[00:00:01]
BUT DO. AND BEFORE WE ACTUALLY GAVEL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
WOULD COMMISSIONER WATERS LEAD US IN A PRAYER, PLEASE? SURE. I'LL STAND UP.
THESE. MOMENT OF SILENCE HERE.
THE LORD. WE WE WE THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THIS TYPE OF DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNMENT WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY SIT DOWN AND MAKE DECISIONS FOR THIS TOWN. I PRAY YOU OPEN OPEN OUR EYES AND EARS TO THE TO THE TO WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO TACKLE TODAY WITH THE WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE NEXT COUPLE OF MEETINGS.
AND JUST HELP US TO BE WISE WITH WITH THE WITH THE WITH THE MONEY WE HAVE WITH THE TIME WE HAVE THE RESOURCES, HELP US TO TO BE SMART ABOUT THIS WHOLE PROCESS AND AND HEAR EVERYONE THAT HAS A VOICE TO SPEAK YOUR NAME, I PRAY.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER WATERS.
WE WEREN'T DOING THAT TODAY, BUT THANK YOU.
[CALL TO ORDER]
2023. WE'LL OPEN UP OUR MEETING WITH ONE OF MY FAVORITE SEGMENTS, PUBLIC COMMENT.[1. PUBLIC COMMENT]
UH, AND DONNA, DO WE HAVE SIGN INS FOR THIS OR DO WE JUST CALL ON PEOPLE? SIGN IN FORMS. I HAVE QUITE A FEW.OKAY. HOW MANY DO YOU HAVE? ROUGHLY. RECORDS.
SO THERE'S THREE FOLKS SPEAKING.
HOW MUCH? THREE FOLKS ARE SPEAKING.
OH, OKAY. I'M GOING ON RECORD THAT I'M GOING TO STATE.
OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO OBSERVE OUR NORMAL FIVE MINUTES.
SO ENJOY YOUR YOUR TIME AT THE LECTERN.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND START WITH THE FIRST PERSON.
GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. MARK DAVENPORT HERE.
I'M A RESIDENT OF ATLANTIC BEACH OFF TIERRA VERDE DRIVE.
UM, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF COMMUNICATIONS, MEANING THE PICKLEBALL COMMUNITY HERE IN ATLANTIC BEACH.
YOU CAN SEE THERE'S SEVERAL, QUITE A FEW PICKLEBALLERS HERE TONIGHT.
AND SO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO ASK IS WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS THAT HAVE TAKEN TWO YEARS NOW WITH A RENEWED EFFORT THAT REALLY STARTED TO KICK INTO GEAR OF JANUARY OF THIS YEAR. WHAT WE'D LIKE TO ASK THE COMMISSION AT THIS BUDGET MEETING TONIGHT IS THAT THE COMMISSIONERS VOTE TO ADD PICKLEBALL COURT EXPANSION AT DONNER PARK TO THE FUTURE BUDGET TONIGHT.
OKAY. THANKS, MR. DAVENPORT. BRUCE ANDREWS.
I'M HERE TONIGHT ABOUT PICKLEBALL AGAIN.
I THINK I'VE SPOKEN OR EMAILED AT LEAST EVERYBODY.
UM. ALL OF THESE PEOPLE ARE PICKLEBALL.
UM, THERE'S A GAZILLION PEOPLE THAT WOULD LIKE MORE PICKLEBALL COURTS.
THERE'S MAYBE TWO PEOPLE WHO DON'T.
UM, I SENT YOU A DOCUMENT THAT A PICKLEBALL GUY PREPARED AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET WITH ALL KINDS OF DATA ON USE TENNIS, USE OF THE RUSSELL COURTS, TENNIS USE AT THE DONNA COURTS, PICKLEBALL USE AT THE DONNA COURTS.
CLEARLY, THERE IS PLENTY OF EXCESS TENNIS CAPACITY AT RUSSELL TO ACCOMMODATE ANY TENNIS PLAYERS WHO WOULD BE DISPLACED FROM DONNA BY CONVERTING THAT COURT INTO FOUR PICKLEBALL COURTS.
UM. THE PEOPLE WHO PLAY PICKLEBALL OVER THERE LIVE IN THIS PART OF ATLANTIC BEACH.
EXCUSE ME. THE PEOPLE WHO PLAY TENNIS AT DONAR LIVE IN THIS PART OF ATLANTIC BEACH.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE TAKING IT AWAY FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY'RE CLOSER TO RUSSELL THAN THEY ARE TO DONAR.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY LIKES WHAT THEY LIKE.
[00:05:06]
WHO WERE OPPOSING IT.MOST OF THEM HAVE NEVER PLAYED TENNIS AT DONAR AND NEVER DO PLAY TENNIS AT DONAR.
A LOT OF THEM, A LOT OF TENNIS PLAYERS SORT OF HATE PICKLEBALL.
THEY'RE LIKE RESENTFUL OF IT FOR WHATEVER REASON.
UM, AND SO I DON'T KNOW THAT THEIR OPPOSITION TO DOING THAT OVER THERE REALLY CARRIES MUCH WEIGHT.
SO, UM, LIKE MARK SAID, WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO PUT IT IN THE BUDGET.
AS WE ALL KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF LAND SITTING AROUND FOR THAT.
SCOOCH IT OUT TEN FEET FOR WHATEVER THAT MONEY IS.
AND NOW YOU HAVE ROOM FOR FOUR PICKLEBALL COURTS ON THAT SPACE OF THE ONE TENNIS COURT.
THAT'S THE LEAST EXPENSIVE, MOST EXPEDITIOUS.
UM, SO TO ME, THAT'S THE NUMBER THAT OUGHT TO BE PUT IN THE BUDGET.
MAKE SURE YOU PUT ENOUGH IF YOU'RE GOING TO IF YOU DECIDE TO DO IT.
UM, AND THEN THAT COULD BE DONE RELATIVELY QUICKLY.
YOU KNOW, GOING THE OTHER WAY INTO THE TREES RAISES A WHOLE NOTHER SET OF CONCERNS.
UNDOUBTEDLY. PEOPLE WOULD BE OPPOSED TO TAKING TREES DOWN.
THAT WOULD WE WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
BRICK CARPER. THE CARPER 1810 SILVER GRANDY DRIVE BEACH.
PUBLIC MEETINGS ARE GENERALLY FOR PUBLIC INPUT.
THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A PUBLIC MEETING.
THERE'S NOTHING TO GIVE INPUT ON UNTIL THREE MINUTES AGO.
SO I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF SPECIFICS ABOUT THE BUDGET.
UM. CURIOUS ABOUT THE SETUP, BECAUSE TONIGHT YOU TALK ABOUT THE AGENDA, TALKS ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT BUDGET, DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET OVERVIEW.
AND I'M HOPING THAT ONE OF THE LATER WORKSHOPS, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME TIME SPENT WITH EACH DEPARTMENT MORE PARTICULAR TO GO OVER THE LINE ITEMS. I KNOW NOT THAT DISTANT PAST ONE BUDGET WORKSHOP ENTIRELY WAS JUST PUBLIC WORKS AND PUBLIC UTILITIES.
SO AND ONE STRONG PITCH NO ROLLBACK IN THE.
FEES THAT ANY EXTRA MONEY GO TO MAINTENANCE IN THIS CITY.
HI THERE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
I'M BRINKLEY HAROLD 266TH STREET AND.
YEAH, WE DON'T HAVE A BUDGET DRAFT TO EVEN BE ABLE TO LOOK AT.
BUT ANYWAY, LET ME BRING UP A COUPLE OF THINGS IN ADVANCE THAT THAT PEOPLE THAT READ THE BUDGET LIKE TO SEE IS THEY LIKE TO CLEARLY BE ABLE TO SEE AT LEAST THE TOP THREE PEOPLE IN EVERY DEPARTMENT SALARY CLEARLY LISTED AS MANY TIMES AS I'VE GONE THROUGH THE BUDGET, ABOUT THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN REALLY DETERMINE THOSE TOP THREE SALARIES BECAUSE THEY WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO EVERY OFFICER WAS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, GOOD JOB THERE, BAD JOB EVERYWHERE ELSE. EVEN IN THE THREE PERSON CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE CAN'T BREAK DOWN THE SALARIES OF THREE PEOPLE IN THAT IN THAT DEPARTMENT, CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT THE HR DIRECTOR AND THEIR DEPUTY IS, YOU KNOW, CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT.
IT'S JUST ANOTHER LINE IN THE BUDGET, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE EVERY DEPARTMENT HAS A DIRECTOR OR NUMBER ONE PERSON AND PROBABLY TWO DIRECT REPORTS. YEAH, JUST MAKE IT CLEAR.
WELL, NOBODY KNOWS BECAUSE IT'S DIFFICULT IN MOST CASES IN THE BUDGET TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION.
CITY OF JACKSONVILLE IS SUPPOSED TO BE PAYING FOR OUR ANIMAL CONTROL.
HAVE WE EVER ASKED THEM FOR THE MONEY THAT WE SPEND ON ANIMAL CONTROL? I THINK IT'S ABOUT 60 OR $70,000 A YEAR.
WELL, YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE PAYING TWICE.
I'M PAYING TO THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH FOR ANIMAL CONTROL AND I'M PAYING TO THE.
[00:10:01]
HAS THE CITY EVER ASKED? ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS ALL CONTAINED IN 1982 INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENT.HAS ANYONE EVER ASKED FOR THE MILLION DOLLARS? WE SPEND A YEAR ON PARKS AND REC AND PROGRAMS. WHY NOT? LET'S ASK.
CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH PAYS FOR THE SCHOOL.
CROSSING GUARDS FOR ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY.
I MEAN, I SAW IN THE LAST TWO BUDGETS THAT EXPENSE WENT FROM 17 OR $18,000 A YEAR TO I THINK 35 OR $36,000 A YEAR. NOT A BIG AMOUNT.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, I'M PAYING TWICE FOR IT.
I'M PAYING THROUGH THE COUNTY OR TO THE SCHOOL BOARD.
AND RIGHT HERE DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
LIFEGUARDS AND BEACH MAINTENANCE.
THE CITY SOMEHOW NEGOTIATED A SEPARATE AGREEMENT FOR THAT.
BUT WE ARE SPENDING FAR IN EXCESS FOR LIFEGUARDS AND BEACH MAINTENANCE LOCKED TOGETHER.
WHY? THEY WEREN'T SEPARATED OUT.
IT'S BEYOND ME. BUT WE'RE WE'RE SPENDING FAR IN EXCESS OF WHAT IS REIMBURSING US FOR, YOU KNOW, HAS ANYBODY ASKED TO RELOOK THAT AGREEMENT AND HAVE THEM PAY US WHAT WE THINK IS A REASONABLE COST OF BEACH LIFEGUARDS AND BEACH MAINTENANCE AND SEPARATE THE TWO OUTS BECAUSE MAINTENANCE FALLS UNDER PARK UNDER.
UNDER PUBLIC WORKS, WHEREAS LIFEGUARDS FALL UNDER THE PD.
AND THE LAST WONDERFUL THING IS OUR FIRE SERVICES CONTRACT FROM 1999 THE CITY NEGOTIATED TO BUY INTO.
TRANSFERRING OUR ENTIRE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ALL OUR VEHICLES, OUR APPARATUS, ALL OF OUR FIREMEN, THE PENSION PLAN, ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT WE TRANSFERRED TO KOGE. IN TURN, JFRD.
AND WE HAD A 25 YEAR BUY IN ON THAT.
THAT BUY IN ENDS WITH A PAYMENT IN MAY OF NEXT YEAR.
SO ON THIS CURRENT BUDGET, THERE'S ONLY EIGHT PAYMENTS TO BE MADE, WHICH.
BECAUSE IT'S ONLY EIGHT MONTHS RATHER THAN 12 MONTHS.
SO ONCE AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN A LOOK AT.
JUST LAST NIGHT, I ENGAGED WITH CITY ATTORNEY JASON GABRIEL.
