[00:00:02]
OKAY. WELCOME BACK, RESIDENTS, GUESTS AND CITY STAFF THAT'S HERE.
[CALL TO ORDER]
SINCE I ALREADY DID AN INVOCATION AND PLEDGE AN HOUR AGO, WE'LL JUST STAND ON THAT AND WE'LL MOVE RIGHT INTO OUR MEETING.[1. PUBLIC COMMENT]
MEETING WITH MORE PUBLIC COMMENT.SO, DONNA, DO YOU HAVE ANYBODY FOR THIS SESSION? BRINKLEY HARRELL.
OF COURSE. HEY, BRINKLEY HAROLD HERE AGAIN TALKING ABOUT THE MATH.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MATH, RIGHT? WHAT'S REALLY GREAT AND NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART, SINCE THIS IS BEING HELD AS A WORKSHOP, NOT AS A TOWN HALL, I REALLY CAN'T ASK ANY QUESTIONS.
BUT HOPEFULLY THERE'S FIVE OF YOU ALL UP HERE THAT WILL ASK SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS.
THERE'S ONLY ONE ASPECT OF INCOME OR REVENUE THAT THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED LAST WEEK, AND THAT IS THE BETTER JAX ONE HALF CENT SALES TAX AT ABOUT $2.5 MILLION, WHEREAS LAST YEAR OR THE CURRENT BUDGET, IT WAS ONLY ABOUT $2.3 MILLION.
SO THERE'S ALREADY AN INCREASE IN OTHER REVENUES COMING IN OF ABOUT $200,000.
BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT ANY OF THE OTHER NUMBERS ARE AND CAN'T ASK THE QUESTION.
SOME OF THOSE THINGS HAPPEN TO BE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS? ARE THERE ANY MORE OF THOSE FUNDS COMING OR CARRYING OVER TO THIS BUDGET THAT THE PUBLIC HAS NOT BEEN MADE AWARE OF YET? ANOTHER ONE IS THE LOCAL OPTION GAS TAX.
AND THE ONLY OTHER REVENUE THAT WE'RE AWARE OF IS THE AD VALOREM TAXATION, WHICH WILL EITHER BE 7.5 MILLION OR 8.2 MILLION OR SOME OTHER MILLAGE RATE THAT YOU ALL DECIDE UPON.
UM, DON'T FORGET, AS YOU LOOK AT ALL THESE TOTAL NUMBERS, LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, THE CURRENT BUDGET AT 56 MILLION WAS A OR 58 MILLION WAS A RECORD HIGH BUDGET FOR THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH.
WE DON'T NEED TO BE MAKING ANOTHER RECORD BUDGET YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT CAN BE CUT BACK AND THAT WILL HAVE TO BE ROLLED BACK BECAUSE MY THOUGHTS ARE THERE'S $10 MILLION IN AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN MONIES THAT WAS IN THE CURRENT BUDGET THAT AIN'T GOING TO BE THERE AGAIN.
SO SOMEBODY BETTER GET REAL SHARP WITH THEIR EXCEL SPREADSHEETS AND FIGURING OUT DIFFERENT WAYS TO CONTROL COST AND SPENDING.
AS AN EXAMPLE, AND ONE OF THE BIG THINGS IS THE DUVAL COUNTY VOTERS USHERED IN A, OH, YOU DIDN'T START THE CLOCK ON ME, MR. MAYOR, OR YOU GIVE ME EXTRA TIME.
THANK YOU. YOU JUST YOU JUST STARTED IT.
YOUR TIME IS UP. I'M TRYING TO BE HONEST HERE, UM, THAT DUVAL COUNTY VOTERS VOTED IN A NEW DUVAL SCHOOLS, NEW ONE MILLAGE RATE ACROSS THE BOARD FOR ALL PROPERTY TAX PAYERS.
THAT'S GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF DOWNWARD PRESSURE, NOT JUST ON THIS COMMISSION AND YOUR BUDGET, BUT NEPTUNE BEACH AND JAX BEACH AND BALDWIN AND OF COURSE, BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S STILL LOOKING AT THEIR TOTAL TAX BILL AND SOME OF Y'ALL HAVE SOME PRETTY HIGH TAX BILLS LIKE I DO, AND EVERYBODY'S SCRATCHING THEIR HEAD SAYING, HOLY COW.
IT'S CULTURAL AND RECREATION OR SOMETHING.
THERE'S $75,000 IN GRANTS TO SCHOOLS THAT, WELL, MAYBE WE DON'T NEED TO BE MAKING THAT $75,000 GRANT ANYMORE SINCE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY MORE FOR POLICE CARS BECAUSE THEY WENT UP 24%.
THERE'S $12,000 IN THE COMMISSION'S BUDGET, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IT'S DOLING OUT $3,000 TO FOUR DIFFERENT NOTABLE AGENCIES THAT HAVE DIRECT CONNECTIONS WITH ATLANTIC BEACH. OKAY, I GOT THAT ONE, THAT ONE'S FINE.
75,000. LET'S PUT IT TO ROAD MILLING AND REPAVING OR SOMETHING.
UM. AND I HAVE FOUND ABOUT $2.5 MILLION IN THE BUDGET THAT THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH HAS APPARENTLY NEVER ASKED COJ TO REIMBURSE US
[00:05:07]
FOR IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE 1982 INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENT, WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE NOW THIS ISN'T DIRECTLY IN THERE, BUT THE LIFEGUARD STATION, COJ GAVE US A CHECK FOR $562,000 AND THEN THEY PROMPTLY TOOK IT BACK.LIFEGUARDS WERE PAYING $336,000 A YEAR FOR LIFEGUARDS.
THEY ARE REIMBURSING US ABOUT 70 OR 75% ON THAT.
BEACH CLEANUP, THEY'RE REIMBURSING US ABOUT 50% OF WHAT WE SPEND ON BEACH CLEANUP.
ANIMAL CONTROL, WE'RE SPENDING 121,000, WE AIN'T GETTING NOTHING BACK FROM THEM ON IT.
AND IT'S IN THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT.
I DON'T KNOW WHO PAYS FOR ALL THE OTHER SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S JSO OR DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOLS, BUT WHY AM I PAYING? WHY ARE WE ALL PAYING TWICE FOR IT? I'M PAYING TO ATLANTIC BEACH AND I'M ALSO PAYING TO DUVAL COUNTY.
UH, PARKS AND REC TO INCLUDE PICKLEBALL COURTS.
EVERYBODY'S WONDERFUL, UH, WHATEVER, UH, WE HAVE ABOUT A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS THAT GOES TO PARKS AND RECS AND PROGRAMS AND THINGS THAT COJ IS SUPPOSED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.
OKAY, NOW, IF WE'RE PAYING FOR IT, THEY OUGHT TO BE REIMBURSING US.
I WILL BE GLAD TO ELABORATE ONE ON ONE ANYTIME Y'ALL WOULD LIKE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. HAROLD. JANE STEPHENS.
JANE STEPHENS 2243 BEACHCOMBER TRAIL.
I JUST WANTED TO CORRECT ANY MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE $75,000 THAT GOES TO REC.
ONLY $30,000 GOES TO THE SCHOOLS.
NO MATTER HOW HARD DUVAL TRIES, THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS THE WAY THEY SHOULD BE.
SO EACH OF THOSE SCHOOLS REALLY PRIZES THOSE GRANTS AND THEY GO TO REALLY GOOD THINGS.
AND THE OTHER MONEY IS SEED MONEY, AND WE GIVE IT OUT $3,000 AT A TIME, AS I KNOW YOU ALL KNOW.
IT'S ABOUT ONE TENTH OF 1% OF THE CITY'S BUDGET.
AND I THINK DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR HAS A WAY OUTSIZED IMPACT ON CREATING COMMUNITY AND MAKING ATLANTIC BEACH A PLACE THAT WE WANT TO LIVE, MORE SO THAN PAVING AN EXTRA I THINK THAT MIGHT BUY YOU, WHAT, FIVE FEET OF ROAD PAVING.
SO JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE.
THANKS. THANK YOU, MISS STEVENS.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? OKAY, THEN WE'LL CLOSE THIS SEGMENT, PUBLIC COMMENT AND MOVE DIRECTLY TO TOPICS AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU, JOE.
[2. TOPICS]
APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. LAST TIME WE WERE HERE, I THINK YOU MAY HAVE PICKED UP A LITTLE BIT OF CONCERN FOR ME OR, I WAS NOT REAL FAMILIAR WITH WHAT WE WERE DOING.THE STAFF HAS DONE A GREAT JOB.
BRITNEY IS DIVING INTO OUR CLEAR GOV SOFTWARE, WHICH I FIND VERY CONFUSING, AS YOU ALL SEE.
KEVIN THIS IS YOU'VE SEEN THIS ONE BEFORE.
THIS IS, AGAIN, OUR TIMETABLE.
AND OF COURSE, AUGUST 24TH IS OUR NEXT BUDGET WORKSHOP.
AND WE HAVE THE DEPARTMENT OVERVIEWS TONIGHT.
AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WE MADE THIS WORKSHEET LINE ITEM OF JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT WE SPEND MONEY ON AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
WELL, THESE ARE THE SALARIES OF EVERYBODY IN THE CITY.
SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS, SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE DEALING WITH WAS WE PUT THIS BUDGET TOGETHER, WE ARE PROPOSING A 4% SALARY INCREASE FOR GENERAL AND UNIONIZED BLUE COLLAR EMPLOYEES, 5% FOR THE UNIONIZED POLICE EMPLOYEES.
[00:10:09]
AND AS FAR AS OUR INSURANCE PREMIUM, PROPERTY WORKERS COMP, AUTO LIABILITY, POLICE LIABILITY, ETCETERA, WE'RE LOOKING AT A 33% COMBINED INCREASE IN THOSE COSTS, WHICH IS PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL.UM, THIS IS OUR INSURANCE QUOTE, THOUGH IT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO SEE.
