[00:00:03]
[CALL TO ORDER]
NEIGHBORS, AND GUESTS.YOU ARE THE SMART ONES THAT GET CREDIT FOR KNOWING THAT THE TIME IS 6:00 PM NOT 6:30.
WE'LL PROBABLY GET A FEW MORE GUESTS IN ABOUT 20 MINUTES.
BEFORE WE OPEN THIS MEETING, WE DO OUR NORMAL BEGINNING WITH AN INVOCATION AND A PLEDGE. IF YOU'LL RISE.
>> LET US PRAY. LORD, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER TONIGHT TO DISCUSS CITY BUSINESS.
THANK YOU FOR CREATING SUCH A GREAT PLACE FOR US TO RESIDE AND LIVE IN, AND CONTINUE TO IMPROVE.
BLESS THESE RESIDENTS THAT HAVE COME HERE TODAY IN THIS COMMISSION THAT WE DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS FAIR IN JESUS CHRIST'S NAME, I PRAY. AMEN.
>> TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR.
THIS CITY COMMISSION MEETING DATED FEBRUARY 10TH, 2025 OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH WILL NOW COME TO ORDER.
MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU DO A ROLL CALL, PLEASE?
>> OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
WE HAVE ITEM 1A, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR COMMISSION MEETINGS HELD ON JANUARY 25TH, 2025.COMMISSIONERS, DO WE HAVE ANY CHANGES?
>> FIRST I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU COMMISSIONER.
>> ESPECIALLY IN THE LIGHT OF TONIGHT'S AGENDA, AT THE LAST MEETING, I ASKED FOR US TO HAVE A JOINT WORKSHOP WITH ESC TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE CHANGES ARE GOING TO BE.
I DON'T SEE THAT NOTED IN THE MINUTES, AND MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING YOU DON'T USUALLY DO BECAUSE WE DIDN'T VOTE ON IT.
YOU SHOULD HAVE VOTED. BUT I STILL WANT US TO MEET AND TALK ABOUT THAT BEFORE WE ENCASE THIS THING IN STONE.
>> LET'S AMEND THE MINUTES TO REFLECT THAT COMMISSIONER KELLY REQUESTED A WORKSHOP OR A MEETING.
>> IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT COMMISSIONER KELLY JUST BROUGHT UP, BUT WHAT I DID NOTICE IS THAT WHENEVER WE'RE NOW LISTING OUR COMMISSIONER REPORTS AS WELL AS CLOSING STATEMENTS, IT JUST STATES WE GAVE ONE.
IT DOESN'T SAY THE SUMMARY OF THEM, IT DOESN'T SAY WHAT WAS DISCUSSED.
IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT COMMISSIONER KELLY JUST MENTIONED IS THAT SOMETIMES DURING THOSE COMMISSIONER REPORTS OR CLOSING, THERE IS A DISCUSSION THAT THEN PROMPTS A MOTION AT THE NEXT MEETING.
TO ME, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT MAYBE NOT VERBATIM, WHAT WAS SPOKEN DURING OUR COMMISSIONER REPORTS OR DURING THE CLOSINGS, BUT THAT AT LEAST IT REFLECTS THE GIST OR THE SUMMARY OF WHAT WE DISCUSSED.
I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE CITY CLERK OFFICE WENT AWAY WITH LISTING THAT, BUT THEY DON'T.
>> WE DECIDED BEGINNING JANUARY 1ST, WE WOULD STOP PUTTING SO MUCH IN THE MINUTES, PUT MORE WHAT WAS REQUIRED.
ALTHOUGH I DID RECOGNIZE THE SAME THING YOU JUST SAID AS FAR AS JUST HAVING THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO GAVE THE REPORTS FOR COMMISSIONERS.
STARTING THE NEXT MEETING, WE'LL BE PUTTING AT LEAST THE TOPICS DOWN THERE THAT THEY REPORTED ON AND THEN IF THERE WAS ANY REQUESTS THAT THEY MADE DURING THOSE REPORTS AS WELL.
>> THAT'S FAIR. THANK YOU, CITY CLERK.
>> WOULD YOU LIKE US TO DO ANYTHING WITH THE MINUTES THAT ARE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT?
>> YES. I WOULD LIKE, AT LEAST FOR WHAT I SPOKE ON IN THE LAST ONE, I KNOW WE CAN'T GO BACK AND AMEND THE ONES IN JANUARY, BUT I JUST NOW CAUGHT THAT IN THIS PAST ONE.
THIS IS FROM THE [OVERLAPPING]
I WOULD LIKE WHAT I SHARED, TOPIC, IS FINE OR ANY REQUESTS TO BE LISTED THERE.
>> IF YOU DON'T MIND, INSTEAD OF APPROVING ANYTHING TONIGHT, WE'LL MAKE THOSE CHANGES AND BRING IT BACK NEXT TIME.
[00:05:02]
>> WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE MINUTES, ITEM 1B, THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING HELD ON JANUARY 27TH, 2025.
ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR CHANGES TO THOSE MINUTES? HEARING NONE, THE MINUTE STAND AS PRESENTED.
WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM 3 ON THE AGENDA,
[2. COURTESY OF FLOOR TO VISITORS]
COURTESY OF THE FLORIDA VISITORS.BEFORE I OPEN THAT UP, WE DON'T HAVE TOO MANY PEOPLE.
TODAY WE'LL ALLOW FIVE MINUTES PER PERSON TO SPEAK.
BUT BEFORE I OPEN IT UP, I THINK IT'S WHOLLY APPROPRIATE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SPECIAL NATURE OF THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY THIS YEAR, IT'S BLACK HISTORY MONTH, AND WE CERTAINLY HAVE A VERY RICH BLACK HISTORY IN THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH AND THE BEACHES COMMUNITY.
THINGS WERE NOT ALWAYS AS THEY ARE TODAY BACK IN THE '60S AT THE BEACHES.
I WAS HERE AND IF YOU'VE FORGOTTEN, WE HAD SEGREGATION BACK THEN.
IF YOU WERE A BLACK MAN LOOKING FOR WORK AT THE BEACH, YOU MIGHT BE LUCKY TO WORK AT WINN-DIXIE OR TO WORK IN IN A RESTAURANT OR MAYBE EVEN TO CADDY AS A CADDIE AT THE SELVA MARINA COUNTRY CLUB.
JOBS WERE A LITTLE TOUGHER FOR BLACK PEOPLE BACK THEN, AND ESPECIALLY BLACK WOMEN.
FAST FORWARD TO TODAY, WE'VE MADE GREAT STRIDES.
WE CONTINUE TO MAKE STRIDES, BUT THERE IS OPPORTUNITY TODAY.
I WANT TO JUST SHARE A SHORT STORY WITH YOU.
I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY A FEW WEEKS AGO TO HAVE LUNCH WITH A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE WHO HAS LIVED MOST OF HIS LIFE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL, BUT A PROMINENT BLACK FAMILY IN ATLANTIC BEACH.
HE TOLD ME A COUPLE OF STORIES THAT THEY RESONATED WITH ME, PERCY, AND I JUST HAVE TO SHARE THEM.
PERCY'S MAMA, GLADYS, I BELIEVE, WAS AN ORDAINED MINISTER AT THAT TIME.
GLADYS BROUGHT HER FAITH TO ATLANTIC BEACH WHEN THE FAMILY MOVED HERE, AND SHE RAISED SIX CHILDREN.
ORIGINALLY, THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A CHURCH BUILDING TO MEET IN.
THEY MET AT PERCY'S HOME, OF COURSE, THAT DIDN'T STOP GLADYS.
SHE TOOK IT TO THE STREETS, AND SHE'D GO KNOCKING ON DOORS WITH THE KIDS IN TOW, AND THEY WOULD PRAY WITH THE NEIGHBORS HOUSE TO HOUSE.
I PARTICULARLY REMEMBER PERCY SHARING THE STORY ABOUT THE MEN WHO WOULD GATHER AT THE VACANT LOT DOWN THE STREET ON FRANCIS STREET.
I BELIEVE IT WAS PROBABLY FRANCIS STREET AROUND THE STEEL DRUM.
THEY'D HAVE A FIRE GOING IN THE STEEL DRUM AND THEY'D BE SHARING FISH STORIES, AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
GLADYS WOULD GATHER UP THE CHILDREN AND GO OUT ON HER MISSIONARY WORK DOOR TO DOOR AND LOT TO LOT, AND SHE'D COME UPON THE MEN STANDING AROUND THE CAMPFIRE, AND IMMEDIATELY, THEY WOULD BE HIDING THEIR BOTTLES AND STICKING THEM IN THEIR PANTS, AND PRETENDING TO BE INNOCENT.
GLADYS WOULD BASICALLY SAY, NEVER MIND.
I'M NOT HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT YOUR DRINK, AND I'M HERE TO PRAY WITH YOU.
EACH OF THE MEN WOULD JUST SAY, YES, MA'AM.
I CAN IMAGINE HEARING EACH ONE SAY, YES, MA'AM.
IF I WAS ONE OF THEM, I'D SAY, YES, MA'AM, TOO, BECAUSE SHE WASN'T GIVING ME A LECTURE ABOUT MY DRINKING.
THOSE WERE THE DAYS, AND PERCY, I BELIEVE WE STILL HAVE SOME OF THOSE MEN MEETING ON FRANCIS STREET.
HOPEFULLY, WE HAVE AMBASSADORS TAKING THE WORD OF GOD TO THE COMMUNITY.
BUT SO WE HAVE THIS RICH HISTORY IN THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, AND I'M JUST REALLY DELIGHTED TONIGHT TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT I'M GOING TO REFER TO, AT LEAST FROM MY CHAIR, AS THE FIRST FAMILY OF BLACK HISTORY IN ATLANTIC BEACH, AND THAT IS THE GOLDEN FAMILY.
I HAVE SOMETHING I WANT TO READ TO THIS FAMILY AND ACKNOWLEDGE IT.
BY THE WAY, WE HAVE MOVIE NIGHT IN THE PARK ON SATURDAY.
I BELIEVE THAT STARTS AT 6:00.
IS THAT RIGHT? DO WE KNOW WHAT MOVIE WE'RE SHOWING?
>> IT'S SOUL. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET THE WORD OUT AND LET'S GET PEOPLE THERE AND PERCY YOU AND I CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT ELSE TO DO.
BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO AT THIS POINT IS IF ANY OF THE CLAN FROM THE GOLDEN FAMILY WOULD JOIN ME AT THE LECTERN, WE'RE GOING TO READ SOMETHING TOGETHER.
>> YEAH. DON'T LET IT GO TO SLEEP.
[00:10:08]
>> SORRY, THAT'S THE ONLY ONE I HAVE.
>> EVERYBODY, WOULD COME UP AND WE CAN FACE THE AUDIENCE FOR THIS?
>> WELL, HE WAS A DIFFERENT ONE.
>> IF YOU'LL HOLD THAT FOR A MOMENT.
BUT WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION FROM THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH IN RECOGNITION OF GLADYS HOLT GOLDEN FOR 2025 BLACK HISTORY MONTH HONOREE.
WHEREAS, AND SHE WAS A BISHOP, BISHOP GLADYS HOLT GOLDEN WAS BORN TO THE PARENTAGE OF THE LATE REVEREND HERBERT AND IDA MAY HOLT ON AUGUST 21ST, 1933, AND DEPARTED THIS LIFE ON JULY 8TH, 2,004, WHEREAS BISHOP GOLDEN RECEIVED HER EDUCATION IN CORDELE, GEORGIA FROM GILLESPIE-SELDEN INSTITUTE ACCEPTED CHRIST IN HER LIFE AND WAS A TRUE WARRIOR TRAVELING IN REVIVALS.
WHEREAS IN 1972, THE LORD GUIDED HER TO HOLD SERVICES FROM THE LIVING ROOM OF HER HOME, THROUGH HER VISION, THE HOLY CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD REVIVAL CENTER IN ATLANTIC BEACH WAS BUILT IN 1976.
THROUGH HER MINISTRY, MANY LIVES WERE TOUCHED.
WHEREAS IT IS BELIEVED THAT BISHOP GOLDEN IS THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN PASTOR TO BUILD A CHURCH IN ATLANTIC BEACH, AND WHEREAS A DEVOTED WIFE AND MOTHER OF SIX CHILDREN AND A CHARITABLE COMMUNITY MEMBER, BISHOP GOLDEN WAS A GOODLY EXAMPLE OF HOW WE SHOULD LIVE LIFE EVERY DAY.
IT IS FITTING TO HONOR HER FOR HER EVERLASTING CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ATLANTIC BEACH COMMUNITY DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2025.
WHEREAS, HER SON, DR. PERCY J.
GOLDEN, CONTINUES TO LEAD THE REVIVAL CENTER TODAY AS A SENIOR PASTOR AND IS INSTRUMENTAL IN PRESERVING THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF HIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THROUGH THE RHODA MARTIN CULTURAL HERITAGE CENTER.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT I, CURTIS FORD, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, HEREBY EXPRESSED MY DEEP APPRECIATION FOR THE DEDICATED SERVICE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF BISHOP GLADYS HOLT GOLDEN, WHO IS BELIEVED TO BE THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN PASTOR TO BUILD A CHURCH IN ATLANTIC BEACH.
I APPEAL TO THE ENTIRE ATLANTIC BEACH COMMUNITY TO JOIN ME IN RECOGNIZING BISHOP GOLDEN AS A 2025 BLACK HISTORY MONTH HONOREE.
IN WITNESS, THEREFORE, I HAVE SET MY HAND AND CAUSED THE OFFICIAL SEAL OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH TO BE AFFIXED THIS 10TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2025.
YOU ARE HOLDING A SIGNED ORIGINAL OF THAT DOCUMENT.
BUT I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FAMILY BECAUSE WHAT I THINK IS SO NOTEWORTHY IS IT'S NOT TOTALLY UNUSUAL TO HAVE ONE PERSON STAND OUT IN A COMMUNITY, BUT WE HAVE A WHOLE FAMILY THAT STANDS OUT.
OF COURSE, I KNOW YOU ROBERT, BUT I DON'T KNOW ALL THE SIBLINGS WELL, BUT I DO KNOW BISHOP PERCY GOLDEN, AND YOU ARE A STALWART OF THIS COMMUNITY.
YOU ARE A PILLAR, AND YOU ARE A GOOD FRIEND.
I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS IS ROBERT WARREN GOLDEN, PATRICIA GOLDEN SOLOMON, RIGHT HERE.
THAT'S PERCY GOLDEN RIGHT THERE.
THIS IS VENEZULLA GOLDEN WOODS, AND WYNOLA GOLDEN PEAVIE.
VERY GOOD. NOTE HERE IS THEIR OTHER SIBLING, IT'S A LARGE FAMILY, LAWRENCE GOLDEN.
HAVING WORKED WITH THE COMMUNITY IN THE AREA WHERE THEY GREW UP AND SPECIFICALLY PREVIOUSLY WITH BEACHES HABITAT, I KNOW THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY WENT THROUGH IN THE '60S AND THE '70S.
I WISH I HAD KNOWN MORE BACK THEN AS I DO NOW.
BUT AGAIN, THE GOLDEN FAMILY, YOU HAVE DONE SO MUCH TO IMPROVE THIS COMMUNITY.
YOU SHINE LIKE A SHINING STAR FOR ALL OF US THAT WE CAN DO BETTER IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THE HONOREE OF YOUR MOTHER.
I NEED A PHOTO. I'LL JUST STAND RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF EACH TWO REVERENDS IF THAT'S OKAY.
[00:15:01]
>> NOW, CONTINUING WITH COURTESY OF THE FLOOR, DONNA, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS?
>> BEFORE YOU GET STARTED ON THAT, I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, IF I MAY, THE YOUTH COUNCIL.
WE HAVE THE PRESIDENT OF OUR YOUTH COUNCIL, A VERY IMPORTANT GROUP, AND THEY'VE EBBED AND FLOWED OVER THE YEARS.
BUT ONE THAT IS A STALWART OF THIS GROUP, I THINK SHE'S BEEN THERE FOR 3, 4, 5 YEARS IS SLOAN NOTTMEIER, WHO IS NOW, NEXT YEAR, GOING TO BE OFF TO COLLEGE, I THINK.
IF YOU'LL STAND, AND IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK, THAT'S FINE, BUT I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE JACK BURNETT, SAM BULL, AND DYLAN DAVIS.
HE HAD TO RUN. THESE ARE JUST SOME.
>> WELL, JUST SO YOU KNOW, THEY JUST CAME FROM A TOUR OF CITY HALL AND A DISCUSSION.
THESE ARE CIVIC-MINDED CHILDREN, YOUNG ADULTS, QUITE FRANKLY.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU THREE WOULD LIKE TO SAY?
>> PARDON. I GUESS I COULD DO THAT.
I'LL ANNOUNCE THAT LATER. OUR FIRST SPEAKER.
>> MARK GABRYNOWICZ. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONER.
I'M HERE TO ADDRESS AGENDA ITEM 9D, WHICH HAS TO DO WITH THE REVISION OF CHAPTER 23, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OF TREES AND NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT.
I'VE BEEN OUT OF TOUCH FOR THE LAST FOUR MONTHS OR SO, SO I MISSED SOME OF THE ESC MEETINGS.
I NOTED THE AGENDA PACKAGE THAT THERE WERE SOME [INAUDIBLE] BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE STAFF AND THE ESC ABOUT THE REWRITE OF CHAPTER 23.
I REMEMBER THAT WAS MY FIRST THING WHEN I JOINED THE ESC IN 2019.
IT WAS ABOUT A YEAR THAT WE ENGAGED OURSELVES IN TRYING TO REWRITE CHAPTER 23, IT WAS REALLY, REALLY ARDUOUS.
WE DIDN'T EVER WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN, SO WE WILL HAVE A PROCESS WHEREBY WE TRY TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND HAVE CHANGES ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
THAT DIDN'T QUITE WORK OUT SO WELL FOR FIVE YEARS.
NOW, HERE WE ARE, AGAIN, WITH A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE TO CHAPTER 23.
WHAT STRUCK ME BY READING THE GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN STAFF AND THE ESC, AND I APPLAUD ALL THE WORK, IT'S REALLY HARD TO DO.
BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THAT WORK WAS FOCUSED ON IMPROVING EFFICIENCY OF THE ESC.
AS A MEMBER OF ESC FOR ALMOST FIVE YEARS, THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT BEING A BURDEN ON THE STAFF OR HAVING TOO MANY MEMBERS, WE'RE NOT A STANDARD COMMITTEE, IT IS DIFFICULT FOR US TO MANAGE, AND BESIDES POTENTIALLY VIOLATIONS OF SUNSHINE LAW.
I DON'T RECALL ANYONE, COMMISSIONERS, STAFF MEMBERS, ANYONE COMING TO ME, SAYING THAT WE WERE A BURDEN, SO I'M NOT SURE WHERE THAT CAME FROM.
I'M ONLY AWARE OF POTENTIALLY ONE POSSIBLE SUNSHINE VIOLATION, AND THAT WAS SOMEWHAT INADVERTENT, BUT IT WASN'T REALLY A VIOLATION.
IT APPEARED TO BE A VIOLATION BECAUSE TWO MEMBERS WERE TOGETHER ON A TRIP TO GARBAGE DUMP.
CHANGING CHAPTER 23 TO MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT.
I RECALL BACK AFTER TRYING TO PREPARE FOR THE CHARTER REVIEW, THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT ADDING COMMISSIONERS.
WELL, ADDING TWO AT-LARGE COMMISSIONERS WAS A 40% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF COMMISSIONERS.
TO ME, THAT WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT BURDEN ON THE STAFF IF COMMISSIONERS ARE IN FACT A BURDEN ON THE STAFF.