HE SAID HE WOULD LOOK AT THAT AGREEMENT BECAUSE THE AGREEMENT JUST STOPS.
YOU GET A MORTGAGE FOR 30 YEARS, YOU PAY OFF THE MORTGAGE, YOU STILL OWN THE HOUSE.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT I FEEL WE'VE DONE WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR..
MR.. HAROLD. THE LAP AS YOU DID.
UNLESS SOMEONE ELSE WANTS TO SPEAK.
I HAVE ONE TO READ INTO THE RECORD.
WE HAVE TIME IF ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO, TO SPEAK.
GAMES. ROMAN SUPPORTS ADDING ADDITIONAL PICKLEBALL COURTS AT DONNER PARK.
[2. FY 2022-23 REVIEW]
JOE. YES.THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKE TO DO, AND THIS WORKSHOP REALLY IS GOING TO SET THE TABLE FOR THE REST OF THE BUDGET, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS REVIEW EXACTLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE LAST BUDGET YEAR AND GIVE YOU AN UPDATE AS EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE WITH VARIOUS PROJECTS.
AND WE'VE GOT A WE'VE GOT A SLIDE PRESENTATION IN FRONT OF YOU.
PRINT IT OUT. BUT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO PUT IT UP ON THE THE SCREEN THERE, MR. HOGENCAMP. OKAY.
AND I'M JUST GOING TO READ THE HIGHLIGHTS IN HERE BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BORE YOU WITH ALL THESE.
PROJECTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
WE SECURED THE $574,000 GRANT IN STATE APPROPRIATION FOR THE CUTLASS DRIVE BOX CULVERT, AND THERE'S A TOTAL OF 1,000,044. THOUSAND $750 IN GRANTS THAT THE CITY HAS RECEIVED IN THE LAST YEAR.
[00:15:12]
IF YOU GO OVER TO PUBLIC WORKS.DONNA ROAD PROJECT, WHICH IRONICALLY I FUNDED IN MY LAST YEAR HERE IN 2017 OR 2019, IS ABOUT A MONTH AWAY FROM COMPLETION. OF COURSE I'VE HEARD THAT FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS.
BUT HOPEFULLY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN AUGUST COMPLETION DATE ON THAT PROJECT.
UTILITIES DID SOME MODERNIZATION OF WATER PLANTS AND DEMOLISHED THE WATER TOWER.
FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE THINKING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED WATER TOWERS, THAT'S SORT OF 1950S STUFF.
WE'RE USING HIGH SPEED VARIABLE HYDRAULIC PUMPS.
WE'RE WAITING FOR THEM TO COME IN.
UM, WE SUFFER AS MUCH AS ANYONE ELSE DOES WITH THE SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES, BUT I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME COMPLAINTS ABOUT LOW WATER PRESSURE IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE CITY THAT SHOULD ALLEVIATE THAT PROBLEM.
FOR THE POLICE, OCEAN RESCUE AND ANIMAL CONTROL.
THE CITY COMMISSION ARRIVED AT CONSENSUS WITH A NEW LIFEGUARD STATION.
SENSOR AND THE PARK RIGHT OUT HERE.
AND THAT SEEMS TO BE MOVING ALONG PRETTY GOOD.
PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
THE REVIEWING THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, STORMWATER MANAGEMENT CODES AND THAT WAS A COMMISSION PRIORITY OBTAINED A FEDERAL GRANT TO IDENTIFY NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE CONNECTIVITY AND BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
I THINK WE STARTED OUT WITH SILVER AND IN 2019 AND WE'VE OBVIOUSLY GOTTEN BETTER.
IN CULTURAL ARTS AND RECREATION.
OF COURSE, THE BIG THING THERE IS THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB COMING ON BOARD.
THEY SHOULD BE OPERATING THERE.
PROGRAMS AT OUR CENTERS THE SECOND WEEK OF START OF SCHOOL, WHICH IS ONLY.
WE ARE INVESTIGATING A NEW SOFTWARE PROGRAM FOR THE CITY.
WHAT WE'RE USING NOW IS COPYRIGHTED IN 1980, AND WE JUST FEEL LIKE IT'S TIME TO UPGRADE.
AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT WORKING IN TANDEM TO WE HAVE TWO SYSTEMS THAT THEY'RE EYEING.
AND I'M GOING TO SUGGEST THAT WE USE THE BALANCE OF THE ARP MONEY TO DO THAT NON-RECURRING REVENUE VERSUS A NON RECURRING COST.
OKAY. SOME OF THE ACTIVE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS THAT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT, HYDRAULIC PIPING AND IMPROVEMENTS THAT'S GOING OUT TO BID NEXT MONTH.
MAIN STREET TRAFFIC CALMING GOING OUT TO BID NEXT MONTH.
THE LEVEE ROAD, SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS NEXT MONTH.
MR. SWANN AND SCOTT WILLIAMS MET WITH THE OWNERS OF THE OR THE PEOPLE THAT OWN THE SHOPPING CENTER.
AND THEY'RE ABLE TO GET A CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE BIG HOLDUPS THERE.
AGAIN, THAT'S BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR YEARS AND THAT'S ABOUT READY TO GO OUT.
BUT I THINK THESE GUYS HAVE GOT A LOT ON THEIR PLATE AND THIS YEAR COMING UP AND.
I DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT WE'LL BE RECOMMENDING ANY MAJOR PROJECTS.
[00:20:01]
OF COURSE, WE'LL HAVE TO TALK ABOUT PICKLEBALL TONIGHT, BUT WE'LL WE'LL GET YOUR WISHES AT THE END OF THIS MEETING.HAVE CHIEF GUALILLO GO OVER HIS.
[3. FY 2023-24 BUDGET TOPICS]
BUDGET AND HIS REQUESTS.AND ALSO, CHIEF, TALK ABOUT YOUR STAFFING A LITTLE BIT, IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE.
SO WE'LL PULL A BUDGET SLIDE, SHOW UP HERE REAL QUICK.
JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU ALL AN IDEA OF WHAT.
WE WERE LOOKING AT IN OUR BUDGET FOR 24.
LET'S GIVE CHASE JUST A SECOND TO PULL THAT UP.
SO FAR, OUR NUMBERS ARE HOLDING WITH BRITTANY LOOKING AT THEM ONE MORE TIME.
WE'RE ABOUT 0.183 BELOW OUR 2023 BUDGET, WHICH I'LL GIVE ATTABOYS TO MY STAFF FOR WORKING REALLY HARD DURING THE YEAR AND MAKING SURE THEY FOUND EVERYTHING THAT WE COULD REMOVE FROM OUR BUDGET THAT WE DIDN'T NEED ANY LONGER, THAT WE COULD GET FOR A BETTER PRICE OR THAT WE WEREN'T USING ANYMORE.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO REMOVE SOME OF THOSE THINGS AND RECURRENT CHARGES.
WE WERE ABLE TO STILL ACHIEVE THE 5% INCREASE IN PAY AND LOOK REAL HARD AT OUR OPERATING BUDGET AND COME BACK WITH A BELOW BUDGET FOR 2324 COMPARISON.
THAT WAS A 5% PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATION PAY INCREASE IS IN OUR BUDGET.
WE HAVE A PROJECT FOR ABOUT $90,000 TO REPLACE OUTSIDE AIR UNITS IN OUR BUILDING.
WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON THAT.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THAT MOVING SOON TO BE READY TO GO FOR NEXT YEAR.
WE ARE APPLYING FOR THE JAG GRANT AGAIN.
THAT'S ABOUT $56,000 FOR THE 2022 YEAR.
I SAY 22 BECAUSE THE STATE'S A YEAR BEHIND.
SO THIS IS ACTUALLY 2324 BUDGET, BUT THEY'RE A YEAR BEHIND IN GETTING THEIR GRANT PAPERWORK OUT.
BUT THAT WILL BE ABOUT $56,000 AGAIN, COMING TO THE CITY FROM THE STATE.
WE ARE SPENDING ABOUT $11,500.
SO THOSE THINGS ARE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC NOW, AND THAT'S A PART OF OUR PUBLIC FACING EFFORT.
SO POLICE VEHICLES IS SORT OF AN OVERVIEW AGAIN, WHEN WE'RE FULLY STAFFED IN THE PATROL DIVISION.
THESE ARE THE UNIFORMED OFFICERS ON THE STREET.
WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT WE NEED 24 VEHICLES WHEN WE'RE FULLY STAFFED.
AND THAT'S TAKING INTO ACCOUNT A NEW BUDGETED NUMBER OF 33 OFFICERS FOR 2024.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN JUST A SECOND.
CURRENTLY, WE HAVE 21 VEHICLES IN OUR FLEET AVAILABLE TODAY IF WE NEEDED TO ISSUE ALL THE CARS OUT.
THAT'S WITH TWO POOL VEHICLES.
WE KEEP TWO POOL VEHICLES IN CASE SOMETHING BREAKS DOWN, IN CASE SOMEONE HAS AN ACCIDENT.
WE USE THOSE TWO POOL VEHICLES FREQUENTLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, SO THEY'RE NEVER JUST SITTING THERE.
THEY ARE TYPICALLY BEING USED BY OFFICERS WHOSE CARS ARE DOWN FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER.
THAT REASON IS WE WANTED TO HELP IT TO BRING ON ONE MORE TECHNICIAN LEVEL PERSON IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT USES AT LEAST WOULD USE AT LEAST 50% OF THAT PERSON'S TIME.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS TECHNOLOGY HEAVY WITH ALL THE THINGS WE WERE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN FOR OUR STANDARDS WITH FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE FBI AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
THOSE APPLICATIONS BY THEMSELVES TAKE UP A LOT OF TIME.
SO WE FEEL THAT IT'S ONLY FAIR THAT WE HELP IT BRING ON ONE MORE PERSON.
MOST OF YOU HEARD ME SAY THAT I WANT TO GET TO 36.
EVENTUALLY THAT WILL GIVE US ROOM TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO WITH PATROL DIVISION AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE OFFICERS, STAFF, THE STREET AND TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO HAVE TIME OFF AND PERSONAL LEAVE AND NOT CONSTANTLY ASK THE OFFICERS TO WORK OVERTIME ON THEIR DAYS OFF.
[00:25:02]
THAT HAS A HUGE EFFECT ON MORALE.AND WITH 36 OFFICERS, WE CAN PROBABLY PROVIDE SOME MORE SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS WHEN WE'RE REALLY BUSY IN OUR BUDGET, OUR TWO NEW VEHICLES TO HELP PUT THOSE OFFICERS IN CARS AND GET THEM ON THE STREET.
THE NUMBER WE QUOTED WAS $60,000 PER VEHICLE ON THE ESTIMATE.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT NUMBER IS A LITTLE BIT LOW.
SO THAT'S ABOUT $48,000, IS THAT RIGHT? CHASE PER VEHICLE.
THAT'S JUST FOR THE CAR BEFORE ANY OF THE OUTFITTING.
THAT'S A 24% INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR'S NUMBER.
MAYBE THREE, 4 OR 5% AT THE MOST.
BUT THEY HANDED US AN INCREDIBLE INCREASE THIS YEAR ACROSS THE BOARD FOR ALL GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A CONSIDERATION FOR 24.
HOWEVER, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT NUMBER WORK OF $60,000 WE INITIALLY BUDGETED.
WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT NUMBER WORK THIS YEAR.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO PASS THAT 24% ON TO THE 2024 BUDGET.
WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT WORK AND WE'LL JUST HAVE TO REVISIT AGAIN FOR 24 WITH A NEW NUMBER.
IF WE ARE ABLE TO GET THOSE TWO CARS THIS YEAR WITH AND I'LL SHOW YOU LATER IN THE SLIDES, EXPLAIN THIS TO YOU, BUT THAT'LL STILL LEAVE US ONE CAR SHORT FOR BEING FULL STAFFED. IF I WERE ABLE TO GET 33 OFFICERS ON THE STREET NEXT YEAR, I'D BE ONE CAR SHORT.
