[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:03]
WELCOME NEIGHBORS, VISITORS AND GUESTS.UH, WOULD YOU ALL WOULD EVERYBODY JOIN ME IN A INVOCATION, PLEASE? AND A PLEDGE? HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK FOR YOUR BLESSING ON THIS MEETING TODAY, AS WE DO THE THE WORK THAT IS NECESSARY TO TO CONTINUE TO HAVE ONE OF THE BEST CITIES IN FLORIDA, CERTAINLY ON THE COAST.
WE ASK FOR DISCERNMENT THAT WE MAKE GOOD CHOICES AND GOOD DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF OUR CITIZENS.
WE ASK THIS IN YOUR HOLY NAME, AMEN.
THIS SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA BUDGET OR PARDON ME, THE SPECIAL MEETING BUDGET WORKSHOP DATED THURSDAY, AUGUST 24TH, 2023, WILL NOW COME TO ORDER.
UM. DO WE NEED TO DO A ROLL CALL DONNA? CONGRATULATIONS, MR. WATERS, ON YOUR PROMOTION.
DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THAT PROMOTION.
YEAH, THIS IS GOING TO BE, THIS WAS A BLIND SIDE.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED IN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? NO, SIR. OKAY.
WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO SPEAK? THANK YOU. EVERYBODY IS CITY.
SO GOOD. YOU'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO SPEAK.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE RIGHT INTO TOPICS.
[2.A. General Fund Overview]
WE'LL START WITH ITEM TWO A, GENERAL FUND OVERVIEW AND I'LL LET JOE TAKE IT AWAY.IT'S YOUR PAPERWORK AT YOUR AT YOUR SPOT ON THE DAIS.
AND LET'S GO WITH THE FIRST SLIDE.
KEVIN AND YOU'VE SEEN THIS SEVERAL TIMES.
TONIGHT IS THE THE THIRD BUDGET WORKSHOP WE'RE HAVING.
YOUR FIRST BUDGET FORMAL BUDGET HEARING WILL BE SEPTEMBER 13TH AND YOUR FINAL APPROVAL WILL BE, IS THAT THE 25TH I BELIEVE . SO THIS IS THE GENERAL FUND.
I BELIEVE THIS IS JUST A SYNOPSIS OF WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
MOST OF THE GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENTS, THE LAST MEETING WE HAD, OUR PROJECTED REVENUE WAS $18,868,000, AND OUR EXPENDITURES ARE PROJECTED AT $18,746,000, WHICH GIVES US A SURPLUS IN THE GENERAL FUND OF $122,000. AND ANY TIME I'M GOING THROUGH HERE, YOU GUYS WANT TO STOP AND ASK ME A QUESTION PLEASE DO.
AND HERE'S JUST AN OVERVIEW OF OUR OF OUR REVENUE THAT WE'RE BRINGING IN THIS YEAR.
YOU CAN SEE OUR TAXES ARE $9.1 MILLION PERMITS, FEES, SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS 1.1.
I'M NOT GOING TO READ THROUGH ALL OF THOSE.
BUT AGAIN, IT BRINGS US TO A TOTAL OF $18,868,000.
AND OUR EXPENDITURES IN GENERAL GOVERNMENT'S $5.4 MILLION.
PUBLIC WORKS ADMINISTRATION STREETS AND BEAUTIFICATION, $2.7 MILLION.
RECREATION PARKS AND CULTURE 1.1.
$8 MILLION AND OTHER VARIOUS MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES BRING US TO 18 746.
JOE, CAN I STOP YOU HERE? YES. I'M LOOKING FOR WHEREVER I CAN SEE YEAR OVER YEAR CHANGE IN THE REVENUE SIDE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE THAT.
I THINK WE HAD IT POSTED IN THE AGENDA, THOUGH THAT COULD VERY WELL BE.
AND I WAS THINKING I WOULD SEE IT HERE ON.
IT'S YOUR SECOND PAGE ON YOUR AGENDA AND IT LOOKS LIKE THIS.
DO WE HAVE ANOTHER AGENDA? MAYBE A COPY OF IT BURIED HERE.
IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT? IT'S JUST A COVER SHEET.
YOU CAN HAVE MINE. I'LL JUST LOOK IN.
UM, BECAUSE I HAD SOME QUESTIONS.
A I'M GOING TO KIND OF BACK INTO IT FROM THE BOTTOM UNDER OTHER SOURCES.
[00:05:03]
PROBABLY NOT, TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST WITH YOU.UM, YEAH, I WOULD THINK THAT THAT MAY BE OUR MONEY.
OKAY. OR WE'RE NOT USING ANY MONEY IN THE GENERAL FUND THIS YEAR.
AND THEN WE THINK WE HAVE A BALANCE OF ABOUT $467,000 THAT WILL GO TOWARD THE IF YOU APPROVE IT, THE ERP SYSTEM, THE SOFTWARE SYSTEM THAT WE NEED.
THAT'S A LARGE NUMBER BECAUSE IT'S ALMOST 20% INCREASE.
HOW DO WE KNOW THAT IN ADVANCE OF THE BUDGET YEAR TO BE THAT MUCH OF AN INCREASE? NOW THIS IS REVENUE, SO I'D LOVE MORE REVENUE.
SO NOT WANTING TO GET RID OF IT, BUT HOW DO WE DETERMINE THAT? ACTUALLY, I DON'T KNOW.
COULD THAT BE A FUNCTION OF OUR MOST RECENT RUN RATE? AND WE'VE EXTRAPOLATED THAT INTO 2024? OKAY. SO THAT'S IT IS A PROJECTION.
AND THEN THIS JUDGMENTS, FINES AND FORFEITURES THAT WENT UP 116%.
AND AGAIN, I'M WONDERING HOW DO WE MAKE THAT LEAP OF LOGIC? YEAH, I CAN'T REALLY I CAN'T ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS, BUT WE'LL GET AN ANSWER FOR YOU AND SHOOT IT OUT IN AN EMAIL TOMORROW.
OKAY. AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THESE THESE ARE ALL PROJECTIONS BASED ON HISTORICAL PAST.
THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUE. THE SAME COLUMN IT WENT FROM.
IT'S INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES THAT HAVE INCREASED THEIR ANNUAL EVENTS.
SO TO EXPAND ON THAT, THAT'S MOSTLY FROM.
WELL, THERE WAS THE GAYLE BAKER CENTER.
THAT MONEY WOULD THAT BE PART OF THIS THAT CAME IN FROM DOJ? I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S IN THERE.
WE HAD A $500,000 GRANT FROM THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE FOR THE LIFEGUARD STATION.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? THERE'S TWO.
THERE'S ONE FOR LIFEGUARD AND ONE FOR BAKER.
SO BETWEEN THE TWO IS THE MILLION DOLLARS.
YEAH. OKAY, THAT ANSWERS THAT.
[Items 2.B - 2.D]
THE WATER UTILITY FUND, AND THAT IS TROY AND STEVE WILL BE HERE TO ANSWER WHATEVER QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.YOU CAN SEE THAT AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, WE PROJECT A FUND BALANCE OF $4.7 MILLION.
REVENUES THIS YEAR, OR EXCUSE ME, PROJECTED FOR NEXT YEAR WILL BE $4.1 MILLION.
AND WE HAVE A PROJECTED CARRYOVER OF VARIOUS PROJECTS OF 4.6, EIGHT, $8 MILLION.
IT COSTS US $3.2 MILLION TO OPERATE THE WATER SYSTEM.
AND WE HAVE DEBT SERVICE OF $553,000.
AND WE HAVE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES THIS COMING YEAR PROJECTED AT $5 MILLION, WHICH WILL LEAVE US A BALANCE, A PROJECTED BALANCE AT THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 24, $4.765 MILLION.
WHAT'S OUR PROJECTED END DATE FOR THE DEBT SERVICE? WE DO HAVE THE, KEVIN, DO YOU HAVE THAT? AND SO BRITNEY MIGHT BE TO BEAT ME TO IT.
AND BRITNEY, YOU'LL WANT TO THIS EVERYONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW, INCLUDING IN THE AUDIENCE.
BRITNEY PURCELL IS OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR.
UM, KEY IS PAID OUT OF WATER AND SEWER.
AND ANOTHER IS TD BANK FOR KEY THAT'S EXPECTED TO BE PAID OFF AND MAY 15TH OF 2032 AND FOR TD THAT'S EXPECTED TO BE PAID OFF OCTOBER 1ST OF 2025.
YOU'RE WELCOME. UM, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GO
[00:10:03]
A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO THE CAPITAL BUDGET.DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? JUST KIND OF A WASH.
I MEAN, THE WHOLE. IT'S A GREAT.
WE'RE GOOD. SOME OF THE PROJECTS WE'RE WORKING ON NEXT YEAR IS A WASTE.
OR EXCUSE ME, THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
NUMBER TWO, MODERNIZATION AND CONSTRUCTION.
TROY, WHY DON'T YOU COME ON UP HERE AND JUST MAYBE GO THROUGH THESE AND EXPLAIN TO THE COMMISSION WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY PLANNING ON DOING? TROY STEPHENS, UTILITIES DIRECTOR UM, SO THE MODERNIZATION OF WATER PLANT TWO IS BASICALLY THE SAME THING WE'RE DOING AT WATER PLANT ONE.
UM, REPLACING SERVICE PUMPS OVER THERE.
UH, SWITCHING OUT FROM THE CHLORINE GAS TO A HYPO LIQUID GAS.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT BEFORE AND EVERYBODY SEEMED TO BE FOR THAT.
UM, AND WE WOULD ALSO BE UPGRADING THE CONTROL CABINETS.
THOSE CONTROL CABINETS ARE 40 YEARS OLD AT WATER PLANT TWO.
SO THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE MODERNIZATION IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THERE.
UH, WE'RE ONGOING AT WATER PLANT ONE, SO THAT, THAT THAT JOB IS STILL GOING.
WE HAVE JUST RECEIVED THE SERVICE PUMPS OVER THERE.
THIS IS AT WATER PLANT ONE, WHICH IS, UH, 11TH STREET.
I'M SORRY. CLOSE ENOUGH SO THAT THAT JOB IS STILL GOING ON.
UM, NOW WE'RE WAITING ON THE CONTROL CABINETS.
UH, WHO'S THE CONTRACTOR IS OVER THERE PRESENTLY DOING WORK.
UM, CONVERTING THE OLD CHLORINE TON CYLINDER ROOM TO A HYPO ROOM.
SO THERE'S ONGOING WORK AT WATER PLANT ONE.
IF YOU REMEMBER, WE'RE GETTING OUT OF THE CHLORINE GAS BUSINESS.
MUCH SAFER. UM, WATER PLANT THREE.
UM, WE'VE HAD A WELL FAIL ONE OF THE ORIGINAL WELLS THERE.
ONE THAT WE TRIED TO PUT A BAND AID ON LAST YEAR, PUT A SUBMERSIBLE PUMP IN THE WELL.
NOW, WITH THAT GOING, YOU'VE GOT.
ARE YOU SINKING THAT ADJACENT? EXCUSE ME. ARE YOU SINKING THE NEW WELL ADJACENT TO THE OLD WELL.
