Apr 08, 2024 Commission Meeting

LISTENING. OKAY.

[00:00:02]

[CALL TO ORDER]

ROLL CALL. THANKS.

THANK YOU, DONNA. OKAY, SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND AND AND MOVE ON OR GO AHEAD AND READ THIS RESOLUTION.

[8.C. RESOLUTION NO. 24-21]

WE DON'T ALWAYS READ THESE, BUT I'M GOING TO READ THIS ONE.

IT'S SO IMPORTANT.

RESOLUTION NUMBER 24-21, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC.

WELL, LET'S SEE, I'VE ALREADY DONE THAT.

CONTINUES TO DO, AND IS [INAUDIBLE] OKAY? WHEREAS SINCE 1939, ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAS PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN SHAPING THE COMMUNITY'S CHARACTER AND WELL-BEING BY NURTURING YOUNG MINDS, EDUCATING FUTURE LEADERS AND CITIZENS, FOSTERING A SENSE OF BELONGING, AND SERVING AS A HUB FOR SOCIAL CONNECTIONS AND RESOURCES, AND WHEREAS, WHILE THE HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURE AT 298 SHERRY DRIVE'S MOST NOTABLE PHYSICAL FEATURE IS ITS CHARMING PINK EXTERIOR WITH BLUE TRIM, THE VIBRANT LITTLE PINK SCHOOL IS A COMMUNITY CORNERSTONE WITH IMMEASURABLE VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY, HAVING SERVED GENERATIONS OF FAMILIES AND WHEREAS ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MAINTAINS AN A RATING AND IS AMONG FLORIDA'S TOP RANKED SCHOOLS PROVIDING THE OPTIMAL ENVIRONMENT FOR ITS STUDENTS BECAUSE OF THE UNIFIED SUPPORT OF PARENTS, TEACHERS, STAFF, ADMINISTRATORS, BUSINESS SUPPORTERS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, NON-PROFITS, AND MANY OTHERS, AND WHEREAS, HIGHLY RATED ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ENHANCE QUALITY OF LIFE AND COMMUNITIES AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMIC WELL-BEING OF THEIR RESIDENTS BECAUSE THEY TEND TO BE MORE ATTRACTIVE TO FAMILIES, LEADING TO INCREASED PROPERTY VALUES, A STRONGER TAX BASE, AND A MORE VIBRANT OVERALL COMMUNITY BY INVESTING IN THEIR SCHOOLS, COMMUNITIES INVEST IN THEIR OWN FUTURES, AND WHEREAS THE DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD IS EVALUATING THE MERITS OF A FACILITIES CONSOLIDATION PLAN THAT COULD CLOSE WELL, THIS SAYS WOULD CLOSE ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS DETRIMENT TO THE ATLANTIC BEACH COMMUNITY. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA, SECTION ONE, THAT THE CITY COMMISSION RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD TAKES ACTION TO ENSURE THAT THE ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CONTINUES TO OPERATE AS THE COMMUNITY'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND IS NOT SUBJECT TO CLOSURE. SECTION TWO THAT ALL RESOLUTIONS OR PARTS OF RESOLUTIONS IN CONFLICT WITH THIS RESOLUTION ARE REPEALED TO THE EXTENT OF SUCH CONFLICT, AND SECTION THREE THAT THIS RESOLUTION SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY UPON ITS PASSAGE AND ADOPTION.

AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO OPEN UP A PUBLIC FORUM, AND I WANT TO START OUT BY ALLOWING OUR TWO ELECTED OFFICIALS, STARTING WITH DONNA DEEGAN.

WOULD YOU GIVE US YOUR COMMENTS, MAYOR? I HOPE YOU ALL CAN SEE ME OVER THIS PODIUM.

I'M NOT SURE. YEAH. FIRST OF ALL, MAYOR, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO COME OVER AND SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY.

I'M GRATEFUL TO BE HERE ALWAYS, ALWAYS HAPPY TO BE HERE TO SUPPORT, AND I GOT TO TELL YOU, I DON'T THINK IN, IN THE IN THE NINE MONTHS THAT I HAVE BEEN IN THIS OFFICE, THAT I HAVE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE STOP ME ON THE BEACH, KNOCK ON MY DOOR COME DOWN THE STREET TO TALK TO ME AND LOOK, I COMMEND THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN A FEW DAYS AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S A SPACE THAT I DON'T SEE A SAVE ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY SIGN ANYWHERE.

THIS IS WHAT COMMUNITY IS ALL ABOUT, AND I JUST WILL TELL YOU A FEW THINGS.

I WANT TO GO OVER A FEW THINGS OF THIS PROCESS AND, AND, AND WHAT HAPPENED HERE AND I AND I'M HOPING TO MAKE PEOPLE PERHAPS FEEL A LITTLE BIT BETTER ABOUT WHERE THE PROCESS IS.

I WILL SAY, KEEP GOING.

I MEAN KEEP OBVIOUSLY KEEP GOING ON EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING, YOU'RE DOING EXACTLY THE THINGS THAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING IN ORDER TO SHOW THE COMMITMENT TO THIS SCHOOL BUT I WANT TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS NOW, WHAT I AM TOLD, BECAUSE I WANTED TO TRY TO GET AS MUCH INFORMATION FOR YOU AS I COULD.

OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT IN CHARGE OF THE DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, BUT WHAT I AM TOLD IS THAT THIS WAS A PROCESS THAT CAME ABOUT

[00:05:06]

I BELIEVE IN THE LAST 15 YEARS, WE'VE GONE FROM 2000 CHARTER STUDENTS TO 24,000, AND THAT HAS THAT HAS DWINDLED THE NUMBERS OF KIDS IN THE TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

SO WHAT DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOLS SAID THEY WOULD DO IS THAT THEY WOULD THEY WOULD GO TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE THEY COULD CONSOLIDATE BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT SOME SCHOOLS THAT ARE 20% FULL, AND THAT'S COSTING THEM $1 MILLION TO KEEP THESE SCHOOLS OPEN THAT ARE 20% FULL.

OBVIOUSLY, THAT IS NOT THE CASE FOR ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

THIS IS AN A SCHOOL THAT IS WELL ATTENDED, THAT IS WELL SUPPORTED.

SO I HOPE YOU WILL FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT, BUT WHAT THEY DID WAS BECAUSE THEY SAID, LOOK, WHAT WE WILL HAVE TO DO TO BE RESPONSIBLE IS WE WILL HAVE TO GO AND WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT WHERE WE CAN RIGHTSIZE SO THIS WHAT YOU SAW WAS A CULMINATION OF A CONSULTANT REPORT THAT HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF JACKSONVILLE, NO KNOWLEDGE OF OUR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, NO KNOWLEDGE OF OUR COMMUNITY DYNAMICS OR THAT ANY ANYTHING REALLY ABOUT OUR SCHOOLS JUST WENT IN AND LOOKED AND SAID, WHERE COULD WE CONSOLIDATE IF YOU ABSOLUTELY WANTED TO DO THE MOST EFFICIENT THING IN THE WORLD? SO A BUNCH OF THINGS GOT LAID OUT THERE AND I'M SORRY.

I'M FRANKLY SORRY THIS EVER, YOU KNOW, WAS OUT THERE, TO BE HONEST, BECAUSE I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S HELPFUL, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WHAT I WAS TOLD WAS THIS WAS JUST GIVE US INFORMATION.

SO I WANT EVERYBODY TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR SURE, BECAUSE WHAT THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS SAID THEY WERE GOING TO DO IS GO OUT AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE HAVING COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ALL THIS STUFF, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE WAY I LOOK AT THIS, IT SEEMS EXTRAORDINARILY UNLIKELY THAT THIS SCHOOL WOULD EVER MAKE IT ONTO ANY SORT OF LIST THAT WOULD BE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED FOR CLOSURE, SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS SO WELL SUPPORTED BY THE COMMUNITY.

IT IS SO WELL ATTENDED.

IT IS AN A SCHOOL.

IT IS A STAPLE OF ATLANTIC BEACH.

NOW OBVIOUSLY I DON'T I CAN'T GUARANTEE ANY OF THAT.

SO I WANT YOU TO KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING, BUT I DO WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES THAT DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOLS ARE FACING IN THAT REGARD.

SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT WAYS THEY'RE TRYING TO FIND THE SCHOOLS THAT DO HAVE THOSE CHALLENGES WHERE THEY CAN MAKE SOME CHANGES AND I THINK THERE WILL BE MORE SCHOOL CLOSURES, BUT I DON'T PERSONALLY THINK THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A COMMUNITY THAT'S GOING TO HAVE A LOT TO WORRY ABOUT.

I DON'T WANT TO GIVE ANY GUARANTEES ON THAT FRONT.

THAT'S WHY I WANT YOU TO KEEP GOING.

LIKE I SAID ONE MORE THING AND THEN I'LL HUSH UP AND LET RORY COME UP, BUT I WANTED TO ALSO SHARE BECAUSE I'VE HEARD SOME DISCUSSION OF THE COST INVOLVED HERE.

OBVIOUSLY WHEN YOU HAVE A REVENUE SHIFT THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE THINGS, BUT THE DISTRICT'S MASTER FACILITIES PLAN WAS BUILT ON A PRE-PANDEMIC COST DATA AND CHARTER SCHOOL SHARING RULES THAT EXISTED AT THAT TIME.

ALL OF THAT SHIFTED AFTER THE PANDEMIC.

THE SHARING PIECE WITH THE CHARTER SCHOOLS THE COSTS AFTER THE PANDEMIC WENT UP.

SO SO I THINK THAT I KNOW EVERYBODY'S LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY TO BE MAD AT RIGHT NOW, BUT I DON'T THINK NECESSARILY IT'S YOUR SCHOOL BOARD.

I THINK THEY'RE REALLY JUST TRYING TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO BE EFFICIENT, AND I THINK IT'S OUR JOB AND YOUR JOB TO MAKE SURE THEY KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE SCHOOLS THAT THEY SHOULD BE LOOKING TO CLOSE.

SO I'M HERE TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT.

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY, BUT ALSO JUST TO SAY, EVERYBODY BREATHE.

OKAY. SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE TONIGHT; I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

COUNCILMAN RORY DIAMOND.

THANK YOU, SIR. RORY DIAMOND, 1515 NEPTUNE BEACH.

FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU, MAYOR DEEGAN, FOR BEING HERE.

I KNOW YOU GET OUT OF HERE, BUT IT DOES MEAN A LOT TO HAVE THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE HERE TONIGHT, AND THANK YOU, MAYOR FORD, FOR LEADING THE CHARGE ON BEHALF OF THE ATLANTIC BEACH COMMUNITY.

AS SOON AS THIS STARTED TO HAPPEN, YOU REACHED OUT TO ME.

WE SPOKE WITH OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, AND WE WERE ABLE TO START TO GET INFORMATION RIGHT AWAY.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT KIND OF ADVOCACY BECAUSE WE NEED THAT TODAY.

WHEN I SAW THIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, LIKE THE REST OF YOU, I ACTUALLY THOUGHT IT WAS AN APRIL FOOL'S JOKE.

THAT WAS JUST A DAY OR TWO OLD.

THIS IS THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING I'VE EVER SEEN.

TO EVEN PUT ATLANTIC BEACH ON THAT LIST, I THINK IS RIDICULOUS, AND HOW MUCH ARE WE PAYING A CONSULTANT TO TELL US TO SHUT DOWN ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL? IT'S COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS, BUT I WANT TO FOCUS ON WHAT WE OUGHT TO BE DOING AND HOW WE MAKE SURE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN, RATHER THAN MY FRUSTRATION WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF TRUST WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS SOME OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS MIGHT HAVE, BUT IN 2019, WHEN WE WERE SOLD THE MASTER FACILITIES PLAN AND THE HALF CENT SALES TAX, IT WAS BASED ON DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT'S POPULATION STAYING THE SAME OR GOING UP EVEN THOUGH IT HAD BEEN FALLING SINCE 2013 AND I SAT AT THE TIME ON THE JACKSONVILLE CITY COUNCIL, I WAS LIKE, THIS IS DISHONEST.

THIS IS A LIE. YOU'RE NOT TELLING PARENTS THE TRUTH.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SHUT DOWN SCHOOLS.

[00:10:02]

WE NEED TO BE HONEST ABOUT THIS, AND GOING BACK EVEN FURTHER, WHEN WE HAD SEGREGATION IN JACKSONVILLE, YOU HAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS BUILT JUST BLOCKS APART ONE FOR BLACK KIDS, ONE FOR WHITE KIDS, AND WE'VE NEVER RIGHTSIZED THAT.

ONCE WE FINALLY CAME TO OUR SENSES AND STOPPED SEGREGATION.

SO WE HAVE THESE LEGACY PROBLEMS WITH THE DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND WE NEED TO TAKE CONSOLIDATION OF THOSE SCHOOLS SERIOUSLY, BUT WE ARE SMART ENOUGH TO WALK AND CHEW GUM. THIS IS NOT COMPLICATED.

WHEN YOU CONSOLIDATE SCHOOLS, YOU LOOK ON A LIST AND SAY, WHERE ARE OUR MOST EMPTY SCHOOLS? WHERE ARE THE FEWEST KIDS GOING? YOU START THERE. WHERE ARE OUR SCHOOLS THAT ARE HAVING THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT HAVE BEEN FAILING? NOT JUST THESE KIDS, BUT GENERATIONS OF KIDS GOING TO THOSE SCHOOLS AND YOU SHUT THEM DOWN AND GIVE THOSE KIDS A CHANCE TO GO TO SOME OTHER SCHOOL.

THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING.

INSTEAD, THEY PAID A CONSULTANT WHO PUT ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OF ALL SCHOOLS.

THAT IS NOT AN ACCIDENT, FOLKS.

THAT WAS NOT THE SLIP OF A TONGUE OF A CONSULTANT.

THAT IS THE ATTEMPT, IN MY OPINION, BY BUREAUCRATS DOWNTOWN TO SCARE US AND TO MAKE US WORRIED ABOUT THIS.

YOU DON'T LEAK THAT ON ACCIDENT.

SO THIS IS WHAT I THINK WE OUGHT TO DO AS A COMMUNITY.

FIRST OF ALL, MAKE IT VERY CLEAR TO OUR SCHOOL BOARD THAT ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY IS OFF THE LIST.

DON'T JUST PRETEND.

TAKE IT OFF THE LIST. NOW, I DON'T EVEN WANT TO VOTE ON ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY GOING TO OUR SCHOOL BOARD.

IT SHOULD BE OFF THE LIST.

THAT'S ONE. TWO, USE THEIR BRAINS ON WHICH SCHOOLS TO PUT ON THOSE LISTS.

WE HAVE F SCHOOLS, PUT F SCHOOLS THEIR FIRST.

NOT JUST FOR US HERE WE HAVE BEAUTIFUL, AMAZING SCHOOLS ALL OVER THE BEACHES, BUT FOR THE POOR KIDS THAT HAVE TO GO TO F SCHOOLS AND THEIR PARENTS WHO HAVE NO OTHER CHOICES.

I WILL SAY THIS, AND THEN I'LL SHUT UP BECAUSE I ALWAYS TALK TOO MUCH WHEN IT'S EDUCATION AT ISSUE.

I'VE TALKED TO OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, APRIL CARNEY.

SHE HAS PROMISED ME SHE WILL FIGHT THE CLOSURE OF ABE TO THE END OF TIME.

SHE HAS TOLD ME THAT MULTIPLE TIMES, I BELIEVE HER.

I TAKE THAT TO THE BANK.

OUR JOB IS TO KEEP FIGHTING.

I WON'T LET UP FOR A SECOND.

I WILL FIGHT WITH YOU EVERY SECOND OF EVERY DAY TO KEEP OUR LITTLE PINK SCHOOL OPEN, I ABSOLUTELY WILL.

LOOK, I'VE GOT A LAW DEGREE, I'VE GOT A BIG PLATFORM DOWNTOWN, AND I NOW HAVE A PINK SHIRT.

I WILL USE ALL THREE TO FIGHT FOR AB.

SO DON'T QUIT. DON'T STOP.

LET'S GO, AND WE WILL KEEP OUR SCHOOL OPEN.

THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT SIR.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN DIAMOND.

IN JUST A MOMENT, WE'LL OPEN UP, CURTIS, THE PUBLIC FORUM, AND WE'RE GOING TO CALL PEOPLE BASED ON WHEN THEY TURNED IN THEIR CARDS.

I JUST WANT TO SAY AS MAYOR I NEED TO SPEAK OUT, AND I AGREE WITH WHAT I JUST HEARD, BUT I ALSO AGREE WITH WHAT I HEARD FROM FROM MAYOR DEEGAN.

WE NEED TO BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW WE RUN THIS RACE.