ANOTHER SLIDE. JUST GIVING YOU A HEADS UP.
ALL RIGHT. SLIDE FIVE, PLEASE.
SO VEHICLES IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FLEET IS AN OVERVIEW.
REALLY QUICKLY. THIS IS THE ENTIRE FLEET.
THIS IS ADMIN. THIS IS PATROL DIVISION.
THIS IS LIFEGUARDS AND ANIMAL CONTROL AND PARKING ATTENDANTS.
SO OUT OF ALL THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE PURVIEW OVER, WE HAVE 41 VEHICLES IN OUR FLEET.
TWO OF THOSE, AGAIN, ARE POOL VEHICLES.
THERE'S NOT A LOT OF POOL VEHICLES HAVE SITTING AROUND WHEN WE'RE FULL STAFFED.
UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE SHORT OFFICERS NOW.
THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY DRIVEN BY OTHER OFFICERS WHO LEFT FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER.
SO IF WE ARE FULL STAFF, WE WOULD ONLY HAVE TWO POOL VEHICLES.
WE TRY AND RUN OUR PATROL VEHICLES 5 TO 7 YEARS, THAT'S ABOUT 80 TO 100,000 MILES.
ADMIN CARS TYPICALLY RUN FOR TEN YEARS.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT CARS ARE AN EXPENSIVE ITEM.
PUSH THEM TO 120,000 MILES OR MORE.
SO WE LOOK AT ALL THREE OF THOSE THINGS AND IDLE TIME ALSO TO TRY AND DECIDE WHICH ONES MIGHT NEED TO BE DECOMMISSIONED, DECOMMISSIONED AND THEN NEW VEHICLES TO REPLACE THEM SO WE CAN START LOOKING AT PUSHING THOSE CARS LONGER.
JUST UNDERSTAND AT SOME POINT IN TIME I HAVE TO REPLACE THE CAR AND IT MAY BE A YEAR WHERE WE HAVE INSTEAD OF 1 OR 2 CARS IS A REQUEST 3 OR 4 BECAUSE WE START JOCKEYING CARS AROUND AND MAKING THEM RUN LONGER.
SLIDE SIX, PLEASE. SO GOVERNMENT ORDERING TYPICALLY TAKES PLACE ABOUT THIS TIME OF YEAR.
UNFORTUNATELY, FORD AND CHEVROLET BOTH MAKE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES COME UP WITH A AN AGREEMENT TO PURCHASE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF VEHICLES BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY OPEN ORDERING. THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S WHAT THEIR, I GUESS, ORDERS ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
IT CAN TAKE UP TO 18 MONTHS TO GET THAT CAR IN BECAUSE THE TIME THAT IT TAKES TO PUT THE ORDER IN.
THEY OPEN THE ORDERING, THERE'S LEAD TIME FOR MANUFACTURE, DELIVERY, AND THEN ONCE IT GETS HERE, WHICH IS ABOUT 8 TO 12 MONTHS, THEN WE TAKE IT TO AN OUTFITTER WHO OUTFITS IT WITH A CAGE AND SPOTLIGHTS AND RADIOS AND LIGHTS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE TO GO IN IT IN THE AFTERMARKET.
SO AND THAT, OF COURSE, DEPENDS ON SUPPLY CHAIN.
SO WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT NEEDING CARS AND PROJECTING CARS OUT FOR WHAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED, I NEED TO MAKE AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT WHAT I EXPECT TO HIRE, WHO I EXPECT TO HIRE NEXT YEAR, BUT THEN ALSO PROJECT THE CARS OUT OR ELSE I MAY WIND UP IN A SITUATION WHERE I HAVE NO CARS TO PUT OFFICERS IN OR WHERE I USE MY POOL CARS JUST TO PUT OFFICERS ON THE STREET. AND THAT'S FINE UNTIL SOMETHING BREAKS DOWN OR SOMEONE HAS AN ACCIDENT.
AND NOW I HAVE NO CAR TO ISSUE AN OFFICER TO.
THAT REDUCES SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE I CAN HAVE ONE LESS CAR GOING TO A CALL.
SO THERE'S A TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT.
WE TRIED DOING THAT TWO YEARS AGO.
[00:30:01]
THERE WAS ONE CAR AVAILABLE WE WERE LOOKING AT AND THAT CAR WAS GONE IN LESS THAN TWO DAYS BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE A DECISION.SO THE EXTRA CARS, SURPLUS CARS THAT ARE POLICE PACKAGES ARE VERY, VERY FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.
SO THIS IS AN OVERVIEW OF OUR STAFFING, THE PATROL DIVISION WHEN FULLY STAFFED.
AND THIS IS TAKING INTO ACCOUNT 33 SWORN POSITIONS NEXT YEAR AND NOT 34 THAT WE HAVE THIS YEAR.
MY FOIA REQUEST WOULD GIVE US 23.
SO IF I WERE TO GO TO ABSOLUTELY FULLY STAFFED NEXT YEAR, I'D HAVE A NEED FOR 24 VEHICLES.
I CAN'T SEE THE NUMBER BECAUSE THE VIDEO IS ON THERE.
COULD YOU SCOOCH THE VIDEO OFF? OKAY. 23.
DRAG IT DOWN TO THE BOTTOM. MAYBE.
THE OTHER. THE OTHER COLLAR ROSE THERE.
THOSE ARE ALL FINE. WE HAVE CARS, TOO, FOR THOSE FOLKS TO DRIVE.
MY MY CONCERN RIGHT NOW IS PATROL DIVISION.
THOSE ARE ALWAYS ROLLED DOWN FROM POLICE OFFICER CARS.
WE TAKE OFF THE STREET AT AT SOME POINT WITH 80 OR 100,000 MILES ON THEM.
AND THEN WE LET THE, YOU KNOW, VOLUNTEERS AND PARKING PEOPLE USE THOSE CARS FOR ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, 20 OR 30,000 MILES BECAUSE THEY DON'T DRIVE A WHOLE LOT AND THEY DRIVE LOW SPEED AROUND THE CITY TYPICALLY.
SO WE CAN GET A FEW MORE YEARS OUT OF THOSE CARS.
SO THIS IS JUST AN OVERVIEW OF THE POSITIONS.
NEXT YEAR, THIS IS A PROJECTED FOR FY 24.
WE WILL HAVE SIX POSITIONS OPEN, I ANTICIPATE, OVER THE COURSE OF 24.
THAT ACCOUNTS FOR ONE POLICE OFFICER POSITION WHO IS NOW ON INJURED, RESERVE INJURED.
HE'S WALKING HE'S GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS TO RETIRE MEDICALLY.
WE HAVE CURRENTLY THREE UNASSIGNED PATROL CARS.
I'M PROJECTING TO TRY AND HIRE FIVE OFFICERS NEXT YEAR, EVEN THOUGH I WILL HAVE SIX VACANCIES.
IF I CAN DO THAT, I'LL HAVE ENOUGH OFFICERS OR ENOUGH CARS FOR THE OFFICERS WE HIRE.
MORE POSITION THAN I HAVE A CAR FOR.
I'M GOING TO TRY AND HOLD OFF AS LONG AS I CAN.
WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO FOR THAT ONE EXTRA CAR.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF IDEAS, HOW WE CAN MOVE SOME CARS AROUND POSSIBLY.
AND IF I HAVE THE ABILITY TO HIRE THAT SIXTH OFFICER NEXT YEAR, I'LL TRY AND DO THAT.
IN THE ENVIRONMENT WE'RE IN TODAY, IT IS SO DIFFICULT TO FIND QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES, IT WOULD BE VERY HARD TO PASS UP A GOOD CANDIDATE IF I DIDN'T HAVE IF I DIDN'T HAVE A CAR TO PUT HIM IN. SO I'LL MAKE IT WORK SOMEHOW.
IF I CAN HIRE THAT SIXTH PERSON, I WILL.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT YOU'RE DOING AS FAR AS RECRUITMENT GOES? SO RECRUITMENT. WE WERE OPENING UP THE WINDOW A LITTLE BIT.
WE ARE TRYING TO RECRUIT HEAVILY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA.
MOST OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS ARE WORD OF MOUTH.
PUT THEM THROUGH SELVES, THROUGH THE ACADEMY BY THEMSELVES.
WE GO OUT TO THEM AND RECRUIT HEAVILY.
WE ARE ALSO WE WE OUTFITTED A RECRUITING CAR THIS YEAR.
SO THAT RECRUITING CAR NOW HAS A A.
QR CODE ON IT SO YOU CAN SCAN THE QR CODE AS YOU'RE GOING DOWN THE STREET.
SO WE'RE WE'RE TRYING NEW AVENUES.
WE'RE TRYING TO STAY COMPETITIVE IN THE PAY.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE DOING PRETTY GOOD.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE.
IT'S A BIDDING WAR FOR SALARIES RIGHT NOW.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE KEEPING UP.
[00:35:02]
WE'RE DOING ALL RIGHT. BUT IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO, WE MAY HAVE TO REVISIT WHAT OUR SALARIES ARE JUST BECAUSE EVERYBODY ELSE AROUND US IS INCREASING SALARIES AND BENEFITS TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE. BUT SOME OF THE NEW PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO THE ACADEMY.SO WE DO HAVE TWO OFFICERS IN THE ACADEMY RIGHT NOW.
WE ARE. THANK YOU, MR. GARRITY. WE HAVE OFFICE OFFERED THIS YEAR TO START PAYING FOR THESE ACADEMY POSITIONS.
TYPICALLY IN THE PAST, SMALLER AGENCIES DIDN'T PAY A RECRUIT TO GO TO THE ACADEMY FOR FIVE MONTHS.
IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF COST, ABOUT $5,000 TO PAY THE TUITION.
THE BIGGER INVESTMENT IS IN THE SALARY FOR THOSE FIVE MONTHS WHEN YOU'RE HOPING TO GET THAT PERSON THROUGH THE ACADEMY, PASS ALL THE TESTS AND PASS THE STATE BOARD TO COME TO WORK FOR YOU. SO WE ARE NOW OFFERING TO PAY THAT TUITION FOR THOSE OFFICERS AND PAY THEM TO BE AN EMPLOYEE.
THAT'S GETTING A LOT OF TRACTION.
WE'VE GOTTEN A COUPLE OF GOOD OFFICERS SO FAR THROUGH THAT PROGRAM.
A LOT OF FOLKS JUST CAN'T GO TO SCHOOL FOR FIVE MONTHS AND NOT WORK AND SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES.
SO WE DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND AND TRY THAT OUT.
WE'LL KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED THAT IT KEEPS WORKING OUT FOR US.
CHIEF, I THINK I ASKED YOU THAT QUESTION WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THIS BEFORE.
SO WE DO ASK THEM TO SIGN A THREE YEAR COMMITMENT TO US.
HOWEVER, THAT THREE YEAR COMMITMENT IS FOR THE TUITION ONLY.
WE CAN'T RECOUP THE SALARY WE PAY THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE THE WORKING HOURS THAT THEY ACTUALLY GAVE US.
SO A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR CITY OF OUR SIZE MEAN 13 14,000 PEOPLE.
THAT IS LIKE COMPARED TO NEPTUNE OR JAX BEACH NUMBER OF OFFICERS.
THAT IS A PRETTY STANDARD NUMBER OF OFFICERS PER POPULATION.
IT IS. I LOOKED AT JAX BEACH A WHILE BACK.
THEY WERE ABOVE US PER CAPITA.
I THINK THEY WERE CLOSE TO 2.5 OR 2.6.
NEPTUNE BEACH WAS APPROACHING THAT NUMBER.
WE DID A SEARCH SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
WE REFRESHED IT FROM TIME TO TIME, LOOKING AT ALL THE BEACH CITIES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, BEACH CITIES TYPICALLY HAVE A HIGHER PER CAPITA OR PER THOUSAND CITIZEN TO OFFICER RATIO.
2.1 TO 2.2 IS STANDARD IN MOST PARTS OF THE STATE.
WHEN YOU GET TO THE BEACH COMMUNITIES, IT'S HIGHER ANYWHERE FROM 2.2 TO 2.6 AVERAGE.
