUSEHOLDS THAT CAME THROUGH THE SURVEYMONKEY PRESCREENING OR THE TELEPHONE SO THAT STAFF COULD SURVEYMONKEY ENTER THAT INTO THE SYSTEM FOR THEM IF THEY DID NOT HAVE THE ACCESS. WE WERE TELLING PEOPLE IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE ACCESS, WE WILL TAKE THE PRESCREENING YOU CAN COME TO CITY HALL AND WE WILL RELEASE THE APPLICATION TO YOU. THE WHOLE GOAL OF A SCREEN OUT PROCESS IS TO FLIP THE FUNNEL SO IT'LL RECEIVE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF APPLICATIONS FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THE GRANT. WE WANT TO PUT THE QUALIFICATIONS UP. WE HAD TO MAKE SOME GAMETIME DECISIONS THAT'S WHY THINK IT'S GREAT TO BE IN THE MIDDLE BECAUSE IF YOU SEE SOMETHING WRONG, YOU CAN FIX IT. SOMETIME TODAY I DID NOT HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO FIX IT THAT SOME THAT SHAY HAD TO DO WITH OUR IT TEAM AND THEY WERE ON TOP OF IT. S. EINSTEIN, DID GET YOUR EMAIL AND ADDRESS SOME OF IT OVER THE WEEKEND I HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW YOUR OTHER CONCERNS. THERE WAS AN ERROR ON THE APPLICATION THAT WAS A COPY AND PASTE ERROR FROM THE HOMEOWNER APPLICATION. ULTIMATELY, I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS THE CONFUSION BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF DOCUMENTS THAT YOU HAVE TO TURN IN. AND THAT'S PART OF OUR PROCESS. I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PROVE YOUR INCOME FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. IF THEY COME BACK IN YOUR AN AUDIT AND SAY WELL, THAT'S OKAY THAT HANDSHAKE LEASE WAS FINE WILL TAKE YOUR WORD FOR IT, THAT'S NOT GOING TO FLY AND THAT HER MONEY IS TAKEN AWAY. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE GUIDELINES THAT WE PUT IN PLACE OR EVEN ESPECIALLY WITH SHIP. SHIP HAS STRICT GUIDELINES FOR HOUSEHOLD. SIFT PROVE ALL OF YOUR -- EVERYONE IN THE HOME AND YOU DO HAVE TO TURN IN YOUR INCOME AND YOU DO HAVE TO TURN IN YOUR BANK STATEMENTS AND YOU DO HAVE TO TURN IN YOUR PAYROLL, YOUR TWO WEEKS OF PAY STUBS. SO THERE IS A LOT -- THERE ARE A LOT OF DOCUMENTS THAT NEED TO BE SUBMITTED SO THAT WE CAN VERIFY YOUR INCOME. >> CAN I ASK YOU, THAT ARE HUD REQUIREMENTS, RIGHT. >> WE'RE USING SHIP. >>MAYOR HUDSON: WE ARE USING FEDERAL FUNDS AND SO THIS IS AN COLEUS CAN'T SAY I REQUIRE THIS IS THAT RIGHT. >> THIS IS NOT THE CITY FORT PIERCE. HIS HUD FUNDS AND WE HAVE TO DANCE TO THEIR TUNE IS THAT CORRECT. >> YES. IS THE HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY YES COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT. >> I THINK SOME OF THE FEDERAL PROGRAMS THAT ARE COMING THAT WERE APPROVED AS AN EMERGENCY WERE NOT TRUE HUD. THEY WERE THROUGH OTHER DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND DEPARTMENT -- SO THEY MAY HAVE DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS BUT HONDA FUNDS, WHICH YOU ARE EXPERIENCED AT, HAVE THESE STRINGS ATTACHED TO THEM AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS IF THEY GET MISSPENT OR NOT -- IF THE PAPERWORK IS NOT IN LINE: IT MEANS THAT WE'RE ON SOMEBODY'S LIST THAT SAYS DO NOT GIVE THESE PEOPLE ANY MORE MONEY BECAUSE THEY DON'T FOLLOW THE RULES. >> WE ACTUALLY OF THE PAYBACK. >> WE HAVE TO PAY BACK. THAT'S EVEN WORSE (LAUGHING) OKAY (LAUGHING) SO, THAT -- I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE IT DOES SOUND LIKE A LOT IS REQUIRED. I HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE OTHER STIMULUS IS COMING FROM THE GOVERNMENT, THEY'RE BENDING SOME RULES BUT THOSE ARE OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT WE ARE NOT USING -- WE ARE USING FEDERAL FUNDS THAT HAVE ALREADY HAD RULES APPLIED TO THEM WE ARE HE SAID WE'D OBEY THE RULES. >> YES. >> THERE ARE WAIVERS FOR THE PROCESS, NOT NECESSARILY WAIVERS ON THE REQUIREMENTS AND HOW WE USE THEM INELIGIBILITY. SO WHILE THERE'S A WAIVER FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING OR THEY'VE GIVEN US AN EXTENSION TO AMEND OUR PLAN AND OUR ACTION PLAN BECAUSE WE ARE CHANGING WHAT WAS SAID WE WERE GOING TO DO WITH THE MONEY. THE GOVERNMENT SAYS THAT'S OKAY. WILL MAKE YOU DO IT NOW BUT YOU HAVE A YEAR. SO THERE BEING FLEXIBLE WITH US BUT WE STILL HAVE THE RULES TO FOLLOW. >> THEY WILL AUDIT. >> YES. WE JUST HAD AN AUDIT LAST YEAR. -- I WASN'T HERE BEFORE, BUT WE JUST HAD AN AUDIT LAST YEAR. >>MAYOR HUDSON: I DID NOT MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTOOD IT. >> YES. AND AGAIN, THIS IS OUR FIRST TIME CREATING THIS TYPE OF MASSIVE PROGRAM THAT ENCOMPASSED HELPING SMALL BUSINESS, LARGE OR SMALL BUSINESS, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT HELPS THE BUSINESSES THAT NEED IT MOST AND EVEN SOME OF THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE STILL ABLE TO BE OPEN. THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE TO GET HELP, BUT NOT SO MANY PEOPLE CAN BE HELPED. I HOPE THAT SOUNDS -- IT SOUNDS KINDA CRAZY, BUT WE HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY BUT WE DO NOT HAVE SO MUCH MONEY AND THERE WERE ONLY 70 PEOPLE WE CAN HELP. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THE PEOPLE WE CAN HELP ARE BEHOLDING TO. [01:00:14] >>MAYOR HUDSON: WILL REPURPOSE AND MONEY IT WAS GOING TO BE USED FOR SOMETHING ELSE. >> INTERESTING THING IS A LOT OF MONEY WAS GOING TO BE USED FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, JUST DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROGRAMS MARKETING PROGRAMS. WITHOUT MAJOR AMENDMENTS, WE ARE ABLE TO SAY THIS IS WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO AND PURPOSE IT THIS WAY. NOW, I DEFINITELY BELIEVE THAT THERE COULD BE SOME TWEAKING. I WISH THAT WE ARE PROBABLY A COUPLE MORE DAYS WE COULD WORK ON THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND MAKING SURE THAT WHEN SOMEONE HITS SEND THAT THERE IS NOT A BIG RED ASK LIKE MY DOCUMENTS CAN UPLOAD OR I GOT TO THE BOTTOM AND THEN IT LOCKED ME OUT. SO TRYING TO TROUBLESHOOT AND FIND OUT THOSE ISSUES, WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE WE BROUGHT THIS TO YOU LAST WEEK. SO I THINK TODAY, OVERALL, AFTER THE ANXIETY OF THE MORNING BEING A LITTLE CRAZY IT SETTLED DOWN AND WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE THE CALLS WE HAVE A CALL CENTER SET UP WHAT WE HAVE STAFF AND THERE'S ANOTHER TEAM THAT'S ON THE PHONE ANSWERING THROUGHOUT THE DAY. ONE THING I WILL SAY IS THAT WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THE APPLICANTS READ THE ENTIRE APPLICATION FIRST BEFORE YOU START TO ENTER THINGS. WE PUT THAT ON THE TOP PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE APPLICATION SOON EVERYTHING BEFORE YOU START TO ENTER BECAUSE WHEN YOU ENTER AND THEN YOU'RE NOT PREPARED, THE APPLICATION WILL NOT BE COMPLETE. I WILL SAY THAT OUT OF THOSE -- WE HAD 215 BUSINESSES SCREENED. WE RECEIVED 37 APPLICATIONS UPLOADED FROM BUSINESSES. OF THOSE 37 ONLY THREE ATTACHED MOST OF THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED. A NUMBER OF THEM HAD ONE SO WHAT WE HAD SUGGESTED WAS AN EMAIL WE WILL EMAIL THEM SAYING YOUR APPLICATION IS INCOMPLETE. HERE IS A LOGIN SO THAT YOU CAN UPLOAD YOUR DOCUMENTS. THAT APPLICATION HAS A CURRENT TIMESTAMP ON IT. THEY CAN UPLOAD MORE DOCUMENTS HALF. >> I GOT A QUESTION. >> OBVIOUSLY -- I GUESS THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH PEOPLE PRODUCING THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED. YOU SAY THERE WERE ONLY THREE THAT SUBMITTED ALL THE PAPERWORK HE. >> YES. >> WHAT PAPERWORK WERE YOU REQUIRING THAT YOU FOUND THE PEOPLE NOT GIVE YOU THE MOST IN THE SITUATION? I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT. >> WE DID NOT LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE ONE BUT A LOT OF THEM ONLY PUT THAT THERE PAYROLL -- MAYBE THERE PAYROLL REPORT OR SOMETHING THAT MOST OF THEM DIDN'T -- IT WASN'T EVEN NECESSARILY BUSINESS TAX RECEIPT THAT WAS UPLOADED. AND EVERY BUSINESS IS DIFFERENT IN EVERY SITUATION IS DIFFERENT WHAT'S HAPPENING IS NOW WE REALIZE WE GET THESE IN HAVE TO REACH BACK OUT TO THEM QUICKLY TO LET THEM KNOW. THEY HAD TO FIGURE OUT HOW THAT WORKED ONCE A WORK THAT IN FIGURED OUT IT WAS A SWITCH WE HAD THE ABILITY WE DRAFTED THE EMAIL WE HAVE A COVID-19 GRANT EMAIL THAT'S BEEN CREATED SO THAT WE CAN COMMUNICATE FROM ONE SO IT'S TRANSPARENT IN ALL THE EMAILS ARE IN ONE PLACE. SO I'M HOPING THAT WE ARE BEING -- PAYING ATTENTION TO ALL THE ISSUES THAT COME UP SO WE CAN ADDRESS THEM. GENERALLY, AS THE APPLICATION HAD A NUMBER OF FIELDS SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY ALIMONY, YET A PUT SOMETHING THERE. SO WE ARE GOING TO -- UNFORTUNATELY TO CREATE THE FORM IT TAKES HOURS TO CHANGE THE FIELD. AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE I BELIEVE THAT'S THE REASON THAT IT'S NOT SO TIGHT RIGHT NOW. IT'S ALMOST THERE BUT SOME OF THE LITTLE SNAFUS IN A LITTLE BIT OF DATA ENTRY ISSUES BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE -- WE NEED MORE TIME TO TEST IT AND MAKE SURE IT WORKS. I THINK TODAY WE HAD ALSO FOUR PEOPLE COMPLETED THEIR APPLICATIONS AND BROUGHT THE MEN ALL BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN. THEY CAN GO UP TO CLERK'S OFFICE WILL DO VERIFYING OF THE DOCUMENTS. >>MAYOR HUDSON: COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. >>COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER: YES. I KNOW THIS IS A RUSH THING, A MATTER OF URGENCY BUT LIKE I HEARD SOMEONE SAY, YOU KNOW THEY EXTENDED THE TIME TO DO THE INCOME TAX SO PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE TAX RETURNS SO WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT THAT SITUATION? >> GOING. >> WE ASKED FOR 2018 OR 2019 IF YOU FILE. >>COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER: OKAY. >> I'M NOT SURE BUSINESSES HAVEN'T FILED THEIR 2018, WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF TAX DOCUMENT AND RIGHT NOW THE GOVERNMENT GOES BACK I'M NOT COPYING THE GOVERNMENT BUT GENERALLY THEY HAVE A STANDARD AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT THEY ASKED FOR INTO YOUR TAX RETURNS [01:05:06] ARE IT AND I DO WANT TO SAY AND I SAID OR BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT. IF THERE IS AN ENTRANCE AND SAYING THEY CAN TURNING IN 2017 BECAUSE EVAN DONE THEIR 2018 TAXES THAT'S OKAY BUT I'M NOT SURE THE BUSINESS HASN'T ON THEIR 2010 TAXES IF WE CAN GIVE THEM A FEDERAL MONEY. >>MAYOR HUDSON: EVERYONE IS NOT GOING TO FALL INTO A IT NEEDS LITTLE. >>COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER: YES. THAT'S MY CONCERN. >>MAYOR HUDSON: RIGHT. >>COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER: BUT EVERYONE -- >>MAYOR HUDSON: RIGHT. >>COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER: I THINK WE HAVE TO GIVE A LITTLE. HOW MUCH TIME ARE WE GIVING FOR EVERYTHING? AS FAR AS CLOSE? >> THEY WON'T CLOSE UNTIL THE FUNDS ARE EXPENDED. SO THE APPLICATION PERIOD IS GOING TO STAY OPEN UNTIL WE SEE THAT WE ARE STARTING TO APPROVE AND THE MONEY STARTS TO DWINDLE, THEN WE WILL CLOSE IT OUT. >> YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS? >> UNTIL THE FUNDS ARE EXPENDED, I DO NOT WANT TO CLOSE IT OR PUT A DATE CERTAIN. >> IS THERE A FLEXIBILITY, FOR INSTANCE. THERE WAS AN EXAMPLE OF I DON'T HAVE A LEASE. SO WHAT IF SOMEBODY WROTE ON THE LETTERHEAD WE DON'T HAVE A LEASE BUT WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT. SO IS THERE SOME FLEXIBILITY FOR SUBSTITUTION? >> ABSOLUTELY. YES. IN THAT CASE THE PERSON HAS AGREED TO PAY THE X AMOUNT. WE HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING TO SHOW. >> SHIFT OF SOMETHING ON PAPER THAT BACKS UP. >> RIGHT. >> SO WHEN THE AUDITORS COME, THEY CAN FOLLOW A PAPER TRAIL, RIGHT. >> RIGHT MR. CORONA. >>COMMISSIONER PERONA: YES. I CAME UP WITH THE TWO WORDS THAT ARE SCARY TO MEET ITS GOVERNMENT APPLICATION. IT IS BECAUSE IT'S DIFFICULT. WE HAVE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE. SO THE BIG QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN GETTING IS THAT MOST OF THIS IS EXPECTED TO BE ONLINE. THE BUSINESS PART ONLINE. AND IT IS OFFERED TO HAVE A PAPER APPLICATION, RIGHT? >> KNOW HOW TO GIVE PREFERENCES FIRST TIME IN BECAUSE WE'VE ADDED THIS TIMING ELEMENT IN THEIR? IT'S FIRST COME FIRST SERVE. AND HOW DO YOU GO AHEAD AND PRIORITIZE ONLINE VERSUS PAPER? >> WELL, EVERYONE IS A TIME DATE STAMP IN OUR ONLINE IS AS IT COMES IN ITS TIME DATE STAMPED. OUR APPLICATIONS ARE NOT. YOU'RE STAMPED WHEN YOU TURN IT IN. THERE'S ANOTHER STAMP, THE QUALIFICATION STAMP. THAT'S THE STAMP THAT COUNTS. ONCE ALL YOUR DOCUMENTS ARE IN, THAT'S WHEN YOUR APPLICATION IS COMPLETED RECEIPT. THAT'S THE STAMP THAT WE WILL GO ON WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO MAKING THE CHOICE. >> SO THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME. SO IT'S NOT THAT ON THIS DATE, MAY 4, THAT -- IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN 10 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING. IT BE LIKE 3 O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON I HAVE THIS 50 PAGE APPLICATION AND I PRESENTED TO YOU BUT THERE'S INFORMATION THAT STILL NEEDS TO BE SUPPORTED TO THAT. UNTIL THAT INFORMATION GETS THERE, THAT'S THE TIME DATE STAMP THAT IS IMPORTANT AS FAR AS QUALIFICATION FOR THIS? SO THAT'S HELPFUL RIGHT THERE. IF FOLKS HAVE QUESTIONS BECAUSE THIS IS NEW. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT. I THOUGHT ABOUT IT. I SAID IT TO THE CITY MANAGER TODAY AND IT MAY BE SOMEWHAT INAPPROPRIATE, BUT I DON'T CARE. I SAID I THOUGHT ABOUT IT THIS WEEK AND SOMEBODY THAT WORKS AT CITY HALL THAT I WOULD NOT WANT TO BE IN IT WAS YOU. >> (LAUGHING). >> I WOKE UP AT 3 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING ON SATURDAY AND I SAID COLLEGIATE IS PROBABLY STILL UP WORKING ON THIS THING. THIS IS A TOUGH TASK AND YOU AND YOUR TEAM, I ME REGARDLESS OF ALL THE CRITICISMS EVERYTHING ELSE THANK YOU FOR STAYING TO IT. THIS IS DIFFICULT. WE CAME UP. WE WAVED $1 MILLION IN FRONT OF FOLKS AND SAID YOU HAVE A WEEK TO APPLY FOR IT. AND PUSHED STAFF THAT IS NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE. I HAVE A LOT OF SENSITIVITY TO THAT. BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HELP THOSE FOLKS OUT THERE THAT ARE TRYING TO GET THIS DEADLINE, TRYING TO GET THE INFORMATION IN. NOW, YOU GUYS ARE HANDLING THE PHONES WHEN YOU GET QUESTIONS IN AND EMAILS AND EVERYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT AS FAST AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN, RIGHT. >> YES. AT THE END OF EACH DAY I GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE VOICEMAILS AND HAVE A CHECK FOR THE VOICEMAILS A COUPLE TIMES OF THE DAY. IT TAKES A LOT OF STAFF THIS MORNING IT WAS DIFFICULT BECAUSE THE PERSON [01:10:06] WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE TOUCHING ANYTHING WAS AROUND TRYING TO TOUCH EVERYTHING AND FIGURE IT OUT. SO MY TEAM IS READY TO BE GAMETIME -- WE HAVE TO CHANGE UP AT A MOMENTS NOTICE AND IF THAT DOESN'T WORK LET'S DO THIS. BECAUSE SHE FIGURED OUT. THAT'S HOW THIS MORNING WENT. >> ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I GOT IS A PERSON GOD THROUGH THEY GOT REALLY APPLICATION GOT TO THE END HIT SAND AND IT WOULDN'T TAKE IT BECAUSE IT SENT IT UP TO 34 AND FIVE HAD RED LETTERS AND YOU DIDN'T DO THIS RIGHT. WHEN THIS HAPPENS WHAT SHOULD SOMEBODY DO. >> THE FIELDS NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING IN IT. >> SOMETHING. SO IF IT'S A LINE THAT SAYS YOU HAVE AN IRA ACCOUNT OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT PUT ZERO. IF THERE IS A FIELD FOR A NAME PUT IN NEED. WE TESTED THAT AND THAT WORKED. AND SOMETIMES, WHEN YOU'RE GOING REALLY FAST AND YOU THINK YOU HAD A MALL AND MISSED IT AND YOU GOTTA GO BACK IT'S FRUSTRATING. WE HAD PEOPLE CALLING AND SAYING IT'S MY FOURTH TIME AND WERE LIKE HANG IN THERE. LET'S TRY AND IF NOT COME UP TO CITY HALL THE SCHEDULE PAPER APPLICATION. >> IS THREE PHONE NUMBER PEOPLE CAN CALL. >> WE HAVE AN 800 NUMBER TO CALL AND GET PRESCREENED. THAT NUMBER WAS CREATED LAST WEEK. THAT'S 888-519-9192. AND THAT'S THE COVERED PHONE NUMBER. SO YOU CAN INQUIRE ABOUT TESTING BY PRESSING ONE, TWO FOR HOUSEHOLDS REFER BUSINESS. AND THEN YOU GO INTO THE QUEUE. I TESTED IT TODAY I THINK I WAITED FOR A MINUTE AND HALF BEFORE ANOTHER PERSON GOT ON THE PHONE TO PRESCREENED ME. >> OKAY. >> IT STILL ON THE WEBSITE THIS NUMBER? THIS INFORMATION? >> YES, SIR. >> ON THE APPLICATION, IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD SMALL BUSINESS QUESTIONS COME TO ME ALSO. >> HOW MANY QUESTIONS ON THE APPLICATION. I DID IT WHILE WE WERE LISTENING. AND I GOT TO 10 AND I QUIT. HOW MANY MORE QUESTIONS ARE THERE. >> THE TOTAL. >> HOW MANY PAGES? >> IT'S TWO PAGES OF APPLICATION. >> OKAY. >> THERE'S A LOT OF -- THERE IS GRANT GUIDANCE WHICH IS THE ENTIRE INSTRUCTION TELLING YOU TO READ EVERYTHING BEFORE YOU START TO ENTER IN ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS. YOU READ AND CONTINUED GOES INTO THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS. MY BELIEF IN THE REQUIRED ARGUMENTS IS IF YOU KNOW THAT IT PERTAINS TO YOU, AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU NEED TO PROVE THAT, THEN YOU SHOULD PROVIDE IT. ONE THING I WOULD SAY I WISH THE APPLICATION HAD IS A PLACE TO UPLOAD THE DOCUMENTS AS IT REFERS TO THE QUESTION. THAT'S MY DREAM. >> AT ONE SPOT AT THE END. >> IT'S THAT ONE SPOT AT THE END SO IT'S CONFUSING. IT'S A BUMMER. I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE INCOME HOW MUCH IS YOUR INCOME UPLOAD YOUR PROOF OF. >> WITH THE NEXT CRISIS TO BE READY FOR THIS (LAUGHING). >> SO THE BIG THING IS WHILE WE'RE HERE AND PEOPLE ARE LISTENING HAVE THE PDFS READY AT THE END TO UPLOAD PDF JPEG PICTURE WHATEVER IT IS. IF YOU'RE GOING TO GO ELECTRONIC IF YOU SET LANGUAGE AND USE THAT SYSTEM. IT'S PART OF THE DEAL. I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE DONE SO FAR. IT'S CRAZY AND THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS. BUT PERSONALLY, IN MY EXPERIENCE, I'VE DONE WORK WITH THE SBA, MY PARENTS HAVE A SMALL BUSINESS HERE IN ST. LUCIE COUNTY. THEY GO TO THE PROCESS IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. ALL THIS INFORMATION IS REQUIRED. IT'S REQUIRED. ARE THERE DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS, YES. WE WERE ABLE TO LAST WEEK COME UP WITH A PLAN, REALLOCATE THE MONIES THE REALLOCATION PROGRAM, WE HAD A DESIGNATED AND WE SAID AS A COMMISSION BODY, WE SAID NO. WE WILL STOP THOSE AND WE WILL DO THIS BECAUSE OUR RESIDENTS AND SMALL BUSINESS NEEDED. AND I'M THANKFUL FOR THAT. I'M EXCITED THAT WE'RE EVEN SITTING HERE. THERE'S A LOT OF REQUIREMENTS THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION, BUT WITH ANYTHING HAVE TO BE STRATEGIC AND ORGANIZED DTRS YOU OFFERED TO LOOK IT UP BUT MY GOODNESS, I THOUGHT MOST BUSINESSES YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT HANGING SOMEWHERE. I'LL HAVE TO ASK THE CITY CLERK BUT I'M PRETTY SURE IT'S ONE OF OUR REQUIREMENTS YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHERE IT IS. DEAL. AND IT'S PART OF IT. BUT AGAIN, I HAVE EMPATHY FOR THOSE THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH IT. AND I SAY CONTINUE TO TRY WILL HELP YOU. >>MAYOR HUDSON: COMMISSIONER SESSIONS IN THINK MR. ALEXANDER . >>COMMISSIONER SESSIONS: WE'VE JUST TALKED ABOUT THOSE INDIVIDUALS INTERNET ACCESS, [01:15:11] HOWEVER, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE ACCESS OR NOT AS COMPUTER SAUVE IS COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, HOW INDIVIDUALS, FIRST OF ALL, DO THE PRESCREENING AND HOW DO THEY OBTAIN AN APPLICATION AFTER THE PRESCREENING PROCESS TAKES PLACE IF THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO COMPUTERS. >> WE HAVE THE APPLICATIONS HERE. ONCE THEY ARE PRESCREENED THE SCREENER IS THEN PUTTING THEM IN A LIST AND LETTING THE PERSON IS PROVIDING APPLICATIONS AT THE FRONT DESK BACK DOWNSTAIRS, AND WHEN THEY COME TO CITY HALL SHE LOOKS ON THE LIST MS. CITIZEN, HERE'S REPLICATION. YOU HAVE BEEN PRESCREENED. >> OKAY. HOW DID YOU GET PRESCREENED. >> BY CALLING IN THE 800 NUMBER. YOU CAN CALL OUR STAFF. ALSO, WE FOUND TODAY THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE MORE SAVVY THAN THEY THINK WITH THEIR CELL PHONES I INQUIRED JEFF FACEBOOK? DID YOU APPLY FOR EMPLOYMENT IF YOU DID THAT, YOU CAN DO THIS ON YOUR PHONE, TOO. I THINK A LOT OF TIMES JUST ENCOURAGING THEM A LOT OF TIMES THIS MORNING PEOPLE WERE LIKE OH. THEY SAT DOWN AND DID IT RIGHT THERE. AND THAT WAY THEY CAN PRESCREENED AND SINCE THERE HERE WE ARE HAPPY TO JUST GIVE THEM THE APPLICATION. WE WERE JUST MAKING IT HAPPEN FOR WHATEVER -- WHOEVER WE NEEDED TO. IF SOMEONE NEEDED AND THEY QUALIFIED THAT THEY GOT THE APPLICATION. THE PROBLEM WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT THEY DON'T QUALIFY. WE HAD A LOT OF CITIZENS CALLING FROM PORT ST. LUCIE WONDERING HOW THEY COULD NOT QUALIFY. WE'VE HAD PEOPLE WHO ARE ON SOCIAL SECURITY TO WORK A LITTLE SIDE JOB EVERY NOW AND THEN CALL IN AND ONLY TO REALIZE THAT IT DIDN'T PERTAIN TO THEM. SO AGAIN, I THINK YOU'RE LIKE $1 MILLION EVERYBODY'S LIKE WOW I WANT TO CALL FORT PIERCE EVEN IF I DON'T LIVE THERE. I THINK IT'S STREAMLINING THE SCREENING QUESTIONS AND IT ESSENTIALLY, WE PREFER TO SCREEN PEOPLE OUT IF YOU DON'T QUALIFY SO WE CAN ONLY BE TALKING TO THE PEOPLE WHO DO QUALIFY. I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT ALL THESE DOCUMENTS TO REALLY KNOW IF YOU QUALIFY, BUT ULTIMATELY, ARE YOU A FORT PIERCE RESIDENT OR A FORT PIERCE BUSINESS? WERE YOU AFFECTED DIRECTLY BY COVID? DID YOU HAVE TO CLOSURE DOORS BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR SAID SO? DID YOU HAVE TO REDUCE YOUR HOURS AND SEND EMPLOYEES HOME? THEN YOU QUALIFY. BUT IF YOUR INDUSTRY WASN'T AN INDUSTRY THAT WAS TOLD YOU HAD TO CLOSE AND YOU JUST DECIDED TO NOT GO TO WORK OR CLOSE DOWN A LITTLE BIT OR -- UNFORTUNATELY, THINGS WERE ROUGH OUT HERE NOBODY WAS SPENDING MONEY, THAT UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S BAD AND I'M SORRY, BUT YOU WOULD BE ON THE THIRD PRIORITY SO WE HAVE TO SET THAT AS THESE ARE THE RULES THAT ARE IN PLACE AND WE HAVE PRIORITIES SET WE HAVE TO STICK TO IT. >> YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PRIORITIZE BASED ON A PERSON'S NEEDS BUT TO SATISFY YOUR REQUIREMENTS. >> NO. THAT'S NOT A COMMISSIONER. FOR HOUSEHOLDS IF A PERSON IS STILL WORKING, YOU -- YOU ARE NOT THE FIRST PRIORITY BECAUSE THE FIRST PRIORITY IS SOMEONE WHO IS NOT WORKING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE COMPANY CLOSE THEIR DOORS. >> UNDERSTAND. >> I HAD A LOT OF CALLS FOR PEOPLE WERE STILL WORKING AND JUST THINKING WE ARE PAYING RENT SO I DID TELL THEM -- HAD TO GO BACK AND SCREEN THEM AND THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING EVERY TIME I COME ACROSS SOMEONE SAYING ALL RIGHT. ARE YOU A CITIZEN D11 FORT PIERCE? DID YOUR COMPANY CLOSE? AND SOMETIMES PUTTING IN A SPECIAL WAY ONE THING SPEAK TO HIM LIKE A PERSON ARE YOU STILL WORKING WHEN THE GOVERNOR SHUT US DOWN EARLY MARCH, DID THEY MAKE YOU GO HOME? IF THEY MADE YOU GO HOME THIS PROGRAM WAS CREATED FOR YOU. AND WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU QUALIFY AT THESE THINGS AND THEN YOU GET DOWN TO IT AND YOU FILL IT OUT YOU REALIZE YOU HAVE SIX GROWN ADULTS IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD AND THEY'LL MAKE A LOT OF MONEY NOW YOU DON'T QUALIFY BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO MEDIAN INCOME REQUIREMENT. I WISH IT WAS EASY. I WISH THAT WE COULD JUST IF YOU TURN IT IN YOU GET IT, BUT THAT'S NOT -- WE HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT PIECES. >> ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP COUPLE PEOPLE CALLED ME ON IS THE MORTGAGE AND THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE REQUIRES THAT AN INDIVIDUAL SHOW PROOF THAT THEY HAVE APPLIED FOR EMPLOYMENT. NOW THE ONLY DILEMMA WITH THAT IS IS THAT, AS YOU'RE AWARE -- YOU MAY NOT BE -- BUT RIGHT NOW, AS [01:20:04] FAR AS THE STATE IS CONCERNED, THERE IS A BIG PROBLEM GOING ON WITH UNEMPLOYMENT -- INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT ABLE TO SEEK UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE AS RESULT OF THE SYSTEM GOING HAYWIRE IN TALLAHASSEE. THERE'S A BIG DILEMMA WITH THAT. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, IF A PERSON CANNOT APPLY FOR EMPLOYMENT AND BE ABLE TO SHOW THAT THEY HAVE, IS THAT THE ONLY OPTION? BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE UNDER THE OPPRESSION IMPRESSION THEY CAN APPLY FOR THAT REASON. HOW DO YOU RESOLVE THAT ISSUE. >> THAT CAME UP TODAY. I WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS THEY WERE HAVING BUT ONE THING I WAS AWARE OF WHICH WILL CALL CAUSE US TO GO BACK AND REVIEW THE PIECE THEY'RE NOT ALLOWING PEOPLE TO LOGIN AT THE MOMENT. THAT CHANGED WITHIN THE PAST FEW WEEKS. I'M AWARE OF THE EMPLOYMENT SYSTEM AND WHEN YOU APPLY, YOU CAN LOGIN AND ACCESS THINGS THAT THEY RECENTLY CHANGED THAT. SO WHEN I SAY PROOF, I PREFER EMAIL SAYING YOU RECEIVE SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT ANYTIME YOU APPLY FOR SOMETHING GENERALLY YOU GET A THANK YOU AND AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OR CONFIRMATION. FOR ME CONFIRMATION IS JUST SHOW ME THE EMAIL WHERE THEY RECEIVED YOUR APPLICATION. I'M CONSIDERING, AT THIS MOMENT AND WAITING ON FEEDBACK FROM OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ON WHAT THEY INTEND TO DO IS REMOVING THAT QUESTIONING. >> I CAN SAY THAT I'M NOT GOING TO ASSUME THAT MOST PEOPLE NEED UNEMPLOYMENT ORGAN APPLY FOR. >> YES. IT'S JUST THE IDEA OF THEM BEING ABLE TO SATISFY REQUIREMENTS SHOW PROOF AND RIGHT NOW. >> I TALKED TO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE TODAY AND THAT'S WHERE BROUGHT IT UP AND STARTED MAKING CALLS TO FIGURE THAT OUT AND I'M GLAD THAT WE LISTED ON THE APPLICATION OR THE GRANT THAT WE CAN CHANGE THINGS AS NEEDED. I BELIEVE -- I'M JUST GONNA GET A CONFIRMATION BUT I'D LIKE TO CHANGE THAT. >>MAYOR HUDSON: I HAVE COMMISSIONER EXUMACOMMISSIONER ALEXANDRA. >>COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER: I KNOW WE SPOKE LAST WEEK ABOUT YOU INITIATING THIS GRANT THING . DID YOU GET THE NECESSARY HELP THAT YOU NEEDED? WE WERE TALKING ABOUT YOU HAVING EXTRA HELP OTHER THAN WHAT YOU HAVE ALREADY? >> YES, SIR. WE HAVE -- WHILE I'M IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE FINANCE TEAM MEMBERS FOR PURCHASING ASSISTING WITH THE CALLS. I HAVE ALMOST A FULL IT TEAM ON BOARD TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT MAKE IT HAPPEN. THE CITY CLERK STAFF IS READY TO BE OUR VERIFYING TEAM SO THE DOCUMENTS, WHEN THEY COME IN THE APPLICATION IS COMPLETE, THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE WILL VERIFY THAT THEY ARE ALL THEY ARE AND THEN GET INTO THE QUALIFIER, THAT STAMP THAT THEY DO SAYING EVERYTHING IS THERE. SO YES, SIR. I COULD USE A FEW MORE PEOPLE BUT I BELIEVE THAT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES. >>COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER: THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO BRING UP. I WANTED TO ASK THE CITY MANAGER, WE'VE GOT A WHOLE -- AT SUNRISE THAT'S NOT ACTUALLY DOING ANY WORK. AND WHY CAN WE UTILIZE PEOPLE THAT IS IDLE TO HELP YOU WITH THIS BECAUSE THIS IS THE COMMUNITY THING. IT HAS TO BE DONE. AND IT MUST BE DONE. SO WHY CAN'T WE HAVE THOSE INDIVIDUALS INSTEAD OF -- WHAT THEY CAN'T BE THERE HELPING YOU? >> WHILE MR. MIMBS IS HERE READY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. >> I KNOW THAT KHALIFA HAS BEEN WORKING ALL WEEKEND. BUT MY ENTIRE CITY MANAGER STAFF IS WORKING WITH HER MORAL BUT ANYTHING THAT WE NEED AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE SHALL PROVIDE FOR THE PROGRAM. SO IF THERE'S ANY DEFICIENCIES -- AND I HAVE NOT HEARD THAT THERE ARE ANY DEFICIENCIES BUT IF THERE ARE ANY LABOR RESOURCE DEFICIENCIES OR CONTRACTUAL RESOURCE DEFICIENCIES AND WE WILL ADDRESS THOSE. I HAVEN'T HEARD OF ANY ADDITIONALLY BUT LIKE I SAID ALIDA MIGHT HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT THAT. >>COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER: SHE JUST MADE THAT STATEMENT. SHE NEEDS HELP. SO WHY CAN'T WE CONSIDER THAT? AND THAT'S BEEN JUST BOTHERING ME BECAUSE I KNOW KHALIFA KHALIFA WILL RUN HERSELF INTO THE GROUND. TO TRY TO KEEP UP HER PACE. SO LET'S NOT MAKE THIS DILEMMA LET'S TRY TO GET IT AS SMOOTH AS YOU CAN WITH ALL THE NECESSARY HELP IDLE PEOPLE. [01:25:04] >> RIGHT. >>MAYOR HUDSON: COMMISSIONER PERONA. >>COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER: WERE GOING TO GET 800 APPLICATIONS HERE BY TOMORROW EASILY. AND YOU DON'T HAVE AN END DATE TO THE APPLICATION PROCESS. AND I'M THINKING TO MYSELF TO HAVE A STAFF BIG ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THOSE THAT ARE STILL APPLYING AND THOSE THAT ARE NOW LOOKING AT THE ACTUAL QUALIFICATION? IT MIGHT BE REASONABLE TO HAVE A DETERMINIST TO THIS SO THAT WE CAN CLOSE THE DOORS AND GO TO WORK ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE. >> I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT, BACK AND FORTH. AND I THINK THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HAVING AN END DATE BECAUSE I ANTICIPATE NEXT WEDNESDAY CLOSING THIS. THAT'S MY ANTICIPATION THAT AFTER WE START TO GET THE APPLICATIONS AND WE START TO QUALIFY PEOPLE AND PUT THEM IN ORDER TO KNOW HOW MUCH IS COMING IN THAT TOP NUMBER ABOUT 500,000 OR SO FOR BUSINESSES, AS WE DOLE OUT 20 HOUSEHOLDS AND 30 BUSINESSES ONE DAY MAYBE 40 HOUSEHOLDS THE NEXT TIME AND 30 BUSINESSES THE NEXT TIME, AT SOME POINT REALLY TO SAY SHUT THE DOOR. >> BUT IF YOU HAVE AN ENDING TO YOUR APPLICATION PROCESS AND YOU GO AHEAD AND YOU SPEND THE TIME TO GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH THE QUALIFICATION, AT THE END OF THAT, IF YOU STILL HAVE MONEY LEFT OPEN, YOU CAN OPEN IT BACK UP AGAIN. AND THAT WE ARE NOT KILLING YOUR STAFF. YOU ARE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE AND PARTICIPATE WITH THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE ALL I KEEP THINKING ABOUT IS YOU SPREAD YOURSELF REAL PAIN, THEY WERE GOING TO BE FOLKS UPSET WITH THE CITY AND IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. WE ARE GIVING YOU MONEY AND YOU ARE UPSET WITH ME. THE SERVICE REALLY USED TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE TO FOLKS AND LET THEM KNOW THAT SOMEBODY IS TRYING TO HELP THEM OUT. I WOULD JUST SAY THAT THAT IS SOMETHING I WOULD CONSIDER. IN COMING UP WITH AN ENDING DATE. >> I AGREE. ANOTHER CONSIDERATION WAS HAVING IT OPEN FOR LIKE A TWO WEEK PERIOD. >> IS GETTING IT. >> THAT'S AN ALARM. >> IS TELLING YOU IT'S TIME TO GO BACK TO WORK. YOU BETTER STOP TALKING AND GET BACK UP THERE (LAUGHING). >> I WAS THINKING TO HAVE IT OPEN FOR JUST -- AN OPEN APPLICATION PERIOD AND ONLY EXCEPT JUST EXCEPT. COMMUNICATE WITH EVERYONE MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE DOCUMENTS INTO THAT PERIOD THEN WE START TO REVIEW AND WE START TO QUALIFY. THERE'S A NUMBER OF WAYS THAT WE COULD DO IT. IT JUST DEPENDS ON HOW EVERYTHING LINES UP. >> YOU GOT 775 IN THE FIRST DAY . THAT'S -- IT'S TELLING. THERE'S JUST SO MUCH, SO MANY DOLLARS I THE BUCKET. SO I WOULD -- RATHER THAN THAT, TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND SEE WHICH YOUR STAFF CAN HANDLE. I WOULD UNDERSTAND IF WE GO A COUPLE OF DAYS AND AT THE END OF THAT PERIOD, IF YOU HIT A CERTAIN NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS, CLOSE IT DOWN. PROCESS THE APPLICATIONS AND POSSIBLY OPEN IT BACK UP. >> THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS. >> YOU GOT ME STARTED ON THAT. >> I FEEL THE SAME WAY YOU DO FROM THAT ASPECT. SO MEAN -- AND ANOTHER THING, YOU'RE GOING TO NEED SOME HELP AND LIKE COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER POINTED OUT, WE HAVE SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT PERHAPS WOULD BE NORMALLY WORKING BUT AS A RESULT OF THE CRISIS WE ARE GOING THROUGH, THEIR WORKLOAD IS NOT ENOUGH, ESPECIALLY SINCE YOU DON'T HAVE THE SOFTWARE IN PLACE. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THIS MANUALLY. AND THAT'S WHAT I WENT THROUGH WITH THE COVE 19 TESTING SITE. I HAD TO GET A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS ANSWERING THE PHONES, ACCESS BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE CALLING YOU IN. YOUR LINE. YOU HAVE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE COMPUTER. THEY'RE GOING TO BE CALLING FOR PRESCREENING AND THEN YOU CAN HAVE QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO THE APPLICATION. YOU'RE GOING TO BE BOMBARDED WITH A WHOLE LOT OF PHONE CALLS AND THAT'S WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO NEED PEOPLE HERE TO ASSIST YOU. SO I HOPE WE FIND SOME PEOPLE TO HELP YOU OUT. BUT FOR PEOPLE IS NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH. >> NOW. >> YOU'RE GONNA NEED SOME HELP. MY OTHER QUESTION TO YOU WAS -- AND I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT IT. LET'S SAY THAT INDIVIDUAL THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE 18 AND 19 TAX RETURN, ARE THEY AUTOMATICALLY OUT OF IT FOR [01:30:06] CONSIDERATION? OR IS THERE AN ALTERNATIVE THAT THEY CAN PRESENT TO YOU TO SHOW PROOF OF INCOME? BECAUSE THAT'S THE QUESTION IS BEEN COMING UP YOU THINK ABOUT IT. I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE FOR YOU BECAUSE THAT IS AN ISSUE. >>MAYOR HUDSON: IF THEY DON'T HAVE 2018 OR 19 THERE ARE BIGGER PROBLEMS IN THIS (LAUGHING). >> OF FOR GIVING MONEY TO A BUSINESS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO STAY OPEN, THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO KEEP PEOPLE A FLOATING OPEN. I'M JUST SCIENCE BEING REALISTIC. >> ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND A SITUATION WE DON'T HAVE 2018 IS A BUSINESS THAT MEANS YOU'RE IN A LAWSUIT HE ARE FIGHTING THE GOVERNMENT. >> WE HADN'T STARTED THE BUSINESS AND STARTED THE BUSINESS. >> THEY MAY BE JUST STARTED. A LOT OF THOSE BUSINESSES OUT THERE HAVE JUST STARTED. ESPECIALLY DOWNTOWN. >>MAYOR HUDSON: IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN YOU CAN GET PERSONAL TAX RETURNS OR DO SOMETHING AS AN ALTERNATIVE. >> I'M TRYING TO THINK OF AN ALTERNATIVE. >> ALL SAY THIS, STRUGGLED WITH REQUIRING THE BUSINESSES TO TURN IN PERSONAL INCOME TAX AS WELL. BECAUSE WILL WE GET INTO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT DOLLARS, THERE IS A LOW TO MODERATE INCOME THAT SHOULD BE MET. THERE'S A BIT OF A GRAY LINE WHEN IT COMES TO FUNDING PEOPLE OR MAYBE NOT SO LOW TO MODERATE INCOME BUT THEIR BUSINESS HELP AN EMPLOYEE LOW TO MODERATE INCOME CITIZENS. SO THAT IS THAT LITTLE BIT OF ROOM THAT YOU CAN ALLOW YOURSELF TO FUND SOMEONE MAY HAVE $1 MILLION IN THE BANK BUT STILL HAVE A SMALL BUSINESS WHETHER TRYING TO EMPLOY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE LOW TO MODERATE INCOME OR WANT TO HELP THOSE PEOPLE. I WANT TO TELL SOMEONE THAT THEY CAN'T TURN IT IN. HOWEVER, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PROVE THAT YOU ARE -- THAT YOU HAVE INCOME ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE TRYING TO STAY WITH THE GRANT THAT I LOST INCOME. WHAT'S THE INCOME THAT YOU LOST? IF YOU CAN'T PROVE THAT IT'S DIFFICULT. >> THERE IS A SALES AND QUARTERLY TAXES REPORT -- THERE'S A QUARTERLY REPORT. I'M GOING TO DO SOME RESEARCH AND MAYBE CONTACT JACKSONVILLE TO SEE IF SOME OTHER TYPE OF COMBINATION OF. >>MAYOR HUDSON: WHAT FLEXIBILITY WE HAVE. TAX RETURN SEEM TO BE THE ONE THAT THEY WANT. THAT'S THE ONE THAT'S IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. >> THAT SOMEONE EVERYBODY SUPPOSED TO DO. SO I WILL INQUIRE. I'M NOT SURE HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE APPROXIMATELY FOUR BUSINESS DAY TO GET RESPONSE FROM HEIDI. ON OUR HIDE QUESTIONS IN RELATION TO COVID. SO -- THEY ARE AT HOME, TOO. YOU CAN CALL THEM ON THE PHONE. >> ARE NOT AVAILABLE. >> YES, SIR. >> WHAT IS THE RATIO BUSINESSWISE. WHAT'S THE RATIO OF SMALL BUSINESS IN THE MEDIAN SIZE WHICH IS UNDER 2526 200 I THINK IT IS. >> I DO NOT HAVE THAT BREAKOUT YET BECAUSE IT'S ONE APPLICATION AND ON THE APPLICATION IS WHERE YOU LIST HOW MANY EMPLOYEES. >> THE REASON I ASK AND IS MORE MATHEMATICAL AT THE END OF THE DAY. YOU CAN PROBABLY STRATEGIZE THE TIMING VERSUS HOW MANY APPLICATIONS YOU'RE GOING TO GET BY MAKING AN ASSUMPTION. JUST MAKE AN ASSUMPTION THAT WE HAVE 60 PERCENT IS GOING TO BE 25 AND UNDER AND THE REMAINING 40 PERCENT IS GOING TO BE 26 200. YOU CAN DO A CALCULATION ON HOW MUCH FUNDING IS AVAILABLE. THEN YOU KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY APPLICATIONS. IT'S AN ASSUMPTION. THAT'S OKAY. >> I THINK IT DID THAT LAST WEEK. I KNOW FROM HOUSEHOLDS NOT FROM BUSINESSES SO YOU ALREADY DID IT? >> THANK YOU. >>MAYOR HUDSON: WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK. WE KNOW HAT THERE ARE GLITCHES IN THIS IS NOT SOMETHING YOU'VE DONE BEFORE IS NOT SOMETHING THE CITY HAS DONE BEFORE. AND SO I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE TRIED AND I KNOW YOU WILL KEEP TRYING BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE THE PERSON THAT WANTS TO DO A GOOD JOB IN AN EXCELLENT WAY TO PROVIDE GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE. I APPRECIATE THAT. >> THANK YOU. >> USE AS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE. WE GET THE PHONE CALLS. WE GET THE COMPLAINTS. USE US TO YOUR ADVANTAGE. >> ALL TALK TO MR. MIMBS, BUT I WANT TO KNOW HOW I CAN HELP. I'D LIKE TO HELP. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> I JUST HAVE TO ALSO COMMAND [01:35:02] STAFF. WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER OUR LARGEST GRANT PROGRAM AND I BELIEVE OUR HISTORY IN ABOUT A WEEK. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OUR STAFF HAS REALLY PUT YOUR MIND TO. OUR IT STAFF DID NOT SLEEP THIS WEEKEND EITHER. I THINK THIS IS A TREMENDOUS ACCOMPLISHMENT AND HOPEFULLY WILL GET THE FUNDING TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEEDED THAT IS OUR RESIDENTS IN OUR BUSINESSES. >> ANOTHER ASPECT YOU'RE IN 19 RESPONSE TESTING FOR COMMUNITY, AT THIS TIME I LIKE TO HAVE OUR SPECIAL PROJECT CORRELATOR COME UP AND GIVE US A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE TESTING AND HOW WE INTEND TO PROVIDE THIS FOR FOLKS IF THAT'S OKAY. >> SURE. >> GOOD EVENING. WELL, TODAY HAS BEEN A VERY BUSY DAY FOR TESTING. WE, TOO, ON THE TESTING SIDE WE SET UP OUR CALL CENTER TODAY. WE HAVE 10 VOLUNTEERS. THREE FROM THE INDIAN RIVER STATE COLLEGE MEDICAL TESTING PROGRAM AND THE BALANCE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. THEIR MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS. AND IT WAS A VERY ACTIVE DAY. WE TESTED OUT THE SYSTEM. THEY'RE GOING TO BE USING IPADS AND TELEPHONES TO ANSWER THE PHONES OR CELL PHONES TO ANSWER THE CALLS THAT WILL COME IN. AND THEN THAT IS FOR THE INDIVIDUALS WHO DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET. AND THEN THERE IS ALSO A LINK THAT WAS DEVELOPED BY DYNAMICS, THE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING CENTER. THAT LINK WILL ALLOW CITIZENS TO DO A SELF SCREENING ONLINE. SO YOU CAN HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT CAN GO ONLINE AND WILL DO THE SELF SCREENING. >>MAYOR HUDSON: AT OUR WEBSITE OKAY. >> IT'S ON OUR COVID-19 PAGE. AND ACTUALLY IT'S THE NEWS RELEASE WAS SENT OUT TODAY. AND IT HAS A LINK IN IT ALSO. AND INDIVIDUALS, WHAT THEY WILL DO, THEY WILL CLICK THE LINK AND THEY WILL GO THROUGH A LITTLE -- A VERIFICATION I'M SORRY. YOU PUT IN YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS AND GO TO THE VERIFICATION. FROM THERE IT WILL SEND YOU AN EMAIL TO THE EMAIL ADDRESS THAT YOU PROVIDE AND THEN FROM THERE, YOU CAN GO INTO THE SELF SCREENING. THAT INFORMATION AS WELL AS THE INFORMATION FROM THE CALL CENTER WILL GO INTO A DATABASE. ONCE WE HAVE -- ONCE WE GET UP TO 1200 INDIVIDUALS OR MORE -- WORKER BE OPEN THROUGH FRIDAY. WILL BE READY TOMORROW STARTING AT 9 AM. THE CALL CENTER WILL BE OPEN FROM 9 TO 5 TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THERE IS NO LEAVING MESSAGES SO IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO GET THROUGH TOMORROW, PLEASE CALL THE NEXT DAY. AND THEN THAT INFORMATION -- ALL OF THE INFORMATION WILL BE INPUT INTO ONE DATABASE. FROM THERE WE WILL RANDOMLY SELECT THOSE WELL-QUALIFIED FOR SCREENING AND THEY WILL RECEIVE AN APPOINTMENT AND THAT WILL ALL BE ELECTRONIC. SO -- AND THEN THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO DO NOT HAVE AN EMAIL ADDRESS, WE WILL BE CALLING THEM TO LET THEM KNOW THEIR APPOINTMENT TIME TO COME NEXT WEEK THROUGH MAY 11 TO THE 15 FOR THE TESTING. THERE WILL BE TWO TYPES OF TESTING OFFERED. THE SWAB TEST, THE COVID-19 TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE ILL AT THAT TIME AND THAT WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE DOING THE ANTIBODY TEST ALSO THAT DAY. AND THAT REQUIRES A PBLOOD DRAW. WE HAVE A HOST OF VOLUNTEERS, SOME STAFF FROM THE -- FROM DYNAMICS DIAGNOSTICS AS WELL AS FROM THE MEDICAL RESERVE BOARD. IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TODAY, I HAD A REPRESENTATIVE THAT WAS HELP OVERSEE THE CALL CENTER AS WELL AS AN INDIVIDUAL FROM INDIAN RIVER STATE COLLEGE WAS ALSO THERE TO OVERSEE THEIR STUDENTS. THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, CAROL, WILL ALSO BE WITH ME NEXT WEEK. SO, WE HAVE A GOOD GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS. TODAY WE WORKED OUT THE KINKS TO HOPEFULLY ADDRESS ANY PROBLEMS THAT MIGHT COME UP. BUT IF THEY DO COME UP, THEY ARE A CALL AWAY. AND THEY CAN ADDRESS IT RIGHT AWAY. >> IS THE NUMBER THE SAME THAT COLEADERS GAVE US. >> YES. YOU JUST PRESS ONE FOR TESTING. YOU'LL BE ROUTED. >>MAYOR HUDSON: ONCE AGAIN, THE CITY IS DOING SOMETHING THAT WASN'T EVER ANTICIPATING TO DO AND DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO WHICH IS WHERE WE ARE SOMEHOW IN THE MEDICAL BUSINESS. >> I HAVE TO GIVE CREDIT TO OUR IT DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY -- ACTUALLY THEY CAME UP WITH THE [01:40:01] IDEA TO DO IT THIS WAY. THIS WAS THE QUICKEST WAY TO SET UP THE CALL CENTER WITH THE CELL PHONES AND BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE TREATMENT SO THAT WHEN ONE CALL COMES IN IF SOMEBODY ELSE IS ON THE LINE, THAT WILL GO TO THE NEXT PERSON MY HAT IS OFF TO THEM. >>MAYOR HUDSON: TOMORROW YOU WILL FIND OUT IF IT WILL WORK RIGHT? COMMISSIONER SESSIONS. >>COMMISSIONER SESSIONS: I NOTICED IT AFTER THE FACT. HE HAD 350 COVID-19 TESTS AS OPPOSED TO 750 ANYBODY TESTS. YOU WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE THE OTHER WAY AROUND THAT WOULD BE TESTING MORE FOR COVID-19 AS OPPOSED TO ANYBODY'S IS THERE ANY REASON WHY WE ARE DISPROPORTIONATE IN TERMS OF HAVING A LOT LESS? PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE A VIRUS AS OPPOSED TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAD IT ORDER OFFER SOME PLASMA OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES. WHEN YOU HAVE 350 PCR'S VERSUS 750 ANTIBODIES, YOU WOULD THINK THAT YOU WOULD HAVE MORE BUGS ALL COMES DOWN TO AVAILABILITY. IN THE COVID-19 TEST IS STILL NOT THE READILY AVAILABLE TO OUR MUNICIPALITIES. >>MAYOR HUDSON: THIS IS WHAT WAS PROVIDED. >> THIS IS WHAT THEY WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE RIGHT NOW. BUT I KNOW THAT IF THE NEED IS GREATER, HE HAS ON ORDER OR HAS PUT IN ANOTHER ORDER IF THE NEED IS GREATER THAN WHAT IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW IN HIS FACILITY. >> STAY ON TOP OF THAT. BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS TO FIND OUT IF YOU HAVE THE VIRUS. ANTIBODIES IS GOOD BUT THOSE ARE A LOT LESS ANYWAY ALMOST GIVEN THEM AWAY IF YOU GO DONNA WEST PALM BEACH -- BUT IT'S THE COVID-19 TEST THAT IS RARE AND YOU JUST EXPLAINED THEY DON'T HAVE THAT MANY BUT WE CAN GET MORE THAT WILL SERVE THE PUBLIC. >>MAYOR HUDSON: IS THERE A COST TO THIS? >> THERE IS. WHAT DYNAMICS. >>MAYOR HUDSON: TO THE INDIVIDUAL? >> NO. BUT THE COVID-19 TEST THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN ACCESS TO, IT'S MUCH LESS OF THE COST AS A RELATES TO THE TESTS THAT ARE BEING OFFERED FOR QUEST THE PERSON. >>. THERE'S NO COST FOR OUR CITIZENS, NO COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. >> I THINK WE PUT THAT IN OUR PACKAGE QUICKSET IS ON THE CITY MANAGER'S REPORT RELATED TO THIS THAT ST. LUCIE COUNTY AGREED TO PROVIDE 500 TEST KITS TO THE CITY? >> YES, SIR. ENTER NOT TO BE INCORPORATED NEST BUT WE PLAN TO DO IS HAVE ANOTHER -- OFFER ANOTHER TESTING SITE BECAUSE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TEST THAT WE HAD HERE, THEY ARE BEING PROCESSED BY DYNAMICS. THOSE TESTS HAVE TO BE SENT TO QUEST TO BE PROCESSED. >> YOU'RE GOING TO ESTABLISH ANOTHER SITE. >> YES, SIR. >>MAYOR HUDSON: THAT'LL BE A NEW WAY A NEW TIME PERIOD. >> YEAH. >> VERY GOOD. >>MAYOR HUDSON: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK. HAVE A GOOD EVENING. >> SAID YOU HAVE TO ALSO JUST SAY WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT AUDREY AS WELL AS CARLITA. I CAME IN THE OFFICE AND BOTH WERE YELLING AT ME. SERVES YOU RIGHT, RIGHT. >> IT IS WHAT IT IS. ANOTHER COMPONENT OF WHAT WERE DOING AND ARE COVID-19 RECOVERY RESPONSE IS OUR FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM. COMMISSIONER SESSIONS AMIR HUDSON, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID THIS WEEKEND. I BELIEVE THAT IN TALKING TO OUR BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB PARTNERS, THEY AMASSED ROUGHLY OVER 3000 MEALS THAT WERE PASSED OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY. I BELIEVE THEY DID ALL THE COOKING AT 31 FOUR AVENUE J AND I BELIEVE THAT YOU MAY BE HELPED PACK. >>MAYOR HUDSON: YES. I WAS -- YES. I WAS A SERVER. >> A SERVER. >> I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER SESSION COMMISSIONER SESSIONS WAS A DELIVERY GUY. [01:45:01] >> YES. THANK YOU FOR BEING OUT THERE. WE BEGAN MAY 2 WE WILL CULMINATE MAY 30 AND WE SHALL SEE WHAT TRANSPIRES AFTER THAT. I BELIEVE OUR COMMUNITY IS IN DIRE STRAITS JUST LIKE THE REST OF THE UNITED STATES. WE SHALL SEE. HOPEFULLY WE ARE ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY AND WE WILL NOT HAVE TO CONTINUE BUT WHILE WE STILL HAVE THE RESOURCES WE SHALL. MOVING FORWARD OUR SPECIAL EVENTS AS YOU KNOW THEY ARE CANCELED. OUR CITY FACILITIES REMAIN CLOSED. CITY HALL IS CLOSED. WE DO ANTICIPATE HAVING A GRADUAL OPENING TO THE PUBLIC, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME PROTECTIVE MEASURE THAT CAN LESSEN THE PHYSICAL INTERACTION BETWEEN EMPLOYEES AND CITIZENS FOR EVERYONE'S PROTECTION. SO WERE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT WAYS. WHEN LOOKING AT ASKING OUR PARTNERS IN PORT ST. LUCIE AND THROUGHOUT THE STATE. THIS IS NEW TO EVERYBODY. THERE IS NO RIGHT ANSWER. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WAS OUR GRADUAL REOPENING IN OUR BOARDS AND COMMITTEES. OUR BOARDS AND COMMITTEES ARE NOT MEETING CURRENTLY. BUT I DO SEE THERE IS ACTIVITY. THERE IS ACTIVITY THAT WORK IN HAVE TO RESPOND TO. OUR PLANNING DIRECTOR, JIM HOFMEISTER WAS TELLING US ABOUT A SITUATION ALONG WITH REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER. LONGWOOD IS ACTIVELY SEARCHING AND HELPING TO BUILD -- IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, ADDITIONAL BEDS, 32 AND ALSO, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THE TOWER EXTEND TO A HIGHER HEIGHT. >> THIS IS THE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR EXPANSION? >> PART OF IT. SO WE DO NOT HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING WE CAN GET TO THE PLANNING BOARD, THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN. ALSO WE ALSO OTHER BOARDS AND COMMITTEES THAT I DO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BEGIN MEETING AS WELL. THE FPA YOU A BOARD. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING BUT THEY'RE NOT MEETING. AND I KNOW THAT THAT BUSINESS STILL HAS TO TAKE PLACE. I KNOW THAT WE HAVE CIVIL SERVICE APPEALS BOARD. THE RETIREMENT BOARD. WE HAVE PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR THAT. WE HAVE TO START DOING BUSINESS. I DO WANT YOU ALL TO CONSIDER US UTILIZING OUR JUDGMENT AND LOOKING AT SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL CASES AND HOPEFULLY, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. THE ISSUE AT LONGWOOD, THAT IS A MEDICAL -TYPE ISSUE. WE DO NOT WANT TO STYMIE OR SLOW THE DEVELOPMENT IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM. I'D LIKE TO GET FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL IF YOU DON'T MIND HIM. >> I'M OKAY TO LET YOU DO AS YOU SEE FIT BECAUSE NO ONE IS HERE TO CAUSE ISSUE WITH THE COVID-19 -- EVERYONE IS ABOUT PROTECTIVE MEASURES. YOU SEE HER SEATING ARRANGEMENT APPEAR COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER ON THE PHONE. THERE'S A LOT OF OPTIONS AND AVAILABILITY. I SAW ON YOUR SUMMARY REPORT THAT YOU PURCHASED ZOOM, A GOTOMEETING TYPE THING. >> YES. MAYBE DIDN'T PURCHASE IT BUT I SAW SOME SIGNATURE. >> IT WAS A PURCHASE ORDER. YES. JAY HAS BEEN SPENDING MONEY. >> HE HAS, YES. IT'S ALL RESPONSIBLE. >> THERE'S AN OPTION. I DO NOT KNOW HOW YOU WOULD DO THAT BUT I'LL LET YOU FIGURE THAT PART OUT. BUT YOU ARE RIGHT. BUSINESS HAS TO CONTINUE. WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THIS WILL STRETCH OUT. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NEXT MANDATE WILL BE FROM THE GOVERNOR OR RELAXING OF MANDATES. SO IF YOU SEE THAT WE NEED TO MOVE ON WITH BUSINESS, THEN PLEASE, DO. >> I AGREE. ESPECIALLY WITH THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT. >> WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE WANTING US TO ADDRESS AN ISSUE WITH THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT AND THAT'S HOW IMPORTANT IT IS IN THE STAGE WHEREIN TRYING TO BUILD SO MANY BUILDINGS ALONG WITH THE OTHERS. WE WERE DOING SO WELL. UNTIL THIS HAPPENED. SO WE GOTTA PICK IT BACK UP. ANYTHING SHORT OF -- AND YOU HAVE IT OUT THERE -- THE DISTANCING. WE CAN DEMONSTRATE THE SAME THING HERE. AND WE CAN CONTINUE ON WITH A LOT OF BUSINESSES. IT'S LIKE EVERY DAY IS THAT THE PRESIDENT AND AN EXAMPLE. ALL THESE OTHER BOARDS CAN DO THE SAME THING WE ARE DOING. SO I WOULD HOPE THAT WE COULD CONTINUE BUSINESS. >>MAYOR HUDSON: COMMISSIONER PERRONE? >>COMMISSIONER PERONA: WE USUALLY HAVE THREE OR FOUR BECAUSE THEY ISSUES COME FORWARD WE HAVE NOT HAD ONE IN SEVERAL MEETINGS. MY BIGGEST FEAR IS THAT WILL BE HERE UNTIL 4 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING -- QUASIJUDICIAL. DOESN'T THAT HAPPEN. I WOULD ASK THAT YOU [01:50:06] LOOK AT THE AGENDA IF WE DO EASE INTO THIS, WE COULD DO SOME TYPE OF PRIORITY. I'M JUST SAYING THAT HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN TWO OR THREE OR FOUR OR FIVE ADDITIONAL HEARINGS WE MAY BE IN TROUBLE. SO THERE'S A RIGHT WAY TO DO IT. I'M SURE COMING UP WITH DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN INVITE THE PUBLIC INTO OUR MEETING AND LET THEM PARTICIPATE IN THE DECISION PROCESS. >> I'M THINKING THAT PERHAPS JUNE WE COULD START HAVING PUBLIC HEARINGS AGAIN PERHAPS. AND SO, IF WE ALLOW OUR COMMITTEES TO MEET, THAT'S RIGHT. COMMISSIONER PERONA. >> WE HAD IT SET TO THE GOVERNOR STATE OF EMERGENCY AND THAT'LL BE OVER WITH ON THE EIGHTH, RIGHT MR. SWEENEY EXPAND MAYOR. >>MAYOR HUDSON: YES, SIR. >> THAT'S CORRECT. A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY BE BECAUSE SO MANY EXECUTIVE ORDERS HAVE BEEN ISSUED -- WE ARE OVER 112. JUST FOR 2020. BUT THE ONE THAT ALLOWED ALL OF THESE THINGS TO START TO UNFOLD AT THE GOVERNOR'S LEVEL IS 20 Ã 52. AND THAT WAS THE ONE THAT DECLARED COVID-19 A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY. THAT WAS EXECUTED ON MARCH -- SEEMINGLY NOW IS AGENT HISTORY, BUT IT WAS MARCH -- APOLOGIZE. RIGHT HERE. MARCH 9, 2020 BUT IT SAYS THIS ORDER SHALL EXPIRE 60 DAYS FROM THIS DATE UNLESS EXTENDED WHICH IS THIS FRIDAY, MAY AGE. I FULLY EXPECT THIS IS NOT OVER IS A STATE OF EMERGENCY. I THINK EVERYBODY IS COGNIZANT OF THAT AT ALL LEVELS. ON WHAT THAT MEANS THOUGH. AS COMMISSIONER PERRONE TALKED ABOUT WE HAVE BEEN TIED TO AND FOLLOWING MINUTES OF THE GOVERNOR WOULD EXTEND IT FOR 15 DAYS, 45 DAYS, I DON'T KNOW. WE WOULD BE PROBABLY TIED TO FOLLOWING THAT UNLESS WE DID SOMETHING ELSE. SO JUST TO BE COGNIZANT OF THAT. AND IF I CAN QUICKLY INTERJECT THE SUPREME COURT JUST ISSUED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN HAVE NOT HAD ANY TRIALS AT ALL WITH THE JURY FOR SEVERAL WEEKS IN THE SUPREME COURT ISSUED IT EARLIER TODAY CONTINUING THROUGH THE -- UNTIL JULY 2. THROUGH THE ENTIRE MONTH OF JUNE THE BE NO JURY TRIALS AT ALL IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. >> WOW. >> COMMISSIONER PERONA. >>COMMISSIONER PERONA: SO WHEN WE MAKE A MOTION PUSH THIS FORWARD IT WAS HOOKED TO THE GOVERNOR STATE OF EMERGENCY, BUT IT ALSO HAD -- IT HAD THE ABILITY FOR THE COMMISSION TO COME UP IF WE NEEDED TO TO GO AHEAD AND RECOMMEND THAT, REMINDING EVERYBODY THAT'S THEY ARE IN THE CITY BUSINESS IS IMPORTANT. IF WE DON'T -- IF WE ARE NOT TIMELY WE COULD CAUSE A BIGGER PROBLEM THAN WHAT WE'VE ALREADY HAD. I WOULD SAY THAT STAFF NEEDS TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE AND TO EASE US INTO THAT BUT I'D BE ACCEPTABLE TO THAT. >> USE YOUR JUDGMENT. AND YOUR CRYSTAL BALL. (LAUGHING). >> WE WILL LOOK AT OUR BOARDS AND COMMITTEES AND WE WILL DETERMINE WHAT ISSUES WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US. WE SHALL DETERMINE WHICH ONES ARE IN CRITICAL NEED OF HOLDING A MEETING. HOPEFULLY JUNE MAY BE . AND WE CAN HAVE A POSSIBLE PUBLIC HEARING BUT WE SHALL SEE. UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T KNOW. >>MAYOR HUDSON: NO. BUT AT LEAST WE CAN START TO MAKE PLANS. BECAUSE THERE WILL BE AN END TO THIS WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHEN. IN ADDITION SPEAKING OF MEETINGS WE HAVE A MEETING THAT IS SLATED FOR MONDAY. IT IS THE CITY COMMISSION CONFERENCE AGENDA AMID 11. OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE SCHEDULED TO BE DISCUSSED WAS THE DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION REGARDING THE ABILITY OF THE CITY COMMISSION TO INCREASE BUSINESS TAX RECEIPTS UP TO FIVE PERCENT. ALSO BEACH PARKING, SPORTS TOURISM AND THE FORT PIERCE UTILITIES AUTHORITY UPDATE. SO THOSE ARE THE ISSUES. I LIKE TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK AS TO IF YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE THIS MEETING? >> SO YEAH. I TALKED TO MR. MIMBS ABOUT THAT THIS MORNING. YOU KNOW, THERE IS PROBABLY A BETTER CHANCE THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER EMERGENCY MEETING I WOULD SAY -- I WOULD PERSONALLY NOT MEET NEXT MONDAY AND JUST HOLD THAT MEETING DATE TO WHEN WE NEED TO DO SO. THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE ANYTHING ON THE AGENDA IS LIFE-THREATENING THAT IMPORTANT. IN RAISING FEES [01:55:06] RIGHT NOW I DO NOT THINK IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN. >> OR DECREASING. >> THANK YOU MISS COX PROBABLY DOES NOT WANT TO BRING IT AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME NOW ANYWAY. >> SO I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF CANCELING THAT BEATING AND JUST KNOWING THAT WE WILL PROBABLY NEED AT LEAST ONE MORE TIME THAT'S NOT SCHEDULE RIGHT NOW. >> ANYBODY ELSE? >> I AGREE WITH THAT. >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER? >>COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER: HAD. GO AHEAD COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. >> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY I AGREE WITH THE STATEMENT. THE DIRECTOR WAS GOING TO GIVE A PRESENTATION BUT DO NOT FEEL BE AMENABLE TO COMING TO OUR NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING JUST HAVE IT AS A PRESENTATION. >> WITH THE MEETING JUST ONE MEETING THIS MONTH WHAT IS THAT MEETING? >> A WEEK FROM TOMORROW. >> IT'S A TUESDAY AFTER NEXT MEETING. MAY 19. >> AND THERE ARE NO SCHEDULED MEETINGS IN THESE CHAMBERS OTHER THAN THE CITY COMMISSION. >> WE HAVE IN YOUR MEETING? >> WHILE HE WAS GOING TO CALL MR. MIMBS AND TALK TO ABOUT HAVING A MEETING IN THE CHAMBER (LAUGHING) APPARENTLY HE HASN'T DONE THAT YET. >> IF YOU ALL ARE TELLING ME LOOK, LET'S IDENTIFY THESE DIFFERENT BOARDS AND COMMITTEES AND LET'S FIGURE OUT HOW WE DO IT, THE SOCIAL DISTANCING ONLY PROTECTIVE MEASURES, THEN WE CAN START HAVING THESE BOARD MEETINGS AND THEN START GETTING SOME BUSINESS DONE. WE CAN WORK WITH FP AWAY IF THAT IS THE DIRECTION THAT YOU WERE GOING IN. >> I AGREE. I LIKE THE IDEA OF PUTTING FPUA ON THE PRESENTATION ON THE 18TH. >> YOU GOT IT. >>MAYOR HUDSON: AND NO MEETING NEXT MONDAY. COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER, DID YOU WANT TO CHIMEIN? >> YES. I AGREE WITH THE MEETING FOR FPU AND ALSO I HAVE ONE CONCERN, WHAT ABOUT IF THEY OPEN UP THE MEETINGS WITH THE COMMITTEES -- IF THEY DON'T GET A QUORUM, WHAT -- I KNOW AT ONE TIME WE HAD -- WERE THE COMMISSIONER WOULD FILL IN IF IT DIDN'T NEED TO QUORUM ON THEIR BOARD? THAT'S MY QUESTION. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO IF YOU CAN'T GET A QUORUM ON THESE BOARDS? >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER, I BELIEVE THAT THE STATE IS STILL ALLOWING US TO HAVE -- TO ME QUORUM VIA ALTERNATE MEDIA OPTIONS YOU KNOW, JUST AS YOU ARE CALLING IN. SO I THINK WILL ALWAYS BE ABLE TO -- FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE WILL BE ABLE TO MEET THE QUORUM REQUIREMENTS USING THE: TECHNOLOGY. >> OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME ELDERLY FOLKS ON THESE BOARDS. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> AND THEY DO NOT NEED TO BE CONSORTING. SO I'M FINE WITH THAT. >> OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND I BELIEVE THAT IS ALL THAT I WANTED TO DISCUSS. I BELIEVE I RECEIVED THE FEEDBACK IN THE DIRECTION I NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY. >>MAYOR HUDSON: THANK YOU. MR. SWEENEY? >> MCNAMARA, I WANTED TO JUST MENTION ABOUT THE CHIEF JUDGE'S ORDER SO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO OTHERWISE HAVE NO OTHER UPDATES. >> I HAVE A QUESTION. >> 20 Ã52 THAT YOU MENTIONED FROM THE GOVERNOR, IS THAT THE ONE THAT MENTIONS THE ABILITY TO HAVE A VIRTUAL CALLING QUORUM? >> THAT IS 20 Ã60 -- 68 OR NINE. GIVE ME ONE SECOND. >> 69. 20 Ã69. >> DOES NOT HAVE AN EXPIRATION? >> WELL (LAUGHING) ONE SECOND, SIR. >> IT PIGGYBACKS. >> IT HAS AN EXPIRATION, IT EXPIRES AT THE EXPIRATION OF 20 Ã52. HOWEVER 20 Ã112, WHICH WAS LAST THURSDAY SPECIFICALLY OUTLINES IN SUBSECTION 6 THAT 20 Ã69 IS CONTINUE FOR THE DIRECTION -- DURATION OF THIS ORDER. 20 Ã112 IS THE FIRST ORDER THAT HAS NO EXPIRATION. SO IT'S OPEN-ENDED. SO, RIGHT [02:00:02] NOW, THE CONSENSUS IN THE COMMUNITY -- AND AGAIN THE GOVERNOR ISSUED SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION BULLET POINTS TO GO ALONG WITH THESE ORDER THE PREVAILING CONSENSUS IS THAT THE MOST RECENT ORDER FROM LAST WEEK, THE REOPENING ORDER, 25 PER RESTAURANTS AND RETAIL BUSINESSES, PHASE 1, IS OPEN ENDED THAT'S THE PREVAILING VIEW THAT'S WHAT THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE HAS GIVEN ADVICE AS TO EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN'T SAY IT AT ANY POINT IN THE ORDER BUT IT SPECIFICALLY REFERENCES THE PUBLIC QUORUM ITEM BY REFERENCE. SPECIFICALLY. >> OF THE LANGUAGE DID NOT INCLUDE BOARDS AND COMMITTEES? >> IT TALKS ABOUT LOCAL GOVERNMENT BODIES. SO ARGUABLY, IT'S A REQUIREMENT FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT BODY WHICH WOULD BE BY EXTENSION ALL OF OUR BOARDS. >> I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE COVERED THERE WE DID NOT HAVE TO IMPLEMENT SOMETHING OR COME UP WITH A RIGHT-OF-WAY. >> CERTAINLY. >> AND THEN COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER, I REMEMBER WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT WHERE THE COMMISSIONER COULD SIT IN WITH THEIR APPOINTEE BUT YOU ARE RULES APPLY MORE. >> WE'VE MOVED AWAY FROM THAT COMPLETELY. AND I WILL DEFER TO THE CLERK HER TENURE IS LONGER THAN MINE. BUT I BELIEVE UNLESS A BOARD HAS ALTERNATES AND MOVED AWAY FROM HAVING ALTERNATES, THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY CAPACITY THAT SOMEONE WOULD SIT IN SOMEBODY WAS NOT THERE. HOWEVER, MOST OF THE BOARDS ARE SMALLER. SO TO ME QUORUM, IS REALLY TYPICALLY A SMALL NUMBER. IT MIGHT BE THREE OR FOUR. >> WE PUT IN A LARGE EFFORT TO REDUCE OR STREAMLINE ALL OF OUR COMMITTEES AND BOARDS AND I THINK WE HAD SEVEN MAYBE THERE'S ONE THAT'S 10? SEVEN IS PRETTY CONSISTENT. >> I WOULD SAY SEVEN IS A CONSISTENT NUMBER. TYPICALLY WE'VE BEEN MOVING TO 5+2 AT-LARGE. >> THERE ARE A COUPLE OF HOLDOVER BOARDS THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME THAT HAVE THAT. >> THANK YOU. >> YES, SIR. MS. COX, ARE WE ONTO THE NEXT ITEM. >> COMMENTS FROM THE [16. COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION] COMMISSION. >> OF COMMISSIONER SESSIONS, WHICH YOU LIKE TO START. >>COMMISSIONER SESSIONS: YES. WE'VE GOT THE CITY ATTORNEY AND I WAS HOPING THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING WOULD'VE BEEN IN HERE. BUT AT ANY RATE, WE'VE HAD TONIGHT SOME INDIVIDUALS TO COME BEFORE US WITH REGARDS TO MITIGATION BOND FOR TREES AND I THINK THE EXACT AMOUNT ABOUT $275,000, SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN FOUR OF $1 MILLION. AND GIVEN, I'M SURE, THE VERY CONSERVATIVE BUDGET IT'S A CHURCH THAT'S FUNDING THIS PROJECT, I'M SURE THEY ARE TRYING TO SAVE AS MUCH AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN. WHAT, IF ANYTHING, CAN WE DO AND WHAT WILL BE THE RECOURSE AND WAVING OR A VARIANCE OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES BECAUSE IF IT'S AN ORDINANCE, AN ORDINANCE THAT WE CREATED -- THAT'S ANOTHER THING, IT'S ONE THING IF WE ARE GOING TO BE APPLYING THIS TO EVERYBODY, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IN THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS, APPLICANTS FOR AN EVENT HOW TO THAT PRE-MITIGATION THE O THAT'S THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE WITH THIS. BUT, IN ADDITION TO THAT, AT LEAST IN MY PERSPECTIVE, IF THIS IS GOING TO BE AND OBVIOUSLY -- IT IS I LOOK OUT IN THE AUDIENCE AND HOW MY PHONE HAS BEEN RINGING WITH REGARDS TO THIS ISSUE, IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO WAIVE OR LESSEN, INDICATE THE CHARGES THEMSELVES FOR THIS TREE MITIGATION FEE. AGAIN, WHAT HAPPENS? SOPHIE CARR BACK IN HERE? >>MAYOR HUDSON: IS MR. MIMBS HERE? >> AND MR. MIMBS. >>MAYOR HUDSON: SHE WORKS WITH MR. MIMBS. >> WITH REGARD TO THE CLASSICAL ACADEMY, THE CHARTER SCHOOL, THE ACTUAL BOND AMOUNT WAS GENERATED BASED UPON THE DESIGN PROVIDED. NOW AS FAR AS A WAIVER, WE DO NOT HAVE A WAIVER