[00:00:09]
>> PRONOUNCING THIS RIGHT, BUT STEPHANIE TEFFERY?
[2. COURTESY OF FLOOR TO VISITORS]
>> TEFFERY. [LAUGHTER] IT'S A ROUGH ONE I KNOW.
I'M PRESIDENT OF FRIENDS OF ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY.
IT'S OUR SCHOOLS ONLY PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION.
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A HEADS UP ON SOME THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING GOING ON.
LAST YEAR, OUR SCHOOL TRACK DESPERATELY NEEDED REPAIRS, WHICH THE CITY HAS HELPED FUND IN THE PAST.
I REACHED OUT TO THE CITY SEVERAL TIMES, CALLS, E-MAILS, LETTERS, BUT I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE.
I WAS EVENTUALLY TOLD TO APPLY FOR AN ARTS RECREATION AND CULTURE GRANT, ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT IT DIDN'T QUALIFY.
FAB ENDED UP PAYING NEARLY $30,000 OVER THE SUMMER OUT OF POCKET TO FIX THE TRACK OURSELVES.
EVEN AFTER THAT, I DIDN'T GIVE UP.
I SPENT OVER SIX MONTHS PREPARING A DETAILED ARC GRANT FOR OUR GROWING STEM PROGRAM THAT ALSO INCLUDES ARTS, AND WE HAVE SOME METRICS.
SINCE OUR PILOT LAUNCH LAST YEAR, OUR STUDENTS FAST SCIENCE SCORES HAVE JUMPED UP TO 14 POINTS.
DURING YOUR COMMISSION BUDGET WORKSHOP, I ALSO WATCH THAT.
TODAY IT WAS ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE STEM PROGRAM SHOULD JUST MAKE IT A COMMUNITY THING, NOT A SCHOOL THING.
BUT THAT REALLY ISN'T THE POINT.
WE APPLIED FOR THE GRANT AS ADVERTISED AND WE FOLLOWED THE RULES.
ALSO, SOME DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS CAN'T GET TO A COMMUNITY SUPPORTED STEM PROGRAM, BUT ALSO ABE IS OUR COMMUNITY.
ABE IS GIVING 500 CHILDREN THE BEST ACCESS, WHICH IS IN SCHOOL FOR STEM AND ARTS.
DURING THE AUGUST 27 ARC MEETING, THE COMMITTEE WENT AROUND THE TABLE AND SIMPLY SAID, NO TO FUNDING SCHOOLS AFTER ALL THE APPLICATIONS HAD ALREADY BEEN SUBMITTED.
THE RULES CHANGED FROM GIVING THE SCHOOLS DOUBLE WHAT THE OTHER APPLICANTS CAN RECEIVE AND VERY LATE IN THE PROCESS.
I BELIEVE THEY'RE VOTING TOMORROW.
THAT'S REALLY NOT HOW A FAIR GRANT SYSTEM SHOULD WORK.
IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN STEM FOR OUR KIDS AT ABE, PLEASE HELP PICK SOMETHING ELSE THAT FAB SUPPORTS.
WE HELP FUND NEARLY EVERY ENRICHMENT PROGRAM AT ABE, BUT WE DO NEED YOUR HELP.
NO PUBLIC SCHOOLS DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING.
THE HALF STENT SALES TAX ONLY COVERS SAFETY AND BUILDINGS.
I'M NOT SURE IF EVERYBODY KNOWS, BUT I WAS GOING TO GO THROUGH JUST A FEW.
WE COVER AN EXTRA DAY OF PE FOR EVERY CHILD.
WE ALSO ADDED MORE HOURS TO COVER OUR KINDERGARTEN CLASS BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE SEEN FULL ENROLLMENT IN OUR KINDERGARTEN CLASS, WHICH WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT.
WE FUND ART, MUSIC, THE NEWS CREW, MEDIA CENTER, ALL BEYOND WHAT DCPS PROVIDES.
ALSO, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, DCPS GIVES US $200 A YEAR FOR ART.
WE PAY FOR TEACHER GRANTS, SCHOOL WIDE EVENTS, CULTURAL ARTS, AND EVEN LANDSCAPING, AND THAT'S ANOTHER ONE THAT'S BEEN A BIG HOT TOPIC.
THE CITY ONLY PAYS FOR 44% OF WHAT WE FUND FOR LANDSCAPING FOR THE FUN OF THE SCHOOL.
THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS YOU ARE FUNDING VIA THE GRANT, WELL, I KNOW IT HASN'T BEEN COMPLETELY DONE, BUT THE ONES THAT YOU HAVE IN THE PAST, LIKE CHAIR YOGA, IT COSTS OVER $300 PER PARTICIPANT, AND SOMETIMES MORE, THAT'S WITH 15 PEOPLE SHOWING UP FOR THAT.
WHILE OUR STEM AND ARTS PROGRAM REACHES NEARLY 500 STUDENTS FOR JUST $20 PER CHILD.
TONIGHT WE'RE ASKING FOR TWO THINGS.
ONE, RECONSIDER FUNDING SCHOOLS THROUGH THE ARC GRANT AS ORIGINALLY INTENDED, OR PLEASE FUND OUR $10,000 REQUEST FROM THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND.
WITHOUT IT, VITAL PROGRAMMING WILL BE CUT.
I'VE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS ON THIS, WHICH HAS BEEN TAKING AWAY FROM OUR FUND RAISING EFFORTS.
WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR SPECIAL TREATMENT, JUST FAIRNESS AND THE CITY TO LIVE UP TO ITS COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY ONLY PUBLIC SCHOOL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, MISS TEFFERY. I GOT IT RIGHT.
>> GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS SONNY RODEN AND I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF FUND RAISING FOR ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
OUR SCHOOL RECENTLY COMPLETED AN APPLICATION FOR
[00:05:01]
THE CULTURAL ARTS AND RECREATION GRANT TO REQUEST FUNDS FOR STEM AND ART RESOURCES.ON AUGUST 27TH, WE PRESENTED OUR PROPOSAL TO THE ART COMMITTEE AND ANSWERED THEIR QUESTIONS.
AT THE CONCLUSION OF THAT MEETING, SOME COMMITTEE MEMBERS SUGGESTED SCHOOL SHOULD NO LONGER BE CONSIDERED FOR THE GRANT.
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, WE BELIEVE THIS IS UNFAIR.
THE CITY'S PUBLISHED MATERIALS, INCLUDING BROCHURE, WEBSITE, AND SOCIAL MEDIA, CLEARLY STATE THAT SCHOOLS ARE ELIGIBLE AND CAN RECEIVE UP TO $10,000.
ALTERING ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AFTER WE'VE INVESTED SIGNIFICANT TIME AND RESOURCES INTO THIS PROCESS IS NOT ONLY UNJUST, BUT IT'S ALSO INCONSISTENT WITH STANDARD GRANT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE ONLY FUNDING THAT ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY CURRENTLY RECEIVES FROM THE CITY IS $482 PER MONTH FOR THE FRONT LANDSCAPING FOR THE SCHOOL.
THE REST IS COVERED BY FRIENDS OF ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY.
THE CITY DID NOT CONTRIBUTE TO RESURFACING OUR TRACK THIS YEAR, EVEN THOUGH THE GATES WERE LEFT OPEN AFTER SCHOOL HOURS AND ON WEEKENDS FOR THE ATLANTIC BEACH COMMUNITY TO USE.
FURTHERMORE, OUR PROPOSAL SERVES THE LARGEST NUMBER OF ATLANTIC BEACH RESIDENTS, OUR STUDENTS AT A MODEST COST, AVERAGING ABOUT $20 PER CHILD.
FEW PROJECTS DELIVER SUCH MEANINGFUL RETURN FOR SO MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO CLARIFY THE ROLE OF OUR SCHOOL ORGANIZATIONS.
IN THE PAST, THE PTA APPLIED FOR AND RECEIVED THE ART GRANT FUNDS TO SUPPORT CULTURAL ARTS STAY AND AFTER SCHOOL ENRICHMENT.
LAST YEAR, THE PTA WAS DISSOLVED AND EVERYTHING WAS COMBINED INTO ONE ORGANIZATION, FRIENDS OF ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY, TO MAKE IT EASIER AND MORE EFFECTIVE.
THIS YEAR, FAB'S APPLYING FOR GRANT FUNDING TO SUPPORT DIFFERENT RESOURCES THAN WHAT THE PT HAD PREVIOUSLY APPLIED FOR.
BUT THE GOAL REMAINS THE SAME TO ENRICH AND SUPPORT THE CHILDREN OF ATLANTA BEACH.
WE RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT THE CITY COMMISSION HONOR THE GUIDELINES UNDER WHICH WE APPLIED AND ENSURE THAT SCHOOLS ARE GIVEN FAIR AND CONSISTENT CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES OF ATLANTA BEACH.
>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I'LL BE REAL QUICK.
I JUST HAVE A QUICK A PET PEEVE A LITTLE BIT.
IF YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DRIVE AROUND THE CITY, TAKE THE BLINDERS OFF AND LOOK TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT DOWN STREETS, THERE'S GOT TO BE SOMEBODY IN OUR CITY THAT IS IN CHARGE OF PUBLIC UTILITY COMPANIES LIKE CABLE COMPANIES AND TELEPHONE COMPANIES.
IF YOU DRIVE AROUND, WE HAVE SEVERAL BOXES THAT ARE MISSING KNOCKED OVER.
IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, THERE'S ONE COURT THAT HAS BEEN THERE FOR OVER A MONTH IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.
DOWN THE ROAD. THEY HAVEN'T BURIED IT.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW THE INFORMATION I'LL PUT IN A PUBLIC REQUEST IF I'D LIKE IS WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THAT? I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAD ABILITY, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THEY STILL PAY A LICENSE FEE TO US OR WHAT, BUT THOSE NEED TO BE FIXED.
JUST GO AROUND. YOU CAN'T MISS THEM. THEY'RE RIGHT THERE.
WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT AND WHO WHO HAS FAILED IN THEIR JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE CORRECTED.
THAT'S SIMPLY IT. I'LL GIVE MY TWO MINUTES BACK TO SOMEBODY ELSE.
>> GOOD EVENING, EMILY MCCARTHY, SHELL STREET.
I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO DO THAT TONIGHT, BUT I'M GOING TO JUST SPEAK FROM MY HEART.
I'M UP HERE AGAIN TO ASK THE CITY IF THEY CARE ABOUT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT THE AB RESIDENTS ATTEND, NOT JUST ABE, BUT MAYPORT MIDDLE LETCHER MIDDLE.
I'M WORKING WITH STEPHANIE TEFFERY, WITH FAB, WHICH WAS COME TOGETHER TO REPLACE THE PTA, WHICH WAS SENDING MONEY AWAY FROM OUR COMMUNITY WE'RE JUST FURTHER DOWN IN THE PROCESS AND FINDING OUT THAT THE ARC GRANT IS NOT GOING TO BE AVAILABLE FOR $10,000, EVEN THOUGH IT'S ADVERTISED IN THE BROCHURE, AND SHE'S BEEN GOING AFTER THIS FOR MONTHS.
I'M JUST DISAPPOINTED. THERE'S A $30,000 TRACK THAT LOTS OF PEOPLE IN THIS CITY USE BEYOND THE SCHOOL, AND THERE'S BEEN NO HELP ON THAT.
AND THEN WE HAVE 44% OF THE LAWN MAINTENANCE THAT GOES TO.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. BUT I JUST THINK THAT THERE'S MORE WE COULD BE DOING.
INSTEAD OF FINDING WAYS TO SAY NO, I'D REALLY IMPLORE THE COMMISSION AND THIS GOVERNMENT TO FIND WAYS TO SAY YES.
I KNOW THAT THE SAVE AB CAMPAIGN MADE THE CITY AND THIS GOVERNMENT LOOK REALLY GOOD.
I REALLY WANT TO SEE YOU ALL MAKE ABE AND
[00:10:03]
THE OTHER SCHOOLS THAT OUR RESIDENTS ATTEND LOOK GOOD AS WELL. THANK YOU.>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COMMISSIONERS STAFF.
I'M BRINKLEY HERALD, 266 STREET.
I JUST HIT MY 53 YEAR ANNIVERSARY ON SIX STREET.
I KEEP HOPING THAT I'LL MAKE THE 63RD ANNIVERSARY AND MAYBE THE 73RD ANNIVERSARY.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANT TO TALK ABOUT.
SINCE WE'RE ON A ROLL ABOUT THE ARC GRANT FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH TAKING SCHOOL FUNDING OUT OF THE ARCS PURVIEW.
THE REASON FOR IT IS THAT THE SCHOOLS SHOULDN'T BE HAVING TO COMPETE FOR OTHER SERVICES LIKE YOGA AND FITNESS AND EXERCISE AT AL GRADE AND SOME OF THE OTHER PLACES.
IT'S YOU, THE ELECTED ONES NEED TO BE MAKING THE DECISION AS TO AND HOW MUCH TO FUND OUR SCHOOL RIGHT HERE IN ATLANTIC BEACH.
AGAIN, THEY SHOULDN'T BE HAVING TO COMPETE FOR IT AGAINST OTHER ENTITIES DOING OTHER THINGS.
WE GET THE GREATEST BENEFIT BY ANY FUNDING THAT YOU DO DECIDE TO VOTE FOR FOR ABE BECAUSE THOSE ARE OUR KIDS.
MAYBE SOON MAYBE MY GRAND KIDS, PERHAPS.
IT'S AN EVOLVING PROCESS AS THE EDUCATIONAL ASPECT WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE ART FUNDING.
YOU CAN'T REALLY BLAME THE ART, NO MATTER THE BROCHURE AND EVERYTHING ELSE, IT'S AN EVOLVING PROCESS.
THAT EVOLVING PROCESS ENDS RIGHT HERE WITH THE FIVE OF YOU.
I'M SURE THAT Y'ALL WILL TAKE GREATLY INTO HEART, THE FUNDING FOR ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY, AND MAYBE COMPLETELY ELIMINATE FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH THAT WE PRESUMABLY GET LITTLE, IF ANY, KNOWN BENEFIT FROM.
ALL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
I FULLY SUPPORT, OF COURSE, GIVING FUNDING TO ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY.
SCHOOL IS JUST FOUR OR FIVE BLOCKS FROM MY HOUSE. MOVING RIGHT ALONG.
THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS ORDINANCE 5-20 5-72 REGARDING SALARIES FOR THE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
I KNOW THAT MR. KILLINGSWORTH SPENT A LOT OF MONEY COMING UP WITH THESE REALLY ODD NUMBERS AND PUT A LOT OF MATH INTO IT AND BIG BRAIN POWER AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD.
BUT WE ARE MOST SIMILAR TO THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE BEACH AND THE CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH, WHERE THEY SET AN EXACT AMOUNT OF 12,000 FOR COMMISSIONERS AND 18,000 FOR THE MAYOR, BECAUSE WE'RE MOST LIKE THEM.
WE'RE NOT MOST LIKE THE OTHER 300 OR 400 MUNICIPALITIES IN THE STATE.
WE'RE MOST LIKE JACKS BEACH AND FERNANDINA BEACH.
I SAY CHANGOS NUMBERS TO 12,000 EVEN THOUSAND BUCKS A MONTH, 18,000 FOR THE MAYOR, 1,500 A MONTH.
LET'S MOVE ON BECAUSE I DO SUPPORT INCREASING ALL SALARIES BECAUSE Y'ALL DO PUT A LOT INTO IT, AS I CERTAINLY KNOW, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT.
INTERESTING THING IS THAT IT'S LISTED AS BEING TIED TO THE CPI U.
THIS SEEMS TO BE THE ONLY SALARY THING IN THE ENTIRE CITY THAT'S ACTUALLY STATED THAT IT'S TIED TO THE CPI. IT WASN'T LAST YEAR.
THEY TALK ABOUT CL. CL IS GENERALLY THE CPI, BUT LAST YEAR, IT WASN'T TIED THAT WAY TO, I DON'T THINK ANY OF THE CITY EMPLOYEES.
IT WAS A NUMBER THAT ACTUALLY FAR EXCEEDED LAST YEAR CPI.
IF IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR FIVE, WHY ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR ALL THE CITY EMPLOYEES TO TIE ALL SALARY INCREASES THE CL AS OF EITHER OCTOBER 1 OR JANUARY 1, TIE THEM ALL TO THE CPI U AND NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH A NUT ROLL EVERY YEAR AS TO NEGOTIATING THIS, AND WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM 5% OR 6%? NO. IT'S THE CPI.
THAT'S WHAT THE COST OF LIVING INCREASE SHOULD ALWAYS BE.
THE OTHER ARC THAT I HAVE WITH IT IS IT SAYS THAT IT'S GOING TO BE PAID MONTHLY.
WHY IS THERE GOING TO BE A SEPARATE PAY DATES SET FOR THE FIVE OF YOU RATHER THAN FALLING RIGHT IN WITH THE BI WEEKLY SCHEDULE THAT ALL CITY EMPLOYEES HAVE AND JUST FALL RIGHT INTO THE REGULAR FINANCE PAYMENT SYSTEM.
NOW, THE LAST THING AND I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME IS IT SAID THAT NO ELECTED OFFICIAL SHOULD EVER VOTE THEMSELVES A PAY RAISE.
I DO AGREE THAT Y'ALL DO NEED THE PAY RAISES.
BUT WHERE I HAVE ISSUES WITH IT, AND I THINK MOST OF THE VOTING POPULATION IN ATLANTIC BEACH WILL HAVE ISSUES WITH IT IS,
[00:15:04]
DON'T ENACT IT NOW WHILE YOU'RE IN OFFICE, HAVE THE EFFECTIVE DATE BE AFTER THE NEXT ELECTION.THREE SEATS ARE OPEN AFTER THE NEXT ELECTION.
Y'ALL MAY DECIDE TO RUN, NOT RUN, DEFER, WHAT HAVE YOU.
BUT IF YOU PUSH THE EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL AFTER THE NEXT ELECTION, YOU CAN THEN THEREFORE SUPPORT THAT WE DIDN'T VOTE IT FOR THE CURRENT COMMISSION, WE VOTED IT FOR THE COMMISSION THAT TAKES SEAT ONE YEAR FROM NOW.
BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
>> WE'LL CLOSE COURTESY OF THE FLOOR.
MOVE TO ITEM THREE ON THE AGENDA, CITY MANAGER REPORTS.
[3. CITY MANAGER REPORTS]
>> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. GOOD EVENING, COMMISSION.
FIRST ITEM IS TO ACCEPT THE 90-DAY CALENDAR, WHICH IS ON PAGE 15.
I THINK THE BIG THING JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THAT'S IN THE REPORT IS THAT ON OCTOBER 18, WE HAVE A TOWN HALL MEETING AT THE DEL GRADE THAT MR. MAYOR I'D RECOMMEND ACCEPTING THE 90-DAY CALENDAR.
>> DO WE HAVE CONSENSUS TO ACCEPT THE CALENDAR?
>> SORRY. WAS THERE A CELEBRATION FOR THE HUNDREDTH YEAR? WAS IT IN NOVEMBER OR WAS IT IN DECEMBER, THE VERY FIRST ONE?
>> THE FIRST ONE IS FIRST NIGHT, WHICH WOULD BE DECEMBER 31, THE EVENING OF DECEMBER 30.
>> DO WE HAVE CONSENSUS? YOU HAVE YOUR CALENDAR.
>> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THE SECOND ITEM IS THE COMMISSION HAD ASKED ME TO TAKE THE DISCUSSION OF BACKYARD HANDS TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION RATHER THAN RECOMMENDING STANDARDS, THEIR RECOMMENDATION WAS NOT TO CHANGE THE ORDINANCE.
I WILL NEED SOME DIRECTION ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT ME TO HAVE STAFF PREPARE STANDARDS FOR WORKSHOP HERE WITH THE COMMISSION, OR TO MOVE FORWARD. AS YOUR QUESTION.
>> YES. THE BASIC DICHOTOMY THERE IS THE TOWNHOMES VERSUS A SINGLE-FAMILY HOME.
>> THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. THANKS.
>> THERE'S A MATRIX IN OUR AGENDA THAT SHOWS THE COMPARISON BETWEEN CITIES.
I FORGET ALL BUT IT'S BEACHES, AND THEN WHO ELSE WAS IN THAT ORLANDO.
I THINK YOU PUT ORLANDO INTO IT, WHICH WAS SURPRISING, BUT OKAY.
>> I THINK WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SMALLER LOT SIZES, THAT THAT SHOULD BE THE FOCUS.
THAT'S WHY I BROUGHT IT TO THE COMMISSION, AS FAR AS TOWNHOMES VERSUS SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES.
IT SHOULD BE DETERMINED BASED SOLELY ON THE LOT SIZE ITSELF.
THERE ARE PLENTY OF DUPLEXES IN TOWNHOMES THAT ARE JUST THE SAME LOT SIZE AS OUR SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES.
I JUST THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS DISCRIMINATORY.
I GUESS I'M FINE IF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD JUST DIDN'T SEE THE PURPOSE OF EVEN GOING INTO THAT ANY FURTHER, AND LOOKING ACROSS ALL THE OTHER CITIES.
I DID MY DUE DILIGENCE AND BRINGING IT UP TO THE COMMISSION, AND HAVING IT GO THROUGH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
I AM HONESTLY DISHEARTENED TO HEAR THAT NO ONE SEES IT THAT WAY AS DISCRIMINATION, BUT.
>> I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S DISCRIMINATION, ALTHOUGH WE COULD LABEL IT THAT.
I HAVE A QUESTION BECAUSE I KNOW OF NO DUPLEXES THAT ARE THE SAME LOT SIZE AS SINGLE-FAMILY.
DO WE HAVE THAT IN ATLANTIC BEACH?
>> I HAVEN'T DONE A SURVEY OF TOWNHOME LOT SIZES.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY EXIST, BUT IF YOU KNOW, THEN MAYBE YOU MAKE A CASE FOR THAT, BUT WHAT'S OUR MINIMUM LOT SIZE FOR A SINGLE-FAMILY?
>> CURRENT STANDARDS ARE 75 FEET.
I BELIEVE FOR TOWNHOMES, IT'S 25.
>> BUT IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF RECORDS IN OLD ATLANTIC BEACH, 50 BY 100, SO THAT'S 5,000.
>> IT WOULD BE WHATEVER THAT RECORD WAS.
>> I CERTAINLY WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY ATTACHED TOWNHOMES IN THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH THAT HAVE 5,000 SQUARE FEET OF DIRT UNDER THAT TOWN HALL.
>> THAT WAS THE FOCUS IS TO MOVE IT AWAY FROM BEING DRAWING THE LINE FROM MULTI-FAMILY TO SINGLE-FAMILY, BUT DRAWING THE LINE ON THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OR THE LOT SIZE ITSELF.
[00:20:01]
I MEAN, I'D BE INTERESTED TO IF THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, AN AVERAGE LOT SIZE FOR TOWNHOMES.IS THERE THAT READILY AVAILABLE DATA?
>> IT WOULD BE WE WOULD HAVE TO DO A SURVEY THROUGH THE PROPERTY APPRAISER'S RECORDS.
I WROTE IT DOWN. I COULD REPORT BACK NEXT COMMIT.
>> I'D BE INTERESTED TO HEAR. THERE'S A NUMBER.
I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER RING, AND THAT SHOULDN'T BE NECESSARILY WHAT HOUSE YOU LIVE IN, BUT IF YOU HAVE THE ROOM TO HAVE A PEN, I'D BE OKAY WITH THAT.
>> SAY YOU WANT TO DEFER ON THIS OR?
>> IT SOUNDS LIKE THE COMMISSION'S INTERESTED IN KNOWING HOW MANY OF THE DRAWINGS WE HAVE THAT HAVE 5,000 OR MORE SQUARE FEET THERE.
>> I DON'T THINK IT'LL BE HARD.
I MEAN, I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE BUT A HANDFUL IF YOU DO.
THEN IF YOU COME BACK AND THERE ARE SOME, THEN THE QUESTION IS, DO WE LEGISLATE BASED ON LOT SIZE AND THOSE FEW THAT QUALIFY, AND IF THEY'RE SMALLER, THEY DON'T.
>> I MEAN, WE CAN DO A SEARCH THROUGH THE PROPERTY RECORDS ELECTRONICS.
IT'S NOT A SEARCH; THERE'S A SPECIFIC USE CODE FOR POUND HOMES.
WE CAN PULL THOSE UP QUICKLY, AND THEN I DON'T EXPECT WE'RE GOING TO THOUSANDS OF THEM, SO WE'LL JUST GO THROUGH AND IDENTIFY THE LOT SIZES FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE.
>> NEXT. I HAVE THREE OTHER ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA.
I DO WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO OUR RESIDENTS ABOUT OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.
I WANT TO GIVE AN UPDATE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
CURRENTLY, STAFF IS DRAINING WHAT THEY CALL THE DAVCO TANK.
THAT'S THE TANK IN WHICH, WHILE THEY WERE WORKING ON THE HEADWORKS, THEY DIVERTED FLOW TO STORE.
THERE WAS ABOUT 500,000 GALLONS OF MATERIAL IN THERE.
THEY HAVE BEEN DRAINING IT OUT AND TREATING IT.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS DEPENDENT ON THE WEATHER, THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE DONE WITH THAT TODAY, IF NOT TODAY, TOMORROW.
STAFF CONVINCED THAT THAT IS THE PRINCIPAL SOURCE OF THE ODORS.
THERE ARE ALSO FILTER ON THE SYSTEM, AN AIR FILTER THAT WE'RE HAVING A TECH COME OUT AND INSPECT THE FILTER AND RECOMMEND ANY REPAIRS OR MAINTENANCE THAT NEED TO BE DONE TO IT.
IT FILTERS AIR THAT COMES OUT OF THE CENTRIFUGE ROOM, WHICH IS THE ROOM THAT SPINS THE SOLID AND THE LIQUID.
WE DO HAVE QUOTES FOR GETTING FENCING AROUND THE DUMPSTERS UNDERNEATH THE INFLUENCE SCREENS.
THE THOUGHT IS THAT THERE'S A GAP BETWEEN THE SCREEN AND THE DUMPSTER.
IF WE ADD THE FENCE, THAT WILL INHIBIT AIRFLOW AND REDUCE ANY TRANSPORT OF ODORS.
WE'VE INITIATED DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR VENDOR, USP TECHNOLOGIES, TO HELP US FIGURE OUT HOW TO OPTIMIZE THE HYDROGEN PEROXIDE DOSAGE.
THE HYDROGEN PEROXIDE REDUCES ODORS IN THE HEADWORKS AND THE SPLITTER BOX.
THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT A VENDOR WHO CAN PROVIDE COVERS FOR OUR FLUID SCREENS, AGAIN, TO LIMIT ACCESS TO AIR.
LAST, WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO OTHER PARTIES TO HELP IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL ACTION ITEMS THAT WE COULD TAKE.
THESE ARE THE ONES THAT STEVE AND TROY ARE WORKING ON CURRENTLY.
I'M HOPEFUL THAT IF THEY GET THAT DAVCO TANK DRAINED AND THE FLUIDS TREATED IN THERE TOMORROW AND THEN PRESSURE WASH AND BLEACH THE TANK, THAT WILL ADDRESS MOST OF THE ODORS THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING.
>> CAN YOU SPELL THAT YOU SAID DAVCO?
>> THAT IS THE TANK THAT'S BEEN THE CULPRIT ALL ALONG?
>> WE BELIEVE THAT'S THE TANK.
THAT'S THE TANK WHEN THE WINDS BLOWING, YOU CAN SMELL IT, AND IF YOU APPROACH THE TANK, YOU CAN SMELL.
>> BUT THAT'S THE TANK THAT YOU RETROFITTED PIPES AND.
>> THAT WAS WHAT WE USED FOR TEMPORARY STORAGE WHILE WE WERE WORKING ON THERE.
>> I'M WANTING TO KNOW THIS BECAUSE I'M GETTING ASKED EVERY DAY, RIGHT? THE MAIN TANK THAT STARTED ALL THIS WITH RETROFITTING OF WHATEVER.
THAT TANK IS BACK IN OPERATION.
IF YOU GO TO THAT TANK AT ANY OF YOUR INSPECTIONS, IS IT EMITTING ODORS, OR DO YOU THINK IT'S GOOD?
>> WELL, I HAVEN'T APPROACHED THAT TANK.
APPROACHED THE OTHER TANK, AND IT'S CLEAR THAT THE OTHER TANK IS EMITTING ODORS.
>> YOU WALK THE FENCE ON DONNER AT LEAST ONCE EVERY DAY, AND THEN I WALK SAILFISH EVERY DAY.
I CAN TELL YOU SOME DAYS THERE IS A SMELL, BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM PARTICULARLY BAD.
[00:25:02]
EITHER DONNA OR SAILFISH, AND THEN, SOME DAYS YOU WALK BY, PARTICULARLY WHO'S A TEN-FOOT SECTION THAT IS, IF THE WINDS ARE IN LINE WITH THAT TANK, YOU KNOW IT'S THERE.>> UNDERSTOOD. HERE'S WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THE CITIZENS, OR AT LEAST THE ONES THAT ARE COMMUNICATING IS THEY WANT TO KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND YOU'VE IDENTIFIED SOME OF THAT THIS EVENING, ALTHOUGH SOME OF THEM YOU DIDN'T GIVE ANY COLOR TO, BUT THE SECOND THING IS THEY WANT TO KNOW WHEN.
YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PUT A DATE ON EVERYTHING BECAUSE YOU'RE REACHING OUT TO GET FEEDBACK TO ACTUALLY ENGAGE AND ULTIMATELY COME UP WITH A DATE.
BUT CAN YOU GIVE US ANY DATES, FOR EXAMPLE, ON THE DAVCO TANK? THAT'S BEING CLEANED AND SO ON.
>> THE WIND BEING TOLD BY STAFF, WHICH IS WHAT I ANNOUNCED WHEN I ANNOUNCED IT, IS THAT THE TANK IS SUPPOSED TO BE DRAINED TODAY.
THERE MAY BE SOME WEATHER ISSUES THERE, BUT IF IT'S NOT DRAINED TODAY TO BE DRAINED TOMORROW, THEN THEY WILL TREAT THE TANK ITSELF WITH LIME OR BLEACH.
I EXPECT THAT ISSUE WITH THAT TANK WILL BE ADDRESSED THIS WEEK, COMPLETED THIS WEEK.
WHEN THEY STARTED, IT HAD 500,000 GALLONS OF A FLUID.
>> HERE'S WHERE I'M GOING ON THE FINAL POINT, NOW I'LL OPEN IT UP TO FURTHER DISCUSSION, BUT IF WE COULD JUST GET BACK TO PRE-EVENT, NORMAL, OCCASIONAL BAD SMELLS, THAT'S AT LEAST DIRECTIONALLY CORRECT.
WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THE CITIZENS IS THEY'RE NO LONGER GOING TO BE SATISFIED WITH THAT AS STATUS QUO, WHICH HAS GONE ON FOR DECADES, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO IS GET MY HEAD WRAPPED AROUND, WHEN WILL WE ELIMINATE THE ODORS THAT ARE PERVASIVE FROM THIS CURRENT EVENT? IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THAT POTENTIALLY IS IN A WEEK.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF WE COULD PUBLISH THAT, EVEN IF IT'S AN ANTICIPATED DATE AS OPPOSED TO BECAUSE ABSOLUTE IS DIFFERENT THAN ANTICIPATED.
BUT CAN WE DO THAT? THEN CAN WE PUT ANY COLOR BEHIND SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT THE OUTREACH? BECAUSE TO ME, THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU'RE DOING SHOULD GO SOME WAY, HOPEFULLY A LONG WAY TO REMEDIATING THE ODORS THAT WE HAD ALL ALONG ON AN OCCASIONAL BASIS.
>> IN TALKING WITH BOTH STEVE AND TROY, THEY BELIEVE THAT THE DAVCO TANK IS 85 TO 90% OF THE PROBLEM? WHEN THAT GETS CURED, THE ISSUE THAT PUNGENT, EXCUSE THE PUN.
THEN THESE OTHER ITEMS WILL ADDRESS THE 15 OR 10% THAT'S REMAINED.
>> LIKE I SAID. I DON'T REMEMBER THE FIRM'S NAME.
WE REACHED OUT TO OUR FIRM IN WHICH THEIR ENGINEERS SPECIALIZE IN ORDER CONTROL.
WE'VE ALSO REACHED OUT TO JEA, AND JEA HAS AGREED TO COME OUT AND LOOK AT THE SYSTEM AND THE PROCESSES.
THE THINGS THAT I MENTIONED ARE INFRASTRUCTURE-RELATED.
WE'RE LARGELY. FIXING THINGS THAT ARE INFRASTRUCTURE-RELATED.
I'M HOPEFUL REASONABLY QUICK, PARTICULARLY THE DAVCO TANK; WE SHOULD BE DONE THIS WEEK.
WHAT I'M MORE INTERESTED IN HAVING A THIRD-PARTY REVIEW IS THE PROCESSES.
HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THE PROCESSES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE AT THAT FACILITY.
>> MY QUESTION IS. WE'VE HAD THE PROBLEM FOR A WHILE, AND I UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE.
I'M JUST GOING BACK TO MY WORK IN A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
WE HAD THAT PROBLEM ON A NAVY BASE.
INTERNALLY, WE HAD A DECISION.
AT THIS POINT, I THINK WE WOULD GO TO AN OUTSIDE CONSULTANT WHO MAYBE IS AN EXPERT NATIONWIDE, MAYBE EXPENSIVE TO COME IN.I DON'T KNOW WHICH ROUTE YOU GUYS HAVE GONE.
BUT AT THAT, WE COULD FIND SOMEBODY WHO'S, YOU KNOW, EMINENTLY QUALIFIED TO TELL US, DO THE ANALYSIS, COME BACK, TELL US A, B, AND C. HAVE WE GONE OUTSIDE THE ROPE, I GUESS, TO GO THERE YET?
>> AS I SAID, WE'VE REACHED OUT TO OTHER PARTIES.
WE'VE REACHED OUT TO BOTH AN ENGINEERING FIRM AND A STAFF THAT SPECIALIZES THIS AND JEA.
I GUESS MY POINT IS THERE'S SOME LOWER-HANGING FRUIT THAT WE KNOW WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
I DON'T WANT TO HAVE THEM REVIEW THE STUFF WE KNOW NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
>> BUT I THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE SOMEWHERE A LINE WHERE, HEY, WE NEED SOME SERIOUS HELP ABOVE AND BEYOND.
[00:30:01]
>> THAT'S WHAT I WOULD THE INTENT IS TO HAVE THEM COME ON BOARD.
WHEN WE ADDRESS THE FOUR THINGS THAT I ALREADY HAD.
ACTUALLY, REVIEW OUR PROCESSES AND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE THEN. THANKS.
>>THANKS, BILL, FOR THE UPDATE.
JUST A FEW FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS HERE, EXCUSE ME.
THE DAVCO TANK THAT PRIOR TO WHATEVER EVENT WE'RE DEALING WITH, WASN'T IN USE, AND NOW HAD ALL OF A SUDDEN 500,000 GALLONS IN IT, AND WE'RE REMOVING IT.
IT'S BACK TO WHAT'S I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE STATUS OF THE DAVCO TANK BEFORE CURRENT AND FUTURE PLAN.
>> I CAN'T GIVE YOU THE DETAIL OF HOW THAT'S NOT.
MY UNDERSTANDING IT'S USED FOR TEMPORARY ACCLANCE STORAGE.
>> BUT WHEN WE WERE DOING THE HEADWORKS, UPGRADING PIPING IN THE MAIN PLANT.
>> WE HAD TO PERMANENTLY STORE MATERIAL.
>> WHAT THEY'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS GETTING RID OF THAT STORED MATERIAL AND TREATING IT APPROPRIATELY, AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO CLEAN OUT THE BANK.
>> THEY'LL STILL BE USED FOR, IN THEORY, TEMPORARY, BUT TEMPORARY NOT BEING 500,000.