WE NEED TO STAY VIGILANT ON IT, BUT NOT OVERREACT.

THAT BEING SAID I REMEMBER ATTENDING THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING A WEEK OR SO BACK, AND I REMEMBER DOCTOR KIRSNER SAYING, THIS IS JUST A PROPOSAL, AND I COULD ACCEPT THAT IF IT'S SOMETHING LESS IMPORTANT THAN ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BUT THE VIBRANCY, THE QUALITY OF A COMMUNITY, THE STRENGTH OF A COMMUNITY IS VERY, VERY CLOSELY TIED TO ITS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND IN THIS CASE, ONE OF, IF NOT THE BEST, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN NORTH FLORIDA.

I DO NOT AGREE THAT WE SHOULD WAIT FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD TO RE REVIEW SUCH AN ILL CONCEIVED PROPOSAL, AND AS MAYOR OF ATLANTIC BEACH, WE RESPECTFULLY ASK TO BE REMOVED IMMEDIATELY FROM ANY CONSIDERATION OF CLOSURE OR CONSOLIDATION INTO ANOTHER SCHOOL AND SO YOU FOLKS, YOU AMAZE ME.

YOU GIVE ME ENERGY TO DO WHAT I'M DOING.

YOU HAVE GALVANIZED THIS COMMUNITY IN A WAY THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN IN ATLANTIC BEACH, AND AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS WE'RE PRETTY MUCH ALL ON THE SAME PAGE, AREN'T WE, AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT DON'T SEE THE SAME AS WHAT YOU SEE, BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE DO.

WE ARE GALVANIZED IN A WAY, AND I HOPE WE'LL CARRY THROUGH ON THIS.

EVEN BEYOND THE SOLUTION AND THE SAVING OF ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY TO HELP THE REST OF THE BEACHES, BECAUSE WE ALSO HAVE A SCHOOLS IN THE REST OF THE BEACHES.

THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT WE'RE WITH THEM, AND SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, AND DONNA, YOU READY? OKAY. DON WOLFSON.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, CHILDREN, LISTEN, AND THEN MY FELLOW CITIZENS I AM VERY APPRECIATIVE TO BE BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING.

I SHARE WITH MAYOR FORD THAT MY FAMILY AND I HAVE LIVED HERE FOR 42 YEARS.

I'VE NEVER SEEN AN ISSUE.

[00:15:02]

I KNOW THE HIGH RISES.

WHEN WE VOTED TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY BY REFERENDUM, IT WAS VOTED IN BY 72% TO 28%.

THIS FAR EXCEEDS THAT.

SO I'M NOT GOING TO JUST MIRROR WHAT MAYOR DEEGAN AND COUNCIL CITY COUNCIL MEMBER SAID ABOUT TONIGHT, BUT I DO WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME INSIGHT INTO SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS COMMISSION AND FOR OUR CITIZENS.

AS CITY COUNCILMAN DIAMOND SAID, YOU KNOW, HE WAS TALKING ABOUT CONSOLIDATION OF THE SCHOOLS.

WELL, CONSOLIDATION OF THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE BROUGHT US FIVE MUNICIPALITIES.

THAT'S IN THE LATE 60S.

2007, AND THAT'S GUIDED BY THE RELATIONSHIPS ARE GUIDED BY INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS, WHICH ARE VERY IMPORTANT.

THOSE IN OUR LOCAL AGREEMENTS ARE BETWEEN THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE, SLASH, DUVAL COUNTY AND THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES IN OUR COUNTY.

IN 2007, THERE WAS AN LOCAL AGREEMENT FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITY PLANNING.

NOW, I'VE ASKED FORMER MAYORS.

I'VE ASKED PEOPLE DOWNTOWN JACKSONVILLE.

NOBODY RECALLS THIS.

THEY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT, BUT THIS DOCUMENT IS THERE AND I HAVE IT HERE.

32 PAGES OF IT, AND THIS IS WHAT IT SAYS.

THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE FIVE CITY.

I'M SORRY. ENOUGH TIME.

MAYOR WOLFSON, COMMISSIONERS, I WOULD LIKE FOR MAYOR WOLFSON TO FINISH THIS.

HE HAS HISTORICAL CONTEXT.

ARE YOU OKAY WITH HIM GOING ANOTHER MINUTE? THANK YOU. THE AGREEMENT IS BETWEEN THE FIVE CITIES AND DUVAL COUNTY AND THE DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, COLLECTIVELY KNOWN AS DUVAL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THIS DOCUMENT IS AN IMPORTANT GUIDELINE FOR OUR COMMISSION TO COORDINATE EFFORTS REGARDING THE POSSIBLE CLOSING OF ABE.

THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES, QUOTE, STANDING, UNQUOTE.

I HAVE HEARD SO MANY TIMES THAT WE DON'T HAVE STANDING.

OUR COMMISSION DOESN'T HAVE STANDING LEGALLY.

I'LL TURN THIS OVER TO MR. GABRIEL. I THINK WE DO HAVE STANDING IN OUR CASE WITH REGARD TO THE POTENTIAL CLOSURE OF ABE, ONE SPECIFIC CRITERIA TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE DCPS IN ATLANTIC BEACH, AND I'M GOING TO QUOTE THIS QUOTE.

AS TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SITES, WHETHER THE SITE IS PROXIMATE TO AND WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS IS INTENDED TO SERVE, THEREBY ENCOURAGING THE USE OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AS FOCAL POINTS FOR NEIGHBORHOODS.

THAT'S CONTRARY TO CLOSURE, THAT TELLS YOU WE NEED TO STAY OPEN.

SECONDLY, WHETHER, QUOTE, WHETHER THE POTENTIAL CLOSURE WILL INCREASE OR DIMINISH THE CURRENT AND PROJECTED LEVEL OF SERVICE WITHIN THE CONCURRENCY SERVICE AREA AND CONTIGUOUS CONCURRENCY SERVICE AREA.

SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS IF THEY CLOSE ABE AND THEY MOVE THE CHILDREN TO NEPTUNE BEACH ELEMENTARY, THEY'VE GOT A PROBLEM.

THE CONCURRENCY PROBLEM IS OF A CONCERN.

NOW, WE HAVE BEEN IGNORED FOR YEARS.

THE CITIES ARE SUPPOSED TO ADVISE THE DCPS AS TO THE CONSISTENCY OF THE PROPOSED CLOSURE WITH THE LOCAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

THE CITIES IN THE DCPS SHALL COORDINATE WITH LOCAL AND SURROUNDING GOVERNMENTS AND REGIONAL COUNCIL WITH DCPS AND ILA.

THAT'S INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT TEAM INVOLVING AND EVALUATING CLOSURE.

THIS HASN'T BEEN DONE YET.

IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE DONE EVERY YEAR.

THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO MEET TWICE A YEAR.

WITH OUR REPRESENTATIVES, OUR CITY MANAGER, AND IT HASN'T BEEN DONE AND THAT'S IN THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, AND THAT INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT IS FILED IN TALLAHASSEE WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

THAT IS THE, THAT IS THE LAW.

THE POINT IS THAT THIS CONSULTANT REPORT IS THE BEGINNING OF THE JOURNEY, NOT THE END, BUT AS MAYOR DEEGAN SAID, AND AS A CITY COUNCILMAN DIAMOND SAID, THIS DOESN'T END UNTIL THEY STRIKE US FROM THAT LIST.

WHEN THEY DO THAT AND THE INK IS DRIED, THAT'S WHEN WE STOP.

THE CONSULTANT, TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, HAS NOT ENGAGED WITH THE STAFF OF ATLANTIC BEACH, WHICH INDICATES A TOTAL LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT AS WELL AS THE INTEGRAL PART OF THE FABRIC OF ATLANTIC BEACH'S COMMUNITY, AND I'M GOING TO WRAP THIS UP.

IT'S IMPORTANT OUR REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT MOVE FORWARD WITH A UNIFIED REFERENDUM, AND I URGE ALL OF YOU TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THAT RESOLUTION TONIGHT TO REMOVE ABE FROM THE CONSIDERATION OF CLOSURE IMMEDIATELY, TO HOLD THE DCPS TO THE LETTER OF THE ILA, THAT THE DCPS MEET ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS

[00:20:02]

THAT'S. I'M SORRY, I SHOULDN'T SAY THAT.

THAT'S THE MINIMUM THAT THEY'RE REQUIRED TO MEET WITH US, AND I CAN TELL YOU THEY HAVE NOT.

SO. I'M JUST CALLING ON YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENT SAYS, AND TO HOLD THE DCPS TO THE LETTER OF THE AGREEMENT, BECAUSE THAT'S ON THE THAT'S IN OUR COMP PLAN, AND THAT'S BEEN IN OUR COMP PLAN FOR 17 YEARS.

THE LANGUAGE THAT COMES OUT OF THIS ILA.

SO WE HAVE NOT BEEN BROUGHT TO THESE MEETINGS BY THE DCPS, AND I URGE YOU TO PLEASE REPRESENT US EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY, AND IF YOU NEED A COPY OF THIS, I CAN MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE WILL PROCEED WITH THE REST OF OUR FORUM, BUT TYPICALLY IN THESE MEETINGS, WE DON'T APPLAUD.

THE GOOD NEWS IS, THE GOOD NEWS IS WE DON'T BOO EITHER.

OKAY, SO SO BUT IF YOU'LL HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE, ALTHOUGH THAT WAS CERTAINLY WELL SAID.

THANK YOU, MR. WOLFSON.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER.

[INAUDIBLE].

MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU, AND THANK EVERYBODY ELSE FOR LETTING ME TAKE THIS TIME TO ADDRESS YOU.

I'M GOING TO TRY AND GO OVER SOME HISTORICAL FACTS THAT I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY UNDERSTAND ABOUT WHAT OUR COMMUNITY SCHOOL MEANS TO US.

ATLANTIC BEACH HAS BEEN HERE FOR OVER 80 OR JUST ABOUT 85 YEARS.

WE HAVE A PARENTS GROUP THAT HAS BEEN FRIENDS OF ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY THAT HAS BEEN SUPPORTING US FOR OVER 20 YEARS.

IN OUR LAST FUNDRAISER, WE RAISED OVER $70,000 TO SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL.

IN THIS TIME, FABE HAS PUT IN TWO PLAYGROUNDS, THREE SETS OF SWINGS, A TRACK, A SHADE STRUCTURE, AV EQUIPMENT FOR ALL OF OUR KIDS TO BECOME GOOD AT NEWS DOING NEWSCASTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

A P.E. TEACHER.

SO THAT OUR, SO THAT OUR KIDS CAN SEE AND BE IN P.E.

TWICE A WEEK. NO OTHER SCHOOL IN DUVAL COUNTY DOES THAT.

WE HAVE A TECHNOLOGY PERSON THAT ALSO OFFERS A RESOURCE.

SO THE KIDS LEARN HOW TO DO POWERPOINTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THIS GIVES OUR TEACHERS 45 MINUTES EVERY SINGLE DAY OF PLANNING TIME.

THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN IN ANY OTHER SCHOOL.

I WAS AT [INAUDIBLE] THIS TODAY, NO RESOURCES, SO I HAD THE KIDS ALL DAY, BUT WHAT WE NEED TO REMEMBER IS THAT NOT ONLY HAS FABE SUPPORTED US, BUT THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH HAS SUPPORTED US TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $65,000 IN THE LAST TEN YEARS.

THEY'VE HELPED WITH OUR TRACK, THEY'VE HELPED WITH OUR FENCES.

THEY'VE HELPED WITH JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING THROUGH NUMEROUS ADMINISTRATIONS.

DUVAL COUNTY'S GOT ONE CHOICE.

THEY CAN STICK WITH A SYSTEM THAT'S WORKING OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, NOT ONLY HERE IN ATLANTIC BEACH, AND I HOPE YOU SHARE THAT, MAYOR WOLFSON, WITH THE REST OF THE CITIES, BUT ALSO ALL OVER OUR BEACHES, THEIR A SCHOOLS, THEIR GRADE SCHOOLS, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY KEEP WITH THIS MODEL AND NOT SOME MODEL FOR 10 MILLION, 20, $30 MILLION.

THAT HAS NO PROVEN BENEFIT.

THANK YOU, MISS PENNY.

I KNOW, I KNOW, I WANT TO APPLAUD, TOO.

[CHUCKLING]. SUZANNE SHAUGHNESSY.

GOOD EVENING, SUZANNE SHAUGHNESSY.

168 OCEAN WALK DRIVE, SOUTH ATLANTIC BEACH.

WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT THIS, MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS.

I NEVER EVEN IMAGINED ANYTHING LIKE THIS COULD HAPPEN IN ATLANTIC BEACH.

MY SECOND THOUGHT WAS THAT SINCE THE SHORTFALL WAS IN THE BILLIONS AND THE PROPOSAL WAS TO CLOSE THE SCHOOL.

THAT PERHAPS THEY ENVISIONED PUTTING IT ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK OR WORSE, ON THE OPEN MARKET.

SO I BEGAN I DID SOME RESEARCH TODAY, AND I'D LIKE YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT IN 1971, JULIE EISENHOWER, NIXON WAS HIRED TO TEACH THIRD GRADE AT ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY.

THIS CAME ABOUT BECAUSE HER HUSBAND, DAVID EISENHOWER, WAS STATIONED AT MAYPORT.

SHE LIVED IN A GUEST HOUSE OF A HOUSE ON SECOND STREET AND BEACH AVENUE, A SMALL GUEST HOUSE,

[00:25:07]

SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN I COME ACROSS HISTORICAL THINGS LIKE THIS, IT MAKES ME WONDER IF THE NATIONAL REGISTRY OF HISTORIC PLACES WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SOMETHING LIKE THIS, AND IF THEY WERE, WOULD THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO THE SCHOOL BOARD? I THANK YOU ALL FOR THE COURTESY OF YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU, MAYOR SHAUGHNESSY.

NEXT SPEAKER, LISA HARRELL.

HELLO. HELLO.

HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING? MY NAME IS LISA HARRELL AND MY ADDRESS IS ON FILE.

SO I AM HERE TONIGHT SERVING AS THE CO-CHAIR OF ATLANTIC BEACH PRESERVATION, AND SO OUR GROUP WOULD LOVE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS RESOLUTION.

THAT WASN'T YOU. OH, I JUST STARTED.

OKAY, I'M GOING TO BE SHORT.

THAT'S OKAY. SO ANYWAY, OUR BOARD WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS RESOLUTION 24-21.

IT DEMONSTRATES THE IMPORTANCE THAT YOU PLACE ON THIS BELOVED INSTITUTION, OUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE IT MUST BE PRESERVED AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME.

YOU ALL KNOW WHERE I LIVE, AND WHY THE SCHOOL IS SO IMPORTANT TO ME.

WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW IS THAT I WENT TO ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY, AS DID MY SIBLINGS, AS DID MY TWO CHILDREN.

YOU ALSO MAY NOT KNOW THAT I SERVED FOR OVER A DECADE IN VARIOUS GRADES AS A VOLUNTEER TEACHING SUNSHINE MATH AND ALSO IN THEIR VARYING EXCEPTIONALITIES CLASSROOM FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.

SO IT'S MORE THAN AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

IT REALLY IS.

IT'S AN INSTITUTION HERE.

IT'S OUR HEART AND OUR SOUL OF OUR CITY.

IT REALLY IS. I CAN'T REMEMBER A TIME WHEN IT WASN'T THERE.

SO I THINK WE OWE IT TO FUTURE GENERATIONS TO GIVE THEM THE WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE OF BEING ABLE TO WALK TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL, FEEL THE LOVE, BE NURTURED AND LEARN IN THAT WONDERFUL ENVIRONMENT.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU, MISS HARRELL.

GABE MOSES.

MR. MAYOR AND MEMBERS.

MR. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE PANEL MY NAME IS GABE MOSES AND I AM IN SECOND GRADE AT ABE.

I LOVE MY SCHOOL AND MY FELLOW STUDENTS, MY TEACHERS AND MY FELLOW STUDENTS.

WELL, MAYBE NOT ALL MY FELLOW STUDENTS.

[CHUCKLING]. IF I SAY I GO TO, IF I SAY I GO TO SCHOOL AT NEPTUNE, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WONDER WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE ATLANTIC BEACH SCHOOL, OR EVEN WORSE, THEY WOULD WONDER WHY THERE IS NO SCHOOL IN ATLANTIC BEACH THAT IS MUCH BIGGER THAN NEPTUNE.

I WOULD FEEL LIKE I LOST SOMETHING.

PLEASE DON'T LET THEM TAKE MY SCHOOL FROM ME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

MR. MOSES.

DONNY MOSES.

GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD.

I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS.

IN THINKING ABOUT THIS, AND I KNOW A LOT OF US HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OF THINKING ABOUT THIS.