PROVISION, BUT IF YOU ALL ARE TO DIRECT STAFF TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, WE WILL MAKE THAT HAPPEN. SO THAT'S MY QUESTION TO YOU. ATTORNEY SWEENEY WHAT WILL WE DO AND WILL BE THE RECOURSE AND THAT IF WE WERE TO [02:05:10] WAIVE THAT? >> WELL IT'S DIFFICULT TO SAY AT THIS POINT IN TIME BECAUSE IS NOT ENVISIONED ANYWHERE IN THE CODE SO, I'M -- BY WAY OF ANALOGY, YOU HAVE A REQUIREMENT IN THE CODE THAT, FOR WHATEVER REASON THERE WAS NEVER AN ALTERNATIVE REMEDY PROVIDED. IN A LOT OF CASES -- YOU HEARD COLEADER IN MANY SITUATIONS THERE MAY HAVE BEEN -- IF THE DOCUMENT DOESN'T FIT THERE COULD BE AN ALTERNATIVE BECAUSE THERE'S FORESIGHT THAT WENT INTO THE PROCESS. IT MAY NOT FIT SO IN ORDER TO MOVE IT THROUGH THE PROCESS, WILL HAVE THIS ALTERNATIVE. BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON IN THE TREE CODE THAT DOESN'T EXIST. IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A DECADE. AND I DON'T KNOW WHY. BUT IT DOESN'T EXIST. TO DO SOMETHING WITHOUT IT BEING IN THE CODE IS PROBLEMATIC. BECAUSE THEN YOU CAN DO ANYTHING THAT'S NOT IN THE CODE. I MEAN THE CODE EFFECTIVELY MEANS NOTHING BECAUSE IF YOU PASS SOMETHING BY ORDINANCE AMENDED THE LAW OF THE CITY SAID BUT WE HAVE THE ABILITY -- WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE PROCEDURAL STEPS OF AMENDING THE ORDINANCE THAT EFFECTIVELY, THERE'S NO MEANING TO THE ORDINANCE IN AND OF ITSELF. TO ME, THE ONLY WAY TO DO IT -- AND YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THINGS RETROACTIVELY. THAT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE IT HAPPENS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. BUT TO DO THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO AMEND THE CODE TO PUT IN A PROVISION THAT WOULD FIT THIS. ARGUABLY, THAT WOULD BE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE GIVEN THE TIMEFRAME THAT WAS DISCUSSED EARLIER BY PUBLIC SPEAKERS BECAUSE ONE, TO AMEND AS IT SITS NOW CHAPTER 22 IT HAS TO GO TO THE PLANNING BOARD. THAT'S A REQUIREMENT. TWO, IT WOULD HAVE TO THEN HAVE TWO READINGS. AND WE DON'T EVEN HAVE TWO MEETINGS BEFORE JUNE. MUCH LESS WE DON'T HAVE A PLANNING BOARD MEETING IN THE MONTH OF MAY. THAT, TO ME IS THE ONLY TRULY VIABLE LEGAL WAY TO DO IT. BECAUSE AGAIN, FORGET ABOUT THIS BEING IN THIS AREA OF THE CODE, LET'S ASSUME IT WAS IN A DIFFERENT AREA ALTOGETHER, PARKING, PARKING REQUIREMENT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT YOU SUDDENLY SAID THAT WERE NOT GONNA REQUIRE THAT WITHOUT IT BEING A WAIVER OR A CONDITIONAL USE FOR A VARIANCE. AND THOSE OTHER TYPES OF OPTIONS A CONDITIONAL USE OR A VARIANCE POLICY FOR THIS BUT AGAIN THAT'S AN APPLICATION PROCESS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN ENVISIONED -- MAYBE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ENVISIONED. I'M NOT SURE. BUT FROM A POLICY DIRECTIVE, IN ORDER TO -- FROM A POLICY -- IF THAT'S THE DECISION OF THIS COMMISSION I'LL DO MY BEST TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, BUT FROM A LEGAL POSITION, LET'S ASSUME THAT HE WANTED TO DO THAT EFFECTIVELY, THERE BE NO REASON YOU COULDN'T JUST DO THAT RIGHT THIS VERY SECOND BECAUSE THERE IS NO PROCEDURE AND YOU'RE JUST DOING IT. THAT BECOMES A BIG PROBLEM LONG TERM, I THINK. NOT JUST IN THIS CASE. I SYMPATHIZE AND I UNDERSTAND NOBODY ENVISIONED THE SITUATION WHEREIN, BUT THERE'S A REASON IT'S A RULE OF LAW. SO I DON'T KNOW LEGALLY NOW MAYBE THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS ANOTHER METHODOLOGY. I DON'T BELIEVE SO, >> AS WELL AS HOPING SHE WOULD OF BEEN HERE. >> I DON'T BELIEVE SO. >> WITH ALL DUE RESPECT I KNOW WHO'S THE BOSS BUT I FELT THAT MAYBE SHE COULD GIVE US MORE INPUT AND HELP US OUT HERE WITH THIS DILEMMA NOT A MAYOR. >> MR. MIMBS? >> IS HAWK MASTER, PLEASE. >> MCNAMARA, COMMISSIONERS. >> I MISSED A LITTLE BIT. COMING DOWN THE STAIRS. SO IF I COULD GET YOU TO READ -- GET THE QUESTION. >> ONE ASK THE QUESTION. >> YOU KNOW YOU'VE BEEN SPEAKING TO. YOU KNOW THE ISSUE. >> I DO BETTER THAN I DO? >> THE QUESTION HAS BEEN RAISED HOW CAN THIS FEE BE WAIVED OR LESSENED. THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS CONCERNS IN TERMS OF THE LEGALITY OF IT. HOPEFULLY HE'S GOING TO LOOK INTO IT AND SEE IF, IN FACT, THERE'S AN ALTERNATE METHOD OF DOING SO. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN OFFER BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE TO BE [02:10:04] ABLE TO OFFER SOME FORM OF ASSISTANCE THAT IS EVEN IF THIS BOARD DECIDES -- I DON'T KNOW YET BECAUSE THIS BOARD HAS TO APPROVE IT FIRST. BUT BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCES OR ANYTHING THAT COULD BE DONE WHEN IT'S IN ORDINANCE ON THIS LEVEL REQUIRING THEM TO PAY THIS TREE NEGATION BE IS MY QUESTION. >> MCNAMARA, COMMISSIONER? I THINK THERE'S TWO POINTS. IT'S A PLANNING ISSUE AND THEN THERE IS ALSO THE LEGALITY THAT IS WHAT MR. SWEENEY IS LOOKING INTO. WHEN IT COMES TO PLANNING, THIS IS A COMMON PRACTICE DRUG TREE MITIGATION MUNICIPALITIES HAVE THAT. WHEN WE WERE INTRODUCED TO THIS PROJECT AND WE FIRST -- WHEN I WAS ANYWAY, I DO BELIEVE THEY WERE LOOKING FOR SITES TO BUILD THE SCHOOL THROUGHOUT THE CITY. BUT WHEN THIS PROJECT FIRST CAME IN MEETINGS GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE SITE, THERE WAS AN OBVIOUS -- OBVIOUS NEED TO ADDRESS THE TREE MITIGATION. THE SITE WAS A FOREST. SO WE KNEW RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING THAT IT WAS GOING TO COST A LOT OF MONEY. WE SPENT A NUMBER OF MEETINGS MEETING WITH THE GENERAL CONTRACTORS WE WENT ON SITE ALSO TRYING TO LOOK AT ALTERNATIVES TO MEET THE TREE MITIGATION, PERHAPS PRESERVING MORE TREES, USING THE REMAINING SIDE OF THE CHURCH AS MAY BE RELOCATING SOME WERE LOOKING AT SOME OF THOSE AREAS IS PRESERVATION TO WHERE IT COULD OFFSET THAT COST. WE HAD ALSO ASKED FOR THEM TO DO A MORE EXTENSIVE TREE SERVICE. IT WAS HARD TO GET IN THERE. AND THAT WOULD HELP TO DETERMINE THAT MAY BE THE COST OF TREE MITIGATION WOULD BE LESS. WE HAVE FOUND THAT TO BE TRUE SUBSEQUENT TO THIS PROJECT BECAUSE WE ARE REALLY LOOKING AND ENFORCING OUR REQUIREMENT FOR TREE SURVEYING BY A CERTIFIED TREE ARBORIST, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT AND WE SUBSEQUENTLY ONE OF OUR PROJECTS AT 7-ELEVEN, THAT STUDY CAME BACK IT WAS A REDUCED COST. BUT HAVING SAID THAT, WE HAD THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO THAT. AND THEN THE LAND CLEARING BEGAN. SO THERE WAS NO WAY FOR US TO GO BACK ON THE SITE TO TAKE A LOOK AT PERHAPS MAYBE IT BEING LESS AND SOME OF THE TREES DID NOT HAVE TO BE MITIGATED BECAUSE THE TREES WERE ALREADY GONE. SO THAT LEFT US NOTHING BUT WHAT IS IN OUR CODE. AND THAT IS ESPLANADE DIRECTOR AND PLANNING STAFF, IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENFORCE THE CODE. AND WE -- WE DID THAT. AND I FEEL FOR THE SCHOOL RIGHT NOW. I FEEL FOR ALL OF US. WE ARE IN A PREDICAMENT. BUT I DO NOT KNOW HOW IS A PLANNING DIRECTOR I HAVE ANY TYPE OF METHOD TO MITIGATE THAT RIGHT NOW. THE ONLY THING THAT I CAN DO AND WHAT MY PLANNING STAFF IS DOING WE ARE TAKING APART A LOT OF OUR CODE SECTIONS OF THE FIRST ONE WE ARE DOING IS A LANDSCAPE CODE. I HAVE MARIA WHO IS JUST LOOKING AT THE LANDSCAPE CODE IN PARTICULAR, THE MITIGATION AND HOW OTHER MUNICIPALITIES DO IT. AND WE ARE FINDING THAT A LOT OF THEIR METHODOLOGY, WE SHOULD BE MIRRORING. TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION WHETHER IT'S RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, WHETHER THE TREES ARE LOCATED WITHIN THAT BUILDING ENVELOPE BECAUSE IS THAT FAIR? TO HAVE THEM HAVE TO MITIGATE TO WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING A BUILDING WHERE THEY HAVE NO OTHER OPTION. THAT'S WHERE -- IN ORDER TO DEVELOP THE SITE JUST TO PUT A BUILDING SOMEWHERE. I MAY BE LOOKING MORE ON IN THE SETBACK AREAS OR AROUND THE PROPERTY. BUT RIGHT NOW WE DON'T -- WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT IN DRAFTING LANGUAGE NOW THE WAY OUR CODE IS TODAY, I DO NOT FEEL LIKE I HAVE THE ABILITY TO REDUCE THAT FEE AND WE WENT BY CODE. >> ARE YOU AWARE THAT PRIOR TO YOUR COMING HERE THAT THERE WAS, IN FACT, IN THE PAST ADMINISTRATIONS WERE THESE FEES WERE WAIVED ARE YOU AWARE OF IT? >> I AM NOT, COMMISSIONER BUT MONOMERIC COMMISSIONERS I AM AWARE THAT THERE WERE DIFFERENT STANDARDS OF PROCEDURE THAT WERE DONE IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. AND IN MY INTERPRETATION, I DO IT DIFFERENT. I AM INTERPRETING THE CODE DIFFERENTLY. I REALLY AND I SEE WHAT IT SAYS. AND. >> THAT'S NOT TO THROW REFLECTION ON YOU. WHAT I'M SAYING IF IT WAS DONE IN THE PAST, PERHAPS WE COULD DO THE SAME THING? IT'S NOT LIKE WE ARE REINVENTING THE WHEEL HERE. THAT'S WHY OFFERED THAT IS NO REFLECTION ON YOU WHAT TOOK PLACE BEFORE YOU CAME HERE. THAT WAS THEN. I DON'T EXPECT [02:15:10] YOU TO DO ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY NOW THAT YOU HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT SAYING IT'S A REQUIREMENT BUT I BROUGHT THAT UP PERHAPS TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT IF IT HAD BEEN DONE IN THE PAST AND PERHAPS IT WAS A MEANS TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT THIS BOARD MAY OR MAY NOT DECIDE TO DO BUT AT LEAST IT IS AN OPTION FOR THEM IF IT'S BEEN DONE IN THE PAST BECAUSE THEY DO NOW THESE TREES THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT AS WE GO WEST OF TOWN, WE ARE GOING TO RUN INTO A WHOLE LOT OF THEM. AND I KNOW THAT SOME OF THOSE AREAS THAT HAVE DEVELOPMENTS OUT THERE, THESE PARTICULAR TREES WERE OUT THERE. SO -- AND THAT IS COMMON AS YOU GROW IN AN AREA THAT'S FULL OF FAST STATION. SO AGAIN, I WOULD JUST LEAVE THAT AS AN ASTRONOMICAL AMOUNT OF MONEY IN LIGHT OF WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO DO, THE BUILDING ITSELF IN THE CONSTRUCTION FOR $5 MILLION 1/4 OF $1 MILLION ON A BUDGET LIKE THAT, THAT'S A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY NOT TO MENTION THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO HIRE INSTRUCTORS. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET EQUIPMENT. YOU CAN HAVE TO GET FURNITURE, THAT'S A COST THAT COULD HELP THEM OUT TREMENDOUSLY. SO AGAIN, I JUST WANTED TO RAISE THAT AS AN ISSUE IN TERMS OF MY COMMENTS AND HOPEFULLY STAFF WILL LOOK INTO IT. YOU'VE HEARD THE STAFF'S POSITION. HOPEFULLY, WE CAN GET SOME INPUT. TRUST ME, THOSE INDIVIDUALS OUT THERE IN THE AUDIENCE, NO THEY'LL STAY ON TOP OF IT. SO WE WILL SEE WHAT THE END RESULT WILL BE AND HOPEFULLY IT'LL WORK OUT IN AN AMICABLE FASHION FOR ALL OF US. THE ONLY PROBLEM I BELIEVE IS THEY HAVE A TIMEFRAME THAT THEY HAVE TO COMPLY WITH I THINK THE CITY ATTORNEY POINTED OUT THERE'S A DEADLINE. GOING BACK RETROACTIVE, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'LL FIT FOR THEM OR NOT. BUT AT ANY RATE THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT AND I THINK YOU. >> IF I MAY? >> THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT MAY HAVE A RIPPLING EFFECT WITH THAT. FIRST, SITE SELECTION IS PART OF YOUR DUE DILIGENCE. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ANY DEVELOPER -- ANY BUSINESS SHOULD BE LOOKING AT. IT'S PART OF YOUR BUSINESS PLAN. ALL OF THESE FEES ARE IN OUR CODE. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT TO THEIR ATTENTIO IN A MEETING. SO THEY KNEW ABOUT THAT. THE UNFORTUNATE THINGS THAT HAVE LED UP TO TODAY ARE YES, BEYOND OUR CONTROL BUT IT'S NOT AS THOUGH WE DID NOT KNOW THAT THIS WANTING OF REDUCED COSTS FOR TREE MITIGATION WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY WERE PURSUING PRIOR TO THE CODE 19. SECONDLY, IF WE CONTINUE TO GO THIS DIRECTION, THEN WE SET A PRECEDENT. AND A BEAUTIFUL CITY IS WHAT BRINGS HIGH-QUALITY DEVELOPMENT INTO OUR COMMUNITY. AND LANDSCAPING AND SIGNAGE, I FEEL ARE CRITICAL COMPONENTS TO BEAUTIFUL DEVELOPMENT. AND WE ARE A TREE CITY. THERE IS A LEVEL OF RESPECT THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE FOR OUR LANDSCAPING WHETHER IT'S NATURAL SETTINGS OR DEVELOPMENT THAT ENCOURAGES LANDSCAPING. AND IT'S A SCHOOL AND THERE SHOULD BE LANDSCAPING. IT'S FOR CHILDREN. >> I APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT IN TERMS OF THE LONG-TERM IMPACT IN THE PLANNING OF THE CITY, BUT JUST ALLOW US TO SET THE POLICIES, I APPRECIATE IT. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT. AGAIN, THIS IS JUST ME TALKING. I HOPE WE CAN GET IT RESOLVED AND THE INDIVIDUALS THAT BROUGHT IT TO OUR ATTENTION, WHY THEY CHOSE THAT SITE. I'M SURE COULD HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH ECONOMICS. KULLBY 19 -- I BELIEVE THERE TRYING TO GET THE CHARTER. I DON'T THINK THAT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT. BUT AT ANY RATE, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THIS THING WORKED OUT. WE COME HERE AND ARE TRYING TO BUILD A SCHOOL, A CHARTER SCHOOL. WE NEVER HAD A CHARTER SCHOOL BUILT FROM THE GROUND UP IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. WE WE SET INDIVIDUALS THAT GO OUT AND FIND OLD BUILDINGS OR CHURCHES TO TRY TO INITIATE THIS. BUT, FOR DEVELOPMENT [02:20:02] SUCH AS THIS, NOT ONLY IS IT HISTORICAL, IT WILL SET PRECEDENTS THIS CAN BE SOMETHING GREAT FOR THIS COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY DURING THESE TIMES WHEN OUR SCHOOL BOARD IS CAN HAVE A DIFFICULT ENOUGH TIME TO BOUNCE BACK AFTER BEING OUT OF SCHOOL. THEY'RE GOING TO NEED ALL THE HELP THEY CAN GET. THESE PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE THE FINANCIAL WHEREWITHAL IN THE ACCESS THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD AS AND LESS DAMAGE, THEY WERE BUILDING SCHOOLS IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. SO AGAIN, THAT'S WHY I AM SO STRONGLY STEADFAST ABOUT THE POLICY BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT AS I AM. BUT AGAIN, TREES ARE IMPORTANT. BUT AN INDIVIDUAL'S EDUCATION, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT AND IF WE CAN HELP ASSIST THEM IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS A REALITY AND EDUCATE SOME PEOPLE. THANK YOU. >>COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER: MAY I MAKE A COMMENT ON THE SCHOOL? >> I JUST -- I'M IN SUPPORT OF THE SCHOOL. I JUST HAD A QUESTION BECAUSE I'M CONFUSED. THERE HAD TO BE A PERMIT ISSUE ÃMAKE ISSUE FOR THE TREE MITIGATION RIGHT. >> A PERMIT ISSUE? IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? >> YES. WHAT TYPE OF TREES WE TALKED ABOUT? ARE WE TALKING ABOUT OAK TREES ARE WE TALKING ABOUT FINAL TREES. >> PINE NEEDLE. >> PINE NEEDLES. I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE WHOLE PICTURE THAT A PINE TREE STOPS THE BUILDING? AND AGAIN, THERE WAS A PERMIT HAD TO BE FOR THEM TO EVEN TAKEN DOWN ONE TREE. ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT OUR STAFF DID NOT GO TO THAT SITE AND MARK TREES THAT THEY NOT BE MOVED OR THE ONES THAT SHOULD BE MOVED OR SOMETHING AS SUCH? I'M NOT IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT NOR DO I KNOW ABOUT SITE PLANS. BUT, IT WAS A PERMIT ISSUE, WASN'T. >> IF I MAY MATTER MAYOR. >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER, THE PROCESS FOR COMING UP WITH THE DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR ME STOMACH TREE MITIGATION IS NOT DONE BY STAFF. IT IS DONE BY THE DEVELOPERS HIRED LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT OR TREE ARBORIST. WE HAVE ONE TREE ARBORIST AND WE DO NOT HAVE THE STAFF TO GO OUT AND DO TREE MITIGATION FOR EVERY DEVELOPMENT. WE HAVE IN OUR CODE THAT IS REQUIRED AND THAT THEY SIGN AND SEAL AND THEY ARE COMING UP AND TELLING US HOW MANY TREES HAVE TO BE SAVED. WHAT HAS TO BE MITIGATED, THE SIZE AND THEY CALCULATE THAT FEE. WE DO NOT CALCULATE THE FEE. THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT FOR THE DEVELOPER DID. >> WE ISSUE A PERMIT YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH WHAT GOES ON THAT PERMIT? UNTIL AFTER THE FACT? >> IF I MAY, THE TREE SURVEY THAT IS SIGNED AND SEALED IS THEN SUBMITTED AS PART OF THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT APPLICATION. AND SO, YES. IT WAS PART OF THE PERMIT. WE EXPEDITED THAT WITH THE SCHOOL TO BEGIN WORK BEFORE THE BUILDING PERMIT WAS ISSUED. SO RIGHT NOW, I BELIEVE WE DO NOT HAVE A BUILDING PERMIT ISSUED. WE HAD WHAT WAS CALLED -- SO THAT THEY COULD START BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ALL OF THAT MONEY FOR THE BOND AT THE TIME AND WE WANTED THEM TO MEET THEIR DEADLINE. SO WE ALLOWED FOR AN EARLY RELEASE OF THE PERMIT SO THAT THEY COULD BEGIN CONSTRUCTION. >> ALL RIGHT. SO THE CITY IS ALL FOR THE SCHOOL. WE BEND OVER BACKWARDS FOR THAT SCHOOL TO OPEN. AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO DO. I WANT TO SUPPORT WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET THAT SCHOOL OPEN. SO WHATEVER IT NEEDS CITY MANAGER, I THINK THAT SCHOOL IS IMPORTANT TO THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. SO I JUST -- WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO, LET'S TAKE CARE OF IT. THAT'S ALL THERE. >> OKAY. >> SO, THERE WAS DISCUSSION TONIGHT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TREE CODE, CHAPTER 22 AND IF WE WERE TO MODIFY THAT, WE HAVE PUBLIC HEARINGS BUT FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW, IF WE MODIFY AND CHANGE THAT, WHAT REQUIREMENTS DOES THE STATE HAVE ON US AS A LOCAL JURISDICTION WHILE WE MODIFY THE CODE? WHETHER YOU [02:25:01] ARE COUNTY OR CITY? WHAT DO WE SUBMIT. IS IT A LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATION CHANGE, WHAT WE APPLY. I FORGET? >> IT'S A TAX -- TEXT AMENDMENT TO OUR CODE. IT WOULD GO TO THE PLANNING BOARD. IT WOULD GO THROUGH FOR STAFF REVIEW THEN TO THE PLANNING BOARD AND THEN ULTIMATELY TO YOU FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS. >> SO WHEN THE CODE WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE LAST REVISION WAS MADE HOW MANY YEARS AGO? 10? >> 2009. >> THE TREE CODE SPECIFICALLY. >> 2009. >> 2009. >> SO WHEN I WAS ON THE PLANNING BOARD. A LONG TIME AGO. ALL RIGHT. SO WHEN WE DID THAT WE HAD PUBLIC HEARINGS AND WE SENT IT TO THE STATE WE ADOPTED THE CHANGES AND IT WAS SENT BACK WITH A THUMBS UP. >> WITH THE CODE AMENDMENTS TO OUR CODE WE DO NOT SEND THAT TO THE STATE THAT'S ONLY WITH AMENDMENTS TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. >> WE DON'T SEND THIS ONE DIRECTLY BUT THE PUBLIC WEIGHT AND IN THE PUBLIC AS AN OPTION. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> THERE'S NOTHING COMING YOUR OPINION THAT ALLOWS THIS TO BE MODIFIED BASED ON THE PLANNING PERSPECTIVE. >> CORRECT. >> ALL RIGHT. I'M THROUGH FOR A SECOND. >> COMMISSIONER PERRONE? >> I'D RATHER SCHEDULE THIS FOR A DISCUSSION WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION. THE IMPORTANT THING IS FOR YEARS AND YEARS EVEN BEFORE I GOT ON THE COMMISSION EVERYONE WAS TALKING ABOUT RAISING THE BAR. WE ARE THE TREE CITY. SO THIS CHARTER SCHOOL GOES INTO THE SITE. I MEAN -- YOU SAID -- AND I'M TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT THAT IT WAS A FOREST. AND THERE WAS A WAY THAT YOU COULD HAVE MITIGATED SOME OF THE COSTS, GOT IT TO MAY BE A REASONABLE AMOUNT IS THAT RIGHT? AND THEN ALL THE SUDDEN THEY CLEARED THE LAW AND ITS TREELESS? NOW WE ARE AT A POINT IN TIME BECAUSE OF THAT THE DEVELOPER, THE LANDSCAPER HAS CALCULATED ITS $270,000 IS THAT RIGHT. >> LET ME JUST CLARIFY. THE SITE IS NOT COMPLETELY CLEARED OF TREES. THERE ARE TREES THERE BUT IT'S PER THEIR LANDSCAPE PLAN WHICH WAS APPROVED BY YOU ALL, ULTIMATELY. BUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED YES. WE DID NOT CALCULATE THAT FEE. WE PUT THE BURDEN ON THE DEVELOPER. WE TRUST THEM AS WE DO WHEN THE ENGINEER SIGNS AND SEALS A SITE PLAN. WE ARE TRUSTING WHOEVER IS DOING THE SURVEY, THEY HAVE THE AUTHORITY AS A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT TO SIGN AND SEAL THE TREE MITIGATION PLAN. THEY CALCULATE BASED ON WHAT THEY SEEN ON THAT PROPERTY THE VALUE OF THE TREES ARE, WHETHER THEY ARE EVEN WORTH SAVING. AND WE BELIEVED THAT THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET A BETTER TREE SURVEY OUT THERE, MORE COMPLETE BECAUSE IT WAS A FOREST. THE TIME COULD HAVE BEEN SPENT TO DO THAT AND I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT EVEN WITH MR. BURGER WHO IS OUR ARBORIST THAT WE COULD HAVE SEEN A REDUCTION. >> I JUST -- I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THIS AGENDA IF WERE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT THAT WAY. THE PROBLEM OF IT IS WE ALL HAVE SENSITIVITY WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS HAPPEN WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SAY HEY, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. BUT EXCEPTIONS HAVE KILLED MANY GOVERNMENTS AND I HAVE A REAL PROBLEM WITH MAKING ANY TYPE OF EXCEPTION ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HELD THAT THE LINE TO SO MANY OTHERS THAT HAVE COME IN FRONT OF US AND SAID WE NEED ASSISTANCE HERE? WE ARE RAISING THE BAR AND WERE TRYING TO DO THAT. IT'S HARD TO MAKE AN EXCEPTION FOR ONE WITHOUT MAKING EXCEPTIONS FOR EVERYBODY. I WOULD LIKE THE STAFF TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE TREE PART OF THIS ISSUE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMPARABLE TO OTHER COMMUNITIES, COMMUNITIES LIKE US, THAT ARE TRYING TO PROMOTE THEMSELVES. AND IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO OFFER ASSISTANCE ESPECIALLY IN THESE SITUATIONS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S NOTHING ELSE WE CAN DO IS THAT RIGHT? >> FROM THE WAY THAT THE ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN RIGHT NOW? MANOR MAYOR? COMMISSIONERS? >> FROM THE WAY THAT I AM INTERPRETING IT AND I BELIEVE OUR CITY MANAGER IS ALSO IN AGREEMENT. I DO NOT SEE THEIR BEING AWAY TO DO THAT, BUT PERHAPS MR. SWEENEY CAN LOOK INTO THIS MORE ON A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE, BUT THE WAY I AM INTERPRETING THE CODE I DO NOT SEE THERE BEING A METHOD OF DOING THAT. [02:30:10] >> I WOULD LIKE TO AND BY SAYING I THINK WE NEED TO PITCH IT BACK TO STAFF TO COME UP WITH VIABLE OPTIONS THAT WE CAN DO THIS WITHOUT MAKING EXTREME EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE AND TO BE ABLE TO GIVE US SOME INSIGHT ON HOW TO GO FORWARD. >>MAYOR HUDSON: I HAVE A SYMPATHY FOR THE SCHOOL IN THIS PROJECT. I MEAN, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. I DO NOT WANT TO SET A PRECEDENT THAT WE WILL BE SORRY FOR LATER. SO I'M OF TWO MINDS. I'VE ALSO BEEN CONTACTED BY PEOPLE HAVING NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS PROJECT ABOUT BEING UPSET ABOUT THE TREES THAT WERE TURNED DOWN, FOR INSTANCE THE DAIRY QUEEN AND 7-ELEVEN PEOPLE SAYING YOU KNOW WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE A TREE CITY. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? YOU'RE ALLOWING THIS. >> BUT WHAT I FEEL LIKE IS THAT THIS GROUP IS NOT ASKING NOT TO PAY OR NOT TO DO THIS, THEY'RE JUST ASKING FOR A DIFFERENT TIME PERIOD PERHAPS. I DO NOT KNOW THAT. SO -- AND I ALSO DO NOT KNOW IF WE ARE IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION PERHAPS -- BECAUSE WE ARE IN A DISASTER, THAT THAT MIGHT BE A MITIGATING FACTOR FOR THIS. I DON'T KNOW. THOSE ARE SOME IDEAS. I HAVE SYMPATHY. I WOULD LIKE FOR THIS TO HAPPEN BUT I WOULD ALSO LIKE FOR US TO NOT BREAK YOUR OWN RULES. I DON'T HOW TO DO THAT. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT. SO I THINK STAFF MAY BE CAN PUT THEIR HEADS TOGETHER TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY POSSIBLE WAY WE CAN DO IT WITHOUT SOMEHOW BRINGING LEGAL ACTION ON US AT SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE WE ARE NOT TREATING EVERYBODY THE SAME. I BELIEVE IN TREATING EVERYONE THE SAME BUT HAVE SYMPATHY FOR THIS PARTICULAR PREDICAMENT. >> THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE HAS BEEN SUED OVER STORMWATER BEFORE. I DO KNOW (LAUGHING). >> I CAN SEE THIS COMING UP TO SAY YOU MAY BE PAID FOR MY TREE . >> RIGHT. SO I AGREE, COMMISSIONER. BRING IT TO STAFF. LET STAFF COME UP WITH OPTIONS. SAYING THERE'S NO OPTION IS ALSO AN OPTION. I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S WHAT IT SHOULD BE BUT IT COULD BE A PAYMENT OPTION YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS TALKING EARLIER ABOUT THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, THE COMMUNITY CENTER IN FAVOR OF THIS -- I WAS IN A VOTING MEMBER FOR SURE. SO IT'S NOT THAT I'M AFRAID OF THAT. WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT THE COMMUNITY EXPRESSEDEXPECT US TO FOLLOW THE CODE. WHEN DAIRY QUEEN CAME AND I GOT 15 PHONE CALLS. 