I UNDERSTAND, BUT IT'S NOT FINAL.
ONE OF THE THINGS I'M GOING TO WORK WITH THE INSURANCE COMPANY IS TO POSSIBLY LOOK AT INCREASING OUR DEDUCTIBLES A LITTLE BIT AND CUTTING THE PREMIUM COSTS.
AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO OUR DEPARTMENT BUDGETS.
AND AGAIN, YOU HAVE COPIES OF THESE THESE BUDGETS.
I WILL TELL YOU, ALL THE DEPARTMENTS ARE PRETTY LEAN.
AND JOE, CAN I BACK UP AND JUST ASK A QUESTION? I WAS SPEAKING TO YOU EARLIER TODAY AND TRY TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND THE PAY INCREASES THAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
OKAY. AND THE ENLIGHTENMENT IS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT DIFFERENT GROUPS WITHIN OUR CITY.
WE'VE GOT UNIONIZED STAFF OR UNIONIZED EMPLOYEES, AND WE HAVE NONUNION, UNIONIZED EMPLOYEES.
AND SO IT PUTS SOME PRESSURE ON OUR ABILITY TO HAVE FLEXIBILITY ON A GIVEN YEAR.
BUT BUT BUT MAYBE NOT INTO THE FUTURE.
IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE BUDGET AND WE'VE GOT THE 4% FOR GENERAL AND UNIONIZED BLUE COLLAR EMPLOYEES AND THEN THE 5% FOR POLICE, IS THERE IS THERE ROOM FOR CONSIDERATION THIS YEAR? AND IF NOT, IS THERE ROOM FOR CONSIDERING A MOTION NEXT YEAR IN GETTING INTO THE NEGOTIATION EARLY TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT? AND I WANT TO PUNCTUATE THIS WITH MY CONCERN.
I DON'T THINK WE CAN FIX ALL THE ILLS OF HIGH COST COASTAL LIVING FOR LOWER INCOME WAGE EARNERS.
I DON'T THINK SO, BUT I DO THINK WE MIGHT BE MORE BALANCED OR AT LEAST MORE THOUGHTFUL IN DOING SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE SAME INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.
BUT AGAIN, LIMITED BY THE RULES OF NEGOTIATION WITH THE UNIONS.
SO WE CAN'T JUST STOP WHAT THE UNION HAS ALREADY NEGOTIATED.
FOR INSTANCE, THE POLICE UNION.
WE'RE ONLY GOING INTO THE SECOND YEAR, IF I'M CORRECT.
SO WE CAN'T REALLY TOUCH THAT.
BUT I'M NOT AS CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
AND I WOULD ASK THIS COMMISSION TO CONSIDER BRINGING THIS BACK UP AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, AS WE MOVE INTO THE NEXT BUDGET.
AND I GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE YOU COULD DO YOU COULD AGREE FOR A GIVEN YEAR TO HAVE 4% OF THE GROSS AS A SALARY INCREASE, THEN GIVE EVERYBODY A 3% INCREASE AND TAKE THAT EXTRA 1% AND APPLY IT TO ALL EMPLOYEES THAT ARE BELOW MIDPOINT.
TRYING TO BRING FAIRNESS IS NOT PARITY, BUT BRINGING FAIRNESS TO THOSE WHO ARE REALLY STRUGGLING TO LIVE EVEN NEAR THIS COMMUNITY, MUCH LESS IN THE COMMUNITY. AND I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE TODAY FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION AND DIALOG BECAUSE AGAIN, JOE AND STAFF HAVE CLUED ME IN ON THE LIMITATIONS WE HAVE OF DOING THINGS IN THE MOMENT WHEN IT INVOLVES UNION.
YEAH I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING, I'M SORRY.
BRIEFLY. AT OUR OFFICE FOR YEARS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE MAXED OUT, A CERTAIN PAY FOR A CERTAIN POSITION, AND WE CAN'T GIVE EVERYBODY A $2 RAISE. BUT THE PEOPLE, BECAUSE THEY THEY KIND OF TOP OUT IF THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION AT THE HIGHER ONES.
BUT THE BOTTOM ONES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN THERE FOR VERY LONG.
YEAH, THEY'RE GOING TO GET MORE OF A RAISE FOR A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT REASON.
YOU KNOW, 4% IF YOU'RE MAKING 40,000 IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN IF YOU'RE MAKING 80 OR 120.
I MEAN, THAT'S RIGHT IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
I DO KNOW THAT AT ONE POINT IN THIS CITY WHEN WE WHEN RAISES WERE GIVEN OUT.
[00:15:01]
THAT'S NOT A HUGE JUMP, BUT IT'S SOMETHING AND AND THAT'S SOMETHING YOU COULD CONSIDER MOVING FORWARD.ANY MORE COMMENTS? QUESTIONS? AND LET'S GO THROUGH THE THE BUDGETS THAT WE HAVE.
I'VE GOT SEVERAL DEPARTMENT HEADS HERE TONIGHT.
COMMANDER LAYSON IS HERE WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THE SMALLER BUDGETS FIRST AND LET YOU GUYS JUST ASK QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE AND YOU WILL FIND, LIKE I SAID, THAT SOME OF THESE BUDGETS ARE PRETTY LEAN.
AND AGAIN, THE COSTS OF WORKER'S COMP AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS SPREAD OUT THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT.
SO THEY ARE ABSORBING THEIR SHARE OF WORKER COMP INCREASE, EVERYTHING ELSE THAT THAT'S GOING ALONG TO HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASES.
SO THEY'RE INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET.
HUMAN RESOURCES, FOR EXAMPLE, IS BUDGET IS 4.6 LESS THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR.
AND BASICALLY THE REASON FOR THAT IS THERE WAS A $16,000 DECREASE IN PRINTING AND PUBLISHING, AND THERE'S WHAT IS KEVIN, WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE THE FIRM THAT WE USE? NEOGOV. NEOGOV, WHERE WE WERE ADVERTISING FOR PEOPLE AND YOU HAD TO PAY A PREMIUM TO HAVE YOUR YOUR LISTING IN THE TOP PERCENTAGE. I DON'T THINK WE'RE GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE FULLY STAFFED OR GETTING CLOSE TO THAT.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT WE NEED TO TO BE DOING THAT.
SO WE TOOK A $20,000 BUDGET THAT WAS IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET.
$20,000 FIGURE, THAT WAS IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET.
AND THE IRONIC THING IS I DON'T THINK THEY USED ANY OF THE 20,000.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S THE REASON YOU SEE A DECREASE IN THIS BUDGET.
BUT IF WE'RE DOING LAND CODE DEVELOPMENT.
LAND DEVELOPMENT CODES, THEN WE WILL BE PRINTING AND MAILING TO THAT BUNCHES.
RIGHT? THAT WILL FALL UNDER AMANDA'S DEPARTMENT.
BUT THAT'S WE CAN LOOK AT THAT WHEN WE GET THERE.
THAT'S RIGHT. WELL, AS FAR AS HUMAN RESOURCES ARE CONCERNED, YOU'VE GOT A CELL PHONE AND YOU STILL HAVE LONG DISTANCE CHARGES AND PRETTY WELL THOUGHT WITH A CELL PHONE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT LONG DISTANCE ANYMORE.
WELL, KEVIN, YOU WANT TO TRY THAT OR YOU WANT TO GET RON TO ADDRESS THAT? UM, MISS KELLY.
COMMISSIONER KELLY BROUGHT THAT TO OUR ATTENTION TODAY THAT A NUMBER OF OTHER ITEMS AND WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT ALL THOSE QUESTIONS JUST LIKE ANY THAT ARE ASKED TONIGHT BY THE PUBLIC OR ANY OF YOU AND FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.
SO DIDN'T GIVE RON A HEADS UP THAT YOU ASKED THAT TODAY.
SO WE'LL FOLLOW UP AND GET THE ENTIRE COMMISSION ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL POSED.
THANK YOU. WELL, THERE'S ANOTHER ONE RELATED, AND THAT IS THAT PUBLIC WORKS HAD EXPENSES FOR, YOU KNOW, HIRING PEOPLE OR ADVERTISING HELP ON IT.
I'M AS SURPRISED AS YOU ARE TO HEAR THAT.
OKAY. OR DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE HR BUDGET? NOPE. YOU CAN HIRE SOMEBODY TO REPLACE THEM? YES. WE HAD AN INTERNAL CANDIDATE THAT TOOK HER PLACE.
KNOW WHAT I THINK IT PROBABLY IS, BUT I CAN'T, I CAN'T BE 100% SURE.
QUESTIONS. OKAY, LET'S GO TO FINANCE.
BRITTANY. UH, WE HAVE TO HIGHLIGHT FINANCE.
THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD SIZED BUDGET.
WE HAVE AN 8/10 OF A PERCENT INCREASE.
CURRENTLY, THE DEPUTY FINANCE DIRECTOR'S POSITION IS VACANT.
AND AGAIN, THESE DOLLARS ARE HERE.
FINANCE ABSORBS SOME OF THE UTILITY UM UTILITY BILLING PEOPLE, INCLUDING CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ALSO THE THREE METER READERS ARE PART OF THE FINANCE BUDGET.
AND WE'RE GOING TO DIG A LITTLE DEEPER INTO THAT AS WE GO ALONG FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE GENERAL FUND IS NOT SUBSIDIZING THE UTILITY FUNDS.
SO IF YOU HAVE ONE QUESTION THAT I NOTICED IN HERE AND MAYBE IT APPEARED SOMEWHERE
[00:20:08]
ELSE, BUT THE DO WE STILL HAVE A GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR? HAVE WE ELIMINATED THAT POSITION? YES, WE DO. THAT RECLASSIFIED THEN.IF SO, THAT'S JUST A SOFTWARE ISSUE.