BUT NOW WE'RE PROPOSING A SIMILAR 40% REDUCTION IN THE ESC.
[00:20:01]
I'M NOT SURE WHY WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT EFFICIENCY OF THE ESC.EFFICIENCY IS A MEASURE OF PRODUCTIVITY AND HOW WELL YOU DO THINGS, HOW TASKS ARE PERFORMED, AND IT IS SOMEWHAT OBJECTIVE.
YOU HAVE METRICS AND YOU EITHER MEET THEM OR YOU DON'T.
WHAT'S NOT ADDRESSED IN THE CHANGES IN CHAPTER 3 IS EFFECTIVENESS.
NOW, EFFECTIVENESS IS A MEASURE OF THE QUALITY OF THE END GAME OF WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.
THAT SEEMS TO BE MISSING IN A REWRITE OF CHAPTER 23.
EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT FOCUSES ON FORMULATING STRATEGY WHILE EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT FOCUSES ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT STRATEGY.
NOW, WE WANT GAS EFFICIENCY, OUR CARS, WE WANT THEM TO BE EFFICIENT.
WE WANT TO SAVE ON GAS, WE WANT TO SAVE MONEY, WE DON'T WANT TO POLLUTE THE ENVIRONMENT.
WE WANT THEM TO BE EFFICIENT, BUT WE WANT OUR BRAKES TO BE EFFECTIVE.
IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT STORY, AND OFTEN WE CONFUSE EFFICIENCY VERSUS EFFECTIVENESS.
THE MILITARY IS EASY. WE WANT EFFICIENCY, YOU SAY, OKAY, TAKE THAT HILL MARINES.
THERE'S NO DISCUSSION, YOU GO TAKE THAT HILL.
BUT THE MILITARY IS REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT REALLY BEING EFFICIENT, THE TRAINING, AND GETTING OTHERS TO BE ENGAGED IN HOW THEY RUN THEIR BUSINESS.
BEFORE CHANGES ARE ALIGNED, THERE MUST HAVE TO BE SOME INSIGHT INTO IMPROVING EFFICIENCY.
I THINK DECREASING THE NUMBERS OF ESC MEMBERS AND DOING AWAY WITH THE SUBCOMMITTEES ENTIRELY, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE THE REVERSE EFFECT.
HAVING MEMBERS ON THE CIVILIAN COMMITTEES IS AN INSPIRATION FOR THEM TO LEARN AND BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE CITY PROCESS.
IT MOTIVATES THEM, THEY BECOME PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
THEY UNDERSTAND HOW THE STAFF WORKS, FOR EXAMPLE.
TAKING THAT AWAY BY DIMINISHING THE NUMBER OF COMMISSIONERS IS NOT THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
WE SHOULD BE INCREASING THE NUMBER, HAVING SUBCOMMITTEES, AND YOU CAN'T DISCUSS 11 MEMBERS THE COLOR OF T-SHIRTS FOR THE NEXT TREE EVENT, YOU DO THAT WITH SUBCOMMITTEES.
SO MUCH WORK IS DONE BY SUBCOMMITTEES, AND NOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE TAKEN AWAY.
THAT IS GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.
>> THANK YOU, MR. GABRYNOWICZ.
>> GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS.
CITY MANAGER, AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
I'M GOING TO TELL YOU ABOUT MY VIEW AND WHAT I'VE EXPERIENCED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE ESC, AND IT'S LIKE A GOLDILOCKS STORY.
WHAT APPEARS TO BE HAPPENING IS WHEN THE ESC REALIZED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE STANDARDIZED, THEY ASKED, WELL, WHAT DID WE DO WRONG? WHAT DO WE NEED TO IMPROVE? WELL, THEY WERE TOLD YOU'RE DOING TOO MUCH.
THEN THEY WERE TOLD, YOU'RE NOT FINISHING PROJECTS, WHICH EITHER IT'S ONE OR THE OTHER.
ARE YOU DOING TOO MANY PROJECTS? YOU'RE NOT TALKING TO THE COMMISSIONERS, YOU'RE NOT ASKING FOR THEIR PRIORITIES.
WHEN I KNOW, THE CHAIR OF THE ESC HAD ASKED TO HAVE A MEETING WITH THE COMMISSIONERS.
ALONG WITH THAT, THE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE HAD PUT TOGETHER A MOTION REGARDING THEIR PRIORITIES FOR THIS YEAR.
THESE ARE EXCELLENT PRIORITIES.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT I KNOW THAT OUR CITY WOULD AGREE WITH BECAUSE I KNOW OUR CITY IS ALL ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY, AND JUST LOOK WHERE WE LIVE.
WE'RE SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND THE INTERCOASTAL, WE NEED ALL THE RESOURCES THAT WE CAN GET.
WE HAVE THESE PEOPLE WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED THAT ARE AMAZING, THEY ARE SO SMART.
IF WE HAD TO HIRE THESE PEOPLE, IT WOULD COST US A LOT.
THEY ARE WORKING AS VOLUNTEERS.
[00:25:02]
I THINK A LOT HAS HAPPENED AND THERE'S MISUNDERSTANDING BETWEEN MAYBE STAFF AND COMMISSION, AND I REALLY BEG YOU DO NOT MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT ON THESE ORDINANCES AS THEY'RE WRITTEN AND PROPOSED TO YOU.I THINK THAT THESE THINGS CAN BE IRONED OUT WITH PEOPLE TALKING THAT I KNOW A LOT HAD HAPPENED WHEN CITY MANAGER GOT TOGETHER WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE LAST WEEK THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO AGREE ON CERTAIN THINGS.
ONE OF THOSE THINGS WAS THAT THE CITY MANAGER, AT THAT TIME, SAID THAT THEY COULD HAVE NINE PEOPLE ON THE COMMITTEE.
THAT BRINGS ME TO A QUESTION ABOUT WHY WOULD THE TWO CITIZEN COMMITTEES THAT ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND THEN THE ARCC, WHY WOULD THEY BE LIMITED TO TWO CONSECUTIVE THREE-YEAR TERMS WHEN ALL OF OUR OTHER COMMITTEES HAVE THREE CONSECUTIVE THREE-YEAR TERMS? WOULDN'T YOU WANT TO HAVE SOME CHANGE ON THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD AND ON THE PENSION BOARD? WHY HAVE THEY BEEN SINGLED OUT? IF I WE'RE A MEMBER OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE I'D START THINKING, I'M BEING SINGLED OUT, BUT I KNOW THAT THAT COULDN'T BE HAPPENING.
BUT ANOTHER THING IS THAT I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE DID IT COME FROM? WHY ARE WE HAVING THIS WHOLE IDEA THAT COMMITTEES NEED TO BE STANDARDIZED? I KNOW THAT WE HAD TALKED TO THE CITY MANAGER AND HE WOULD NOT DIVULGE ANYTHING THAT WAS PRIVATELY SAID.
BUT I THINK EVERYTHING SHOULD BE TRANSPARENT.
IF THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG, WHY WOULDN'T WHATEVER IS WRONG, WHY WOULDN'T IT BE SPELLED OUT? WHY WOULDN'T THE PEOPLE WHO THINK THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG OWN UP TO IT AND THEN TALK WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP? DON'T THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. LISA HAROLD.
THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I'M HERE SIMILARLY TO TALK ABOUT ARCC AND THE ESC AND TO ASK FOR TRANSPARENCY.
AS A CITIZEN CONCERNED ABOUT OUR ENVIRONMENT AND OUR CITIES, WE HAVE THESE COMMITTEES THAT ARE VOLUNTEER POSITIONS THAT QUALIFIED CITIZENS SIT ON THESE COMMITTEES AND BOARDS, AND THEY PROVIDE VALUABLE RESOURCES TO OUR CITY, AND THEY'RE EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELD A LOT OF TIMES, AND THEY WORK REALLY HARD.
AS A CITIZEN, I'M ASKING FOR TRANSPARENCY AND I'M WONDERING WHERE THE BREAKDOWN HAPPENED.
IS IT STAFF THAT'S REQUESTING THIS CHANGE? IS IT THE COMMISSION THAT'S REQUESTING THIS CHANGE? IS IT THE ESC? I JUST WANT SOME CLARITY AND SOME TRANSPARENCY.
IT SEEMS TO ME IF WE ARE LOOKING TO STREAMLINE AND REDUCE THE SIZE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE AND PUT SOME OF THEIR DUTIES ON ARCC AND RESTRUCTURE THAT, WHY ARE WE THEN HIRING TWO NEW POSITIONS TO GO THERE? WHAT DOES THAT COST THE CITY? THOSE ARE QUESTIONS I THINK CITIZENS DESERVE AN ANSWER TO. THANKS.
>> NOW THAT I'VE SPOKEN BEFORE THE CITY COMMISSION ONCE, I GUESS I CAN DO IT AGAIN.
MARY EMERSON-SMITH, 314B EIGHTH STREET?
>> MARY, YOU CAN PULL THAT MIC DOWN A LITTLE.
>> ONCE UPON A TIME, I WAS ON THE TREE BOARD.
WE HAD A BOARD, AND WE THOUGHT WE WERE DOING JUST WHAT WE WERE REQUESTED TO DO,
[00:30:01]
AND THEN WE WERE DISMANTLED.I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE, BUT NEVER AUTHORITATIVELY, AND NEVER BY GOING BACK OVER ALL THE MINUTES OF ALL THOSE YEARS, DID I SEE MYSELF THAT WE EXCEEDED OUR AUTHORITY.
BUT THAT WAS THE STORY, WE HAD EXCEEDED OUR AUTHORITY.
YEARS WENT BY WITHOUT A SPECIAL PROTECTION GROUP FOR THE TREES, AND THEN LUCKILY, WE GOT BACK A TREE SUBCOMMITTEE, AT LEAST THAT'S SOMETHING, A SUBCOMMITTEE.
NOW, ONCE AGAIN, THE SUBCOMMITTEE, THE ONLY SPECIAL GROUP ON BEHALF OF THE TREES PER SE, IS BEING CUT DOWN, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY.
I'M NOT A PARANOID PERSON, BUT I'LL STILL SAY THE TREES ARE BEING SINGLED OUT BECAUSE THE TREE BOARD WAS DISMANTLED, AND NOW THE TREE SUBCOMMITTEE IS BEING DISMANTLED.
I KNOW THAT 72% OF THE VOTERS IN OUR REFERENDUM VOTED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP BEING IN OUR CHARTER, SO THE VOTERS WANT THIS, AND I IMAGINE THAT THEY WANT THE TREES PROTECTED.
I SAT IN THE MEETING AND LISTENED TO EXACTLY HOW THE TREE SUBCOMMITTEE WORKS.
THEY DO THEIR MEETINGS EVERY OTHER WEEK, THEY DO THEIR WORK, THEY DO THEIR FINDINGS, THEY BRING THEM BACK TO THE WHOLE ESC IN THE MONTHLY MEETING.
THAT'S HOW THEY GET THEIR WORK DONE.
I THINK REDUCING THE SIZE OF IT AND GETTING RID OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE IS VERY DISTURBING.
I HEARD EXPLANATIONS FOR WHY THE TREE BOARD WAS DISMANTLED.
BUT I ALWAYS THOUGHT THEY WERE A LITTLE SKETCHY.
I THINK THE REASONS FOR DOWNSIZING THE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE AND SPECIFICALLY GETTING RID OF THE TREE SUBCOMMITTEE ARE JUST AS SKETCHY.
PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR TRANSPARENCY.
THAT'S NOT EVEN WHAT I'M ASKING FOR BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET IT.
BUT I'M JUST SAYING, I FEEL THAT ACTUALLY THE GROUPS, SPECIFICALLY FOR PROTECTING TREES HAVE BEEN SINGLED OUT AND FOR POOR TREATMENT.
>> GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, STAFF. IS THIS ON?
>> PRIMARILY, I WANTED TO COME UP HERE TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU ABOUT THE ORDINANCE FIRST READING ON CONDUCTING BUSINESS ACTIVITIES AND CITY-OWNED PARKS AND FACILITIES.
A COUPLE OF THINGS HAVE BEEN BATTED BACK AND FORTH OVER THE LAST YEAR, AND I SPOKE ABOUT SOME OF THESE AT LEAST A YEAR AGO, AND I CAN'T ASK THESE QUESTIONS.
OTHER THAN RHETORICALLY, BUT MAYBE ALL MIGHT PICK UP ON SOME OF THESE.
JUST THE LAST MEETING OR TWO, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT VENDORS SELLING VARIOUS FORMS OF ALCOHOL IN CITY PARKS AND WHATNOT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYTHING IS IN WRITING SAYING THAT THEY MUST HAVE THE APPROPRIATE STATE LICENSE TO DISPENSE ALCOHOL, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S BEER AND WINE OR MIXED DRINKS OR WHATEVER.
THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE SEEMS TO BE THE BEST PLACE TO ACTUALLY STATE THAT.
DON'T LEAVE IT TO SOMEBODY'S IMAGINATION THAT THEY MUST HAVE THAT STATE LICENSE TO DISPENSE ALCOHOLIC PRODUCTS.
I'M ALL FOR IT, AS LONG AS THEY'VE GOT THE RIGHT LICENSE.
PUT IT IN THE DEFINITION, PUT IT IN THERE, STATE IT SUCCINCTLY, BUT DON'T JUST BYPASS IT BECAUSE IT CAUSED A LOT OF CONVERSATION JUST THE LAST COUPLE OF MEETINGS, AS I BEST RECALL.
THE OTHER THING IS SOMETHING THAT COMMISSIONER BOLE HAS PARTICULARLY PICKED UP ON OVER THE LAST YEAR.
I WON'T SAY THAT IT'S BECAUSE I BROUGHT IT UP OVER A YEAR AGO, BUT IT HAS TO DO WITH CERTIFICATES OF LIABILITY INSURANCE.
WELL, IT DOESN'T SAY THIS IN THIS AMENDMENT, AND THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN PUT INTO SOME OTHER DOCUMENT IN THE LAST YEAR THAT I CAN'T RECALL RIGHT NOW, BUT IT WOULDN'T BE A BAD THING TO RESTATE IT IN THIS ORDINANCE, WHEREIN THE EXAMPLES THAT I USED ARE THE FOOD TRUCKS WITH BIG GAS TANKS ON THE BACK OF THEM, PARKING IN JACK RUSSELL PARKS ON WHAT SATURDAYS OR SUNDAYS.
[00:35:01]
WHAT IF ONE OF THEIR COOKING FIRES EXPLODES AND GOD FORBID, INJURES SOMEONE? WITHOUT THE CITY BEING AN ADDITIONALLY INSURED ON A CERTIFICATE OF LIABILITY INSURANCE, WHOEVER IS INJURED IS COMING AFTER THIS CITY WITH OUR DEEP POCKETS.JUST TWO THINGS THAT NEED, IN MY OPINION, THAT REALLY NEED TO BE ADDED INTO THIS CONDUCT OF BUSINESS ACTIVITIES, JUST TO MAKE IT CRYSTAL CLEAR.
AGAIN, AND THAT WOULD APPLY TO ALL VENDORS AND CONTRACTORS, I THINK THERE'S 10 THAT THE ARC GRANTS MONEY TO TO COME INTO ADL GRADE TO PUT ON DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS OR CLASSES OR THIS OR THAT, HALF OF THEM ARE NON-PROFITS, THE OTHER HALF OR FOR PROFIT.
BUT YET ARE THEY PROVIDING CERTIFICATES OF LIABILITY INSURANCE? NOW, AND THEN WHEN WE HAVE CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES USING THE I HATE TO SAY IT.
THE TENNIS COURTS OVER HERE, ON A RESERVATION SCHEDULE, AND THEY'RE AN ORGANIZED CLUB, DO THEY HAVE THEIR CERTIFICATES OF LIABILITY INSURANCE? IF SOMEBODY BLOWS OUT AN ACL, ARE THEY COMING AFTER THE CITY? WELL IF THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR OWN INSURANCE, THEY'RE PROBABLY COMING AFTER THE CITY.
ONE LAST THING, I'M VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF REDUCING THE SIZE OF A COUPLE OF THESE COMMITTEES.
THEY'RE COMMITTEES, THEY'RE NOT BOARDS.
A GOOD EXAMPLE OF MAYBE BEING TOO BIG IS A COUPLE OF TIMES A YEAR, THE ARC HAS AN ALL-DAY MEETING FROM 8:30 OR 9:00 IN THE MORNING TO FIVE OR SIX IN THE LATE EVENING EARLY EVENING TO CONDUCT BUSINESS, TAKES THEM ALL DAY TO DO ONE OF THOSE.
THAT'S CRAZY IN MY TERMS. LAST, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT TO MAYOR DONNA DEEGAN AT HER TOWN HALL LAST WEEK.
I THINK THAT MY COMMENTS WERE MET BY HER PRETTY WELL.
THERE WAS ANOTHER ASPECT WHERE I THINK IT WAS MR. MIKE WEINSTEIN, THE CHIEF OF STAFF, STARTED TRYING TO EXPLAIN SOMETHING, AND I THINK SOMEBODY ACTUALLY USED THE TERM, IT'S ALL SMOKE AND MIRRORS, AND IT WASN'T ME THAT SAID IT.
HE WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN SOMETHING ABOUT THE GARBAGE FEES GOING BACK AND FORTH, HOW THEY LEND FROM ONE AND GIVE TO ANOTHER.
BUT I DON'T EXPECT THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE TO PLAY FAIR WITH THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH.
THE REASON FOR THIS IS TWICE, WE'VE HAD TO TAKE THE M TO COURT TO GET THEM TO COMPLY AND COME UP WITH TWO DIFFERENT INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS.
WHY IS IT THAT THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE BEACH DOESN'T WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN THIS? WELL, IT'S BECAUSE THAT THE AVERAGE PROPERTY TAXPAYER IN ATLANTIC BEACH PAYS 50% MORE IN PROPERTY TAXES, THE MEDIAN THAN PROPERTY OWNERS IN JACKSONVILLE BEACH.
I'VE GOT THE STATISTICS TO BACK IT UP.
I'D BE GLAD TO SHARE IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD EVENING.
I'D FIRST LIKE TO COMMENT ACTUALLY ON THE DRAFT E-BIKE ORDINANCE.
I WAS VERY PLEASED TO SEE THIS WHEN I WAS READING OVER THE AGENDA.
OF COURSE, I ONLY HAD TIME TO BRIEFLY SCAN IT THIS AFTERNOON.
BUT ONE THING I DID NOT NOTICE AND FORGIVE ME IF I MISSED IT, BUT WAS A MENTION OF LIGHTS OR HEAD LIGHTS ON THE E-BIKES.
I DO SEE THAT AS AN ADDITIONAL ISSUE WHEN THE BIKES ARE SPEEDING THROUGH THE STREETS, AND ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE DRIVING A CAR.
IT CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE THE FOLKS ON THE E-BIKE.
JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT AS YOU'RE DISCUSSING THAT.
SECONDLY, I WANTED TO COMMENT ON THE CHANGES TO THE ESC.
I AM CURRENTLY THE VICE CHAIR, AND I'VE SERVED ON THE COMMITTEE FOR SIX YEARS.
WE WERE ABLE TO MEET WITH THE CITY MANAGER THE OTHER DAY, AND I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE TIME THAT YOU SPENT WITH US.
I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS VERY HELPFUL TO DISCUSS THE SUGGESTIONS OF STANDARDIZATION TOGETHER.
THE ESC WAS ABLE TO CALL A SPECIAL EXTRA MEETING TO DISCUSS THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE.