UM, YEAH. IN THE SAME YARD AT WATER PLANT THREE, WHICH IS A SISSY LANE.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW, WE CURRENTLY HAVE ONE.
WELL, FEEDING THAT WATER PLANT.
IF THAT WELL GOES DOWN, THEN THAT WHOLE WATER PLANT GOES DOWN.
UM, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THE GROUND STORAGE TANK CLEAN AND PAINT THAT'S AT WATER PLANT ONE.
WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THESE GROUND STORAGE TANKS.
CLEANING THEM AND PAINTING THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR OF THE WATER PLANT.
ROY, DO YOU QUESTION DO YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE PACE THAT YOU'RE ON? OF RETROFITTING SOME OF THIS OLD EQUIPMENT? YEAH, I DO AT THIS POINT, YEAH.
UM, COULDN'T DO IT ALL AT ONE TIME, OF COURSE.
UM, WE'RE ALSO DEALING WITH THE AFTER EFFECTS OF COVID, SO WAITING ON MATERIAL.
HEY, WANT TO THE NEXT SLIDE? DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AS FAR AS THE WATER SIDE GOES? OH. OKAY.
WE'VE GOT CARRYOVER PROJECTS OF $3.2 MILLION, OPERATING EXPENDITURES OF $5.8 MILLION, DEBT SERVICE OF $1.2 MILLION, AND WE HAVE 2.65 MILLION IN CAPITAL EXPENDITURES NEXT YEAR.
AND OUR PROJECTED FUND BALANCE AT THE END OF THIS 24 FISCAL YEAR WILL BE $9.1 MILLION.
PRETTY HEALTHY RESERVES ON THE SEWER SIDE.
DO YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE PACE OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEND MORE MONEY FASTER, GETTING MORE THINGS? UM. WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS YOU CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH WITH THE CURRENT, WITH THE CONTRACTORS AND ALL THAT.
WE'RE HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING CONTRACTS TO BID ON JOBS.
SO THE WAY WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN.
[00:15:03]
GOOD. HONESTLY, I HAD A DISCUSSION WITH STEVE ABOUT THAT.I WANT TO GIVE THE STAFF TIME TO CATCH UP ON THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND AND JUST GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT OF A LITTLE BREATHING ROOM BEFORE WE BRING ANYTHING NEW ON.
BUT YOU CAN SEE THERE ARE SOME SOME PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL PROJECTS GOING ON ANYWAY.
AND UTILITIES, ESPECIALLY WATER AND SEWER, HAVE GOT TO BE CONSTANTLY MAINTAINED.
SO SO BASED ON WHAT YOU SEE WITH YOUR CONTRACTORS, DO YOU THINK THIS IS A BREAKOUT YEAR AHEAD OF US TO GET THINGS DONE FASTER. FIRST I REALLY DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW HOW HOW FAR THEY'VE PUT OFF JOBS AND THEY'RE NOT GETTING TO THOSE JOBS YET.
THERE'S A LOT OF BIG JOBS OUT THERE, UM, SAY, IN NASSAU COUNTY, GROWING VERY RAPIDLY.
SO. SO IT REALLY JUST DEPENDS ON.
NO, WE DON'T GET SURE WE DON'T GET THE CONTRACTORS BIDDING THAT THAT WE WOULD LIKE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING 1 OR 2 CONTRACTORS TO BID ON JOBS.
IF YOU WANT TO CHIME IN A LITTLE BIT ON THAT.
TROY WAS SAYING THE THERE'S SO MUCH GROWTH IN THE AREA AND THERE'S ONLY SO MANY CONTRACTORS.
THEY ONLY HAVE SO MUCH CAPACITY AND THEY DON'T WANT TO MESS WITH THE SMALL STUFF.
SO YEAH, IT'S WE'RE GOING AS FAST AS WE CAN.
UM, AND ALSO, THERE'S A LOT OF MORE REGULATIONS COMING OUT OF TALLAHASSEE, MAKING A LOT MORE DIFFICULT TO RUN WATER AND SEWER SYSTEMS. SO THAT'S TYING US UP WITH, WITH OUR STAFF TIME AS WELL.
SO YEAH, WE'RE ABOUT AT CAPACITY.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WATER AND SEWER? AGAIN, THERE ARE SOME PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL PROJECTS, BUT THERE ARE THINGS THAT SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE ACCOMPLISHED IN THE NEXT YEAR.
YOU NOTICE OUR LAST ITEM THERE IS AN ODOR CONTROL PROJECT.
ABOUT ORDER FROM THE SEWER TREATMENT FACILITY.
SO WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON TRYING TO MINIMIZE THAT.
SO THAT'S A CHUNK OF MONEY, BUT IT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY.
SO IS THAT MORE OF A PILOT OR.
UM, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CURRENTLY ALREADY SPENDING QUITE A BIT OF MONEY ON ODOR.
WE'VE GOT TWO LIFT STATIONS THAT WE PUMP.
WELL, ONE LIFT STATION WE PUMP IN ANOTHER LOCATION FOR THE WASTEWATER PLANT.
WE'RE PUTTING ABOUT 180,000 ALREADY FOR ODOR CONTROL, UM, FOR PEROXIDE USE.
UM, SO THIS PROJECT WOULD BE A PILOT PROJECT.
WHERE'S NUMBER TWO? WATER TREATMENT PLANT NUMBER TWO, WHERE IS THAT? WATER PLANT TWO? 2301 MAYPORT ROAD, WHICH IS BEHIND THE DOLLAR GENERAL STORE OR ACROSS FROM PAN AM PLAZA.
OKAY. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE DOLLAR GENERAL IS.
WHAT ABOUT SEWER CONVERSIONS? IS THAT NOT ON YOUR RADAR THIS YEAR? WE'VE LOOKED AT THAT IN THE PAST.
NOT SEWER. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
YEAH. STEVE MAY WANT TO ANSWER THAT AS WELL.
WE YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST, WE'VE TRIED TO DO SOME SEPTIC TO SEWER CONVERSIONS.
BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IS ALLUDING TO REGULATIONS COMING FROM TALLAHASSEE.
THERE'S A REGULATION COMING DOWN THAT'S REQUIRING US TO PUT TOGETHER A PLAN TO ELIMINATE THE SEPTIC TANKS IN OUR CITY, MOSTLY BECAUSE WE'RE ON THE LOWER SAINT JOHNS RIVER THAT'S IMPAIRED WITH NUTRIENTS, AND THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT NUTRIENTS GETTING OUT INTO THE RIVER FROM THE SEPTIC TANKS, WHICH THEY PROBABLY ARE.
SO LATER ON THIS YEAR, I THINK BY JANUARY, WE'LL HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE TO REMOVE THE SEPTIC TANKS.
AND I THINK THAT WILL GIVE US THE IMPETUS FOR GETTING MORE GRANT MONEY.
MAYOR DEGAN MENTIONED THAT DURING HER INAUGURATION SPEECH WAS ON HER LIST OF PROJECTS OR PRIORITIES.
[00:20:03]
SO WE CAN'T WRITE REGULATIONS IN THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE.SO WE'RE I'VE ALREADY BEEN TALKING WITH THE FOLKS WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY DIVISION, THE CITY OF JACKSON, PARTNERING WITH THEM TO PUT A PLAN IN PLACE TO ADDRESS THOSE. THANK YOU.
MORE QUESTIONS FOR THESE TWO FINE GENTLEMEN.
THAT INCLUDES YOU. OH, THANK YOU, SIR.
THERE IS ONE THING THAT I DO WANT TO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION.
BACK IN 2018, WE DID A RATE STUDY WITH WATER AND SEWER.
WE WERE SUPPOSED TO PASS ALONG INCREASES OF 4.5% FROM 2018 TO 2023.
FROM WHAT I CAN GATHER, THEY STOPPED AT 2020.
THAT'S RIGHT. FISCAL YEAR 2021.
SO WE'RE A COUPLE YEARS BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL AS FAR AS YEAH REVENUE WE SHOULD BE GENERATING OR REINVEST IN THE SYSTEMS. AND I'VE PUT MONEY IN THIS BUDGET, $10,000 IN WATER AND $10,000 IN SEWER TO UPDATE THOSE RATE STUDIES.
OR SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING YOU NEED TO TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK AT MOVING FORWARD.
STEVE AND TROY WILL BOTH BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE INPUT THAN I CAN.
BUT, YOU KNOW, UTILITIES ARE EXPENSIVE TO OPERATE.
WE'VE JUST BEEN THROUGH A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL PERIOD OF INFLATION.
SO WE NEED TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AND SEE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PREPARED FOR THE FUTURE.
WHAT ABOUT THE GARBAGE? HAVE WE DONE A RATE STUDY ON THAT? WELL, WE DON'T. DO WE GO OUT TO BID FOR THAT? BUT WE STILL HAVE OTHER COSTS RIGHT? YOU MEAN. WE CAN EITHER WAIT UNTIL SCOTT COMES UP.
OKAY? OKAY. ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO.
YOU KNOW, THAT SLIDE CAME FROM THE STUDY IN 2018.
[Items 2.E - 2.G]
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO STORMWATER.AND STORMWATER BRINGS US A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE A PROJECTED FUND BALANCE OF $467,000.
WE HAVE SOME FEMA HMPG GRANTS OR GRANTS OF ONE POINT, BASICALLY $1.8 MILLION, AND THAT'S FOR THE AQUATIC OR AQUATIC AREA PROJECT.
UM. WE HAVE QUITE A BIT OF GRANT MONEY TO HELP US COMPLETE THAT PROJECT.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, AS WE GO DOWN.
HOW OUR STORMWATER FUND IS GOING TO RUN AT A DEFICIT THIS YEAR UNLESS WE FEED IT SOME CASH.
NO ONE LIKES TO PAY MORE FOR STORMWATER UNTIL THERE'S A FOOT OF WATER IN THEIR LIVING ROOM.
AND YOU CAN ASK THE PEOPLE IN AQUATIC DRIVE ABOUT THAT SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
SO I THINK AT SOME POINT IN THE NEXT YEAR YOU NEED TO TAKE THE TIME AND SPEND A COUPLE OF DOLLARS TO GET A RATE STUDY DONE AND LOOK AND SEE WHAT OUR FUTURE NEEDS ARE. STEVE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, WOULD SOME OF THAT BE BASED OFF THE STORMWATER MASTER PLAN AND THE RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENTS? THE STORMWATER UTILITY PAYS FOR MOSTLY OPERATIONAL EXPENSES, CORRECT? YES, BUT ALSO SOME CAPITAL EXPENSES TOO.
YEAH. THEN WE'LL BUILD IT OFF THE CAPITAL PLAN.
THE TEN YEAR CAPITAL PLAN BASED ON THE 2018 STORMWATER MASTER PLAN.
WHEN WE DEVISED THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT ARE WE HOW ARE WE GOING TO ALLOCATE THE REMAINING YEARS OF THE BETTER JACKSONVILLE PLAN? AND I'M NOT SURE THAT THIS IS THE BEST PLACE TO USE THAT MONEY THAT IT IS GOING TO DRY UP VERY SOON.
YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A LOVELY FAUCET OF MONEY FOR A LOT OF QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CITY, AND I'D RATHER NOT GO OUT WITH A WHIMPER AS FAR AS CLEANING OUT STORM DRAINS, IF WE CAN BE MORE PROACTIVE, MORE, I GUESS AGGRESSIVE
[00:25:08]
OR A MORE VISIONARY ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO FINISH THE REMAINDER OF THOSE YEARS OF BETTER JACKSONVILLE MONEY.WELL, THAT'S A GOOD POINT, COMMISSIONER.
AND YOU NEED TO TAKE KEEP IN MIND WHAT WE ARE HEARING BETTER JAX MONEY MAY END IN 2026.
YOU BRING THAT UP BUT DID NOT.
SO IT MAY GO AWAY A LITTLE BIT EARLIER THAN 2030, WHICH IT WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED TO GO TO.
SO, AGAIN TO TAKE SOME OF THESE REOCCURRING COSTS AND FUND THEM WITH MONEY THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE REOCCURRING IS A CHALLENGE.
ANYWAY. AND YOU CAN SEE UP THERE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STARTING THIS PROJECT, THIS FISCAL OR THIS YEAR, A BALANCE OF $467,000. AND WE CAN GET INTO THIS.
SIP A LITTLE BIT LATER ON? OR MAYBE IS IT THE NEXT SLIDE UP, KEVIN? YES. OKAY.
AND SCOTT'S GOING TO BE THRILLED TO HEAR THIS, BUT.
I DON'T I DON'T HAVE A SLIDE UP HERE.
BUT THESE ARE THE THE ONES THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO PROCEED WITH.
MOST OF THEM ARE SOME OF THEM ARE GRANT FUNDED.
I KNOW THE AQUATICS GARDEN, OF COURSE, IS FUNDED.
MARY STREET, MARY AND STEWART STREET.
I THINK WE HAVE A GRANT FOR THAT, WHICH IS, I THINK 90%, UM, WHICH AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I GUESS.
WHEN THE THE WORK IS COMPLETED, THE GRANT DOLLARS WILL COME BACK INTO THAT FUND.
WE HAVE AN ANNUAL DRAINAGE DITCH MAINTENANCE THAT WE DO.
SCOTT. YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE DRAINAGE DITCH MAINTENANCE THAT YOU DO? SCOTT WILLIAMS, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR.
A LOT OF THEIR DITCHES AND THEIR ARE IN REALLY BAD SHAPE.
IT JUST ISN'T ENOUGH MONEY TO TO REALLY MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
BUT WE'RE NOT GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE THE WATER CAN FLOW.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE FELT LIKE WE NEEDED A LITTLE BIT MORE.
WE'VE ACTUALLY THIS LAST YEAR WE HAD $200,000 AND WE JUST WEREN'T ABLE TO GET TO IT.
BUT QUESTION ABOUT THE DITCH ON SEMINOLE ROAD.
IS THERE ANY REASON TO GET NERVOUS ABOUT THAT? IS IT? JUST LET IT KNOW.
WE HAVE TREES ON THE WEST SIDE OF SEMINOLE.
REALLY TRYING TO, UH, WE WE ARE ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT EVERYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT.
BUT THAT ONE THERE, WE HAVE STABILIZED IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS.
WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE PRETTY GOOD WITH IT.
BUT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THAT.
WE'RE NOT CUTTING THAT GRASS ALL THE WAY TO THE WATER LEVEL.
THE FIRST THREE FEET WILL LEAVE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.
UH, I PERSONALLY DON'T LIKE IT LEFT AS HIGH AS IT IS, BUT.
BUT WE FELT LIKE THAT WAS THE BEST THING TO DO.
AND SO WE'RE LEAVING THAT WATER, THAT GRASS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.
THAT HELPS FILTER OUT ANY SEDIMENTATION THAT'S GETTING BACK IN THE DITCH AGAIN.
THOUGHT YOU'RE PLANNING ON KEEPING.
THESE ARE THE CAPITAL PROJECTS WE WILL KEEP.
IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID, JOE? WHAT WERE THE ONES THAT YOU WERE SAYING, JOE, THAT YOU WERE TRYING TO NEXT? ARE YOU READY, SCOTT? DON'T KNOW.
IN THIS CAPITAL PROGRAM, THERE'S A $240,000 FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS YARD.
AND THERE'S ALSO $70,000 IN THERE FOR THE DUTTON ISLAND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.
[00:30:04]
UM, I THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BUMP THOSE OUT A YEAR OR TWO.IF YOU WANT TO GO BACK TO THE LAST SLIDE.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT WE'RE GETTING A NEW PUBLIC WORKS.
BUILDING. I SHOULDN'T SAY NEW, BUT WE'RE REDOING THAT.
THAT'S NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IN THAT AREA.
WE HAVE IN THE PAST SEVEN YEARS BUILT TWO STORAGE UNITS THERE.
THE LAST ONE THAT WE BUILT, WE WE SHARED WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, 5050.
THEY GOT TWO BAYS. WE GOT TWO BAYS.
AT THIS POINT, WE'VE BASICALLY TAKEN THEIR BAYS AWAY FROM THEM, UH, WITH THEIR APPROVAL TO STORE A LOT OF PUBLIC WORKS STUFF WHILE WE'RE OUT OF OUR BUILDING, WHICH IS GOING TO BE CRAMMED IN THERE.
THE BUILDING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO REPAIR IS AN OLD BARN THAT'S BEEN THERE FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
SAGGING, UH, POSSIBLY THE FIRST HURRICANE THAT COMES ALONG COULD TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM.
BUT UNTIL THEN, WE'RE STILL STORING MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT UP UNDERNEATH THAT SHED.
DOES IT NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING DONE? I HATE THAT IT'S TAKEN OUT, BUT I GET IT.
WELL. AND I'M SORRY I DIDN'T TELL YOU THAT.
WE JUST MADE THAT DECISION TODAY.
BUT WE FEEL LIKE YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF GOOD WITH THAT PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING.
YEAH, WELL, I GOT TO SAY, THAT'S MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY RIGHT THERE.
YOU'RE WORKING ON THAT WHEN I WAS HERE THE FIRST TIME.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU GOT THAT DONE WHILE I'M HERE.
SO WE TRY TO DO THIS BARN FOR TWO YEARS IN A ROW NOW, MAYBE EVEN THREE YEARS IN A ROW.
JOE'S LEAVING. HE DOESN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THIS, BUT WE'LL BE TALKING A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I AGREE. PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING.
I'M GOOD WHERE HE'S GOING TO GO FOR THAT YEAR OR SO.
YEAH, WELL, THAT'S ONE OF OUR RESOLUTIONS.
YOU'RE GOING TO GET A FANCY MODULAR OR SOMETHING OR OTHER SOMETHING OR OTHER.
I SAW IT. YOU'LL SURVIVE THROUGH THAT.
YES, SIR. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THIS IS FOR YOU OR STEVE, BUT BACK TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
IF WE COULD MOVE FORWARD THERE.
CAN ONE OF YOU RECAP WHAT PIECES THAT COVERS? STEVE WOULD BE THE BEST AT THAT.
BUT I DO KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD ON THAT FOR A LOT OF A LOT OF TIME.
WE CONTINUALLY DO GET SNAGS, HOLD UPS WITH MOSTLY THE THE RENTAL PROPERTY, THE PLAZA. WE'VE MET WITH THEM AS LATE AS PROBABLY 2 OR 3 WEEKS AGO.
I FORGET HOW LONG IT'S BEEN, PROBABLY PROBABLY FOUR WEEKS AGO BECAUSE I WAS ON VACATION SINCE THEN AND WE FEEL LIKE THEY'RE MOVING ALONG, BUT THEY'RE AT A SNAIL'S PACE AND WE'RE WANTING TO GO AT A RABBIT'S PACE.
WHAT IS IT THEY HAVE TO DO? SIGN OVER SOME SOME EASEMENTS FOR US.
WE'RE GOING IN AND AND ALSO WE'RE GOING TO BE USING THE BACK ALL THE BACK RUNAROUND PROPERTY THAT THEY HAVE THERE FOR STORAGE AND EQUIPMENT AND EVERYTHING ELSE WILL BE STAGING ON THEIR PROPERTY WHILE WE'RE PUTTING IN THE THE METAL PILINGS FOR THE THE CREEK.
SO IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, TWO WEEKS AGO YOU BROKE THROUGH THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION.
SO YOU'VE GOT THE COMMUNICATION NOW, BUT NEXT STEP IS GETTING THOSE EASEMENTS SIGNED.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HEARD SOMETHING SINCE THAT.
NO, IT'S JUST HARD TO GET THEIR ATTENTION.
THESE GUYS COVER THE ENTIRE STATE AND THEY'RE SHORTHANDED.
AND IS THAT WHERE YOU'RE PUTTING SHEET PILE PUTTING SHEET PILE AROUND THE BACKSIDE OF THE SHOPPING CENTER? OH, OKAY.
THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT IS FROM THEIR PROPERTY.
SO THEY'RE FINE. THEY'RE FINE WITH IT.
I KNOW IT HELPS THE THE TOWNHOUSES THAT ARE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DITCH, BUT DOES IT ACTUALLY HELP THE RETAIL STRIPS? YEAH, THEY UNDERSTAND THAT, TOO.
SO THEY HAD FLOODING IN THE BACK THERE, TOO, IN THE FRONT.
FRONT OF THE DITCH? OR ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE FRONT SIDE OF THE SIDE OF THE THE SIDE OF THE REGENCY CENTER, REGENCY CENTER SHOPPING CENTER THERE? BUT THANKS. ALL RIGHT.
SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THE STORMWATER PROJECTS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.
AND LIKE I SAID, I BELIEVE STANLEY ROAD IS A GRANT TOO, ISN'T IT?
[00:35:05]
YEAH. STANLEY ROAD AND CUTLASS ARE 90% REIMBURSABLE HMGP GRANTS.CONSTRUCTION IS IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
AND THE CONSTRUCTION WILL BE 90% REIMBURSABLE BY THE FEDS TO MARY STREET.
I'M MISSPOKE. IT'S 75% REIMBURSABLE.
AND THAT IS A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.
OKAY. QUESTIONS ON STORMWATER PROJECTS.
GOOD. OKAY, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON.
LOOK AT THAT. PUBLIC WORKS BUDGET.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S $3.9 MILLION AND IT'S A 6.8 INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR.
THERE ARE $194,000 GRANT TO REPLACE THE BAY DOORS ON THE GARAGE AT THE PUBLIC WORKS YARD, WHICH IS TOTALLY REIMBURSABLE.
THERE'S $50,000 IN THERE FOR AN ELECTRONIC TRAFFIC MESSAGE BOARD.
I'M NOT SURE THAT'S GOING TO MAKE THE CUT TONIGHT OR I'M NOT.
WE'LL SEE. WHAT'S THE MESSAGE? AND WHAT IS THE MESSAGE? GO AHEAD, SCOTT. IT'LL BE A MESSAGE BOARD THAT YOU CAN PUT ANY MESSAGE YOU WANT TO.
IF WE GOT HIT BY A HURRICANE, WE CAN PUT IT OUT THERE SAYING ROADS ARE CLOSED.