7-ELEVEN IS BEING WORKED ON I GOT 10 PHONE CALLS AND IT'S THE OPPOSITE. WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THERE SHAKING YOUR FINGER AND WHAT'S GOING ON. SO MY GOODNESS. YOU KNOW, WOW. I WAS LOOKING FOR THE PLAN TO SEE WHAT THE NUMBER WAS BUT THERE'S NUMBER THAT I REMEMBER ON THE LANDSCAPE PLAN AND THAT'S WHAT THE CALCULATION IS BASED OFF OF. >> 14. >> THE TOTAL INCHES. >> THE TOTAL? >> THE TOTAL INCHES OF WHERE YOU START TO CALCULATE IS ANYTHING 14 -- DIAMETERS OR GREATER. >> YEAH AND ITS DIAMETER BUT THERE WAS A NUMBER ON THE SHEET THE DESIGNER THAT SIGNED AND SEALED IT PUT A NUMBER DOWN AND THAT'S HOW THE CALCULATION. >> CORRECT. AND THEN THERE'S THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, 250. >> OKAY. >> BUT THERE COULD HAVE -- THERE COULD HAVE BEEN PERHAPS TREES THAT WERE UNHEALTHY AND DYING THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD HOPEFULLY COULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DISCOVER IF THEY HAD DONE ANOTHER TREE SURVEY. >> YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT OAK TREES WERE TALK ABOUT TREES THAT MOST PEOPLE CONSIDER IN OUR AREA A NUISANCE AND A LOT OF TIMES WHEN IT COMES TO CONSTRUCTION, BUT YOU KNOW, THE THING ABOUT IT IS THAT IN A SCENARIO LIKE THIS, IF WERE DEALING WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD, DIDN'T EVEN PAY THESE TYPES OF FEES AND PERMIT FEES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT SO, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ANY EXEMPTION THAT THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS WOULD HAVE IF THEY'RE INVOLVED IN A SIMILAR SITUATION. IT JUST SO HAPPENED TO BE THAT INSTEAD OF THE SCHOOL BOARD IS THE CHURCH. SO THEY DON'T PAY THESE TYPES OF FEES IN IMPACT FEES AND PERMIT FEES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING BUILDINGS AND SCHOOLS SO AGAIN, THIS IS PRESIDENT. THIS IS NEW. SO WE HANDLE THESE SITUATIONS DIFFERENTLY, I HOPE. I'M JUST HOPING WE ALL TALKED ABOUT IT. WE DISCUSSED IT. THE CITY ATTORNEY IS THERE. I'M SURE HE'S GONNA LOOK INTO IT AND SEE WHETHER THERE IS AN EXCEPTION THAT WE CAN DO LEGALLY TO GET THIS DONE OUR [02:35:06] NEXT MEETING HOPEFULLY IT WILL SATISFY AND NOT PUT THEM IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY HAVE A TIMEFRAME IN ORDER TO ADHERE TO IT AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THIS WORKED OUT IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. I'M JUST HOPING THAT WE WILL FIND THE SOLUTION HERE. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP. ANYTHING ELSE COMMISSIONER SESSIONS. >> ONE MORE THING. THE SUNRISE THEATER, AGAIN, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THEM -- THOSE YOUNG LADIES OVER THERE HAVE A COLORING CONTEST THAT IS GOING ON FOR KIDS THAT ARE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW DOING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AT ALL AND THEY ARE BORED. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF NICE PRIZES FOR DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF AGES FOR THE FIRST PLACE, SECOND PLACE IN THIRD PLACE WINNERS OF THIS COLORING BOOK CONTEST WITH ARE GOING TO BE COLORING A BLANK PICTURE OF THE SUNRISE THEATER AND IT'S A NICE PRIZE. I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE PUBLIC AND ALL OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE INTERESTED AGES 0 TO 17 IT'S CALLED THE SUNRISE THEATER AND THEY HAVE THE RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE CONTEST. THAT'S IT FOR ME, THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER PERRONE. >> JUST BRIEFLY. PEOPLE WERE OUT THIS WEEKEND IN FORT PIERCE. NOT ONLY ON THE PATHWAYS ROADWAYS, BUT OUR WATERWAYS. I'VE NEVER SEEN A THE GROTTO BEFORE. I JUST WANT TO THANK CODE ENFORCEMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR HAVING THE SECOND WORST JOB OF THE WEEKEND AND THAT IS GOING OUT AND TELLING FOLKS THAT WE NEED TO ABIDE THE SOCIAL DISTANCING AND EVERYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT. I KNOW STAFF WAS OUT THERE TRYING TO COMMUNICATE THE GOOD WORD AND I THOUGHT WOW. THERE ARE MORE OF THEM THAN THERE ARE OF US. BUT IT WAS GOOD IT WAS A BUSY TIME IN FORT PIERCE. MY GUESS IS THAT PROBABLY 80 PERCENT FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE, THAT THEY WERE. >> DID YOU SEE -- HI 85 -- YEAH. >> I HAD A FRIEND RETURNING FROM FISHING ON SATURDAY AND SAID THAT HE HAD TO HUG THE COASTLINE JUST TO GET AROUND. I KNOW THE COVE WAS BUSY. A LOT OF SPOTS GOING ON. AND I'M NOT SURE THE 50 FOOT RULE FOR BOATS WAS ADHERED TO. BUT HEAD WE CLOSED UP EVERYBODY FOR SIX WEEKS AND LET HIM GO AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS. IT WAS SPRING BREAK IN HER OWN WAY. I THINK THE STAFF WHO WENT OUT AND AT LEAST TRIED TO COMMUNICATE GOODWILL IN THE CORRECT RULE AND REGULATION AS FAR SOCIAL DISTANCING. THIS VIRUS IS NOT OVER. AND MOST OF US SUSPECT THAT THERE MAY BE A REOCCURRENCE IF WE ARE NOT REAL CAREFUL. SO JUST THANKING THEM IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. >>MAYOR HUDSON: COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER? >> YES. FIRST ALL I WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT THAT AT OUR LAST MEETING, I GAVE A LOT OF KUDOS OUT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DISTRICT, THE COUNSELING ON AGING BUS TRANSPORTATION AND THE MEDICAL STAFF AND HERBIE TO MY HEART BECAUSE I FORGOT MY OWN STAFF. I HAD TROUBLE ABOUT THAT AFTER THE MEETING WAS OVER WITH. BUT I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR STAFF, THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE EMPLOYEES YOU KNOW, THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. THE CITY MANAGER GIVE YOU KUDOS THAT YOU ARE KEEPING THINGS IN LINE. AND YOU KNOW I WAS VERY SERIOUS WHEN I SAY THANK YOU TO MY STAFF AND EMPLOYEES, ESPECIALLY OUR GARBAGE PEOPLE THE PUBLIC WORKS. IF THEY WERE WORKING IT WOULD BE A MESS IN THE CITY. NOW ON A SERIOUS NOTE, COMMISSIONER PERRONE ENERGY TALK ABOUT THE MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT. YOU KNOW, I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT. YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY ARE TAKING THESE THINGS FOR GRANTED -- THIS VIRUS FOR GRANTED. THAT IT JUST WON'T TOUCH ME. AND YOU GUYS SEE THAT I CALL YOU FROM THE PHONE BECAUSE I [02:40:02] HAVE THESE UNDERLYING ELEMENTS THAT I'M NOT GOING TO BE TAKING CHANCES WALKING INTO THE PUBLIC. MY GRANDSON CALLED ME TODAY AND SAID STAY HOME THIS YOUNG MEETING THIS YOUNG BABY IS SIX YEARS OLD. HIS BLESSING IS POPPY OUT. BUT I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT I LOVE OUR CITY OF FORT PIERCE AND I'M SERIOUS ABOUT THIS CORONAVIRUS BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE SERIOUS ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE DO NOT NEED -- WE DO NOT NEED IN THIS COMMUNITY. I GUESS THIS WEEK WERE GOING TO FIND OUT WHEN THEY GET THROUGH THE TESTING BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND IT'S A 24 HOUR TURNOVER OR 48 HOUR TURNOVER, THAT THEY WILL GIVE US THE RESULTS. SO THAT'S A GOOD THING. SO -- BUT WE NEED TO BE CAUTIOUS. WHEN I SAY CAUTIOUS, I MEAN FROM THE CHILDREN ON UP. I KNOW YOU'RE STUCK IN THE HOUSE BUT RATHER FOR THEM TO BE AT HOME WITHOUT THAT AILMENT. IN THE LASTLY, I HAVE TO MAKE MENTION OF THE SCHOOL. I JUST DON'T WANT TO FEEL LIKE WE SET THAT RULE UP TO FAIL. AND IF WE, THE COMMISSIONERS, GAVE THEM PERMISSION AS SHE SAID, FOR PERMITS AND THE SITE PLAN, AND ALL THAT, THAT WE NEED TO TAKE -- TAKE THAT IN HAND THAT WE GAVE THEM THE AUTHORIZATION. WE DIDN'T TELL MUCH TREES TO CUT DOWN WHICH ONES NOT CUT DOWN. SOME LOOKING AT PUNISHING ALL THE KIDS AND ALL THE INSTRUCTORS IN THE SCHOOL ITSELF FOR TREE MITIGATION THAT I WAS AT PEAK SWIMMING I THINK THEY HAD USED THE SAME WATER SOURCE OR SOMETHING, IT'S THAT CLOSE. SO I DIDN'T SEE WHERE -- I SEE ON THE NORTH AND I THINK YOU CAN GO THERE AND YOU CAN'T SEE A TREE WHETHER BUILDING THOSE NEW HOUSES. SO HOW DID THOSE TREES GET DOWN ON THAT AND AND NOT OUR ON THE OTHER END. I'M NOT GONNA GET INTO THAT. I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW I SUPPORT THAT WE DO SOMETHING, WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET THAT SCHOOL UP AND RUNNING. BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT RESTORATION TO THIS COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S -- THAT'S WHAT I HAVE FOR TONIGHT. THANK YOU. >>MAYOR HUDSON: THANK YOU, SIR. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON? >> TALK ABOUT THE SCHOOL, WE ARE ALL FORD WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IT LOOK AT THE PLAN AND I STILL LOVE TO THIS DAY I JUST THINK THERE'S CHALLENGES, OBVIOUSLY -- I'D LOVE TO TALK TO -- I'M NOT TO MAKE AN ACCUSATION, BUT THERE'S A PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY STANDPOINT FROM ANYBODY THAT SIGNS AND SEALS PLANS. THAT DOESN'T SOLVE YOUR SHORT-TERM ISSUE. BUT IT IS A FACTOR. WHEN YOU HIRE PROFESSIONALS TO GIVE YOU A SET OF PLANS THAT YOU THINK IS GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND THEY PUT THE PLUSES AND MINUSES -- IT'S PART OF THE PROCESS WERE YOU RELY ON THEM TO BRING A GOOD PRODUCT, RIGHT. YOU HIRED THEM AND YOU PAID GOOD MONEY. SO IT'S TOUGH. AND IN THIS CASE, WE ARE BATTLED WITH AN ORDINANCE THAT THE PUBLIC HAS BOUGHT INTO AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT. I DO NOT KNOW THE NUANCES WAS CHARTER SCHOOLS VERSUS PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, BUT I KNOW THEY'RE DIFFERENT AT SOME LEVEL. AND I'M NOT SURE. I'M NOT EDUCATED ENOUGH TO SAY YES, SIR NO TO WHAT THAT CHALLENGES. I KNOW THAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE IN A DIFFERENT CATEGORY I KNOW IT'S BEEN TO THE LEGISLATURE AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RULES ARE. BUT I HAVE HEARD IT BEFORE I JUST HAVEN'T EDUCATED MYSELF ON IT. BUT THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE IN OUR PURVIEW IF IT'S MORE IN THE STATE LEVEL. I'M NOT USING THAT AS AN EXCUSE, I JUST DON'T KNOW. I BELIEVE THAT THERE AND HOPEFULLY THERE'S AN OPTION AND WE WILL HEAR ABOUT IT. WHAT I SAID EARLIER, IN THE OPENING PRAYER, THIS IS TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK. AND WHAT A DIFFERENT SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES OUR TEACHERS HAVE BEEN PUT IN. [02:45:02] WHEN I LISTEN TO MY WIFE TALKING ON THE ZOOM MEETINGS AND GOTOMEETING FROM MICROSOFT TEAMS AND THEY ARE TRYING TO TEACH AND ARE MAKING SURE THAT THEIR STUDENTS -- WERE THERE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THEIR STUDENTS ARE GETTING ON THE COMPUTER AT LEAST A FEW MINUTES A DAY BECAUSE THERE MIGHT BE A FAMILY THAT SHARING A COMPUTER SO THEY CANNOT SCHEDULE TIMING AND THEY CAN'T SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTS. BECAUSE THE SIBLING MIGHT BE USING THE PC AT THAT TIME. YOU'RE MAKING A LOT OF PERSONAL ATTEMPTS AT REACHING ALL THEIR STUDENTS. EVEN MORE REASONS FOR US TO BE APPRECIATIVE THIS YEAR. IT'S AN AMAZING FEAT. WHAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH. AND I ALSO HAVE TO SAY WHAT A CHANGE -- WHAT A CHANGE FOR THOSE THAT ARE GRADUATING. I MEAN, WHAT A DIFFERENCE. YOU HAD THESE PLANS AND CEREMONIES AND IDEAS GRADUATION PARTIES, WHATEVER IT IS. I'VE SEEN SOME CREATIVE THINGS THAT HAVE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS, JOE BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES IT COMES FROM THE TEACHERS THERE EITHER BEING SUPPORTED BY THEIR ADMINISTRATION OR THE TEACHERS ARE COMING UP WITH A PLAN TO HONOR THE GRADUATE BY PLACING A SIGN IN THE YARD AND TAKING A PICTURE. IN KEEPING THE SOCIAL DISTANCING. THANK YOU DID THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING HARD AND THEY CARE SO MUCH AND CHARTER SCHOOLS CARE SO MUCH PUBLIC SCHOOLS CARE SO MUCH PRIVATE SCHOOLS -- IT'S AMAZING HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE CONCERN OF OUR USE IN MIND AND I'M JUST GRATEFUL FOR THEM. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >>MAYOR HUDSON: IT'S ALSO -- APPRECIATION WEEK FOR CITY CLERKS. >> IT IS IS THAT RIGHT MS. COX? I THINK I SAW THAT TODAY SO WE APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR STAFF. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND ON THE THEME OF TEACHERS, THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES, THE PRESIDENT HAS A THEME EVERY YEAR AND THIS YEAR ISAAC STOLLER WANTED TO HAVE A KIND OF A CIVICS EXPOSURE TO YOUNG CHILDREN SO THEY WROTE A CHILDREN'S BOOK IS CALLED THE CITY THAT TALKS. SO EVERY MUNICIPAL OFFICIAL IN FLORIDA GOT A COPY OF THE BOOK. AND SO, WHENEVER WE GET TO GO BACK IN SCHOOLS AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT THIRD GRADE LEVEL. AND I'D BE HAPPY TO READ TO ANY CLASS THAT WOULD LEARN WHAT IS CITY JAZZ. HOW IS CITY IS DIFFERENT THAN A COUNTY. AND SO, THAT BOOK HAS BEEN SENT TO ALL THE CITIES. ALL OF YOU HAVE ONE, TOO. AND I THINK THAT THE SUNRISE THEATER WAS GOING TO DO SOME FILMING OF A BOOK READING. AND SO I'M GOING TO OFFER TO READ THOSE BOOKS. AND SO, * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.