>> [OVERLAPPING] I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWERS.
>> I CAN HAVE STEVE COME IN AND I THINK THE PRINCIPAL ISSUE WHERE IT WAS IS THAT IT WAS BEING USED FOR MORE THAN TEMPORARY STORAGE WHILE WE DID THE HEAD WORKS, AND THE AFFLUENT THAT WAS IN THERE WENT SEPTIC.
>> WELL, AND THAT'S THE COLOR I THINK THE MAYOR IS REFERRING TO.
I THINK IF WE PUT AN UPDATE ON THE WEBSITE IN LANGUAGE THAT THE LAY PERSON CAN UNDERSTAND AND RELATE IT BACK TO WHY IT SMELLS LIKE IT DOES NOW, I THINK THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY IN ANSWERING A LOT OF WHAT SELFISH AND OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS IN THAT AREA ARE ASKING MAYOR, ME, OTHERS, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH MY WATER PLANT.
I WOULD ALSO ASK THAT SMELL CAN BE SUBJECTIVE.
WE NEED TO HAVE SOME PARTICLE DEVICES IN PLACE IF WE DON'T HAVE THEM ALREADY TO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH PARTICLES ARE COMING FROM THERE, EVEN WITH WIND INTO THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE HAVE SOME EMPIRICAL DATA THAT SHOWS, HEY, IF SOMEONE COMPLAINS, NO, THEY'RE PROBABLY RIGHT BECAUSE ON SUCH DATE, WE WERE GATHERING OR MEASURING X AMOUNT OF FLUID IN THE AIR.
ALL THOSE DEVICES ARE READILY AVAILABLE FOR WATER PLANTS, AND FOR MULTIPLE OTHER APPLICATIONS IN THE EXHAUST INDUSTRY, IF YOU WILL.
IF WE DON'T HAVE THOSE, I'M SURE WE NEED SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO TAKE THE SUBJECTIVENESS OF SMELL OUT OF THE EQUATION.
AT SOME POINT, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SAY, NO, WE'RE MEETING THE GUIDELINES OF THE PLANT, OF NATIONAL, WHATEVER GUIDELINES, WHOEVER GOVERNS THESE TYPES OF FACILITIES.
I THINK THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY IN HELPING US SHOW WHAT'S BEING DONE AND MEASURE THAT'S MAKING PROGRESS.
>> WE HAVE SULFUR DIOXIDE SENSORS.
BUT WHAT THEY DON'T SENSOR IS THE DECAYING FATTY ACIDS THAT ARE IN THE OPPONENT, WHICH IS THE PART THAT WERE SEPTIC.
I TALKED WITH STEVE THIS MORNING ABOUT THAT.
I'VE TASKED THEM WITH IDENTIFYING SENSORS THAT COULD DO THAT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT SENSORS EXIST.
THE NORMAL SMELL THAT COMES OUT OF A WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT IS PRODUCED BY SULFUR DIO, AND THOSE ARE THE SENSORS THAT WE HAD AROUND THE PLANT.
BUT I WILL TASK THEM WITH IDENTIFYING IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER SENSORS.
>> THOSE SENSORS ARE NOT DETECTING ANYTHING.
>> WE BELIEVE THE SMELL IS COMING FROM THE DECAYING FATTY ACIDS, NOT SULFUR DIOXIDE.
THE NORMAL GAS RELEASED THROUGH THE PROCESS IS SULFUR DIOXIDE, BUT WHEN IT WENT SEPTIC IN THAT TANK, IT'S PRODUCING OTHER VOLATILE.
>> WELL, NOT TO GLIB, BUT WE SHOULD PROBABLY GET SOMETHING THAT SMELLS ALL THINGS, INSTEAD OF JUST [OVERLAPPING] SULFUR DIOXIDE.
THIS IS JUST A RECOMMENDATION.
I THINK STEVE SHOULD BE AT EVERY ONE OF THESE MEETINGS UNTIL THIS IS DONE, SO THAT WE CAN LOOK HIM IN THE EYE AND GO TELL ME PROGRESS LAST WEEK, WHERE WE'RE GOING THIS WEEK AND NOT THAT YOU DIDN'T EXPLAIN IT.
[00:35:03]
GREAT, BILL. BUT TECHNICALLY, WE'RE GOING TO GET QUESTIONS, THE MAYOR IS GETTING QUESTIONS.STAND UP AND TELL US WHERE WE'RE AT. THANKS.
>> TO THAT END, CAN WE PUBLISH WHATEVER WE KNOW TOMORROW ON OUR WEBSITE?
>> I BELIEVE KEVIN IS ALREADY WORKING ON OR HAS PUBLISHED.
>> GREAT. THEN MY NEXT QUESTION IS, CAN WE TELL THE PUBLIC WHAT FREQUENCY WE'RE GOING TO UPDATE THE WEBSITE ON THAT ISSUE, IE, WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS, WE WOULD UPDATE.
RIGHT NOW, I'D LIKE MORE THAN ONCE EVERY COUPLE OF WEEK UPDATE.
THE LADY THAT SENT ME AN EMAIL TODAY REMINDED ME THAT HER FIRST LETTER ON THIS CAME OVER 30 DAYS AGO, AND WE'VE HAD NO RESOLUTION AND KEVIN, FORGIVE ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I THINK WE'VE ONLY DONE ONE UPDATE IN THAT 30 DAY PERIOD.
>> THE STATEMENT WE PUBLISHED WAS ON AUGUST 22ND.
>> THANK YOU. CAN WE GET A REGULAR REGIMEN THAT'S MORE THAN ONCE A WEEK? NOT NECESSARILY DAILY.
EVEN IF IT GOES IN AND SAYS THERE'S NO CHANGE?
>> PUT IT DOWN AS WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY. IS THAT OKAY?
>> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT.
>> TWO MORE ITEMS. IT WAS MY INTENT TO INSTALL THE GENERATOR LAST WEEK, BUT I WANT TO THANK THE SIMMONS.
I DID IDENTIFY A DEFICIENCY IN THE PERMIT.
THE STATEMENT THAT I MADE ABOUT IT WAS GIVEN TO ME AND ACTUALLY GIVEN TO JOSH, IT WASN'T 100% ACCURATE.
WHAT I SAID WAS THAT WE HAD A THIRD PARTY ENGINEER SIGN OFF ON THAT WAS NOT ACCURATE.
WHAT WAS ACCURATE IS THAT THEY GOTTEN A THIRD PARTY ENGINEER TO REVIEW AND SIGN OFF OR MAKE AMENDMENTS TO IT.
WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THEN I HAVE TOLD THE NEIGHBORS MOST AFFECTED THAT I WOULD LET THEM SEE IT BEFOREHAND AND BE AWARE OF IT BEFOREHAND.
THE STATEMENTS THAT I MADE IN REGARD TO THE FOUR ITEMS ON THE EMAIL, I BELIEVE, ARE ALL ACCURATE.
BUT YOU KNOW THE NEIGHBORS WERE HELPFUL IN IDENTIFYING A DISCREPANCY IN THE PERMIT, AND I HAVE AN ENGINEER REVIEWING THAT.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS A CONCERN, I ACTUALLY MET WITH MR. KILLINGSWORTH AND THE ASSIGNMENTS THIS PAST WEEK.
ONE OF THE THINGS OF CONCERN IS THAT FEMA HAS SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC BEFORE APPROVAL OF A PROJECT, AND IT'S EITHER 14 DAYS OR 15 DAYS.
THEN, OF COURSE, THERE'S CERTIFICATION PROCESS AND SO ON.
WHAT WE DID NOT HAVE, I BELIEVE, AT THAT MEETING, BUT YOU NOW HAVE, IS THAT DOCUMENT THAT WAS DONE IN 2023.
>> THAT WAS ACTUALLY DONE FOR FDEM, WHICH IS FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, WHICH WAS ADMINISTERING THE FEMA GRANT.
I REVIEWED IT. YOU GAVE ME A COPY OF IT.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE SIMMONS HAVE IT AND IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS, MEET WITH THEM.
BUT I BELIEVE THAT NOW SATISFIES THAT CONCERN THAT WE DID NOT FOLLOW THE PROCESS WHEN, IN FACT, WE DID, BUT IT WASN'T DIRECT WITH FEMA, WAS THROUGH FDEM.
I JUST WANT TO GO ON RECORD ON THAT.
BUT I'M SURE I'LL HEAR FROM THE SIMMONS, AND THEY'LL LET ME KNOW IF THAT'S CORRECT OR NOT.
>> THEN LAST, WARM AND FUZZY, HOPEFULLY, WE HAVE A VIDEO FROM THE EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION DAY.
IT'S NOT A VIDEO OF THE DAY, BUT IT'S AN EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION VIDEO THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE.
>> WHAT? THE SLIDE SHOW, IS THAT WHAT YOU MEAN?
>> EACH DAY BEGINS WITH OUR DEDICATED EMPLOYEES ARRIVING READY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY WITH HEART AND PURPOSE.
BEHIND EVERY DOOR AT CITY HALL, THERE A TEAM WORKING HARD TO KEEP THE CITY RUNNING.
FINANCE ENSURES EVERY TRANSACTION IS ACCURATE AND EVERY RESIDENCE IS SERVED WITH A SMILE.
OUR CLERK OFFICE PRESERVES PUBLIC RECORD AND SUPPORTS TRANSPARENCY IN GOVERNMENT.
[00:40:04]
HR SUPPORTS OUR WORKFORCE BY RECRUITING, DEVELOPING AND CARING FOR EVERY TEAM MEMBER.IT POWERS THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND EVERY DEPARTMENT, MAKING SURE WE STAY CONNECTED AND SECURE.
THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE PROVIDE LEADERSHIP AND COORDINATION ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION.
THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT ENSURES SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE IN EVERY PROJECT.
CODE ENFORCEMENT WORKS TO MAINTAIN OUR COMMUNITY SAFETY AND APPEARANCE.
OUR CITY ENGINEER ENSURES EVERY PUBLIC PROJECT IS BUILT ON A STRONG FOUNDATION LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY.
FOR DRAINAGE AND ROADWAYS TO LONGTERM PLANNING, THEY HELP SHAPE A SAFE AND SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR OUR CITY.
PLANNING AND ZONING HELPS SHAPE OUR CITY'S FUTURE THROUGH THOUGHTFUL DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN.
PARKS AND RECREATION BRINGS LIGHT TO OUR CITY THROUGH PROGRAM, PLAY, AND BEAUTIFUL SPACES.
PUBLIC WORKS KEEPS OUR INFRASTRUCTURE STRONG AND OUR STREET SAFE.
OUR UTILITIES TEAM ENSURES CLEAN WATER AND RELIABLE SERVICES FLOW TO EVERY HOME BUSINESS.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PROTECTS AND SERVES WITH PROFESSIONALISM, DEDICATION, AND CARE.
TO EVERY EMPLOYEE WHETHER YOU'RE IN THE FIELD, BEHIND A DESK OR SERVING THE PUBLIC AT THE FRONT COUNTER, THANK YOU.
YOUR HARD WORK, DEDICATION, AND COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE ARE WHAT MAKES THIS CITY EXCEPTIONAL.
WE APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO EVERY SINGLE DAY.
>> SO THIS WAS DONE ENTIRELY IN HOUSE.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS WORKED ON TO SURE OUR EMPLOYEES THAT WE ACTUALLY DO APPRECIATE WHAT THEY DO EVERY DAY.
WITH THAT, MR. MARA, WILL HAND IT BACK TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU. SO WE'VE ALREADY DONE ITEM 3B.
SO WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM 4 REPORTS FROM COMMISSIONERS,
[4. REPORTS AND/OR REQUESTS FROM CITY COMMISSIONERS]
STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER BOLE.I KNOW WE WENT THROUGH THE GRANTS AND WE HEARD FROM SOME PEOPLE TONIGHT.
I'M FOR ANYTHING WE CAN DO FOR ABE.
OBVIOUSLY, I PLAN ON GOING TO THEIR FUNDRAISER, WHICH I BELIEVE IS AT THE END OF THE MONTH, THE 27TH OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL ALSO IN THAT WE PAY DUPONT COUNTY TAXES.
I'M PROBABLY GOING WITH THIS, THAT FUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
A CITIZEN IN ATLANTIC BEACH PAYS THOSE TAXES, AND NOW WE'RE ASKING THAT CITIZEN TO ALSO PAY FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL WHATEVER.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO THINK ABOUT THE TAXPAYER THAT IS GETTING CHARGED TWICE, REALLY FOR THIS.
I'M GOING TO DONATE, BUT I THINK YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT WHERE THE TAXES GO.
I UNDERSTAND WHERE DUPONT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE.
YOU JUST CAN TURN ON THE NEWS AT NIGHT AND SEE THE DEFICIT THAT THEY'RE RUNNING. IT'S NOT GREAT.
SO I'M THINKING OF INNOVATIVE WAYS THAT WE COULD HELP THE SCHOOL AND NOT GO BACK TO THE TAXPAYER THE SECOND TIME. THANKS.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. JUST ONE THING.
I HAVE A RESIDENT, MARK STEWART,1629 BEACH, I DON'T KNOW IF SOME OF YOU KNOW HIM ALREADY.
BUT HE'S MOVED HERE FROM CALIFORNIA AND HE'S A PERSONAL FRIEND AND ONE OF THE THINGS HE ASKED FOR INITIALLY, WHICH I THINK PROBABLY CAME A LITTLE TOO LATE, LOOKING FOR A PROCLAMATION FOR US TO RECOGNIZE THAT SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL SERVICE DOG MONTH.
INSTEAD OF ALL THOSE FORMALITIES, I THOUGHT I'D JUST MAKE A NOTE TO MENTION IT THAT IT IS.
SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL SERVICE DOG MONTH AND THAT THERE'S A GROUP CALLED CANINE COMPANION AND THAT I BECAME REAL FAMILIAR WITH IT THROUGH MARK,
[00:45:05]
BECAUSE EVER SINCE I'VE KNOWN HIM, HE'S HAD A DOG.>> IN HIS INSTRUCTION, I THINK IS THE BEST WAY TO SAY IT.
>> HE'S A PUPPY RAISER. SO THESE DOGS CANNOT BE REALLY TRAINED FOR COMPANIONS UNTIL THEY'RE ABOUT A YEAR OLD, I THINK.
BUT THEY ALSO HAVE TO BE TRAINED AS PUPPIES A CERTAIN WAY, AND MARK IS VERY GOOD AT THAT.
I JUST ASK IF ANYBODY HEARS THIS AND WANTS TO KNOW MORE ABOUT CANINE COMPANIONS OR SERVICE DOGS TO REACH OUT TO MYSELF OR MARK AND WE CAN GET YOU SOME INFORMATION IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING OR DONATING TO THE CAUSE.
THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE OUT THERE TO BE PUPPY RAISERS, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH FUNDS TO GIVE EVERYBODY A DOG WHEN THEY WANT THEM.
THERE'S TYPICALLY A WAIT LIST OF 500 OR MORE IN ANY GIVEN REGION AND THEY HAVE EIGHT REGIONS THROUGHOUT THE US.
I'VE KNOWN PEOPLE THAT USE SERVICE DOGS AND HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS PROGRAM AND IT'S ONE OF THE COOLEST THINGS YOU'LL SEE IS FOR A DISABLED PERSON OR EVEN A YOUNG CHILDREN THAT ARE DIABETIC HAVE DOGS THAT CAN DETECT WHEN THEIR SUGAR, IS IN BAD LEVELS.
SO I MEAN, HOW COOL IS THAT? IN ANY CASE, JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO THE CITY'S ATTENTION. THANK YOU.
>> WELL, I THINK EVERY DOG IS A SERVICE DOG.[LAUGHTER] A COUPLE OF IMPORTANT DATES COMING UP.
SO THANK FIRST RESPONDER, IF YOU SEE ONE OUT AND ABOUT.
THE SECOND ONE IS THE WEEK AFTER THAT IS CONSTITUTION DAY.
IN MANY OF OUR CAPACITIES, WE SWEAR TO UPHOLD AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.
SO I RECOMMEND IT'S AN EASY READ, AND IT MIGHT BE TIME FOR YOU TO REVIEW WHAT IT IS YOU'RE SWEARING TO SUPPORT AND DEFEND.
>> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER RING.
>> I DID WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE GRANT PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY HAVING TO DO WITH THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS BEING PULLED OUT OF IT.
I DO UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE BEHIND REMOVAL OF THE EDUCATIONAL COMPONENTS OR THOSE PROGRAMS FROM ARCS CAPACITY.
IN PERPETUITY, IT SEEMS LIKE 30,000 EACH YEAR GETS TAKEN OUT FROM ARCS CAPACITY TO GIVE AWAY TO OTHER PROGRAMS. BUT I HAD SOME QUESTIONS.
ONE, I WANTED TO ASK, WHAT IS THE AMOUNT THAT WE GIVE AS A CITY TO ATLANTIC BEACH FOR LANDSCAPING.
THEY SAID IT WAS 4.2 THE LADIES TODAY.
>> SO WE DON'T GIVE IT IN A LUMP SUM, BUT WE GIVE IT ON A MONTHLY BASIS, AND THAT'S 468 EVERY MONTH.
DO THEY HAVE TO SPEND IT ON LANDSCAPING?
>> THEN THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS WITH MAYPORT MIDDLE AND FLETCHER HIGH SCHOOL BAND.
I KNOW WE DISCUSSED THIS LAST WEDNESDAY.
ABOUT MOVING FROM FLETCHER HIGH SCHOOL BAND, WAS MAYPORT MIDDLE ALSO DENIED IN THAT ARC GRANT REWARD, OR DID THEY EVEN APPLY?
>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THEY HAVE NOT MADE THEIR FINAL DECISION.
THEY'RE GOING TO MEET TOMORROW AND RANK ORDER THEIR GRANT REQUESTS.
WE'RE AWARE FROM THE DIALOGUE THAT IT APPEARS THAT THEY'RE ELIMINATING EDUCATION.
>> THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE UP, THEY HAVEN'T FINALIZED THAT.
DID FLETCHER HIGH SCHOOL AND MAYPORT MIDDLE, AND ABE ALL APPLY?