I'LL JUST SMILE AND NOD BECAUSE I HAVEN'T FOUND IT YET.
AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF BACK AND FORTH WITH THE SOFTWARE, AND I THINK IT JUST TAKES A WHILE TO LEARN HOW TO AND I'M GOING TO USE A TERM THAT DOESN'T SOUND VERY POSITIVE, BUT IT TAKES A WHILE TO LEARN HOW TO MANIPULATE IT SO YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH IT.
WE ARE GOING TO LOOK INTO OUR CELL PHONE CHARGES.
AND I THINK THAT'S THAT MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAVE US SOME MONEY MOVING FORWARD.
WHY IS IT IN HERE? WHY DO WE HAVE TRAFFIC ENGINEER FOR TWO YEARS IN A ROW.
ONE THE FIRST YEAR FOR 40 AND THE NEXT YEAR FOR 25.
I CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU WHAT PAGE IT'S ON.
I MEAN, I THOUGHT WE JUST USE THAT FOR MAIN STREET.
ARE WE USING THEM FOR SOMETHING ELSE? WE CONSULT WITH TRAFFIC ENGINEERS ON A REGULAR BASIS FOR VARIOUS THINGS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S DOWN $15,000 FROM LAST YEAR.
IS THAT LIKE MAYBE RELATED TO AHERN? I MEAN, IT COULD BE RELATED TO ANYTHING, YOU KNOW? LAST YEAR, YOU DID HIRE SOMEONE TO STUDY AHERN AND PUT TOGETHER THE..
SO IS THIS THE MAIN STREET BEAT, GUYS? I DO NOT KNOW.
WE DO ONE FOR KMART PARKING LOT.
DO WE DO ONE AT THAT POINT? A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. I KNOW, BUT WE STILL HAD.
I WANT TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, AND AS YOU NOTICE, WE STILL USE LANGDON AND ASSOCIATES FOR GRANT WRITING.
AND THAT'S A 46, $47,000 CHARGE THIS YEAR.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY CAN ARGUE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR GRANTS.
THE SEARCHES AND REQUESTS AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN.
WE SHOULDN'T REDUCE THAT FOR OUR SIZE OF CITY COMPARED TO GRANTS.
WE'RE LIKE ALMOST 100, 150% ON THE GRANT SIDE.
YOU KNOW, THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE FOR FINANCE IS YOU HAVE AN ENTRY FOR PEST CONTROL.
IS THAT FOR THE WHOLE BUILDING? WE'RE JUST FOR THE FINANCE PIECE.
I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY SPLIT UP AMONG OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
THE PEST CONTROL THING IS WEIRD.
IT'S IN SOME DEPARTMENTS AND NOT IN OTHERS.
OKAY. YOU GOT THAT, KEVIN? OKAY. NEXT QUESTIONS.
NEXT WE HAVE THE CITY CLERK'S BUDGET.
THAT'S DONNA. SHE CURRENTLY HAS RECORDS CLERK POSITION VACANT.
SO THAT'S NOT IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
SO WHY DO WE HAVE A SECOND YEAR OF RECORDS MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT.
IT WASN'T DONE THIS YEAR, SO WE'RE ASKING FOR IT NEXT YEAR.
I THOUGHT WE HAD ONE TO HELP OUT, LIKE TWO YEARS AGO.
OKAY. MAYBE I'LL GET A DIFFERENT JOB.
YEAH. AND THIS ONE'S PRETTY LEAN.
[00:25:02]
OKAY. WE'RE GOOD.WE ACTUALLY DECREASED YOUR TRAINING BUDGET, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, A LITTLE BIT..
MORE PEOPLE SHOULD GO TO [INAUDIBLE] THOUGH.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS GOING TO ASK TONIGHT.
IF NO ONE HAS ANY INTENTION OF GOING, I'D LIKE TO ELIMINATE THAT $1,500.
YOU HAVEN'T BEEN, IT'S WORTH IT.
IS THAT A WEEKEND? THE SIXTH AND SEVENTH.
IT'S LIKE FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY.
GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT. I MAY GO.
WHEN IS THAT? CAN YOU. CAN YOU RESTATE THAT? BECAUSE THERE'S AN..
IT'S THE INSTITUTE FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
HOW WAS THAT DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE THAT'S BEING HELD THIS WEEK? THAT'S IS THAT THE LEAGUE OF CITIES MEETING? THAT'S ALSO THE LEAGUE OF CITIES.
THAT'S THE LEAGUE OF CITIES ANNUAL MEETING.
THEY HAVE NOT THE SAME AS FOR.
CAN YOU SPELL THAT YOU'RE SAYING IMEO? INSTITUTE FOR ELECTED MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS.
IMEO. AND IF YOU CAN GO, IT'S IT'S A VERY GOOD CLASS.
ESPECIALLY THE FIRST YEAR ONE..
BASICALLY HELPS YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR JOB AND GIVES YOU SOME TIPS ON HOW TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE.
CAN I GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT AS WELL? SO IT'S THE FIRST I'VE HEARD.
LEAVE IT IN THE. AND CAN I GET A RAISE? ANYWAY, ACTUALLY, I WAS GOING TO BRING THAT UP BECAUSE I HAD A RESIDENT ATLANTA BEACH RESIDENT TALK ABOUT THE SALARY FOR COMMISSION, AND I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS ENOUGH TO REALLY SAY ANYTHING ABOUT.
BUT YOU SAID IT MAYBE PREVENTING FUTURE PEOPLE THAT RUN FOR OFFICE HERE.
BUT. IS THIS IS OUR SALARY THE SAME FOR YEARS AND YES, PRETTY MUCH $6,000 A YEAR.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT THAT MUCH MONEY, BUT.
AND I THINK MORE IMPORTANTLY, LET'S ASSUME THAT NONE OF US CARES ABOUT A PAY RAISE.
WHAT DOES THAT DO IN THE FUTURE FOR NEW BLOOD AND YOUNG PEOPLE COMING IN WHEN IT COSTS MORE TO HIRE A BABYSITTER THAN WHAT YOU'RE MAKING ON THE STIPEND PAID AS A CITY COMMISSIONER? SO I THINK HOPEFULLY THE CRC WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT AND BRING US SOMETHING ACTIONABLE TO PUT ON A REFERENDUM, MEANING A CONSISTENT METHOD EACH YEAR THAT DETERMINES PAY RAISES WITHOUT HAVING TO GET US TO VOTE OURSELVES A PAY RAISE AND BASICALLY COST OF LIVING. I MEAN, JOE KNOWS THIS.
WE'RE WE'RE HALF OF FERNANDINA, FOR INSTANCE.
OKAY. AS AN EXAMPLE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GOING UP.
YEAH. AND THERE ALSO THERE'S CITIES THAT THROW IN MEDICAL, DENTAL, ALL THE REST OF THAT.
WE'RE PROBABLY JOE, YOU'RE MY EXPERT.
YEAH, BUT YOU DO GET A COST OF LIVING EVERY YEAR.
AND LET'S SEE WHAT THE CRC BRINGS FORTH BEFORE WE ADDRESS IT FURTHER, BECAUSE OTHERWISE YOU THIS BODY HAS TO DO IT AND IT WILL PROBABLY BE CONTENTIOUS THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO PAY OURSELVES MORE.
I THINK I'M DONE WITH YOUR BUDGET.
YOU GUYS ARE DOWN A LITTLE BIT THIS YEAR.
WE WERE TRYING TO GIVE FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER.
YOU GO BACK TO THE SECOND PAGE, THERE IS THE CITY MANAGERS.
CITY MANAGERS, PERSONNEL OR CITY MANAGERS BUDGET.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WHEN IT COMES TO OUR BUDGET.
THE BUDGET AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
WE DID PUT A $200,000 PLACEHOLDER IN FOR THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER SALARIES THERE.
THE EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER IS LEAVING US, I BELIEVE, ON JANUARY 9TH.
AND THERE IS A DOLLAR AMOUNT IN THERE.
IRONICALLY HER, WELL, IT IS, KEVIN ISN'T IT SUPPOSED TO BE IN THERE UNDER A PTO BUYOUT?
[00:30:06]
UNDER SPECIAL PAY? MAYBE. YES, SIR.OH, PERSONAL LEAVE OR PERSONAL LEAVE BY $24,000.
WHAT IS THE VETERAN'S CHOICE? WELL, THAT'S JUST, THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I HAVE STARTED.
WE HAVE SEVERAL EMPLOYEES THAT ARE VETERANS AND GET.
UM, THE BENEFITS, RETIRED MILITARY BENEFITS.
AND THEY DON'T TAKE A BENEFIT FROM US.
SO I'VE STARTED TO GIVE THEM A $200 A MONTH STIPEND TO HELP THEM WITH WHATEVER COSTS THEY INCUR ABOVE UP AND ABOVE THEIR MEDICAL INSURANCE. COOL.
WELL, SOMETHING WE COULD DO, RIGHT? AND QUITE FRANKLY, YOU KNOW, THE SAVINGS ARE SUBSTANTIAL.
AND WE HAVE AN EMPLOYEE THAT DOESN'T TAKE OUR INSURANCE BENEFITS.
SO AND AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THAT A CAR ALLOWANCE AND A HOUSING ALLOWANCE ARE IN THERE.
AND UNTIL WE DECIDE WHAT WE WANT TO DO OR YOU DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, UM.
AND OF COURSE, WE HAD TO BUMP UP THE THE HEALTH INSURANCE ALLOWANCE BECAUSE THE PERSON THAT'S LEAVING HAPPENS TO BE A VETERAN AND HAS HER OWN HEALTH CARE. SO THIS BUDGET HAS GONE UP CONSIDERABLY, ALMOST 25%.