[00:40:05]
BUT WE WOULD REALLY WELCOME AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A JOINT WORKSHOP BETWEEN THE ESC AND THE COMMISSION PERHAPS TO DISCUSS THESE CHANGES, BUT ALSO SOME OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL PRIORITIES THAT WE SHARE IN A WAY TO FIND ALIGNMENT.I KNOW THAT WE ALL CARE ABOUT ATLANTIC BEACH'S NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, AND THE ESC IS MADE UP OF VERY DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS WHO CARE A LOT ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND ARE WILLING TO PUT IN A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY.
>> THANK YOU, MS. PALMER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THE ESC.
[OVERLAPPING] >> GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS.
I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON TWO ITEMS, WELL, ACTUALLY, THREE, BUT REAL QUICK ON 9B AND 9C THAT THE ORDINANCE TALKING ABOUT THE PARKS TONIGHT.
I COMMEND THE CITY MANAGER OF COMING UP AND REALLY REVIEWING.
THAT'S WHAT OUR CITY MANAGER IS SUPPOSED TO DO IS REVERSE AND SEE HOW WE CAN IMPROVE AND DO BETTER.
I SUPPORT THOSE BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT AS TIME WE GROW.
A GOOD EXAMPLE THIS WEEKEND, I DID GO TO THE FARMERS MARKET, AND IT IS JUST OUT.
IT'S JUST OVER OVERWHELMED, YOU CAN'T FIND A PARKING SPACE OVERCROWDED, I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW MUCH DAMAGE IT WAS DOING TO THE PARK.
BUT THAT'S SUCCESS, BECAUSE IT IS A SUCCESS.
I DID BUY GIRL SCOUT COOKIES, STAY OUT OF TROUBLE.
BUT WHAT I WANTED TO SAY IS THAT I ALSO SUPPORT THAT WHEN THESE EVENTS THAT ARE BEING HELD, IF AN EVENT LIKE THAT IS BEING HELD BY A PRIVATE PROFIT, DID THEY NEED TO PROVIDE US SOME TYPE OF LIABILITY RIDER? THEY'RE NOT EXPENSIVE. YOU CAN GET THEM FOR ABOUT $500 AND HAVE A RIDER AND WE ALSO SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT CHARGING A PERCENTAGE FOR EACH OF CERTAIN ITEMS THAT'S OUT THERE, NOT EACH ITEM SOLD, BUT LIKE THE FOOD TRUCKS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE WE PROVIDE POWER FREE TO THE FOOD TRUCKS BEING OUT THERE.
EVERY WEEK, THERE'S ANOTHER FOOD TRUCK, ANOTHER FOOD TRUCK, AND YOU CAN'T FIND A PARKING SPACE BECAUSE THEY START TAKING THEM UP.
BUT BESIDES THAT, THE PARKS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO US, AND I LIKE THE IDEA OF LOOKING IN AND HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THEM.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
REMEMBER, PASSED AN ORDINANCE IS STRANGE.
TWELVE YEARS AGO, WE PASSED AN ORDINANCE IN THIS CITY, IT REALLY DIVIDED CITIZENS, AND IT WAS THE HRO THE HUMAN RIGHTS ORDINANCE.
WE MUST HAVE IT. WE HAD TO HAVE IT.
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE CAME AND SPOKE HERE.
WE HAD TO HAVE IT BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO DO IT.
WELL, IT'S BEEN THE CLERK CAN CORRECT ME IF SHE'D LIKE, BUT I THINK IT'S BEEN OVER 12 YEARS WE'VE HAD IT.
WHEN I SERVED AS THE MAYOR, I ASKED THE CLERK. I READ IT.
IT SAID YOU MUST HAVE A MAGISTRATE IF SOMEBODY FILES A COMPLAINT, WE WENT THREE YEARS WITHOUT A MAGISTRATE, AND THEN WE GOT ONE COMPLAINT THAT I KNOW OF.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HAD ANY MORE.
THAT COMPLAINT WAS LOOKED AT AND IT WAS NOT EVEN ATLANTIC BEACH ADDRESS, IT WAS ATLANTIC BEACH ZIP CODE OUT ON MAYPORT ROAD.
SOMETIMES WE GET TOO EXCITED ABOUT CERTAIN THINGS ABOUT DIFFERENT ISSUES.
I LIKE THE IDEA SOMETIMES IMPROVING.
THE MEETINGS AND THANK YOU TO THE CITY MANAGER FOR MEETING WITH ME ON THIS CHANGES FOR THE ESC. I'M SORRY.
I STARTED IT. IT KIND I SAID IT LAST TIME AT THE MEETING.
IT'S INTERESTING HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE STANDING UP HERE AND SUPPORT IT, AND EVERY ONE OF THEM FOUGHT ME BECAUSE I WAS MAYOR AND THEY JUST DIDN'T LIKE ME, AND THAT'S OKAY, TOO, AS I SAID BEFORE.
I'M NOT UPSET WITH THAT, AND I COULD LIVE FROM GOING TO 11T-9, BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE BIG COMMITTEES, MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE HAVE PERSONAL LIVES, OTHER THINGS, AND YOU DON'T GET THE INVOLVEMENT.
WHEN YOU HAVE A SMALL COMMUNITY, DO YOU DO, I LIKE THE TERM LIMITS ON IT BECAUSE IT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO SERVE AND GET YOUNGER OR NEWER RESIDENTS MOVING HERE TO SERVE.
ONE THING I WOULD ADD TO ALL OF OUR COMMITTEES, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS THAT EVERY PERSON THAT'S APPOINTED TO ANY BOARD OR COMMITTEE SHOULD BE VENTED.
[00:45:05]
WHAT I MEAN BY THAT, I JUST GOT A KEY.I BECAME CHAIR OF THE MAYPORT WATERFRONT.
I HAVE A KEY TO THE CITY PARKS, TO THE GALLIFORD BUILDING SO WE CAN GET INTO OUR MEETINGS, AND I HAVE TO DO FINGERPRINTS, BACKGROUND CHECK AND EVERYTHING.
WE DON'T DO THAT, AND MAYBE WE SHOULD DO THAT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT SURE WHO WE'RE PUTTING ON RECREATIONAL.
WE'RE NOT SURE WHO WE'RE PUTTING ON THE OTHER COMMITTEES.
ANOTHER THING THAT I HONESTLY REALLY THINK AS COMMITTEES, WHEN YOU BECOME A CHAIR OF ANY COMMITTEE, ESPECIALLY BSC OR ANY OTHER ONE, MAYBE YOU NEED TO FILL OUT A FORM ONE.
MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW WHERE YOU WORK, TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A PERSONAL INTEREST AND WHY YOU'RE SERVING SO LONG ON THAT COMMITTEE.
I'M NOT JUST PICKING ON THAT WHEN I'M TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THEM.
BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING, THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING AND GOOD EVENING.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE GROUP.
I RECENTLY SENT A LETTER ACTUALLY TO ALL OF YOU, AND I THINK MAYOR OR COMMISSIONER RING WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO ACTUALLY RESPONDED SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
HAVING TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT I HAD A NEIGHBOR WHO TOOK DOWN A TREE THAT WAS NEVER BROUGHT TO THE CITY FOR APPROVAL AND PERMITTING.
THEY JUST WENT BASED ON THE HOA APPROVING IT.
MY CONCERN IS IN LINE WITH SOME OF THE OTHER COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE TONIGHT IS THAT IF WE ELIMINATE THE SUBCOMMITTEE, THE TREE SUBCOMMITTEE, OR WE MAKE ANY OF THESE COMMITTEES LESS THAN WHAT THEY CURRENTLY ARE, DO WE NOT CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR LESS OVERSIGHT AND POTENTIALLY MORE OF OUR TREE CANOPY TO BE REMOVED BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ASSETS WE HAVE AS A COMMUNITY BESIDES THE BEACH IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL TREE CANOPY HERE.
I HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS THAT I JUST WANTED TO THROW OUT TO THE COMMISSION AS YOU'RE HAVING THESE DISCUSSIONS.
ON AROUND, HOW ARE WE EDUCATING RESIDENTS AS TO WHAT THE PROPER CHANNEL IS? IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE A TREE THAT'S A THREAT OR NEEDS TO COME DOWN, HOW DO RESIDENTS ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS IS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, MY NEIGHBORS DIDN'T KNOW AND THEY JUST WENT TO THE HOA AND GET THE HOA TO APPROVE IT.
I FEEL LIKE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO INCREASE EDUCATION FOR THE COMMUNITY AROUND WHAT THE PROPER CHANNELS ARE? THEN SECONDLY, IS THERE A WAY TO INCENTIVIZE CITIZENS TO PERHAPS PRESERVE SOME OF THESE SHADE TREES RATHER THAN USING THE STICK AND PUNISHING PEOPLE FOR TAKING THEM DOWN? IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY KEEP THE TREES, OR IF THEY DO REMOVE TREES TO NOT REPLACE THEM WITH PALM TREES, WHICH QUITE HONESTLY DON'T OFFER REALLY VERY MUCH IN THE WAY OF AIR QUALITY OR SHADE TO THE COMMUNITY ITSELF? I FEEL LIKE IF I WANTED TO LIVE IN SOUTH FLORIDA, I WOULD HAVE MOVED THERE, WHICH IS FULL OF PALM TREES.
THEN THIRDLY, I'M NOT SURE IF WE ACTUALLY ARE OR NOT BECAUSE I GOOGLED THIS AND IT SAID WE'RE NOT AND CHATGPT AND IT SAID WE WERE.
BUT IF WE'RE NOT A TREE CITY, ACCORDING TO GOOGLE, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO BECOME ONE? IF WE ARE A TREE CITY, WHICH HOPEFULLY WE ARE, CAN WE NOT HAVE SOME SIGNAGE THAT DESIGNATES THAT WE ARE A TREE CITY AT ALL THE DIFFERENT ENTRANCES TO ATLANTIC BEACH, TO REINFORCE THE FACT THAT WE ARE A TREE CITY AND MAYBE THIS WILL REINFORCE THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING OUR CANOPY AND GIVE PEOPLE A REASON TO MAYBE NOT TAKE DOWN TREES THAT DON'T NEED TO BE TAKEN DOWN? I'M HERE TONIGHT TO OFFER MY INVOLVEMENT AND SUPPORT IN ANY WAY.
I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, BUT I ALSO I DON'T WANT TO JUST BE HERE ASKING FOR THINGS OR COMPLAINING ABOUT HOW THINGS ARE GOING.
I WOULD OFFER UP THE OPPORTUNITY THAT I AM WILLING TO NOW RETIRED, SO I'M HAPPY TO HELP AND GIVE MY TIME IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO BE INVOLVED IN ANYTHING HAVING TO DO WITH PRESERVING THE BEAUTY OF THE CITY AND ESPECIALLY THE TREE CANOPY.
[00:50:01]
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I CAN'T TELL YOU ENOUGH HAVING HAD MY HUSBAND BE A COMMISSIONER.
FOR FOUR YEARS, I KNOW HOW MUCH WORK IT IS, HOW MANY CALLS YOU GET, HOW MANY TIMES YOU CAN'T TAKE A WALK AND NOT HAVE TO STOP AND LISTEN TO SOME CITIZEN ASK YOU WHY SOMETHING IS A PARTICULAR WAY.
I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THERE'S NO MORE CARDS THERE.
>> DID ANYONE NOT SPEAK THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? HEARING NONE, WILL CLOSE COURTESY OF THE FLOOR.
[3. CITY MANAGER REPORTS]
CITY MANAGER REPORTS.>> THAT SIGN UP WITH THE CITY MANAGER REPORT.
>> GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR COMMISSIONER.
>> I GUESS BEFORE WE GET TO THE 90-DAY REPORT, WE WERE TALKING THE LAST COUPLE OF MEETINGS ABOUT THE ELECTED OFFICIALS' ACCOUNT ON COA.
THAT HAS GONE AWAY TODAY, I BELIEVE.
THERE IS A LINK ON THE WEBSITE WHERE IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO SEND AN EMAIL TO ALL THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, THEY CAN USE A FORM TO DO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S TOTALLY WITHIN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, SO WE CAN CONTROL THAT.
AND WHAT'S ALSO HAPPENING IS RON'S WORKING ON A FILTER SO THAT IF YOU DO RECEIVE AN EMAIL THAT WAS COPIED ALL, NOT BLIND COPIED, BUT COPIED ALL SO THAT IF YOU REPLIED ALL, YOU WOULD BE ENDING UP REPLYING TO ALL THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS AND CREATE THE OPPORTUNITY WHEN YOU START A TWO-WAY CONVERSATION THROUGH EMAIL BETWEEN COMMISSIONERS, WE'RE TRYING TO PREVENT THAT INADVERTENT SUNSHINE VIOLATION.
SO HE'S COMING UP WITH A METHOD SO THAT IF THERE'S TWO OR MORE ELECTED OFFICIALS ON AN EMAIL, THE REPLY ALL BUTTON WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE.
SO THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU COULDN'T DO IT, BUT YOU WOULD HAVE TO MANUALLY GO IN AND DO IT.
SO THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE AT LEAST SOME INTENT THERE, AND HOPEFULLY THAT WOULD THAT WOULD GENERATE THE THOUGHT THAT MAYBE I SHOULDN'T DO THAT.
BUT TO REPLY ALL IS EASY, SO YOU JUST HIT THAT BUTTON AND GO, AND THEN BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, YOU ENTERED INTO A CONVERSATION.
THAT ISN'T LIVE YET, BUT HE'S WORKING ON THAT AND EXPECTS IT TO BE LIVE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. SO THAT'S ON THAT.
ON THE 90-DAY CALENDAR, ON FEBRUARY 15TH, WE HAVE LINE DANCING AT VETERANS PARK.
WE'RE GETTING COMMENTS. ALSO ON FEBRUARY 15TH, WE HAVE MOVIES IN JORDAN PARK.
THAT IS WHAT THE MAYOR REFERENCED IN WHICH WE'RE SHARING SOUL.
ON FEBRUARY 17TH WHICH IS A WONDERFUL DAY THAT WE'RE HAVING PRESIDENT'S DAY, IS A DAY OFF AND SOMEBODY'S BIRTHDAY.
MARCH 15TH, WILD WONDERS AT DUTTON ISLAND, APRIL 5TH, TOWNHALL AT JORDAN PARK, AND WE ARE NOT SCHEDULING ANYTHING ON THE AGENDA FOR THAT ONE.
ON APRIL 19TH, WE HAVE THE EASTER EGG HUNT IN JORDAN PARK, AND ON APRIL 26TH, WE HAVE ARTS IN THE PARK AT JOHANSEN PARK.
WITH THAT, MR. MAYOR, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THE COMMISSION ACCEPT THE 90-DAY CALENDAR FOR FEBRUARY 25TH THROUGH APRIL 25TH.
>> THE TIME FOR THE COMMISSION MEETING IS WRONG, 6:30.
>> DID THEY COPY AND PASTE FORWARD?
AND THEN ALSO, I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE THE OUTLOOK CALENDAR INVITES TO INVITE US TO THESE ONCE THE 90-DAY CALENDAR HAS BEEN APPROVED.
>> KEVIN, CAN YOU HELP WITH THAT?
>> DO WE HAVE CONSENSUS TO ACCEPT THE 90-DAY CALENDAR AS AMENDED BY COMMISSIONER RAIN?
>> ALSO, I CAN ASK THE CHIEF TO COME UP.
WE HAVE AS A DRAFT ORDINANCE THAT HE'S GOING TO PRESENT AND HOPEFULLY, WE HAVE SOME CONSENSUS ON HOW TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS.
HOPEFULLY, YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE DRAFT E-BIKE ORDINANCE.
WE TRIED TO STREAMLINE IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
THE FIRST DRAFT WE PUT OUT WAS A LITTLE WORDY.
WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE SUCCINCT, I BELIEVE.
AND I'D LIKE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I'VE ALREADY GOT AT LEAST ONE NOTE TO AMEND SOMETHING IN HERE.
[00:55:02]
SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THAT WE COULD, OR I'D BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS WHATEVER YOU'D LIKE.>> PLEASE GO AHEAD AND CLARIFY ANY CHANGES.
>> SO IN SECTION 1052-B_2, YOU'LL NOTICE DOWN THERE THAT IT HAS THE TERM RIGHT OF WAY IN THERE.
SO AS A TECHNICALITY, RIGHT OF WAY BY DEFINITIONS IN THE ENTIRE STREET, INCLUDING THE RIGHTS OF WAY, THE UNPAVED PORTIONS ON EITHER SIDE UP TO THE PRIVATE PROPERTY LINES.
THE INTENT BEHIND THAT STATEMENT THERE WAS TO LIMIT THE OPERATION OF MOTORIZED ELECTRIC DEVICES UP AND DOWN THE GRASS MEDIANS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE ROAD SO THAT WE DIDN'T JUST HAVE SOMEONE AVOIDING THE SIDEWALK, AT 10 MILES AN HOUR AND RIDE FASTER ALONG THE GRASS.
SO IF WE CHANGE THAT WORDING, I THINK TO UNPAVED PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAYS OR UNPAVED PORTIONS FOR THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, THAT WILL DEFINE THAT WELL ENOUGH TO STOP SOMEONE FROM JUST AVOIDING THE SIDEWALK AND RIDING ON THE GRASS AT 15 OR 20 MILES AN HOUR.
>> CHIEF, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
DO YOU SEE THE FORCES ENFORCING THIS? IN OTHER WORDS, IS THIS AN ORDINANCE THAT YOU GUYS CAN LIVE WITH AND PLAN TO ENFORCE?
>> I THINK IT IS THE INTENT BEHIND THE 10-MILE-AN-HOUR SPEED LIMIT AS YOU SAW WHEN WE CAME OUT HERE FOR THE WORKSHOP OR THE TOWN HALL MEETING.
IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS WHAT 10 MILES AN HOUR LOOKS LIKE.
ALL THE POLICE OFFICERS HERE ARE TRAINED LASER AND RADAR OPERATORS, AS PART OF THAT CERTIFICATION.
YOU HAVE TO ESTIMATE THE 30 OR 40 SPEEDS MOVING AND STATIONARY AND BE WITHIN PLUS OR -1 MILE AN HOUR OF ACCURACY ON THAT.
SO THE OFFICERS UNDERSTAND WHAT 10 OR 15 OR 20 MILES AN HOUR LOOKS LIKE.
IT'LL BE EASY FOR THEM TO LOOK UP AND GO, G, THAT'S NOT 10 MILES AN HOUR, THAT'S 15 OR 20.
SO FOR THEM TO ENFORCE THAT PORTION OF IT SHOULD BE FAIRLY EASY.
THE ONE THING I WANTED TO TRY AND AVOID IS TO HAVE OFFICERS RUNNING LASER ON A SIDEWALK.
TRYING TO TRACK BICYCLES GOING BACK AND FORTH.
I THINK THAT 10 MILE AN HOUR SPEED LIMIT AS YOU SAW HERE IS PRETTY OBVIOUS WHAT 10 MILES AN HOUR LOOKS LIKE.
IT'S REASONABLE ON A SIDEWALK, I THINK IF YOU DECIDE TO KEEP THAT LIMIT IN THERE.
SO I THINK ALL THE ELEMENTS IN HERE ARE ENFORCEABLE.
THE VERBIAGE YOU PUT IN HERE IS VERY SIMILAR TO STATE STATUTE.
THE OFFICERS WILL RECOGNIZE IT WHEN THEY SEE IT.
ALSO, THE REQUIREMENTS, THE LADY WHO CAME UP AND SPOKE AT A COURTESY FLOOR, MENTIONED THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE LIGHTS IN HERE.
THERE IS A SECTION IN ONE 1052_C.