>> I DON'T KNOW WHETHER MAYPORT MIDDLE.
>> BECAUSE EACH YEAR THEY DO, AND EACH YEAR THEY'VE BEEN GIVEN THIS.
I DO THINK IT'S A BIT HARSH TO DO IT WITHOUT SETTING THAT REGULATION IN PLACE FOR THE CRITERIA.
AS YOU WRITE A GRANT, YOU HAVE TO PREPARE A LOT OF PAPERWORK BEFOREHAND.
IF THE CRITERIA WAS GOING TO BE SET AT THE GATE GO, THAT THEY WOULD NOT HAVE THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THERE, THEN IT WOULD ONLY BE FAIR THAT IT BE LISTED THERE THAN TO DO IT AT THIS POINT.
WHAT I WANTED TO DISCUSS WITH THE COMMISSION EITHER PULLING THAT OUT AND UTILIZING OUR GENERAL FUND MONEY,
[00:50:03]
THE ENHANCEMENT MONEY THAT WE DID HAVE LEFT OVER FROM LAST WEDNESDAY.WE WERE DISCUSSING TO FUND THESE AT LEAST FOR THIS GO ROUND.
BUT I KNOW THAT WHEN ARC ENDS UP COMING BACK TO US ANYWAYS WITH THEIR 75,000, IT IS ULTIMATELY UP TO THE COMMISSION TO DECIDE IN THE END WHAT PROGRAMS ARE FUNDED THROUGH THAT 75,000.
I JUST THINK THE ARGUMENT THAT THE LADIES MADE TODAY MAKES PERFECT SENSE.
IF THE CRITERIA WAS TO PULL OUT THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FROM THE START, THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD IT LISTED IN THAT CRITERIA.
I DO UNDERSTAND WHERE ARC IS COMING FROM AND WANTING TO NOT INCLUDE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FROM HENCEFORWARD, BUT I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING SET AT THE VERY BEGINNING, THEN SOMETHING THAT THEY DECIDE NOW AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
>> THANK YOU. I GUESS I GET THE LAST WORD, AND I'M GOING TO TAG.
>> I JUST DID HAVE ONE OTHER THING THAT DIDN'T HAVE TO WITH ARC.
OUR LAST COMMISSION MEETING, AUGUST 25, WHILE WE WERE ALL MEETING HERE, INCLUDING CHIEF GUILLO, WHO WAS HERE, AND OUR CITY MANAGER, THERE WAS A VIOLENT INCIDENT THAT WAS OCCURRING IN DUTTON ISLAND.
WHETHER IT WAS JSO OR WHETHER IT WAS ATLANTIC BEACH IS LITERALLY STONE'S THROW. IT DIDN'T MATTER.
BUT MY NEIGHBORS AND OUR RESIDENTS WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT A VERY QUICK OR OPPORTUNE TIME TO MOVE AWAY FROM ONE, THE PARK THAT IS THERE, WHERE THE PERPETRATOR AND PROBABLY CHIEF GUILLO HAS BETTER INFORMATION THAN I DO, BECAUSE I'M BASING IT OFF OF NEWS ARTICLES THAT I READ, BUT MADE HIS WAY FROM DUTTON ISLAND ROAD AND ENDED UP ON MAYPORT ROAD, STRIKING AT LEAST ONE CAR, AND THEN FINALLY IN A GUNFIRE.
I MIGHT BE HERE, AND HAVE CHIEF GUILLO COME UP AND TELL US EXACTLY WHAT ALL HAPPENED.
BUT MY POINT TO THIS IS, WHAT ARE WE PUTTING IN PLACE FOR OUR CITIZENS AS FAR AS SAFE ALERTS AND SAFE WATCH? WE SHOULDN'T BE FINDING OUT NEWS ARTICLES THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED.
THIS IS WHY WE HAVE A SMALL POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHY WE HAVE OUR OWN DISPATCHERS HERE.
IT IS WHY WE FUND THIS SO THAT WE CAN PROTECT OUR CITIZENS RIGHT HERE AND ARE NOTIFIED OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AS THEY HAPPEN OR AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
>> CHIEF GUILLO POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I THINK MAYBE SET SOME EXPECTATIONS FOR WHAT WILL USE SAFERWATCH FOR.
SAFERWATCH IS NOT MEANT TO BE INFORMATIVE.
THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR TOWN PLATFORM.
IT'S MEANT TO BE A REPORTING MECHANISM.
WEEKLY, WE HAVE CITIZENS EITHER ANONYMOUSLY TEXT IN OR SEND US PHOTOGRAPHS OR VIDEOS OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON AROUND TOWN, WHICH IS WHAT IT'S MEANT FOR TRULY.
YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THERE ARE THREE OR FOUR OFFICERS WORKING ON A SHIFT.
THEY ARE DEALING WITH WHATEVER IS GOING ON IN FRONT OF THEM ON THE STREET.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE TIME TO STOP AND REPORT UPDATES, SO WE CAN UPDATE CITIZENS ON SAFERWATCH.
YOU DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.
THERE ARE ONE OR MAYBE TWO IF WE'RE LUCKY DISPATCHERS WORKING THAT INCIDENT.
THEY ARE HELPING THE OFFICERS MANAGE THE INCIDENT.
THEY ARE TAKING CALLS FROM CITIZENS THAT ARE COMING IN ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON AND MAYBE WHAT THE OFFICERS HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
WE DON'T HAVE THE STAFF TO STOP AND LET YOU KNOW THAT, HEY, LOOK, THERE WAS AN INCIDENT OCCURRED AT DUTTON ISLAND.
THE INCIDENT HAS, IN A MATTER OF MINUTES OR LESS, CULMINATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF MAYPORT ROAD AND LEVEY, OR WHEREVER THAT WAS, DUTTON ISLAND.
WE HAVE USED IT IN THE PAST WHEN AN INCIDENT HAS BECOME PROTRACTED, AND LET'S SAY WE WERE CHASING SOMEBODY ON FOOT THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD OR AN AREA.
NOW, WE HAD A MOMENT TO SET UP A PERIMETER AND WE HAD A HELICOPTER IN THE AREA, AND WE LET RESIDENTS KNOW, HEY, THERE IS A HELICOPTER IN THE AREA.
THERE IS POLICE PRESENCE IN THE AREA.
THERE IS NO CONCERN FOR SAFETY.THIS IS WHAT WE NEED YOU TO DO.
IT'S INFORMATIVE. WE NEED TO DELIVER INFORMATION TO THE RESIDENTS.
WE'VE ALSO DONE THIS DURING HURRICANES.
INFORMATIVELY, THERE ARE THESE THINGS HAPPENING IN OUR COUNTY.
THESE ARE THE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT, THIS IS WHAT WE ANTICIPATE HAPPENING IN THE NEXT 24-48 HOURS, BECAUSE WE HAD THE TIME TO DO THAT.
IT WOULD BE NICE IF WE HAD THE ABILITY TO GIVE PEOPLE THAT UPDATE AS THINGS ARE OCCURRING, BUT THE OFFICERS IN THE S ARE DEALING WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING AND THEY'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT DELIVERING INFORMATION TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL BETTER. NO.
>> IF YOU DON'T MIND, COMMISSIONER, I HAVE TO ADD INTO THIS.
I HEAR YOU, AND I'LL ACCEPT THAT ON BALANCE.
[00:55:03]
BUT IF THERE'S A SHOOTOUT GOING ON A 1A, MAYPORT ROAD, AND DUTTON ISLAND, I WOULD LIKE OUR RESIDENTS TO KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING OUT, TURN LEFT ON MAYPORT ROAD AND GO SOUTH.CAN WE UTILIZE THAT INFORMATION NOW? I REALIZE PART OF IT IS WHO GOT THE CALL? THAT'S THE 911 CALL.
DID THAT GO TO JSO AND THEN GETS PUSHED BACK TO US OR HOW.
>> ON THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT?
>> YEAH. ON THE ORIGINAL, THE FIRST TIME WE KNOW ABOUT A PROBLEM, WHERE DID THAT CALL COME IN? JSO OR TO DIRECT TO US?
>> THE INITIAL INCIDENT WENT TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
THAT'S WHY THEIR OFFICERS WERE DISPATCHED TO NIGHT HOURS.
EVEN THOUGH IT OCCURRED ON DUTTON ISLAND, THE WAY IT WENT THROUGH 911 MADE IT APPEAR AS THOUGH THE ADDRESS THAT IT CAME FROM WAS ON THEIR SIDE, WHICH IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF DUTTON ISLAND ROAD.
WHICH IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET.
MADE IT APPEAR THAT IT OCCURRED THERE, AND THE CALLERS WERE GIVING INFORMATION ABOUT THE INCIDENT THAT WAS OCCURRING IN FRONT OF THEM.
THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE DISPATCHED THEIR OFFICERS AS QUICKLY AS THEY COULD.
THEY DIDN'T DRILL DOWN INTO EXACTLY WHOSE JURISDICTION OR EXACTLY WHICH SIDE OF THE STREET YOU'RE ON.
THEY JUST WANTED TO GET POLICE OFFICERS THERE.
AS THE OFFICERS WERE GOING TO THE INCIDENT, THE OTHER THINGS OCCURRED WHERE THE VEHICLE FLED.
THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT AT THE INTERSECTION OF MAYPORT AND DUTTON ISLAND.
THIS IS OCCURRING VERY RAPIDLY AND UNFOLDING.
TO MY POINT, WHEN THINGS ARE HAPPENING THAT QUICKLY, THE OFFICERS NEED TO ADDRESS WHAT'S GOING ON ON THE STREET.
WE ARE NOT GOING TO GIVE THOSE UPDATES, IT'LL BE A SAFE WAY [INAUDIBLE].
>> I HEAR YOU, BUT IF WE HAVE A DISPATCHER THAT'S IN THE OFFICE AND SHE OR HE IS LISTENING TO WHAT'S GOING ON, WE KNOW THERE'S AN INCIDENT GOING ON WITHOUT HAVING THE POLICE OFFICERS GIVE US A CURRENT STATUS.
I GUESS MY POINT IS, I'D LIKE TO KNOW NOT TO DRIVE INTO HARM'S WAY.
IT'S LIKE THERE IS AN INCIDENT WITH GUNFIRE AT THE INTERSECTION OF MAYPORT AND DUTTON ISLAND AVOID THAT LOCATION, MAY.
I KNOW THAT WHEN THE FIRST RESPONDERS THEIR HANDS ARE FULL.
BUT THE DISPATCHER RECEIVED THE CALL.
THE DISPATCHER KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON.
EVEN IF IT WASN'T A MAJOR THREAT, EVEN IF YOU WERE STILL INVESTIGATING, WHY DIDN'T THE DISPATCHER GO IN AND ALERT USING SAFER ALERT? I'M NOT SAYING THAT THE POLICE NEEDED TO DO IT, BUT THE DISPATCHER IS THE FIRST TO RECEIVE THE CALL.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE HAVE OUR OWN DISPATCHERS HERE AND THEY'RE NOT DOING THAT.
THE SAME THING HAPPENED WITH THE COYOTE.
IT HAPPENED TO ME WHEN I TOLD MY DAUGHTER TO GO CALL 911, AND WE WERE SHUT DOWN.
I WANT TO KNOW WHY AND IF, GOING FORWARD, WE CAN'T UTILIZE OUR SAFER ALERT USING OUR DISPATCHERS THAT ARE IN-HOUSE.
>> THE DISPATCH TEAM IS PART OF THAT FIRST RESPONDER TEAM.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY ON THE RADIO, MONITORING WHAT'S GOING ON.
THEY'RE HELPING THE OFFICERS MANAGE THE CALL.
THEY'RE MANAGING PHONE CALLS FROM RESIDENTS AND CITIZENS WHO ARE TELLING US ABOUT THINGS THAT THEY'RE SEEING AND THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.
I WOULD NOT EXPECT THE DISPATCHER TO HAVE THAT LUXURY TO TAKE THAT TIME AWAY FROM THE CONSOLE AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO BE ABLE TO PUT THAT OUT WHEN THINGS ARE HAPPENING.
WHEN THERE'S A LULL AND THE EVENT BEGINS TO GO A LITTLE PROTRACTED.
YES, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO DO THAT.
BUT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE RAPIDNESS WHICH YOUR INCIDENT OCCURRED WITH THIS SHOOTING OCCURRED.
THERE WAS NO TIME THAT'S REASONABLE FOR THEM TO TAKE TIME AWAY FROM THEIR FOCUS ON WHAT'S GOING ON THE SCREEN IN FRONT OF THEM AND OVER THE AIR TO DO THAT.
>> DOES JSO UTILIZE SAFER WATCH OR SAFER ALERT?
>> THEY USE ANOTHER SYSTEM THAT COMMUNICATES WITH THE SCHOOL, WHICH IS INITIALLY WHY THIS WAS BROUGHT ON BOARD.
WE HAD A DIRECT INFORMATION COMING FROM THE SCHOOL DURING THOSE TYPES OF INCIDENTS, SO WE HAD A WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM.
>> HOW DO THEY GO ABOUT ALERTING JSO? HOW DO THEY GO ABOUT ALERTING PUBLIC?
>> WHEN THEY HAVE A LARGER INCIDENT, THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM, WHICH IS ON DUTY MORE FREQUENTLY THAN OURS ARE.
IT'S AN ANCILLARY DUTY FOR ONE OF OUR COMMANDERS TO PUT THINGS OUT OVER SOCIAL MEDIA.
THEY HAVE A SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM THAT MANAGES THEIR FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS.
AS THINGS ARE HAPPENING, THERE ARE AT LEAST 10S OF MINUTES OR LONGER THAT OCCUR BEFORE THEY PUT OUT INFORMATION WHEN THINGS ARE OCCURRING IN THEIR JURISDICTION.
IT'S NOT IMMEDIATE, AS WITHIN A MINUTE OR TWO OR THREE THAT THINGS ARE OCCURRING.
I WISH WE HAD THE ABILITY TO DO THAT, BUT WE JUST DON'T.
THE BEST ADVICE I CAN GIVE ANYBODY IS WE WILL NEVER BEAT SOCIAL MEDIA.
IF SOMEONE IS STANDING ON THE CORNER WITH THEIR CELL PHONE, TEXTING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING, OR POSTING PICTURES OR VIDEOS.
WE WILL NEVER BEAT THAT BECAUSE THE OFFICERS ARE IN THE STREET DEALING WITH THE SITUATION.
[01:00:02]
NO ONE'S GOING TO STOP TO DO THAT.IT'S GOING TO APPEAR THAT THEY HAVE A LOT MORE INFORMATION THAN WE DO.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN PLACE TO GIVE US THAT AWARENESS THAT WE CAN GIVE TO THE PUBLIC.
THE BEST ADVICE I CAN GIVE YOU IS USE GOOD COMMON SENSE, BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOURSELF AS A GOOD CITIZEN, AND STAY AWAY FROM THINGS THAT LOOK DANGEROUS, AND DON'T GO OUT WITH YOUR CELL PHONE TO PHOTOGRAPH OR VIDEOTAPE TO SHARE THIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
>> THAT'S GOOD ADVICE. GO AHEAD.
>> THANKS, CHIEF, FOR THE UPDATE.
I GUESS WHAT I'M CURIOUS, THOUGH, IS, SO MY DAUGHTER'S IN COLLEGE, AND YOU'VE HEARD DIFFERENT THINGS HAVE HAPPENED ON CAMPUSES.
THERE'S AN IMMEDIATE OR NOT A PROTRACTED THING, BUT PRETTY QUICK.
IT SEEMS LIKE, SHOOTER ON CAMPUS STAY INSIDE.
REAL QUICK, FIVE OR SIX WORDS, TEXTED TO EVERY PHONE IN THE AREA.
WHAT IS THAT INVOLVE FOR US? I DON'T KNOW SO MUCH ABOUT THIS OTHER THING, SAFERWATCH.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT SOMEONE USED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THINGS.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT A DISPATCHER GOING ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR CRYING OUT LOUD.
I'M TALKING ABOUT, LIKE A FRIGGING BULLET.
THERE'S ACTIVE SHOOTER ON MAYPORT AND DUTTON ISLAND, PLEASE, THAT THING, THROUGH A TEXT MESSAGE.
I THINK THAT'S MAYBE WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
IS THAT FEASIBLE AT THIS POINT OR WE JUST DON'T HAVE IT.
>> WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR LIKE NOSEY NELLI'S HERE LOOKING TO FIND OUT WHAT THIS POLICE IS GOING ON.
WE'RE JUST LOOKING FOR A SAFETY ISSUE TO KEEP THE SITUATION GETTING WORSE.
DO WE HAVE THAT CAPABILITY AT ALL OR WHAT I'M REFERRING TO LIKE THESE COLLEGE CAMPUSES OUT?
>> WE DO THAT PLATFORM WOULD BE SAFERWATCH, IT COULD BE A SAFERWATCH.
WHAT I ASK IS THAT YOU PUT A REALISTIC FRAMEWORK AROUND THAT.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW FAST THOSE INCIDENTS OCCUR AT SAY AT COLLEGE.
I WOULD STILL GUESS THERE ARE MINUTES OR 10S OF MINUTES TO OCCUR BEFORE SOME OF THOSE THINGS GO OUT, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION TO GO OUT AND VERIFY WHAT THE INFORMATION WE'RE PUTTING OUT TO CITIZENS AND PARENTS, THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT OUT ERRONEOUS INFORMATION.
AGAIN, BY THE TIME AN OFFICER DRIVES THERE, TALKS TO SOMEBODY, OR SEES SOMETHING, THERE ARE GOING TO BE MINUTES OR 10S OF MINUTES THAT OCCUR.
I'M NOT GOING TO BEAT SOMEBODY STANDING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH A CELL PHONE.
WE HAVE DONE IT IN THE PAST, WE'VE GOTTEN THERE, STABILIZE THE SITUATION AND LET FOLKS KNOW, HEY, THERE'S AN ACTIVE INCIDENT AT REDFIN AND SHELLFISH.
THERE'S NO DANGER TO THE PUBLIC.