BUT THESE ARE COSTS I THINK THAT WE ALL KNEW WE WERE GOING TO INCUR MOVING FORWARD.
AND THAT WAS THERE FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR TOO.
SO I JUST DIDN'T CHANGE IT AND DIDN'T THINK ABOUT CHANGING IT.
OKAY. AND WE'RE MOVING RIGHT ALONG HERE.
WE'VE GOT THE CULTURAL ARTS AND RECREATION BUDGET.
TRINA HAS BEEN SITTING OUT THERE PATIENTLY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
TRINA, COULD YOU JUST SEND ME AN EMAIL? WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE SENIOR CITIZEN PROGRAM? OBVIOUSLY IN THIS BUDGET WE'RE HAVING SOME PERSONNEL COST SAVINGS.
SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY A GOOD STEP FORWARD FOR THE CITY, BASICALLY, AND THE EMPLOYEES, TOO.
THEY'RE GOING TO GO, WHERE IS THAT? WHERE IS THE INCOMING GRANT FOR THE FOR PAYING THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB? IT'S IT'S NOT A GRANT.
IT'S IT'S WE HAVE GIVEN OUR PROGRAMS TO THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.
THE GRANT COMES FROM THE KIDS HOPE ALLIANCE AND IT'S DIRECTLY TO THEM.
SO IT'S NOT EVEN FLOWING THROUGH US.
OKAY, SO THIS IS ANOTHER DEPARTMENT.
YOU'VE GOT SEPARATE BUILDINGS AND I'M WONDERING WHY IT DOESN'T HAVE PEST CONTROL IN HERE.
OKAY. BECAUSE LIKE, EVEN THOUGH TEENAGERS ARE PEST, WE HAVE TO KEEP THEM.
UM, LET'S JUST TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT THIS BUDGET.
AND YOU CAN SEE WE'VE GOT SEVERAL CULTURAL ARTS EVENTS HERE THAT TOTAL $41,000 FROM NATIONAL KIDS DAY PARK.
NATIONAL KIDS TO PARK DAY NEW MUSIC EVENT.
ARTS IN THE PARK JAZZ FESTIVAL.
AND I WON'T BOTHER READING THEM ALL.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO DO NOW IS ENHANCE THE PROGRAMS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS ON YOUR APP OR PAST YOUR OPERATING EXPENSES.
UM. WHERE WOULD WE HAVE THE MONEY, IF ANY, FOR PICKLEBALL EXPANSION? THAT WILL BE IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN, WHICH WE WILL TACKLE TO THAT.
THAT'S RIGHT. I REMEMBER SEEING THAT.
I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I DID MISSPEAK.
I THINK I SAID TOLD YOU IT WAS 40 OR $50,000.
IT'S SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 80 AND 90.
BUT THAT'S STILL THAT TENNIS COURT TO A PICKLEBALL COURT.
[00:35:01]
IT STILL HAS IT STILL HALF OF WHAT IT WOULD COST TO PUT UP A BRAND NEW COURT.YEAH, I THOUGHT IT WAS A LOT TOO, BUT THERE IS WE'RE MOVING ELECTRICAL, WE'RE MOVING LIGHTING.
WE'RE ADDING TEN FEET OF BASE FOR THE COURT TO THEN CONVERT TO FOUR PICKLEBALL COURTS IF, IF IN FACT YOU GUYS APPROVE THAT AND THEN YOU MAY HAVE TO MOVE SOME PALM TREES.
I'M NOT SURE THEY'RE RIGHT THERE AGAINST THE PAVEMENT.
SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT ADD UP.
BUT AND I BELIEVE IN THAT ESTIMATE IS RESURFACING THE ENTIRE COURT SO THAT IT'S CONSISTENTLY EVEN. SO, YES, THAT'S RIGHT.
CAN WE HAVE A NUMBERS COUNT ON LIKE RESIDENTS WHO PLAY PICKLEBALL AND RESIDENTS WHO PLAY TENNIS? IS THERE IS THERE A WAY TO DO THAT WITHOUT LIKE TWISTING OURSELVES INTO A KNOT? AND WE GOT SURVEY MONKEY.
CAN WE DO THAT? WE'LL GIVE IT A STAB.
YEAH. I MEAN, WE SHOULD HAVE NUMBERS BEFORE WE JUST WILLY NILLY DECIDE.
UM. QUESTION JOE, UNDER MOTOR VEHICLES FOR THIS BUDGET, WE HAD 86,000 FOR THIS PAST YEAR OR THE YEAR THAT WE'RE STILL IN, ACTUALLY.
SO. WHAT? WHAT DID THAT BUY THIS YEAR? BECAUSE WE HAVE NOTHING IN THE NEW BUDGET.
THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. I SENT YOU THAT EMAIL.
NO, NO, THAT'S RIGHT. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY AND GRABBED IT.
WELL, AND TO THAT POINT, WE'VE KNOCKED OUT A BIG NUMBER GOING INTO THE NEW BUDGET YEAR.
YES, SIR. QUESTION. WANT TO GO BACK TO THE PICKLEBALL COURT NOW THAT AMANDA'S HERE.
HEY, AMANDA, REOPEN THE PARKS.
WE HAVE TO. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT? PICKLEBALL COURT. OH, GOOD EVENING, AMANDA.
ASKEW, THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND BUILDING.
WE ARE OPENING THE PARKS MASTER PLAN BACK UP.
UM, WE WILL BE GATHERING PUBLIC INPUT TO SEE ON ALL THE PARKS WHAT FOLKS WANT TO SEE.
THE LAST TIME WE UPDATED IT WAS IN 2019.
TRENDS CHANGE, PEOPLE CHANGE, NEIGHBORHOODS CHANGE.
BUT TECHNICALLY WE DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING.
IF YOU WANT TO ADD A PICKLEBALL COURT, OF COURSE THAT WOULD BE UP TO YOU GUYS.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO, UM, WAIT ON THE PARKS MASTER PLAN.
WE DO ENVISION IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AS INTENSIVE AS THE FIRST GO AROUND WITH THE PARKS MASTER PLAN.
THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE DONE IT.
IT SHOULD TAKE A COUPLE OF MONTHS TO COMPLETE.
YEAH. AND IF I MAY COMMENT, I THINK COMMISSIONER KELLY IS RIGHT.
SO IF WE'RE SPENDING THIS MUCH ON THAT, WHAT CAN WE DO TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE OWE WHAT WHAT DO WE ASPIRE TO ADD TO OTHER PARKS? AND WE'VE USED AND WE CONTINUE TO USE THE PARKS MASTER PLAN AND THE CIP BUDGET.
AND SO WE DO USE IT TO TO FORWARD THINK FOR EQUITABLE SPENDING.
OKAY. BUT JOE CAN MAYBE ASK YOU A QUESTION.
AT LEAST I DIDN'T KNOW THE COST OF THE PICKLEBALL COURTS.
THE LAST TIME WE TALKED ABOUT IT.
BUT I GOT THE FEELING THAT WE CAME TO A CONSENSUS THAT WE WANTED TO DO THAT.
WHEN IS THE NEXT TIME WE WOULD SEE THAT ENABLED TO VOTE ON THAT? THAT SPECIFIC. WE WILL WE WILL INCLUDE IT IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN AS ONE OF THE EXPENSES.
AND WHEN YOU APPROVE THE BUDGET, THAT WILL BE A FUNDED PROJECT THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
THAT WOULDN'T BE UNTIL SEPTEMBER.
AND, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, NOTHING'S EASY.
I MEAN, MARK'S PLAN TAKES A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
[00:40:02]
GETTING OUR PARKS PLAN REVISED AND SO ON.SO WHATEVER IT TAKES, IF WE NEED TO SPEED UP THE PARKS PLAN REVIEW, WE NEED TO DO THAT.
THIS. IT'S MY OPINION THIS IS NOT IN A HURRY.
SO I DON'T THINK THIS IS A POP UP.
THANK YOU. YEAH, WELL, I THINK WE COULD SORT OF WORK.
SIMULTANEOUSLY THAT WORD THE SIMULTANEOUSLY ON ALL THE ASPECTS YOU GATHER THE DATA, OPEN THE PARKS PLAN, GET THE ENGINEERING, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. SO, SO.
WELL, IF THERE'S CONSENSUS HERE, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ENGINEERING.
THERE'S MONEY IN THE RECREATION DEPARTMENT BUDGET TO GET IT STARTED.
I JUST I'M TIRED OF THESE EMAILS.
THE IT'S JUST IT'S JUST A MATTER OF JUST DOING IT.
I MEAN, I GOT ONE THIS MORNING.
YEAH. I MEAN, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF JUST DOING IT.
SO IN MY OPINION, SO AND ALWAYS GRINDS MY GEARS TO MOW THEIR LAWN FOR $6,000.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT IS MAYBE I'M GOING TO HAVE SCOTT'S CREW DO THAT AND SAVE THAT $6,000 IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO CUT THE SCHOOL'S LAWN. I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT THAT.
I KNOW WORKING IN DUVAL COUNTY FOR A LONG TIME THAT SCHOOLS ALREADY HAVE LAWN CARE.
SO I THOUGHT I THOUGHT THAT THAT $6,000 WAS FOR EXTRA LANDSCAPING AND I THINK LATRINA WOULD KNOW, LIKE SO THEY GET THEIR GRASS CUT BY DUVAL COUNTY PAYS THEY HAVE THEIR OWN LAWN CARE COMPANY.
PATRINA THOMAS CULTURAL ARTS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR.
SO YES, THAT IS CORRECT THAT THE FUNDS DO HANDLE THE LANDSCAPING PORTION OF THE SCHOOL.