IF YOU GOT THE PARADE OR A DONNA RUN OR WHATEVER STREET SUBSTANCE, SEMINOLE ROAD IS CLOSED.
WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO STORE IT WITH NO FACILITY? WE WON'T EVEN GET IT UNTIL THAT FACILITY IS.
. IT'LL TAKE A YEAR TO GET IT, SO.
YEAH, THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH A LOT OF THIS STUFF IS IT TAKES SO LONG TO GET IT.
OTHER THAN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, SCOTT IS GETTING THE ONLY NEW VEHICLES THIS YEAR.
IN YOUR PACKET, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE'S A FLEET INSPECTION REPORTS FROM OUR GARAGE.
I BELIEVE BOTH OF THOSE UNITS ARE 20 YEARS OLD.
IS THAT RIGHT THERE? 2003? I THINK THERE WAS ONE.
I CAN'T SEE IT, BUT I WAS THINKING THAT THERE WAS ONE A LITTLE BIT NEWER THAN 2003 AND 2004.
SO YOU HAD ASKED ME ABOUT JUSTIFYING THE NEED.
WE'VE GOTTEN, YOU KNOW, 19 AND 20 YEARS OUT OF THESE VEHICLES.
THERE'S OVER 100,000 MILES ON THE TRUCK, I THINK.
AND I THINK THE OTHER ONES ON THE TRACTOR, THE TRACTOR IS A RUST BUCKET.
IT'S THE TRACTOR THAT WE USE TO GRADE OUT DUTTON ISLAND ROAD.
IT WASN'T JUST THE BOLTS THAT HELD IT ON.
IT WAS THE WHOLE AXLE AND EVERYTHING JUST HAD RUSTED OUT.
AND THESE ARE THIS IS EQUIPMENT THAT WE ACTUALLY DO TAKE CARE OF.
UM. AND TROY HAD ASKED FOR ONE, AND I SAID, NO, THEY'RE GOING TO SHARE IT.
WHATEVER. TROY NEEDS ON IT TO PLAY NICELY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS ABOUT THESE GUYS.
THEY WORK VERY WELL TOGETHER, WHICH IS SORT OF A PLEASANT CHANGE.
OKAY. PUBLIC WORKS CAPITAL PROJECTS.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING AT $1.5 MILLION AND CARRYING OVER 950 AND UTILITIES HAS GRACIOUSLY AGREED TO SUBSIDIZE THE REST OF THE COST OF THAT BUILDING.
OH, ANOTHER FIST BUMP FOR THAT ONE LEVEE ROAD.
MULTIPATH. THAT'S A CARRYOVER AT $629,000.
A FAMOUS SPLASH PAD IS A CARRYOVER PROJECT.
WE'VE GOT THE 16TH STREET WALKOVER, WHICH IS A CARRYOVER $600,000.
WE DO HAVE A REPORT COMING FROM AN ENGINEERING FIRM, BASICALLY A THIRD PARTY EVALUATION OF THAT.
AND STEVE, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT OR WHAT WHAT OUR OBSTACLES ARE? WELL, THE MAIN OBSTACLE THERE IS, IS WE ONLY HAVE A FIVE FOOT EASEMENT.
SO IN THE YOU ALL HAVE SEEN THAT WALKOVER GOES UP VERY HIGH AND IT'S GOT THE TALL WALLS ON IT.
THOSE TALL WALLS WERE PART OF A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY.
WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO GET THAT EASEMENT.
SOME OF THAT WALKOVER IS A DIRT PATH BETWEEN THE HOUSES, HAS TO REMAIN A DIRT PATH.
THE WALLS HAVE TO REMAIN, AND IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO REPLACE.
AND SO WE HAVE TO GET HIM TO AGREE TO LET US WORK ON IT.
[00:40:01]
AND THERE'S A RETAINING WALL ON HIS YARD THAT HE WANTS TO CHANGE.AND WE JUST HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO COME TO AGREEMENT ON HOW THAT'S GOING TO WORK.
SO HE'S NOT PLAYING REAL NICE.
BUT WE'VE WE'VE HAD, AS JOE SAID, WE'VE HIRED AN ENGINEERING FIRM TO DO A STRUCTURAL EVALUATION OF THE WHOLE WALKOVER TO GIVE US AN IDEA OF DO WE GET ANOTHER YEAR OUT OF IT? CAN WE GET TWO YEARS OUT OF IT? HOW MUCH LONGER CAN WE GO WITH THIS WALKOVER OUTSIDE OF ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, REPLACING BOARDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT? SO WE'LL HAVE THAT HOPEFULLY IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND BE ABLE TO GET AN IDEA OF THE PRACTICAL TO THINK THAT IT CAN ACTUALLY BE REBUILT IN SOME WAY.
SO TO REPLACE THE PILINGS, WE HAVE TO HAVE HEAVY EQUIPMENT UP ON HIS PROPERTY.
IT'S SUCH A TINY WALKOVER WORTH THAT MUCH MONEY.
COULD WE USE THAT SAME MONEY TO BUILD A COMPLETELY NEW ONE? A LITTLE BIT FARTHER IN EITHER DIRECTION VERSUS WALKOVER IS GOING TO BE 15TH STREET, A BLOCK TO THE SOUTH, AND DEWEY'S A LITTLE OVER A BLOCK TO THE NORTH. SO YOU WANT TO ABANDON THE WALKOVER.
THAT'S YOU KNOW, IT'S A POLICY DECISION OUTSIDE OF MY PURVIEW.
NOT MUCH MONEY, PRETTY BUSY WALKOVER.
MEAN WATERS PARK IS JUST DOWN THE STREET.
SO WE HAVE 20 PLUS PARKING SPOTS AT WATER PARK AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD USES IT QUITE A BIT.
IT'S ACTUALLY PROBABLY ONE OF THE BUSIER WALKOVERS THAT WE HAVE.
SO. OKAY, SO WHERE DO THEY PARK TO GET TO THAT? BECAUSE THERE'S NO PARKING ADJACENT TO IT.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER KELLY FOR BRINGING IT UP, BECAUSE I'M OF LIKE, MIND.
I'M LIKE, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.
HOW MUCH VALUE ARE WE GETTING? ALTHOUGH I AM CLEARLY AWARE THAT IT IS GETTING QUITE A BIT OF USE AND THE PEOPLE IN THAT VICINITY HAVE AN OPINION.
SO I WOULD HATE TO ABANDON ONE, BUT.
HE WAS THAT GENTLEMAN ACTUALLY LIVING IN THAT HOUSE? NO, HE'S THERE. IT'S BEEN A PROCESS FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS, RIGHT? NO, IT'S JUST A IT'S, UM.
HE LIVES IN RIVERSIDE AND HE COMES OUT OCCASIONALLY ON THE WEEKENDS.
NICE GUY, YOU KNOW, BUT WE'LL JUST HAVE TO WORK IT OUT.
I MEAN, THIS IS THE ONLY REALLY BIG ACCESS TO IT NEEDS SOMETHING.
THERE'S NO BIG MAJOR ONES ON THOSE OTHER ACCESSES.
WE ACTUALLY DID A LITTLE BIT OF FLIPPING ON 18TH STREET HERE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, AND I WAS TOLD THAT WE OBVIOUSLY GOT TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE. BUT I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE STRINGERS UNDERNEATH WERE IN VERY GOOD SHAPE.
SO THAT WAS GREAT NEWS BECAUSE THAT IS FAIRLY OLD WALK OVER.
BUT IF YOUR STRINGERS ARE GOOD, YOU CAN DO THE REPAIRS.
YOU KNOW, PUBLIC WORKS GUYS CAN DO THE REPAIRS.
SO SO AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, NO OTHER THERE'S NO OTHER REALLY MAJOR ONES.
UH. YEAH, I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MUCH I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE OTHER ONES.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE APPLY FOR A COASTAL PARTNERSHIP.
COASTAL PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE GRANTS THROUGH FDEP.
BUT WE KEEP TRYING. BUT THE 10TH STREET, WE DID GET THE GRANT, BUT IT WAS A $30,000 GRANT.
HOW DO WE WHO FUNDED THE 20TH STREET OCEAN WALK WON? WE DID. OKAY.
AND JUST YOU KNOW, TO CONTINUE WITH THE.
[00:45:02]
MAJOR PROJECTS, CAPITAL WORKS PROJECTS CONNECTING START OF AND SEMINOLE AND EAST COAST.THAT'S AN ENGINEERING, ISN'T IT? GOTCHA. YES.
SO JUST IN A DRAWING STAGE, IT'S NOT ANYTHING.
YEAH. SO I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE ACTUAL RESOLUTIONS ON MONDAY FOR THE ENGINEERING STUDIES TO COMPLETE BOTH THOSE STREETS.
CORRECT? UM, IT'S ON THE AGENDA FOR MONDAY, BUT I WANT TO BRING IT UP NOW BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED THAT WE NOT GET TO MONDAY AND THEN PASS THE, THE RESOLUTIONS FOR THE ENGINEERING WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING WHAT ARE WE ASKING FOR.
SO, UM, AND THE REASON WHY IS THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE CITIZENS THAT ARE, THAT ARE BRINGING UP THE ISSUE, ARE WE FOLLOWING OUR COMPLETE STREETS AND DO WE HAVE THE CONTINUOUS BICYCLE PATHS IN THE IN THE SEGMENT WHICH IS AHERN STREET? AND DO YOU KNOW THAT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT AMANDA HAS DONE SINCE THE LAST DISCUSSION ON THAT AND I'M NOT 100% SURE EITHER.
SO I HAVE TO COME IN HERE AND ANSWER FOR MONEY THAT I DON'T REALLY EVEN KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW? BUT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN IT ENOUGH THAT I KNOW THAT IT'S A PROJECT AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING, BUT I JUST I'M NOT INVOLVED WITH IT ENOUGH TO KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT ON IT RIGHT NOW.
I DO KNOW THAT IT'S AN ENGINEERING AND DRAWING.
BUT WE COULD EASILY PUSH THAT INTO FY 25 BUDGET FOR CONSTRUCTION IF YOU WANTED TO.
IN FACT, WE'D ALREADY KIND OF PLANNED ON THAT.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM TRYING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
IN FACT, I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE BOTH STURTEVANT AND AHERN DONE.
AND OF COURSE, THIS BODY WOULD WOULD SPEAK TO THAT.
BUT THE SIDEWALKS, THE BIKE PATHS, THOSE ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
AND I WAS PRETTY CLEAR ON WHAT I SAW IN STURTEVANT ON ON THAT, BUT I WAS NOT CLEAR ON AHERN.
IS THAT AMANDA'S RESOLUTION? MY MEMORY IS JUST NOT FOCUSED THERE RIGHT NOW.
WE NEED TO REHAB THE FISHING PIER AT DUTTON IN SUNSET PARK OR SUNSET PIER.
I'M SORRY. YOU WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, SCOTT? DUTTON ISLAND FISHING PIER.
WE'VE JUST BEEN A LOT OF MONEY INTO REPEALING IT.
WE'VE GOT A GOOD STRUCTURE UNDERNEATH NOW, BUT THE BOARDS ARE JUST IN REALLY, REALLY BAD SHAPE.