IF YOU READ THROUGH THAT PARAGRAPH, IT BASICALLY SAYS, HEY, LOOK, IF YOU RIDE AN E-BIKE OR MOBILITY DEVICE, YOU ARE BOUND BY ALL THE SAME LAWS AND REGULATIONS THAT A BICYCLIST WOULD BE BY FLORIDA STATE STATUTE, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE OBVIOUSLY WHITE HEADLIGHT, REAR LIGHT IN THE RED IN THE BACK.
AND AGAIN, WHEN THE OFFICERS SEE THOSE STATUTE NUMBERS CITED, THEY'LL UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S AN E-BIKE, A BICYCLE, OR A MICRO-MOBILITY OR SCOOTER DEVICE.
>> I THINK THE GENESIS OF THIS WHOLE THING IS WHEN YOU SEE RECKLESS BEHAVIOR THAT'S GOING TO STAND OUT, AND NOT A JUDGMENT CALL ON THE FORCE, BUT IT SHOULD BE APPARENT THAT IF YOU SEE AN ELECTRIC BIKE TOWING ANOTHER ELECTRIC BIKE, THINGS WHICH HAPPEN OR A PACK, YOU KNOW IT WHEN YOU SEE IT.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY GOOD. THE IMPETUS.
>> YES, SIR. THERE IS A SECTION HERE ALSO THAT TALKS ABOUT THAT.
THAT VERBIAGE AND SUB E COMES EXACTLY OUT OF 316 1925, WHICH IS A CARELESS DRIVING STATUTE.
SO AGAIN, WHEN THE OFFICERS READ THAT, THEY'RE GOING TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO APPLY THAT.
THAT'S A VERY COMMON ONE THAT OFFICERS WILL USE WHEN THEY SEE SOMETHING THAT IS CARELESS ON THE ROADWAYS.
MAYBE DOESN'T HAVE AN EXACT DESCRIPTION BY STATUTE, BUT THAT'S UNSAFE.
IT'S TOO FAST FOR THE CONDITIONS.
IT IS RECKLESS IN SOME MANNER.
SO AGAIN, THEY'LL UNDERSTAND THAT THEY CAN ENFORCE THAT. THANKS.
I SHOULD HAVE ASKED YOU THIS QUESTION BEFOREHAND.
WHEN WE WRITE A CITATION FOR A BICYCLE, IN THIS CASE, IT COULD BE MOTORIZED OR NOT, THAT DOESN'T GO THROUGH THE STATE OF FLORIDA, DOES IT?
>> SO IN THE CHARGING SECTION, AND THE AUTHORITY FOR THE POLICE OFFICERS TO ENFORCE THIS LAW, WE GAVE THEM THE OPTION TO WRITE A CITY CIVIL CITATION, WHICH WOULD NOT, YOU WOULD STAY WITHIN THE CITY.
THAT'S A $50 CITATION, WHICH IS A LOWER CITATION THAN THEY WOULD WRITE IF THEY DID WRITE A UNIFORM TRAFFIC CITATION.
WE DID GIVE THE OFFICERS THE FLEXIBILITY TO WRITE A UNIFORM TRAFFIC CITATION AS PART OF THIS ORDINANCE TO ENFORCE A REGULAR VIOLATION OF STATE LAW.
SO IT WOULD BE THE OFFICER DISCRETION WHICH THEY WOULD WANT TO ENFORCE.
AND I BELIEVE THE OFFICERS HERE WOULD PROBABLY USE THE CITY CIVIL SIZE STATION BECAUSE IT'S LESS MONEY. IT'S $50.
>> AND IF THEY USE THE STATE OF FLORIDA,
[01:00:03]
DOES THAT INVOLVE POINTS FOR A MOVING VEHICLE VIOLATION?>> IT WOULD NOT. IT'S A BICYCLE [OVERLAPPING].
>> WHEN A FIFTH GRADER IS SPEEDING, WHO GETS THE TICKET?
>> THE CIVIL INFRACTION COULD BE ISSUED TO THE FIFTH GRADER.
RIGHT NOW, WE ARE HAVING DIALOGUE WITH SEVERAL OF THE YOUTH HERE IN ATLANTIC BEACH TRYING TO GET THEM TO UNDERSTAND WE WANT THEM TO RIDE A CERTAIN WAY AND WEAR HELMETS.
NO ONE'S BEEN ISSUED A TICKETS YET.
THOSE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS, BUT THEY COULD BE ISSUED A CIVIL CITATION.
WE'RE TALKING TO PARENTS RIGHT NOW TO TRY AND GET THE POINT ACROSS.
>> SO WHAT ABOUT RIDING AT NIGHT, ESPECIALLY, KIDS UNDER CERTAIN AGE THAT.
I KNOW AT LEAST ONE OF THE ACCIDENTS AT SEAGATE WAS AT NIGHT AND I KNOW THAT IT'S A LEGITIMATE WAY TO GET TO HIGH SCHOOL, BUT I WORRY ABOUT THE YOUNGER KIDS, ESPECIALLY AS SUMMER COMES AND THEY'RE OUT RIDING AROUND AT NIGHT WITH NO LIGHTS.
IT SEEMS LIKE WE COULD PUT A LIMIT ON THAT.
>> WE COULD. WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS AVOID SOME REDUNDANCY.
SO IN STATE STATUTE, THERE'S A REQUIREMENT FOR E-BIKES AND BICYCLES TO HAVE A WHITE HEADLIGHT IN THE FRONT, ELECTRIC OPERATED, AND A RED, ELECTRICALLY OPERATED LIGHT IN THE BACK.
SO THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE ORDINANCE, SO THAT REQUIREMENT IS IN THERE BY DEFAULT FOR STATE STATUTE.
>> BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL MOBILITIES.
WHEN I RODE MY VESPA, I HAD A REFLECTIVE VEST THAT I WORE.
SO IF WE GET THE GUY WORKS AT RAGTIME AS THE BARBA, I GUESS HE WON'T BE WORKING AT RAGTIME.
THE GUY WORKING AT THE CUP, THE BARBACK RIDES HIS ONE WHEEL UP TO THE RESTAURANT.
HE'S INVISIBLE ON THE ROAD AT NIGHT.
>> SO SOME OF THOSE THINGS, IT GETS A LITTLE STICKY.
YOU HAVE TO READ STATUTE VERY CAREFULLY TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY DEFINE WHAT A SCOOTER IS, BASICALLY, A BICYCLE AND E-BIKE.
THE SCOOTERS ARE REQUIRED TO ABIDE BY THE REGULATIONS OF A BICYCLE.
THEREFORE, ALL THE SAME RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
SO SOMETHING LIKE A TWO-WHEELED OR A THREE-WHEELED ELECTRIC SCOOTER THAT DOESN'T GO OVER 20 MILES PER HOUR SHOULD HAVE A WHITE LIGHT AND A RED LIGHT.
THE ODD THING IS WHEN YOU GET INTO THOSE ONE-OFFS LIKE THE ONE-WHEELED SKATEBOARD THING, THAT'S NOT DEFINED ANYWHERE IN STATUTE.
SO BY DEFAULT, WE GO TO IN LAW ENFORCEMENT IS IF THIS'S NOT DEFINED AS A CAR, A MOTORCYCLE, A SCOOTER, A BICYCLE, IT'S A VEHICLE OF ANOTHER TYPE.
WHICH THEN REQUIRES THAT VEHICLE TO HAVE EVERYTHING ELSE THAT A CAR WOULD HAVE, LIGHTS, BRAKES, CORNS, REGISTRATION, ETC, IF IT COULD BE REGISTERED.
OTHERWISE, IT DOESN'T BELONG ON THE ROAD BECAUSE IT DOESN'T FIT ANOTHER CATEGORY THAT'S DEFINED BY STATUTE.
>> QUESTIONS. I'LL JUST THROW IN THERE.
I STILL HAVEN'T COMPLETELY RELENTED ON THE IDEA OF GOING TO A 15-MILE-AN-HOUR SPEED LIMIT TO MATCH UP WITH NEPTUNE BEACH.
SO I'M GOING TO ASK COMMISSIONER RING, HOW DO YOU FEEL ON ALLOWING 25 MILES AN HOUR FOR THE E BIKES ON OUR CITY STREETS?
>> WELL, IF THE STREET LIMIT IS 25, THEN THAT'S WHAT THEY COULD GO.
>> SO ON THE WAY THE ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN, THE ONLY PLACE WE CONTROL A SPEED LIMIT ON THESE BIKES WOULD BE A SIDEWALK.
IF AN E-BIKE WANTED TO OPERATE ON A PUBLIC STREET, IT COULD DRIVE JUST AS FAST AS A SPEED LIMIT WAS ON THAT STREET OR 20 FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD OR 15, BUT ON A THOROUGHFARE, A COLLECTOR STREET, SEMINOLE ROAD, PLAZA, ALL THOSE OTHER LARGER ROADS, IT'D BE 25.
>> IS THERE AN AGE REQUIREMENT?
>> THERE IS NOT IN THIS ORDINANCE.
>> SO 13-YEAR-OLD, IF THEY WANTED TO GO MORE THAN 10 MILES, A CHILD WANTED TO GO MORE THAN 10 MILES AN HOUR, THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO ON THE ROAD TO DO THAT?
>> AND THEN IN THAT CASE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A HELMET?
>> ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 16 WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A HELMET, YES. THAT'S BY STATE.
>> THAT'S ON BOTH BY THE THE SIDEWALK AND THE STREET.
>> I THINK ABOUT THEM CROSSING ATLANTIC BOULEVARD OR ON ATLANTIC BOULEVARD AND WANTING TO BE ON THE SIDEWALK, WELL, THEN IT'S 10 MILES AN HOUR.
I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE, MAYOR.
>> WHAT MAKES SENSE TO DO THE 10 ON THE SIDEWALK?
YOU CAN SEE 10 MILES AN HOUR A LOT EASIER, AND I'M NOT REALLY SURE ABOUT 15, BUT 15, IF I'M WALKING ON THE SIDEWALK WITH MY CHILDREN
[01:05:02]
OR WE'RE RIDING OUR BICYCLES OR I HAVE A STROLLER, I DON'T WANT ANYBODY ZIPPING PAST ME MORE THAN 10 MILES AN HOUR.>> WELL, EVEN 10 IS PRETTY FAST.
>> I FEEL LIKE REMEMBER IN THE BAT OLD DAYS WHEN YOU HAD TO SLOW DOWN FOR WALDO.
THE REST OF 301 WAS 55 MILES AN HOUR, BUT WALDO WAS 25, AND THAT'S HOW I FEEL ABOUT CROSSING THE BORDER INTO NEPTUNE BEACH.
>> WELL, I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE MY FINAL COMMENT, BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.
CHIEF, YOU PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO THIS. THANK YOU.
I CLEARLY UNDERSTAND, IT'S VERY THOUGHTFUL, AND I USED THE BACKDROP THAT WHAT THE CHIEF REALLY WANTS IS ENFORCEABLE LAWS, AND ENFORCEABLE SAFETY.
SO WE HAVE A LAW TO GET THERE.
SO I'M GOING TO BACK YOUR PLAY, BUT I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO BACK MY PLAY.
AND MY PLAY IS, I WANT TO SEE ENFORCEMENT.
AND I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE EVERYTHING SPELLED OUT IN THIS ORDINANCE TO ACTUALLY ENFORCE ON THE RECKLESS BEHAVIOR.
WE'VE SEEN IT IN SOME OF THE PARKS, AND SO ON AND I WANT TO GO ON RECORD.
FOR ME, AT LEAST, IT DOESN'T MEAN WRITING A CITATION, BUT IT VERY WELL MAY.
IT CERTAINLY ON A SECOND OFFENSE OR BEYOND, IT DOES, BUT ON A FIRST OFFENSE, I JUST WANT TO GET THAT ADOLESCENT IF THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH AND GET THEIR ATTENTION.
AND I THINK WHEN YOUR OFFICERS PULL THEM AND HAVE A CHAT WITH THEM, THEY'VE GOT THEIR ATTENTION, AT LEAST FOR THAT MOMENT.
I'D LOVE TO SEE A LOT MORE ENFORCEMENT.
I KNOW IT'S CHALLENGING WITH THE SIZE OF THE POLICE FORCE.
BUT THERE ARE CRITICAL AREAS IN THIS CITY.
SO CERTAINLY OCEAN BOULEVARD ON APPROACH TO TOWN CENTER IS A CRITICAL AREA.
SO I SEE CHILDREN POPPING WHEELIES ON E-BIKES.
AND I'M LIKE, BY THE WAY, MY YOUTH WHEN I WAS YOUNG, WE DID THAT ON MOTORCYCLES, SO I GET THAT, BUT IT'S NOT OKAY.
AND THEN WHAT'S BECOME SO COMMONPLACE IS BOTH REGULAR BICYCLES AND E-BIKES NOT STOPPING AT THE STOP SIGNS AT OCEAN AND ATLANTIC IN TOWN CENTER.
IT'S BAD ENOUGH THAT THEY DON'T STOP AT OTHER STOP SIGNS, BUT AT OCEAN AND TOWN CENTER, I THINK THAT'S VERY DANGEROUS.
SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME CITATIONS ON THAT.
>> JUST ONE QUICK COMMENT. I THINK RECENTLY, NEPTUNE BEACH HAD I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS JUST A SOFT OPENING UP THEIR NEW ORDINANCE, BUT THEY HAD IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AREAS AND THEN HAD A HUGE POLICE PRESENCE IN THAT AREA, AND THEY WERE JUST PULLING OVER PROBABLY JUST ABOUT EVERY E-BIKE THAT WAS IN POTENTIAL VIOLATION.
JUST MORE OF AN EDUCATION, I THINK.
I'M SURE THERE WERE SOME CITATIONS FOR SOMEBODY WHO WAS VERY RECKLESS, BUT MAYBE JUST A WARNING, HEY, THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING, AND THIS IS THE FUTURE.
I'M SURE YOU'VE IDENTIFIED MANY HOT POINTS IN OUR CITY, THAT COULD PROBABLY USE THAT TYPE OF PRESENCE WHEN ONCE WE PASSED THIS.
AND SO JUST TO REALLY BRING IT HOME, THERE'S NEW RULES.
>> THIS IS A LITTLE BIT BEFORE THE ORDINANCE BECAME A BIGGER DEAL.
LAST YEAR, WE DID 160 BICYCLE STOPS IN THIS TOWN.
SO THERE'S 160 TIMES THAT WE AT LEAST STOPPED AND WARNED SOMEBODY ABOUT SOMETHING THEY DID, THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE.
WE WROTE CITATIONS TO THOSE ARE THE TRAFFIC STOPS.
>> I THINK THIS BROUGHT NEPTUNE PUT SIGNS UP, AND IT'S VERY CLEAR THERE ON FIRST AND SECOND WHEN YOU READ THE SIGN.
I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE THAT, YOU KNOW WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS.
>> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. WHAT I'M HEARING IS YOU WOULD LIKE US TO FILE THIS AS AN ORDINANCE FOR YOU ALL TO CONSIDER NEXT, COMMISSIONER, IN THAT CASE.
[4. REPORTS AND/OR REQUESTS FROM CITY COMMISSIONERS]
REPORTS AND REQUESTS FROM CITY COMMISSIONERS.LET'S START WITH COMMISSIONER BOLE.
>> REAL QUICK, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, I REPRESENT US ON THE BEACHES TOWN CENTER AGENCY.
I GOT A MEETING TOMORROW, SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO BRING UP WITH THE MERCHANTS, THE BIG TALK IS RAGTIME AND SOME OTHER ISSUES OVER THERE.
>> I JUST HAD ONE. CAN I SAY IT NOW? DO YOU HAVE REQUESTS FROM SALUMERIA AND JOSEPH'S TO BE ABLE TO PUT UP AN AWNING LIKE NEPTUNE?
[01:10:01]
>> ARE WE STILL HALTING IT NOW BECAUSE OUR CITY DOESN'T ALLOW IT WITHIN OUR CODE?
>> THAT'S CORRECT AS OF, I WOULD SAY, SIX MONTHS.
WE WENT THROUGH THIS ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
>> I REMEMBER THAT, BUT I JUST DISAGREE.
>> THAT WAS THE OUTCOME, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.
THE OTHER THING IS, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, THE DANSAM INDUSTRIES IS COMING.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SPONSORS, AND I'LL SAVE MINE FOR 9C. THANKS.
I MET WITH SARAH BOREN LAST WEEK, ACTUALLY, TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT ESC AND ALL THEIR EFFORTS.
I THINK WE HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION AND FOUND A LOT OF COMMON GROUND ON THINGS.
[NOISE] I WILL SAY THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW THE ORDINANCE BEFORE US TONIGHT IS GOING TO PLAY OUT, BUT I DO NOT THINK IT IS GOING TO BE SOME FREE REIGN TO RUN HAVOC ON OUR CANOPY.
IF IT DOES, I'LL BE THE FIRST ONE TO RAISE MY HAND BECAUSE I CHALLENGE ALL OF YOU TO GO RIDE BY MY HOUSE, 1909 SELVA MARINA DRIVE.
I GOT 78 WATER OAKS IN MY HOME.
I DON'T WANT THE NEXT PERSON TO HAVE FREE REIGN TO CUT THOSE DOWN THERE.
I THINK THEY PROTECT THAT SECTION OF TOWN VERY WELL DURING STORMS AND WHATNOT.
BUT I DO SEE THE HURT, AND I RESPECT WHAT'S GOING THROUGH.
YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS THAT MAYBE ARE FEELING UNWANTED, AND THAT'S NOT REALLY THE CASE.
I THINK EVERYBODY RECOGNIZES WHAT'S HAPPENED AND THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE.
I JUST THINK THAT CITY MANAGER IS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO RUN THE CITY AS BEST HE CAN AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HIS STAFF'S HOURS, AND THAT'S WHAT'S BROUGHT US HERE, I THINK.
ALSO TOO, I THINK THAT NOT TO GET TO AHEAD OF US, BUT WE'RE NOT TAKING ANY AUTHORITY AWAY.
WHILE SO MANY SUBCOMMITTEES ARE GOING AWAY, THE AUTHORITY STILL STANDS.
WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT WHEN WE GET TO THE ORDINANCE, BUT I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT I DO HAVE EMPATHY FOR THESE VOLUNTEERS, BUT I DO THINK WE STILL CARE GREATLY ABOUT THE CANOPY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER KELLY.
>> I WAS OUT OF TOWN, SO I MISSED THE DONNA.
BUT I THINK WE ALL GOT THE EMAIL FROM CITIZENS WHO LIVED DEEP INTO ATLANTIC BEACH AND FELT TRAPPED IN THEIR DRIVEWAY FOR ABOUT FOUR HOURS THE MORNING OF THE RACE.
THEY HAD A REQUEST TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO LESSEN THE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY.
NOW, I KNOW IN THE PAST, THE POLICE HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB OF GETTING PEOPLE OUT WHEN YOU ASKED, AND MAYBE THAT WASN'T AS WELL BROADCAST THIS YEAR AS IT WAS IN THE PAST.
IT'S THE REQUEST FROM PEOPLE WHO DON'T RUN.
I NOTICED THE OTHER NIGHT, THE MAYOR WAS WEARING SNEAKERS, AND I ASSUMED THAT'S BECAUSE SHE HASN'T RECOVERED FROM THE RACE YET.
>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER RING.
>> FIRST OF ALL, THE MAYPORT FLYOVER CLOSURE WILL START TOMORROW FROM 8:30 PM TO 5:30 AM AND WILL RUN THROUGH THE 25TH OF THIS MONTH FOR RESURFACING.