BUT YES, THAT'S $6,000 DOES GO TOWARDS THE UPKEEPING OF THE LANDSCAPING AS WELL AS CUTTING THE GRASS SO THAT IF REMEMBER THIS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, DOESN'T THAT BIAS ACCESS WHEN WE WANT TO GO INTO.
YES THERE I THINK THE THAT IS CORRECT.
CITY, BUT OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR PARK, THEIR PLAYGROUNDS.
IN THE PAST, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I KNOW.
YOU CAN GO TO THE NEPTUNE BEACH ELEMENTARY PLAYGROUND AND NEPTUNE BEACH DOESN'T MOW THEIR LAWN.
THAT'S RIGHT. IT'S JUST SORT OF A FALSE PREMISE.
THEY WERE LEAVING THE GATE OPEN ON WEEKENDS SO THEY COULD ENJOY THE TRACK.
SO. I JUST WANT TO VOICE MY CONCERN THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE START TO LOOK FOR WHAT APPEAR TO BE SMALL SUMS OF MONEY THAT ULTIMATELY ADD UP TO LARGE SUMS, THAT WE OUGHT TO CHECK THAT OUT.
SO CAN WE DIRECT JOE TO DO THE DISCOVERY ON IT, MAKE SURE AND NOT DISCOUNTING WHAT TRINA HAS JUST SAID, BUT CAN WE GO AHEAD AND CHANGE THAT WITHOUT LOSS OF ANY RIGHTS OF USE AND SO ON? I'VE GOT IT WRITTEN DOWN. OKAY, SO THIS YOU MIGHT WANT TO STICK AROUND.
AND THE FIRST QUESTION, BECAUSE I'M NOT CLEAR, IS WE HEARD FROM A CITIZEN THAT THE AMOUNT FOR THE DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOL CONTRIBUTION IS 30,000, BUT THIS SHOWS 40,000.
SO AND IT WAS 40,000 IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AS WELL AS THE NEW BUDGET.
SO WHICH IS IT, 30 OR 40? IT IS 30.
THAT IS CORRECT. AND THE AMOUNT FOR THE ORGANIZATION IS SUPPOSED TO BE 45.
SO HERE'S WHERE I WANT TO SEE WHAT THE TENOR IS WITH THIS COMMISSION ON MAINTAINING OR CHANGING THAT. AND I WANT TO I'M JUST GOING TO GO AHEAD AND LEAD OFF AND I'M PUTTING MYSELF OUT THERE.
I'VE ALWAYS HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE IDEA THAT WE'RE FUNDING.
[00:45:02]
ORGANIZATIONS, NOT IN OUR CITY.SECONDLY, I HAVE A PROBLEM FUNDING THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, ESPECIALLY KNOWING THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO ALL PAY THE ONE MILL INCREASE THAT WAS PASSED LAST YEAR. WHAT'S OUR OUR TAXABLE BASE, JOE? I CAN'T REMEMBER. ANYBODY KNOW THAT? UM, 2.6 BILLION.
LET ME GET MY DECIMAL POINT RIGHT.
IS THAT 2 MILLION? SIX? I BELIEVE THAT'S 2,000,006.
AND YET WE FEEL COMPELLED TO LAYER ON AND PAY MORE MONEY.
SO THEY STILL NEED HELP FROM THE COMMUNITY TO DO SPECIAL PROJECTS.
THE QUESTION IS, IS THAT FOR OUR CITY GOVERNMENT TO DO OR IS THAT FOR NONPROFITS LIKE ROTARY CLUB AND OTHERS? AND IN FACT, ON THE MOST RECENT PROJECT ON A SCHOOL NOT IN OUR COMMUNITY, THAT WAS HEAVILY SUPPORTED BY ROTARY.
AND SO MY CONCERN IS WE'RE SPENDING THIS MONEY, OUR SISTER CITY, NEPTUNE BEACH, NOT JACKSONVILLE BEACH, NOT WHY IS IT THAT ATLANTIC BEACH IS FUNDING STUFF THAT SHOULD BE FUNDED BY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM? NOW, I'M GOING TO CONCLUDE BECAUSE THAT'S JUST MY MY BELIEF.
I HAVE A SPECIAL AFFINITY FOR A CERTAIN SCHOOL IN THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH CALLED AB.
THAT IS AN ICONIC SCHOOL THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT THE ENGAGEMENT OF OUR CITIZENS IN THIS CITY.
I'M OPEN TO WHATEVER THIS COMMISSION WANTS TO DO THERE, BUT I REALLY THINK WE SHOULD BACK UP OR AT LEAST REDUCE WHAT WE'RE PAYING TO SCHOOLS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH.
SO I THINK THE ALLOTMENT OF 75,000 A YEAR IS GRANT.
AND WATCHING ASK THE COMMITTEE AND MISS STEVENS IS HERE.
YOU KNOW FOR THAT THEY ARE HEAVILY INVESTED INTO EACH AND EVERY DOLLAR THAT THEY GRANT OUT AND THEY EVEN FOLLOW UP. I FOLLOWED UP WITH MISS STEVENS TO ONE OF THE GRANTS AT MAYPORT MIDDLE.
THAT'S WHERE OUR COMMUNITY GOES IS MAYPORT MIDDLE AND FLETCHER HIGH SCHOOL.
SO IT IS GOING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, MAYOR.
I KNOW I TOO AM WORRIED ABOUT THAT EXTRA ONE MIL, BUT AS AN EDUCATOR, I JUST WOULD NOT TOUCH IT.
WELL, BUT AND LET ME JUST COMMENT.
ONLY 30,000 GOES TO THESE THREE SCHOOLS, OR AT LEAST THIS PAST YEAR, THE CURRENT BUDGET YEAR, IT COULD BE ADJUSTING ELSEWHERE IF THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PRIORITY. I'M JUST SAYING THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY GOING INTO THE DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT SOME OF US THOUGHT WAS A LITTLE BIT EXCESSIVE.
ONE MILL TO PASS A ONE MILL INCREASE IN ONE BUDGET YEAR BY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WAS A NO.
OKAY. AND THAT AND THAT ONE MILL IS GOING TO PAY FOR AC UNITS THAT ARE BROKEN, LEAKING ROOFS.
SO AND I'M NOT IN DISAGREEMENT.
WE WANT TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS, BUT WHY IS IT THAT OUR SISTER CITIES ARE NOT PONYING UP WHAT WE'RE PONYING UP? ARE WE THAT RICH? NO, BUT WE'RE JUST THAT GOOD.
I REALLY JUST THINK THAT'S WHERE OUR COMMUNITY IS.
I'M NOT TRYING TO MEET SOMEONE ELSE'S BAR, BUT.
AND I THINK WITH THE 75,000, ACTUALLY, IT DOESN'T.
YOU DON'T ALWAYS GIVE OUT EVERY SINGLE AMOUNT.
OR DO YOU DO YOU CLEAR IT OUT? SOMETIMES YOU DON'T.
SO BUT WE DO WE DO GIVE OUT THE ENTIRE AMOUNT.
WE DO GIVE OUT THE ENTIRE AMOUNT IF THE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE.
AND I THINK MEAN THEY FUND EVERYTHING FROM SENIOR YOGA TO HIP HOP AND ALL AGES.
IT'S IT'S REALLY CHILDREN TO SENIOR LIVING.
UM, LATRINA, CAN ANY PROGRAM APPLY FOR THAT GRANT?
[00:50:05]
YES. WE OPEN IT UP FOR PROFIT LAST YEAR.THE COMMITTEE PRETTY MUCH VOTED ON IT BEING FOR PROFIT.
IT WAS JUST STRICTLY NON PROFIT AT ONE POINT.
SO ANYONE CAN APPLY AS LONG AS LONG AS IT IS UNDER THE SCOPE OF ARC'S VISION.
BUT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR SORT OF UNDERLYING PROMISES IS, IS EQUITY AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE AND.
NOW, I HAVE VOLUNTEERED AT NEPTUNE BEACH.
IT'S A GOOD SCHOOL AND I DON'T FEEL TOO BAD ABOUT GIVING MONEY TO THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL OUR KIDS AND THEY DESERVE OUR SUPPORT NO MATTER WHERE THEY GO.
OKAY, WELL, WE'LL END THE DISCUSSION ON THAT UNLESS COMMISSIONER BOLE, YOU HAVE SOME COMMENTS? NO, JUST MAYBE I SHOULD MENTION, AS LONG AS WE'RE TALKING MONEY, LET ME GIVE YOU SOME GOOD NEWS.
I SPOKE TO BRITTANY NORRIS THIS WEEKEND AND I SAID, WHO DO I TALK TO ABOUT THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT? AND SHE SAID, ME? OKAY. AND I KNOW FOR A FACT SHE'S WELL VERSED IN THAT.
SO WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN, OBVIOUSLY, TO SUPPORT THAT AND GET THAT MOVING FORWARD.
SO JUST WANT TO BE ASSURED, TRINA, ALL YOUR PEOPLE ARE TAKING CARE OF NOW WITH THE CHANGEOVER.
ALL COMMUNITY CENTER STAFFS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED OFFER LETTERS FROM THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.
THAT SPEAKS VERY HIGHLY OF YOU, TRINA.
UM, JUST A COUPLE MORE THINGS ON ON THE REC DEPARTMENT.
WE MADE SOME EXTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SPRING TO THE DELGRES.
FEASIBLE. THEY ALSO WANT ONE OUTSIDE.
UM. AND THE OTHER THING AND I HAVEN'T TOLD BRITTANY THIS YET, BUT WE NEED $100,000 FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE TWO CENTERS. THAT WAS OUR AGREEMENT WITH BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.
BUT WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR THOSE DOLLARS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
IS THERE WHEN DOES THE SPLASH PART SPLASH PAD? IS IT PROJECTED TO BE FINISHED OPEN? I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT. I DO KNOW I SIGNED THE CONTRACT AND IT'S IT'S BEGINNING.