I'VE SEEN SOME THAT GO AS HIGH AS THREE AND 3.1.
THE MAINTENANCE HISTORY, YOU GUYS HAVE A CONSISTENT FACILITY THAT MAINTAINS OUR POLICE CARS.
DO WE CONTRACT THE FIRST VEHICLE? THEY ARE AT OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
SO THEY ARE AN OUTSIDE CONTRACTOR, BUT THEY MAINTAIN OUR MAINTENANCE RECORDS FOR US.
WE SPOKE WITH I THINK IT WAS JAX BEACH YESTERDAY.
THEY RUN THEIR CARS, THEIR ADMIN CARS, ABOUT EIGHT YEARS.
THEY RUN THEIR POLICE CARS ABOUT SIX.
SO WE RUN OURS A LITTLE BIT LONGER, TEN YEARS AVERAGE ON AN ADMIN CAR, SEVEN ON A POLICE CAR.
BUT AT SOME POINT WE'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE 3 OR 4 CARS THAT MAY HAVE 120 TO 30,000 MILES ON THEM.
AND WE'LL STILL BE COMING BACK TO ASK FOR FOUR CARS WITH 41 CARS IN THE FLEET.
TRYING TO REPLACE ABOUT FOUR CARS A YEAR, KEEPS US ON A FAIRLY EVEN BUDGET NUMBER.
YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE HERE AND YOU KNOW THIS.
IT'S IT'S IT'S TOUGH WHEN YOU HAVE TO PROJECT OUT A YEAR OR MORE, 18 MONTHS.
DOES IT STOP WHEN YOU STEP ON THE BRAKE? THOSE ARE THE TWO IMPORTANT THINGS FOR US.
DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. YOU'RE PROBABLY BETTER OFF SELLING IT.
AND THESE CARS JUST SIT OUT HERE ALL THE TIME.
PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THAT ALL THE TIME.
BUT REALLY, THE ONLY DAMAGE THAT DOES TO A CAR, AS FAR AS I KNOW, IS THE ALTERNATOR.
[00:40:03]
IT'S A MINIMAL YOU KNOW, IT'S A MINIMAL DAMAGE NOT RUNNING THESE CARS ALL THE TIME.YEAH, WE UNDERSTAND THAT'S A CONCERN.
WE ACTUALLY PUT THREE 2017 BACK ON THE STREET THIS YEAR.
WE'RE GOING TO PUT MORE MILES ON THEM.
CHIEF, YOU SAID THAT TRADE IN VALUE IS 2 OR 3 GRAND.
IS THAT WHAT YOU TOLD ME? IT'S PRETTY MINIMAL.
I THINK I'VE SEEN SOME OF THE CARS HERE GO FOR ABOUT $1,500.
IT'S THE AMOUNT OF MILES YOU PUT ON THEM.
IT'S THE FACT THEY ARE A LITTLE ROUGH WHEN YOU TAKE ALL THE EQUIPMENT OUT OF THEM.
THEY'VE BEEN MAINTAINED PRETTY WELL.
THEY'RE HIGH MILEAGE, BUT THEY GET SERVICED EVERY THREE MONTHS.
YEAH. OFF THE THE AUCTIONS THAT WE DO.
CHIEF, I HAVE A QUESTION IF YOU COULD GO TO THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, SLIDE SEVEN.
SO THE BREAKDOWN HERE YOU HAVE I RECEIVED THIS FROM YOU LAST WEEK OR MAYBE IT WAS THE WEEK BEFORE YOU SAID YOU HAD 41 TOTAL VEHICLES. SO YOU HAVE 44 OR 43 PEOPLE.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE TWO CARDS THAT NEED TO BE PURCHASED, WE ADD IN.
SO WE WENT BACK AND DID THE 24 NUMBERS AND WE ACTUALLY PUT INTO WE DIDN'T COUNT FOR THE ONE OFFICER WHO WAS PROBABLY GOING TO RETIRE ON ON MEDICAL. WE PUT THAT NUMBER BACK IN THERE BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT WILL PROBABLY HAPPEN IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO.
THAT WILL BE A VACANT POSITION THAT WE DIDN'T COUNT BEFORE.
THAT'S CORRECT. SO BECAUSE THE INVESTIGATIONS THERE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 9 TO 5 JOB YOUR ADMIN.
WE DON'T GIVE THEM CARS, RIGHT? YES. OH YOU DO. EVERYBODY'S ON RECALL DETECTIVES AND ADMIN STAFF.
SO IF THERE'S AN EVENT THAT OCCURS IN THE CITY, LIKE FOR MYSELF, IF THERE IS A CALL OUT BECAUSE WE HAVE A BARRICADED SUBJECT OR A HOSTAGE SITUATION OR SOMETHING ELSE SEVERE, I RESPOND. MY STAFF RESPONDS 24 HOURS A DAY.
SO ALL THE CARS FOR EVERY ONE OF THOSE POSITIONS, TYPES OF POSITIONS, ARE THEY DRIVEN THE SAME AS A PATROL CAR? NO, NO.
MANY OF THEM ARE DAILY DRIVERS, OF COURSE, ESPECIALLY THE PART TIME OFFICER.
WE HAVE A PART TIME OFFICER WHO WORKS ANYWHERE FROM ABOUT 20 HOURS A WEEK AVERAGE.
SO THAT OFFICER DRIVES A CAR THAT WE ROLLED DOWN.
IT'S ONE THAT CAME OUT OF THE PATROL FLEET.
SO THAT'S THE PART TIME OFFICERS CARS.
IN THE PARKING AND VOLUNTEERS.
THEY WE HAVE THREE VOLUNTEER CARS AND ONE PARKING CAR.
SO THOSE ARE ROLL DOWNS ALSO OUT OF THE PATROL FLEET.
BUT THERE'S SOME TIMES WHEN WE HAVE TO HAVE A CAR AND FLASHING LIGHTS TO BLOCK AN INTERSECTION.
AND BUT THEY'RE NOT DRIVEN AS HARSH HARSHLY AS THE PATROL DIVISION.
THEY ARE NOT. IT'S A ROUND TOWN.
IT'S TYPICALLY TO HELP US MANAGE EVENTS.
THE PARKING OFFICER TYPICALLY GOES, YOU KNOW, ON THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN, UP AND DOWN THE ROADS THERE.
AND THE ANIMAL, THE ANIMAL CONTROL VEHICLE, THAT'S A TRUCK.
WE HAVE TWO ANIMAL CONTROL VEHICLES.
SO ROLL DOWN A PATROL VEHICLE THAT WAS ALREADY DRIVEN FOR 80 OR 100,000 MILES.
THANK YOU. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
FIRST OF ALL, CHIEF, THANK YOU FOR LOOKING AT THIS DIFFERENTLY TO HOPEFULLY GET A DIFFERENT RESULT ON THE HIRING AND RETENTION, I'M SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT FUNDING THE THE CLASS, THE SCHOOL TO TO BECOME CERTIFIED.
BUT I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
[00:45:08]
WHATEVER WE CALL THAT, DOES THAT MEAN THAT WE HAVE TWO CARS IN THE QUEUE RIGHT NOW COMING OUR WAY OR DID WE ALREADY GET THEM FROM THIS PAST YEAR? WE ORDERED TWO. WELL, WE ORDERED MORE THAN TWO.SO LAST YEAR WE ORDERED THREE VEHICLES TAHT ARE BEING OUTFITTED NOW FOR PATROL ONLY.
OKAY. THOSE ARE AT DANA SAFETY WHO DOES OUR OUTFITTING FOR US.
THEY'RE BEING OUTFITTED AS PART OF OUR 23 REQUEST.
OKAY, BUT ARE THEY IN THE TOTAL COUNT? THEY ARE RIGHT NOW I THINK YOU TOLD ME THE OTHER DAY WE HAVE 21 VEHICLES AVAILABLE.
DOES THAT INCLUDE THE THREE THAT ARE BEING OUTFITTED? THE 24 INCLUDES THE THREE, AM I CORRECT CHASE? SO THE 23 INCLUDES THE SORRY, THE 24 INCLUDES THE THREE CARS THAT ARE AT DANA RIGHT NOW.
THE ONLY ROLL DOWN CARS THAT ARE GIVEN OUT ARE TO THE THE PARKING AND VOLUNTEERS OR DO ADMINS GET NEW CARS? SO THE ADMIN WITH THE DARK COLORED ADMIN UP THERE.
SAME AS THE OFFICER DRIVING ABOUT 100 AND 100,000 MILES.
I TURNED MY LAST CAR IN IT WAS TEN YEARS OLD AND HAD 130,000 MILES ON IT.
SO MY ONLY FINAL COMMENT IS THIS I AM 100% BEHIND YOU ON GETTING THIS STAFFING UP. I WANT THE STAFFING.
IF YOU TELL US WE NEED THE STAFF, I'M BUYING IN TO THAT.
BUT I DO QUESTION WHAT IS DIFFERENT.
I DO QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT WE'LL CLOSE THAT DELTA THIS YEAR.
SO I AM NOT GOING TO SUPPORT 4 CARS.
I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT TWO CARS.
WELL, I'LL HOLD IT WHAT I AM GOING TO SUPPORT FOR LATER, BUT I TOTALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUGGESTION THAT WE COULD DO A TRIAL RUN FOR A YEAR AND SEE IF WE CAN EXTEND THE LIFE OF THESE CARS AND THEN BASED ON SUCCESS, IF WE HAVE THAT KIND OF SUCCESS.
BECAUSE IN MY MIND, IF WE WANT TO NET, WHAT DO WE WANT A NET 4 OR 5 NEW PATROL OFFICERS? WE'D LIKE TO HIRE 5 NEXT YEAR I WILL HAVE SIX POSITIONS OPEN LIKELY IN THE 20.
SO WE LOOKED BACK OVER ABOUT 20, 22 YEARS OF HISTORY OF OFFICERS COMING AND GOING AND HIRING FOUR WAS OUR AVERAGE IN ANY YEAR THAT WE WERE DOWN. SO IN ANY GIVEN YEAR, IF I AVERAGED ALL THOSE YEARS OUT, IT WAS FOUR OFFICERS.
THAT WE WERE SHORT? YES. VACANT POSITIONS.
OKAY. SO THEN WHAT'S DIFFERENT TODAY TO CLOSE THAT DELTA? THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN WE'VE BEEN FULL STAFFED AND IT HAS BEEN FOR SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR.
IF I GO TO FULL STAFF, I WON'T HAVE THE CARS TO PUT ON THE STREET WITH THE OFFICERS.
IT'S A GAMBLE. I UNDERSTAND IT'S A CRAPSHOOT AND I HAVE TO CONFESS I'LL FEEL BAD IF YOU GET ALL THE WAY THERE AND YOU HAVE TO STOP ON THAT REALLY, REALLY GOOD OFFICER, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A PATROL CAR.
BUT I REALLY THINK WE OUGHT TO TAKE YOU UP ON THE THE EFFORT TO SEE IF WE CAN EXTEND THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLES, REDUCE THIS YEAR'S BUDGETED NUMBER, AND THEN RELOOK AT IT AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
I'M JUST I'M FINDING IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HIRE 7 OR 8 THIS YEAR TO ALLOW FOR THOSE THAT LEAVE US TO NET 4 OR 5.
I AGREE. BUT WE'RE ALSO EXTENDING THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLES, IF THAT'S EFFECTIVE.
CHIEF, CAN YOU CLARIFY THAT? SO IN OCTOBER, THAT'S WHEN IT OPENS UP THAT WE HAVE TO PLACE THESE ORDERS AND WHEN DO WE ACTUALLY GET THOSE CARS ON THE ROAD? SO ACTUALLY, THE ORDERING OPENS IN AUGUST.
AUGUST. SO ABOUT 12 MONTHS FROM AUGUST WE'LL PROBABLY SEE THE CARS START TO ARRIVE.