YOU KNOW THE SCHOOL IS NOT NAMED AFTER A DUDE AND IT'S NOT NAMED.

IT'S NOT CALLED PS 65 OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

OKAY. IT'S ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORICAL PLAQUE THAT THE COMMEMORATION PLAQUE THAT IS NEXT TO THE FRONT DOOR.

IT DOESN'T EVEN SAY ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY.

IT SAYS. ATLANTIC BEACH PUBLIC SCHOOL.

OKAY, AND IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING, WHICH WAS JUST SAID THAT IT IS AN INSTITUTION.

IT HAS EVERYTHING THAT A SCHOOL COULD POSSIBLY WANT.

I MEAN, IT WAS BUILT BY THE WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION.

IT GOES ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE ROOSEVELT ADMINISTRATION.

IT HAS IT HAS ONE OF THE BEST FACULTIES AROUND, AND IT HAS A CITY AND A COMMUNITY THAT LOVES IT SO, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T IMAGINE, YOU KNOW, THINKING AHEAD, IF THIS THING DID GO THROUGH AND I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO GO THROUGH, BUT IF IT EVER DID THAT, WHATEVER GOES IN ITS PLACE IS GOING TO BE LIKE A BIG GIANT HOLE IN THE GROUND.

[00:30:09]

SO WE WOULD NOT I MEAN, WE WOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH WHATEVER WAS PUT THERE, AND OF COURSE WE WOULD ALL MOURN WHAT WE'VE LOST.

SO ANYWAY, I WANTED TO JUST EXPRESS MY THANKS FOR YOU BRINGING THIS UP TONIGHT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MOSES. LINDA LANIER.

LINDA LANIER, 1618 ATLANTIC BEACH DRIVE.

I ACTUALLY DIDN'T PLAN ON SPEAKING TONIGHT, SO USUALLY I HAVE PREPARED MARKS AND I DON'T HAVE THOSE TONIGHT, SO I'LL JUST SAY THAT I'M A PARENT OF THE PAST.

MY CHILDREN ARE 47, 43 AND 35, I THINK, AND AND IF YOU ASK MY CHILDREN WHO IN PARTICULAR, MY TWO OLDEST ARE VERY, VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL MEN WHAT MADE YOU SUCCESSFUL? WITHOUT HESITATION, THEY SAY GROWING UP IN ATLANTIC BEACH, AND PART OF THAT WAS GOING TO ATLANTIC BEACH SCHOOL.

SO THAT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM DOESN'T ALREADY KNOW, BUT HAVING THE CHANCE TO STATE IT PUBLICLY WAS WONDERFUL FOR ME.

THANK YOU, BUT THE OTHER THING IS, I FEEL FAIRLY CONFIDENT THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WOULD NOT SURVIVE IF THEY CLOSED OUR SCHOOL DOWN.

I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THEY WILL TAKE IT OFF THE LIST, AND THAT'S A VICTORY.

THAT'S JUST ONE VICTORY BECAUSE WE KNOW OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS IN BIG TROUBLE AND WHAT WE DO ABOUT THAT, I DON'T KNOW, BUT HERE'S A REALITY.

WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER BECAUSE PUBLIC EDUCATION IS OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, AND IF IT'S DAMAGED AND IF IT'S BLEEDING, IT'S ALL OF OUR PROBLEMS. IT'S NOT JUST ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY.

SO WHEN I SAY WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, THEN WE ALL NEED TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.

THAT INCLUDES WHO WE ELECT FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.

WHAT KIND OF VOICE WE HAVE WITH THE DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOLS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

BEING A PARTICIPANT IN THAT IS ALSO PART OF SOLVING THIS BIGGER PROBLEM, BUT OF COURSE, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING RIGHT NOW IS SAVING ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MRS. LANIER. COLLEEN NOVEMBER.

HI. GOOD EVENING.

HI, MY NAME IS COLLEEN NOVEMBER.

I AM A PARENT OF TWO STUDENTS AT ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY, AND I'M HERE TO REPRESENT THE SAVE ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY GROUP.

THANK YOU, MAYOR FORD.

THANK YOU, MAYOR DEEGAN, FOR YOUR SHOW, FOR YOUR WORDS OF SUPPORT.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN DIAMOND, FOR ATTENDING.

THANK YOU, MAYOR FORD, AND THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS, FOR TAKING SWIFT ACTION IN PROPOSING THIS RESOLUTION TO OPPOSE THE CLOSING OF ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY.

SAVE ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY, THE PINK SHIRTS, THE YARD SIGNS IS JUST A GROUP OF CONCERNED PARENTS AND CITIZENS.

WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE COMMUNITY TO A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION HOSTED BY AB P RESERVATION AT 6 P.M.

ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10TH AT COMMUNITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH FELLOWSHIP HALL.

THERE WE WILL SHARE A TIMELINE OF FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM AND GATHER QUESTIONS REGARDING THE PROPOSED CLOSURE.

WE WILL GATHER THESE QUESTIONS FROM OUR FELLOW FELLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS, NOT AS EXPERTS.

WE ARE, AGAIN, JUST A GROUP OF CONCERNED CITIZENS, CONCERNED PARENTS TRYING TO GALVANIZE TOGETHER, BUT WE WILL GATHER THESE QUESTIONS.

WE WILL HEAR, UNITE OUR VOICES SO THAT WE MAY PUBLICLY SHARE OUR COMMUNITY'S CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS WITH THE DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD.

WE WILL BE SENDING THROUGH EMAIL TEMPLATES SO PEOPLE CAN DO THAT, AND WE JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT YOUR VOICE IS HEARD AND THAT AS A COMMUNITY, WE COME TOGETHER WITH ONE VOICE BECAUSE THERE'S POWER IN THAT, AND WE WANTED TO JUST GATHER TOGETHER TO SAVE OUR LITTLE PINK SCHOOL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU, MISS NOVEMBER.

ELLIOT [INAUDIBLE].

MR. MAYOR. COMMISSIONERS.

MY NAME IS ELLIOT [INAUDIBLE].

I HAVE LIVED AT 1937 BEACH AVENUE IN ATLANTIC BEACH FOR THE PAST 47 YEARS.

I AM HERE TONIGHT TO SUPPORT YOUR RESOLUTION.

ELLIOT, CAN YOU PULL THAT MIC DOWN? SURE. THANK YOU.

I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SUPPORT A RESOLUTION BY THE ATLANTIC BEACH CITY COMMISSION TO THE DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD.

SCHOOL BOARD TO PROTECT THE EXISTENCE OF THE ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND TO PRESENT A

[00:35:08]

WHILE THE COMMISSION CANNOT VOTE SPECIFICALLY ON A SCHOOL BOARD PROPOSAL.

IT CAN INFLUENCE ALL THAT DUE WITH ITS UNAMBIGUOUS AND UNANIMOUS RESOLUTION REPRESENTING THE OVERWHELMING NUMBERS OF ATLANTIC BEACH CITIZENS AND THESE CITIZENS THROUGH THAT MECHANISM MUST, AND WILL INFLUENCE THE EVENTUAL OUTCOME.

ATLANTIC BEACH HAS THE POWER TO PROTECT AND TO PRESERVE AN INSTITUTION T HAT HAS BEEN A FACTOR IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR SO LONG.

WHILE THE RESOLUTION MAY NOT BE AN OFFICIAL ACTION ON THE PRESERVATION, IT WILL BE INFLUENTIAL IN SUGGESTING PRESENT AND FUTURE POLICIES THAT AFFECT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. WHILE OTHERS WILL PRESENT AND HAVE PRESENTED THIS BOARD, THIS COMMISSION, WITH HOW THE HIGH QUALITY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS SUPPORTS HIGH PROPERTY VALUES.

IT ALSO EFFECTS THE REALIZATION THAT THE EDUCATION OF OUR YOUNGEST MEMBERS IN OUR COMMUNITY WILL BRING ABOUT BETTER FUTURE CITIZENS OF THAT COMMUNITY AND OF OTHER COMMUNITIES.

MR. [INAUDIBLE] OUR BUZZER STOPPED WORKING, BUT GO AHEAD AND WRAP IT UP.

WELL, I THINK WHAT I'VE SAID JUST SIMPLY ADDS TO WHAT MEMBERS OF THIS AUDIENCE AND OTHERS OUR MAYOR, OUR CITY COUNCILMAN, HAVE ALREADY SAID, AND I ECHO THOSE THOUGHTS AND WISH THE COMMISSION TO ENDORSE THIS PROPOSAL. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. ZISSER.

THAT'S ALL THE SPEAKER CARDS, MAYOR.

OKAY, THERE'S PROBABLY AT LEAST A COUPLE PEOPLE THAT REALLY WANT TO SPEAK WHO HAS NOT SIGNED IN BUT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS.

YES. OKAY.

WE'LL GET READY AND YOU'LL COME UP NEXT.

SIR? COME ON UP.

IT. GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR. COMMISSION AND ATLANTIC BEACH.

YES, I AM BRINKLEY HARRELL.

I AM NORMALLY BEFORE YOU TALKING ABOUT BUDGET THINGS.

OF COURSE IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MATH.

RIGHT. WELL, HERE'S THE MATH NOW, BUT LET ME DIGRESS.

I DON'T HAVE A KID GOING TO ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ANYMORE SO PEOPLE COULD SAY, WELL, BIG DEAL.

WHAT'S IT TO YOU? WELL, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT IT'S TO ME IS WE'RE PAYING A HALF CENT SALES TAX FOR 15 YEARS TO DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD.

OKAY. I WANT TO MAKE SURE MY TAX DOLLARS ARE PROPERLY UTILIZED.

WE'RE ALSO PAYING AN ADDITIONAL ONE.

MILLAGE AND PROPERTY TAX FOR FOUR YEARS TO THE DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD.

ONCE AGAIN, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PROPERTY TAXES, OUR TAXES ARE PROPERLY UTILIZED.

NOW, THE ISSUE HERE ISN'T REALLY JUST ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY, THOUGH, THAT'S WHERE EVERYBODY HERE IS FOR.

IT'S REALLY AN ALL BEACHES PROBLEM BECAUSE ATLANTIC BEACH AS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO BE THE ONLY OUTLIER WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO CLOSE AND CONSOLIDATE ALL THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AT THE BEACH.

IT'S GOT TO BE A UNIFIED THING ABOUT ALL THE SCHOOLS.

SO. SO LET ME REAL QUICKLY HERE, SEABREEZE ELEMENTARY IN SOUTH JAX BEACH, 87% OCCUPANCY.

A SCHOOL, SAN PABLO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, 97% OCCUPANCY A SCHOOL ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY, A SCHOOL 85% OCCUPANCY.

GRAB THOSE STUDENTS FROM MARSH OAKS.

TAKE THEM OUT OF NEPTUNE BEACH AND INCREASE ABE'S ENROLLMENT.

ANCHOR ELEMENTARY AND MAYPORT ELEMENTARY, PREDOMINANTLY SERVING THE NAVY BASES 49 AND 46%, BUT THAT'S AN OUTLIER BECAUSE THE NEXT BIG SHIP THAT COMES IN IS GOING TO ADD 3 OR 400 MORE STUDENTS TO THE NAVY, WE'LL CALL IT THE NAVY BASE, TWO SCHOOLS.

OKAY. SO THIS IS REALLY A PARTIALLY A TAX ISSUE, JUST LIKE YOU FOLKS HAVE, JUST LIKE YOU COMMISSIONERS HAVE TO DO EVERY FALL WITH OUR BUDGET.

THE DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS HAVE TO DO BETTER WITH THEIR BUDGET AND TAKE A LOOK AT ALL THIS.

[00:40:07]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M SORRY I WENT OVER MY TIME.

THAT'S FINE. THANK YOU, MR. HARRELL. YES, SIR.

IN THE BACK, PLEASE.

COME ON UP. THANK YOU.

GO AHEAD AND STATE YOUR NAME.

MY NAME IS JOSEPH SALCIDO.

I LIVE IN ON JASMINE STREET.

I HAVEN'T LIVED IN ATLANTIC BEACH FOR AS LONG AS A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE.

IT'S BEEN ABOUT FIVE YEARS, BUT YOU KNOW, ABE IS ABOUT TO BE PART OF MY LIFE.

I HAVE A THREE YEAR OLD, AND I HAVE A NEWBORN.

HE JUST CAME HOME ON FRIDAY.

WE'RE STOKED ABOUT IT. ALL RIGHT, BUT I THANK YOU.

YEAH, WE'RE SUPER STOKED, BUT BUT NO, WE RIDE OUR BIKES PAST ABE, WE PLAN OUR FUTURE, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT FIVE YEARS OF OUR, WELL, TEN YEARS OF OUR LIVES, AND SO IT'S AWESOME TO SEE ALL OF THIS, AND I REALLY HOPE THAT IT'S SAVED.

YOU KNOW, I GET EXCITED, I GET REALLY EXCITED.

JUST SPEAKING AS A PARENT, I DON'T HAVE ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEM.

I DON'T KNOW ANY OF THE SPECIFICS, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT, AND I REALLY HOPE THAT SCHOOL IS SAVED.

I REALLY DO, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE A PART OF A LOT OF PEOPLE'S LIVES, AND I'M EXCITED TO BE A PART OF IT AND BE ABLE TO BE LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER PEOPLE HERE WHO LOOK BACK, YOU KNOW, 40, 50 YEARS.

THEY'RE LIKE, OH, THAT'S WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL, AND MY KID'S LIKE, OH, I WENT TO THAT SCHOOL, AND THEN I GET TO HAVE A, YOU KNOW, A GRANDCHILD AT SOME POINT, LIKE, OH, HE'S GOING TO THAT SCHOOL. IT'S COOL, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AND I THINK IT'S UNIQUE.

I'VE NEVER HAD THAT BEFORE, AND I DON'T WANT TO LOSE IT BEFORE I CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE.

OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. SALCIDO. I HOPE I PRONOUNCED THAT CORRECTLY.

YES. YOU DID OKAY.

WHO ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? OKAY WITH THAT THEN WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC FORUM AND WE'LL MOVE TO BACK TO THE RESOLUTION, AND COMMISSIONERS, FORGIVE ME, BECAUSE EARLIER WHEN I WAS READING, I THOUGHT I WAS DOUBLE READING SOMETHING, SO I'M GOING TO GO BACK I READ ALL THE BULLETS OF THE RESOLUTION, BUT I'M GOING TO READ THE INITIAL PARAGRAPH.

THAT'S AND AGAIN, THIS IS RESOLUTION NUMBER 24-21, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA, REQUESTING THAT THE DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD TAKES ACTION TO ENSURE THAT ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CONTINUES TO OPERATE AS THE COMMUNITY'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND IS NOT SUBJECT TO CLOSURE, PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTS AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP FOR CONVERSATION BEFORE WE MOVE ON THIS STARTING WITH YOU, MR. BOLE. YES, SIR.

I WON'T WON'T SAY A LOT HERE, BUT IN MY PAST PROFESSION AS A NAVY PILOT, WE HAD A SAYING.

IT'S CALLED ON TIME, ON TARGET.

OKAY WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, GROUNDSWELL OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, THAT HAVE BIG SUPPORT HERE, BUT WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS A TARGET DATE AND WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE A DECISION AND, AND THE DECISION TREE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH.

SO WHEN WE KNOW THAT, THEN WE CAN SHINE A LIGHT AT THE RIGHT TIME AT THE RIGHT PLACE, WHICH MAKES A LOT OF DIFFERENCE THAN THAN US SITTING HERE, YOU KNOW, AND I RUN INTO A LOT OF PEOPLE AND IT'S PRETTY CLEAR TO ME WHERE WE WANT TO GO, BUT I URGE THAT WE PUT A LIGHT ON THEIR DECISION PROCESS.

WE PUT A LIGHT ON EVERY ONE OF THEIR MEETINGS, AND WE FOLLOW THAT TREE DOWN TO WHERE THEY MAKE A DECISION.

THAT'S WHAT'S KEY.

THANKS. THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER BOLE. COMMISSIONER KELLY.

WELL, I WASN'T STATIONED HERE WHEN MY DAUGHTER WAS IN ELEMENTARY AGE, BUT HER KID WILL BE THERE NEXT YEAR, SO I HAVE A PERSONAL VESTED INTEREST.

HOWEVER, DON WOLFSON POINTED OUT TO ME THAT THERE'S A WHOLE SECTION OF THE COMP PLAN RELATED TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND THERE ARE A FEW THINGS IN THERE THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING.

YES THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

COMMISSIONER RING. YES.

SO TO SPEAK, ON THAT MAYOR WOLFSON, WHO WAS TALKING ABOUT THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT I HAVE INTEREST IN THAT, AND I THINK WE ALL SHOULD, BECAUSE WE PAY A DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF TAXES HERE AT THE BEACHES.