THE SECOND THING I WANTED TO BRING UP, WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT E-BIKES AND THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN, CITY OF NEPTUNE BEACH HAS PLACED SCHOOL ZONE AUTOMATED SPEED ENFORCEMENT CAMERAS UP IN TWO LOCATIONS IN THEIR CITY, ONE IN FRONT OF BEACHES CHAPEL AND THE SECOND RIGHT IN FRONT OF NEPTUNE BEACH ELEMENTARY.
WHEN I LOOKED INTO THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, JUST SOME QUICK FACTS, I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE GREAT FOR OUR CITY TO ADOPT.
FIRST OF ALL, THE CAMERAS ARE ONLY USED IN SCHOOL ZONES DURING SCHOOL HOURS.
THE FINE WOULD BE $100 AS OPPOSED TO NORMALLY DOUBLE FINES, WHICH WE HAVE NOW.
THERE ARE NO POINTS ASSESSED TO A DRIVING RECORD, MEANING NO INSURANCE HIKES.
THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE DOES SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM AND HAS A LAW THAT WAS PASSED ALMOST 100% BIPARTISAN.
[01:15:01]
CITATIONS ARE ONLY ISSUED AT 11 MILES PER HOUR, OR HIGHER, WHICH IS PRETTY HIGH IN THE SCHOOL ZONE.THE PROGRAM, THIS WAS WHAT SOLD ME, WAS 100% VIOLATOR-FUNDED, MEANING THE REVENUES ARE FROM THE CITATIONS THEMSELVES, SO THE PROGRAM DOES PAY FOR IT.
IF HYPOTHETICALLY, THERE IS A COST DEFICIT, THE CITY STILL WILL OWE NOTHING.
ALL CITATIONS ARE REVIEWED AND ISSUED BY A POLICE OFFICER.
THIS WAS PUSHED BY CHIEF MIKE KEY IN NEPTUNE BEACH.
HE DID BRING IT BEFORE HIS COMMISSION AND THEY WILL GO LIVE IN APRIL.
THEIR CITIZENS AND ANYONE ELSE WHO DRIVES, LIKE MYSELF MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY, THROUGH THOSE SCHOOL ZONES WILL BE FINED AND CITED BY THOSE CAMERAS.
I WANTED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, MAYOR, ABOUT POSSIBLY ADDING THESE CAMERAS TO OUR TWO SCHOOL ZONES, ONE IN SEMINOLE, AND ONE IN CHERRY.
I KNOW THAT PART OF THE DISCUSSION IN THE TOWN HALL ABOUT THE ROUNDABOUT WAS IF WE DID PUT A ROUNDABOUT IN, WOULD THAT MAKE PEOPLE MOVE MORE QUICKLY? WILL THEY MOVE FASTER THROUGHOUT THOSE TWO SCHOOL ZONES? I DO LOVE THE POLICE PRESENCE OUTSIDE OF ATLANTIC BEACH.
IT MAKES ME FEEL INCREDIBLY SAFE AND KNOW THAT MY CHILDREN ARE SAFE EVERYDAY WHEN I DROP THEM OFF, BUT I SEE THE PURPOSE OF THIS.
I SEE THE VALUE BEHIND IT, AND I WANTED TO BRING IT BEFORE MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.
I ACTUALLY SEE THE VALUE IN ALL THE BEACHES AND MAYBE EVEN THROUGHOUT DUVAL COUNTY.
>> PERHAPS WE COULD ADD THAT TO THE AGENDA FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.
>> REAL QUICK, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE.
AMY PALMER, THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING.
I LOVE OUR COMMITTEES, I LOVE OUR VOLUNTEERS IN ATLANTIC BEACH, AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ANYBODY LISTENING EITHER HERE TONIGHT OR LISTENING ON THE RECORDED MEETING, ANY ACTION TAKEN ON THE SIZE OR STRUCTURE OF ANY OF THE COMMITTEES, ESC ARE BEING THE ONES BEING DISCUSSED TONIGHT, BUT IT IS NOT BECAUSE WE DISLIKE OUR VOLUNTEERS OR WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
I THINK THEY'RE DOING FABULOUS WORK IN THIS CITY, SO VERY IMPORTANT.
THEN I'M GOING TO HAVE A FEW MORE COMMENTS AS TO THE STRUCTURE AND SO ON WHEN WE GET TO THE ORDINANCE, BUT I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT FOR NOW.
CLOSING OUT TO ITEM 4, WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM 8A,
[8.A. RESOLUTION NO. 25-13]
RESOLUTION NUMBER 25-13, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH APPROVING A CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT, ATTACHMENT A, WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PERTAINING TO IMPROVEMENTS.CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH OWNED RIGHT OF WAY ON PLAZA AT MAYPORT ROAD, STATE ROAD A1A, IN ATLANTIC BEACH, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ANY CONTRACTS AND PURCHASE ORDERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH AND AS NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS RESOLUTION AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. MR. KILLINGSWORTH.
>> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, COMMISSION.
RESOLUTION 25-13 IS A MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT.
BASICALLY WHAT IT SAYS IS, AS YOU KNOW, FDOT IS GOING TO DO SOME IMPROVEMENTS ON MAYPORT ROAD.
PART OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS WILL IMPACT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE ON PLAZA, SO THEY'RE GOING TO REDO THE CURVES THERE AND STRIPING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BASICALLY WHAT THIS MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT SAYS IS WHERE IT'S OUR RIGHT OF WAY, THEY'RE GOING TO PLACE THE INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT THEN WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING IT.
WHERE IT'S THEIR RIGHT OF WAY, THEY'RE GOING TO PLACE IT AND MAINTAIN IT.
IF THERE AREN'T ANY QUESTIONS, MR. MAYOR, I WOULD RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION 25-13.
>> I RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION 25-13.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. DISCUSSION?
>> I LIKE IT WHEN OTHER PEOPLE PAY FOR THINGS.
>> [LAUGHTER] VERY GOOD. ME TOO.
HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY WITH AYE.
>> OPPOSED? RESOLUTION NUMBER 25-13 IS PASSED.
[9.A. ORDINANCE NO. 20-25-177, Public Hearing and Final Reading]
ORDINANCE NUMBER 20-25-177, PUBLIC HEARING AND FINAL READING, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH,[01:20:01]
FLORIDA, FOR FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2023 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024, FOR APPROPRIATING ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO THE POLICE PENSION FUND AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. MR. KILLINGSWORTH.>> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THIS IS THE SECOND AND FINAL HEARING ON A BUDGET AMENDMENT, AS YOU HEARD, I BELIEVE IT WAS LAST TIME.
WE HAD A REPORT FROM OUR AUDITOR.
THE BIG PENALTY WHEN YOUR AUDIT IS LATE AS THEY HOLD POLICE PENSION FUNDS UNTIL YOU TURN IT IN, AND THEN THEY GIVE YOU THOSE POLICE PENSION FUNDS.
WE JUST NEED TO COVER THE GAP UNTIL WE GET THOSE FUNDS, WHICH WE EXPECT WILL BE RECEIVED THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
WITH THAT, MR. MAYOR, I'D RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 20-25-177.
>> AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. DONNA?
>> I DON'T HAVE ANY SPEAKERS, MAYOR.
>> THANK YOU. I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
>> I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 20-25-177.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. DISCUSSION?
>> WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THIS AGAIN, RIGHT?
>> NO. IT IS CERTAINLY MY INTENT NOT TO HAVE IT HAPPEN AGAIN.
BUT I THINK WE DID LEARN SOME LESSONS THERE.
ONE, WE STARTED TOO LATE, AND WE DIDN'T GET THE HELP ON BOARD THAT WE NEEDED, SO WE HAVE A CONSULTANT THAT HELPS US WITH THIS.
I THINK THERE WAS A RELUCTANCE FROM STAFF TO UTILIZE THEM UNTIL IT BECAME APPARENT THAT WE HAD TO.
I'VE DIRECTED THEM TO BRING THEM ON BOARD IN THE BEGINNING, AND LET'S GET THROUGH THIS.
THE HOPE AND INTENT IS NOT TO REPEAT IT.
I WILL SAY NEPTUNE BEACH STILL HAS SEVERAL THAT ARE OUT, PAST MULTIPLE YEARS, I BELIEVE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT FOR A FACT. [OVERLAPPING] CITY MANAGER.
[LAUGHTER] DO YOU HEAR THAT, RICKY?
>> FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY WITH AYE.
ITEM 9B, ORDINANCE NUMBER 95-25-125,
[9.B. ORDINANCE NO. 95-25-125, Introduction and First Reading]
INTRODUCTION IN FIRST READING, AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 5, BEACHES AND PARKS; ARTICLE 3, PUBLIC PARKS, TO ADD A NEW SECTION 5-34, ESTABLISHING RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR CONDUCTING BUSINESS ACTIVITIES IN CITY-OWNED PARKS AND FACILITIES, PROVIDING DEFINITIONS, PROVIDING FOR RULES AND REGULATIONS, PROVIDING FOR PROHIBITIONS, PROVIDING FOR PENALTIES AND ENFORCEMENT, PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT AND SEVERABILITY, PROVIDING FOR INCORPORATION IN THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. MR. KILLINGSWORTH.>> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. LET ME BACK UP.
BASICALLY, OUR CODE GIVES THE CITY MANAGER THE ABILITY TO NEGOTIATE RECURRING USE OF OUR PARKS WITH NONPROFITS.
TYPICALLY, IF AN ORDINANCE SPEAKS TO ONE THING, YOU CAN'T INTERPRET THE OTHER INTO IT BECAUSE THEN THE THING THAT IS MENTIONED HAS NO MEANING.
WHAT THIS ORDINANCE DOES IS IT GRANTS THE CITY MANAGER THE ABILITY TO WORK WITH PRIVATE COMPANIES FOR RECURRING USES OF THE PARK.
THERE ARE A COUPLE THAT WE'RE AWARE OF.
THE INTENT HERE IS NOT TO ENCOURAGE PRIVATE COMPANIES USING OUR PARKS, BUT IF THEY ARE NOT UNDER CONTRACT WITH US AND NOT DEMONSTRATING THAT THEY HAVE THE PROPER LIABILITY AND EVERYTHING ELSE, THERE'S THE ENFORCEMENT CLAUSE IN HERE, WHICH IS A $500 CITATION.
THE INTENT OF THIS IS STRICTLY TO DEAL WITH THE LACK OF CLARITY ON WHETHER OR NOT FOR-PROFIT COMPANIES CAN UTILIZE THE PARKS.
WE DO HAVE ONGOING DISCUSSIONS ON ALCOHOL.
THERE'S A SEPARATE SECTION THAT TALKS ABOUT WHERE ALCOHOL IS ALLOWED AND WHAT TYPE OF ALCOHOL IS ALLOWED.
WE'RE INTERNALLY DEBATING AND WORKING THROUGH THAT PROCESS RIGHT NOW.
WHEN STAFF HAS SOMETHING TO ARTICULATE ON THAT, WE'LL BRING THAT FORWARD TO THE COMMISSION.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING SEPARATE FROM THIS.
THIS IS SIMPLY SO THAT WE CAN GO OUT AND START DEALING WITH THE TWO OR THREE PRIVATE FIRMS WHO ARE USING OUR PARKS, NOT REGISTERED WITH US AND NOT COMPLYING WITH ANY OF OUR RULES AND REGULATIONS.
WITH THAT, MR. MAYOR, I WOULD RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF ORDINANCE 95-25-125.
>> MOVE WE ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 95-25-125 AS READ.
[01:25:05]
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND DISCUSSION.
COMMISSIONER JUST RECOGNIZE THIS IS THE FIRST READING.
>> YEAH. SO I JUST HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CONCERN ON AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE RIGHT PLACE TO ADDRESS IT, BUT WE DO SEEM TO HAVE WITH INCREASING LEVELS OF INTEREST TO USE OUR PARKS.
WE HAVE AN OVERFLOW OF PARKING.
ARE WE ADDRESSING THAT? ARE WE CONCERNED ABOUT IT? I'VE HEARD AGAIN, ALONG THE LINES OF TREES.
I HEAR WE'RE PARKING ON THE ROOTS SO THERE ARE PRETTY NICE TREES, BORDERING PARK.
ON PLAZA, I'M SORRY, WHICH IS NOT VERY DESIRABLE.
I GUESS, MAYBE WE NEED INCREASED POLICE PRESENCE TO DIRECT PEOPLE TO THE APPROPRIATE PARKING? I DON'T KNOW. I'LL LET YOU COMMENT.
>> I DON'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS LAST COMMISSION MEETING OR THE COMMISSION MEETING BEFORE.
I TALKED ABOUT THE FARMERS MARKET AND THAT THE TIME BUT AT LEAST THE LAST TWO TIMES, I DIDN'T GO THIS SUNDAY.
BUT THE TWO SUNDAYS BEFORE, THEY WERE NOTICEABLY LARGER AND BIGGER.
ALL THE PARKING ON THE WEST SIDE OF OUR PARKING LOT WAS CONSUMED BY FOOD TRUCKS AND TENTS AND THE NUMBER OF USES THAT WERE IN THE PARK APPEARED TO BE GREATER.
CERTAINLY, THE PARKING WAS RUNNING DOWN SEMINAR, RUNNING ALL THE WAY DOWN PLAZA, RUNNING DOWN PARK SIDE.
SO I'VE ASKED KEVIN AND AMANDA TO REACH OUT TO OUR VENDOR THERE AND TRY TO REIN THAT IN.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS SUNDAY WAS EVEN WORSE THAN THE PRIOR TWO SUNDAYS AND THAT PARKING DOWN PLAZA WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO SANDPIPER, WHICH IS CRAZY.
SO WE'RE GOING TO REIN THAT IN.
IT MIGHT TAKE US A LITTLE WHILE TO GET THERE THERE, BUT IT IS OUR INTENT TO REIN THAT IN.
>> YOU CAN SEE THE SLIGHT HYPOCRISY THAT WE'RE GOING TO LET PARKING GO A FILE AT A PARK OF THAT WHERE WE'RE HOLDING OUR BUSINESSES TO CERTAIN STRONG REGULATIONS ABOUT THEIR PARKING.
I WOULD JUST PLACE EMERGENCY ON THAT ON THAT EFFORT. THANK YOU.
IF YOU NOTICE THAT THE VENDORS BEFORE THE MARKET START TAKE UP MOST OF THE PARKING ALONG THE SIDE.
I THINK ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS IS HAVE A VENDOR PARKING AREA WHETHER IT BE IN THIS PARKING LOT OR WHATEVER, BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT THAT LAST WEEKEND WAS.
AND IT'S ALSO A SAFETY BANK BECAUSE YOU HAVE KIDS THAT ARE WALKING OUT BEHIND CARS THERE THAT ARE WALKING ACROSS THE STREET.
SO YEAH, IT'S ALMOST OUTGROWN IT'S BENEFIT, AT LEAST IN MY OPINION.
>> YOU CAN TELL IT THAT THE BASEBALL IS ON TOO.
>> YES. I'VE BEEN PUSHING FOR THIS FOR A WHILE.
AND THE CITIES WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE RELIABLE FOR INJURIES AS THE CITY MANAGER DIRECTED.
THIS IS NOT A HYPOTHETICAL THING.
THIS IS A THING THAT'S HAPPENING TODAY.
KEVIN, IS THE PICTURES CAN I BRING THOSE UP? THIS IS WHAT'S GOING, YOU KNOW, SO JUST AS AN EXAMPLE.
I THINK THESE ARE ALL WITHIN A WEEK.
>> THIS IS IN ONE OF BUSH PARKS.
THEY'VE ACTUALLY PAINTED CITY PROPERTY.
THERE'S SOME OF THEIR BEAUTIFUL ARTWORK.
THESE ARE STRUCTURES THAT ARE BUILT IN CITY PROPERTY TODAY.
THAT'S SHOWING THAT SO I COULD GO ON AND ON THAT CITY MANAGER AND KEVIN ARE PROBABLY TIRED OF ME.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS NOT ONLY THAT, IS WHEN YOU LOOK AT SWINGS, ETC.
AND AS A CITIZEN, ARE YOU GOING TO WALK THROUGH A DAYCARE? I DON'T KNOW. MAYBE YOU ARE, MAYBE YOU'RE NOT.
BUT I CAN TELL IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, NOT APPRECIATED THAT WE ARE RUNNING ON A DAILY BASIS A DAYCARE CENTER OR ONE OF OUR PARKS.
I THINK A PICTURE'S WORTH OF THERE'S ONE OF MY FAVORITES.
THEY MADE UP THEIR OWN RULES FOR OUR PARK.
SOMETHING ABOUT THAT TWIST ME A LITTLE BIT. I'LL ADMIT.
SO I GUESS SOONER OR BETTER ON THIS LIABILITY ISSUE,
[01:30:01]
BECAUSE I KNOW HYPOTHETICALLY THE CHANCES OF SOMETHING HAPPENING ARE 5% LESS.BUT WHEN I SEE THREE SWINGS AND I SEE CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE RED LIGHTS GO OFF PUBLIC.
SO ANYWAY, I JUST WANT TO GIVE A CURRENT EXAMPLE LIKE I SAID, THAT IS HAPPENING TODAY.
AND THAT'S WHY THIS IS URGENT FOR ME.
>> I JUST HAD A SUGGESTION FOR PARKING REGARDING THE FARMERS MARKET.
WHAT ABOUT OPENING UP THE SOCCER FIELD, EITHER TO THE VENDORS, THE FOOD VENDORS TO GO THERE? THAT MIGHT FREE UP SOME PARKING OR TO ALLOW THAT.
I DON'T KNOW, DO WE HAVE SUNDAY PARKING THERE?
>> I THINK THE CONCERN WOULD BE THAT THE PARKING WOULD TEAR UP THE FIELD.
>> YEAH. THAT FIELD DOES GET USED.
>> WE DO USE THAT FIELD OURSELVES FOR THE VENDORS, THOUGH, DURING THE FALL FESTIVALS.
>> YEAH. AND WE HAVE SOCCER GOING ON THERE.
WE HAVE A NONPROFIT SOCCER CLUB THAT PLAYS THERE.
>> IF I MAY, I THINK WHEN THE VENDORS EXIT OR FARMERS MARKET, YOU CAN SEE WHERE THEY WERE, YOU'LL END UP WITH A SANDPIT WHERE THEY'RE STANDING AND WHERE THINGS ARE PLACED AND SO ON.
SO I DON'T THINK YOU WANT TO DO THAT TO YOUR PARK.
BUT I THINK WHAT I REALLY LIKE TO HEAR IS WHEN YOU WILL GIVE US THE FINAL RESOLUTION, CITY MANAGER, AS TO THE CONTROL OVER SIZE. THAT'S THE ISSUE.
>> AS SOON AS WE HAVE THE MEETING, I'LL REPORT BACK.
>> AND THEN BY NEXT MEETING, COULD YOU PERHAPS REPORT ON THE USE OF OUR PARKS BY DAYCARES OR OTHERS THAT ARE NOT REALLY WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THERE'S ANY AUTHORIZATION ON THAT.
>> NO, THERE'S NO AUTHORIZATION.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY.
IF YOU DO ANYTHING ON CITY PROPERTY, THERE'S GOT TO BE A CONTRACT, THERE'S GOT TO BE A CLAUSE IN THERE.
I'LL TURN IT TO THE CITY ATTORNEY OF LIABILITY, WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO, WHAT TIMES YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT, ETC.
OTHER CITIES HAVE FORMS THAT GO THROUGH THREE OR FOUR CHECKLISTS AND SAY, OKAY, THE CITY'S GOING TO APPROVE THIS ACTION IN THIS PARK, INCLUDING LIABILITY.
>> MY QUESTION IS, THIS ORDINANCE DOESN'T ADDRESS HOW YOU WOULD GO ABOUT GETTING A CONTRACT OR GETTING PERMISSION.