THAT'S AVERAGE OVER THE COURSE OF PROBABLY LAST 5 OR 6 YEARS.
IF WE HAVE ANOTHER PERIOD OF TIME, 3 TO 6 MONTHS FOR DANAS SAFETY TO OUTFIT THEM.
THAT'S HOW WE ARRIVE AT THAT APPROXIMATELY 18 MONTH NUMBER.
WE SAW 18 MONTHS DURING COVID.
GET ROOM IN YOUR BUDGET TO HOST ANOTHER CITIZEN'S POLICE ACADEMY.
WE ARE PLANNING TO HOST ANOTHER ACADEMY IN SEPTEMBER.
ARE YOU SAYING YOU'LL OPEN UP ANOTHER POSITION TO GO TO A CADDIE? NO, THIS IS CITIZEN'S POLICE ACADEMY.
FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN AND SPEND TEN WEEKS WITH US TO GO THROUGH THE ACADEMY.
SO THAT'S THE TWO PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE NO?
[00:50:01]
CITIZEN'S POLICE ACADEMY FOR.THANK YOU. OH, WHILE WE'RE ON THIS SUBJECT OF THINGS THAT ARE DIFFERENT, DIDN'T WE USED TO HAVE 1 OR 2 PATROL OFFICERS ON BICYCLES? WE DO, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE CARS.
SO KIND OF AS A FINAL ON THIS ISSUE OF NUMBER OF CARS AND PEOPLE THAT NEED THEM AND SO ON.
I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND YOUR BUSINESS BECAUSE I'M NOT YOU.
BUT THESE PEOPLE DON'T NEED TO HAVE THAT CAR AT THEIR DISPOSAL FULL TIME.
BUT THEY NEED THEM FROM TIME TO TIME.
AND SOME OF IT IS HIGHLY IMPORTANT AND SOME OF IT NOT SO MUCH.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE I GUESS, WHERE I WANT TO GO ON THIS IS I DON'T EVER WANT TO BE KNOWN AS SOMEBODY WHO PUT US IN PERIL FOR, SAY, FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT PROPERLY RUNNING VEHICLES FOR THOSE WHO ABSOLUTELY NEED THEM.
BUT RECOGNIZING THAT PERHAPS IF WE DID HAVE SUCH SUCCESS HIRING THAT WE WOULD NOT DO WHAT WE NORMALLY DO ON PUSHING OUT CARS TO OTHERS UNTIL WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO.
I DON'T KNOW, JUST THOUGHT, YEAH.
THEY TYPICALLY HAVE 120,000 MILES ON THEM AROUND THERE.
BUT AGAIN, I'M IN THAT SITUATION WHERE WE FOUND IT TO BE A USEFUL TOOL.
IF IT WEREN'T A USEFUL TOOL, WE WOULDN'T EMPLOY IT.
IF I CAN'T PUT THOSE CARS ON THE STREET TO BE USED AS A TOOL, THEN THE RESOURCE, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T PUT PEOPLE ON THE STREET TO DO THE JOBS WE'RE ASKING THEM TO DO WITHOUT THOSE CARS MANY TIMES.
I'LL JUST ONE LAST THING AND WE'LL MOVE IT BACK AROUND.
IF YOU HAD IF YOU ORDERED ONE CAR THIS YEAR AND YOU DEPLOYED YOUR STRATEGY OF TRYING TO PUSH OUT THE LIFE EXPECTANCY, CAN YOU MAKE IT WORK? SO THE CHALLENGE IS WE PHYSICALLY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH CARS IN THE FLEET TODAY AT 21 CARS AVAILABLE.
SO, CHASE, ROLL THAT SCREEN BACK UP, PLEASE.
SO. AT FULLY STAFFED WITH 33 OFFICERS, I'D NEED 24 CARS.
THE 23 NUMBER INCLUDES THE REQUEST FOR TWO CARS.
SO I KNOW I'M GOING TO BE ONE SHORT FOR SURE.
IF I WENT A YEAR, I COULD RETAIN ANOTHER CAR.
BUT IT. WELL, I'M ASSUMING THAT ONCE THESE CARS ARE DELIVERED, YOU'RE PUTTING THE THE ONES THAT YOU'RE REPLACING INTO, I FORGET WHAT YOU CALL IT, BUT WHERE YOU PUT THEM OUT TO THE PUBLIC FOR AUCTION.
THIS IS DECOMMISSIONING ZERO CARS.
THIS IS KEEPING WHAT WE HAVE ON THE FLEET, ADDING TWO MORE AND DECOMMISSIONING ZERO.
WE PUT THEM BACK ON THE STREET ALREADY.
SO AM I GETTING THIS RIGHT? YOU'VE REALLY ALREADY DEPLOYED THAT STRATEGY.
WE STARTED TO THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE DIDN'T GET RID OF ANY CARS.
WE KEPT THE THREE THAT WE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN RID OF.
THAT THE THREE THAT ARE BEING OUTFITTED NOW, THAT WOULD HAVE REPLACED THEM.
I THINK THAT 24% HIKE UP SOUNDS PRETTY HEAVY.
IT'S MORE THAN WHAT ANYBODY WOULD HAVE EVER IMAGINED SEEING.
[00:55:01]
IT MAY NOT BE.I THINK THE MANUFACTURERS UNDERSTAND THEY HAVE A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE RIGHT NOW.
GOVERNMENTS ARE GOING TO PAY WHATEVER THEY NEED TO.
DOES JACKS BEACH DO THAT? SO UNF WAS LOOKING AT IT FOR A WHILE.
I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY IN THE AREA RIGHT NOW THAT LEASES CARS.
IT IS AN OPTION THAT FIXES THE BUDGET NUMBER.
SO ONCE YOU ENTER THE CONTRACT FOR A GIVEN NUMBER OF YEARS, IF THEY CONTRACT FOR ONE, 2 OR 3, FOUR YEARS, YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO REPLACE TWO VEHICLES OR THREE VEHICLES A YEAR, THE NUMBER IS FIXED.
THEY DELIVER AN OUTFITTED VEHICLE TO YOU.
IT'S THE WAY SOME CITIES FIX THEIR BUDGET NUMBERS.
THEY KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
IT DOES COST A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY THAN PURCHASING YOUR OWN VEHICLES.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S THE QUESTION IS, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A FLEET THAT IS ALWAYS UP AND RUNNING, THAT'S MAINTENANCE BY SOMEBODY ELSE, YOU KNOW WHAT THE BUDGET NUMBER IS GOING TO BE FROM YEAR TO YEAR INSTEAD OF HAVING A JOCKEY BACK AND FORTH.
SO NOW IT BEHOOVES US TO NOT LEASE.
BUT TO COMMISSIONER KELLY'S POINT, IF IT CONTINUES TO UPTICK.
IT'S A POSSIBILITY. WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT IT.
OF COURSE, THE MANUFACTURER'S COSTS ARE PASSED ON THROUGH THAT LEASING AGENCY.
SO IF THEY'RE BUYING THAT POLICE PACKAGE VEHICLE, IT'S STILL GOING TO BE AT A 24% INCREASE.
I HATE TO BE LIKE I HATE TO JINX ANYTHING, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN A POSITION IN A POST HURRICANE SITUATION WHERE WE DON'T HAVE THE CARS TO GET THE JOB DONE.
GET PEOPLE OUT AND GET EVERYTHING CLEANED UP.
JOE TONIGHT THIS REALLY IS JUST INFORMATION TONIGHT.
YOU'RE GOING TO TELL US YOU'RE GOING TO HELP US BUILD THE BUDGET.
ARE WE DOING ANY OF THAT BUILDING TONIGHT? [LAUGHTER] WELL, YOU WILL TELL US WHAT YOU WANT AND WE WILL TAKE IT BACK.
AND ON THE 7TH, WE'LL HAVE A WORKSHOP WITH WHERE WE WILL GO OVER EACH DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET WITH BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN US AND ALSO THE REVENUES AVAILABLE THAT WE HAVE.
IF I CAN GO BACK TO MY PRESENTATION, WHICH I'LL GO THROUGH AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
OBVIOUSLY, I'M LOOKING AT THE CALENDAR RIGHT NOW AND TONIGHT IS THE 25TH, OBVIOUSLY.
THIS AGENDA IS A LITTLE DECEPTIVE.
I SUPPLIED YOU WITH THE FIRST GO OF DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS.
WE ARE REFINING THOSE AS EVERY DAY, LITERALLY.
AND YOU WILL HAVE WHAT WE HOPE TO BE THE FINAL DEPARTMENT BUDGETS BY AUGUST 7TH.
THAT TIME WE'LL HAVE ALL THE DEPARTMENTS HERE.
YOU CAN GO THROUGH EACH DEPARTMENT.
ONE AT A TIME WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS.
JOE, IS THE REVENUE SHARING FROM THE STATE EXPECTED THIS WEEK? IT SORT OF TRICKLES IN.
IT DOESN'T COME IN ON A WE CHECK IT EVERY DAY.
BUT WE EXPECT TO HAVE EVERYTHING WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK.
SOME OF THE ASSUMPTIONS WE'RE USING WHEN WE'RE BUILDING THE BUDGET THIS YEAR IS TO MAINTAIN THE AT LEAST THE 3.1035 MILLAGE RATE WHICH WE SET LAST NIGHT AS THE MAXIMUM.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY NEW EMPLOYEES IN THE BUDGET AND WE ARE REPURPOSING ONE OF VIC'S OFFICER'S POSITIONS AND CREATING AN IT POSITION. BASICALLY, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS PRETTY I.T.
HEAVY, AND IT'S JUST BECOMING MORE FOR OUR TWO GUYS TO THAN THEY CAN HANDLE.
ALSO, THERE'S A 4% SALARY INCREASE FOR GENERAL AND UNIONIZED BLUE COLLAR EMPLOYEES.
I SAID BASICALLY WITH THE INFLATION THAT WE'VE HAD, FOUR WOULD BE A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER FOR THEM.
[01:00:05]
AND OUT OF FAIRNESS TO THAT REQUEST, WHAT WAS THEIR INCREASE LAST YEAR? THAT I DON'T KNOW. I DO KNOW OVER THE LAST.LARGE. IT WAS ABOUT 9%, I BELIEVE, OVERALL TOGETHER.
BUT REMEMBER, OUR CITY STAFF COMBINED IN 361 DAYS HAD OVER 20%.
THEY ASKED FOR 6. WHEN I WAS HERE, THEY GOT 3%.
IT HAD BEEN DELAYED ABOUT INCREASING THAT FOR A WHILE, RIGHT? YEAH, RIGHT.
ON WHICH PIECE? THE MINIMUM WAGE.
WE WERE TRYING TO CATCH UP ON THE SALARY INCREASES, WEREN'T WE? BECAUSE. RIGHT THERE DONE THAT.
THEY DIDN'T GET ANYTHING FOR YEARS.
SO THAT WAS THE NUMBER WAS JUST CATCHING UP WHERE THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN BEFORE.
I WILL TELL YOU, WHEN I GOT HERE IN 2017, IT WAS THE FIRST TIME, 4 OR 5 YEARS THAT THEY HAD.
SO LAST YEAR WAS CATCH UP YEAR.
SO NORMALLY IT'S THREE, BUT THEY WANTED SIX AND NOW.
AND THAT'S WHAT THEY NORMALLY GET EVERY YEAR IS A 5%.
I THINK THAT'S I THINK THEY GOT FIVE THEY'RE GETTING 5% THIS YEAR.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WILL BE NEXT YEAR.
NOT THAT VIC WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF INCREASE FOR THE UNION OVER THE NEXT THIS YEAR AND NEXT YEAR? 5% THIS YEAR AND 5% NEXT YEAR.
OKAY. THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL NORMALLY GET EVERY YEAR? THAT WAS NEGOTIATED LAST YEAR ON A THREE YEAR CONTRACT.
I THINK IT WAS 7, 5 AND FIVE THE PREVIOUS YEAR WAS SEVEN.