SO WE SHOULD HAVE A SAY IN THAT AS WE REVISIT THAT INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT THAT WAS WRITTEN IN 2007, LET'S LOOK CAREFULLY AT THE WORDING THERE AND WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING FOR THE PAST 17 YEARS.

WE ARE YOUR GOVERNING CITY.

NOT CITY OF JACKSONVILLE.

WE'RE HERE TO REPRESENT OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT ARE HERE AT THE BEACH, AND ATLANTIC BEACH IS VERY PERSONAL FOR ME.

I CURRENTLY HAVE A KINDERGARTNER THERE AND A FIFTH GRADER THERE.

I WATCHED MY SEVENTH GRADER WALK THROUGH THE HALLS AND THEN STOMP OUT, AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR HER TO RETURN, AND THE 12TH GRADE YEAR.

IT'S A REALLY BEAUTIFUL TRADITION.

YOU'LL GET TO SEE THAT COMMISSIONER KELLY WHEN MASON'S OLD ENOUGH, BUT IT'S MORE THAN JUST A BUILDING.

IT'S OUR HEART.

IT'S OUR HEART AND IT'S OUR SOUL, AND I WISH EVERYONE COULD SEE ONLINE THE BEAUTIFUL SEA OF PINK, BUT WE'RE

[00:45:08]

I COULD GUESS HOW WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE HERE TONIGHT.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER COMMISSIONER WATERS.

I WANT TO ELABORATE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE.

I'VE GOT THREE KIDS THAT WENT TO ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY, AND I STILL SEE THEIR FRIENDS FROM ABE WHENEVER THEY'RE IN TOWN 15, 20 YEARS LATER.

I WAS ON THE FABE. I WAS ON THE SAC COMMITTEE.

MY WIFE RAN THE DOLPHIN DASH.

WE EVEN HAD FLYOVERS, BRUCE, BACK THEN, AND AND, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER I RAN FOR THIS SEAT, EVERY PENNY THAT I HAD LEFT OVER WENT TO ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT.

I FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THAT SCHOOL, BUT IN THE SAME VEIN, WHAT ROY AND LINDA TALKED ABOUT THESE OTHER SCHOOLS.

YEAH, WE'RE IN MANY WAYS A BROKEN SYSTEM HERE IN JACKSONVILLE, AND MY HEART GOES OUT TO THEM, BUT MY RESPONSIBILITY IS ABE, AND WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS SCHOOL, AND I'M GOING TO SUPPORT IT AND TRY TO FIND WAYS TO HELP OTHER SCHOOLS IF WE CAN LIKE, LIKE BRINKLEY WAS TALKING ABOUT THE PERCENT SALES TAX.

THERE'S JUST A LOT IN THIS CONVERSATION, BUT ALL THESE PARENTS THAT I WAS WITH MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.

OR JUST LIKE YOU GUYS, IT'S THE MOST SUPPORTED SCHOOL WITH THE STAFF, WITH THE TEACHERS WITH THE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND IT'S JUST VIBRANT, AND IT'S BEEN THAT WAY FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

SO I WANT TO KEEP IT GOING.

THANKS. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

I'LL BRING IT HOME. I MENTIONED EARLIER I SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME IN ABE THIS PAST YEAR, AND I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW THE KIDS, AND THEY CALL ME MISTER MAYOR, AND THEY CALL MY WIFE MRS. MAYOR. SO I THINK THEY THINK OUR LAST NAME IS MAYOR, BUT THEY'RE GREAT KIDS, AND I THINK ABOUT WHAT WOULD I SAY? I REALLY THINK THEY THINK I'M THEIR CLASSMATE, TOO, SO WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO A CLASSMATE AS MAYOR THAT WE HAVE TO CLOSE YOUR SCHOOL? I DON'T WANT TO EVER HAVE TO SAY THAT, AND I HEARD FROM MR. SALCIDO. I JUST MET HIM TONIGHT.

HE'S A FAIRLY NEW RESIDENT WITH A NEW BABY, AND HE TALKED ABOUT THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT, AND IT IS BRIGHT BECAUSE WE HAVE YOU STANDING UP AND BEING HEARD, AND I JUST WANT TO PUNCTUATE THAT WITH YOU.

NOTICE TONIGHT WE HAD ONE MAYOR SPEAK, ONE PRIOR MAYOR, MR. WOLFSON, AND HE SPOKE BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO HEAR FROM HIM ON THE HISTORY BUT WE HAVE OTHER MAYORS.

THEY DIDN'T SPEAK TONIGHT BECAUSE THEY WANTED YOU TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.

SUZANNE. WELL, SUZANNE SPOKE, BUT I ASKED HER TO ANYWAYS, BUT I WANT TO NAME THE PAST MAYORS BECAUSE THIS IS SO UNIQUE IN ANY CITY, BIG OR LARGE. WE HAVE MANY PAST MAYORS THAT ARE ENGAGED IN OUR COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE MAYOR ELLEN GLASSER IN THE BACK SOMEWHERE AND EELLEN HAS BEEN SO INVOLVED IN THIS.

THANK YOU. THIS DOES DESERVE APPLAUSE.

THANK YOU, ELLEN GLASSER.

WE HAVE. MAYOR BILL GULLIFORD VERY INVOLVED.

HE'S NOT HERE TONIGHT, BUT VERY SUPPORTIVE.

MITCH REEVES, WHO'S HERE IN THE ROOM SOMEWHERE.

THANK YOU. MITCH. SUZANNE SHAUGHNESSY AND, OF COURSE, DON WOLFSON, AND I THANK ALL OF OUR MAYORS.

SO BEFORE WE VOTE ON THIS, I'M VERY CONFIDENT, AS MAYOR DEEGAN SAID, THAT WE WILL PREVAIL ON THIS.

TO DO OTHERWISE WOULD BE INSANITY.

I DON'T ACCEPT THAT, BUT WE DO NEED TO BE VIGILANT.

I SO APPRECIATE COMMISSIONER BOLE'S CONTEXT ON HOW THIS SHOULD GO AND SHINING A LIGHT ON THINGS AND AND GETTING A REGIMEN, AND I KNOW THERE'S SMARTER PEOPLE IN THIS AUDIENCE THAN ME THAT ARE ALREADY DOING THAT, SO KEEP DOING IT.

I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE AT THE COMMUNITY CONVERSATION ON WEDNESDAY, AND THEN I HOPE, I HOPE AS MANY PEOPLE WILL COME OUT ON SATURDAY TO DONNER PARK AND TO THE GAIL BAKER CENTER AND LET'S HAVE A DIALOG BACK AND FORTH, BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE EVEN MORE INFORMATION, AND WITH THAT IS ANYONE--I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO PASS RESOLUTION 24-21. SECOND.

SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER BOLE AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER KELLY.

[00:50:03]

OH, AND I APOLOGIZE, MAYOR PRUITT, WHEREVER YOU ARE, THANK YOU FOR STEPPING--SHE LEFT? OKAY. IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION AND WE HAVE WE'RE READY FOR A VOTE.

ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY WITH AYE.

OPPOSED? IT IS UNANIMOUS AS IT NEEDS TO BE AND[INAUDIBLE].

SO WITH THAT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS.

YOU'RE WELCOME TO STAY AFTER, BUT IF YOU HAVE OTHER THINGS WITH CHILDREN, WE UNDERSTAND.

WITH THE PRESENCE OF OUR CITY MANAGER, I HEREBY CALL THIS MEETING BACK TO ORDER, AND WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF OUR AGENDA.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

THE MINUTES WILL STAND AS SUBMITTED, AND NOW DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS FOR COURTESY OF THE FLOOR?

[2. COURTESY OF FLOOR TO VISITORS]

PLEASE COME UP, SIR.

GOOD EVENING AGAIN, MR. MAYOR. I APOLOGIZE, I FORGOT TO INTRODUCE MYSELF THE LAST TIME I SPOKE.

EVERYBODY KNOWS WHO I AM NOW.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GOOD OR BAD.

SO. SO I AM LOOKING AT.

THE RESOLUTION 24-19.

ABOUT THE 18TH STREET WALKOVER.

I AM FULLY BEHIND THE RESOLUTION TO FINALLY REBUILD.

THE 18TH STREET CROSSOVER.

ABOUT $125,000 WAS ALLOCATED FOR THIS FOUR YEARS AGO, AND ALL THEY DID WAS PUT UP A COUPLE OF CAMERAS AND CHANGE SOME LINES ON THE STREET, BUT THAT WALKOVER WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN REDONE IN SOME MANNER AND MONEY WAS ALLOCATED.

YOU ALL WERE HERE I THINK IT WAS $125,000 AND IT WAS NEVER FULLY SPENT.

18TH STREET CROSSOVER WASN'T REDONE.

WHAT I WOULD LIKE, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AND I DON'T GENERALLY USE THAT ACCESS RAMP.

I JUST RIDE BY IT ON MY BICYCLE, AND IT IS THE TACKIEST LOOKING THING THERE, AND IT'S LIKE, WHY CAN'T WE MAKE THIS LOOK LIKE THE BEST ACCESS CROSS RAMP GOING UP.

GET THE OVERGROWN BUSHES OUT OF THE WAY, MAKE IT WIDER, MAKE IT SAFER, AND RIGHT NOW IT'S AT ABOUT A 45 DEGREE SLOPE OR SLANT, AND IT'S ALL STEEP STEPS.

BRING THAT DOWN TO ABOUT 30 DEGREE ANGLE.

MAKE THEM A LITTLE BIT LONGER STEPS, MAKE IT SAFER FOR MOSTLY PEOPLE IN, WELL, YOU ALL'S NEIGHBORHOODS THAT UTILIZE THAT, THAT RAMP ALL THE TIME.

THE DOLLAR DIFFERENCE WOULD BE MARGINAL.

YOU KNOW, JUST MAKE IT A SHOWCASE OF AN ACCESS RAMP THAT WE CAN THEN UTILIZE WELL DONE AT MY END OF THE BEACH WHERE WE DON'T HAVE A CROSSOVER FIRST AND SECOND, FOURTH AND FIFTH AND EIGHTH, BECAUSE EVENTUALLY YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO BE ALLOCATING MONEY FOR THOSE OTHER RAMPS.

SO LET'S MAKE THIS ONE A SHOWCASE, MAKE IT THE BEST IT CAN BE, AND LET'S NOT JUST BASICALLY REPLACE BOARDS, WHICH I THINK IS MOSTLY WHAT THE DESIGN HAD FAILED, HAD IT CALLED FOR, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, MR. HARRELL.

ANY OTHER SPEAKERS.

HEARING NONE. WE'LL CLOSE COURTESY OF THE FLOOR AND MOVE TO ITEM THREE, CITY MANAGER REPORTS, MR.

[3. CITY MANAGER REPORTS]

GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS.

WE HAVE THE 90 DAY CALENDAR BEFORE US.

THE TWO THINGS OF NOTE 13TH OF APRIL, LIKE, HAS ALREADY BEEN BROUGHT UP, WE HAVE A TOWN HALL MEETING AT 10 A.M.

AT THE BAKER CENTER.

ONE OF THE TOPICS WILL BE ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY.

ANOTHER TOPIC IS THE GAIL BAKER AND 101ST STREET SURVEY, AND THEN ANYTHING ELSE THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO COME AND TALK ABOUT WOULD BE MORE THAN WELCOME.

OKAY, THE OTHER THING IS ON THE 27TH OF MAY IT'S MEMORIAL DAY, SO WE'LL ALL GET TO CELEBRATE THAT.

WITH THAT, MR. MAYOR, I RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE 90 DAY CALENDAR.

COMMISSIONERS, DO WE HAVE CONSENSUS ON THE 90 DAY CALENDAR? YES. THANK YOU.

MR. KILLINGSWORTH, EARLIER WE TALKED ABOUT SOMETHING THAT I WAS GOING TO BROACH OR YOU WERE GOING TO BROACH, AND I FORGOT WHAT THAT WAS.

WAS IT I THINK IT WAS THE SURVEY AT GAIL BAKER.

[00:55:01]

KEVIN, YOU WANT TO IDENTIFY THE NAME OF THE LINK, BUT ALSO AT THE TOWN HALL, WILL THERE BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE WHO DON'T ACTUALLY WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO FILL OUT A SURVEY, TO COME VOICE THEIR OPINIONS AND POTENTIALLY HAVE A PAPER SURVEY THAT YOU COULD FILL OUT THERE AS WELL.

KEVIN. [INAUDIBLE] THAT LINK IS WWW.COAB.US/COMMUNITYCENTERS2024. OKAY THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

SO IF I HEARD CORRECTLY, WE'LL HAVE SOME PAPER COPIES THAT CAN BE FILLED OUT ON THE SPOT AT THE BAKER CENTER ON SATURDAY.

SO ANY CITIZENS WATCHING THIS PLEASE COME OUT AND SHARE YOUR YOUR THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS.

OKAY. COMMISSIONERS, IF WE MAY START AT THIS END REPORTS FROM COMMISSIONER RING.

[4. REPORTS AND/OR REQUESTS FROM CITY COMMISSIONERS]

WAS IT LAST WEDNESDAY? OUR CITY MANAGER, BILL KILLINGSWORTH, WAS THERE, ALONG WITH NEPTUNE BEACH AND JAX BEACH CITY MANAGER AND THEIR VICE MAYOR PRESENTING ON STATE LEGISLATION AND HOW IT WOULD WHAT'S PASSED AND HOW IT WOULD AFFECT OUR MUNICIPALITIES.

IT IS RECORDED.

SO I DO RECOMMEND, YOU KNOW, VIEWING THAT AND SEEING HOW THE PAST SESSION HAS AFFECTED OUR MUNICIPALITIES.

I ALSO I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE TIME WE SHOULD SHARE ABOUT THE, THE NORTHEAST FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES $500 GRANT.

IF WE'RE DOING IT THIS PORTION, IS THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING, BILL? I THINK YOU COULD EITHER DO IT NOW--WHERE WE NOMINATE AT THE END.

OKAY. MAYBE NOMINATE AT THE END, BUT I DID WANT TO BRING THAT UP BECAUSE IT DID GET SOMETHING THAT WE DID LAST YEAR.

I THINK COMMISSIONER KELLY BROUGHT THAT UP LAST YEAR, AND I'M NOT SURE IF THE $500 WAS SUBMITTED TO THE IF THE AWARD WAS GIVEN TO THAT NONPROFIT, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT NONPROFITS IN LOCALLY THAT SERVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHICS HERE AT THE BEACHES, AND I'D LOVE TO SHOW SUPPORT AS A COMMISSIONER, MAYBE A DROP IN THE BUCKET, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY WORTHY.

THAT'S IT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

COMMISSIONER WATERS, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING RIGHT NOW.

I TALKED ABOUT THE ABE AND TALK ABOUT 18TH STREET.

WHENEVER THAT SUBJECT COMES UP, I CAN ELABORATE MORE ON MY THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT.

THANKS. OKAY. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

COMMISSIONER KELLY.

WELL, WE HAD TWO CITYWIDE RECREATION EVENTS THAT WERE HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED BY CITY WORKERS WHO STEPPED FORWARD TO HELP OUT WITH THE EVENTS, AND THAT WAS THE PAUSE IN THE PARK AND THE EASTER EGG HUNT.

SO THEY WERE THEY WERE PRETTY WELL DONE CONSIDERING WHAT WE HAD TO WORK WITH, AND I KNOW THAT CITY MANAGER HAS IDEAS FOR SORT OF RESTRUCTURING THAT PORTION OF OUR CITY SERVICES.

JUNETEENTH IS NOW A CITY HOLIDAY, BUT WHAT ARE WE DOING TO CELEBRATE IT OR RECOGNIZE IT? DOES ANYONE KNOW? IS IT JUST A DAY OFF OR ARE WE GOING TO DO SOMETHING? AT THIS TIME? KEVIN, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING? I'LL LET KEVIN SPEAK.

HI KEVIN HOGENCAMP AGAIN.

IT IS A DAY OFF FOR CITY STAFF, AND OTHERWISE WE CAN PROMOTE THE HISTORY AND REASON OF JUNETEENTH ON OUR PLATFORMS. OTHERWISE THE CITY HAS NO CELEBRATION PLANNED FOR OBSERVANCE AND WE WELCOME YOUR SUGGESTIONS.

THANKS, AND I HAVE ONE LAST THING, WHICH IS MY NOMINEE FOR THE NORTHEAST FLORIDA AWARD IS BEAM. I MEAN, I LIKE DIAL-A-RIDE, BUT THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN EXCEED THE REACH OF BEAM AND THE NUMBER OF PROGRAMS, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THEY KEEP OFF THE STREET, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THEY KEEP NOURISHED, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THEY HELP WITH JOB PREPARATION, AND I JUST THINK THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO SUPPORT NORTHEAST FLORIDA, BEAM NEEDS TO BE ON THAT LIST.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

COMMISSIONER BOLE. YEAH, TWO THINGS I THINK A LOT OF YOU KNOW THAT THIS THURSDAY IS OUR BEACHES TOWN CENTER AGENCY GOLF TOURNAMENT.