AND AT THIS POINT, THE HANDRAILS ARE PRETTY WOBBLY AND WE JUST FEEL LIKE WE GOT TO GO IN THERE AND AND REDO THE THE ACTUAL DECK PART AND THE HANDRAILS THAT THE DECK PART OF WHAT YOU ACTUALLY FISH OFF OF.
AND WE GOT THE GOOD STRUCTURE UP UNDERNEATH IT NOW BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE WE DON'T HAVE THE THE WALKWAY.
JUST CURIOUS AND THAT I'VE BEEN ON THAT PIER, BUT I DON'T RECALL EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I COULD GO LOOK AT IT, BUT IF WE HAD TO TAKE ANYTHING OUT, WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DEFERRED TO THE NEXT BUDGET YEAR? IF WE HAD TO TAKE SOMETHING OUT, I'D RATHER TAKE OUT THE SUNSET PIER DECKING RATHER THAN THE ISLAND, BECAUSE AT THIS POINT WE GOT BRAND NEW PILINGS AND ALL WE WANT, WE WANT TO MAKE THAT THAT NICER.
OKAY. THERE'S ALWAYS SOMEONE OUT THERE.
YEAH, THERE'S ALWAYS SOMEBODY OUT THERE.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COST OF THE PICKLEBALL EXPANSION? YEAH. ON THE PICKLEBALL EXPANSION, WE ACTUALLY HAD A COUPLE PICKLEBALLERS THAT WAS GOING TO DO SOME LEGWORK FOR US.
THEY GOT A PRICE FROM TWO DIFFERENT COMPANIES.
I THINK A THIRD, BUT I WASN'T I DON'T THINK THAT I HAVE THOSE PRICES, BUT THE TWO DIFFERENT COMPANIES THAT THEY GOT PRICES FROM, ONE WAS TO TAKE THE PICKLEBALL COURTS AND MOVE IT TO THE EAST, CLEAR OUT THE 20 SOMETHING TREES AND BUILD FOUR NEW EXCUSE ME.
YEAH, FOUR MORE COURTS RIGHT THERE.
RIGHT. SO WOULD MOVE IT OVER ANOTHER 30FT.
UH, THAT WAS SOMEWHERE AROUND THE VICINITY OF $165,000.
[00:50:08]
IT WAS STRICTLY JUST TO BUILD THE COURTS, MOVE THE FENCE THAT WAS 100 AND IT WAS 165,000 THERE COST, BUT WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO PAY AN ADDITIONAL PROBABLY 30 TO $40,000 TO GET THE LIGHTING DONE AND EVERYTHING ELSE, UH, TREES REMOVED BECAUSE WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF KICKBACK ABOUT THE TREES AND ALL.UH, WE'VE MET OUT THERE WITH NOT ONLY YOU MAYOR, BUT ALSO WITH THE PICKLEBALL PEOPLE.
UH, BRUCE ANDREWS IS A BIG, BIG PERSON THAT THOUGHT THAT IT SHOULD GO TO THE, TO THE WEST.
BUT THEN WE ADD ADDITIONAL NINE FOOT TO THAT COURT.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OLD STRIPES.
SO THAT'S ALL REFRESHED AND EVERYTHING YOU WOULD PUT IN, YOU'D PROBABLY PUT THE TENNIS NET BACK IN PLACE BECAUSE IT SERVES AS A BOUNDARY FOR EACH COURT. YOU CAN HAVE TWO COURTS ON EACH SIDE OF IT THAT WAY.
SO NOT ONLY WILL THEY LEAVE THAT NET THERE OR REPLACE IT, BUT THEN THEY'LL ALSO COME IN THERE AND THEY'LL PUT THE PICKLEBALL NETS, THE FOUR DIFFERENT PICKLEBALL NETS IN THERE AND MAKE FOUR NEW PICKLEBALL COURTS.
SO SO IF YOU LEAVE THE TENNIS NET, IS THAT BECAUSE YOU CAN CONTINUE TO PLAY TENNIS ON IT? NO, IT'S BASICALLY BECAUSE IT HELPS TO PROTECT THE THE SOUTH COURT FROM THE NORTH COURT WHEN THEY'RE HITTING BACK AND FORTH, WHEN THE WHEN THE BALL GOES PAST SOMEBODY AND THEY DON'T GET IT, THEN IT HITS THAT NET RATHER THAN GOES ON TO THE NEXT PLAN COURT.
UM, ON THE EDGE OF THAT NINE, I THINK YOU SAID NINE FOOT EXPANSION TO THE WEST.
BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO MOVE THEM OUT.
NOW, THE THE $90,000 FOR THAT BASICALLY IS, I THINK, THE THE LOWEST BID THAT WE NOT BID, BUT THE LOWEST PRICE THAT WE GOT ON THERE WAS RIGHT AT $70,000. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO IN THERE AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE THE LIGHTING THAT'S RIGHT THERE ALONG THAT SIDE.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE OUR WELL PUMP.
THAT ACTUALLY IS A WELL RIGHT THERE.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF EXPENSE RIGHT THERE.
AND EVEN PREPARING THE THE COURT FOR THE NEW PICKLEBALL COURTS TO BE BUILT ON IT.
SO BASED ON YOUR LEARNINGS, YOUR DISCUSSIONS AND SO ON, YOU'RE RECOMMENDING THAT WE PROCEED WITH THE LOWER COST EXPANSION? I THINK SO, YES.
I KNOW IT'S NOT HERE AND THAT'S FINE BECAUSE IT'S JUST MORE MONEY AND THAT'S AN ISSUE.
BUT BRIAN HAD DONE A DRAWING A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO ON POSSIBLE EXPANSION OF THE PAVING FOR MORE PARKING SPACES, AND I THINK IT WAS ANYWHERE BETWEEN 8 AND 10 ADDITIONAL SPACES IF DONE ACCORDING TO THAT DRAWING, IS THAT'S NOT IN THE PLAN AND IT'S NOT THERE, BUT JUST A GUT FOR MAYBE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK THAT WOULD ADD? UH, IF YOU LEAVE IT KIND OF LIKE IT IS, BUT JUST MOVE THE FENCE OVER.
BUT IF WE DO THAT, THEN IT'LL GET INTO DECIDING AT THAT POINT, DO WE WANT TO PAVE IT, PAVE IT, DO WE WANT TO GRAVEL IT OR YOU KNOW WHAT? WE DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT CHOICES THAT WE'LL HAVE AT THAT TIME.
IT'S NOT ON THIS LIST, PER SE.
IT. DOES IT BELONG TO RECREATION OR TO YOU? PARK'S MASTER PLAN WOULD BE TO ME.
YOU GOT AMANDA THAT CONTROLS A LOT OF IT.
ALL OF US AS A TEAM CONTROL THAT.
WELL, THE REASON I ASK IS I GET CALLED OVER TO LOOK AT THE SETUPS FOR THE MUSIC NIGHTS AND THE REC PEOPLE THOUGHT.
THAT THERE WAS A SOMETHING IN THE PARK'S PLAN TO ORDER A PORTABLE STAGE TO BE USED OVER THERE.
AND THEY DIDN'T ORDER IT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T OWN THE PARK'S PLAN THAT YOU DID.
AND I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING ANYTHING THAT YOU ORDERED BECAUSE YOU DON'T DO THE MUSIC PLAN.
WE HAVE PUBLIC WORKS HAVE NEVER ORDERED THE STAGE.
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A RECREATIONAL THING.
[00:55:02]
NOW, BECAUSE TRINA IS NEW, I'M YOU KNOW, SHE MAY NOT KNOW THAT TAMMY'S ALWAYS HANDLED THAT IN THE PAST, BUT PUBLIC WORKS HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE WHEN IT'S BEEN DELIVERED AND WE'VE HELPED STAGE IT AND AND EVERYTHING, BUT WE'VE NEVER BEEN THE ONES TO ORDER IT, NOR HAVE WE EVER ORDERED THE THE PORTLETS AND THE LIGHTING AND AND SEATS AND ALL LIKE THAT.IT'S ALWAYS BEEN HANDLED BY RECREATION.
WE DO ALL THAT. WHAT ABOUT JUST IT'S ESCAPED MY MIND ALREADY SO NEVER MIND.
OH I KNOW IT WAS. THE SPLASH PAD NEEDS BENCHES AND SHADE FOR THE MOTHERS.
AND WHO WOULD ORDER THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
THE GRANDMOTHERS ARE TELLING YOU IT'S A PROBLEM.
OKAY. I'M TELLING YOU, IT'S A PROBLEM AND I NEED THE MONEY TO DO IT.
IF I GET SOME MONEY TO DO IT, I WILL HAVE IT DONE.
SOMEBODY WANTS TO BENCH, SEND THEM TO THE POOL.
SOME OF THOSE THINGS I CAN JUST DO OFF OF MY OPERATING EXPENSES.
IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT HAPPENS THAT YEAR.
IF I HAVE A BAD HURRICANE OR A LOT OF PROBLEMS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, I DON'T HAVE OPERATING EXPENSES.
WE'VE WORKED A LOT, BUT WE'VE THE EXPENSES WEREN'T AS HIGH AS WHAT THEY'VE BEEN IN THE PAST.
THEN WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY AT THE END AND WE CAN SAY, HEY, WE GOT THIS.
WE'RE GOING TO BUILD THESE, THESE SHADE STRUCTURES.
THANK YOU. I DO SEE A STAGE FOR EVENTS AND ONE OF OUR POCKETS.
THIS IS THIS IS LIKE THIS IS NOT THE STAGE THAT SHE ORDERS FOR THE JAZZ FESTIVAL OR SHAKESPEARE.
THIS IS LIKE A SMALL PORTABLE STAGE FOR THEM TO USE ON MUSIC NIGHTS AROUND THE PARK.
WE ACTUALLY PUT THAT IN OUR BUDGET A YEAR AGO AND IT STAYED IN OUR BUDGET.
THAT'S THAT'S THE BRASS FACTS.
I MEAN, IT'S YOU GOT TO STORE IT.
YOU GOT TO TAKE IT DOWN. YOU GOT TO FIX IT.
AND IT WAS JUST MORE THAN WHAT I WANTED TO TAKE ON.
WHEN YOU CAN GO OUT THERE AND RENT ONE FOR VERY MUCH LITTLE COMPARED TO WHAT WE WERE ASKING FOR.
AND AND IT WAS JUST THE WAY TO GO.
THE BIG ONES ARE FINE. WE DON'T MIND RENTING THOSE.
YES. BUT THEY'RE ASKING FOR LIKE ONE, A PLATFORM THAT HOLDS LIKE SIX PEOPLE TO PLAY THE GUITAR.
WE ACTUALLY HAD ONE FOR A LONG TIME.
WE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY JUST KEEPING IT REPAIRED AND BUILT UP AND MOVING IT.
AND AFTER SO LONG, IT JUST GOT TO BE MORE MONEY THAN WHAT IT WAS WORTH AND WE JUST TRASHED IT.
OKAY. ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR SCOTT? I'M GOOD. THANK YOU, SCOTT.
I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS TO ASK YOU.
A PACKET THAT WE SAID IS THE PACKET WE GAVE YOU TONIGHT ABOUT THE INSURANCE DEDUCTIBLES.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A PRETTY DRAMATIC INCREASE IN OUR INSURANCE COSTS.