THE BLUE COLLARED WHAT'S THEIR PROGRESSION? THEY WANTED 4%.
THEY COME AND ASK. WE SAY, NO, WE'LL DO THIS.
AND GENERALLY IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE WAY IT HAS BEEN.
CAN YOU GIVE THEM FIVE? I CAN GIVE THEM WHATEVER YOU GUYS WANT TO GIVE THEM.
YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE UP TO YOU.
AND THE SALARIES NEED TO BE COMPETITIVE, ESPECIALLY.
SO SINCE MAYBE WE HAVE A QUICK DISCUSSION ON THIS.
BUT I THINK I KNOW WHERE COMMISSIONER KELLY IS GOING.
SO WE HEARD FROM AN EMPLOYEE OF PUBLIC UTILITIES OR PUBLIC WORKS.
I BELIEVE THAT'S PUBLIC WORKS LAST NIGHT.
AND HE MADE A COMPELLING ARGUMENT THAT HE IS JUST SO LOWLY PAID, HE CAN'T EVEN AFFORD A LOW INCOME HABITAT HOME AT A ZERO INTEREST RATE.
AND SINCE I CAME FROM THERE, I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE AND I KNOW WHAT HIS SALARY IS.
BACK TO WHAT COMMISSIONER KELLY SAID EARLIER, WE WERE OR MAYBE SEVERAL PEOPLE SAID IT LAST YEAR.
WE WERE TRYING TO WE STARTED OUT WITH CLOSING THE GAP ON A LIVING WAGE, MINIMUM WAGE.
AND WE DID THAT AND WE ACTUALLY DID IT AHEAD OF SCHEDULE BASED ON WHAT THE STATE'S DOING.
BUT WHERE I THINK WE AIRED IS WE WENT ACROSS THE BOARD AND WE GAVE EVERYBODY A RAISE.
I THINK THAT WAS IN APRIL OR MAY.
AND SO MY ASK IS FOR THIS COMMISSION TONIGHT TO CONSIDER THAT AS WE BUILD THIS BUDGET, WE SHOULD FOCUS ON THE LOWEST EARNERS. AND IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE EXCLUDE THE HIGHER EARNERS, BUT ONE THING THAT STICKS IN MY MIND FROM ALL THE YEARS I WAS IN BANKING IS YOU REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT THE SALARIES ARE, WHAT PEOPLE ARE EARNING RELATIVE TO MID-POINT OF THE RANGE FOR THEIR JOB IN COMPARABLE CITIES.
AND I'M WORRIED THAT IF ONCE WE DO THAT AND IT MAY HAVE ALREADY BEEN FULLY ADDRESSED BY HR, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE STUDIES THAT SHOW US THAT WE SMARTLY MADE THE RIGHT DECISIONS, BECAUSE IF WE GAVE A BIG FAT 20% RAISES LAST YEAR TO PEOPLE THAT WERE ALREADY AT MIDPOINT AND WE DID NOT BRING THESE LOWER INCOME WAGE EARNERS
[01:05:01]
UP TO A LIVING, WELL, WHAT I'LL CALL A LIVING WAGE, THE ABILITY TO AFFORD A VERY INEXPENSIVE HOME TO PUT THEIR FAMILY IN.AND SO I'M JUST ADVOCATING TODAY THAT WE FOCUS OUR ENERGY ON PAYROLL, PAY RAISES ON THOSE AT THE LOWER END AND THEN THOSE WHO ARE AT THE HIGHER END IF THEY'RE NOT AT MIDPOINT.
SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEES GO DRIVE AS FAR AS ORANGE PARK TO GET HERE.
RIGHT. SO THAT'S AN INCREASED TRANSPORTATION COST, RIGHT? INCREASED, YOU KNOW, GO ACROSS THE BOARD, AUTO INSURANCE, ETCETERA, ETCETERA.
AND IT KIND OF PIGGYBACKS ON EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID.
SO YOU HAVE TO YOU KNOW, THERE'S GIVE AND TAKE THERE BECAUSE WE WANT PEOPLE.
RIGHT. AND WE WANT THEM AND WE WANT THEM TO LIVE CLOSE SO THAT FACTORS INTO THE EQUATION.
IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT AND I WILL JUST SAY THE WORKING CLASS OR THE, YOU KNOW, BEGINNERS, THE FIRST PEOPLE INTO THE EMPLOYMENT CYCLE CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.
THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN FERNANDINA BEACH.
THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE IN SANIBEL ISLAND.
SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ALL COMING OVER THE BRIDGE TO WORK IN THESE BEACH COMMUNITIES.
WE HAD PEOPLE IN FERNANDINA BEACH THAT CAME FROM CALLAHAN.
ABSOLUTELY. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SOLUTION IS, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
[LAUGHTER] THANK YOU, JOE. OKAY.
WE EXPECT AN 8 TO 10% INCREASE IN OUR HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS. AND WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT TWO NEW POLICE VEHICLES, AND WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT A PUBLIC WORKS TRUCK IN TWO WEEKS. NOT JUST IN OUR AD VALOREM TAXES OUR CURRENT MILLAGE AGAIN, IS 3.1035. WE HAD AN INCREASE OF PROPERTY VALUES OF 9%, AND THIS JUST GOES THROUGH THE ROLLBACK RATE.
AND GENERALLY WE BUDGET ABOUT 98% OF WHAT WE'RE EXPECTED OR WHAT WE CAN COLLECT BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T PAY THEIR TAXES.
JOE WHAT ABOUT THAT VAN AND THE ASSUMPTIONS? WHAT ABOUT THE VAN FOR THE THE REC DEPARTMENT? WE FOUND ONE. OH, DID YOU? GREAT. WE'LL BRING THAT TO YOU NEXT MEETING.
OKAY. AND JUST IN FULL DISCLOSURE, WE MAY HAVE TO PURCHASE IT NOW BECAUSE OF THE DEMAND.
RIGHT. YOU WERE HAVING A HARD TIME EVEN FINDING INVENTORY.
YES. ACTUALLY IT WAS KEVIN, WASN'T IT? WHO FOUND IT? YES.
SOMEONE WE HAD TO CALL OUT TO ONE OF THE FORD DEALERS, AND THEY HAD NOTHING AND WAS LAST WEEK, KEVIN GOT A CALL AND SAYING SOMEONE BACKED OUT ON A VEHICLE THAT THEY ORDERED, AND WE STEPPED RIGHT IN.
SO THAT'S THE VAN THAT WE'RE GOING TO SHARE WITH THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.
THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL TRANSPORTATION.
I KNOW I'VE SEEN BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB VANS ON THE ROAD.
I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT.
I THINK THAT THERE WILL BE, DEPENDING ON THE CITY'S VAN FOR TRANSPORTATION.
AND JUST ANY MORE QUESTIONS? JUST MOVING FORWARD, WE HAVE A LIST OF PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE IN THE WORKS.
ONE THING I WILL POINT OUT THAT AND I THINK I DID WHEN WE WERE DOING OUR ONE ON ONES, WE HAVE $560,000 FOR THE LIFEGUARD STATION FROM THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE. THANK YOU.
[01:10:01]
TO DO THERE. OKAY.ONE ON THE 16TH STREET, WALK OVER, DIDN'T WE? WE PUSHED THAT TO THE RIGHT.
RIGHT. DIDN'T THE PREVIOUS MONEY FOR THAT? RIGHT. WASN'T IT GOING TO BE LAST? THIS IS A ROLLOVER.
ROLLOVER. OKAY. SO SO I GUESS WHAT I'M REALLY ASKING IS WHEN WILL THAT HAPPEN? DO WE WANT IT TO HAPPEN? WE ARE.
LIKE, WHAT DO YOU THINK? IS IT WORTH DOING THAT? ON 16TH? IT'S PRETTY BAD.
I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S WORTH $600,000.
IT'S YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S A LOT WORSE THAN 18.
WITH THE ENGINEERS? BECAUSE THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THE LAND.
THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THE WAY IT'S DRILLED INTO THE SIDE OF THE PROPERTY.
THERE'S HUGE ISSUES THERE THAT SMARTER PEOPLE THAN ME.
I'M WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER BOWLES.
YEAH, IT'S REALLY FOR ME, IT'S AN ENGINEERING ISSUE.
AND I DO APPRECIATE YOU GETTING SOLICITING YET ANOTHER ENGINEERING REPORT.
WHAT I WANT IS SAFE WALK OVER.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE LEANING TOWER OF PISA, RIGHT? SO THE WALL IS LIKE THIS AND THAT KIND OF MAKES YOU WORRY.
JOE WE ALSO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE RESIDENT ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THAT? CORRECT.
WELL, AND HE DOESN'T WANT TO INCREASE THE WIDTH OF IT.
WELL, HE WANTS US BASICALLY TO PUSH IT CLOSER.
I THINK THERE'S ONLY A FIVE FOOT RIGHT OF WAY THERE.
HE WANTS US TO PUSH IT CLOSER BECAUSE WE NOW INFRINGE ON HIS HIS PROPERTY.
HE WANTS US TO PUSH IT SO WE DON'T INFRINGE ON HIS PROPERTY.
AND TO INFRINGE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF IT ON THAT PROPERTY.
RIGHT UP TO THE EDGE OF HIS PROPERTY AND PUT A CEMENT WALL IN THERE, WHICH IS A FOUNDATION ISSUE.
YEAH, THAT WOULD BE A LOT MORE.
I'M NOT QUITE SURE THAT YOU'LL EVER BE ABLE TO REBUILD THAT, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S.
IT'S A UNIQUE DESIGN FOR SURE.
YEAH. SO THIS IS REALLY, I MEAN, MY OPINION SET ASIDE BECAUSE WE COULD TALK FOR HALF AN HOUR.
I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PERSONALITIES INVOLVED AND THE PROPERTY.
AND YOU KNOW BUT ANYWAY, THAT IS A CARRYOVER.
WE'LL GET THAT REPORT AND GET IT TO YOU AS SOON AS WE CAN.
WHAT I'M PLANNING ON DOING AGAIN IS BUDGETING $25,000 FOR DESIGN.
BUT YOU WILL HAVE TO DETERMINE WHAT YOU WANT TO BUILD THERE.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T THINK $500,000 IS REALLY GOING TO GO VERY FAR.
BUT. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME.
OKAY. YEAH. AND JUST MORE PROJECTS.
YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I THINK THESE GUYS REALLY HAVE THEIR PLATE FULL.
I'M NOT GOING TO RECOMMEND WE DO ANYTHING MAJOR THIS YEAR OTHER THAN MAYBE A BEACH WALK OVER IF YOU SO DESIRE OR SOME EXPANSION OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO WITH THE PICKLEBALL COURTS.
BUT THESE GUYS HAVE GOT A LOT OF, A LOT OF PROJECTS ON THERE ON THEIR PLATE.
AND I THINK WE GOT IT UP TO 600 AND WE STILL DIDN'T GET WHAT WE USED TO GET.
BUT I THINK THIS COMMISSION REALLY NEEDS TO THINK HARD ABOUT THAT NUMBER AND IT NEEDS TO BE HIGHER.
WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT NEEDS ON STREET.
CAN YOU AND COMMISSIONER TALK ABOUT THAT? WORK ON THAT? THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
DON'T FORGET, WE HAVE PURCHASED THE SOFTWARE AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO EVALUATE OUR STREETS.
OKAY. WE HAVE WE HAVE STATEN ISLAND, NORTH PIER AND SUNSET PIER IN HERE FOR $200,000. I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN ONE OF THOSE TWO, THE ONE THAT NEEDS IT THE MOST.
[01:15:02]
AND AGAIN, WE CAN TALK WITH SCOTT WHEN HE IS HERE IN TWO WEEKS.BETWEEN WHICH TWO? THE STATEN ISLAND AND SUNSET.
I DON'T KNOW THAT SCOTT'S GOING TO BE HERE.
IS HE GOING ON VACATION? KEVIN YOU MENTIONED THAT TODAY.