STILL SOME SEATS OPEN TO.

I THINK TWO SPONSORSHIPS RAISES A LOT OF MONEY FOR BEACHES TOWN CENTER AGENCY.

SO IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE, THEY'VE GOT A WEBSITE I RECOMMEND YOU GO UP.

I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT 18TH STREET TONIGHT.

I AM A VERY, VERY AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER.

[01:00:01]

I'M A BIG SUPPORTER OF 18TH STREET, BUT AGAIN, WE'VE GOT THE EXPERTS HERE.

ENGINEERS CAN TALK ABOUT THIS, BUT I JUST WANT TO SHOW YOU A COUPLE PICTURES THAT I TOOK LAST FRIDAY.

THEN YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GO DOWN THERE.

I KNOW THAT I THINK WE'RE IN DANGER HERE OF A COUPLE THINGS, AND AGAIN, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE EXPERTS, BUT TAKE A LOOK AT THE RIGHT PICTURE THERE ON THE RIGHT SIDE, AND LOOK AT THE WALL.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GET A MUCH BETTER FEEL IF YOU WALK DOWN THERE, BUT IF YOU CAN, YOU BLOW UP THE RIGHT ONE.

YEAH. OKAY. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH DOWN THERE ON 16TH STREET.

THAT'S THE WALKWAY, BUT THE I THINK, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THE EXPERTS WILL TELL YOU THE REAL PROBLEM I SEE IS THE LOT TO THE SOUTH THERE AND THAT WE'VE GOT SOME MAJOR ISSUES. COULD YOU GO BACK TO THE FIRST ONE.

YEAH. I KNOW IT'S HARD TO TELL HERE, AND AGAIN I'M SURE, BUT AND I'M SURE CITY MANAGER CAN TALK ABOUT THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY, ETC., ETC., BUT IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU WALK DOWN THERE AND YOU TAKE A LOOK THERE'S SOME OVERHANGING CINDERBLOCKS AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THE NEXT HURRICANE WEATHER, BUT I JUST WANT TO BRING ATTENTION THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS.

I KNOW THERE'S SOME ISSUES HERE.

I KNOW THERE'S MONEY ISSUES.

I KNOW THERE'S LAND RIGHTS ISSUES, BUT I WANTED TO BRING 16TH STREET UP THERE BECAUSE I, AGAIN, SUPPORT OF 18TH STREET, BUT THIS IN FACT COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE IN MY OPINION.

SO WALK DOWN THERE, YOU KNOW, TAKE A LOOK, AND BILL IF YOU WANT TO, YOU KNOW, BRING ANYBODY UP AND TELL ME I'M OFF BASE, I'LL BE WILLING TO LISTEN TO IT.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.

SO I HAVE SCOTT COME UP AND DESCRIBE EXACTLY WHAT THEY'VE DONE OUT ON 16TH STREET, BUT CAN WE HOLD THAT FOR THE ACTUAL RESOLUTION OR.

I'M SORRY, IT'S NOT A RESOLUTION.

I'M SORRY. YEAH. SO WE WOULD DO IT NOW.

YEAH. THAT'S WHY I BROUGHT UP NOW. YEAH.

I'M GOOD WITH IT. I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO 18TH STREET.

SO WE HAVE HIRED A CONTRACTORS TO GO OUT THERE AND MAKE IT SAFE.

IT IS UGLY, BUT I BELIEVE THE WORK HAS BEEN DONE TO MAKE IT SAFE, AND I'LL LET SCOTT DESCRIBE THAT.

[INAUDIBLE] YEAH. THERE IT IS. SCOTT WILLIAMS, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR AND A GRADUATE OF ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY.

[CHUCKLING] ALL RIGHT! FIRST THROUGH SIXTH GRADE.

SORRY I HAD TO THROW THAT IN.

SO WE HAVE HAD AN ENGINEERING COMPANY GO OUT TO THE 16TH STREET TO WALK OVER.

THEY'VE DONE A PRETTY GOOD, THOROUGH STUDY, AND THEY'VE GIVEN ME THAT LIST.

WE'VE BEEN PUNCH LISTING IT OFF AS WE'VE GONE ALONG.

WE ACTUALLY, WHEN WE STARTED GETTING ON TO THE AREA THAT GOES FROM THE FROM THE FIRST DUNE TO THE WALKWAY, I MEAN, TO THE STAIRS.

THERE'S A LONG AREA RIGHT THERE, AND WE FOUND THAT IT WAS IN DESPERATE NEED OF SOME EMERGENCY WORK.

SO WE HIRED A CONTRACTOR TO COME IN TO RERUN SOME STRINGERS TO PUT IN BRAND NEW HARDWARE TO RAISE IT BACK UP TO WHERE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN, AND REBOARD THAT AREA, WE ALSO HAVE A REQUISITION IN TO THEM NOW TO FINISH THAT LONG AREA OF THE WALKWAY.

THAT SEEMS TO BE THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE.

ALTHOUGH THESE PICTURES DON'T LOOK THE GREATEST, WE'RE HOPING THAT SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN ON THIS IN THE NEXT, HOPEFULLY COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT WE'VE GONE TO THE STAIRS AT BEACH AVENUE AND WE STARTED REPLACING A FEW STAIRS THERE.

WE'VE ACTUALLY PUBLIC WORKS STAFF HAS REPLACED A PORTION OF THE STAIRS GOING UP FROM THE WALKOVERS BACK UP TO THE HILL WHERE THE HOUSES ARE, SO, AND THEN REPLACED A FEW BOARDS HERE AND THERE.

WHAT WE GOT GOING ON RIGHT NOW, AS SOON AS THIS EMERGENCY PO GOES INTO EFFECT, THEN THEY WILL REPLACE THE REST OF THE DECKING ALONG WITH THE STREAMERS AND THE HARDWARE FROM WHERE THEY LEFT OFF, ALL THE WAY UP TO THE STAIRS AND THEN TO FINISH OUT THE STAIRS FOR US.

WHAT? YOU GUYS A QUESTION? SURE.

MAYBE YOU GUYS CAN HELP ME WITH THIS.

WHAT'S THE LONG TERM PLAN HERE? BECAUSE IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE.

I MEAN, I THINK YOU'D AGREE WITH ME.

I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT THE LONG TERM PLAN IS TO GO BACK ON A BUDGET AND AND TRY TO MAKE THIS THING HAPPEN.

SURE. THAT WOULD BE WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, BUT THAT'S YEAH, YOU KNOW, MR. MAYOR, IF I CAN, COMMISSIONER BOLE, IT'S MY INTENT TO GO AHEAD AND PUT IN THE BUDGET FOR THAT NEXT YEAR, MUCH LIKE IT WAS LAST YEAR, BUT IT DIDN'T MAKE IT TO THE END OF THE INTO ADOPTION, BUT WE'RE GOING TO RESUBMIT IT AGAIN.

I'M JUST A LITTLE WORRIED THAT WE'RE GOING TO SPEND EMERGENCY MONEY, EMERGENCY MONEY AND EMERGENCY MONEY, YOU KNOW AND INVEST, AND WHAT IT REALLY NEEDS TO DO IS, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW THERE'S LOTS OF ISSUES.

I WANT TO ECHO THAT WHEN WE FINALLY GET TO IT, I'M IN FAVOR OF BUDGETING IT AND PUTTING IT IN.

HERE'S THE CHALLENGES AND I DON'T WANT TO USE NAMES, SO I'M JUST GOING TO SAY THAT THE NEIGHBOR TO THE SOUTH AND THE NEIGHBOR TO THE NORTH.

I HAVE NOT SPOKEN.

YEAH, YOU KNOW WHO THEY ARE.

I HAVE NOT SPOKEN TO THE NEIGHBOR TO THE SOUTH, BUT I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE NEIGHBOR TO THE NORTH, AND HE WAS APPROACHED BY THE NEIGHBOR TO THE SOUTH ABOUT ALLOWING HIM TO

[01:05:06]

I EXPECT TYING THAT SOUTHERLY WALL BACK SO THAT IT DOESN'T COLLAPSE OR, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S REBUILT OR WHAT.

THAT'S A PROBLEM, BECAUSE WHEN YOU START ASKING A HOMEOWNER OR A PROPERTY OWNER, IF YOU CAN GO 20, 30, 40FT INTO THEIR PROPERTY AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN EASEMENT TO DO THIS, YOU'RE TAKING VALUABLE LAND.

SO THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE A SOLUTION, AND WHY I BRING THIS UP IS WHILE WE ASSUME THAT WE'RE GOING TO RE-BUDGET IT IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET, WE REALLY NEED TO GET SOME ANSWERS ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO ENGINEER THIS, BECAUSE IF WE HAD IT BUDGETED OR WE ATTEMPTED TO BUDGET IT, I BELIEVE AT 600,000, WHAT IF IT COMES IN AT A MILLION? TWO? NOW, YOU MIGHT SAY, OKAY, WE'VE GOT TO DO IT, AND THAT'S WITHIN OUR ABILITY TO SAY THAT, BUT WE KIND OF NEED TO KNOW THAT IT SCARES ME TO DO A BUDGET WHERE WE COME IN, LIKE WE DID WITH THE LIFEGUARD STATION WITH A $700,000 DELTA AFTER WE WERE WELL UNDERWAY.

SO THAT WOULD BE MY CHALLENGE TO YOU, MR. KILLINGSWORTH, AND TO SCOTT IS TO GET SOME PRELIMINARY INFORMATION THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY HAVE MORE DIALOG.

MR. BOLE, AND UNDERSTAND REALLY WHERE WE'RE GOING ON THE ON THE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

I THINK WE BUDGETED TWO YEARS AGO FOR THIS.

AM I WRONG? I THINK IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO.

SO WE BUDGETED FOR THIS TWO YEARS AGO.

THAT'S MONEY THAT WE DIDN'T SPEND AND MY CONCERN IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO SPEND EMERGENCY MONEY, AND TONIGHT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RISK MITIGATION.

RIGHT, AND I'M WITH YOU ON IT, BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER YOU BUDGET 5 MILLION FOR IT.

YOU DON'T HAVE A DESIGN THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED ON THAT REBUILD UNLESS YOU GET BOTH NEIGHBORS SOUTH AND NEIGHBOR TO THE NORTH IN AGREEMENT, AND SO I MEAN, THE OPTIONS THEN WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY COME A DAY THAT'S CLOSED.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, BUT ANYWAY, I WANTED TO BRING THIS UP.

IF I WAS A, YOU KNOW, A NEW RESIDENT, AND I WALKED UP THERE, I MEAN, YOU GO DOWN THE WALL.

HEY, WALK IT, TAKE A LOOK AT IT, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU DECIDE, LIKE I SAID, YOU GUYS ARE THE EXPERT.

IT'S NOT AS PRETTY AS YOU'RE DESCRIBING.

IT'S WORSE. YEAH, I JUST WANT TO BRING THAT UP BECAUSE IT WAS ON THE, YOU KNOW, 18TH STREET WAS ON THERE.

THANKS. THANKS.

THANK YOU. SCOTT.

OKAY, SO WE'RE OH OKAY SO ARE YOU DONE WITH YOUR REPORT? I'M DONE, SIR. OKAY, AND I'M GOOD.

SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO--MR. MAYOR. YES? SO I THINK WE HAD TWO NOMINEES FOR THE GRANT.

OH. WHICH WAS BEAM AND WAS YOURS DIAL-A-RIDE OR DO WE HAVE A THIRD? I DIDN'T HAVE DIAL-A-RIDE.

YEAH, SO YOU GO.

I WANTED, MINE IS BEACHES VETERANS MEMORIAL STATUE.

DO WE WANT TO MAKE A CHOICE TONIGHT? I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE A SO IT'S DUE, THE APPLICATION IS DUE ON WEDNESDAY.

ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS, AND I TALKED TO PEOPLE ABOUT THIS, BUT I THINK CANDACE IS RIGHT.

I THINK BEAM IS FAR MORE REACHING, AND IF WE CAN JUST DO ONE I'M FINE WITH BEAM.

BEAM. OKAY, SO I GUESS WE DON'T NEED A FORMAL MOTION, AND I ACTUALLY AGREE BEAM SO WE GOT ARE YOU OKAY WITH BEAM? YES. OKAY, SO WE GOT FIVE BEAMS. [INAUDIBLE] COMMISSIONER.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT, WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM SIX.

[6. CONSENT AGENDA]

ALL MATTERS LISTED UNDER THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE BY THE CITY COMMISSION AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION IN THE FORM LISTED BELOW.

THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION ON THESE ITEMS. IF DISCUSSION IS DESIRED, THAT ITEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND WILL BE CONSIDERED SEPARATELY.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION AND STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED TO THE CITY COMMISSION ON THESE ITEMS. ITEM SIX A IS TO AWARD THE CONTRACT FOR FLEET MANAGEMENT AND VEHICLE MAINTENANCE TO FIRST VEHICLE SERVICES AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE CONTRACT.

ITEM SIX B AUTHORIZE THE CITY TO CONTRACT WITH C&L LANDSCAPE AND BUILDING TO COMPLETE THE REPAIRS TO THE DUTTON ISLAND DOCKS IN THE AMOUNT OF $122,661.28, AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE CONTRACT.

WOULD ANY COMMISSIONER LIKE TO PULL ITEMS FROM THE CONSENT IN ORDER TO DISCUSS? NO. OKAY.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS?

[01:10:01]

OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE, AND A SECOND.

WELL, THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.

ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY WITH AYE.

AYE. THAT'S UNANIMOUS.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

SO WE'RE FINALLY SARAH, PLEASE COME FORWARD.

[7. COMMITTEE REPORTS]

I'M SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG TO GET TO YOU.

NO WORRIES.

ABE IS IMPORTANT.

SO GOOD EVENING. MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY, CITY CLERK, THE PUBLIC.

MY NAME IS SARAH BOREN. I LIVE ON EIGHTH STREET IN ATLANTIC BEACH, AND I SERVE AS THE CHAIR OF THE ESC, AND I'VE BEEN ASKED TO SHARE A REPORT TONIGHT.

I DO HAVE A POWERPOINT.

SORRY, I FORGOT TO BRING IT UP.

SO I'LL JUST GET STARTED.

SO THE AGENDA I'M GOING TO COVER JUST FOR THOSE NEW IN THE ROOM OUR PURPOSE AND OUR MEMBERS AND OUR STRUCTURE AND THEN COVER OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, OUR CHALLENGES, OUR 2024 WORK PLAN, AND THEN A FEW ASKS OF COMMISSION.

SO FOR THOSE THAT ARE NEW TO ESC OUR PURPOSE IS TO, TO STUDY AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON MARITIME, FOREST, PARKS AND OPEN SPACES, BEAUTIFICATION OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SPACES, AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP.

WE'RE ALSO SUPPOSED TO ACT AS A MOTIVATING AND COORDINATING BODY FOR THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTICIPATION IN THESE PURPOSES, AND THEN WE OFTEN GET LOTS OF REQUESTS FROM COMMISSION AND STAFF FOR GUIDANCE AND ADVICE AND SUPPORT AND WE'RE, YOU KNOW, GUIDED BY ORDINANCE AND CHAPTER 23 IN PARTICULAR.

AS FAR AS KIND OF THE JUST EXAMPLES OF MOTIVATING AND COORDINATING BODY.

YOU KNOW, EXAMPLES OF THIS IS LIKE OUR SPEAKER SERIES AND WE THANKS TO KEVIN, WE STARTED AN ESC NEWSLETTER TO KEEP PEOPLE ABREAST OF THINGS, AND THEN AS FAR AS EXAMPLES OF RESPONSES TO REQUESTS FROM COMMISSION AND STAFF AND EVEN THE PUBLIC IS LIKE HELP WITH COMMISSION PRIORITIES SUCH AS THE MARSH EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN, SUSTAINABILITY GOALS FOR CITY PROJECTS AND BUILDINGS, AND OBTAINING LEED FOR CITIES CERTIFICATION, AND THEN CREATING A COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN.

SO NEXT UP NEXT SLIDE IS OUR WONDERFUL.

THESE ARE THE NAMES AND FACES OF OUR CURRENT ESC MEMBERS.

THEY ARE AN ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIC BUNCH WITH DEEP AND VAST KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE, AND WHO DEDICATE A LOT OF TIME AND TALENT TO THE ESC I ALSO WANT TO SHARE THAT THERE'S AN INTERNAL CULTURE OF ESC MEMBERS OF OWNING THEIR OWN TASKS, AND NOT LEANING AND EXPECTING STAFF TO DO THEM. WE TRY TO AVOID BURNING STAFF, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE COME UP WITH A NEW IDEA.

AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

NEXT UP.

IS JUST BRIEFLY, YOU'VE SEEN THIS.

THIS IS KIND OF OUR ESC STRUCTURE.

SO WE'RE ONE OF SEVERAL COMMITTEES IN THE CITY, AND THEN WE HAVE THREE SUBCOMMITTEES.

ONE FOCUSED ON TREES, WHICH IS MANDATED BY THE ORDINANCE, AND THEN EDUCATION AND OUTREACH AND THEN SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE, AND THEN WE HAVE WORKING GROUPS UNDERNEATH THOSE THAT WE'RE STANDING UP THIS YEAR, AND IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO WE HAVE SIX PEOPLE ON THE TREE SUBCOMMITTEE, FIVE ON THE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH SUBCOMMITTEE, AND FIVE ON THE SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE SUBCOMMITTEE, AND THEN THE WORKING GROUPS. THIS YEAR, WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER TREE MAINTENANCE WORKING GROUP UNDER THE TREE SUBCOMMITTEE.

WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT OUR NAME FOR CALLED AB GREEN CORPS.

FOR VOLUNTEERS, JUST TRYING TO GET IN A DEEPER REACH AND COMMUNICATION FOR EDUCATION AND OUTREACH, AND THEN UNDER SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE SUBCOMMITTEE, WE HAVE A CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT PLAN AS A GOAL STARTING IT THIS YEAR AS WELL AS STARTING A STEWARDS OF THE PARKS PROGRAM TO HELP KIND OF PROMOTE AND TAKE CARE OF, OF THE PARKS, AND THEN WE'RE HOPING TO FOCUS ON RESILIENCE AS WELL.

SO THE NEXT SLIDE IS THE ONE I WANT TO SPEND SOME TIME ON.

SO ESC HAS MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT COULDN'T FIT ON ONE SLIDE--I TRIED; IT DIDN'T WORK.

SO I'M GOING TO NARRATE A FEW OF THEM FIRST, OUR CHARGE OR OUR MANDATE.

WE HAVE FOUR AREAS.

SO TREES ARE WHAT WE PREDOMINANTLY FOCUS ON, AND SOME SUCCESS INCLUDES SINCE 2019, WE HAVE PLANTED OVER 700 TREES VIA CITY PLANTINGS AND OUR ADOPT-A-TREE PROGRAM, SPECIFICALLY CITY PLANTINGS.

WE HAD 500 PLANTINGS, WE HAD 583.

ADOPT-A-TREE, WE HAD 125.

THAT REALLY GREW WITH MORE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ON OUR PART.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE 26 MORE TREES GOING IN THE GROUND IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

OUR GIVEAWAYS WERE SUPER SUCCESSFUL.

IN JANUARY, WE GAVE 104 AWAY, AND THEN IN APRIL, WE'RE GOING TO DO ANOTHER GIVEAWAY OF 150 AT EARTH DAY, AND THEN WITH MITIGATION SINCE

[01:15:01]

SO THAT'S ABOUT 300 TREES A YEAR SINCE 2019.

OTHER THINGS WE FOCUSED ON WITH TREES IS SUBMITTED SEVERAL RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO CHAPTER 2023 TO IMPROVE AND STRENGTHEN IT WITH MORE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.

WE'VE INCREASED ADOPT-A-TREE ADOPTIONS.

WE COMPLETED A CANOPY ASSESSMENT BASED ON 2021 DATA.

THAT ASSESSMENT SHARED WITH US THAT WE ARE AT 32.7 URBAN TREE CANOPY COVERAGE.

THAT IS UNFORTUNATELY DOWN FROM 2010 BY 0.6%, BUT WRONG TREND IN MY OPINION.

WE ALSO NOW HAVE AN OUT SORRY, AN ONLINE LINK OR TOOL FOR THE PUBLIC TO LOOK AT AT THE CANOPY DATA.

WE ALSO MADE THE AB VERIFIED TREE TRIMMER PROGRAM MUCH MORE ROBUST BY SETTING UP A QUIZ, AND WE HAVE SIX COMPANIES PARTICIPATING NOW.

WE ALSO STARTED THANKS TO STAFF, WE STARTED PUBLISHING THE ARBORIST LETTERS, WHICH IS ALLOWED BY STATE ORDINANCE AND THEN WE HAVE A WONDERFUL 13 YEAR OLD CATALOGING THEM AS A VOLUNTEER AND KIND OF GOING THROUGH AND COUNTING THE TYPES OF TREES AND THE NUMBER OF TREES AND ALL THAT STUFF, AND IT'S A LOT MORE DATA, AND FROM HER DOING THAT, WE'RE LOSING ABOUT 100 TREES A YEAR WITH ARBORIST LETTERS ALONE, AND THIS IS ON TOP OF TREE PERMITS, AND THEN OUR TREE SUBCOMMITTEE WORKS REALLY HARD TO KEEP ABREAST OF THE TREE PERMITS AND THE PROCESS, AND IN GENERAL, WHILE THE NUMBER OF PERMITS SUBMITTED DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE TRENDING DOWN, THE NUMBER OF TREES REMOVED PER PERMIT HAS DECREASED.

SO JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, IN ONE YEAR IN 2021 AND FOR SIX MONTHS, WE HAD THE OLD ORDINANCE AND THE LAST SIX MONTHS WE HAD THE STRONGER ORDINANCE.

THERE WERE 232 PERMITS FILED, AVERAGING SIX TREES PER PERMIT.

SO THAT'S 1392 TREES ONE YEAR.

SO OVERALL, WITH THIS KIND OF PIECEMEAL DATA, WE DON'T HAVE THE WHOLE PICTURE BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT WEEKEND WARRIORS AND ALL THAT, BUT WE SUSPECT WE'RE STILL LOSING TREES, ESPECIALLY MATURE TREES FASTER THAN WE ARE REPLENISHING THEM.

WE'RE NOT IT'S NOT DEVASTATING, BUT WE'RE SLOWLY LOSING THEM.

ON THE BEAUTIFICATION.

WE WORKED HARD ON THE MASTER PARKS MASTER PLAN.

THANKS TO A LOT OF WORK FROM STAFF.

I'LL GET TO IT LATER, BUT WE ALSO ARE TRYING TO FOCUS ON AB'S THREE ENTRANCES.

JUST HOW DO WE KIND OF BEAUTIFY THEM WITH LIMITED FUNDS AND RESOURCES? FOR PARKS AND OPEN SPACES, WE HAD OUR BOLE FAMILY LAND DEDICATION THAT ADDED ON TO TIDES VIEW.

WE'RE WORKING ON CONNECTIVITY AND WALKABILITY AND THEN A MARSH EDUCATION AND PROTECTION PLAN UNDER ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP.

WE CONTINUE TO WORK STEADILY ON THE COMMUNITY ACTION.

GOOD NEWS THAT THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE JUST GOT ACCEPTED INTO THE LEED FOR CITIES CERTIFICATION COHORT.

SO THEY ARE GOING TO GO SEEK CERTIFICATION, AND THEY WERE INSPIRED BY YOU ALL BY THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH.

WE HAVE ALSO KIND OF HOPEFULLY INSPIRED NEPTUNE BEACH.

WE'LL SEE IF THEY BITE AT THAT AS WELL.

THE OTHER THING WE REALLY DO A LOT IS EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.

SO WE DO EVENTS.

SO ONE OF THEM WE I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IS ARBOR DAY EVERY YEAR IN JANUARY.

SO THIS PAST JANUARY, A HUGE SUCCESS.

THANKS FOR ALL OF YOU.

MANY OF YOU COMING, WE HAD 30 PLUS ABE STUDENTS COME FOR THE FLAG RAISING EVENT.

WE GAVE AWAY 104 LIVE OAKS TREES THROUGHOUT AB.

WE HAD 11 PEOPLE COMPLETE AND ADOPT A TREE FORM.

WE HAD 34 TAKE THEM AWAY AND TAKE THEM HOME TO FILL OUT.

WE HAD 92 RESIDENTS PRE SIGN UP FOR TREES.

THERE IS A DEFINITE DEMAND FOR TREES.

THEY LIKE THE GIVEAWAYS, AND JUST A STORY.

THESE PICTURES, THESE TWO WOMEN ON THIS SLIDE, WE HAD THIS JOKE STARTING VERY EARLY ON IN THE GIVEAWAY OF LIKE WHO IS GOING TO HAVE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS COMING TO GET THEIR TREE GIVEAWAY? WELL, AT FIRST IT CAME WITH A GUY WITH AN ELECTRIC BIKE, THEN A GUY ON A REGULAR BIKE, THEN A WOMAN, A MOM AND HER STROLLER, AND THEN AND THEN THESE TWO WOMEN ON FOOT FROM NEPTUNE BEACH. SO THEY WON THE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS OR THE LEAST AMOUNT THIS COMING EARTH DAY ON APRIL 21ST.

I HOPE YOU ALL JOIN US. WE HAVE OVER TEN VENDORS THAT ARE COMING.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER GREAT EVENT, AND THEN OUR SPEAKER SERIES, WHICH IS A LITTLE SLOW GETTING OFF THE GROUND THIS YEAR, BUT LAST YEAR WE HAD TREMENDOUS RIPPLE EFFECT.

WE GOT OFFERED A FREE FLEET ASSESSMENT BY THE TPO.

WE HINTED HINTED AT FROM OUR GARBAGE HAULER ABOUT MULTIFAMILY HOUSING, RECYCLING, AND JEFF SHEFFIELD OFFERED A SOLUTION FOR THE FIVE WAY WHO KNOWS? BUT HAD GREAT RIPPLE EFFECT ON ONE OF THEM ABOUT KIND OF CREATING A NATURAL YARD.

[01:20:07]

SO JUST BY THE INSPIRED BY THE SPEAKER SERIES.

SO OTHER WAYS OF WE TRY TO DO EDUCATION OUTREACH.

I MENTIONED THE NEWSLETTER.

WE ALSO HAVE CAMPAIGNS LIKE THE MATURE TREE INVENTORY CONTEST, VERIFIED TREE TRIMMER CAMPAIGN, HERITAGE HERITAGE TREE, MONARCH BUTTERFLY PLEDGE, ADOPT-A-TREE, WELCOME KIT, AND MUCH MORE, AND THEN ON TO COLLABORATION, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE WE DO A LOT OF COLLABORATION, BUT WITH OTHER CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH COMMITTEES, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH ARC ON KIND OF VOLUNTEERING, YOU KNOW, KIND OF SHARING VOLUNTEER NEEDS.

WE'VE BEEN INVITED BRUCE ANDREWS FROM OUR COMMITTEE HAS BEEN INVITED TO COME SPEAK TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD, AND WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO INFLUENCE THE CHAPTER CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE TO ADD ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP TO THE CHARTER.

WE HAD TWO UNF MASTERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH STUDENT DO TWO PROJECTS FOR US.

THEY'RE GOING TO PRESENT ACTUALLY THIS WEDNESDAY AT OUR ESC MEETING.

CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, THANKS TO STAFF AND THE CITY MANAGER, WE PARTNERED IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA'S MSA TO FOR AN APPLICATION FOR THE COMMUNITY POLLUTION REDUCTION GRANT, WHICH I SPOKE ABOUT A COUPLE MONTHS AGO OR A MONTH OR SO AGO.

I CAN'T REMEMBER NOW.

THAT'S LOOKING PROMISING.

SO BUT IT WAS A HUGE COLLABORATION EFFORT.

I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT LATER ON THAT WE PARTNERED WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS.

WE WENT AND SPOKE TO 138 STUDENTS.

ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL SCHOOLS HELPED WITH OUR MATURE TREE INVENTORY CONTEST, AND THEY DID SOME LESSON PLANS AND THEN LOCAL GROUPS. WE PARTNERED WITH FIRST COAST INVASIVE SPECIES ON THE WEED WRANGLE, AB PRESERVATION AND BEACHES GO GREEN.

FINALLY, ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT.

SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO IMPROVE OUR INTERNAL PROCESSES.

SO WE'RE FINALLY GETTING BETTER AT SETTING PRIORITIES FOR OURSELVES, AND THEN ALSO SENDING SOME TO YOU ALL.

WE'RE GETTING A QUARTERLY TREE REPORT FROM STAFF.

WE DO AN ANNUAL SELF-EVALUATION SURVEY.

SO LAST YEAR WE REALIZED OUR ONBOARDING PACKET FOR NEW MEMBERS WAS PRETTY MISERABLE.

SO WE UPGRADED THAT, AND WHEN OUR NEW MEMBER CAME ON, HE FELT LIKE HE WAS READY TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, AND THEN THIS YEAR, WE ARE FOCUSING ON BEAUTIFICATION ON THE ENTRANCES BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE BEAUTIFICATION HAS GOTTEN, NOT A LOT OF FOCUS.

SO WE ARE SELF EVALUATING, AND THEN IN EVERY AGENDA PACKET WE HAVE A PLANNER, A CALENDAR AND METRICS.

SO ON TO CHALLENGES.

SO I WOULD SAY ONE OF OUR SO WE HAVE SOME HEADWINDS, AND I SAY ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES IS KIND OF GENUINE DEEP COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ON AN EFFECTIVE SCALE.

HOPING WE'RE HOPING THAT THE AB GREEN CORPS WILL KIND OF HELP WITH THIS AND ADDRESS IT, AND THEN OUR SECOND CHALLENGE IS IT'S SOME HARD, SOMETIMES HARD TO BE HEARD AND TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD.

SOMETIMES WE FEEL LIKE WE MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEN WE DON'T HEAR ANYTHING BACK.

WE KNOW EVERYBODY'S REALLY BUSY, BUT SOMETIMES THERE SEEMS TO BE A DISCONNECT AT TIMES.

FOR EXAMPLE, WE'VE SUBMITTED CHANGES TO CHAPTER 23 AND SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, AND WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT STATUS IS, AND THEN THREE, THERE IS A LACK OF KIND OF INTEGRATION OF PURPOSE AND PRIORITIES ACROSS THE CITY.

I MEAN, WE'RE A COMMITTEE THAT KIND OF TOUCHES ALL DEPARTMENTS, AND WE'RE ADVISORY AND PROACTIVE COMMITTEE BUT IT JUST SOMETIMES DOESN'T SEEM LIKE OUR PURPOSE IS KIND OF TAKEN ON BY E VERYONE, AND THEN WE WOULD DEFINITELY BENEFIT FROM MORE COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION AND SUPPORT FROM THE COMMISSION AND ACROSS CITY DEPARTMENTS AND ROLES.

ONTO THE 24 WORK PLAN, I'M ALMOST DONE.

SO WE HAVE A VERY AMBITIOUS 24 WORK PLAN AS USUAL.

SO I WON'T GO INTO ALL THE DETAILS THAT ARE ON THE RIGHT SIDE, BUT TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS I MENTIONED APRIL 21ST, EARTH DAY AND THE OTHER TREE GIVEAWAY, AND THIS WEDNESDAY, WE'RE HOPEFULLY GOING TO APPROVE AND SEND THREE NEW HERITAGE TREES TO YOU ALL TO APPROVE.

WE'RE GOING TO START WORKING ON A MARSH EDUCATION PLAN.

WE ARE HOPING TO START THE WE STARTED THE CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT PLAN, BUT TO ZERO IN AND FOCUS ON FLORIDA FRIENDLY PLANTS AND KIND OF DO THE A PLAN SECTION BY SECTION BECAUSE IT'S PRETTY BROAD BUT FLORIDA FRIENDLY CAME FROM CITIZENS, AND ALSO I THINK IT ADDRESSES MULTIPLE ISSUES WE'RE FACING FROM WATER CONSERVATION TO CHEMICALS, ETC..

[01:25:01]

THAT'S NOT GUARANTEED.

WE ARE I TALKED ABOUT THE ENTRANCES.

WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO TACKLE AND BRING SOMETHING OF A GREEN BUILDING AND RESILIENT, I'M SORRY, A GREEN AND RESILIENT BUILDING ORDINANCE TO YOU.

BECAUSE, AGAIN, IT ALSO ADDRESSES A LOT OF THINGS THAT WERE IT'S ON A HORIZON AND GOALS IN THE COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN.

WE'RE GOING TO DO AN INAUGURAL AWARDS EVENT IN JANUARY, SORRY, IN DECEMBER, AND THEN ON THE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON THE CLIMATE POLLUTION REDUCTION GRANT.

SO, THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH WAS PART OF TWO GRANT APPLICATIONS.

ONE THAT WE'RE FEELING PRETTY CONFIDENT ABOUT.

ONE, WE'LL SEE.