I WILL TELL YOU IN THIS INCIDENT THAT IT SEEMED LIKE A VERY VOLATILE SITUATION, BUT IT WAS CONTAINED.
WHILE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED ON DUTTON ISLAND, THE SUSPECT FLED, HAD A CAR ACCIDENT.
THE TIME HE HAD THE CAR ACCIDENT, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE DEPUTIES WERE THERE.
HE WAS CONTAINED. HE WASN'T GOING ANYWHERE.
THIS INCIDENT WASN'T SPREADING.
HE WASN'T RUNNING DOWN THE STREET.
THERE WAS NO ACTIVE SHOOTER OR ACTIVE INCIDENT.
THERE WAS AN ACTIVE INCIDENT THEY HAD CONTAINED.
THERE WAS NOTHING FOR US TO LET PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT.
>> THE FACT THAT A SHOOTING OCCURRED AFTERWARDS, I DON'T KNOW, 30 MINUTES OR AN HOUR.
I'M NOT SURE HOW LONG THE MINUTES WERE BETWEEN THE CRASH AND WHEN THE SHOOTING OCCURRED; HE WASN'T GOING ANYWHERE.
HE WAS CONTAINED BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND US ABOUT 20 OR 25 MINUTES AFTER THAT.
THE INCIDENT WASN'T PROTRACTED AND SPREADING OR ACTIVE AS FAR AS MOVING FROM THAT LOCATION.
>> DID IT START IT DID NOT START ON MAYPORT AND DUTTON.
IT STARTED IN DUTTON, WHERE HE PULLED A GUN, AND WHAT WAS HE DOING WITH IT?
>> IT DID TRAVEL QUITE SOME WAY.
IN THAT TIME PERIOD, HOW MANY PEOPLE COULD HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY AN ACTIVE SO THAT IS [OVERLAPPING]
>> THE INFORMATION OUT IN THE TIME THE SHOOTING OCCURRED UNTIL THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON DON ALLEN ROAD IN MAYPORT.
THERE WAS NO TIME FRAME THAT WE COULD HAVE GOTTEN THERE, VERIFIED THE INCIDENT, AND SAID AND TOLD ANYBODY WITH WITH A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF BELIEF THAT WE WERE PUTTING OUT GOOD INFORMATION.
WE HAD A REPORT FROM A CITIZEN THAT A SHOOTING OCCURRED.
SOMEONE SHOT A RIFLE ON DT NOLLER ROAD.
I WILL TELL YOU WE GET THOSE SHOOTING CALLS FREQUENTLY.
SOMEONE FIRED SHOTS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT THAT OUT EVERY TIME OVER THE AIR OR OVER SAFER WATCH? THEY WERE GOING TO SHOTS FIRED CALL IN THIS PART OF THE CITY BECAUSE WE GET THERE USUALLY, AND EVERYBODY'S GONE, OR MAYBE IT WAS FIREWORKS.
WE HAVE NO IDEA IF WE'RE PUTTING OUT GOOD FACTUAL INFORMATION, DO WE GET THERE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
[01:05:01]
>> DID THE OFFICERS AND I APOLOGIZE FOR TAKING THIS MUCH TIME? BUT DID THE OFFICERS FIND HIM FIRST IN DUTTON ISLAND, OR DID THEY TRAVEL TOGETHER? WERE THE OFFICERS TRAVELING DOWN DUTTON ISLAND AND THEN STOPPED HIM ON MAYPORT ROAD?
>> I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE CONTACTED HIM AT, BUT IT WAS NOT ON DUTTON ISLAND.
>> THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT THE INTERSECTION THERE, SO I DON'T KNOW IF AN OFFICER WAS PURSUING HIM AT THAT POINT.
BUT AGAIN, IT WAS IF YOU THINK ABOUT IF SOMEONE'S TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED FROM THE ENTRANCE OF DUTTON ISLAND ROAD DOWN.
>> ARE YOU SAYING BECAUSE CHIEF GO, I UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU HEAR POLICE WHEN YOU HEAR GUNS GO OFF, IT COULD BE FIREWORKS OR IT COULD BE JUST NOT MUCH.
BUT AT WHAT POINT IN HIM SHOOTING OFF IN DUTTON ISLAND, TO CRASHING INTO SOMEONE ON MAY BOARD IN DUTTON ISLAND AND BEING SHOT AND KILLED, THERE HAS TO BE SOME POINT IN THAT TIME LAPSE THAT WE COULD HAVE SENT OUT A SAFER ALERT.
>> WE DID SIT ON A SEVERAL BUTCH.
WE LET PEOPLE KNOW THERE WAS AN INCIDENT OCCURRING.
WHEN WE WERE ON THE PERIMETER, I WAS STABILIZED.
>> BUT WE HE WAS PASSED AFTER HE?
>> I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS BEFORE AFTER THE SHOOTING OCCURRED OR HOW LONG AFTER THE SHOOTING OCCURRED.
HOWEVER, IT WASN'T OUR CALL, IT WASN'T IT WASN'T FOR US TO PUT THAT INFORMATION OUT TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE CALL THAT THEY WERE HANDLING.
ALL THE INFORMATION WE HAD WAS THAT WE WERE REQUESTED TO BE ON A PERIMETER FOR THEM AND CLOSE THE ROADWAY.
>> [OVERLAPPING] REALLY PROVIDING THAT MUCH INFORMATION?
>> NO. WE DON'T WE DON'T GET INVOLVED IN THEIR BUSINESS AT THAT LEVEL.
>> WELL, THEY HAD MULTIPLE OFFICERS SURROUNDING THE CAR, DEALING WITH THE SITUATION.
I'M NOT GOING TO SEND A SERGEANT OVER THERE TO ASK THEM, HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON? CAN YOU GIVE ME AN UPDATE SO I CAN PUT THIS OUT OVER OUR SAFER WATCH.
WE WERE THERE ASSISTING THEM, CLOSING OFF A ROADWAY, DOING EXACTLY WHAT THEY ASKED US TO DO.
WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS OUR OFFICERS DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.
THEY HEARD THE GUNFIRE WHEN IT HAPPENED, BUT THEY HAD NO FIRSTHAND INFORMATION WHAT WAS GOING ON.
THEY'RE NOT PERIMETER ON A ROADWAY, IT'S ABOUT A HALF MILE OR A QUARTER MILE AWAY, CLOSING OFF A ROAD. THAT'S ALL WE KNEW.
>> THANK YOU. LET ME JUST SAY, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO MANAGE WITH FIVE OTHER PEOPLE TELLING YOU HOW TO DO YOUR JOB.
THIS ONE I WOULD SUSPECT, WE'RE NOT COMPLETELY SETTLED ON IT.
I HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR, CHIEF.
BUT IF THERE'S SHOTS FIRED, I'D LIKE TO THINK WE MIGHT THINK THIS ON JUST A WAY TO PUT IT OUT THERE, SHOTS FIRED, INTERSECTION OF MAYPORT.
ONCE WE KNOW, FOR SURE, BECAUSE IF IT TOOK, I THINK WHAT I HEARD IS BETWEEN THE TIME WHERE WE HAD HIM CONTAINED AND THE TIME THAT THE SHOOTOUT OCCURRED THAT KILLED HIM, THAT WAS 30 MINUTES AN HOUR, I THINK YOU SAID.
>> NECESSARILY NEGOTIATION GOING ON THERE WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND HIM AND THE.
>> THINK ABOUT THIS. WE CAN BRING THIS BACK UP. YOU BROUGHT IT UP TODAY.
I APPRECIATE THAT. I HOPE ALL OF US DO BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTEN PLENTY OF INQUIRIES FROM CITIZENS.
>> THE ONE THING I CAN ASK YOU FOR IS TO TRUST US.
WE HAVE USED A SAFER WATCH IN THE PAST APPROPRIATELY TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHEN THINGS WERE GOING ON.
THEY HAD TO HAVE ACTIONABLE INFORMATION ABOUT.
BUT IF WE'RE NOT TELLING YOU ANYTHING, IT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW.
WE'VE USED IN THE PAST APPROPRIATELY.
TRUST US, WE'LL USE IT APPROPRIATELY IN THE FUTURE. WE HEAR YOU.
WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CITIZENS WANT INFORMATION; THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR SAFETY, BUT SOMETIMES THERE'S THINGS THAT WE DON'T KNOW WE CAN PUT OUT OR NOT.
SOMETIMES OUR OFFICERS ARE DEALING WITH THIS SITUATION.
IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE TO ASK THEM TO STOP.
>> I GET YOU. I JUST LEAVE YOU ONE WORD.
BULLETS. BULLETS ARE DIFFERENT FROM EVERYTHING ELSE THAT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST TO OUR SERVICE.
>> YOU'D BE SURPRISED A NUMBER OF TIMES WE GO TO SHOTS FIRED CALLS THROUGHOUT THE CITY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
>> IT'D BE TOO MANY TO PUT OUT A SAFER WATCH EVERY TIME WE GOT SOMEBODY HEARD A SHOT FIRED IN A BACKYARD IN WHATEVER NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT UNDESIRABLE ON OUR END TO DO THAT TO OUR CITIZENS.
>> THANK YOU. I'LL FINISH UP, AND I'LL GO BACK TO THE ISSUE ON THE SCHOOLS.
THIS IS CHALLENGING, AND I ACTUALLY SPOKE TO THE COMMITTEE TO THE ARC LAST WEEK WHEN THEY DID THEIR EIGHT-HOUR REVIEW OF ALL THE GRANTS.
I'M TROUBLED WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY SPENT FOR SCHOOLS FOR SOME OF THE SAME REASONS, I THINK YOU ARTICULATED, MR. BOOL.
THE MONEY, IF REQUESTED FROM A SCHOOL, SHOULD BE FOR SOMETHING THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM JUST DOESN'T DO, AND I'LL JUST USE THE TERM ENRICHMENTS.
[01:10:01]
THE INTENT, I CERTAINLY KNOW, IN TALKING TO PEOPLE WITH ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY PARENTS AND MEMBERS OF FAV AND SO ON, THEY WANT OUR CHILDREN AT ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY TO BE THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST AND BEST EDUCATED, AND DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOLS IS NOT FULLY SUPPORTING THAT INITIATIVE.THAT BEING SAID, I'M NOT A BELIEVER IN PERPETUAL GRANTS.
I WANT TO JUST GO ON THE RECORD AS ONE OF FIVE ON THIS COMMISSION, I DO NOT BELIEVE IN RECURRING GRANTS THAT END UP BECOMING OVERHEAD.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE SOMEBODY A GRANT EVERY YEAR FOR 10,000 INTO PERPETUITY, YOU NEED TO BUILD THAT INTO YOUR OVERHEAD AND EXPECT IT EACH YEAR TO COME BACK.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT GRANTS SHOULD BE.
I THINK GRANTS SHOULD BE TO HELP ENTITIES LAUNCH AN INITIATIVE, SOMETHING THAT NEEDS OUR HELP TO GET IT GOING, AND THEN THEY NEED TO FIND OTHER REVENUE SOURCES TO KEEP IT GOING AFTER THE FIRST OR SECOND YEAR.
THAT'S JUST MY OPINION, BUT I DEVELOPED THAT OPINION FROM THE NONPROFIT WORLD OF WHICH I CAME FROM PRIOR TO THIS POSITION.
THE GRANTORS THAT I DEALT WITH IN THAT WORLD DID NOT LIKE PERPETUAL GRANTS, AND I GET THAT.
BUT WHAT I FOUND TO BE UNIQUE, AND I HEARD IT TODAY, AND I'M GOING TO REPEAT IT FOR ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY, IS THAT IS OUR SCHOOL.
THAT SCHOOL IS PREDOMINANTLY, AND WE COULD DO A NUMBER, BUT IT'S 90-SOMETHING PERCENT ATLANTIC BEACH RESIDENTS.
WE HAVE CHILDREN IN OTHER SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE CHILDREN IN MAYPORT MIDDLE AS A FEEDER SCHOOL TO FLETCHER.
MOST ARE MANY OF WHICH ARE ATLANTIC BEACH RESIDENTS, BUT IT IS NOT IN OUR CITY, AND THE DIFFERENCE IN THE DISTINCTION HERE IS ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY; NOT ONLY IS THE ONLY SCHOOL IN OUR CITY, BUT WE HAVE ACCESS AGREEMENT WITH THEM TO UTILIZE THEIR FIELD, THEIR TRACK, AND SO ON.
THAT IS JUST WHOLLY DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER SCHOOL.
WE'LL GET TO THE BUDGET AND THE MILLAGE IN A FEW MINUTES.
I HOPE SOMEBODY WILL RECOMMEND GIVING THEM SOMETHING.
I HEARD YOU, COMMISSIONER RING, I THINK IT WAS YOU, BUT I GET THE POINT THAT WAS BROUGHT UP TODAY IS WITHOUT NOTICE IN ADVANCE, SOME PEOPLE WORKED QUITE A WHILE ON PUTTING TOGETHER THE GRANT REQUEST, ASSUMING THAT THEY COULD GET SOMETHING.
I DO NOT BUY INTO THE ARGUMENT, THOUGH THAT WE ARE OBLIGATED IF WE SAY UP TO $10,000.
IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S AN AUTOMATIC 10,000 IF YOU GET IT.
I HOPE THIS COMMISSION WILL ENTERTAIN SOMETHING, IF NOT 10,000 SOMETHING ELSE, I THINK THAT SCHOOL DESERVES IT.
I THINK THEY'RE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE MONEY.
I THINK, AS WAS ARTICULATED BEFORE THIS MEETING, THAT WE HAD TROUBLE VALIDATING OR GETTING VALIDATION OF THE EXPENDITURES IN THE PAST; THAT'S OLD NEWS.
IF WE GRANT THEM A GRANT AND THEY DON'T GIVE US WHAT WE NEED ON THE SUBSEQUENT YEAR, THEN WE CUT THEM OUT OF THE GRANT PROGRAM.
BUT I DO THINK IT SHOULD BE SEPARATE FROM ARC.
IF WE GET TO THE BUDGET AND YOU WANT TO START LAYERING IN OTHER SCHOOLS, EVEN SCHOOLS THAT HAVEN'T EVEN ASKED, LIKE NEPTUNE BEACH ELEMENTARY, YOU NEED TO REVISE THE BUDGET FOR ARC.
I'M NOT SUGGESTING REVISING THE BUDGET DOWNWARD FOR ARC IF WE'RE GRANTING THIS ON A ONE-TIME BASIS FOR ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY.
BUT IF YOU START ADDING A BUNCH OF SCHOOLS IN, WE NEED TO REVISE THAT BUDGET BECAUSE THAT MEANS THAT THEY'RE GETTING THE SAME 75,000 TO GO ON ALL THESE OTHER THINGS.
THEN, FINALLY, I THOUGHT IT WAS NOTEWORTHY, AND I WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON THIS IN THE FUTURE.
IT WON'T HAPPEN TODAY, BUT THE COMPARISON OF $300 PER CHAIR ON THE CHAIR YOGA COST, PER PERSON, AND $20 PER STUDENT IF WE GIVE A GRANT TO ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY.
DON'T KNOW IF THOSE NUMBERS ARE ACCURATE.
>> CARIOCA ONE IS DEFINITELY NOT ACCURATE.
>> WELL, WE KNOW THAT CHAROGA IS HEAVILY SUBSCRIBED.
>> WHAT WE DON'T KNOW IS WHAT THE MATH IS ON A PER PERSON IN A CHAIR.
ANYWAYS, THAT'S MY $0.02 FOR IT.
I THINK WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS I WOULD LIKE THE GRANT PROGRAM THROUGH THE ARC TO BE PURE ABOUT SUPPORTING THE PROGRAMS TO ENHANCE PARKS AND RECREATION IN OUR CITY, NOT FOR SCHOOLS.
IF WE'RE GOING TO DO SCHOOLS, I THINK WE SHOULD, IN FACT, DO THAT SEPARATELY AND DIRECTLY AS A COMMISSION.
OKAY, I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE STARTED WITH THIS PROCLAMATION, BUT NOW I'M GOING TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION, AND I'M GOING TO GIVE IT TO COMMISSIONER KELLY.
PROCLAMATION OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH AND RECOGNITION OF CONSTITUTION WEEK, WHEREAS SEPTEMBER 17, 2025 MARKS THE 238TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FRAMING OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BY THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION, AND WHEREAS THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
[01:15:03]
THE GUARDIAN OF OUR LIBERTIES EMBODIES THE PRINCIPLES OF LIMITED GOVERNMENT IN A REPUBLIC DEDICATED TO RULE BY LAW.WHEREAS IT IS FITTING AND PROPER TO ACCORD OFFICIAL RECOGNITION TO THIS MAGNIFICENT DOCUMENT AND ITS ANNIVERSARY AND TO THE PATRIOTIC CELEBRATIONS, WHICH WILL COMMEMORATE IT, AND WHEREAS PUBLIC LAW 915 GUARANTEES THE ISSUING OF A PROCLAMATION EACH YEAR BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, DESIGNATING SEPTEMBER 17 THROUGH 23RD AS CONSTITUTION WEEK.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, CURTIS FORD, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 17, 2017, THROUGH 23RD.
AS CONSTITUTIONAL WEEK AND ASK OUR CITIZENS TO REAFFIRM THE IDEALS THE FRAMERS OF THE CONSTITUTION HAD IN 1787 BY VIGILANTLY PROTECTING THE FREEDOMS GUARANTEED TO US THROUGH THIS GUARDIAN OF OUR LIBERTIES, IN WITNESS, WHEREFORE, I HAVE SET MY HAND AND CAUSED THE OFFICIAL SEAL OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH TO BE A FIXED THIS EIGHTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2025, CURTIS FORD MAYOR.
COMMISSIONER, CAN YOU COME AND LET ME GIVE THIS TO YOU, AND MR. HOGAN CAMP, CAN YOU GET A PHOTO OF THIS, PLEASE?
>> LET'S JUST BEEN THAT BAG. DOES THAT WORK.
[LAUGHTER] THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.
OKAY. I THINK I'VE FINISHED ALL MY REPORTS.
I'M CAUSING THE MEETING TO GO ALONG.