ONE OF THE. IT'S THE SECOND AND LAST PAGE IN THIS PACKET RIGHT HERE.
YOU GOT IT. AND ASK KATHY TO GET US SOME.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, OUR PREMIUM IS HERE.
THERE'S THREE COLUMNS, NO DEDUCTIBLE AT $10,000 DEDUCTIBLE OR $25,000 DEDUCTIBLE.
THEY THE PREMIUM THEY PROJECTED VERSUS WHAT THEY ACTUALLY CAME BACK TO US WITH WAS $23,000 LESS THAN WE BUDGETED IF WE IF WE TOOK A $10,000 DEDUCTIBLE.
I AGREE. WE COULD TAKE UP A COLLECTION FOR 10,000.
RIGHT. BUT I MEAN, I WOULD JUST SAY AND THAT MONEY WILL BE DISTRIBUTED BACK THROUGH THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AND THAT BASICALLY WILL BE A $51,000 SAVINGS IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY ACCIDENTS THAT MEET THAT DEDUCTIBLE LEVEL.
YEAH, I THINK THAT'S SMART MANAGEMENT.
WELL, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE'LL DO.
[01:00:02]
AND. LET'S JUST GO OVER.UM. THIS LAST THIS LAST SLIDE.
AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, WE HAVE, AS WE SAID EARLIER, $122,000 SURPLUS IN THE GENERAL FUND.
IN BETTER JACK'S MONEY THAT WE HAVE NOT APPROPRIATED INTO THE CAPITAL PROGRAMS. UM, AND I'M RECOMMENDING THAT WE MAINTAIN A BALANCE IN THAT FUND OF $250,000.
SO DEPENDING ON WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH THE STORMWATER UTILITY, WE'VE.
WE'VE ALREADY ELIMINATED $310,000.
SO THAT DEFICIT GOES DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
OBVIOUSLY, IF WE COMPLETE THOSE PROJECTS, WE GET REIMBURSEMENT FOR SOME OF THOSE GRANTS.
SO ANYWAY, THERE ARE DOLLARS AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO DO WHAT YOU MAY WANT TO DO PROJECTS THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE ALLOCATED DOLLARS FOR. AND IF YOU WANT TO JUST TAKE A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND GO OVER SCOTS PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS, CAPITAL CAPITAL BUDGET, UM, IF WE CAN GO BACK TO THOSE HIGHLIGHTS, KEVIN.
THIS IS THEIR TEN YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET AND EVERYTHING UNDER THE 2020 4000 2024 COLUMN HAS BEEN.
BUDGETED SOME OF IT FROM THE GENERAL FUND, SOME OF IT FROM THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FUND.
OF COURSE, THAT $600,000 IS THERE FOR THE 16TH STREET WALKOVER.
UM. YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST SEVERAL THINGS HERE THAT.
MAYBE YOU WOULD NOT WANT TO DO OR MAYBE YOU HAVE SOME IDEAS THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO DO.
AND WE DID SHOW YOU THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE HAVE FUNDED.
AND. YOU KNOW, IF YOU JUST WANT TO TAKE A SECOND AND GO THROUGH THIS OR HAVE A DISCUSSION REGARDING WHATEVER DOLLARS WE HAVE LEFT OVER WHAT YOU MIGHT LIKE TO DO WITH THEM, THAT THAT WOULD BE SOME SOMETHING WOULD LIKE YOU ALL TO DECIDE AND GIVE US SOME INPUT ON.
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. I'M SORRY.
AND UNDER THE 2024 COLUMN, THEY'RE THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE FUNDED THE COURSE.
AGAIN, A LOT OF THOSE THINGS ARE CARRYOVERS.
THE 16TH STREET WALKOVER IS A CARRYOVER.
THE DUTTON ISLAND ROAD DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.
WELL, THAT'S A CARRYOVER, BUT I SORT OF CUT THAT OUT.
UM. WE HAVE A CREEK RESTORATION.
ME KNOW WHAT THAT IS? CREEK. YEAH.
THIS PROJECT STATEN ISLAND ROAD DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, IS MORE OF A BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT TO FIX THE ROAD BETWEEN STATEN ISLAND AND THE ENTRANCE BECAUSE THE ROAD WAS DESIGNED WITH NO WAY TO PASS.
SO EVERYBODY DRIVES OUT INTO THE BIKE PATH.
SO THAT WAS THAT WHAT THAT PROJECT WAS? THE CREEK PROJECT IS A RESTORATION PROJECT.
WE'VE BEEN PLANNING OVER HERE IN HOWELL PARK TO BASICALLY A PILOT PROJECT TO DIG OUT ABOUT A 150, 200FT OF THAT OF THE DITCH AND RESTORE IT WITH PLANNING ON THE BANKS.
AND WE'LL HAVE IT PROBABLY ABOUT THREE FEET DEEP AS OPPOSED TO SIX INCHES.
SO YOU GET A LOT BETTER HYDRAULIC FLOW AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THE PERMITTING ON THAT.
AND IF WE CAN DO THAT AND IT'S SUCCESSFUL, IT'LL KIND OF SERVE AS A PILOT FOR HOPEFULLY BEING ABLE TO GET MORE GRANT MONEY TO EVENTUALLY DREDGE IT, BE ABLE TO DREDGE THAT CREEK FROM THE NORTH SIDE OF SALT AIR, WHICH IS THE SOUTH END OF HOWELL PARK, ALL THE WAY DOWN PAST CITY HALL TO THE COUNTRY CLUB.
IS ANY OF THAT 50,000? GRANT? NO.
BUT BUT YOU'RE SAYING THIS AS A PILOT COULD GENERATE FUTURE GRANTS FOR SIMILAR.
BECAUSE THEN THAT'S ONE OF OUR PROBLEMS WITH THE DRAINAGE.
WE JUST CAN'T GET THE WATER OUT.
UM, SO THAT'S JUST A PIECE OF IT THAT GET STARTED.
SO, SO IF YOU HAD TO WEIGHT THE IMPORTANCE, DO YOU GIVE MORE WEIGHT TO THIS BEING AN ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION OR TO STORMWATER CONTROL? GIVE IT ABOUT 25% ENVIRONMENTAL 75% STORMWATER CONTROL PROJECT.
ONE THING I DO WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION.
WE'VE PUT $350,000 IN THE BUDGET FOR MILLING AND PAVING.
[01:05:06]
YOU MIGHT WANT TO TAKE SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS AND AND ENRICH THAT FUND, SOME OF WHICH, OH, THE 200,000.AND ACTUALLY, IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN 200.
YEAH, HOPEFULLY IT'S MORE. BUT YEAH, I'D LIKE TO I'D LIKE TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE INTENTIONAL ON THE BUDGET INSTEAD OF JUST LATER IN THE YEAR SAYING WE STILL HAVE MONEY AND THEN MOVING IT.
I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO HAVE MORE MONEY FOR MILLING AND PAVING.
SECONDLY IS IF IF THE COMMISSIONERS ARE NOT AWARE OF THIS, SCOTT DID A INSTALL OF THREE PARKING SPACES USING TURF BLOCK ON THIRD AND OCEAN OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS AND IT LOOKS FABULOUS.
DIRT SPOTS AND THE WEED SPOTS WHERE WE DO ALL OF OUR PARKING ON ON THE ACCESSES TO THE BEACH.
HOW MANY HOW MANY YEARS WOULD IT TAKE WITH A $50,000 FUND? RIGHT NOW YOU'RE GETTING I'M GOING TO ROUND UP.
YOU'RE GETTING ONE PARKING SPOT PER 5000, ROUGHLY.
THAT'S A THAT'S PRETTY DOGGONE CLOSE.
YES. SO 50,000 WOULD GET US TEN AND A YEAR IF IT WAS ALL USED THERE.
AND THAT FUND OR THAT 50,000 WAS NOT SPECIFIC FOR TURF.
BUT YOU COULD DO TEN A YEAR WITH 50,000 UNTIL IT GOES UP.
BUT THAT'S THE WAY THE BEACH ACCESSES.
ARE YOU GOING TO USE YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO GET THREE STALLS HERE AND THERE.
UH, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT A PLACE RIGHT HERE ON PLAZA, ON THE SIDE OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
BUT IT COULD USE SOME PARKING RIGHT THERE AND YOU COULD GET, YOU KNOW, 4 TO 6 PLACES RIGHT THERE.
AND THAT WOULD BE SOME PRETTY GOOD PARKING.
WE'LL TALK TO VIC ABOUT THE PARKING.
YEAH, HE MAY NOT WANT IT. I HAVEN'T EVEN MENTIONED IT TO HIM, BUT, I MEAN, THAT'S JUST WHEN YOU RIDE BY AND YOU LOOK AT IT AND YOU THINK, WOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY, REALLY GOOD. AND I WANT TO COMMEND YOU AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING, BECAUSE WHEN I LOOKED AT THE BASE THAT'S BEING USED UNDER THIS, IT'S IT'S ROCK OR AGGREGATE IN OTHER WORDS, OUR CITY STAFF IS MAKING SURE WE'RE NOT ALSO PART OF THE PROBLEM ON WE ARE DOING IT THE WAY WE REQUIRE OUR CONTRACTORS TO DO IT.
THANK YOU. SO THAT THAT'S GOOD.
BUT THERE'S TWO APPLICATIONS THAT I SEE ON THE ON THE PARKING SPACES FROM TURF BLOCK.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY IT'S IT'S TIME HAS COME.
WE'RE GOING TO CLEAN UP THE DIRT PATCHES AND THE WEED PATCHES.
BUT IT'S FOR ME, IT'S SO IMPORTANT.
AND YOU'RE GOING TO, I HOPE, HEAR MORE FROM THE STOP COMMITTEE ON THIS.
IT'S ABOUT GETTING VEHICLES OFF THE PAVEMENT, SO HAVING A PROPER PARKING SPACE OFF PAVEMENT NOW ALLOWS EMERGENCY ACCESS THROUGH THOSE NARROW STREETS. SO I HOPE THAT COMMISSION WILL CONTINUE TO ASK QUESTIONS AND LISTEN TO THE STOP COMMITTEE AND THEN SUPPORT EXPANSION OF THESE INITIATIVES IN A MEASURED WAY.
I DON'T ENVISION THIS BEING LET'S SPEND $1 MILLION THIS YEAR AND DO 20 STREETS, YOU KNOW, BUT I LIKE HAVING THE THE START BECAUSE THEN WE CAN SEE WE GET A VISUAL ON ON WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT.
AND AND I WOULD JUST SUGGEST TO THE COMMISSION, GO LOOK AT WHAT HE JUST DID ON ON THIRD STREET.
DID YOU USE YOUR ENTIRE BUDGET UP? UH, LET'S SEE. WE HAD ALREADY DONE SOME.
YES. THE ALLIES WERE LIGHTING UP.
YEAH. YEAH. YOU ALWAYS LIKE MORE? IS IT OR IS IT WAS THE NAVY? YEAH, THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
I MEAN, IT'S THE END OF THE YEAR AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET THINGS LIKE THAT DONE.
YOU KNOW, SO. UH, ONE MORE THING ON THE SPLASH PAD.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE EVER BUTTON THAT UP.