HE IS ON OR IS HE COMING BACK OR GOING? HE'S LEAVING BACK ON AUGUST 14TH.
HE'S DEFINITELY WAS HERE LAST, YOU KNOW.
SO ARE WE ON THIS PAGE NOW? CAN I ASK? WELL, YEAH, CERTAINLY.
AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE RECEIVED THAT GRANT YET.
AND OF COURSE, WELL, THIS SAYS REIMBURSEMENT.
SO I'M ASSUMING WE HAVE TO OUTLAY THAT 1.4 MILLION.
MOST OF OUR GRANTS ARE REIMBURSABLE.
AND THE FUNNY THING, ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING, IF YOU HAVE A $200,000 PROJECT AND YOU'RE $150,000 IS GRANTED MONEY, WE HAVE TO BUDGET FOR THE WHOLE PROJECT AND THEN WE GET REIMBURSED.
AND THAT MONEY GOES BACK TO THE FUND WHERE IT CAME FROM.
MAKES SENSE. CAN YOU, FROM YOUR KNOWLEDGE, JOE, CAN YOU RESTATE THE VALUE PROPOSITION TO ATLANTIC BEACH CITIZENS OF PUTTING IN THAT WATER SERVICE TO THE BASE? ACTUALLY, I CANNOT.
THAT WOULD BE A QUESTION FOR STEVE.
ALL RIGHT, THEN WE'LL HOLD THAT ONE.
MY CONCERN IS, I THINK ONE OF THE BENEFITS IS REDUNDANCY OF WATER SERVICE.
IN THE EVENT THAT WE HAD AN EVENT AND WE NEEDED WATER SERVICE BACK FROM THE BASE.
BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS, IS THAT THE ONLY BENEFIT TO THE CITIZENS OF ATLANTIC BEACH? AND THEN, OF COURSE, WHAT IS OUR COST? AND THIS WOULD SUGGEST THAT 25% OF THAT 1.4 MILLION IS US, BUT WE'RE ALREADY WELL UNDER.
I THOUGHT WE WERE WELL UNDER WAY.
WE'RE ALMOST COMPLETED WITH THE FIRST PHASE.
OKAY. I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT DORA.
DORA DRIVE IS 1.1 MILLION, BUT THE LAND ACQUISITION IS $1,075,000 AND THEN THE 1.2 FOR THE MITIGATION POND ITSELF.
ARE WE JUST LISTING WHAT IT WOULD COST TO PURCHASE? SO DID YOU JUST ROUND UP ON THE 1.1 MILLION? WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SETTLEMENT COSTS.
SO I THINK THE 1.1 MILLION SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
ALSO THE COST OF THE PHASE ONE ENVIRONMENTAL.
THERE ARE COSTS, AS YOU ALL KNOW.
THERE ARE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH YEAH. IF ANYTHING IT MIGHT BE.
DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH THAT ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY ASSESSMENT IS GOING TO COST US? I WOULD SAY BETWEEN $5,000.
THAT WOULD BE FOR THE PHASE ONE.
YES. OKAY. SO THE PHASE TWO, NOT SO CHEAP, BUT IF WE NEED A PHASE TWO.
OKAY SO WE'RE JUST LOOKING TO ACQUIRE DOOR DRIVE RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO PUT IN THE PROJECT THE MITIGATION POND.
FROM WHAT I HEARD FROM MR. SWANN, IT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME TO HE'S GOT OTHER PIECES THAT ARE IN THE PROCESS OF WORK UPSTREAM.
SO IT CLEARLY WOULD NOT BE DEVELOPED IN THE 2023, 24 BUDGET PERIOD.
AND IF YOU COULD GO TO A PAGE WITH THE TITLE OF GRANT FUNDING, THIS IS JUST A LIST OF THE GRANTS THAT WE HAVE AND THE TOTAL IS ABOUT $4.9 MILLION DOLLARS IN GRANTS. IT'S ALSO A LIST OF OUR MATCH THERE.
AND ON THE COMMISSION CONSENSUS NEEDED.
BASICALLY, SOMEONE WANTED IMPROVEMENTS IN THE BASEBALL FIELD.
COMMISSIONER KELLY ASKED ABOUT IMPROVING THE GATEWAY AT SEMINOLE.
AND OF COURSE, THERE'S THE PICKLEBALL ISSUE.
KEVIN AND I WENT TO JORDAN PARK.
WE WENT TO VETERANS PARK AND WE WENT TO DONNER PARK.
AND WE HAVE DETERMINED THE ONLY PLACE THAT WE CAN PUT ADDITIONAL PICKLEBALL COURTS WOULD BE AT DONNER, AND IT WOULD BE IF WE BUILT NEW COURTS. IT WOULD BE RIGHT THERE.
WHICH WAS RIGHT NEXT TO THE ADJACENT OR THE CURRENT PICKLEBALL COURTS.
[01:20:01]
THE OTHER ALTERNATIVE IS TO AND FIRST OF ALL, THE NEW COURT, WE ESTIMATE, WILL BE ABOUT 230,000.AND THE NEW COURT THAT MAKES UP FOUR COURTS.
THE OTHER ALTERNATIVE, OF COURSE, IS TO CHANGE THE TENNIS COURT INTO PICKLEBALL COURTS.
AND THAT PROBABLY BE ABOUT 40 TO $50,000.
THE PARKS PLAN IS OUR MASTER PLAN FOR HOW WE SPEND MONEY ON OUR PARKS.
AND I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF DEVIATING FROM THE PLAN.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, THE PLAN NEEDS TO BE DEVIATED.
BUT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE.
AND WE HAVE ALWAYS SINCE WE CREATED THAT PLAN, WE HAVE SPENT MONEY EQUITABLY ACROSS THE CITY.
AND WE HAVE A NEW SPORT WHICH WE'VE ALREADY ACCOMMODATED IN SEVERAL PLACES IN THE CITY.
AND IF IT NEEDS TO GO FURTHER THAN THAT, THEN IT NEEDS TO GO BACK TO THE PARKS PLAN.
AND I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF SPENDING ANY MONEY RIGHT NOW.
COMMISSIONER KELLY WAS THAT WHEN I FORGOT? IS HIS NAME BRIAN WHO CAME? AMANDA ASKEW ASSISTANT CAME AND SHARED WITH US, BUT I DIDN'T GET A WHOLE LOT OF INFORMATION FROM PICKLEBALL ABOUT THE PICKLEBALL.
THERE'S NO PICKLEBALL IN THE PLAN.
THERE'S NO, THAT'S WHY WE DIDN'T.
ARE YOU FRUSTRATED BECAUSE OF THAT PLAN NEEDS TO BE ALTERED? I AM PERFECTLY WILLING TO ASK THEM TO REOPEN THE PLAN.
AND THEY CAME AND WE SPOKE AND THEY WENT AWAY.
SO WOULD THAT BE WOULD LATRENIA BE PART OF THAT? THAT WOULD BE BETWEEN AMANDA AND LATRENIA? OKAY. I SEE.
SO THEY CREATE THAT PLAN TOGETHER.
COMMUNITY CREATED THAT PLAN TOGETHER.
AND WHY HAVE WE NOT DISCUSSED THIS UNTIL THIS IS GOING ON FOR SO LONG? HOW CAN WE HAVE NOT DISCUSSED THIS? I AM LOOK, I'M TIRED OF THESE EMAILS.
I'M TIRED OF THESE MEETINGS ABOUT THIS.
I'M GOING TO TAKE THAT DONNER PARK TENNIS COURT AWAY.
MAKE IT ALL ONE PICKLEBALL AREA.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO AFFECT PARKING THAT MUCH.
I'M NOT SURE THAT $250,000 AND MORE PICKLEBALL COURTS.
I'M NOT SURE THE PARKING IS GOING TO BE OVER THERE.
I JUST WANT TO THE FIRST STEP, THE EASY STEP IS TO TAKE THAT TENNIS COURT AWAY.
COMMISSIONER KELLY, YOU'RE SAYING WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS LATRENIA AND AMANDA ASKEW NEED TO REVISIT THE COMP PLAN AND THEN WE'LL UTILIZE THE COMP PLAN. OKAY.
THE PARKS PLAN THAT THE COMMUNITY CREATED TOGETHER IN, WHAT, 18 OR 19? SO MAY I COMMENT I'VE BEEN HOLDING BACK.
OKAY. I DON'T WANT PLANS ARE DESIGNED TO HELP US.
WHEN THE PLAN DOES NOT HELP US WE MIGHT WANT TO DO SOMETHING OTHER THAN JUST FOLLOW THE PLAN.
LET'S CHANGE IT. WELL, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY.
I'M RIGHT NOW WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD ON DISCUSSION ABOUT BUDGETING.
I DO NOT CARE IF WE ADJUST THE PARKS PLAN.
HOWEVER, I SUPPORT ADJUSTING THE PARKS PLAN.
SO LET'S MOVE FORWARD AND DO THAT.
BUT LET'S NOT HOLD BACK ON BUDGETING SOMETHING FOR RELIEF OF THE CITIZENS WHO HAVE BEEN PERSISTENT PATIENT AND MOST OF THE TIME KIND. WELL, OKAY, MAYOR, I DON'T SEE WHY WE CAN'T CHANGE A PLAN IN A WEEK.
YEAH, I MEAN, LIKE SERIOUSLY IN A WEEK.
GET AMANDA TO GET IT. JUST GET IT DONE IN A WEEK.
BUT I WAS. NO BUT JACK RUSSELL.
LOOK, JACK RUSSELL HAS ENOUGH TENNIS COURTS THAT ARE NOT BEING USED.
YOU HAVE THAT ONE IN DONNER PARK.
AND THERE'S PROBABLY ABOUT THREE PEOPLE IN THIS WHOLE TOWN THAT WANT THAT DONNER PARK TENNIS COURT.
JACK RUSSELL IS THERE FOR THE TAKING.
LET'S JUST DO THE MINIMAL GET AMANDA TO GET IT DONE.
[01:25:10]
40. SO IT'S SOMEWHERE I WOULD THINK BETWEEN 40 AND 50.OKAY. BUT WHAT THIS IS SAYING, 230 IS.
THAT'S FOR NEW COURTS. THAT'S FOR BRAND NEW COURTS.
TENNIS COURTS. THAT'S A NEW. AND TO KEEP THE TENNIS COURTS.
THAT'S RIGHT. AND THEN PUT THEM.
OKAY. WHAT ABOUT BULL PARK? THERE'S TENNIS COURTS OVER THERE.
I KNOW THEY CAN'T BE PLAYED AT NIGHT BECAUSE THE LIGHTS, THEY TURN THE LIGHTS OFF.
THERE AREN'T LIGHTS. IS THAT A SITUATION I DON'T KNOW ABOUT? BECAUSE JUST THE SITUATION THERE IS AT NIGHT TIME, THE NEIGHBORS ARE GOING TO NOT WANT THAT.
I THINK WE JUST NEED TO HANDLE THIS DONNER PARK TENNIS COURT RIGHT NOW VERY QUICKLY.
YEAH. THAT'S THE EASY FIX SETTLED.
I THINK ON TUESDAY NIGHTS RIGHT? THEY PLAY A GROUP THERE.
WE HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE PLAYING IT.
I'M SUPPORTING THE PICKLEBALL COURTS AND PULLING THE LEVER.
AND ONE MORE THING, TWO MORE THINGS ON THAT.
THE PARKING IS POTENTIALLY AN ISSUE, ESPECIALLY ONCE WE HAVE THE SPLASH PAD CONSTRUCTED.
BUT I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER WATERS THAT WE CAN DEAL WITH THAT SUBSEQUENT TO THIS.
RIGHT NOW, THE IMMEDIATE NEED IS TO HAVE MORE PICKLEBALL FACILITIES I SUPPORTED AS WELL.
AND I DO WORRY THAT IF WE TRY TO DO A BRAND NEW SET OF FOUR WHERE THE PINE TREES ARE, WE'RE GOING TO GET MIRED IN A COMMUNITY DISPUTE OVER TREES THAT IS GOING TO DRAG THIS OUT FOR YEARS.