I APOLOGIZE. IT'S NOT MY NORM, BUT I DO HAVE TO SAY THANK YOU TO CITY MANAGER KILLINGSWORTH REGARDING THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT AND 20TH STREET.
I DO WANT TO SAY THE 20TH STREET LIFT STATION.
THE CITIZENS THAT ARE DIRECTLY BEHIND THAT LIFT STATION I WANT TO GIVE THEM CREDIT.
I WANT TO THANK THEM ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH FOR SPENDING THEIR TIME.
I ACTUALLY SHARED WITH THEM THE OTHER DAY THAT THEY'RE DOING THIS PRO BONO.
WE'RE NOT SENDING THEM A PAYCHECK FOR ALL THE TIME INVESTED, BUT I THINK WE'RE IN A PROCESS AS A CITY THAT IS MATURING.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS TODAY IS OUR MILAGE RATE AND TAXES, AND SO ON.
BUT WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE OCCURRING IN OUR CITY, WHICH I THINK REQUIRES US TO THINK DIFFERENTLY AS COMMISSIONERS IN OUR GOVERNANCE.
WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS WHAT WAS ACCEPTABLE, MAYBE EVEN JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, CERTAINLY DECADES AGO, THE ACCEPTANCE OF CASUAL ODOR FROM THE PLANT, AND SO ON.
WHAT WAS ACCEPTABLE WHEN THE CITY WAS SMALLER IN THINGS AND WE DID THINGS, I DON'T WANT TO SAY WE DID THINGS WITHOUT A DEFINED PROCESS, BUT LET'S JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAD LESS DEFINED PROCESSES IN THE PAST.
I THINK MR. KILLINGSWORTH, I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING HARD ON CLOSING THE GAP ON THAT, BUT I THINK IT'S EXTRAORDINARILY IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE OUR CITIZENS REQUIRE MORE OF US THAN PERHAPS WHAT WE HAVE GIVEN IN THE PAST.
TRANSPARENCY BEING A SIGNIFICANT ONE, COMMUNICATION BEING A BIG ONE AND PROCESS.
WE CANNOT LEAVE THE PROCESS OUT.
I HOPE THIS COMMISSION WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS ON THIS AND PUSH ENHANCED PROCEEDS SO THAT WE REALLY ARE OPERATING IN THE 21ST CENTURY.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN THAT STEAD, BUT APOLOGIES TO THE SIMMONS, WHO I KNOW HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND FEEL IT'S BEEN VERY FRUSTRATING FOR THEM, AND APOLOGIES TO THOSE DEALING WITH THE I DON'T WANT TO CALL IT A SEWER PLANT, THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.
LET'S SEE. MOVING TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA ITEM 6?
[6. CONSENT AGENDA]
ALL MATTERS LISTED UNDER THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE BY THE CITY COMMISSION AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION IN THE QUORUM LISTED BELOW.THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION OF THESE ITEMS. IF DISCUSSION IS DESIRED, THAT ITEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND WILL BE CONSIDERED SEPARATELY.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION AND STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED TO THE CITY COMMISSION ON THESE ITEMS. ITEM 6A IS APPROVED RESOLUTION NUMBER 25-72.
WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO PULL THIS FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? IF NOT, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE?
>> MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 25 72.
[01:20:03]
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
MOVING TO ITEM 9A UNDER ORDINANCES, PUBLIC HEARINGS,
[ 9.A. Public Hearings and First Reading on adoption of a Tentative Millage Rate and Ordinance No. 20-25-180 establishing the Operating Budget for fiscal year 2025/2026.]
AND FIRST READING ON ADOPTION OF A TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE AND ORDINANCE NUMBER 20-20 5-180, ESTABLISHING THE OPERATING BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 2026, PART 1.FIRST ITEM TO BE CONSIDERED IS ADOPTION OF A TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE.
THE MILLAGE RATE IS CURRENTLY 2.8410 FOR THE CITY.
THE TENTATIVE MILEAGE RATE IS 2.8410, THE SAME.
THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE IS 7.97% MORE THAN THE ROLLBACK RATE.
THE PURPOSE FOR ADOPTING THE MILLAGE RATE OF 2.8410 IS TO MAINTAIN A LEVEL OF AD VALOREM TAX REVENUE SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR THE EXISTING LEVEL OF SERVICES AT ANTICIPATED AND PROPOSED COSTS AND TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THE CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE.
FIRST OF ALL, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT A TENTATIVE MILAGE RATE FOR OPERATING PURPOSES OF 2.8410.
>> I MAKE A MOTION TO OBTAIN THE CURRENT MILLAGE RATE OF 2.8410, MAINTAIN THAT.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
NOW, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO A PUBLIC HEARING.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SPEAKING ON THIS, DONNA?
>> EVERYONE, TONIGHT, AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE TOUGHEST THINGS YOU HAVE TO DO BECAUSE IT AFFECTS NOT ONLY RIGHT NOW, WHATEVER YOU DO TONIGHT IS GOING TO AFFECT YOU BECAUSE YOU LIVE HERE AND YOU PAY TAXES OTHER THAN ONE COMMISSIONER.
I WANT TO SAY THAT AS A TAXPAYER MYSELF, AND ALSO A FORMER ELECTED OFFICIAL, I CANNOT, IN ANY WAY SUPPORT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO TONIGHT ON A TENTATIVE RATE.
THERE'S SOME REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY, AND RIGHT HERE IN DUVAL COUNTY, IN OTHER CITIES, PEOPLE ARE TIGHTENING THEIR BELTS.
PEOPLE ARE HURTING. THERE'S PEOPLE ON RETIREMENT.
THERE'S PEOPLE PAYING THEIR TAXES.
I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY THINK, AND SAME THING WITH ATLANTIC BEACH.
THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME MONEY.
BUT SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE LOOK AT IT, TOO.
MY CONCERN IS TONIGHT, YOU WANT TO APPROVE AND MOVE FORWARD WITH A 2.8410 TENTATIVE MILEAGE RATE.
NOW, IF YOU JUST GO BACK AND ROW BACK, JUST FOR THOSE THAT'S LISTENING SOMETIMES, PEOPLE GET CONFUSED.
WHAT'S THE ROLLBACK? WHAT'S THE INCREASE? LAST YEAR, THE MAYOR WAS ABLE TO REDUCE THE BUDGET.
THIS YEAR, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LEAVING THE SAME NUMBER.
PEOPLE THAT'S LISTENING OR PEOPLE NEED TO STAY EDUCATE THEMSELVES, THAT WHEN YOU LEAVE THE SAME MILEAGE RATE AS IT WAS LAST YEAR AT WHERE IT IS, IT IS A TAX INCREASE BECAUSE YOUR PROPERTY VALUE WENT UP, AND THAT'S GREAT, BUT IT IS AN INCREASE.
YOU'RE GOING TO PAY MORE. THEN WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH CITIES IS ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS ON THIS, IT SAID, WE NEED THIS IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN OUR REGULAR OPERATIONS.
DO YOU KNOW THAT'S A BOILERPLATE IN EVERYBODY'S SPEECH? EVERY TIME YOU COME UP ABOUT MILEAGE RATE, WHEREVER YOU GO, THAT IS A BOILER POINT.
IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE BECAUSE GOVERNMENT WANTS YOUR MONEY AS A TAXPAYER.
I EVEN HAD A CITY MANAGER TELL ME ONE TIME, I WILL NEVER RUN OUT OF MONEY IN THIS CITY BECAUSE I HAVE THE TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS.
HE NO LONGER WORKS FOR US, BY THE WAY.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO ENCOURAGE YOU TONIGHT, YOU'VE PROBABLY MADE UP YOUR MIND.
I HOPE YOU'LL RETHINK IT BECAUSE YOU ARE REPRESENTING US TO TAXPAYERS IN ATLANTIC BEACH, THAT YOU WILL RECONSIDER A ROLLBACK TONIGHT.
IF YOU CONSIDER ROLLBACK, IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO CHANGE IT.
IT WON'T BE TOO LATE TO CHANGE IT TO SECOND PUBLIC HEARINGS.
I AM SHOCKED THAT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE BECAUSE THEY DON'T KEEP TRACK OF THIS.
BUT I GUARANTEE YOU THIS AS SOON AS THEY PAY IT, EVERYBODY UP THERE, EVERY ONE OF YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO PAY.
YOU ALREADY KNOW UNDER THE TENTATIVE, YOU JUST GOT TOLD.
IF WE WANT TO ADD NEW EMPLOYEES TO THE CITY AND BUILD AND GROW GOVERNMENT, THEN WHY DON'T WE JUST SPEND A LITTLE MONEY TO DO
[01:25:01]
EVALUATION AND SEE WHICH ONES WE DON'T NEED ANYMORE? I KNOW THAT SOUNDS HARD, BUT WHEN THE MAYOR JUST SAID A MINUTE AGO, YOU CAN'T DO WHAT YOU DID IN THE PAST, YOU HAVE TO GO BACK AND RE-INVENT.YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE CHANGES.
MAYBE WHAT WE DID IN POSITIONS 10 YEARS AGO, THREE YEARS AGO, ONE YEAR AGO, THEY NEED TO BE CHANGED SO IF YOU WANT TO ADD PEOPLE, THEN ADD THE RIGHT PEOPLE AND USE THAT MONEY.
WE HAVE A WINDFALL COMING THIS YEAR, AND I HOPE THAT SOME MONEY IS GOING TO BE PAID TO THE PENSION DEBT. IT SHOULD BE.
IT'S HARD TO READ THIS BUDGET.
I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU TO GO THROUGH IT.
I'M SEEING WHERE SOME MONEY IS COMING OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, MOVING INTO A DEPARTMENT THAT USED TO BE SELF-FUNDED.
THE DEVELOPMENT MONEY, AND THAT WAS A SELF-FUNDED DEPARTMENT.
NOW WE'RE PUTTING MONEY IN IT BECAUSE WHAT DID WE DO? WE GREW THAT DEPARTMENT AND ADDED TO IT.
I ASK YOU TO ENCOURAGE YOU TONIGHT, PLEASE, FOR US, THE OTHER RESIDENTS OF ATLANTIC BEACH, THAT YOU DON'T APPROVE YOUR TENTATIVE AND MOVE IT BACK TO A 2.618 BECAUSE WHAT THAT DOES TO DO A ROLLBACK IS TO JUST DRAW THE SAFE FOR THOSE WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND, ROLLBACK GIVES YOU THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU GOT LAST YEAR.
YOU JUST HAVE TO ADJUST YOUR BUDGET.
WHEN WE AT HOME ADJUST OUR STORE BUDGET TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE, IT IS YOUR JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT CITY MANAGER AND STAFF ADJUST THEIRS.
PLEASE RETHINK THIS VERY HARD. THANK YOU.
>> THE BUDGET BOOK, I SEEM TO HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND IT BECAUSE OF ALL THE CHANGES THAT KEEP HAPPENING ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
IT ALSO WAS NOT ATTACHED TO TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE AT THIS POINT, I DON'T NEED TO BE NEAT PICKING THE BUDGET BECAUSE I'M CONFIDENT THAT BETWEEN THE FIVE OF YOU AND THE CITY MANAGER AND HIS NEW FINANCE PEOPLE AND WHATNOT, THAT THEY'VE REALLY MADE GREAT PROGRESS ON ELIMINATING A LOT OF THE FLUFF OUT OF THE BUDGET OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
MORE THAN TWO YEARS AGO, NOT QUITE THE CASE, AND THOSE OF ALL THAT RECALL, I GOT UP HERE AND BEMOANED IT QUITE A BIT.
BUT I'M UP HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE MILLAGE ROLLBACK RATE.
THERE IS DOWNWARD PRESSURE ON PROPERTY TAXES, BOTH AT THE STATE LEVEL AND AT OUR COUNTY LEVEL, AND THAT SHOULD ALSO FOLLOW IN RIGHT HERE AT OUR CITY LEVEL.
LIKE FORMER MAYOR REEVES SAID IS, "MAINTAINING THE PROPOSED MILEAGE RATE IS A TAX INCREASE." IT IS A TAX INCREASE.
ONLY THE ROLLBACK RATE GIVES THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY AS LAST YEAR.
IT JUST MAINTAINS THE SAME AMOUNT AS LAST YEAR.
THAT WOULD BE THE ROLLBACK RATE.
WHAT'S KEY THOUGH IS THAT THERE'S ANOTHER ALMOST TWO MILLION DOLLARS THAT Y'ALL DISCUSSED LAST WEEK IN COMING OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND RESERVES, BECAUSE THE GENERAL FUND IS WELL OVER THE 50% CAP THAT WE HAVE, I THINK IT'S THROUGH ORDINANCE I BELIEVE, WHERE THE GENERAL FUND RESERVE FLUCTUATES BETWEEN 25 AND 50% SO THERE'S ANOTHER TWO MILLION DOLLARS IN INCOME COMING INTO THE BUDGET RIGHT THERE OUT OF THE RESERVES.
NOW, ALSO RIGHT IN LINE WITH UTILIZING THE ROLLBACK RATE INSTEAD OF THE PROPOSED RATE IS THE ROLLBACK RATE.
IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT AS A COST SAVINGS, IT ONLY COST ABOUT $650,000 BY UTILIZING THE ROLLBACK RATE INSTEAD OF THE PROPOSED RATE.
IF YOU TAKE $650,000 OUT OF THE BUDGET TO GET BACK TO THE ROLLBACK RATE, LOOK AT WHAT THE MAYOR NEGOTIATED WITH MAYOR DEEGAN EARLIER THIS YEAR AND SAVED US $750,000 IN SAVINGS OFF THE FIRE SERVICES AGREEMENT.
THAT'S ANOTHER $750,000 THAT NEEDS TO BE RETURNED TO THE TAXPAYER, NOT TO FLUFF THE CITY BUDGET IN ANY WAY OR BE SPENT BY THE CITY.
THAT $750,000 IS A SAVINGS OFF THE FIRE SERVICES AGREEMENT, AND THAT MONEY NEEDS TO GO BACK TO THE TAXPAYER, WHICH ALL OF YOU ARE AND WE ARE.
THAT $750,000 RIGHT THERE WILL ALLOW FOR GOING TO THE ROLLBACK RATE.
[01:30:13]
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MORE I CAN SPEAK ABOUT IT.I HOPE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WATCHING THIS ON VIDEO OR MIGHT WATCH IT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS BECAUSE THE EASIEST THING ACTUALLY IS THE SAVINGS FROM THE FIRE SERVICES AGREEMENT AND THE ROLLBACK RATE.
THAT'S THE EASIEST WAY TO DO IT.
THEN AGAIN, THERE'S ALSO THAT TWO MILLION DOLLARS OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
PLEASE GREATLY CONSIDER VOTING FOR THE ROLLBACK RATE, NOT THE CURRENT PROPOSED RATE OF 2.8410. THANK YOU.
>> THEN WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND LET'S MOVE TO DISCUSSION.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND SO WE'RE GOING INTO DISCUSSION NOW. YES COMMISSIONER [INAUDIBLE].
>> I'D LIKE TO VERIFY SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS, CITY MANAGER OR DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, IF YOU CAN.
IF WE DID GO BACK TO THE ROLLBACK RATE, WHAT WOULD IT COST THE BUDGET? WOULD IT BE 650? THAT WAS THE NUMBER THAT WAS JUST GIVEN.
>> I THINK IT'S 741,000 BUT I CAN CHECK REALLY QUICK.
>> SEVEN FORTY ONE. WHAT DID WE SAVE THIS YEAR, WHAT WAS THE AGREEMENT WITH THE FIRE SERVICES, AGAIN, CITY MANAGER THAT WE HAD WITH COJ?
>> WHAT WE AGREED IS THIS YEAR, WE PAY 750, NOT THIS YEAR.
WE GOT A $750,000 FOR THE LAST YEAR OF THE CONTRACT.
A THIRD OF THE CONTRACT COVERED OUR CURRENT FISCAL YEAR AND THEN TWO-THIRDS OF IT IS NEXT FISCAL YEAR SO WE'RE SAVING $500,000 NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
WHAT I'LL SAY IS, THERE WAS THE DISCUSSION ON THE PENSION.
UNFUNDED LIABILITY ON THE POLICE PENSION WENT UP ABOUT $600,000.
THAT AND THE VEHICLES THAT WERE PURCHASING MORE THAN EXCEEDED WERE FOR DISCUSSION.
>> WITH THE ROLLBACK RATE, AND THEN YOU KNOW IT'S A GOOD POINT ABOUT WE DID LOOK AT 1.9 JUST A LITTLE SHY TWO MILLION DOLLARS SPENDING OUT OF THE RESERVE.
THAT IS NOT MONEY TO EASILY BE THROWN AROUND, ADDING TWO EMPLOYEE POSITIONS TO OUR BUDGET.
I REALLY DO THINK WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT CONSIDERING ROLLING BACK FOR OUR CITIZENS.
THEY COULD SPEND MONEY WITHIN THEIR HOMES VERSUS US SPENDING IT FOR THEM.
>> I'D LOVE TO ROLLBACK, AND I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR FIVE YEARS AND I HAVE SEEN BUDGETS COME AND GO, ETC.
I THINK ONE THING WE HAVE TO REMEMBER IS THAT WE AS A COMMISSION, LOOKED AT POLICE FUNDING, LOOKED AT OUR PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THIS CITY.
IF YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO STAY STRAIGHT AND LEVEL A CONSUMER PRICE INDEX NEXT YEAR, I THINK WE'RE CONFUSED.
I LOOK AT SOME NUMBERS BEFORE I CAME IN HERE IN MY JOB.
THEY'RE PREDICTING HIGHER PRICES.
THEY'RE PREDICTING MORE UNEMPLOYMENT, THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF NOT ONLY OUR CITIZENS, BUT WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THE GOOD PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH AND THAT'S BUILT INTO THIS BUDGET.
I THINK ON LAST WEDNESDAY, WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THE BUDGET, I THINK ONE OF THE ASSUMPTIONS, I THINK THE MAYOR SAID, WAS THAT, YES, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE KEEP THE MILEAGE RATE THE SAME.