AT LEAST WE SHOULD REFER TO CONTACT WHOEVER IN ORDER TO GET THIS.
SO DOES THIS WORK FOR THAT LITTLE POP UP SOCCER CAMP WE HAVE UP HERE IN THE CORNER? SO DOES SOMEBODY GO UP TO HIM AND SAY, HEY, WHAT ARE WE DOING?
>> ACTUALLY, KEVIN WENT UP TO [LAUGHTER] US AND SAID, HEY, WHAT ARE WE DOING? AND WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT THERE WERE A FOR PROFIT, WE ADVISED THEM THAT WE COULD LIKE THE ACTIVITY THERE, BUT WE ONLY PARTNERED WITH NON PROFITS TO DO THIS.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO IN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, KEVIN, THEY'RE LOOKING AT CONVERTING TO A NONPROFIT SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE THEIR GRAPHIC.
>> WE USE THAT IT'S AN UNUSED CORNER. IT'S PRETTY SPOT.
AND SO I GUESS MY OTHER ONE IS YOUR MINI DAYCARE THERE? IS IT FOR PROFIT?
>> NOT A MINI DAYCARE OF COURSE, YES.
>> YEAH. AND IT'S UP TO 24 KIDS. IT'S NOT MINI.
SO BUT WHERE'S THE LINE BETWEEN RECOUPING YOUR EXPENSES AND BEING A NONPROFIT? WHAT'S THE LINE THERE?
>> WELL, I'M NOT SO MUCH INTERESTED IN RECOUPING EXPENSES OR NOT.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE ALLOW IT, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT'S A FOR PROFIT OR A NONPROFIT THAT THE CITY IS PROTECTED.
>> I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT I WAS JUST WONDERING, SO THE POP UP, I GUESS THAT DAYCARE MUST BE FOR PROFIT.
>> I APPRECIATE IF YOU DIDN'T CALL IT MY DAYCARE. NO.
>> COME ON, YOU HAD THREE DAUGHTERS.
I KNOW YOU'VE DONE DAYCARE [LAUGHTER].
>> BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I PAID FOR IN SOME PLACE THAT HAD LIABILITY INSURANCE.
>> BUT IT IS YOUR PARK. IT'S MARVIN. THAT'S MARVIN.
>> YOU GUYS ARE GONNA TEAM UP ON ME.
OKAY, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS ON THE NEXT.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. I OWN THIS ONE.
>> DOES THIS ADDRESS THE LIABILITY ISSUE? SO THEN IF THEY ARE NONPROFIT, DO THEY HAVE TO HAVE THEIR OWN INSURANCE AS FAR AS LIABILITY GOES?
>> YEAH. SO THIS ORDINANCE DOESN'T GET INTO THOSE WEEDS.
IT JUST GIVES THE CITY MANAGER THE AUTHORITY TO HAVE THE DISCRETION TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM BUT IT WOULD BE THE SAME WE HAVE POLICIES IN PLACE
[01:35:03]
ON HOW WE DO IT WITH NONPROFITS AND IT WOULD BE THE SAME.THE RISK MANAGEMENT POLICY IS SOMETHING THAT THIS COMMISSION HAS ALREADY SEEN AND ALREADY BEEN APPROVED.
THEIR ORDINANCE IS THE CITY MANAGER SHALL APPROVE PRIVATES.
I CAN TELL YOU, THERE HAS TO BE SOME PUBLIC PURPOSE THAT IS COHERENT AND PART OF THE VALUES OF ATLANTIC BEACH TO GET ME TO WANT TO DO A FOR PROFIT.
I'M MUCH MORE INCLINED TO PARTNER WITH NONPROFITS. YES.
>> FRIENDLY SUGGESTION JUST FROM WHAT I HEARD HERE.
I THINK THIS IS ALREADY INHERENT IN THAT SUBSECTION D, AND YOU HAVE THE THREE BULLET POINTS.
AND THERE'S ONE THAT SAYS THE CITY MANAGER CAN BASICALLY IMPOSE CONDITIONS OR RESTRICTIONS.
AND I THINK IT'S INHERENT IN THAT, BUT PERHAPS WE COULD ADD ANOTHER FOURTH BULLET POINT THAT INCLUDES AND ENTER INTO ANY APPLICABLE USE AGREEMENTS AS FORM APPROVED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY.
WE DON'T HAVE TO GET INTO THE GRANULAR DETAIL.
I MEAN OBVIOUSLY, THAT WOULD INCLUDE INSURANCE INDEMNIFICATION, THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT IF WE WANT TO JUST MAYBE HIGHLIGHT THAT AND UNDERSCORE, MAYBE WE ADD ANOTHER BULLET POINT, THAT'S JUST FROM WHAT I'M HEARING HERE.
>> SOMEBODY WANT TO MAKE THAT ADD?
>> SURE. AND WE CAN BRING IT PREPARED FOR THE SECOND READING NEXT TIME TO HAVE THAT AMENDMENT.
AND WHILE WE'RE AT IT, IT'S MORE OF A SCRIVENER'S THING AND PERHAPS I SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT THIS EARLIER.
THIS IS BASICALLY A NEW SECTION 5-34, BUT THERE IS ACTUALLY AN EXISTING 5-34 THAT DEALS WITH TURTLE PROTECTION OR SOMETHING.
SO WE'LL ALSO PROBABLY HAVE TO ADD A SCRIVENER'S LIKE ANOTHER PROVISION IN THERE THAT JUST SAID WE'RE GOING TO RENUMBER THE OTHER PROVISIONS AFTER IT.
THAT'S ALL. SO WITH THAT AND THAT OTHER BULLET POINT, MAYBE SOMEONE COULD MOVE AN AMENDMENT.
>> I RECOMMEND WE MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO LAWYERIZE [LAUGHTER].
BUT I THINK YOU MAKE A GOOD POINT BECAUSE WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES.
YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE OTHER SIDE.
WHEN WE DO GET SUED OR THAT HAPPENS, WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR DUCKS IN HER.
SO I APPRECIATE ADDING THAT ON.
>> SO DO WE WANT TO VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT?
>> WELL, NO, THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE.
WELL, YOU GAVE THE MOTION, SO WE HAVE IT.
>> WE HAVE A SECOND. SO NOW FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENT.
HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT.
>> AYE. OPPOSED. THAT CARRIES.
SO NOW WE CAN GO BACK TO THE MAIN MOTION ON ORDINANCE NUMBER 95-25-125.
>> I RECOMMEND WE APPROVE ORDINANCE 5-20 5-71 AS AMENDED.
>> OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY WITH AYE.
MOVING ALONG TO 9C ORDINANCE NUMBER 5-25-71,
[9.C. ORDINANCE NO. 5-25-71, Introduction and First Reading (Part 1 of 2)]
INTRODUCTION IN FIRST READING.AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA, REPEALING PORTIONS OF PREVIOUS RESOLUTIONS REGARDING THE CREATION OF THE ARTS, RECREATION, AND CULTURE COMMITTEE, CHANGING THE TITLE OF CHAPTER 5 TO BEACHES, PARKS, AND RECREATION, WITH THE PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING PROVISIONS GOVERNING THE ARTS, RECREATION, AND CULTURE COMMITTEE INCLUDING PURPOSE, MEMBERSHIP, TERMS OF MEMBERSHIP, FILLING OF VACANCIES, REMOVAL OF MEMBERS, DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, CITY STAFF, ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT, PROCEDURES, AND RULES, ORGANIZATION OF OFFICERS AND LIABILITY TO CITY, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. MR. KILINGSWOR.
>> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. SO ORDINANCE 5-25-71.
CURRENTLY, THE ART IS CREATED BY RESOLUTION.
IT WOULD ESTABLISH THE NUMBER AT SEVEN, WHICH IS WHAT IT IS NOW.
IT WOULD ELIMINATE THE ALTERNATE.
IT'S NOT A QUADRA JUDICIAL BODY AND SO STAFF DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THE ALTERNATE WAS NECESSARY.
EACH COMMISSION DISTRICT WOULD BE REPRESENTED ON THE COMMITTEE.
SO THERE WOULD BE FOUR STRICT MEMBERS AND THEN THREE AT LARGE MEMBERS.
EACH MEMBER WOULD BE LIMITED TO TWO, THREE YEAR TERMS. SUBCOMMITTEES WOULDN'T BE PERMITTED.
THE COMMITTEE WOULD BE LIMITED TO TWO MEETINGS A MONTH UNLESS IT WAS GRANTED AN EXCEPTION BY THE CITY MANAGER.
[01:40:04]
THE ART COMMITTEE WOULD PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRIORITIES AND THEN THAT THE CITY COMMISSION WOULD ASSIGN THOSE PRIORITIES TO THE ART COMMISSION AND THAT'S WHAT THEY WOULD WORK ON FOR THE NEXT YEAR.>> WE'RE ALSO ADDING ACTIVE PARKS IN TERMS OF THEIR FACILITIES FROM ESC TO ARCC, AND THAT LINES UP WITH REORGANIZING PARKS AND REC SO THAT WE HAVE PARK PLANNING, PARK MAINTENANCE, AND PARK PROGRAMMING, ALL ON ONE SIDE FROM THE CITY STAFF SIDE, AND THEN THE SAME THING AND WE WOULD GET PARK PROGRAMMING AND PARK MAINTENANCE INFRASTRUCTURE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE ARCC COMMITTEE.
THE OTHER CHANGE WOULD BE THE QUORUM.
IT WOULD HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS OR A QUORUM WOULD BE FOUR.
THEY COULD MEET WITH LESS THAN FOUR.
IF THEY HAD ONLY FOUR, THE MAJORITY WOULD BE THE MAJORITY OF THE BODY, SO THAT WOULD BE FOUR MEMBERS.
IF ONLY FOUR MEMBERS SHOWED UP AND IT'S A QUORUM OF FOUR, FOR ANY ACTION TO BE MOVED FORWARD, THEY'D HAVE TO HAVE A UNANIMOUS VOTE.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS ANY RECOMMENDATION THAT'S PRESENTED TO THIS BODY WOULD BE A RECOMMENDATION OF THE MAJORITY, NOT A POTENTIAL RECOMMENDATION.
THAT WAS THE MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS PRESENT, BUT NOT THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMITTEE.
IF YOU'D LIKE, MR. MAYOR, BECAUSE THIS IS TIED WITH ESC, I CAN DO THE PRESENTATION FOR ESC AS WELL, AND THEN WE CAN COME BACK AND DO THEM SEPARATELY.
>> WITH THE PERMISSION OF THE COMMISSION, CAN WE DO THAT?
>> I'D RATHER DO THEM SEPARATELY BECAUSE THE ESC HAS A LOT MORE AT STAKE.
>> WELL, WE'RE STILL DOING THEM SEPARATELY.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS [OVERLAPPING] AN EXPLANATION, SO STAFF REPORT BECAUSE IT MAY BE PERTINENT AS TO THE DECISIONING ON THE SEVENTH.
>> I THINK THERE'S CERTAIN ASPECTS TO ARCC.
WE CAN'T IMPROVE THIS UNTIL WE'VE HEARD ALL THE LOGISTICS BEHIND THE AMENDMENTS TO ESC.
>> CORRECT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STAFF ARE RECOMMENDING IS THAT THE ACTIVE PARKS BE MOVED TO ARCC, WHICH IT'S CURRENTLY ESC.
I THINK IT MAKES SOME SENSE TO AT LEAST HEAR THE STAFF REPORT TOGETHER, AND THEN YOU CAN TAKE ACTION SEPARATELY.
I THINK ACTUALLY, YOU HAVE TO TAKE ACTION SEPARATELY ON THEM, BUT I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO HEAR A STAFF REPORT.
>> THEN WITH THE PERMISSION OF THIS COMMISSION, I'M GOING TO SUSPEND 9C AND MOVE TO 9D, AND WE'LL INSERT 9C AFTER 9D. IS THAT OKAY?
>> 9D, ORDINANCE NUMBER 95-25-124,
[9.D. ORDINANCE NO. 95-25-124, Introduction and First Reading]
INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING, AND ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, COUNTY OF DUVAL, STATE OF FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 23, PROTECTION OF TREES IN THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, DIVISION 3, PERMITS SECTION 23-23, PERMITS PROCEDURES, AND SECTION 23-25, APPEALS, AMENDING DIVISION 6 VIOLATIONS, ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTIES BY MOVING SECTION 23-52, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE INTENT INTO A NEW DIVISION 7 ENTITLED ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE AND RE-NUMBERING WITH NEW SECTIONS OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH CODE OF ORDINANCES, PROVIDING FOR ADOPTION OF SET AMENDMENTS, PROVIDING FOR PURPOSE, AND INTENT, PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT, PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. MR. [INAUDIBLE]>> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. SIR, ON THE ORDINANCE 95-25-124, THIS WILL SOUND SIMILAR, THOUGH I WILL GO IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL.
CURRENTLY, ESC IS ALREADY BY ORDINANCE, SO WE'RE AMENDING THE EXISTING ORDINANCE, UNLIKE ARCC, WHICH IS ESTABLISHED BY RESOLUTION AND CREATING AN ORDINANCE.
THIS COMMITTEE, WE'RE ALSO RECOMMENDING SEVEN MEMBERS.
I LOOKED AT THE ATTENDANCE GOING BACK TO 2020 AND THE AVERAGE ESC MEETING HAD LESS THAN EIGHT MEMBERS ATTEND EACH MONTH.
A FRIEND OF MINE USED THE WORD HUNKINESS WITH IT.
THERE IS THE FACT THAT IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, THEY'VE NOT HAD A FULL ESC, AND THEN IN 2020, THERE WAS COVID.
BUT EVEN GIVEN THAT, IF YOU LOOK AT THE LAST FIVE YEARS WERE UNDER EIGHT IN ATTENDANCE EACH MONTH ON AVERAGE.
[01:45:08]
SAME THING, EACH CITY COMMISSION DISTRICT WOULD BE REPRESENTED BY THE COMMITTEE, SO THERE WOULD BE FOUR DISTRICT MEMBERS AND THEN THREE AT LARGE MEMBERS.THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS WOULD ALSO BE LIMITED TO TWO THREE-YEAR TERMS. IN BOTH CASES ON BOTH COMMITTEES, THAT'S TO ENCOURAGE TURNOVER AND ENCOURAGE A NEW COLLECTION OF THOUGHT GOING FORWARD SO THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF OUR CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FULL REALM OF THOUGHTS AND BELIEFS TO BE ARTICULATED.
SUBCOMMITTEES WOULD BE ELIMINATED.
SAME THING IN TERMS OF TWO MEETINGS A MONTH UNLESS GRANTED AN EXCEPTION WITH ESC.
THEY HAVE THE SPEAKER SERIES, SO THOSE WOULDN'T COUNT IN MY VIEW, AND THEN WHENEVER THEY HAD SPECIAL MEETINGS.
I'M SURE WE COULD WORK THAT OUT.
BUT THE INTENT IS TO TRY TO MANAGE STAFF TIME, I BELIEVE FIRMLY.
THAT STAFF SHOULD BE TAKING THE MINUTES AND ENGAGED IN THE MEETINGS, WHICH IS NOT NECESSARILY THE CASE NOW.
AS WELL, THE CITY COMMISSION WOULD PRIORITIZE THE COMMITTEE'S WORK PLAN.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ORDINANCE FOR ESC, THERE'S A BROAD DOMAIN, FALLS UNDER FOUR PILLARS.
NOW, I THINK AT LEAST SOME MEMBERS ON ESC READ THAT AS THOUGH THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS ALL OF THE TIME.
WHEN I READ THE ORDINANCE, WHAT IT SAYS IS UPON THE REQUEST OF CITY COMMISSION OR THE CITY MANAGER, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO THOSE THINGS, AND THOSE THINGS ARE WITHIN THE DOMAIN.
THIS WOULD ALIGN ESC WITH WORKING ON THE THINGS THAT THE COMMISSION FINDS AS A PRIORITY, MUCH LIKE WITH ARCC, THE SAME THING.
THEN AGAIN, WE WOULD REMOVE ACTIVE PARKS TO ARCC.
THE OTHER THING, THE SIDE EFFECT OF GETTING RID OF SUBCOMMITTEES IS THAT YOU DO GET RID OF THE TREE COMMITTEE.
THE INTENT IS NOT TO GET RID OF OVERSIGHT, BUT THERE ARE SOME ASPECTS LIKE THE FIVE BUSINESS DAY WAITING PERIOD FOR A TREE PERMIT.
I ASKED STAFF TO LOOK BACK AT THE LAST PERMITS AND REPORT BACK WHAT COMMENTS WE GOT BACK FROM THE TREE COMMITTEE.
NINETY-NINE OF THOSE 100 PERMITS, WE EITHER GOT NO COMMENTS BACK OR WE GOT COMMENTS THAT WEREN'T PERTAINING TO THE TREE PERMIT.
NOW, A TREE PERMIT IS MINISTERIAL.
IF YOU MEET THE CRITERIA, WE HAVE TO ISSUE.
IT'S NOT DISCRETIONARY ON OUR PART.
IF YOU HAVE AN APPLICATION FOR A BUILDING PERMIT AND YOU MEET THE SETBACK, YOU MEET THE HEIGHT REQUIREMENTS, AND YOU MEET THE BUILDING CODE, THE CITY HAS TO ISSUE THE BUILDING PERMIT.
>> EVEN IF IT'S UGLY. ACTUALLY, THE STATE PREEMPTED LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FROM EVEN REGULATING WHAT'S UGLY OR NOT.
OUT OF THE LAST HUNDRED PERMITS, WE GOT ONE COMMENT THAT WAS PERTINENT.
THAT FIVE-DAY WAITING PERIOD, IT'S RESULTED IN A DELAY OF THE PROCESS BUT IT HASN'T RESULTED IN ENHANCED TREE PROTECTION.
THE OTHER THING THAT WOULD GO AWAY AS PART OF THE TREE COMMITTEE GOING AWAY IS REMOVAL OF ON-SITE INSPECTIONS.
THAT TOO IS SOMETHING THAT STAFF SAID JUST DOES NOT HAPPEN ROUTINELY.
ESC MEMBERS DON'T COME OUT FOR ON-SITE INSPECTIONS TYPICALLY.
BUT WHAT WOULD CONTINUE TO HAPPEN IS ESC WOULD CONTINUE TO GET ALL OF THE PERMITS, JUST LIKE THEY GET NOW.
THEY CAN LOOK AT THOSE PERMITS, OVERSEE THOSE PERMITS, REPORT BACK TO THE COMMISSION IF THEY SEE SOMETHING THAT THEY FEEL IS ODD OR INAPPROPRIATE.
I WILL SAY TOO THAT THE ESC HAS PUT TOGETHER THEIR PRIORITIES.
ONE OF THE PRIORITIES ON THERE IS QUARTERLY REPORTING OF PERMIT ACTIVITY.
IT IS A PRIORITY THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THE COMMISSION TAKE ON.
THE SHORT OF IT IS THE ONLY ACTIVITY PER SE THAT'S BEING TAKEN AWAY IS THE ACTIVE PARKS.
PASSIVE PARKS WOULD STILL BELONG TO ESC, SO THAT'S DUTTON ISLAND, TIDE VIEWS, AND SO WE PRESERVE TRAIL.
THOSE PARKS THAT WE OWN, PARTICULARLY FOR PRESERVATION AND THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITY WOULD STILL REMAIN THE DOMAIN OF ESC.
LIKE ARCC, THE QUORUM WOULD BE FOUR, AND THEN TO MOVE A RECOMMENDATION FORWARD, IT WOULD TAKE FOUR VOTES.