WELL, WE'RE GOING TO NEED SEATING FOR THE ADULTS.
BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO STAND THERE WHILE HE'S POKING AROUND IN THE PAD.
I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE DOING IS ORDERING.
ACCOMPANIMENTS FOR THE SPLASH PAD BECAUSE WE'LL SAVE SOME MONEY DOING IT THAT WAY.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ASK STEVE TO INCORPORATE SOME VENTURES INTO THAT.
ANYTHING MORE IN THE REC DEPARTMENT BUDGET? I'M GOOD. ALL RIGHT, GENERAL GOVERNMENT, THIS IS A SUBACCOUNT WITH, YOU KNOW, THE EXPENSES ARE DISTRIBUTED AMONG THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
AND HERE WE ARE, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.
KEVIN, I'M GOING TO LET YOU TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
I'M KEVIN HOGENCAMP, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER.
RON BAUTISTA, OUR DIRECTOR OF IT IS WITH US.
THE BIG TICKET ITEM AT $59,000 IS A HUGE TECHNOLOGY MOVE FOR US.
WE'RE TRANSITIONING TO MICROSOFT SOFT OFFICE 365, WHICH AS YOU CAN SEE, I'M GOING TO READ A CLOUD BASED INFRASTRUCTURE SOLUTION THAT SAVES MONEY, ENHANCES PRODUCTIVITY AND INCREASES SECURITY AND COLLABORATION.
[00:55:02]
SO THAT'S THE BIG ITEM.AND AS Y'ALL THUMB THROUGH YOUR YOUR DETAILED SPREADSHEET, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OTHERWISE ABOUT IT, RON OR I WILL TAKE A STAB AT ANSWERING THANKS.
GO AHEAD. THAT'S STUFF'S REALLY GOOD, BUT.
DOES THE DOG PARK PAY FOR ITSELF? I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE REVENUE FROM THE DOG PARK BADGES GOES INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
IT IS NOT A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND, SO IT DOESN'T GO INTO THE FUND.
WE'LL LOOK AT THAT AND COMPARE REVENUE AND EXPENSES.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT AS WELL.
I THINK IT'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GIVE VETERANS A BREAK.
I MEAN, IF THEY WHY CHARGE THEM FOR THE DOG PARK? IT'S A SMALL PRICE TO PAY.
AND YOU CAN LOOK ON YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE AND REVOKED.
WE'VE GOT A V THERE FOR VETERAN AND THEY COULD GET THEIR DOG PASSES FOR FREE.
THAT'S AMONG THE ITEMS, OF COURSE, YOU EMAILED US ABOUT.
AND WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO LOOK INTO THAT.
AND THANKS FOR THAT SUGGESTION.
I THINK THAT YOU REMEMBER WE DON'T HAVE IT UP HERE, BUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS GIVING UP AN OFFICER AT THIS POINT TO GET AN ADDITIONAL IT PERSON, AND THAT PERSON WILL BE FALL UNDER RON'S SUPERVISION.
UH, PLANNING AND CODE ENFORCEMENT.
AMANDA. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.
THE BIGGEST CHUNK OF THAT IS A RESILIENCY GRANT, WHICH IS $151,000 VERSUS REIMBURSABLE.
AND I THINK WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION EARLIER THAT WHEN WE HAVE A GRANT, THEY ARE REIMBURSABLE.
SO WE HAVE TO HAVE THE DOLLARS BUDGETED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE GRANT.
AND WHEN WE'VE PAID AND SUBMIT, THEY REFUND THE DOLLARS TO US.
YOU REMEMBER THAT THAT GRANT IS PROBABLY AMANDA WARD.
OH, OKAY. AND WHAT IS THAT GRANT COVERING? THAT'S PHASE TWO OF OUR COASTAL RESILIENCY.
IT'S GOT THE THE MARSH BASELINE STUDY AND THEN SOME ADAPTABILITY ELEMENTS TO IT AS WELL.
THANKS. YOU MIGHT WANT TO STAY THERE, AMANDA.
DANG IT. BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE BOTTOM BULLET THERE OF $29,190 THAT WE'VE ALLOCATED OR ALLOCATED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP INITIATIVES.
DON'T BELIEVE THEY WERE IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, BUT THE SC ASKED FOR A BUDGET.
AND YOU WANT TO. CAN YOU TELL? YEAH. THE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE DOES A LOT OF OUTREACH FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND REALLY GETS THINGS ON PEOPLE'S MINDS.
AND REALLY THEY DO A LOT OF WORK THROUGH THEIR VOLUNTEER STUFF.
SOME OF THE EXAMPLE OF THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO DO WOULD BE AWARDS.
ONE OF THE GOALS THAT YOU GUYS ARE WORKING ON IS THE REDUCTION IN WATER AND ENERGY.
THEY HAVE DONE FANTASTIC GRAPHICS AND WANT TO DO A MAILER.
THERE IS ALSO A NATIVE PLANT DEMONSTRATION GARDEN IN THEIR IN THEIR PROPOSED BUDGET.
SO THEY REALLY DO HELP TAKE US TO THE NEXT LEVEL AS FAR AS THE ENVIRONMENT GOES.
WE HAVE AGREED TO USE THE THE TREE FUND TO PAY FOR THE ARBORISTS.
THERE WAS NEVER A VOTE ON THAT.
SC RECOMMENDED THAT THAT MONEY COME OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND AND NOT THE TREE FUND.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH ALL THAT MONEY IN THE TREE FUND? THAT'S SORT OF THIS. WELL, THAT'S ACTUALLY NOT THIS.
YEAH. SO WE COMMISSIONED JUST A COUPLE MEETINGS AGO, VOTED TO SPEND $15,000 OUT OF THAT TO MATCH FOR A GRANT PART OF THE TREE INVENTORY.
WE ARE PLANNING OUR FALL PLANTING.
SO WE DO HAVE THAT PROGRAM AVAILABLE FOR RESIDENTS TO HAVE FREE TREES IN THEIR FRONT YARD.
[01:00:02]
WE ARE RUNNING INTO SOME PROBLEMS IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, FINDING LOCATIONS FOR TREES THAT ARE IN CLUSTERS.SO IT MAKES WATERING THEM EASIER.
WE ALWAYS LOOK AT WHERE'S THE TREE GOING? IS IT IN THE RIGHT PLACE? THERE ARE UNDERGROUND UTILITIES, OVERHEAD UTILITIES.
GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER. NO, IT'S GOING TO TAKE HER OFF.
SOMETHING ELSE. I WAS GOING TO SAY. CAN I MAKE A SUGGESTION? YES. THAT YOU PLANT SOME TREES AT THAT PARK FOR SHADE.
AND WE'VE PLANTED 3 OR 4 TREES THERE WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK AT MORE TREES.
BIGGER ONE. YEAH. WHAT ABOUT SEMINOLE ATLANTIC ON THAT THAT PITIFUL LITTLE ISLAND THERE WITH THE CONE AND THE CONES GONE AND THE AND THE DILAPIDATED CEDAR TREE AND THE THE SCRAGGLY BUSHES THERE? THAT'S DEFINITELY A LOCATION WE CAN LOOK AT AT THEIR THEIR UPCOMING AGENDA IS ALSO GOING TO LOOK AT AND VOTE ON A RECOMMENDATION TO REPLACE TWO OF THE DEAD PALMS ALONG ATLANTIC BOULEVARD.
AND AND THAT ISN'T SOMETHING WE COULD GET SHARED WITH NEPTUNE BEACH.
WELL, FDOT SAID, I BELIEVE I WASN'T HERE THAT WE'LL PUT PUT IT THE ORIGINAL LANDSCAPING IN.
IT'S UP TO THE CITIES TO MAINTAIN IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT ENTAILS THE REPLACEMENT OF TREES.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THE MAINTENANCE OF THE ISLANDS IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
WHAT IS THE NATIVE PLAN DEMONSTRATION GARDEN, RAIN GARDEN, POLLINATOR GARDEN? WHERE IS THAT? AND IT'S 16,000.
SO THAT'S A PROJECT THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE HAS COME UP WITH.
FLORIDA FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING, THINGS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE PESTICIDES OR HERBICIDES ON, THINGS THAT PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR POLLINATORS, BEES AND MONARCH BUTTERFLIES TO COME AND PLANT AND REPRODUCE THERE.
SO, AMANDA, THAT'S ONE OF THE IT'S ONE OF THE 29,000 THAT YOU'VE ALLOCATED OUT.
THAT'S ONE OF THE PROJECTS, YES.
WHAT ARE THE OTHER ONES? I'LL READ IT OFF TO YOU.
MY PAGE NUMBERS DON'T MEET WITH YOURS, BUT IF YOU GO UNDER THE PLANNING AND CODE ENFORCEMENT BUDGET UNDER, UM, OPERATING EXPENSES. UM.
WE HAD A FABULOUS EARTH DAY LAST YEAR.
THEY HAD A GREAT BOOTH AND A LOT OF TURNOUT.
YOU SAID VERIFIED TREE SERVICE MAILER AND STICKERS.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT PROGRAM, THAT PROGRAM IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR VENDORS TO COME IN AND TAKE A TEST BASICALLY CERTIFYING THAT THEY KNOW.
THIS WOULD BE FOR RESIDENTS THAT COME INTO THE CITY.
IT WOULDN'T JUST FUND ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES IN THIS PACKET.
THEY WANT TO START A PROGRAM THIS AWARDS YARD SIGNS AND FLAGS TO SPOTLIGHT YARDS AND OTHER TYPES OF ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES THAT ARE HAPPENING AROUND THE COMMUNITY.
AND A LOT OF THAT'S RELATED TO LEADS.
YES. SO I COUNTED EIGHT TOTAL.