THE ONE THAT WE'RE FEELING CONFIDENT ABOUT, WE PARTICIPATED WITH FOUR OTHER FLORIDA MSAS, AND WE'RE THIS IS A VERY COMPETITIVE GRANT ACROSS THE NATION, BUT WE SUBMITTED FOR 200 MILLION, AND IF, YOU KNOW, AFTER WE GET ALLOCATED, ATLANTIC BEACH COULD BRING HOME UP TO 1.5 MILLION.

SO WE'LL SEE. CROSSING FINGERS ON THAT, AND IT'S TOWARDS BUILDINGS LIKE ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND UPGRADES AND RESILIENCE, AND THEN THE OTHER GRANT IS FOCUSED ON TRANSPORTATION.

IT'S ONLY SORRY, BILL, ONLY PAYING FOR DIFFERENTIAL COSTS.

WE'RE HOPING TO PAY FOR FULL EVS, BUT IT'S ONLY THE DIFFERENTIAL COST ON ON ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

SO WE MIGHT GET, YOU KNOW, A FEW VEHICLES OUT OF THAT IF THAT GRANT IS AWARDED.

OKAY, AND THEN MY LAST OR SECOND LAST ALMOST LAST SLIDE IS IF WE HAD ANY ASKS OF THE COMMISSION IT WOULD BE ONE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT IS EVEN MORE THAN YOU DO NOW BY THINKING WITH ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP LENS IN ALL YOUR DELIBERATIONS DIRECTING STAFF TO MAKE IT MORE IMPORTANT IN KIND OF EVERYONE'S JOBS AND WE'RE REALLY LOSING MATURE TREES.

SO ANYTHING WE CAN DO BECAUSE IT'S, WE CAN PLANT ALL WE WANT, BUT IT TAKES THEM A LONG TIME TO GROW.

SECOND, THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE IS GOING TO SUBMIT THEIR SUGGESTIONS TO YOU PRETTY SOON, NEXT MONTH OR SO.

PLEASE, PLEASE MAKE SURE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP REMAINS IN THE SUGGESTED CHANGES THAT GO TO THE NOVEMBER'S BALLOT.

RIGHT NOW, THERE IS ZERO MENTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE CHARTER, AND THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE DID VOTE TO MAKE A CHANGE AND TO PUT IT UNDER THE POWER SECTION.

SO WHEN IT COMES TO YOU, I'M HOPING THAT YOU'LL KEEP IT IN THERE AND IT MAKES IT TO THE BALLOT AND LETS THE CITIZENS VOTE IN NOVEMBER, AND THEN THIRD, WE SO, SO, SO APPRECIATE THE BUDGET YOU ALLOTTED US LAST YEAR, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT YOU'LL SUPPORT US AGAIN IN 24 AND 25.

A GOOD PORTION OF WHAT ESC DOES IS EDUCATION AND OUTREACH, AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO GET MONEY TO DO THAT SORT OF THING.

SO HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO PLAN AHEAD AND MOVE THE NEEDLE FORWARD IS, IS SUPER, SUPER HELPFUL.

YOU KNOW, I KNOW EVERY COMMITTEE COMES UP HERE AND SAYS WE'RE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, BUT ESC IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, AND WE'RE KIND OF WE'RE WE'RE PROACTIVE.

OUR BUDGET IS I MEAN, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DOESN'T HAVE A BUDGET, BUT LIKE, OUR BUDGET IS TIED TO PARKS AND RECREATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD, I THINK IS JUST ENFORCEMENT AND IS, YOU KNOW, COVERED, BUT WITH US TRYING TO EDUCATE ABOUT TREES AND STUFF, WE NEED WE NEED SOME DOLLARS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO SUBMIT A BUDGET AND WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES.

SO HOPE YOU CAN SUPPORT US ON THAT, AND THEN YEP, AND THEN ON THIS LAST SLIDE, AS I'M KIND OF RESHOWING ALL THESE WONDERFUL SMILING ESC FACES, I WANT TO MAKE SURE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO COMMEND THE CITY STAFF THAT SUPPORT THE ESC FROM AMANDA TO BRIAN TO ABRIELLE TO ANGELA TO STEVE TO KEVIN AND MANY MORE.

THEY WORK TREMENDOUSLY HARD, AND ARE ALWAYS PROFESSIONAL.

WE ARE DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR THEIR SUPPORT, EXPERTISE AND IN PARTICULAR THEIR AGILITY AND ABILITY TO PIVOT FROM ISSUE TO ISSUE.

WE SOMETIMES THROW A LOT TO THEM AND THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU. WELL, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER.

NO, I WAS JUST THANKING HER. I HAVE QUESTIONS.

GREAT. I HAVE THREE.

WHERE DO WE STAND ON COMPOSTING? I DON'T KNOW.

OKAY. I THOUGHT LAST YEAR THAT WAS GOING TO BE A BIG PUSH, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD MUCH LATELY.

I DON'T THINK.

ON OUR WORK PLAN IS TO PARTNER TO DO A NO, I'M THINKING OF HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE.

[01:30:02]

IT DIDN'T REDUCE ENOUGH GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.

SO WE'RE BACK TO MAYBE LIKE AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM OR, YOU KNOW, TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO DO IT.

SURE. I DID TALK TO STAFF ABOUT WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THE LOCATION IN AB TO DO A HUB, LIKE A DROP OFF, BUT THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING IN NEPTUNE BEACH OR JAX BEACH AND WE COULD PARTNER.

YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU.

I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE HOMEOWNERS DO IT RIGHT IN THEIR BACKYARD.

YEAH, AND NOT COST ANYBODY ANYTHING OTHER THAN TIME.

IT'S A THIRD OF YOUR FOOD WASTE.

YEAH. NEXT QUESTION IS, AND THIS REALLY GOES BACK TO SOMETHING THAT COMMISSIONER KELLY HAS BROUGHT UP MULTIPLE TIMES, IS THE UGLY CEDAR TREES AT THE ENTRANCE TO OUR CITY ON SEMINOLE ROAD, AND I KNOW YOU'RE THINKING, WAS PROBABLY TIRED AND DONE AND NEED TO COME DOWN, I DON'T KNOW, HAVE YOU AND YOUR TREE COMMITTEE, HAVE YOU LOOKED INTO HAVING AN ARBORIST TELL US CAN WE REVIVE THOSE THINGS? I MEAN, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THE SPRING AND THEY'RE NOT SPRINGING.

RIGHT? SO WE HAVEN'T GONE THAT FAR YET.

WHAT WE DID AT THE LAST ESC MEETING WAS WE KIND OF SAID, OKAY, BEAUTIFICATION, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON BEAUTIFICATION AND LET'S FOCUS ON THE ENTRANCES.

SO WE EACH EACH WE DIVVIED IT UP, AND SO A FEW OF US ARE IN CHARGE OF EACH ENTRANCE AND WE'RE LOOKING RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST DOING KIND OF ASSET REVIEW.

LIKE DO WE HAVE WATER. DO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, DO WE NEED ENERGY FOR LIGHTS OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, HOW'S THE SIGNAGE.

JUST KIND OF REPORTING OUT AND TAKING PICTURES AND THEN DECIDING ON NEXT STEPS WE'RE TRYING TO DO, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN GET ANY PRO BONO WORK OR YOU KNOW, TRYING TO AVOID COMING TO YOU FOR A BUDGET, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S OUR THREE MAJOR ENTRANCES.

WELL, I FOR ONE WANT TO SAY I SUPPORT COMMISSIONER KELLY ON LOOKING AT INVIGORATING ALL OF OUR ENTRANCE POINTS, BUT ESPECIALLY IF WE CAN SAVE THOSE TREES AND WE'RE NOT ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE.

WE COULD END UP WITH DEAD TREES.

THEY'RE PRETTY CLOSE.

LET'S SAVE THOSE TREES IF WE CAN, AND THE ORANGE CONE AND THE ORANGE CONE.

OKAY, THAT'S A SPECIAL REQUEST.

I THINK YOU MOVED IT, DIDN'T YOU, SCOTT? SO THERE WAS ANOTHER THING.

OH, IS IT POSSIBLE IN YOUR WORKINGS ON YOUR COMMITTEE THAT YOU COULD CONSIDER TREATING DIFFERENT TREES DIFFERENTLY ON MITIGATION? SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WHY WE TREAT A SABLE PALM THE SAME IN MITIGATION AS A LIVE OAK.

THEY'RE VASTLY DIFFERENT, AND I REALLY LIKE LIVE OAKS.

I LOVE SABLE PALMS, BY THE WAY, BUT THEY'RE MORE EASILY REPLACED, RIGHT? OLD GROWTH LIVE OAKS ARE SO, SO IMPORTANT AND THEY'RE SO VASTLY DIFFERENT FROM WATER OAKS AND YET WE TREAT THEM ALL THE SAME.

WHY IS THAT? I DON'T THINK WE TREAT THEM ALL THE SAME.

I THINK THERE'S DIFFERENT MITIGATION ON SOME AND NOT ALL.

I COULD BE WRONG, BUT I THINK WE PLAY NO, I'M NOT INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH OUR MITIGATION WORK.

I DO KNOW THAT COJ DOES TREAT SPECIMEN TREES, WHICH LIVE OAK IS ONE DIFFERENTLY AND THEY HAVE A HIGHER I THINK THEY'RE DIFFERENT.

YEAH WE WORK PRETTY HARD ON DIFFERENTIATING SOME.

I THINK YOU'RE TALKING MAYBE ABOUT THE RELOCATION IN THE PALMS AND HOW I WASN'T TALKING ABOUT THAT, BUT I AM GLAD THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE A TEST CASE RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ON INTERSECTION OF EAST COAST AND FIFTH, AND SO FAR AND I THINK THAT'S A DOZEN RELOCATED PALMS WITHIN THE SAME SITE, AND THEY ALL APPEAR TO BE SURVIVING IT, AND SO THAT'S A MODEL.

LET'S EMBRACE THAT TO MAKE IT DIFFERENT, HERE'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK I'M PROUD OF THE ESC FOR DOING.

SO BEFORE WE WOULD KIND OF POURED A WHOLE BUNCH OF CHANGES TO CHAPTER 23 AND COME TO YOU.

YOU KNOW, AFTER THREE YEARS OF WORK AND SUBMIT A BIG, YOU KNOW, OVERHAUL.

NOW WE'RE ON THE SCHEDULE THAT EVERY YEAR WILL COME TO YOU WITH SOME BITE-SIZED CHANGES.

ON OUR WORK PLAN, IT'S WE GOT TO GET TO YOU BY OCTOBER SO THAT HOPEFULLY WE GET SOMETHING DONE AND UPGRADED EVERY YEAR.

SO WE MET THAT SCHEDULE LAST YEAR, BUT IT'S SOME THE CHANGES JUST HAVEN'T EVENTS.

SO WHAT I WOULD SUBMIT TO YOU IS IF ANYBODY HAS IDEAS SEND THEM TO US BECAUSE WE'RE KEEPING A LIST, AND THEN WE KIND OF SAY, OKAY, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO SEND TO COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, PER STAFF'S ADVICE, ETC..

SO WE USUALLY START PUTTING THAT TOGETHER IN AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER.

RIGHT, AND THE FINAL THING RIGHT NOW ALL OF YOUR CURRENT RECOMMENDATIONS TO STAFF ARE PROBABLY ON ONE OF OUR SITES FOR CHAPTER 23 REVISIONS. I THINK IT'S EITHER WITH CITY MANAGER OR CITY ATTORNEY REVIEWING IS WHAT I'VE HEARD.

NO? IT'S NOT WITH THE CITY MANAGER, TO MY KNOWLEDGE.

[01:35:05]

LET ME ASK YOU TO DO THAT.

I DO HAVE IT WRITTEN DOWN TO FIND OUT WHERE IT IS AT.

YEAH. GOOD. OKAY.

SO WOULD YOU CHECK ON THAT ALSO? SURE, AND FOLLOW UP, AND I WOULD SO APPRECIATE AN EMAIL DIRECTLY TO ME OR TO THE COMMISSION, WHATEVER, BECAUSE WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS ASK CITY MANAGER KILLINGSWORTH TO BRING THIS BACK FOR DISCUSSION IN A SUBSEQUENT MEETING SOON, BUT I HAVE NOT STUDIED IT.

SURE. IF IT'S THERE AND I NEED TO GO DO THAT.

YEAH, AND THIS IS JUST CONTINUAL REFINEMENT, RIGHT, BECAUSE AS THE ORDINANCE PLAYS OUT, WE COME UP WITH CASE STUDIES AND WE CAN ADJUST AND REFINE AND GET BETTER. SO OKAY.

GREAT QUESTIONS.

I HAVE ONE, THE BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS YOU HAVE ON THE THREE ENTRANCES OTHER THAN THE ONE ON SEMINOLE.

WHAT ARE THE OTHER TWO? SO SEMINOLE AND ATLANTIC MAYPORT KIND OF FLY OVER, AND THEN I CALL IT THE ARBY'S ON MAYPORT ROAD.

YES. OKAY, AND THEN I'M JUST THINKING, WHEN WILL YOU BE LOOKING AND PUTTING SOMETHING THERE? BECAUSE THE MAYPORT IMPROVEMENT ROAD PLAN WOULD BE COMING IN.

SO I DON'T WANT TO. YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S A GOOD POINT.

WE HAVEN'T KIND OF SYNCED EVERYTHING UP.

WE JUST WANT TO WE JUST RECOGNIZE THAT BEAUTIFICATION HAS KIND OF TAKEN A BACK BURNER WITH OUR FOR CHARGING, YOU KNOW, OUR FOUR AREAS, AND SO WE REALLY WANTED TO KIND OF HYPER FOCUS ON IT THIS YEAR.

SO WE'RE JUST STARTING OKAY, WHAT IS THE SITUATION TALKING ABOUT POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS.

CHECK WITH STAFF. CHECK WITH OTHER TIMELINES, BUT YEAH TWO OF THEM ARE ON MAYPORT.

SO AND WELCOME SUGGESTIONS.

OKAY. I KNOW COMMISSIONER KELLY'S BEEN CHOMPING AT THE BIT.

OKAY. THANK YOU, MRS. BOREN. SURE. VERY COMPREHENSIVE REPORT.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM EIGHT A RESOLUTION, LET'S SEE.

YEAH OKAY, THAT'S WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT OKAY.

RESOLUTION NUMBER 24-19, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING THE CITY TO CONTRACT WITH C&L LANDSCAPE AND BUILDING, INC TO

[8.A. RESOLUTION NO. 24-19]

MR. KILLINGSWORTH.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

SO WE'VE IDENTIFIED A SET OF RENOVATIONS THAT WE THINK WILL ENHANCE 18TH STREET.

IT'S NOT A COMPLETE REBUILD.

WE PROBABLY DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS BUDGETED FOR A COMPLETE REBUILD, BUT WHAT IT DOES, IN ESSENCE, IS IT CREATES PASSING LANES ON THE ON THE WALKWAY SO THAT AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, BASICALLY, YOU HAVE TO WAIT ON ONE END FOR THAT SOMEBODY TO GET IN AND OFF ON IT, AND THIS WOULD WIDEN PARTS OF THE MAIN CROSSOVER.

IT DOESN'T WIDEN PER SE, THE ACTUAL DUNE CROSSOVER, BECAUSE THEN WE HAVE TO GET IN WITH DEP AND DO SOME OTHER THINGS, BUT WHAT WE ARE DOING IS MOVING THE RAILS TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE PILINGS.

SO THAT'LL GIVE US MAYBE ANOTHER 18IN THERE WHERE PEOPLE CAN AT LEAST STEP IN TO THE RAILING AND LET PEOPLE BY, AND THEN WE'RE DOING SOME ENHANCEMENTS UP BY THE FRONT WHERE THE RAMP IS.

THIS IS CURRENTLY.

COMING OUT OF A FUND, A MAINTENANCE FUND THAT HAS $222,000 AND SOME CHANGE.

IT'S AN $83,349 PROJECT, AND, MR. MAYOR, I'D RECOMMEND APPROVAL.

OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. KILLINGSWORTH. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 24-19 SECOND.

SECOND. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

DISCUSSION? I HAVE A QUESTION, BILL.

WHAT IS THE FIVE FOOT LANDING DECK AND THEN A TEN FOOT DECK AS WELL.

THAT IS THE STAIR WIDENED TO BOARDWALK PROPOSAL.

CAN WE BRING SCOTT? YEAH, LET'S BRING UP SCOTT, AND HE CAN WALK THROUGH EACH OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES THAT WE GOT A QUOTE ON SCOTT WILLIAMS, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR.

THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS THAT IS THE STAIRWAYS GOING UP.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE PROPOSALS, THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT PRICES BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW IF WE'D HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR IT.