WHAT'S THE DELTA THERE? WHAT'S THE FINAL NUMBER? THIS BY KEEPING OUR MILEAGE RATE THE SAME, THAT'S AN INSURANCE POLICY THAT WE CAN MEET OUR OBLIGATIONS AND DO SOME OF THE NICE TO HAVE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK WEDNESDAY.
>> BY ROLLING BACK LAST YEAR, WE WERE STILL ABLE TO INCREASE OUR RESERVES TO HAVE 1.9 MILLION TO SPEND AND SOME CHANGE ON ENHANCEMENTS.
>> AS A POINT OF CORRECTION. WE DID NOT ROLL BACK LAST YEAR.
>> WELL THE YEARS ARE JUST MOVING TOO FAST.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS JUST LAST YEAR.
>> NO, TO ACTUALLY ADD ON TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THOUGH, IS NOW YOU'D BE DOING A ROLLBACK ON ROLLBACK, EVEN THOUGH IT'S TWO YEARS AGO.
JUST A POINT OF INTEREST HERE IS CITY OF JACKSONVILLE IS ACTUALLY VERY SURPRISING, BUT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FROM FINANCE TO ROLLBACK THEIR MILEAGE RATE.
[01:35:05]
WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT? THEY'LL VOTE ON THAT TOMORROW BUT EVEN AFTER THEY DO THAT, OUR MILEAGE RATE IS STILL LOWER.OUR TOTAL TAXES IN THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH WILL STILL BE THE LOWEST MILEAGE IN THE COUNTY OF DUVAL COUNTY.
WE LED THIS, I DON'T FEEL THE LEAST BIT GUILTY AFTER HAVING LED THE CHARGE TWO YEARS AGO, AND YOU GUYS APPROVED IT, EXCEPT, COMMISSIONER GRANT, YOU WEREN'T HERE FOR THAT, BUT YOU APPROVED IT.
I THINK WE DID A GOOD THING, AND THAT IS INTO PERPETUITY UNLESS WE IN FACT RAISE THE MILEAGE RATE. I'M HEARING THIS.
WE NEED TO KEEP THE MONEY THE SAME, BUT INFLATION IS HITTING US ON ALL CORNERS.
I DISCUSSED IT EARLIER, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY EXPECT US TO FIX THE SEWER PLANT INSTEAD OF JUST PUT UP WITH IT.
HOW MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS MIGHT GO INTO THAT PROJECT IF WE'RE UNLUCKY.
I HEAR THE CITIZENS SPEAKING ON IT.
YOU'RE SPEAKING MY SPEAK ABOUT LOWERING TAXES, AND I'M ALL FOR IT, AND I MAY PUSH FOR IT NEXT YEAR.
I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF IT THIS YEAR.
I THINK WE'RE IN A GOOD PLACE IF WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS, BUT WE HAVE SUSTAINED SOME HUGE HITS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS ON ESCALATING COSTS, MOST NOTABLY SALARIES TO BE ABLE TO ATTRACT THE BEST THAT WE CAN FOR SAFETY, AND TO RETAIN GOOD STAFF IN THE CITY.
MY FINAL POINT ON THIS, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT GROWING THE FIXED PORTION OF THE BUDGET, AND MR. KILLINGSWORTH AND I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS MULTIPLE TIMES.
WHEN WE ADD NEW PEOPLE, SALARIES, THOSE ARE INTO PERPETUITY.
IT IS OF CONCERN, AND WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS ON THAT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE STAYING HONEST WITH OURSELVES.
BUT AT THIS POINT, I THINK WE NEED TO STICK WITH THIS MILITARY. YES, COMMISSIONER BOLE.
DEPARTMENTS CAN RIFF, THEY CAN MOVE EMPLOYEES, THEY CAN ELIMINATE THE POSITION, THEY CANNOT HIRE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT FORTUITY, THAT PERSON HAS TO BE THERE FOREVER.
DEPARTMENTS, THE CITY MANAGER, THE STAFF, US CAN GO IN AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT FUNCTION IS NO LONGER NEEDED.
I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, MY FAVORITE OBRIST, WHO'S GOING TO GO AHEAD AND HOPEFULLY DO SOME PERMITTING AND SOME OTHER THINGS.
I'M SURE THE CITY MANAGER CAN FIND I'M NOT LOOKING FOR A JOB FOR THEM, BUT I THINK YOU HAVE SOMETHING, AND IF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT I WOULD PROBABLY BE ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO COME UP HERE AND GO, MAKE THE HARD THING BECAUSE WE'VE ALL IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, MANAGERIAL POSITIONS, WE'VE HAD TO DO THE HARD THINGS.
WHEN YOU SAY PERPETUITY, PARTWAY YES BUT I ALSO SAY THAT WE ACTUALLY LOOK AT OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS, OUR CITY MANAGER AND HOPE THAT THEY COME FORWARD AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS COULD BE DONE BETTER OR WITHOUT THIS POSITION.
>> I'LL WAIT FOR THAT ONE TO HAPPEN. YES, COMMISSIONER.
>> I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF THE RESERVES.
LAST SPRING, I WENT TO A CONFERENCE WITH THE LEAGUE OF CITIES, AND A GOOD 50% OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT WERE THERE WERE IN TOTAL SHOCK FROM RECOVERY FROM HURRICANES.
I DON'T WANT TO BE A DEBBIE DOWNER AND WE'RE IN THIS MAGICAL LITTLE DIP ON THE COASTLINE, BUT THE COST OF RECOVERING FROM A HURRICANE IS HORRENDOUS.
EVERYTHING WE NEED TO DO TO RECOVER FROM THAT COST MORE NOW.
CONCRETE COST MORE, THE CONTRACTORS COST MORE.
I DON'T WANT TO PUT US IN A POSITION THAT WE CANNOT RECOVER FROM A HURRICANE.
>> JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR THE CITY MANAGER.
DO WE HAVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE TOTAL SALARY NUMBER INCLUSIVE OF STAFF IN CITY HALL, POLICE.
DO WE HAVE THAT NUMBER? CAN YOU BALLPARK IT RIGHT NOW FOR ME? I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH IT. THAT'S FINE.
BECAUSE I DO WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF COLA AND WHATNOT.
IF EVERYBODY'S DOING A GOOD JOB AND COST OF LIVING IS GOING UP, I HAVE EMPATHY FOR THAT.
BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT US TO BE TONE DEAF BECAUSE THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO THE STATE LEVEL TO EVEN THE LOCAL LEVEL SEEMS TO BE GOING THE OPPOSITE WAY IN TERMS OF TAXATION.
I'M A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE TAKING THIS TAX INCREASE.
[01:40:04]
EVEN THOUGH IT'S ROLLING OVER FROM THE PREVIOUS BUDGET YEAR BECAUSE OF THE PRICE OF HOMES GOING UP, AND I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW THAT NUMBER.HOW MUCH MORE REVENUE ARE WE GENERATING FROM THE INCREASE IN PROPERTY VALUES? DO WE HAVE A GOOD INDICATION ON THAT?
>> THAT'S THE $741,000 NUMBER.
COMMISSIONER RING, THE 645 THAT BRINKLEY SAID FOR THE ROLLED BACK RATE IS CORRECT.
>> THOSE TWO NUMBERS LINED UP, IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?
>> THAT'S HOW MUCH IS COMING FROM ADDITIONAL TAXES.
BUT BEFORE YOU GO FURTHER, LET ME CLARIFY SOMETHING HERE.
THE TAXES ON THE SAVE OUR HOMES TAX CAP PRIMARY RESIDENCES IN ATLANTIC BEACH COULD NOT HAVE GONE UP BY MORE THAN THE FUNCTION OF THE MILAGE RATE TIMES 3% OF THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY.
THAT'S THE LIMIT ON THE SAVE OUR HOMES.
THE REAL TAX INCREASE IS COMING FROM REBUILDS, NEW CONSTRUCTION.
ADDITIONS TO HOMES BECAUSE THEY'RE TAXED AT FULL VALUE.
THAT'S WHERE THE MONEY'S COMING.
I WILL SAY THIS, I DON'T WANT TO SUGGEST THAT JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY IS NEW TO THE COMMUNITY, THEY SHOULD PAY AN UNREASONABLE AMOUNT.
BUT WHEN SOMEBODY CHOOSES TO BUILD A $5 MILLION HOME IN OUR COMMUNITY, THEY CHOOSE AND KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO PAY FOR TAXES AND SO ON.
I'M NOT WORRIED SO MUCH ABOUT THEM, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT RESIDENTS.
BUT I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE NATIONAL TREND, WE WERE THE TREND SETTERS TWO YEARS AGO WHEN WE ROLLED BACK THE MILAGE, AND NOBODY ELSE THOUGHT THAT WAS REASONABLE.
EVERYBODY THOUGHT HOW CRAZY WE WERE DOING THAT.
I DON'T THINK YOU NEED TO FEEL AS IF WE'RE BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL, WE WILL STILL BE THE LOWEST MILLAGE RATE IN DUVAL COUNTY.
ANYWAYS, I HAD MORE TO SAY, BUT I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.
>> WELL, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY WHEN YOU COMPARE OUR MILLAGE TO THE OTHER TWO BEACHES, WE'RE SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER THAN THE OTHER TWO BEACHES.
IF COJ DOES, IN FACT, REDUCE THEIR MILLAGE, THAT BY DEFAULT WILL REDUCE THE TOTAL MILLAGE FOR ATLANTIC BEACH.
BECAUSE THE TOTAL MILLAGE IS OUR MILLAGE PLUS THEIRS.
>> I HEAR YOU, BUT I ALSO WOULD COME BACK WITH, WHAT IS THE AVERAGE VALUE PER HOME IN THOSE CITIES VERSUS OURS? I DON'T KNOW WHAT COMPARISON IS, BUT I THINK WE'RE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.
WHERE WERE WE SUPPOSED TO BE? I'M SORRY, I DON'T KNOW THIS.
BUT HOW MUCH WAS IT? WAS IT TWO POINTS WHEN WE ROLLED IT BACK THE LAST TIME? WAS IT ROLLED BACK?
>> IT WAS ROLLED BACK TO 2.841.
>> THE CURRENT. BECAUSE WE DIDN'T CHANGE IT YEAR-OVER-YEAR.
>> WHAT WOULD IT HAVE BEEN? WHAT WAS IT? THE PROPOSED [OVERLAPPING]
>> I WASN'T HERE. WHO REMEMBERS THAT?
>> I THINK IT WAS 3.1035, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.
>> WITHOUT THE ROLLBACK, IT COULD BE HIGHER THAN IT IS TONIGHT.
>> AS STEWARDS OF THE PUBLIC PURSE AND TAXING AUTHORITY AND SO ON, WE HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB.
BUT AGAIN, I'M NOT GOING TO DISMISS THE CITIZENS WHO SPOKE IN FAVOR OF A ROLLBACK.
IN GENERAL, I AGREE WITH THAT.
I'D LIKE TO REVISIT THIS NEXT YEAR, BUT I THINK THIS YEAR WE NEED TO KEEP OUR EYE ON THE BALL.
I KNOW WE SPENT A LOT AT THE END OF TWO YEARS AGO AND THEN INTO THE END OF LAST YEAR.
WE SPENT A LOT ON SALARIES AND ADJUSTMENTS AND PENSION ADJUSTMENTS, AND SO ON TO TAKE CARE OF OUR PEOPLE.
THAT DIDN'T COME FOR FREE. YES, SIR.
>> MAYOR, I THINK IT'S INTERESTING THAT YOU BROUGHT IT UP THAT JACKSONVILLE IS GOING TO VOTE BY THE SECOND READING.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT JACKSONVILLE HAVE DONE.
THEY'RE GOING TO VOTE ON THEIR BUDGET.
>> GOOD POINT. WE CAN COME BACK AND I THINK YOU KNOW NUMBERS WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WHAT DUVAL COUNTY DOES TO US, JUST AN ANALYSIS.
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, I'LL WRITE YOU AN EMAIL, WHAT I THINK I HEARD, THE NUMBERS THAT WE WANT TO HEAR, AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A SUBSTANTIAL.
>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. EXCELLENT. IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION. JUST GO AHEAD.
>> WELL, I DID WANT TO BRING UP THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS SINCE THIS IS THE PART.
DID YOU WANT TO DO THAT WITH BART?
>> WE'LL GET TO THE BUDGET IN A MINUTE.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL VOTE ON ORDINANCE NUMBER 5-25-72.
[01:45:04]
NO. WHERE AM I AT? I'M SORRY. IT'S 20-25-80? NO?>> [OVERLAPPING] WAS PERTAINED TO THE TENTATIVE [OVERLAPPING]
>> I'M SORRY. 20-25-180. THANKS. I GOT AHEAD OF MYSELF, I WAS HOPING.
>> AM I DOING A ROLL CALL ON THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE?
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE VOTING ON. COMMISSIONER KELLY.
>> THANK YOU. LET'S MOVE TO ITEM 9A, PART 2.
ADOPTION OF THE TENTATIVE BUDGET, ORDINANCE NUMBER 20-25-80, ESTABLISHING THE OPERATING BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025/2026 OF $57,861,036.
THIS IS AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE FINAL BUDGET FOR THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA, FOR FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2025 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2026. MR. KILLINGSWORTH.
>> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THE CITY HAS CONDUCTED SEVEN WORKSHOPS, THE LAST OF WHICH WAS LAST WEDNESDAY.
WE'VE ALREADY GONE OVER THE TENTATIVE MILAGE RATE OF 2.8410 OPERATING BUDGET.
THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES WOULD BE $57,861,036, WHICH I BELIEVE IS LESS THAN LAST YEAR'S TOTAL BUDGET.
ONE OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE TO MENTION IS OUR GENERAL FUND IS FUNDED BY [INAUDIBLE], BUT IT'S ALSO FUNDED BY SALES TAX, AND THE STATE IS ESTIMATING A REDUCTION IN SALES TAX FOR NEXT YEAR.
THERE'S ONE OTHER THING THAT I WANT TO BRING UP, WHICH MAY CAUSE ME SOME GRIEF WITH ONE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS.
WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THE ARBORIST IN TERMS OF WHAT WE WOULD DO AND THE BENEFIT FROM IT.
BUT THEN FROM A RISK MANAGEMENT STANDPOINT, THERE IS CONCERN THAT IF A CITY ARBORIST SAYS, NO, THAT TREE IS VITAL AND HEALTHY AND YOU SHOULDN'T TAKE IT DOWN, AND THEN IT FALLS DOWN ON THE HOUSE AT THE CITY'S LIBEL.
OUR RISK MANAGER DOESN'T BELIEVE WE CAN GET INSURANCE FOR THAT.
I DID WANT TO PUT THAT ON THE TABLE.
ALL THE OTHER BENEFITS ACCRUE.
>> MR. RISK MANAGEMENT COMMISSIONER, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY?
>> HOW DO ALL THESE OTHER CITIES HAVE ARBORS? ARE THEY NOT COVERED INSURANCE FOR THEM?
>> I DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
>> [OVERLAPPING] CAME TO US AND I ASKED ABOUT, CAN WE HAVE THEM SIGN OR HOLD HARMLESS? THEN THE RESPONSE IS, WELL, WHAT IF THEIR TREE FALLS ON THE NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE?
>> THE CITY HAS INHERENT RISK IN A LOT OF THINGS.
YOU KNOW WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS.
I THINK THAT'S AN INHERENT RISK THAT WE COULD WHAT IF A LOT OF THINGS.
WE COULD WHAT IF A CAR DROVE INTO HERE INTO THE CITY.
AT LEAST I THINK THE FUNCTIONALITY, I THINK EVERYBODY UP HERE UNDERSTANDS WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS, I THINK THAT'S A BENEFIT TO THE CITY.
BY THE WAY, I HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE WORKING HERE IN THE CITY THAT TOLD ME THEY WERE POOR.
>> I'M NOT ARGUING AGAINST IT.
MERELY THAT I FEEL AN OBLIGATION TO BRING FORTH PROGRESS [OVERLAPPING]
>> THAT'S VALID. HOW ABOUT CITY ATTORNEY? DO YOU HAVE ANY.
>> THOUGHTS ON THIS AS THE ULTIMATE RISK MANAGEMENT? I'LL BE HONEST, THIS IS THE FIRST I'M HEARING OF THAT.
I DID HEAR SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT EARLIER ON A DIFFERENT NOTION THAT, I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO IT, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS IS FIRST PRESENTED TO ME.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS AN ISSUE OR NOT.
I'LL TAKE HER WORD THAT SHE'S HAVING A DIFFICULTY FINDING AN INSURER FOR THIS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THIS FURTHER TO MAKE A DETERMINATION, PERHAPS.
>> WE'LL HAVE AN ANSWER AT THE NEXT HEARING.
>> WELL, I WANT TO DIRECT IT TO THE COUNCIL.
BIGGER LEGAL. I CAN LOOK INTO IT.
>> BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET TONIGHT.
THIS CITY TAKES A RISK BY NOT HAVING ENOUGH MONEY TO GO PROACTIVELY WHEN THE INCIDENT HAPPENS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THEY'RE ELIMINATING FIMA.
THEY'RE ELIMINATED A LOT OF RESPONSES.
[01:50:02]
I CAN SHOW YOU ACROSS THE BOARD WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WRITE THE CHECK ON DAY 2.THAT'S A RISK THAT THE CITY CARRIES TODAY.
IN OTHER WORDS, TO HAVE ENOUGH MONEY, TO GO OUT THERE AND SAY, WE NEED A WATER PLANT, WE NEED SEWAGE DROP.
DON'T EXPECT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO COME RUNNING DOWN HERE WITH THE CHECKBOOK.
ASK THE GUYS UP IN NORTH CAROLINA, ASK SOME OF THE PEOPLE DOWN IN LOUISIANA.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT'S A RISK.
TO ME, THAT'S A MUCH BIGGER RISK THAN THE OPERA'S A TREE HITTING ANOTHER TREE.
>> OSTENSIBLY, IF WE DO HIRE AN ARBORIST, THEY HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATIONAL LEVEL THAT WE CAN RELY ON.
>> I'M NOT SURE IF [OVERLAPPING]
>> [OVERLAPPING] BACK INTO THEIR SALARY.