[01:50:02]
IF YOU ONLY HAVE YOUR QUORUM OF FOUR, IT WOULD TAKE A UNANIMOUS VOTE EITHER TO APPROVE OR DENY.IF YOU HAD SIX MEMBERS SHOW UP, THEN TWO OF THE MEMBERS COULD BE IN A DIFFERENT POSITION THAN THE OTHER FOUR AND MOVE THE POSITION FORWARD.
LET ME NOT BACK UP, BUT CONTINUE FORWARD.
SARAH AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS, I THINK WE'VE HAD AT LEAST THREE OR FOUR MEETINGS ON IT.
I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY SHE DOESN'T AGREE WITH MY PERSPECTIVE ON IT, BUT I DID REACH OUT TO HER AND SAY, HEY, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A COMPROMISE HERE ON NINE SEATS? I WATCHED THE MEETING.
ESC HELD A SPECIAL MEETING LAST WEEK AND IT WENT FOR TWO HOURS, AND IN THE END, THEY DID VOTE TO ACCEPT THE CHANGES AT NINE MEMBERS AS OPPOSED TO SEVEN.
THE MOTION STARTED OUT ACCEPTING THE POINTS THAT I OFFERED AND EVERYTHING WE DISCUSSED OVER THE LAST TWO HOURS.
THAT MADE THE WHOLE MOTION BASICALLY UNCLEAR, WHAT THEY WERE PASSING.
SARAH SENT AN EMAIL TO ME, BASICALLY, THAT CAPTURED WHAT SHE THOUGHT THE MOTION PASSED.
BASED OFF THAT EMAIL, WE DID DRAFT UP THE DIFFERENT TOPICS THAT HER EMAIL BROACHED, AND THEN NOT RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT OUR ATTEMPT TO CAPTURE WHAT WOULD BE AN AMENDMENT BASED ON THAT.
BUT AT THIS POINT, QUITE FRANKLY, I THINK I'M IN A POSITION WHERE THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS AS THE STAFF REPORT STATED.
WOULD THAT, MR. MAYOR, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE UP 124 OR GO BACK TO 71.
I WILL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION DEPENDING UPON WHICH ITEM YOU WANT TO TAKE UP.
>> FINE. I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE UP 124 BECAUSE DEPENDING UPON WHETHER YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THE REDUCTION FROM 11 TO SEVEN OR SOMETHING OTHER THAN 11 TO SEVEN, THEN THAT WOULD PERHAPS DRIVE THE DECISIONING ON THE PREVIOUS ORDINANCE.
>> WITH THAT THEN, MR. MAYOR, THE STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND REVIEW AND CONSIDER APPROVING ORDINANCE NUMBER 95-25-124 ON THE FIRST READING.
>> I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION AND THEN WE'LL OPEN UP DISCUSSION.
>> I'LL MAKE THAT WE APPROVE ORDINANCE 95-25-124.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND, NOW WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSION. COMMISSIONER.
>> A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. MAYBE I'M OUT OF THE LOOP PERIOD.
IN THIS, THE BOTTOM LINE IS HOW MANY WOULD BE ON THE ESC TODAY IF THIS IS APPROVED.
>> IF THIS ORDINANCE IS APPROVED, IT WOULD BE SEVEN.
>> SEVEN. THAT'S WHAT THE OTHER COMMITTEES HAVE?
>> THAT IS WHAT ARCC HAS CURRENTLY WITH AN ALTERNATE.
WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT NEITHER ESC NOR ARCC HAVE AN ALTERNATE.
>> I'M GOING TO USE A MILITARY TERM ON YOU JUST BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I KNOW.
I THINK WHAT THE GENESIS OR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS SPAN OF CONTROL.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU HAVE X AMOUNT OF PEOPLE, YOU HAVE SO MANY SUPERVISORS THAT HAVE BEEN SHOWN THAT THEY CAN SUPERVISE, GET FEEDBACK, MOVE FORWARD.
IS THAT WHERE WE'RE GOING HERE? IS THAT WE'RE REDUCING THE SPAN OF CONTROL OF THE ESC?
>> WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT MORE NIMBLE AND EFFICIENT, BOTH FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE AND THE ABILITY TO HAVE THE COMMITTEE FOCUS.
WE PROVIDED SOME SITES FROM LITERATURE.
SMALLER COMMITTEES ARE JUST EASIER TO GET WORK THROUGH AND DONE BY AND I THINK SEVEN WOULD BE [OVERLAPPING]
>> IT'S YOUR OPINION, I GUESS, THAT THE TREE COMMITTEE IN ITSELF AS A SEPARATE ENTITY DID NOT ADD TO THE EQUATION.
>> I THINK THE PRINCIPAL THINGS THAT FELL WITHIN THE TREE SUBCOMMITTEE IN TERMS OF THE REVIEW OF TREE PERMITS, LIKE I SAID, BASED OUT OF 100 PERMITS THAT WE GOT IN THE PAST, LOOKING BACKWARDS, OUT OF THOSE HUNDRED, WE ONLY GOT ONE COMMENT THAT WAS PERTINENT TO THE PERMIT AND THE CRITERIA OF ISSUING A PERMIT.
THAT WHOLE FUNCTION DOESN'T SEEM TO ADD VALUE.
[01:55:03]
I'M NOT SAYING THAT AN OVERSIGHT OF HOW THE CITY PROCESSES TREE PERMITS OR THE TREE CANOPY OF ITSELF OR AN AUDIT OF WHAT WE DO ISN'T IMPORTANT.I THINK THOSE FUNCTIONS, AND WE DIDN'T TAKE THEM OUT OF ESC.
THOSE FUNCTIONS STILL RESIDE WITHIN ESC.
>> IT'S JUST THAT WOULD BE DONE BY THE BODY AS A WHOLE AS OPPOSED TO ESC.
>> I WANT TO START BY SAYING THAT THIS MOVEMENT DID NOT ORIGINATE IN THIS COMMITTEE.
WE NEVER VOTED TO CHANGE THE STRUCTURE OF ESC.
NOW, MANAGEMENT WISE, YOU HAVE GOOD DATA AND YOU HAVE GOOD, REFERENCES, BUT THAT DIDN'T COME FROM US.
AS SOMEBODY SAID TONIGHT, THE CITIZENS NOT FOUR MONTHS AGO SAID, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP IS IMPORTANT TO US.
NOW, WE WROTE AN ORDINANCE SEVEN YEARS AGO, EIGHT YEARS AGO THAT GAVE THEM THIS MUCH, THAT GAVE THEM AN ENORMOUS SPAN OF CONTROL.
FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, THEY HAVE SENT US THEIR PRIORITIES AND WE AS A COMMISSION DID NOTHING WITH THEM.
>> CURIOUS. WHAT ORDINANCE ARE YOU REFERRING TO FOUR MONTHS AGO?
>> THE CITIZEN SAID, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP IS IMPORTANT TO US.
AS OUTSIDE LOOKING IN, I KNOW WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOREVER, AND THE STAFF MUST BE SICK TO DEATH OF IT, BUT IT HASN'T REALLY PERMEATED INTO EVEN THE MOST ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO BUY INTO IT.
NOW, I LIKE THE DATA YOU HAD FOR THE TREE COMMITTEE, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE FEEL SECURE THAT WE ARE KEEPING AN EYE ON OUR TREES.
WE DON'T WANT ANY MORE CORPSES STACKED BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
STILL THE ESC HAS A EDUCATION ARM OF IT.
OBVIOUSLY, THAT HOA DIDN'T GET EDUCATED ON WHAT OUR TREE PART CODE IS, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE SENT OUT THOSE POSTCARDS, EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEEN POSTED AROUND, THE EDUCATION PIECE OF THAT STILL ISN'T DONE.
I UNDERSTAND YOUR DATA FROM 11-7, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THEY DO BEHIND THE SCENE THAT DOESN'T NEED TO BE DONE IN A COMMITTEE.
THERE'S A LOT OF RESEARCH, THERE'S A LOT OF OUTREACH, A LOT OF DATA COLLECTION THAT THEY DO THAT'S NOT DONE SITTING TOGETHER IN A COMMITTEE.
I'D LIKE TO ARGUE FOR THE NINE.
I COULD LIVE WITHOUT THE 11, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
IF WE WANT TO SAY, "ALL THE THINGS WE GAVE YOU TO DO, WE DON'T WANT YOU TO DO IT ANYMORE." THEN THE CITIZENS ARE GOING TO SAY, "WELL, HECK, WE JUST VOTED TO ADD IT TO THE CHARTER.
WHAT IS IT YOU GUYS ARE DOING HERE?"
>> THIS WAS BROUGHT TO THE COMMISSION BY STAFF AND WE'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW TO FIND THAT MIDDLE GROUND BETWEEN EFFICIENCY AND WITHOUT DILUTION OF THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT'S BEING DONE.
WE WANT THE QUALITY STILL THERE.
AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE EFFICIENT WITH WHAT WE AS A COMMISSION PROVIDE OUR COMMITTEES TO WORK ON.
THAT IS HOW IT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO ME AND I IMAGINE TO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AS WELL. BUT I HAVE QUESTIONS.
FOR ONE, I HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING, SHE'S NOT HERE, BUT I'M SURE SHE HAS BEEN SPEAKING TO OUR CITY MANAGER REGARDING HER PURVIEW BECAUSE ESC WOULD HAVE BEEN RIGHT UNDERNEATH HER AND HER DEPARTMENT.
THIS WOULD HAVE AFFECTED HER DEPARTMENT SUBSTANTIALLY.
SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN ALL OF THOSE SUBCOMMITTEES.
SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN AT EVERY ESC.
SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO DO THOSE MINUTES.
HEARING FROM HER DIRECTLY AND PUBLICLY TONIGHT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPORTANT FOR ME.
AS I AM LOOKING TO CHANGE THESE ORDINANCES, AS I'VE HEARD WHAT FOUR OR FIVE PEOPLE AND MAYBE THREE EMAIL SENT TO ME, MAYBE MORE THAN THAT, ALONG WITH THE CITY COMMISSIONERS ABOUT WHERE DID THIS COME FROM? SHE'S NOT HERE TO SPEAK ON THAT, BUT I'M SURE SHE HAS SHARED THOSE REFLECTIONS WITH THE CITY MANAGER.
FURTHERMORE, CITY CLERK IS HERE TO SHARE MY QUESTIONS FOR
[02:00:05]
YOU ABOUT HOW DID THE STREAMLINE OF THE TABLE THAT WAS CREATED? I KNOW ESC HAS IT IN THEIR MINUTES AND SHARED.WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT BMRC TODAY AND THAT'S FORTHCOMING.
BUT CAN YOU SHARE OUT OF YOUR OPINION IN YOUR OFFICE, HOW THE STREAMLINE OF WHY SEVEN IS SO IMPORTANT VERSUS NINE OR 11, WHY THE QUORUM IS IMPORTANT, HOW THAT AFFECTS YOUR CITY OFFICE, OR WOULD THAT FALL ON THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT?
>> I DIDN'T DIRECTLY HAVE THAT NUMBER IN MIND.
IT'S BEEN IN TRAINING MANUALS FOR THE BOARDS AND COMMITTEES.
IT HELPS ME STAY STRAIGHT BECAUSE SOMEONE WILL ASK ME A QUESTION, DID SOMETHING PASS? DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT QUORUM TO TAKE A BOAT? SOMETHING ON THE FLY.
THAT'S A REALLY GOOD DOCUMENT TO REFER TO.
I'M NOT SURE WHO WAS POLLED AND WHO EXACTLY CAME UP WITH THE SEVEN.
I KNOW THAT THERE WAS MEETINGS WITH ESC, LIKE THE CITY MANAGER HAD MENTIONED, WHERE THEY THREW AROUND THE NINE AND THE SEVEN.
I THINK STAFFS EVEN GONE BACK AND FORTH WITH THAT.
THEY DID HEAR FROM OTHER FOLKS.
>> HOW DOES THIS MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT WITH YOUR CITY OFFICE, THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
HOW DID THESE AMENDMENTS MAKE YOUR JOB EASIER? BECAUSE THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE.
>> WELL, STANDARDIZATION IS ALWAYS GOING TO MAKE IT EASIER WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE SO MANY EXCEPTIONS.
REGARDLESS IF IT'S ESC OR ANY COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE TO FILL THE VACANCIES.
I DO THE PART ABOUT THE APPLICATIONS AND WE INPUT THE MEMBERS.
I DON'T DO ANY OF THEIR MINUTES.
THEY FILE THEM WITH ME, BUT I DON'T DO THE MINUTES, BUT WE DO, THE BEHIND THE SCENE, MAINTAINING THE MEMBERSHIPS AND NOTIFYING THEM, PUTTING THEM THROUGH THE BOARD MEMBER REVIEW COMMITTEE, THINGS LIKE THAT.
>> WHAT ABOUT THE SUBCOMMITTEES? HOW HAS THAT AFFECTED YOUR OFFICE?
THEY SEEM TO CHANGE THEIR MEETINGS QUITE A BIT?
>> THERE'S AMENDMENT HERE THAT SAYS THAT WE'RE MOVING IT FROM TWO MEETINGS A MONTH, NO MORE THAN TWO MEETINGS A MONTH UNLESS REQUESTED BY THE CITY MANAGER APPROVED, SO IT EXPLAINED THAT.
>> I'M NOT SURE HOW THE NUMBER CAME ABOUT.
BUT TWO, IN MY MIND, WOULD BE MORE MANAGEABLE AND ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAD A PARTICULAR DAY OUT OF THE MONTH THAT WE COULD GO AHEAD AND NOTICE IT.
ALSO, THERE'S BEEN A PROBLEM WITH SPACE.
WE HAD ALL OF OUR CITY MEETINGS IN THE CHAMBER AND WE ALSO HAVE JUST REGULAR MEETINGS WITH STAFF DURING THE DAY.
WHEN YOU HAVE TO COORDINATE WITH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO SET UP FOR EVEN AN EVENING MEETING, EVEN WITH IT NOT BEING A PUBLIC MEETING, WE STILL NEED THE SPACE FOR OTHER THINGS.
THEN YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE "WELL, WHICH MEETING IS MORE IMPORTANT?" SOMETHING ELSE WILL COME UP AND YOU HAVE TO TELL SOMEONE THEY CAN'T HAVE THIS ROOM AND WE'D RATHER NOT DO THAT.
>> THANK YOU, CITY CLERK FOR BEING HERE AND EXPLAINING THAT.
I WANT TO, IF IT'S OKAY, ASK THE CITY MANAGER TO SHARE, WHAT WOULD OUR DIRECTOR OF PLANNING SAY ABOUT EACH OF THOSE AMENDMENTS THAT THEY ARE PROPOSING?
>> WELL, I WOULD SAY THAT SHE DRAFTED THE CHANGES FOR ME AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HEARD, SO IT'S NOT JUST THE TREE SUBCOMMITTEE, THERE'S AT LEAST TWO OTHER SUBCOMMITTEES, MAYBE THREE.
I'M NOT SURE I KNOW WHAT ALL OF THEM ARE.
EACH ONE OF THOSE GENERATES ADDITIONAL WORK.
[02:05:01]
A VALUABLE RESOURCE TO THE CITY AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THAT RESOURCE.BUT IN ORDER TO SUPPORT IT, IT NEEDS TO BE MORE MANAGEABLE FOR STAFF.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
I DID AND I'VE SAID IT AND I PUT IT IN THE AGENDA PACKAGE, WE DID TALK ABOUT NINE WITH ESC.
IF THAT'S WHERE THE COMMISSION WANTS TO END UP, WE CAN WORK WITH THAT.
BUT I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE EASIER TO DIRECT OUTPUT FROM ESC WITH THE SMALLER SCOPE.
WELL, NOT THE SCOPE. THOSE SCOPE OF WORK, SEE, THAT'S ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT KEEPS BEING TALKED ABOUT.
WE'RE NOT CHANGING THE FOUR PILLARS.
WE'RE NOT CHANGING THE DOMAIN OF WHAT THEY LOOK AT AT ALL WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ACTIVE PARTS.
THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING GOES INTO ARC.
ALL WE'RE SAYING IS, RATHER THAN TRYING TO WORK ON ALL OF THIS AT ONE TIME, RATHER THAN TRYING TO EAT THE WHOLE BUNCH OF BANANAS AT ONCE, LET'S LET THE COMMISSION PICK WHICH BANANAS YOU'RE GOING TO EAT THIS YEAR, AND LET'S FOCUS ON GETTING THOSE DONE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
WE THINK WE CAN DO THAT MORE EFFICIENTLY AND QUICKER WITH LESS THAN SEVEN.
NOW, WHAT I ALSO SAY IS IN MY REPORT, WE WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THE ATTENDANCE.
THE ACTUAL ATTENDANCE OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS IS LESS THAN EIGHT.
>> I KNOW THERE'S THIS IDEA THAT WE SHOULD HAVE 11.
WE NEED 11, BUT THE REALITY IS WE'VE NOT HAD 11 SHOW UP.
>> JUST TO REITERATE, YOU DID SAY THAT AMANDA DIRECTOR OF PLANNING DID HELP YOU DRAFT THESE, OR DID SHE DRAFT THEM FIRST AND THEN PROVIDE THEM TO YOU?
>> SHE DRAFTED THEM, PROVIDED TO KEVIN.
KEVIN, REVIEWED THEM, GAVE THEM TO ME.
SHE DID THAT BASED ON INPUT THAT I GAVE HER, AND THEN BASED OFF HER OWN INPUT.
THEN SHE ALSO DRAFTED THE SECOND PIECE THAT IS WHERE WE CAME UP WITH, YOU'LL SEE IT AFTER THE EMAIL FROM SARAH, WHERE WE TRIED TO ARTICULATE POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS BASED OFF THE ESC MOTION THAT CAME OUT OF THE ESC LAST WEDNESDAY.
>> THE ESC COMMITTEE HAS PROVIDED RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING, AS WELL AS TO THE COMMISSION WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TREE BOARD WORK.
>> BECAUSE THE OTHER HANG-UP, I THINK THAT OUR CITIZENS ARE HAVING WITH THE BAY IN IS THAT WE'RE DOING AWAY WITH OUR CARE AND OUR CONSIDERATION FOR THE TREES AND WHAT HAS BEEN REASSURED TO ME IS THAT BY TAKING IT OUT FROM THE SUBCOMMITTEE, WHICH HELPS THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND STAFF, AND THAT'S THE STAFF THAT WE'RE NOT TAKING THE WORK AWAY FROM THEM, BUT WE'RE PUTTING IT UNDER ESC.
WE'RE SAYING, "GET IT DONE IN THE ESC COMMITTEE ITSELF, NOT IN THE SUBCOMMITTEE."
>> YEAH. THAT LAST PART, WE'RE SAYING DO THE WORK IN THE BODY AS A WHOLE.
DON'T DO IT AS A SUBCOMMITTEE.
THEN THOSE ASPECTS THAT I MENTIONED IN TERMS OF THE FIVE-DAY PERMIT HOLD WHILE THEY REVIEW PERMITS, HISTORY SHOWS THAT THAT HASN'T BEEN PARTICULARLY MEANINGFUL.
BUT WE STILL WANT TO GIVE THEM THE PERMITS.
WE STILL WANT THEM TO REVIEW THE PERMITS.
LIKE I SAID, ONE OF THE PRIORITIES IS PARTICULARLY ABOUT REVIEWING AND AUDITING THE PERMITS AND REPORTING BACK TO THE COMMISSION, THAT IS A PRIORITY THAT ESC HAS LISTED IN THEIR PRIORITIES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BRING BEFORE YOU WHEN WE WORK ON PRIORITIES, AND IT'S ONE THAT I WILL MOST LIKELY RECOMMEND THAT THE COMMISSION CHOOSE.