[01:05:04]
OKAY. I DIDN'T COUNT THE NUMBERS.IS THAT RIGHT? NO. AB LOVES TREES, CANVAS BAGS, VERIFIED TREE SERVICE MAILERS AND STICKERS.
EARTH DAY, WELCOME PACKET, THE YARD SIGNS AND FLAGS.
WATER AND ENERGY MAILER PAINT.
NO, NOT THE PAINT, BUT THE NATIVE PLAN DEMONSTRATION GARDEN.
AND THEN THE EIGHTH WOULD HAVE BEEN THE CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT TOTALS OUT TO THE 29,190.
UM, I DIDN'T COME UP WITH THAT VERY CLOSE TO IT.
UM, DID WE GIVE BEACHES GO GREEN MONEY IN THE PAST? WE DID. WE WE HELPED SUPPLEMENT THEM.
THAT WAS IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET.
PREVIOUSLY, SOME VERY SMALL ITEMS WERE PAID FOR OUT OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT BUDGET FOR.
FOR SOME OF THE STUFF, YOU KNOW, THE ARBOR DAY STUFF THAT YOU'VE SEEN.
BUT WE DID MAKE A DONATION TO BEACHES GO GREEN IN THE PAST.
SO WHAT ARE THOSE HOW ARE THOSE DIFFERENT THAN THE INITIATIVES? THOSE ARE PLANNING DEPARTMENT EXPENSES.
IF YOU GO BACK, FOR EXAMPLE, AND I KNOW COMMISSIONER KELLY ASKED ABOUT THE MAILERS, UM, THAT'S IN THERE, THE LDR COMP PLAN MAILERS, THE NEWSPAPER ADS, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE REQUIRED BY LAW.
WE ALSO HAVE TO PUT NEWSPAPER ADS IN THE PAPER SO THAT $3,000 COVERS THAT EXPENSE AND THEN..
IT'S A SEPARATE ONE. SO BECAUSE BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO GET TO THE MAILERS NEXT.
BECAUSE THE MAILERS YOU'VE GOT LDR MAILERS FOR 8000 NEWSPAPER ADS FOR THREE, AND THEN YOU HAVE REQUIRED MAILERS FOR VARIANCES, WAIVERS, APPEALS.
YEAH, I THINK, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN THAT THE THE PARENTHESES BESIDES NEWSPAPER ADS SHOULD IS IS INDICATING MAYBE THAT'S JUST FOR THE NEWSPAPERS. I CAN DOUBLE CHECK WITH OUR STAFF AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S THE CORRECT NUMBER BECAUSE I ALSO I THINK IN ONE OF YOUR PROPOSALS FOR THE CHAPTER 24, YOU'RE PROPOSING TO DO AWAY WITH MAILERS.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT.
SO WHAT IS THE COST? THE 8000? THE 3000? WELL, IT WOULDN'T BE THE NEWSPAPER FOR THE 3000.
OR IS IT THE 2500? IT COSTS ABOUT $4,000.
THE PRICE WE JUST IT'S GONE UP TO DO ONE MAILER TO THE ENTIRE CITY.
SO THAT'S WHAT THAT $8,000 IS EARMARKED IN THERE WOULD BE THE POSSIBILITY OF TWO MAILERS BECAUSE WE'RE WORKING ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE CHAPTER 24, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THE TWO MAILERS THAT WE GET IT DONE WITH ONE MAILER.
SO, I MEAN, IF WE DON'T SPEND THE 8000, THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
AND SO THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS ANNUALLY.
IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN THIS TIME BECAUSE IT'S UP FOR REVIEW, RIGHT? SO HOPEFULLY TYPICALLY YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE 3000 FOR THE NEWSPAPER AD AND THEN ANOTHER 2500 FOR ANY OTHER MAILERS? YES, CORRECT.
LITTLE CHANGE IN THE AGENDA, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
PUBLIC SAFETY IS OUR LAST DEPARTMENT.
I'M GOING TO WAIT UNTIL SCOTT IS HERE AT OUR NEXT BUDGET MEETING.
AND THEN WE HAVE A FEW OTHER THINGS THAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT BEFORE WE GO.
SO WE HAVE COMMANDER LAYSON AND AND.
LIEUTENANT JAMIESON HERE WITH US TONIGHT TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
POLICE BUDGET IS ACTUALLY DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
WE ARE TAKING $560,000, AS YOU KNOW, FROM THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE.
THOSE DOLLARS WILL COME BACK TO US ONCE THE CONSTRUCTION STARTS ON THE LIFEGUARD STATION.
WE THINK WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO PUT ANOTHER 300 TO $350,000 TOWARD THAT PROJECT.
WE DON'T THINK THE 560 WILL COVER THE ENTIRE ENTIRE BUILDING.
AS I SAID EARLIER, WE'RE REPURPOSING ONE OF THE POLICE OFFICERS POSITIONS FOR AN IT PERSON WITH RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WILL BASICALLY BE IN THE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
[01:10:02]
AND INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET IS THE ALWAYS EVER HOT TOPIC OF TWO NEW PATROL CARS.I'LL GO AHEAD. YOU WANT TO START? OKAY. I DO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET.
I AM I AM STILL CONCERNED THAT WE'RE BUYING EQUIPMENT AND WE HAVEN'T WE HAVEN'T CLOSED THE GAP ON HIRING, WHICH WE KIND OF LIKE TO HAVE BUTTS IN SEATS AND WE'RE NOT THERE.
SO I'M NOT GOING TO BELABOR THAT POINT.
MY QUESTION IS, DO YOU HAVE ANY CLARITY FROM CHIEF VICK PER HIS CONVERSATION? I BELIEVE THIS WAS AT OUR LAST MEETING, OUR LAST BUDGET MEETING, AND THEN I HAD A ONE ON ONE CONVERSATION.
I BELIEVE HE'S IN AGREEMENT TO WORK ON EXTENDING THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF THE FLEET.
HE'S MANAGED OUR FLEET FOR THE PAST 3 OR 4 YEARS.
SO SO RIGHT NOW, WE WE AIM FOR A PATROL CAR FOR A 6 TO 7 YEAR TIME PERIOD AND 90 TO 100,000 MILES.
AND AT CURRENT WE'VE BEEN EXTENDING THAT.
THANK YOU. AND SO I, FOR ONE, AM PREPARED TO SUPPORT CHIEF VIC.
I HAVE FULL FAITH AND TRUST IN CHIEF VIC, BUT THERE'S A CAVEAT HERE.
AT THE END OF THIS BUDGET YEAR, IF WE HAVEN'T CLOSED THE GAP ON HIRING THE OFFICERS THAT WE NEED TO HIRE AND OR WE HAVE NOT RETAINED THE VEHICLES AND WE'RE RECYCLING THEM AT THE SAME PACE AS WE RIGHT NOW, WHICH HEARD, I BELIEVE 90,000 MILES AND SEVEN YEARS IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING APPROXIMATELY.
YES, WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN GOING OVER THAT.
RIGHT. BUT I'M WANTING TO SEE A BIG I WANT TO GO OVER AS MUCH AS WE CAN JUSTIFY.
I WOULD I WOULD LOVE TO SEE DATA AFTER DOING THAT FOR A YEAR ON HOW MUCH MORE WE SPENT FOR EXPENSES TO MAINTAIN THE FLEET AND THEN COMPARE THAT TO THE COST SAVINGS OF NOT BUYING VEHICLES AS FREQUENTLY.
BUT I WANT TO SEE I WANT TO SEE RESULTS FROM AN EFFORT TO TRY TO EXTEND THE FLEET.
GO AHEAD. IT TAKES IT TAKES A YEAR AND A HALF OR SO TO PREPARE ONE OF THESE POLICE CARS, IS THAT CORRECT? FROM THE TIME WE WE ARE ABLE TO PLACE THE ORDER THE WAY THAT THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS WORK? THAT'S ABOUT NOW? UM, YES, WE PUT IN THE THE NOTIFICATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO PURCHASE THEM ONCE THE BUDGET'S APPROVED.
AND THAT'S ALREADY WE'VE ALREADY KIND OF DONE THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DO THAT.
WE MOVE FORWARD, GET THE CARS USUALLY BETWEEN 9 TO 12 MONTHS FROM THAT TIME.
WHAT DO WE HAVE COMING IN NOW FROM A YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF AGO? RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THE THREE CARS THAT WE ORDERED THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED THEM.
THEY ARE STILL NOT OUTFITTED YET.
WE'RE WAITING FOR THE EQUIPMENT TO FOR THEM TO DO THEIR JOB, TO OUTFIT THEM.
SO WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE FOR THOSE CARS RIGHT NOW.
POLICE OFFICERS RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T WE DO HAVE OFFICERS LINED UP TO GO INTO THOSE CARS WITH WHAT WE'VE HIRED WITH THE AVAILABLE CARS THAT WE DO HAVE.
SO THESE ARE THE OFFICERS IN TRAINING.
TWO OF THEM, RIGHT? YEAH. THANK YOU.
WHY DO YOU NEED A NOTARY IN THE POLICE WHEN WE HAVE NOTARIES OVER HERE? UM, WE HAVE. WHAT DO THEY HAVE BUDGETED FOR THAT? 250. $250.
THIS IS MEMBERSHIP TO PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION AND NOTARY.
WE HAVE THREE NOTARIES RIGHT NOW.
THEY WORK. TWO OF THEM WORK FOUR DAY WEEKS.
BUT WE HAVE EVERYTHING THAT COMES IN, LIKE FOR POLICE APPLICANTS.
ALL OF THEIR ALL THE RIDE ALONG APPLICATIONS, THE RECORDS REQUESTS, THE ANIMAL CONTROL AFFIDAVITS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAVE TO BE NOTARIZED. SO IT'S JUST EASIER THAN TROTTING OVER HERE EVERY TIME YOU NEED ONE.