UH, ASIDE FROM WHAT COMMISSIONER KELLY BROUGHT UP OF SEATING AND SO ON, DO WE HAVE AN IRONCLAD CONTRACT, OR DO WE HAVE STILL THE ABILITY TO HAVE COST OVERRUNS ON THE ON THE BASIC STRUCTURE? I DON'T THINK WE HAVE AN IRONCLAD CONTRACT YET.
DO WE HAVE AN IRONCLAD CONTRACT ON THAT? OKAY, I'M SORRY.
WE DO. I KIND OF THOUGHT WE DID, BUT WE'RE LOCKED IN TO WHAT WE'VE GOT ON THE PLANS RIGHT NOW.
[01:10:05]
YEAH, THAT'S A IT'S A CITY SACHSE DESIGN BUILD CONTRACT.SO WHEN THE CONTRACTOR COMES BACK TO US, HE PROVIDES US WITH A GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE.
THAT'S IT. RIGHT. AND THAT IS THIS NUMBER.
I LIKE IT. IF THERE ARE PROBLEMS OUT THERE, IT'S ON HIM.
ADD IT TO, TO THE MY BUDGET, NOT TO THAT JOB, BUT TO MY BUDGET FOR FOR THAT REASON MAKE IT HAPPEN.
THEN I START TWISTING AND PULLING FROM OTHER AREAS.
THOUSAND DOLLARS HERE, $1,000 THERE AND TRY TO MAKE THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPEN.
AND YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU GET THOSE THOUSAND DOLLARS OUT IS WHERE YOU GET THE $50,000.
AND I ONLY SPENT 47,000 OF IT.
SINCE WE'VE GOT SCOTT HERE AND YOU BROUGHT IT UP, YOU'VE GOT 350,000 FOR MILLING AND PAVING.
WHAT DID WE START THIS PAST BUDGET YEAR WITH? WE STARTED WITH 350.
I THINK WE RAISED IT UP 50,000.
SO WE FINISHED WITH 600 AND WE'RE RIGHT NOW AT 685,000.
I COUNT AS TWO DIFFERENT ROADS, BUT YOU COUNT THEM.
AND THERE ARE PROBABLY ABOUT TEN GOOD SOLID ROADS.
IT JUST DOESN'T GO THAT FAR ANYMORE.
WHERE THE ASPHALT USED TO COST US $12 A SQUARE YARD.
NOW IT'S COSTING US $25 A SQUARE YARD.
SO I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE MONEY, BUT I THINK I WANT TO BRING UP AN ISSUE BEFORE WE GO THERE.
WE WON'T BE TALKING UNTIL MID SEPTEMBER ABOUT MILLAGE AND AND THERE WILL BE A DISCUSSION ABOUT MILLAGE, WHETHER WE ARE GOING TO HOLD THE MILLAGE AT THE CURRENT LEVEL, ROLL BACK OR DO SOMETHING IN BETWEEN.
IF YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO DO SOMETHING, YOU NEED TO DISCUSS IT NOW BECAUSE THE NEXT TIME THIS BUDGET IS PRESENTED TO YOU, IT WILL BE IN FINAL FORM FOR YOUR APPROVAL ON FIRST READING. SO. SO THAT'S WHY I BROUGHT IT UP.
AND OBVIOUSLY I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS HAVE IN THEIR MINDS.
I'M GOING TO ADVOCATE FOR A REDUCTION IN THE MILLAGE.
I DON'T SEE HOW, BASED ON THE NUMBERS THAT I KNOW THAT I WOULD ADVOCATE FOR A ROLLBACK RATE, BUT JUST KNOW THAT I WOULD ADVOCATE FOR A REDUCTION IN THE MILLAGE RATE.
NOW, THERE'S SOME THINGS OUT THERE THAT WE CANNOT PUT INTO THE BUDGET OR ACKNOWLEDGE THEM, BUT WE WILL BE STARTING CONVERSATION AFTER COJ COMPLETES THEIR BUDGET.
UM, MAYOR DEEGAN HAS AGREED WITH ME TODAY THAT WE WILL PUT TOGETHER A COMMITTEE TO START REVIEWING THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT. AND SO IT PROBABLY WON'T HELP IN THIS COMING BUDGET YEAR THAT WE'RE NOW DEALING WITH.
BUT FOR THIS YEAR, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE INCREASE WE HAVE.
JOE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, ON THE CERTIFIED TAX ROLLS, WE HAVE 670,000 MORE IN REVENUE.
AND SO A REDUCTION OF AN EIGHTH OF A MIL, FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD REDUCE THAT BY 200.
AND I DON'T REMEMBER PROBABLY 220.
OH, OKAY. DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH AN EIGHTH WOULD BE? COMPARING IT TO THE CURRENT RATE.
IF WE REDUCE IT BY AN EIGHTH OF A MILL, IT WOULD REDUCE THE REVENUE BY ABOUT 320,320.
SO EXACTLY THE AMOUNT YOU WANT TO PUT IN MILLING, WE HAVE WE HAVE 350IN MILLING ALREADY.
I KNOW, BUT YOU WANTED MORE, SO.
[01:15:06]
TO JOE'S POINT, IT WILL.IF WE DO THAT, YOU'D HAVE TO SEND THE BUDGET BACK TO FINANCE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS.
IF WE REDUCE THE MILLAGE, IF WE'RE DIRECTED TO DO THAT, WE WILL.
GOING INTO THE SECOND READING.
NO, I UNDERSTAND. BUT I DON'T.
I DON'T HATE TO SAY IT, BUT I DON'T THINK WE CAN MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT.
SO IT'S REALLY MORE OF A TAKEAWAY.
BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM EACH OF YOU NOW SO THAT JOE HAS A SENSE ABOUT WHAT HE'S DEALING WITH.
SO DO YOU WANT TO DECREASE THE MILLAGE RATE? I'M JUST NOT SURE HOW MUCH.
AND THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY ABOUT THAT.
SO FORGIVE ME FOR THIS MAY BE A DUMB QUESTION.
I TEND TO THINK IN EVEN NUMBERS AND BEING A MORTGAGE LENDER, I THINK IN TERMS OF EIGHTHS 0.125.
DO WE EVER TALK ABOUT MILLAGE CHANGES IN FRACTIONAL NUMBERS OTHER THAN EIGHTHS? WE HAVE NOT CHANGED THE MILLAGE, BUT WE CHANGED THE MILLAGE LAST YEAR BY AN EIGHTH.
IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS I KNOW, BUT THAT WAS 0.125 OF A MILL.
SO DO WE EVER DO GO OFF SCRIPT AND DO A 16TH OR.
SO I THINK AT THIS LATE DATE, IT'S NOT A GOOD TIME TO START TALKING ABOUT DOING THAT.
I KNOW PEOPLE ARE SHOCKED WITH THEIR THEIR PROPERTY VALUES OR PROPERTY TAX BECAUSE I GOT MINE, TOO.
BUT PEOPLE ARE GETTING VALUE FOR THAT MONEY HERE.
AND AS YOU AS YOU WELL KNOW, THERE ARE THERE'S A BIG DEMAND FOR EXPENSIVE THINGS LIKE MILLING AND.
THAT THE WORD PICKLEBALL, IT'S ALL IT'S ALL TRADE OFFS.
I AM GOING TO ADVOCATE FOR A REDUCTION IN MILEAGE.
I THINK AFTER YOU LOOK AT YOUR TRIM NOTICE AND NOTICE THAT YOU HAD A 5 TO $600 INCREASE JUST FOR THE ONE MILL FOR THE THEN YOU HAD WHATEVER IS ASSOCIATED WITH A 3% HIKE IN YOUR ASSESSED VALUE BECAUSE THAT'S THE CAP UNDER THE SAVE OUR HOMES TAX CAP.
I THINK OUR CITIZENS WOULD APPRECIATE US TAKING THIS VERY SERIOUSLY WHILE WE CAN.
WE'RE WE ARE DOING FINE ON ON FUNDS IN THIS CITY.
UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK WE SHOULD BE DOING BETTER.
WE GOT TO WORK WITHIN THE NUMBERS WE HAVE, AND THIS YEAR OUR CITIZENS ARE HAVING A HUGE INCREASE IN THEIR PROPERTY TAXES BECAUSE OF THE ONE MILL FOR THE SCHOOLS. SO IT'S WHOLLY APPROPRIATE.
AND BY THE WAY, WE LEARNED LAST YEAR IF YOU PAID ATTENTION THAT A EIGHTH OF A MILL REDUCTION WAS NOT A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT, AND THAT ACTUALLY BECAME THE THE THE RALLY FOR THOSE WHO WANTED TO HOLD THE LINE IS THAT IT'S NOT THAT MUCH MONEY TO EACH HOMEOWNER.
SO WHY DO IT? LET ME TELL YOU WHY YOU DO IT.
IT SHOWS GOOD FAITH AS STEWARDS OF OUR CITIZENS MONEY.
IT IS DIRECTIONALLY CORRECT, IF NOT A LARGE SUM OF MONEY.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET TO A LARGE SUM OF MONEY UNLESS YOU GO TO A QUARTER OR A 3/8 MILL REDUCTION.
AND AND THE LARGEST AMOUNT OF THAT MONEY WILL ACCRUE TO THE RICHEST PEOPLE IN THE CITY.
BUT NONETHELESS, OUR LESS WEALTHY PEOPLE IN THE CITY ARE THEY'RE THEY'RE HAVING TO DEAL NOT JUST WITH TAX INCREASES THIS YEAR, BUT CANCELED INSURANCE. FORCED PLACED INSURANCE BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO GET NOW INSURANCE PREMIUMS THROUGH THROUGH THE ROOF.
ALL OF US THAT OWN OUR HOMES KNOW THIS.
I'M DEALING WITH IT. YOU'RE DEALING WITH IT.
SO WE REALLY NEED TO THINK ABOUT SHOWING GOOD FAITH, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A SMALL AMOUNT.
IF WE WERE TO DO AN EIGHTH OF A MILL REDUCTION, IT'S A SMALL AMOUNT AND IT WAS JUST QUANTIFIED AS 320,000 LOST REVENUE ON THE EXCESS YEAR OVER YEAR BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES. SO I JUST HAVE TO SAY THIS IS A RESPONSIBLE WAY TO TAKE CARE OF THE CITIZENS OF ATLANTIC BEACH.
SO ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? I'M FOR A REDUCTION IN THE MILL, IN THE MILL RATE.
I KNOW LAST YEAR IT WAS AN EIGHTH.
IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? YEAH. AND THEN REDUCING IT AGAIN BY AN EIGHTH.
[01:20:02]
AND HOW MUCH WOULD THAT END UP BEING BRITNEY? DID YOU JUST SAY A DOLLAR AMOUNT? 300, $320,000? IT WOULD. AND LET ME AGAIN BE CLEAR ON THIS.THE INCREASE RIGHT NOW IS 700.
AND HOW MUCH IS IT DO YOU KNOW, HAVE THAT NUMBER? IT WAS 700 AND CHANGE.
SO IT WOULD REDUCE THAT INCREASE BY 320, NOT REDUCE TAXES.
AND THIS IS ONE THING THAT ONE OF OUR CITIZENS HAS TRIED TO MAKE CLEAR.