ONE PRICE WAS TAKING IT FROM THE ASPHALT WALKWAY, STARTING RIGHT THERE AND WIDENING IT 18IN ON THE SOUTH SIDE, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE DUNE ITSELF, AND THEN THE SECOND ONE IS WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO THERE'S SEVERAL TENSION POLES ON THE POWER POLE RIGHT THERE, AND SEVERAL OTHER THINGS RIGHT THERE, BUT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO WIDEN THAT 18IN ON THE WALKWAY, GOING UP THE PLATFORM THAT YOU HAVE TO STOP AT, AND THEN THE PLATFORM GOING ON UP TO THE WHERE THE SHOWER IS.

[01:40:03]

SO I HAVE A QUESTION.

I THINK BRINKLEY HARRELL BROUGHT IT UP, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE BACK A FEW YEARS AGO.

WHENEVER THIS WAS LOOKED AT AGAIN, THEY WANTED TO MAKE IT A STRAIGHT FROM THE 18TH STREET, STRAIGHT UP AND I TELL YOU, I'VE JUST SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE RUNNING THAT NORTH STOP SIGN.

I'VE SEEN BICYCLISTS, I'VE SEEN RUNNERS, I'VE SEEN EVERYBODY, AND THEY AT LEAST WHEN YOU COME DOWN THE STAIRS ONTO BEACH AVENUE AND YOU HAVE TO MAKE THAT TURN LEFT, YOU CAN STOP, YOU CAN STOP LITTLE KIDS TOYS, DOGS ARE NOT GOING TO GET RUN OVER.

YOU HAVE TO STOP AND PAUSE THERE.

WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THAT THE SAME, RIGHT? YES, AND I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS, I TALKED TO A LOT OF RESIDENTS, THEY REALLY DON'T CARE TOO MUCH ABOUT IT, BUT I TALKED TO A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT COME FROM OTHER PARTS OF TOWN AND YOU KNOW, THE BOTTLENECK IS AN ISSUE, AND RIGHT NOW, I MEAN, WHEN YOU WALK ON THAT THING WITH BARE FEET, IT'S SPLINTERED. ITS SCREWS COMING UP.

THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN FLIPPED OVER.

THE BOARD'S BEEN FLIPPED OVER, SO WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO IT.

SO EVERY ONE OF THE BOARDS WILL BE NEW FROM FROM THE ROAD GOING UP TO THE SHOWER, AND THEN THERE'S A SECTION RIGHT THERE THAT WILL NOT GET REPLACED, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE ASPHALT, AND THEN FROM THE ASPHALT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE EAST, I MEAN, TO THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE DUNE WI LL BE REPLACED AND THE ASPHALT IS NOT GOING TO BE TOUCHED.

EXCUSE ME? THE ASPHALT NOT UNLESS I CAN GET RID OF THE PALM TREE.

I MEAN, I JUST, I MEAN, ALL RIGHT, SO YOU GOT ONE PALM TREE THERE THAT'S IN THE WAY.

YEAH. SO WHY CAN'T YOU GET RID OF THE PALM TREE? I HAVEN'T EVEN BROUGHT IT UP TO ANYBODY.

I'M SORRY, I JUST THREW IT OUT THERE.

BECAUSE NOBODY ASKED.

WELL, I MEAN ASK BECAUSE I'LL GO WITH GETTING RID OF THE PALM TREE.

I KNOW THAT WALKOVER AND THAT I HAVEN'T BROUGHT IT UP TO THE CITY MANAGER, BUT THERE IS A PALM TREE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WALKWAY THAT I WOULD TAKE.

I WOULD TAKE CARE OF THAT, AND BECAUSE HONESTLY, THAT IS A MAJOR.

THAT'S WHERE WE HIDE, WAIT FOR PEOPLE TO COME UP THE STEPS.

WE STAND BACK BEHIND KIND OF WAITING ON THIS, AND I KIND OF BLURRED IT OUT.

I'M SORRY, BUT WE WERE KIND OF WAITING ON THIS TO GET APPROVED AND THEN THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

I DON'T WANT TO BE GREEDY, BUT THAT WOULD BE AWESOME TO GET RID OF THAT PALM TREE.

GONE! [CHUCKLING] THAT WOULD BE AWESOME. WHERE IS SARAH BOREN? SHE LEFT. OKAY.

SARAH'S GONE. I FELT SPEARS IN MY BACK.

HAVING A HEART ATTACK IN THE PARKING LOT.

[CHUCKLING] YEAH. NO.

SO WOULD YOU LOOK INTO THAT FOR US? CAN WE MITIGATE IT AND USE THE MONEY FOR 16TH STREET? HEY, WE'RE STILL NOT DONE WITH 16TH STREET.

WE'RE STILL MOVING ON WITH THAT.

YEAH. OKAY.

THANK YOU SCOTT.

THANK YOU SCOTT. ALL RIGHT, SO ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I THINK WE DID HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

RIGHT. SO ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY WITH AYE.

AYE. OPPOSED? THANK YOU. UNANIMOUS.

UNANIMOUS. MOVING TO EIGHT B RESOLUTION NUMBER 24-20.

[8.B. RESOLUTION NO. 24-20]

MR. KILLINGSWORTH.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

TO THE COMMISSION.

ONE, THIS IS ONE OF THE PRIORITIES YOU ADOPTED, WHICH WAS TO ESTABLISH A RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, AND STAFF WAS TO GET ME SOMETHING BY MARCH OF 24, WHICH THEY DID, AND THEN WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GET SOMETHING BY MAY OF 24, SO WE'LL MEET THAT, BUT WHAT THIS DOES IS IT IDENTIFIES POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN TERMS OF HOW WE IDENTIFY RISK MITIGATION, WHEN WE NEED TO BE INDEMNIFIED BY AN INDIVIDUAL, AND WHAT TYPE OF INSURANCE, AND WHEN WE NEED INSURANCE FOR ACTIVITIES THAT TAKE PLACE IN OUR PARKS AND COMMUNITY CENTERS.

I THINK IT'S BEEN VETTED THROUGH ALL THE COMMISSIONERS AT LEAST A COUPLE OF TIMES, AND I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT IT GETS APPROVED.

THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 24-20? I'D LIKE TO STRONGLY APPROVE RESOLUTION 24-20.

SECOND. ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER BOLE MADE THE MOTION, AND IT WAS SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WATERS.

LET'S HAVE DISCUSSION ON THIS.

IF I MAY START OFF AND I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER BOLE FOR PURSUING THIS, PERSISTING ON THIS BEING PESTY ABOUT THIS AND ENSURING THAT WE GOT HERE.

THIS IS SO IMPORTANT FOR OUR CITY, AND IT JUST WILL MAKE ME FEEL SO MUCH BETTER THAT WE HAVE A PLAN AND REQUIREMENTS THAT WE'LL STICK TO.

SO THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER, FOR YOUR WORK ON IT, BUT THAT'S ALL MY COMMENTS.

[01:45:04]

FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU.

KEVIN BIG EFFORT ON THESE GUYS.

I'VE WATCHED IT KIND OF MATURED, AND I GUESS I WAS A SQUEAKY WHEEL ON THIS, BUT HERE'S THE INTERESTING THING THAT I'VE ALREADY SEEN.

THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM TONIGHT, YOU KNOW, THAT TALK ABOUT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BUT THEY ALSO CAME AND SPOKE TO ME ABOUT LIABILITY AND WHAT THEY NEED.

SO IF NOTHING ELSE YOU KNOW, IT'S OUT THERE, AND I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY IN THAT, HEY, THEY'RE STARTING TO LOOK AT SOME THINGS, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY THAT THEY NEED TO DO TO RUN A BUSINESS IN ONE OF OUR PARKS, YOU KNOW? YES. TO UNDERSTAND THE LIABILITY THAT THEY HAVE AND ONE THING AND ANOTHER WELL INTENDED CONSEQUENCE, IT'S ACTUALLY WE'RE PROTECTING OUR CITIZENS.

OKAY. SO WHEN OUR CITIZENS GO OVER THE SPLASH PAD OR, YOU KNOW, A DIFFERENT AND I KNOW HOW THE INSURANCE WORKS, ETC., ETC., BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, GETTING IT OUT THERE, I LIKE THE IDEA WHERE THE CITY MANAGER CAN WAIVE A FEW THINGS.

I LIKE THE IDEA THAT YOU KNOW, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ IT, THAT YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY CONCRETE STEPS THAT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO DO THAT.

I, I WOULD VENTURE TO GUESS THERE'S 1 OR 2 ENTITIES THAT ARE LOOKING AT THIS PRETTY HARD.

HARDER THAN YOU WOULD THINK.

SO, YES. THANKS.

FIRST, THE STAFF THE HARD WORK.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN LAWYER IT UP THERE.

CITY ATTORNEY.

HAVE YOU HAVE YOU GONE THROUGH THE.

YES, AND I LIKE IT BECAUSE IT, IT PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK, BUT AT THE SAME TIME IT ALSO PROVIDES A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY.

SO LIKE IT LEAVES IT OPEN TO, DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES, TO TAILOR IT TO A SITUATION, AND WE CAN WORK HAND IN HAND ON.

I MEAN, THE KEY IS ALSO TO HAVE THE DOCUMENT AND EVERYTHING BUT THE ENFORCEMENT AND THE VISIBILITY.

YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO GET SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE ALL DONE, KEVIN OUT, YOU KNOW, ON THE WEBSITE AND SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT? IF YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, LIVING, WORKING AND WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING IN ATLANTIC BEACH YOU KNOW, LOOK THIS UP BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO LOOK AT IT BUT I APPRECIATE YOU LOOKING AT THAT, AND I'M DONE, BUT THANKS.

I JUST HAVE A QUESTION. OKAY.

ONE SECOND. COMMISSIONER.

THANK YOU. LET'S SAY THANK YOU TO KEVIN FOR INCORPORATING MY CONCERN FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE IN THE PARKS, AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A PARTY, DON'T TIE STUFF TO MY TREE. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

COMMISSIONER WATERS.

I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT.

THIS WAS VOLUMINOUS.

IT WAS THOROUGH, EVERYTHING.

I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER YOU HAVE, LIKE, THE SKATE PARK, YOU HAVE THE SPLASH PAD, YOU HAVE OTHER EVENTS.

WHERE IS THE RISK OR IS THERE A RISK TO US WHEN WEATHER AND IMMINENT WEATHER IS HERE? LIGHTNING, THUNDERSTORMS, LIKE YOU GET RUNOFF FROM ATLANTIC BEACH COUNTRY CLUB WHEN THERE'S THUNDER IN GEORGIA.

I MEAN, SO YOU KNOW, WHERE IS THE, IS IT A SIGNAGE THING? IS WEATHER SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT IN THIS WHOLE RISK OR NOT? I KNOW. GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD.

YOU PROBABLY KNOW BETTER THAN I DO. YEAH.

SO WEATHER IS A RISK.

IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE IDENTIFY.

IT'S ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE POLICIES.

I MEAN, WE DO HAVE POLICIES IN TERMS OF STORMS AND LIGHTNING, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF THAT, OKAY.

IT'S ONE OF THE IDENTIFIED THINGS THAT WE WILL BE ADDRESSED.

OKAY. JUST LIKE IN ANY INSURANCE POLICY, THERE ARE ACTS OF GOD IN THERE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE TEACHING TENNIS OUT ON ATLANTIC BEACH COURT AND YOU BREAK AN ANKLE, THEORETICALLY YOU COULD SUE THE CITY, RIGHT, BUT THERE ARE, YEAH, I THINK YOU GUYS CORRECT ME.

COMMISSIONER. SO I'M THINKING YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE LIGHTNING PREDICTOR HERE.

IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE KIDS IN WATER, WE SHOULD PROBABLY HAVE ONE OUT AT BAKER.

YEAH. WHO WOULD BE IN CONTROL OF CLOSING THAT DOWN WHEN IT DOES OPEN AND THERE'S LIGHTNING.

I SUPPOSE SOMEBODY CAN TURN.

I MEAN, THE COPS CAN TURN, THE COPS GET THE WEATHER REPORTS, THEY COULD GO TURN OFF THE WATER.

I THINK IT WOULD COME THROUGH EITHER THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE OR THE POLICE CHIEF'S OFFICE TO THE PARK RANGERS WHO WOULD SHUT DOWN THE FACILITY.

OKAY. OKAY, THANKS.

GREAT DIALOG AND A LONG TIME COMING.

SO AGAIN, YOU OWN THAT AND YOU DESERVE CREDIT FOR THAT, MR. BOLE. THANK YOU. OKAY, HAVE WE VOTED? NO. WE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND, THOUGH.

AT THIS POINT, ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY WITH AYE.

AYE. OPPOSED? UNANIMOUS VOTE. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. IT NOW WE'RE UP TO ITEM 12, CLOSING COMMENTS BY CITY COMMISSIONERS AND CITY MANAGER.

[12. CLOSING COMMENTS BY CITY COMMISSIONERS AND CITY MANAGER]

I'VE SAID ENOUGH TONIGHT, BUT I IT WAS GREAT SEEING OUR COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, SO UNITED AND STRONG AND I, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID PREVIOUS, THIS IS GREAT, BUT WE GOT TO STAY ON COURSE AS FAR AS DATES, TIMES, MEETINGS, OUTCOMES MAKE FORCE THEM TO MAKE A DECISION BECAUSE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT THE DOCUMENTS.

[01:50:08]

I MEAN, I'LL USE OUR CITY ATTORNEY.

I'M SURE HE KNOWS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT TO FOLLOW A TIMELINE AND THEY'VE GOT TO MAKE DECISIONS, AND WE'VE GOT TO BE THERE AT THOSE KEY, YOU KNOW, METRICS.

I RECOMMEND WE NOMINATE MR. HARRELL FOR OUR SCHOOL BOARD MONITOR POSITION.

YOU'RE GOING TO PUT HIM IN THE PENALTY BOX? HECK NO. I'M GOING TO SEND HIM TO ANNOY THEM.

[CHUCKLING] THANK YOU.

I'LL SECOND THAT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ARE YOU DONE, MISTER BOLE? YES, SIR. OKAY.

COMMISSIONER KELLY? I'M GOOD. YOU'RE DONE. OKAY.

COMMISSIONER RING, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SHARE.

I THINK I SAID IT ALL, AND BRUCE, HE ALREADY SPOKE ABOUT THE OUTPOURING OF THE COMMUNITY, WHICH WAS GREAT TO SEE.

YEAH, COMMISSIONER WATERS.

I'M THANKFUL WE'RE GOING TO GET THE RENOVATIONS TO 18TH BEACH ACCESS PLUS THE PALM TREE.

YEAH, AND I'M VERY THANKFUL MY, A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT I SEE EVERY DAY WILL BE APPRECIATIVE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT.

NOW, THANK YOU, AND YOU DON'T YET HAVE APPROVAL ON THE PALM TREE.

WHEN SARAH BOREN FINDS OUT, YOU'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH HER.

[CHUCKLING] SHE KNOWS HOW MUCH I LOVE TREES.

I SKIPPED OVER, I APOLOGIZE.

DONNA, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? OKAY. MR. ATTORNEY KEVIN, CAN YOU GET THAT PRESENTATION UP ON THE NO, I'M KIDDING.

[CHUCKLING] OH, YOU ARE FOOLER.

THIS IS NOT APRIL FOOL'S DAY.

[CHUCKLING] I'M JUST GOING TO CLOSE BY SAYING I'M PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS COMMISSION.

YOU GUYS DO A FABULOUS JOB.

I'M PROUD OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CITIZENS, AND I TOOK NOTE TODAY THAT THE DISCOURSE ABOUT OUR SCHOOL, WHICH PEOPLE ARE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT WAS SO CIVIL.

I WAS ALMOST THINKING IT WAS A LITTLE TOO CIVIL, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, LET'S GET SOME ANGST GOING HERE, BUT THE CITIZENS HANDLED THEMSELVES SO WELL, AND I HOPE THAT ALL COMMISSIONERS UNDERSTAND THAT I ALLOWED A LITTLE BIT OF LATITUDE ON PEOPLE TALKING BACK TO THE CROWD AND CLAPPING AND DOING A LITTLE CELEBRATING BECAUSE IT WAS IT WAS A ONE OFF, BUT VERY PROUD OF THIS COMMUNITY.

I'M VERY CONFIDENT THAT WE'LL PREVAIL ON ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY, BUT I TOTALLY AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER BOLE THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN AND TARGETS AND SHINE A LOT OF LIGHT ON EVERYTHING THIS SCHOOL BOARD IS DOING.

COMMISSIONER? SO I WANT TO COMMEND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON THEIR NEW HORSES.

NEW HORSES? YEAH.

[INAUDIBLE].

OKAY, WE NEED TO GET AN UPDATE ON THAT.

I I THOUGHT SO I WAS GOING TO PUSH THAT OFF.

OKAY. IF THERE IS NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.