[01:15:04]
WHERE IN THIS BUDGET IS THE CITIZEN'S POLICE ACADEMY? THAT WOULD FALL UNDER PROMOTIONAL ITEMS. AND WE DO PLAN TO HAVE THE CITIZEN POLICE ACADEMY AND I BELIEVE STARTING IN MARCH.BUT I KNOW WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO DO ONE, BUT I'M JUST SORT OF LOOKING AROUND.
REALLY THE ONLY EXPENSES WITH THAT IS THE PRINTING EXPENSE.
AND THEN THE LITTLE HORDERVES WE HAVE AND WATER AND STUFF.
BECAUSE WE USE EVERYBODY IN HOUSE TO TEACH.
SO THE IF THE POLICE ACADEMY IS STARTING IN MARCH, WHEN WOULD THE CANDIDATES POSSIBLY.
THAT'S THE CITIZEN POLICE ACADEMY.
OH, I'M SORRY. RIGHT. THE OUR CANDIDATES WHO ARE IN THE POLICE ACADEMY HAVE ALREADY BEGUN.
AND ONE. OH, GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER.
ONE LAST QUESTION IS BECAUSE THERE'S THIS LONG LEAD TIME, A YEAR PLUS YEAR AND A HALF, IS THERE ROOM AND OR IF YOU CAN'T SPEAK BECAUSE YOU NEED CHIEF VIC ON THIS ONE, IS THERE ROOM FOR A HYBRID POLICY WHERE IF WE DID GET BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL BECAUSE ALL OF A SUDDEN WE NEED THE VEHICLES, CAN WE GO TO A LEASE OPTION ON SOME OF THE FLEET? PROBABLY THE ADMIN SIDE.
WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THE TYPE OF VEHICLE WITH THE PATROL CARS.
THEY'RE HIGHLY SPECIALIZED IN THE MECHANICAL PARTS AND HOW THEY'RE BUILT.
I DON'T KNOW THE OPTIONS BECAUSE THEY'RE IN SUCH HIGH DEMAND AND THEY MAKE A SET NUMBER.
IT OCCURRED TO ME IT MAY BE JUST AS LONG ON A LEASE COULD WE DO IT ON AN ADMIN TYPE VEHICLE FOR A VEHICLE THAT DIDN'T REQUIRE THE CAPABILITIES AND RATINGS OF A PATROL CAR? I THINK THAT'D BE A WHOLE LOT EASIER TO ACCOMPLISH VERSUS A PATROL CAR.
YEAH, YEAH. THE THOUGHT IN HERE IS THAT TO ADD IT TO JACK'S BEACH OR IS THAT JUST UPGRADING THE ONE THAT WE HAVE AT THE 10TH OR SEVENTH? I KNOW THAT ANSWER.
THERE'S A LOT OF ACTIVITY OVER THERE AND WE FEEL LIKE IT'S A GOOD PLACE TO PUT ANOTHER SYSTEM.
KEVIN, LET'S GET THE PUBLIC WORKS SIDE OF IT.
ALTHOUGH I WAS REALLY EXCITED TO SHOW YOU THE FLEET INSPECTIONS, BUT HOLD THAT.
I JUST WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE NEED OR WHAT WE'RE GOING TO ASK YOU AT THE NEXT.
I THINK I'VE ALREADY TOLD YOU.
I THINK WE NEED TO PUT ABOUT $350,000 AWAY FOR THE LIFEGUARD STATION.
BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE PICKED OUT OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN THAT.
AND THE OTHER THING I WANT TO SAY, AND WE DISCOVERED THIS LAST WEEK WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BETTER JAX, THE FORM TO SEND THE STATE SENDS US HAS IT CALCULATED AT 1%.
AND THEY WERE CALCULATING ABOUT 2.5 MILLION.
WELL, THE REALITY OF THAT IS WE GET A HALF A PERCENT, SO WE GET A HALF OF THAT 2.5 MILLION.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE DISCREPANCY COMES FROM.
AND I'M SORRY, I HAD A COPIES OF THAT FOR YOU, BUT I.
YES. I JUST DIDN'T BRING THEM.
BUT THAT'S YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, WHEN I LOOKED AT THE BUDGET LAST.
LAST SPRING AND THOUGHT WE DON'T GET $2.5 MILLION IN BETTER CHECKS.
SO YOU'RE SAYING IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET YEAR YOUR BEST GUESS IS ONE POINT 1.25 MILLION? AND WHERE DO YOU THINK WE'RE GOING TO FINISH THIS BUDGET YEAR? AND WILL PROBABLY HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A ISN'T IT ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT OF A RESERVE? WE ALWAYS KEEP A LITTLE BIT OF RESERVE IN THAT.
I CAN'T OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
I'M SORRY. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE ACTUAL GROSS RECEIPTS FROM THAT BETTER JACKSONVILLE PLAN.
ONE POINT I WOULD HAVE WE WOULD HAVE TO TO DIG DOWN INTO THAT.
I MEAN, IS THAT NUMBER STATIC OR PRETTY CLOSE TO STATIC?
[01:20:04]
YEAH. OKAY.SO ANYWAY, AGAIN, THESE ARE THE SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'LL HAVE TO FUND THROUGH THOSE DOLLARS.
THERE'S ALSO THE TDC MONEY, BUT THAT GOES GENERALLY IN THE PAST HAS GONE TO SERVICE A DEBT FOR THE SILVER SELVA. PURCHASE SILVER PRESERVE PURCHASE, WHICH IS ABOUT 150,000, $130,000 A YEAR. THOSE THERE'S ABOUT $20,000 LEFT FROM THAT FUND THAT YOU CAN SPEND.
BUT AGAIN, THIS IS JUST SOMETHING FOR YOU ALL TO THINK ABOUT.
NOTICE ON THE BOTTOM, WE GOT THAT GRANT FOR THE GAYLE BAKER EXPANSION CENTER.
I'M PUTTING $25,000 INTO THE THE BUDGET FOR PLANNING.
AND PROBABLY BY THE TIME WE GET PLANS DONE AND ESTIMATES IN, WE'LL BE INTO THE NEXT BUDGET YEAR.
SO THINK THAT PRETTY MUCH WRAPS IT UP, DOESN'T IT, KEVIN? YES, SIR. JOE AND YOU GOT THE SAME.
AND THE BEACHES TOWN CENTER AGENCY MEETING IS TOMORROW.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO ASK? TRADITIONALLY, WE PAID A THIRD OF HOLIDAY LIGHTING.
WHERE DOES THAT AND I DON'T THINK WE HAD BUDGETED IT OUT LAST YEAR.
WHERE DOES THAT? I DON'T KNOW. IT'S IN THERE'S MONEY IN SCOTT'S BUDGET FOR BEACHES.
I JUST WANT TO I TELL THEM, GET IT IN THE BUDGET OR WE'RE NOT.
OKAY, WELL, WE DO HAVE DOLLARS IN THE BUDGET.
THANKS. YES, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR BRITTANY BECAUSE I COULDN'T FIND WHERE I PUT IT.
WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE WE PAYING $14,000 FOR? MISCELLANEOUS BANK MERCHANT SERVICE FEES.
CAN'T WE GET, LIKE, A CHEAPER BANK? SO THAT'S A TRICK QUESTION, BUT IT DIDN'T MEAN IT BE.
THAT IS CORRECT. WE ARE PAYING THAT.
AND THOSE ARE MAKING FEES PRETTY MUCH FOR DEPOSITS AND CHECKS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
WE'RE GIVING THEM HOW MANY MILLIONS? AND THEY'RE CHARGING US.
WELL, I THINK I THINK I THINK AT THE BEGINNING, AFTER ALL THE BUDGET IS SETTLED AND WE'RE READY TO HAVE SOME FREE TIME, IT MIGHT NOT BE A BAD IDEA TO GO OUT FOR THAT. YES.
BECAUSE WHO ARE WE USING? BANK OF AMERICA. CRIMINALS.
AND THE OTHER THING I WILL SAY ABOUT OUR INVESTMENT, WE HAVE AN INVESTMENT POLICY.
I THINK THAT MORGAN STANLEY IS OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR.
WELL, I'LL GIVE IT MY BEST SHOT.
JOE, YOU KNOW THIS, BUT THE PENSIONS FUND GET THAT KIND OF ATTENTION FROM.
THEY'RE BOTH THE ONES I USED TO SIT ON.
THEY CAN TELL YOU WHERE THAT MONEY'S GOING.
SPEAKING OF PENSION FUNDS, I DID HEAR FROM ONE OF OUR CITIZENS WHO'S A FORMER POLICE OFFICER, I THINK AT APD, WELL MENTIONED ABOUT AN INCREASE OF COLA ON THE PENSION.
IS THAT SOMETHING WE DISCUSS? IS THAT THERE'S A PENSION FUND BOARD, RIGHT, COMMISSIONER? ULTIMATELY, THEY WOULD BRING IT TO US.
IS THAT. YOU WOULD MAKE THE FINAL DECISION? WE WOULD MAKE THE FINAL DECISION.
WOULD ASSUME THERE'D BE A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE PENSION BOARD.
YES. YOU ACTUALLY HAVE A STUDY.
YEAH. THAT'S I THINK THAT'S THE END OF OUR PRESENTATION TONIGHT.
IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, WE'LL CERTAINLY BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN THEM.
VERY DIFFICULT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE REAL PRIORITIES ARE.
IT'S HARD TO DO, BUT THIS DOES MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER.
IT'S CUMBERSOME AND QUITE FRANKLY, IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT, I THINK, ON ALL THREE OF US.
BUT WE'RE GETTING A HANDLE ON IT.
[ADJOURNMENT]
[01:25:01]
IF THERE'S NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.OH.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.