WE'RE NOT TAKING AWAY EITHER THE OVERSIGHT OF WHAT ESC DOES IN TERMS OF TREES, AND WE'RE NOT TAKING AWAY ANYTHING IN THE DOMAIN THAT THEY CAN REVIEW WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ACTIVE PARKS, BUT WE ARE ASKING THAT WITHIN THAT DOMAIN FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WE WANT YOU TO WORK ON WHATEVER THE COMMISSION SAYS IS IMPORTANT FOR THAT YEAR.
>> WELL, ONE LAST COMMENT AND I'LL PASS THE MIC OVER.
WHEN YOU'RE TAKING OUT THE ACTIVE PARKS AND PLACING THEM UNDER ARC, THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME AS FAR AS PROGRAMMING AND MAINTENANCE OF THE AMENITIES.
I KNOW WE'VE MENTIONED OR YOU'VE MENTIONED TO ME BEFORE NEW POSITIONS THAT ARE FORTHCOMING TO HELP WITH THAT.
WHAT ESC DOES DO AS FAR AS ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP IS
[02:10:05]
TREES PROTECTION AND OVERVIEW OF OUR ENVIRONMENT ACROSS THE CITY.HOW CAN WE STILL ALLOW IT MAKES SENSE TO ME FOR THEM TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THOSE THINGS IN OUR ACTIVE PARKS, EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROGRAMMING AND THOSE THINGS.? IS THERE A WAY TO WORD THAT TO WHERE THEY'RE STILL ABLE TO PROVIDE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP RECOMMENDATIONS OVER ALL OUR PARKS, BUT TAKING OUT SOME COMPONENT OR WHEN YOU'RE GIVING ACTIVE PARKS OVER TO ARC, DO YOU HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR KEEPING IN MIND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION?
>> THE ACTIVE PARKS HAVE A ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECT CLEARLY.
BUT THE ACTIVE PARKS ARE ALSO CITY INFRASTRUCTURE.
IN TERMS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECT AND PROTECTION OF THE PARKS, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M LOOKING AT STAFF PRIMARILY TO LOOK AT.
ONE OF THE POSITIONS THAT WE CREATED, AND ONE OF THEM NEWISH, THE OTHER ONE'S NOT REALLY NEW.
WE JUST RECLASSIFIED THE OLD DIRECTOR POSITION INTO A LOWER POSITION AND THEN CREATED TWO POSITIONS OUT OF IT.
THEY'RE NEW TITLES, THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY NEW POSITIONS.
>> I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT ON WHERE I WAS GOING ON.
>> PEOPLE HAVE SAID TO ME, LOOK, WE STILL CARE ABOUT THE TREES THAT ARE IN THE ACTIVE PARKS.
THEN THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN STILL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE ACTIVE PARKS.
>> YEAH. THANK YOU. CITY MANAGER, DON'T WE HAVE LANGUAGE FOR THE OTHER COMMITTEES THAT SAY, NO MORE THAN TWO MEETINGS PER MONTH.
THAT WAS JUST STANDARD LANGUAGE, RIGHT THAT WE PUT INTO THOSE, OR IS THAT SPECIAL. [OVERLAPPING]
>> NO, WE'VE ONLY TACKLED TWO CITIZEN COMMITTEES.
WE'VE APPLIED THAT SAME LANGUAGE TO BOTH OF THEM.
THE INTENT THERE IS NOT TO HAVE A HARD THUMB ON TWO.
IT'S JUST TO THINK ABOUT THE PROGRAMMING, LIKE I SAID ALREADY WITH THE SC, ADD THE SPEAKER SERIES.
THOSE WOULD CERTAINLY BE, WELCOMED AND EVERYTHING.
THE OTHER COMMITTEES, THOUGH LIKE CDB, IT'S A QUASI JUDICIAL BOARD.
THEY HAVE A SPECIFIC FUNCTION THAT THEY HAVE TO DO.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SCHEDULE FOUR MEETINGS A MONTH.
THEY'RE JUST NOT BECAUSE OF NOTICING REQUIREMENTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
OUR PENSION BOARD MEETINGS, I THINK THEY MEET ONCE A MONTH.
QUITE FRANKLY, WE HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THOSE YET BECAUSE OF THE MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE PENSIONERS THAT ARE ON THE BOARD AS WELL AS CITIZENS.
>> THE REASON I BRING IT UP IS BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE NIGHT DAY CALENDAR, RCDB THEY ONLY HAVE ONE MEETING PER MONTH, AS FAR AS I CAN TELL HERE.
YOU SAID EVERY TWO WEEKS, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE ONLY ONCE A MONTH UNLESS THERE'S JUST NOT.
WELL IT WOULDN'T BE ANY MORE THAN EVERY TWO WEEKS BECAUSE OF THE NOTICE.
>> OF COURSE, WE MEET TWICE A MONTH, AND THEN ENVIRONMENTAL ESC HAS THEIR MAIN MEETING, AND THEN THEY HAVE THE THREE SUBCOMMITTEES.
I THINK HAVING SAID THAT, EVEN THOUGH I DON'T KNOW, TO BE TRUTHFUL, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE SUBCOMMITTEE'S DISCUSSING OTHER THAN TREE PERMITS AND PRESERVING TREES AND OR GOING OVER THE APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS TO REMOVE TREES.
BUT I'D BE IN FAVOR TO HELP MOVE US ALONG IF IT HELPS.
SINCE WE ARE TAKING AWAY THREE SUBCOMMITTEES, I'D BE IN FAVOR OF GIVING THEM TWO EXTRA SPOTS TO GO 7-9 IN LIEU OF LOSING THEIR THREE SUBCOMMITTEES.
BUT POTENTIALLY IN THE FUTURE MOVING IT TO SEVEN, THEN EVERYBODY IS SEVEN AND EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE DUTIES ARE FOR THAT PARTICULAR VOLUNTEER ROLE.
MAYBE THE FOLKS VOLUNTEERING HELP THEM WITH A BETTER UNDERSTANDING,
[02:15:01]
BUT AT LEAST DON'T HIT THEM SO HARD AT ONCE AS A COMPROMISE POSSIBLY.>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BOLE.
MAYBE JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
IF I UNDERSTOOD THE REAL IMPETUS FOR STARTING THE TREE SUBCOMMITTEES, ACTUALLY ESC, BUT THE TREE SUBCOMMITTEE IS A FAILURE ON THE PART OF THE CITY TO PROTECT OUR TREES AND ENFORCE OUR ORDINANCE.
THEY DID THAT. BUT I DON'T SEE THAT TODAY.
OUR ENFORCEMENT PROBLEM TODAY IS PREEMPTION FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, AND I HOPE ANYBODY ELSE WHO CARES WOULD DO, LIKEWISE, I WILL BE IN TALLAHASSEE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, AGAIN, ARGUING THAT THEY NEED TO LIGHTEN UP ON THE ORDINANCE OR ON THE FLORIDA STATUTE REGARDING ARBORIST LETTERS, REMOVAL OF TREES.
BUT UNTIL AND IF AND WHEN THEY DO THAT, THERE'S NOTHING FOR THE TREE SUBCOMMITTEE TO DO RELATIVE TO A LEGAL REMOVAL OF A TREE FOLLOWING FLORIDA STATUTE.
I DID APPRECIATE, AND I WANT TO THANK THE CITIZEN EARLIER, MISS BECKENMOFF FOR THE COMMENTS ABOUT INTRODUCING INCENTIVES TO SAVE OUR TREES.
WHEN I HEARD THE THING ABOUT THE TREE CITY USA, WE BETTER BE A TREE CITY USA BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY HAD THAT FAILURE ONCE BEFORE I BECAME MAYOR.
BUT I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE ACTUALLY PUT OUR ELECTRIC SIGN OUT ON SEMINOLE ROAD AND OTHER LOCATIONS AND PUT ON IT.
ATLANTIC BEACH IS A TREE CITY USA, CHECK THE RULES BEFORE YOU THINK ABOUT REMOVING A TREE.
WE NEED TO COME UP WITH MORE PROGRESSIVE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO EDUCATION IS WHAT I HEARD.
WE'RE FAILING TO EDUCATE THE CITIZENS BECAUSE SOME OF THEM LEGITIMATELY DO STUPID THINGS THAT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
BUT ANYWAY, BACK TO THE ISSUE AT HAND, I DO NOT BELIEVE MORE IS BETTER, JUST BIGGER IS BETTER, AND I DON'T THINK THAT ANY CHANGE IN THE ESC IS AN AFFRONT TO THE NEW LANGUAGE PUT IN THE CHARTER, WHICH SAYS THAT IT ACTUALLY THE NEW LANGUAGE WAS ABOUT EMPOWERING THE COMMISSION TO PROTECT OUR CITY.
I DON'T THINK IT LESSENS THAT IN AND OF ITSELF.
IT COULD, IF WE DIMINISH WHAT WE WANT THEM TO DO.
I THINK TODAY, WHAT WOULD MAKE SENSE, AND I'M GOING TO JUST THROW IT OUT THERE.
I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE THE MOTION, BUT IF SOMEBODY WOULD ENTERTAIN IT IS WE COULD REDUCE THE ESC TO NINE, AND WE COULD RAISE THE ARC TO NINE.
THAT WAY, WE HAVE CONSISTENCY BETWEEN THE TWO COMMITTEES REMEMBERING THE ARC IS NOW GOING TO ASSUME MORE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACTIVE PARKS, AND ESC WILL LOSE THAT.
BUT I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE THAT MEETING THAT COMMISSIONER KELLY IS TALKING ABOUT AND GO THROUGH OUR PRIORITIES AND WHAT DIRECTION WE WANT, WHAT WE WANT ACCOMPLISH.
I THINK WE CAN DO MUCH BETTER AS A CITY IN ACTUALLY GETTING METRICS IN PLACE AND JUDGING AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, DID WE OR DID WE NOT GET THINGS DONE? IMAGINE IF IT'S ALL A NUMBERS GAME, WHY NOT HAVE 20 MEMBERS ON THE ESC? I DON'T THINK PUTTING 20 MEMBERS ON IS GOING TO GET US BETTER RESULTS.
>> MAYOR, RIGHT NOW, YOU'VE GOT AN ORDINANCE AND A SECOND ON 95-25-124.
IF YOU NOT BEING THE PARLIAMENTARIAN HERE, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD VOTE ON THAT.
>> WELL, YOU CAN. [OVERLAPPING]
>> WE HAVE IT OUT THERE TO VOTE ON. WE HAVE A MOTION.
WE HAVE A SECOND. WE JUST HAD DISCUSSION.
IF YOU WANT TO AMEND THAT. [OVERLAPPING]
>> WELL, SOMEBODY CAN MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND IT.
IF WE VOTE ON IT AND WE VOTE IT DOWN, WE CANNOT, AT THIS MEETING, BRING IT BACK. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> IF YOU VOTE THE WHOLE ORDINANCE ON FIRST READ.
>> WELL, CORRECT. RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND IT'S WITH SEVEN MEMBERS.
IF WE VOTE NAY ON THAT, IT'S DEAD FOR TONIGHT, THERE'S NO BRINGING IT BACK AGAIN TONIGHT WITH ANOTHER MEETING.
>> INSTEAD, BUT IT COULD BE RECONSIDERED, SOMEBODY ON THE [OVERLAPPING]
>> PREVAILING SIDE COULD ASK FOR A READ.
>> BUT THAT WOULD BE AT THE NEXT MEETING.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION IN SECOND UNLESS SOMEBODY WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION FOR AN AMENDMENT.
>> I'LL MAKE THE MOTION FOR AMENDMENT THAT ORDINANCE 95-25-124 BE AMENDED TO INCREASE THE BOARD COUNT FROM 7-9.
[02:20:05]
>> DOES THAT INCLUDING INCREASING ART FROM 7-9?
>> THAT'S A SEPARATE. [OVERLAPPING]
>> WE HAVE A SECOND. WELL, LET ME THROW ONE MORE THING BEFORE YOU GO ANY FARTHER.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS CHANGED WAS NOT WHAT CONSTITUTES A QUORUM.
IT'S THE MAJORITY OF THE TOTAL SIZE OF THE COMMITTEE.
BUT WHAT WAS PUT IN HERE WAS THAT IN ORDER TO PASS ANYTHING IN THAT MEETING, YOU HAD TO HAVE A MAJORITY OF THE TOTAL SIZE OF THE COMMITTEE, NOT JUST OF THE QUORUM THAT WAS THERE FOR THE MEETING.
>> IF I MAY, MR. MAYOR, IF THE COMMISSION VOTES TO CHANGE IT TO NINE, BUT THEY WANT TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THAT ORIGINAL THOUGHT, YOU WOULD CHANGE THE QUORUM TO FIVE AND A MAJORITY TO FIVE?
>> I WOULD NEED TO AMEND THAT TOO.
>> I MOVED TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 95-25-124 TO INCREASE THE BOARD FROM 7-9 AND TO INCREASE THE QUORUM FROM 4-5.
>> THIS IS AN AMENDMENT TO THE-.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION TO AMEND AND A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT.
>> WE HAVE FOUR AYES AND ONE NAY.
THEN NOW WE CAN VOTE ON THE MAIN MOTION.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT? ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY WITH AYE.
>> WE HAVE TWO NAYS AND THREE AYES.
NOW MOVING TO ORDINANCE NUMBER 5-25-71.
[9.C. ORDINANCE NO. 5-25-71, Introduction and First Reading (Part 2 of 2)]
I'VE ALREADY READ IT.>> WE'VE READ IT AND THERE'S A SAF REPORT.
>> WE DID NOT GET A MOTION ON THAT YET, BUT THAT IS WITH LEAVING THE SIZE OF THAT COMMITTEE ARC AT SEVEN.
DO WE WANT TO DISCUSS OR MAKE A MOTION TO RAISE THAT TO NINE?
>> I MOVE THAT WE RAISE ARCS FROM 7-9 MEMBERS FOR THE QUORUM OF-. [OVERLAPPING]
THERE IS NO MOTION ON THE QUORUM YET.
BUT YOU CAN ACTUALLY MOVE THIS ORDINANCE WITH THE AMENDMENT OF NINE MEMBERS INSTEAD OF SEVEN.
>> I MOVE FOR US TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 5-25-71 WITH THE AMENDMENT OF ADDING TWO MEMBERS TO THE SEVEN QUORUM FROM 4-5 WITH THE MAJORITY OF FIVE.
>> TO PASS A MOTION. WELL DONE. DO YOU GET THAT DOWN?
>> WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND?
>> HERE, WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.
>> I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THAT IN GENERAL, ARC HAS BEEN BUMBLING ALONG PRETTY WELL WITH THE ESTABLISHED NUMBER.
BUT WITH THE ADDITION OF THE COMMUNITY CENTER, I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO INCREASE THE MEMBERSHIP BECAUSE THERE'S A POSSIBILITY OF DOING A LOT MORE.
>> WELL, ADDITION OF THE NEW COMMUNITY CENTER AND OVERSIGHT OF THE ACTIVE PARKS WHICH THEY DO NOT HAVE TODAY.
>> WELL, WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT THE NEW STAFF REORGANIZATION, BUT OKAY, THAT'S FINE.
>> WE ARE THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION.
COMMISSIONER BOLE, YOU'RE BEING SILENT?
>> LET'S TAKE A ROLL CALL ON THIS DONNA.
[02:25:01]
CITY MANAGER FOR ALL THE TIME PUT INTO THAT.WE'LL MOVE NOW TO CITY ATTORNEY COMMENTS.
>> I HAVE NO COMMENTS AND NOTHING TO REPORT.
>> CLOSING COMMENTS. WE'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER BOLE.
[12. CLOSING COMMENTS BY CITY COMMISSIONERS AND CITY MANAGER]
>> I MISSED THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THAT WE'VE HAD TROUBLE WITH THE QUORUM AT THE ESC, BUT THEY'VE ALSO HAD THREE VACANCIES, AND I DON'T THINK WE TOOK THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
YOU HAD THREE APPLICANTS AND THEY HAD VACANCIES AND IT WASN'T ADDRESSED.
SO A QUORUM WAS SEVEN, CORRECT?
>> REMEMBER, THEY ONLY HAD EIGHT TO START WITH.
>> SIX WOULD HAVE BEEN THE QUORUM.
THEN WE DIDN'T HAVE A REQUIREMENT OF A MINIMUM NUMBER TO PASS A MOTION.
YOU LITERALLY COULD HAVE HAD FOUR OUT OF SIX PASS AM I CORRECT, DONNA?
>> ACTUALLY, THEIR QUORUM IS DIFFERENT THAN EVERYONE ELSE.
>> THEIR WAS BASED ON 50% OF THE FILLED SEATS, NOT OF THE MEMBERSHIP.
THEY ALREADY HAD A SPECIAL MAJORITY.
>> IF WE WERE AT NINE VERSUS 11, THAT FILLED SEATS.
>> WE TALK ABOUT WHAT CURRENT PASSED TODAY.
>> THE ESC, I THOUGHT WE WERE AT NINE.
>> BUT FOR THIS YEAR, THEY HAVE HAD VACANCIES.
>> I KNOW THAT. YEAH, THEIR MAXIMUM WAS 11.
>> BUT THEY ONLY HAD SEVEN OR EIGHT. THANK YOU.
>> I THINK IT'S EIGHT UNTIL DECEMBER BECAUSE THAT GENTLEMAN DIDN'T WANT TO.
>> BUT SINCE WE'RE HAVING THE CONVERSATION, THE REQUIREMENT WAS THE FILLED SEATS WOULD DERIVE WHAT THE QUORUM IS.
>> THAT'S HOW IT IS RIGHT NOW. YES, [OVERLAPPING] BUT NOT WITH THIS ORDINANCE.
>> I THINK WE BEAT THAT UP ENOUGH.
WE'RE GOOD. COMMISSIONER RING?
>> YES, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE MAYOR BECAUSE I WATCHED THE ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS LAST WEEK BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER WAS STARRING IN IT, AND I SAW THE PSA FROM THE MAYOR ABOUT BIKE SAFETY.
THAT'S THE WORK WE'RE DOING TODAY WITH THE E BIKES, AND THANK YOU, CHIEF CHRILLO FOR WORKING ON THAT DRAFT.
ALSO MY SUGGESTION OF MAYBE PARTNERING WITH THAT PROGRAM JUST LIKE NEPTUNE BEACH IS ALL ABOUT KEEPING OUR CHILDREN SAFE. THAT'S ALL.
>> THANK YOU. I'M JUST GOING TO FINISH WITH TWO THINGS.
WHEN DO WE HAVE A DATE NOW ON THE AWARDS FROM ESC 4?
>> I THINK IT'S STILL TENTATIVE. LAST I HEARD THIS.
>> IT'S EITHER TUESDAY, MARCH 25TH OR THURSDAY, MARCH 27TH. [INAUDIBLE]
>> WELL, I JUST WANT TO SAY KUDOS TO THE ESC.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT, AND I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT MOVING FORWARD AND HAVING A MEETING AND SETTING THOSE PRIORITIES.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO MENTION WE HAD OUR VERY OWN BISHOP GOLDEN HERE EARLIER.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW BISHOP GOLDEN, HE IS A GYM IN THIS COMMUNITY.
ANNUAL HOMECOMING FOUNDERS DAY AT HIS CHURCH ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16TH.
THAT'S THIS SUNDAY. I WILL BE THERE.
I INVITE ALL OF YOU TO THINK ABOUT ATTENDING.
IT'S THE DAY AFTER OUR MOVIE IN THE PARK.
I WILL ACTUALLY AGAIN HONOR HIS MOTHER AT THAT SERVICE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR STICKING WITH US TILL 8:30 FOR MEETING, ANY OTHER BUSINESS, MEETING ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.