OKAY, WELL, HERE'S WHAT WE'LL DO.
WE'LL BRING AMANDA BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING.
WE'LL BUDGET AND HOPE THAT I'M NOT UNDERSTATING THE COST OF CONVERTING THAT COURT.
GOOD. I DO HAVE AN ASK HERE, AND I KNOW YOU JUST MENTIONED WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PICK BETWEEN DUTTON ISLAND, NORTH PIER DECK RAIL REPLACEMENT AND SUNSET PIER DECK RAIL REPLACEMENT.
I WALK THE SUNSET PIER AND TIDE VIEW'S PIER EVERY DAY WITH MY DOG.
IT'S HORRIBLE. AND I HEAR FROM A LOT OF MY NEIGHBORS WHO WALK THEIR DOGS, THAT IT IS JUST AS BAD AS I AS I ASSESSED IT TO BE.
SO I DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT WE HAVE TO PICK OR CHOOSE BETWEEN THE TWO.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE BOTH OF THOSE.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE US TO TRY AND INCLUDE IN THIS BUDGET? NOT AT THIS TIME.
YES. TO KIND OF COMPLETE THIS.
SO I'M GOING TO BE PREPARED TO GO A LOT DEEPER ON THE NEXT MEETING.
BUT RIGHT NOW, I WANT TO THANK JOE AND STAFF KEVIN HOGENCAMP FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER AND PRESENTING AND AND GETTING US ON THE FIRST STEP OF THIS JOURNEY SO THAT WE CAN MAKE GOOD DECISIONS.
I JUST HAVE ONE MORE THING TO SAY ABOUT THE PICKLEBALL.
I MEAN, WE NEED TO BUDGET PROBABLY MORE.
SO I'M NOT JUST GOING TO DO THIS, WANT TO DO THIS ONE DONNER PARK TENNIS COURT AND BE DONE WITH IT.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT COMMISSIONER KELLY'S THE PLAN.
LET'S GET A PLAN. LET'S DO THIS NOW AND PUT IT IN THE PLAN.
OKAY, COMMISSIONER RING ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH, I DID. I DIDN'T NOTICE THE MAIN STREET ROAD HERE AND DON'T KNOW IF KEVIN KNOWS WHERE.
I DON'T KNOW. IS THAT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN THIS YEAR? BECAUSE MY NEIGHBORS ARE STILL TALKING TO ME ABOUT THE SPEED BUMPS.
THERE'S STILL NO SPEED BUMPS, SPEED TABLES.
THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT. THEY DON'T WANT ANY MORE ROUNDABOUTS, FLOWER POTS IS WHAT THEY CALL THEM.
WE DON'T NEED TO PAY A CONSULTATION FIRM TO TELL US THAT SPEED TABLES WOULD SOLVE THE SPEEDING ISSUES ON MAIN STREET.
SO IS THAT PROJECTED? THERE'S IF YOU UNDER THERE ACTIVE PROJECTS THERE'S A TRAFFIC CALMING MAIN STREET TRAFFIC CALMING PROJECT GOING OUT TO BID THIS MONTH OR EXCUSE ME, IN AUGUST.
[01:30:04]
QUITE HONESTLY, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT IS.I WASN'T HERE WHEN THAT WHOLE DISCUSSION.
I AM SORRY. I'M GOING TO REOPEN AND HAVE A COMMENT ON THAT.
WELL, I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS IN THE PROPOSAL, WHICH INCLUDED THINGS LIKE TRAFFIC CIRCLES.
SO I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO TO BRING THAT BACK UP.
WHY DON'T WE REVIEW THAT AT THE NEXT MEETING? BECAUSE HERE'S A SUGGESTION FOR ALL THE COMMISSIONERS TO THINK ABOUT.
WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS AD NAUSEAM FOR TWO YEARS.
WHY CAN'T WE TAKE THE BASIC PREMISE OF ENFORCEMENT, WHICH MEANS WRITING CITATIONS FOR SPEEDERS AND PUT IN SOME SPEED TABLES AT A REASONABLE COST AND SEE HOW THAT WORKS BEFORE WE START ADDING EXPENSIVE WHAT WHAT I CALL ROUNDABOUTS.
THAT'S THEY'RE NOT THEY'RE REALLY NOT TRAFFIC CIRCLES.
PEOPLE GET TO THOSE, THEY HAVE TO STOP.
THEN THEY TURN LEFT ACROSS THE CIRCLE.
INSTEAD OF GOING AROUND THE CIRCLE.
YES. OKAY. THOSE SPEED BUMPS ARE THE ONLY THAT I KNOW OF.
YES. AND HOW THE SPEED TABLES.
THEY ARE SPEED TABLES. SO HOW I MEAN, I DON'T WANT TO GO FAST OVER SAY, HOW EFFECTIVE ARE THEY? I DON'T KNOW IF CHIEF CAN FIGURE THIS OUT.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO GET MY OWN TESTIMONY ON THE TABLES ON PLAZA, I DRIVE THEM EVERY DAY.
THEY DO CAUSE ME TO SLOW DOWN THEY ARE SMOOTH, TO GO OVER.
AND FOR THE LIFE OF ME WHY DON'T WE START THERE BEFORE WE START DESIGNING BIG ROUNDABOUTS .
WHAT IS THE SPEED TABLE? IT'S A FLATTENED SPEED BUMP.
THE SPEED TABLES ON PLAZA IS THAT.
BETWEEN THE NOISE ON IT OR SO THOSE SPEED TABLES ARE A LOVE HATE RELATIONSHIP.
SOME PEOPLE THINK THEY'RE THE GREATEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD, OTHERS HATE THEM.
I RESPECT EVERYONE'S DESIRE TO LIVE IN A SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I RESPECT THE FACT THEY ARE HIGHLY CONCERNED.
THEY HAVE CHILDREN THAT PLAY IN THEIR FRONT YARDS.
I CAN SEND YOU THE LATEST SPEED SURVEY WE DID.
THERE'S NOT A SPEEDING PROBLEM ON MAIN STREET.
WE HAVE CARS THAT SPEED, BUT THE NUMBER OF THOSE IS PRETTY SMALL.
THERE'S A BREAK POINT YOU GO THERE'S A DIMINISHING RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT.
WE'VE ALREADY INVESTED A GOOD I THINK FOR THE CONSULTATION ANALYSIS WAS LIKE $85,000 JUST TO TELL US, LET'S PUT SOME BOLLARDS IN THE STREET. THAT DIDN'T WORK.
CHIEF VIC, THERE'S A SPEEDING PROBLEM.
I DRIVE THAT ROAD, I HEAR FROM MY NEIGHBORS AND ABSOLUTELY THERE'S A HAZARD.
AND THEY HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING FOR YEARS.
I COULDN'T DISAGREE WITH YOU MORE.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE THE DATA TO WHOEVER WANTS TO LOOK AT IT.
CHIEF, IF I REMEMBER A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I REMEMBER COMMISSIONER NORRIS SPEAKING ABOUT THAT.
WE DID A LOT OF. DIDN'T WE DO A LOT OF DATA COLLECTION OVER THERE? WE'VE LOOKED AT THREE DIFFERENT DIAGRAMS. DOC WATERS, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, AND WE WENT THROUGH THIS FOR PLANS.
RIGHT. DO YOU REMEMBER THIS? THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF EFFORT AND A LOT OF FOCUS ON MAIN STREET.
IT LOOKS LIKE YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DRIVE FASTER.
THERE ARE RESIDENCES ON EITHER SIDE.
THERE'S NO SIDEWALK FOR A BUFFER BETWEEN THE ROADWAY.
THE SIDEWALK I GREW UP THERE, VIC, I WALKED THERE AS A LITTLE GIRL ALL THE WAY FROM THE ATLANTIC BOULEVARD STORAGE UNITS TO MY BABYSITTER'S HOUSE ON MAIN STREET, AND THAT WAS IN THE 80S.
[01:35:03]
THERE'S STILL NOT SIDEWALKS NOW.SIDEWALK IS GOING TO BE A WHOLE DIFFERENT AREA.
BUT NOW I'M RAISING MY OWN CHILDREN THERE.
AND IT'S FLOODED WITH PEOPLE WHO LOVE TO WALK, WHO LOVE TO WALK THEIR DOGS AND IT'S NOT SAFE.
SO WHETHER YOU'RE PATROL MEN ARE THERE OR NOT, WHEN I'M THERE AND I SEE THE SPEEDING.
SO MAY I JUST ADD SOMETHING TO THAT? AND I NEVER WANT TO DISRESPECT, FIRST OF ALL, THE DATA VERY IMPORTANT, AND YOUR STAFF AND WHAT THEY DO.
BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, I'D LIKE TO PUT AN EXTRA PUSH ON ENFORCEMENT, BUT NOT WITH VISIBLE POLICE OFFICERS, MEANING IF I CAN SEE THEM TWO BLOCKS AWAY, I'M SLOWING DOWN.
I WANT TO CATCH THE CULPRITS BECAUSE I'M HEARING FROM PEOPLE TOO, AND I DON'T EVEN LIVE THERE.
BUT I'M HEARING FROM PEOPLE THAT THERE IS A SPEEDING PROBLEM ON MAIN STREET STILL.
SO THAT'S JUST ANECDOTAL, BUT THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.
AND THAT'S AN ENGINEERING SOLUTION THAT'S THERE 24 HOURS A DAY.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN DO.
IT COMES WITH A COST, WHETHER IT'S MONETARY OR QUALITY OF LIFE FOR SOME PEOPLE, NOT.
IT'S A LOT CHEAPER THAN WHAT THE PLAN WAS THAT WAS PRESENTED A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO WITH THE DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT, WHICH WAS PUTTING IN MORE TRAFFIC CIRCLES.
THAT'S WHY WE LIKE TO EMPLOY THE USE OF TRAFFIC ENGINEERS WHO CAN GIVE US A LOT OF PERSPECTIVE.
AND THAT'S THEIR FIELD, THAT'S THEIR EXPERTISE.
THEY CAN [INAUDIBLE] POSSIBLE.
WELL, WE'LL BRING THAT BACK NEXT MEETING, TOO.
I MEAN, NEXT REGULAR SCHEDULED COMMISSION MEETING AND DISCUSS THAT.
IS THAT ACCEPTABLE? PRIOR THREE PLANS FOR MAIN STREET WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? AND I WILL TELL YOU WHEN I WAS HERE FIRST TIME AROUND WE DID TRY AND PUT SIDEWALKS ON MAIN STREET AND THE RESIDENTS DON'T WANT THEM.
THE SIDEWALKS IS THAT'S A HOT TOPIC.
EVERYBODY WANTS THEM. NOBODY WANTS THEM IN THEIR YARD.
YEAH. SO THE LEAST WE CAN DO IS SLOW IT DOWN.
WELL, PART OF OUR BUDGET, A LOT OF OUR BUDGET IS TO FIX THE STREETS BECAUSE THEY'RE BUSTING UP CARS.
IT'S JUST CHEAP AND SEE HOW WELL IT GOES, BUT I'LL BE WILLING TO LOOK AT THEM AGAIN.
BUT IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF EFFORT AND MONEY AND ENFORCEMENT TIME, BUT I'LL LOOK AT IT AGAIN.
AND LET ME JUST SAY THAT YOU KNOW, WE SIT DOWN EVERY MORNING WITH OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR WHO IS DOING A GREAT JOB OF CATCHING UP AND LEARNING. IT'S NOT LIKE THE SOFTWARE PACKAGE THAT WE'RE USING.
AND I'VE NEVER USED IT BEFORE, BUT I WILL SAY THAT ON THE HANDOUTS THAT I GAVE YOU GUYS, EVERY EMPLOYEE'S SALARY IS LISTED BY THEIR POSITION. SO THAT.
YEAH. SO THAT'S AVAILABLE IF YOU'D LIKE TO LOOK AT THAT.
OKAY? YEAH. IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
BEEN ENOUGH TO OURSELVES.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.