IT IS THE ONLY WAY YOU HAVE A TAX REDUCTION IS IF YOU GO PAST OR BELOW THE ROLLBACK RATE.
AND THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M ADVOCATING FOR HERE.
YES, IT MIGHT CUT INTO MY DESIRE TO HAVE ANOTHER COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND FOR MILLING AND PAVING, BUT THERE ARE OTHER AREAS IN THIS BUDGET THAT COULD BE LOOKED AT IN ORDER TO ADJUST FOR THAT.
AND RIGHT NOW, JOE HAS CONFIRMED WITH US RIGHT HERE ON THIS SHEET, WE HAVE 213,357 OF MONIES THAT COULD BE PART OF THE FUNDING OF THAT THAT EIGHTH OF A MILL REDUCTION.
WE DON'T HAVE TO VOTE ON IT. BUT LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, WE DO NEED SOME DIRECTION.
IF YOU WANT TO CUT $320,000 OUT OF THIS BUDGET, WE'LL BRING THAT BACK TO YOU IN THAT FORM.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE CORRECTIONS AND THEN I CAN TELL YOU WHERE I STAND ON THAT.
WELL, COMMISSIONER WATERS WANT TO DECREASE IT.
ABSOLUTELY. AND COME BACK WITH THE NUMBERS AND BUT.
WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL WORK ON THIS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.
HOPEFULLY MAYBE BY MONDAY NIGHT WE CAN TELL YOU THE AREAS THAT WE CUT AND.
OKAY. AND OUR NEXT STEP AFTER TONIGHT WILL BE TO PUT THE BUDGET TOGETHER IN SOME FINAL FORM SO YOU CAN HAVE IT TO PERUSE AT LEAST A WEEK BEFORE THE THE FIRST BUDGET HEARING.
UM, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WILL DO.
BUT WE WILL WORK ON THAT $320,000.
ANYTHING ELSE FOR DISCUSSION TONIGHT? NO. DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR US OR.
TWO THINGS I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT.
I KNOW WE HAD DISCUSSED THIS BEFORE.
IT HAD BEEN BROUGHT TO OUR COMMISSION ABOUT THE LOWER PAID EMPLOYEES AND RAISING THEIR SALARIES.
AND I WANTED TO KIND OF ASK YOU, JOE, FOR SOME DIRECTION ON THIS AND THEN AS WELL AS MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AND MAYOR, WOULD THIS BE A GOOD TIME TO DISCUSS THIS? I KNOW THERE'S THEY'RE IN UNION CONTRACTS AND NEGOTIATIONS WITH THAT.
SO THAT'S ONE THING I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT.
THE SECOND THING IS THE COLA INCREASE FOR OUR CITY RETIREES AND TALKING ABOUT THAT THIS TIME, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE THE RIGHT MEETING TO DISCUSS THAT.
I KNOW HE'S NOT HERE TO KIND OF DISCUSS THAT, BUT.
UPDATE. BRITTANY, DO YOU HAVE ANY ANYTHING TO TALK ABOUT WITH THAT? YOU WERE WERE YOU AT THE LAST PENSION BOARD MEETING? WAS. YES.
UM, SO BOTH BOARDS FIRST IT WAS JUST THE GENERAL BOARD AND NOW THE POLICE BOARD HAS GOTTEN ON AS WELL AND THEY ARE DOING STUDIES FOR THE SAME AMOUNT, FOR THE SAME STUDIES FOR EACH BOARD. AND THERE'S FOUR DIFFERENT ONES TOO, JUST TO KIND OF SEE HOW THAT WILL AFFECT.
OKAY. THAT DOESN'T COME OUT OF THE BUDGET.
DOES NOT. WHICH ONE? THE THE COLA.
OKAY. IT DOESN'T FOR THE RETIREE.
IF I MAY, IF ONCE THAT BOARD COMES UP WITH THEIR DIRECTION, THEN IF NECESSARY, IT WILL COME TO US IF WE HAVE TO VOTE TO ALLOW THAT.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THERE IS NO COLA IN THE THE PENSION AGREEMENT.
AND THERE'S NO COLA FOR EITHER THE BPD OR THE POLICE OR THE GENERAL.
OKAY. SO THEY'RE BOTH IN NEGOTIATIONS FOR THAT? NOT REALLY A NEGOTIATION.
WELL, AND I WANT TO CHANGE IT SLIGHTLY HOW IT WILL IMPACT THE VIABILITY OF THE FUND LONG TERM.
AM I INCORRECT ON THAT? THAT'S CORRECT. SO IT'S NOT JUST THEIR BUDGET.
IT IS. IS IT ACTUARIALLY SOUND AND AND COULD WE HAVE A DISRUPTION IN THE ABILITY TO PAY PENSIONS IN THE FUTURE BY BY GRANTING THAT?
[01:25:01]
SO WE SHOULD NOT MAKE BAD DECISIONS THERE.BUT CERTAINLY I WOULD EXPECT THIS BODY WOULD BE OPEN TO A DIALOG AND RECOMMENDATION FROM THAT BOARD IF THEY FEEL LIKE THAT DECISION WAS A SOUND DECISION.
OKAY. EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT NEGOTIATED IN WHEN THE PENSIONS WERE WERE CREATED.
SO. UM, AND THEN ABOUT THE LOWER PAID EMPLOYEES.
AND I KNOW WE'VE BEEN IN DISCUSSION BEFORE.
I'VE HEARD COMMISSIONER KELLY BRING IT UP.
UM, AS FAR AS IF IT WERE THE PREVIOUS YEAR, WAS IT THAT EVERYONE ACROSS THE BOARD RECEIVED THAT 12% INCREASE? BUT WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IS ABOUT THE LOWER PAID EMPLOYEES AND.
THINKING ABOUT A WAY TO UP THEIR SALARIES.
IF YOU MOVE THE BOTTOM, YOU HAVE TO MOVE THE TOP.
A LOT OF CORPORATIONS DON'T GO CORPORATE.
THANKS FOR BRINGING IT UP. BUT YOU COULD DO A COMPOSITE.
YOU COULD DECIDE THAT ON A GIVEN YEAR YOU WANT TO ALLOCATE 5% FOR SALARY INCREASES AND YOU COULD DECIDE THAT 2% OF THAT GOES TO THE BOTTOM TIER AND TAKE THOSE EMPLOYEES AND DIVIDE IT.
AND THEN THE OTHER PERCENT GOES TO EVERYBODY, INCLUDING THE BOTTOM TIER.
BUT I THINK THERE'S A BIG CONVERSATION TO HAVE HERE BECAUSE ONE OF THE ONE OF THE REASONS WE HEARD FROM A CITIZEN RECENTLY ABOUT DOING THAT IS TO MAKE TO TO HELP OUR EMPLOYEES WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE'RE JUST SO THERE'S SUCH A BIG GAP NOW.
BUT BUT AND I HOPE I'M NOT MISUSING THE TERM, BUT WE'VE HEARD THE TERM LIVING WAGE AND WE ATTEMPTED AND WE DID THIS PAST YEAR, WE GOT TO THE 15% OR $15 OR HIGHER MINIMUM WAGE, WHICH ISN'T EVEN LAW IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA YET.
SO SO WE'RE AHEAD OF THE CURVE.
AND WE DID THAT WITH THAT 12% MID-CYCLE INCREASE LAST YEAR.
BUT WE NEED TO HAVE A LOT MORE CONVERSATION ON THIS.
AND JOE, HELP US UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO GET OUT OF LINE IN OUR POSITION.
BUT NORMALLY THERE ISN'T THAT MUCH DISCUSSION, MEANING THE HEAD OF HR BRINGS THE RECOMMENDATION, EXPLAINS, ANSWERS A FEW QUESTIONS, AND YOU MOVE FORWARD.
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK IS REASONABLE TO HAVE MORE DIALOG ON WHEN KATHY VARIAN IS READY? I'M NOT SURE HOW THE UNIONS WOULD REACT TO THAT.
OH, AND I'M SORRY, I HAVE TO CLARIFY.
WELL, YOU KNOW, SCOTT'S GUYS ARE TROY'S GUYS.
WELL, YEAH, SORT OF IN AND OUT.
IT'S, UM. SO OF COURSE, THE POLICE UNION IS.
AND THEN WHOEVER'S IN CHARGE OF NEGOTIATING THAT, WHICH IS REALLY USUALLY USUALLY YOU.
CORRECT. SO HE'S, HE'S, HE'S SORT OF THE FINAL ARBITER.
HE'S THE GUY THAT HOLDS THE LINE.
AND YOU WON'T BE HERE. BUT THE NEXT CITY MANAGER COULD BE ADVISED BY THIS BODY OF OUR DESIRE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE WHAT YOU SAID, WHICH COULD BE INCORPORATED IN DIALOG WITH THE UNIONS, NOT KNOW DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT WOULD GO BECAUSE THAT'S NOT MY EXPERTISE.
BUT BUT WITHIN THE REGULAR CITY STAFF, YOU COULD ATTEMPT TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S A HYBRID.
I DON'T KNOW. BUT BUT WE JUST NEED MORE DIALOG ON IT, I THINK.
TODAY IS NOT TODAY AND IT MAY WE HAVE 3% THIS YEAR OR FIVE.
WHAT DID WE GET? DID KATHY PUT IN THERE? POLICE ARE FIVE THE GENERAL EMPLOYEES AND UNIONS WERE NEGOTIATING FOR.
OKAY. THEY ASKED FOR SIX AND BACK AND FORTH.
AND THE POLICE WAS ALREADY BUILT IN ON A THREE YEAR AGREEMENT STARTING LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE.
IS THAT CORRECT, CHIEF VIC? YES. YEAH. OKAY.
SO. OKAY. I THINK IT WAS WORTHWHILE BRINGING IT UP.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. RING AND DISCUSSION IN THE FUTURE ON THAT.
[01:30:07]
AND. PUT THE BUDGET TOGETHER AND LET YOU KNOW WHAT WE'VE DECIDED TO CUT OUT HERE AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO ALLOCATE FUNDS.[3. COMMISSION COMMENTS/QUESTIONS]
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL FINISH WITH COMMISSIONER COMMENTS.I'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER RING.
I'VE SAID EVERYTHING THAT I WANTED TO, AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
COMMISSIONER WATERS. THANKS FOR THE WORK IN ASSIMILATING ALL THIS AND I APPRECIATE.
YEAH, SCOTT AND TROY AND BRITTANY APPRECIATE ALL THE INFORMATION.
I'LL TALK TO JOE ABOUT THE THE UNDERGROUND, YOU KNOW, THE WIRING, THE LINES AND DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND I THINK WE HAVE A GOOD STRUCTURE HERE.
FOR WHAT? FOR WHAT'S IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER KELLY.
I'M ALWAYS AMAZED AT HOW MANY STRINGS COME TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS BUDGET WORK.
AND THEN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THINGS HAPPEN.
AND IT'S IT'S YOU GUYS ARE PROFESSIONALS AND I APPRECIATE IT.
AND HOW'S THE JOB GOING? GOOD, GOOD, GOOD.
ALL RIGHT. IF THERE IS NO FURTHER BUSINESS, I'M GOING TO CALL THIS MEETING ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.