>> THE SAME ISSUE HERE, BUT I'LL LOOK INTO THAT.
>> I KNOW A BIGGER QUESTION, BUT YOU CAN SELF INSURE. MAYOR?
>> IT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD QUESTION FOR THE LEAGUE OF CITIES.
THESE OTHER CITIES, AND IF WE COULD FIND OUT SOME OF THESE OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE ARBORIST [OVERLAPPING]
>> I HAVE A CITY THAT I CAN TELL YOU WITHIN AN HOUR AFTER I GET HOME, WHETHER THEY HAVE IT.
THEY'RE LOVELY IN TELLING MRS. BOLE WORKS IN THE CITY OF FERNANDINA AND THEY HAVE AN ARBORIST.
>> FOR TODAY, WHY DON'T WE LEAVE THE ARBORIST IN THE BUDGET? KNOWING THAT WE STILL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY ON THE NEXT MEETING TO MAKE A FINAL DETERMINATION AND NEED TO PULL IT OR KEEP IT.
I ALSO HAVE SOURCES TO CHECK ON ARBORIST RISK.
MY FAVORITE ONE IS BOCA RATON.
THERE IS NO MORE TREE CITY THAN BOCA RATON, FLORIDA. I'LL FIND OUT MORE.
>> IS THIS WHERE I GET TO TALK ABOUT THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM?
>> I WOULD LIKE TO FULLY FUND THE ABE AT $10,000.
IF WE SQUEEZED IN 5,000 TO FLETCHER HIGH SCHOOL, I THINK IT WOULD BE ONLY FAIR THAT WE'D MATCH THAT FOR MAYPORT MIDDLE, IF IN FACT, THEY DID GET DENIED THEIR GRANT THROUGH ARC.
I KNOW THAT ARC IS STILL ON THE FENCE AND DECIDING THAT.
>> I WOULD ALSO SECOND THAT COMMISSIONER RING'S COMMENTS.
I THINK THAT IT SEEMS LIKE THE RULES OF THE GAME WERE CHANGED AT HALFTIME OR IN THE FOURTH QUARTER, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE GOT ARC WITH PAMPHLETS SHOWING HOW THEY FUNDED ABE OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, ALL THE WORK THAT THOSE FOLKS WENT INTO.
I'M FOR TAKING EDUCATION OUT OF THE ARC'S BUDGET, AND WE CAN TAKE IT OUT THIS YEAR, IF YOU WANT.
I THINK THERE WAS ENOUGH LEFTOVER IN WHAT WE WENT THROUGH ON WEDNESDAY TO FULLY FUND ABE 10 GRAND.
WE'VE ALREADY VOTED TO GIVE FLETCHER THEIR FIVE CONTINGENT UPON THE OTHER TWO MUNICIPALITIES MATCHING.
THEN WHATEVER MAYPORT HAS TRADITIONALLY ASKED US FOR, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER IS, BUT I'D BE OKAY GIVING THEM THAT.
BUT MAKING SURE THAT THEY KNOW NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT, THAT IT'S NOT AUTOMATIC.
YOU GOT TO COME WITH SPECIFIC NEEDS AND WANTS AND JUSTIFY IT.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AUTOMATIC.
BUT I DO HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART FOR ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY.
AS YOU ARTICULATED, MAYOR, IT'S MORE THAN JUST A SCHOOL THAT SITS IN OUR CITY.
WE'VE SAID THIS A LOT, IT'S THE HEART OF OUR CITY.
WE ALL FOUGHT PRETTY HARD FOR IT TO NOT GET SHUT DOWN, NOT TO LET IT GO.
ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO KEEP IT, AS GOOD AS POSSIBLE, I THINK WE FURTHER THAT EFFORT TO KEEP IT.
>> CAN WE VOTE ON THIS AMENDMENT SEPARATELY? BECAUSE I NEED TO ABSTAIN.
>> WELL, THEN I WOULD NEED TO ABSTAIN.
COUNCIL, WOULD I NEED TO ABSTAIN?
>> NO IDEA. WHY DO YOU NEED TO ABSTAIN?
>> I DO HAVE A CHILD THAT GOES TO ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY.
>> THAT'S NOT A REASON TO ABSTAIN, BUT IF YOU HAVE A VESTED INTEREST OR AN ECONOMIC BENEFIT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT JUST HAVING CHILDREN THERE IS NOT A REASON TO ABSTAIN.
>> BUT OUR KIDS WOULD BENEFIT FROM THIS.
>> YOU CAN GIVE A PERCEIVED REASON FOR A CONFLICT, BUT I DON'T SEE A CONFLICT.
BUT IF YOU WANT TO ABSTAIN BECAUSE YOU PERCEIVE A [OVERLAPPING]
>> IF A FINANCIAL UNLESS SHE BECOMES A STEM DOCTOR, SCIENTIST OF SOME KIND AND PUTS ME IN A GOOD RETIREMENT OR NURSING HOME.
>> AGAIN, THE REASON TO ABSTAIN WOULD TYPICALLY BE BECAUSE OF A DIRECT OR POSSIBLY INDIRECT PECUNIARY GAIN.
I DON'T SEE IT BY HAVING A CHILD THERE, BUT IF YOU WANT TO ABSTAIN, THAT'S UP TO YOU.
>> I DIDN'T VOTE ON T BALL AND I'M NOT VOTING ON THIS.
[01:55:03]
>> YOU JUST REMEMBER THERE'S A FORM 8(B).
WE'LL GET THAT TO YOU. YOU'D HAVE TO FILE IT.
HERE'S WHY I VOTED MANY TIMES BEFORE FOR ABES OR THE LAST.
THIS WOULD BE THE THIRD TIME I VOTED FOR ABE AND IT WOULD BE THE FIRST I EVER ABSTAINED.
>> WOULD YOU RESTATE THE MOTION PLEASE?
>> I MOVE THAT WE AMEND THE BUDGET INCLUDING ABE, ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY, $10,000, MAYPORT MIDDLE SCHOOL, 05,000, MATCHING FLETCHER HIGH SCHOOL'S 5,000.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION IN SECOND.
NOW, WE CAN HAVE SOME DISCUSSION.
WHAT DID MAYPORT MIDDLE ASK FOR?
>> SO HOW CAN YOU MAKE A MOTION TO ADD 5,000?
>> I HAVE THE AGENDA IN FRONT OF ME FROM THE ART MEETING.
PULLED THIS UP WHEN Y'ALL DISCUSSED IT EARLIER.
IF THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, ABE STEAM PROGRAM ASK FOR 10,000, FLETCHER HIGH BAND ASK FOR 10,000, MAYPORT COASTAL SCIENCES ROBOTICS CLUB REQUESTED 5,000, AND MAYPORT COASTAL SCIENCES SHARK BYTES REQUESTED 10,000.
I DON'T SEE ANYTHING FROM BEACH ELEMENTARY.
>> THERE'S NOTHING FROM BEACH ELEMENTARY.
>> I'M SUPPORTIVE OF PUTTING ADDITIONAL FUNDS UNDERNEATH AID FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
UNDER THE COMMISSION'S BUDGET THERE'S A LINE ITEM THERE NOW.
BUT I DO WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THE BROCHURE THAT THEY'RE REFERRING TO, GIVES THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND THE MAXIMUM AWARD.
IT DOESN'T SAY THAT YOU'RE GUARANTEED TO BE AWARDED TO DO THAT.
>> WELL, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT'S EVERYTHING.
IT STILL SERVES THE POINT I WAS TRYING TO MAKE, IS THAT, THEY WERE INDICATING THESE INSTITUTIONS WERE ELIGIBLE, AND NOW WE'RE SAYING THEY WEREN'T ELIGIBLE.
THE LAST POINT, REFERENCING THE BROCHURE, I THINK IS STILL A VALID OF COURSE.
>> THEY DID SAY THAT ARC SAID WE ARE REMOVING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ALTOGETHER WHILE THEY'RE DECIDING.
NOW, THAT IS JUST GO AHEAD AND SWIPING IT ACROSS THE BOARD, WHICH I DO AGREE WITH ARC NEEDING TO DO THAT.
I CAN SEE THEIR REASONING BEHIND THAT.
BECAUSE AS WE SAID, IT SEEMS TO BE PERPETUITY, AND THEN IT'S A VERY AWKWARD CONVERSATION FOR THE ARC MEMBERS TO HAVE TO ARGUE WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE THESE NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS THE FUNDING HERE, AND THEN DENYING OTHERS.
THE FACT THAT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS IS THE SET CRITERIA TO NEGATE THEIR EVEN ENTRY INTO THE GRANT PROGRAM IS REASON ENOUGH FOR ME TO SAY THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN LISTED IN THE CRITERIA TO BEGIN WITH.
>> THAT'S FINE. I WON'T DEBATE IT. YES, SIR.
>> DO YOU WANT TO SET ACTUAL DOLLAR AMOUNTS? DOES THE COMMISSION WANT TO DO THAT FOR EACH SCHOOL, OR DO YOU WANT TO JUST PUT IN $20,000 AND THEN HAVE THE SCHOOLS COME PRESENT TO YOU AND THEN DECIDE?
>> WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THE ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY SHOULD BE GIVEN 10,000 BECAUSE THEY ARE OUR OWN SCHOOL.
>> DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH WE GAVE MAYPORT LAST YEAR?
>> TEN IN TOTAL, AND THEY'RE ASKING FOR TWO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, SOUNDS LIKE 15 THIS YEAR.
>> THE MAX THEY COULD HAVE GOTTEN UNDER THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS WERE HE HAD 10.
>> YES. THAT ROBOTICS CLUB CAME HERE.
I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT AND BRIEFED WHAT THEY DID, AND IT WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE, AT LEAST FROM WHERE I WAS SITTING THAT, I HAVE NO PROBLEM THE 05,000 TO THAT ROBOTICS AND CALL THAT MAYPORT. THAT'S JUST MY QUESTION.
>> JUST THAT ONE AND NOT THE OTHER ONE? NO. LET'S GO BACK.
WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
CAN WE RESTATE THE MOTION ONCE?
>> YES. I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO AMEND THE OPERATING BUDGET, INCLUDING ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY, REWARDING THEM 10,000, MAYPORT MIDDLE SCHOOL REWARDING THEM 5,000, AND FLETCHER HIGH SCHOOL REWARDING THEM 5,000.
>> I SECOND. FLETCHER IS THERE.
>> THAT'S THE BAND UNIFORMS. THAT'S CONTINGENT ON BEING MANAGED BY ONE OR BOTH OF THE OTHER TWO CITIES AT THE BEACH. YES.
>> WE NEED TO BE SPECIFIC ON BY COASTAL THE TWO DIFFERENT [OVERLAPPING]
>> THEY APPLIED TO THE GRANT PROGRAM SEPARATELY,
[02:00:03]
BUT I THINK IT SHOULD GO TO THE PTA OR TO THE SCHOOL TO DECIDE HOW TO DIVIDE THAT.BECAUSE AS WE ARE REQUIRING FLETCHER HIGH SCHOOL'S MATCH BY JACKS BEACH AND NEPTUNE BEACH, WE SHOULD DO THE SAME FOR CITY OF JACKSONVILLE.
OUR MAYPORT MIDDLE SCHOOL IS ALSO SERVING STUDENTS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF ATLANTIC BEACH, AND THEY'RE SERVING STUDENTS IN CITY OF JACKSONVILLE.
CITY OF JACKSONVILLE SHOULD ALSO BE LOBBIED BY MAYPORT MIDDLE FOR THE REST OF THE FIVE.
I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT WE CAN GET FIVE JUST LIKE WE ARE WITH FLETCHER HIGH SCHOOL FIVE.
BUT ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY BEING OUR ONLY SCHOOL INSIDE ATLANTIC BEACH CITY LIMITS SHOULD RECEIVE THE FULL 10.
>> JUST LIKE TO RAISE A POINT ABOUT OUR IDEA OF MATCHING.
THE OTHER CITIES ARE ALL AT THE SAME POINT OF THE BUDGET AS WE ARE.
THEY ARE BEYOND THE POINT OF NEGOTIATING MATCHING FOR LITTLE THINGS.
>> I GUESS I DIDN'T MEAN THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO MATCH, BUT THAT THE MAYPORT ROBOTICS AND THE MAYPORT COASTAL SHOULD GO AND LOBBY CITY OF JACKSONVILLE'S GOVERNMENT JUST AS THEY HAVE TO US.
BUT IT'S LATE IN THE PROCESS FOR US TO SEND THEM OFF TO DO THAT BECAUSE THERE'S NO TIME TO NEGOTIATE THOSE THINGS.
>> THE REASON I POINTED OUT THE ROBOTICS AND I'M LOOKING OVER DONNA'S SHOULDER HERE IS THEY APPLIED, AND SO DID THE OTHER ONE.
>> WHICH IS THE OTHER ONE? YOU TALK ABOUT THE SHARK THING?
>>YEAH. EXACTLY. [OVERLAPPING]
>> EXCUSE ME. WHAT IS A SHARK BYTE? [LAUGHTER]
>> CODING B-Y-T-E AS IT'S CODING.
>> I JUST I THINK WE SHOULD FUND PEOPLE THAT APPLY FOR THE GRANT. I GUESS THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
>> WELL, SHOULDN'T FUND SOMEBODY THAT HASN'T APPLIED.
>> IN OTHER WORDS IF WE SAID PKA OF MAYPORT MIDDLE, THAT'S [OVERLAPPING].
>> I GET YOU. I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THAT BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO DISCOVER WHAT THAT MEANS AND WE'RE MUDDYING THE WATER.
REALLY, TODAY IS JUST A NUMBERS DAY, AND BEFORE YOU MAKE A FINAL DECISION ON THIS, I TRULY HAVE DEEPLY MIXED EMOTIONS ON THIS BECAUSE FOR ONE THING, WE ARE STRIPPING THIS OUT OF ARC, BUT LEAVING THEM WITH A $75,000 BUDGET, AND LAYERING ON IT SOUNDS LIKE 20,000 ADDITIONAL WHICH IF WE HAD PUSHED IT THROUGH ARC, IT WOULD ALL BE WITHIN THE 75.
ARE WE BEING FISCALLY SOUND HERE, WHERE WE'VE ALL OF A SUDDEN, IF IT WAS ALL LEFT TOGETHER AND YOU ADDED 20,000 TO THE 75, WHAT PERCENTAGE INCREASE IS THAT? THAT'S A 30% INCREASE IN ONE YEAR ON GRANTS FROM TINY LITTLE ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA.
I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE BIG HEARTS, BUT LET'S GET REAL ON THIS.
THAT'S WHY I PRESENTED THE OPTION OF DOING FLETCHER BAND AT 5,000 ONLY IF THEY GET A MATCH FROM THE OTHER TWO CITIES.
NOW, BY THE WAY, COMMISSIONER KELLY, I GET YOUR POINT ABOUT MAYPORT.
THAT'S DIFFERENT BECAUSE THEY'RE IN COJ AND THEY'D HAVE TO START AND THE BUDGETS ALREADY PRETTY MUCH DONE.
BUT I DO BELIEVE WE CAN GET THAT MONEY FROM AT LEAST ONE OF THE CITIES AT THE BEACH FOR MAYPORT BAND.
I'M ACTUALLY, IN MY MIND, WANTING TO EXIT THAT COMMITMENT IN THE FUTURE.
I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND A BRIDGE, A LIFELINE TO GET THEM TO THE OTHER SIDE.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ADDING $20,000 MORE, IT MAY END UP NEXT YEAR.
>> DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH ARC GAVE SO THE NUMBERS ARE WHAT FIVE GRAND TO MAYPORT? DID THEY GIVE 10 ABE LAST YEAR FEB?
>> THEY DIDN'T GIVE ANY LAST YEAR [OVERLAPPING].
>> THEY GAVE MAYPORT FIVE AND THEY GAVE THE BAND?
>> TEN. YES. WE'D BE TAKING ON 15 OF THE 75 THEY GOT LAST YEAR, IS THAT RIGHT?
>> IF WE TAKE THIS ON AND GIVE THEM 15, MAYBE WE SHOULD REDUCE WHAT WE GIVE THEM TO MAKE UP FOR THIS.
I DON'T KNOW. MAYBE I'M SPEAKING OUT OF TURN, BUT DIDN'T THEY START THIS BALL BY SAYING THEY DIDN'T WANT TO FUND EDUCATIONAL ENTITIES ANYMORE LATE IN THE GAME? WELL, THREW IT ON.
>> WELL, THEY DID, BUT I THINK THE VALIDITY TO THAT IS THEY RECOGNIZE AND I'M OKAY WITH WHY THEY DID IT.
>> WELL, LET ME BE CLEAR ON WHY I THINK THEY DID IT, AND THEY'RE NOT HERE SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES,
[02:05:01]
BUT I BELIEVE THEY HAD REQUESTS FOR OVER 140,000, WITH A BUDGET OF 75.QUITE FRANKLY, I THINK THEY'RE BEING PRETTY SMART BECAUSE IT'S ARC.
THEY NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON ARTS AND RECREATION AND I DON'T SEE EDUCATION IN THERE.
IN FACT, I ASKED THE QUESTION TODAY BECAUSE I BELIEVE THEIR COMMITTEE THINKS THAT EDUCATION WAS A COMMITMENT UNDER OUR GRANT PROGRAM.
I'M GOING TO ASK, AGAIN, MR. HOGAN CAMP, YOU WERE NOT ABLE TO DISCOVER ANY RESOLUTION OR ANY LANGUAGE IN PASS CITY THAT COMMITTED TO FUNDING EDUCATION THROUGH THE ARC GRANT PROGRAM.
>> I UNDERSTAND THE LOGIC IN REMOVING EDUCATION FROM ARC'S BUDGET, BUT I'M NOT OKAY WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT THEY'VE MADE THAT THEY DECIDED BECAUSE THEY GOT $140,000 IN GRANT REQUEST, AND THEY ONLY GET 75 TO JUST BOOT JETTISON EDUCATION.
BUT THEY'RE STILL GOING TO GET THEIR 75 WHEN THERE'S AN THERE WAS AN OBLIGATION LAST YEAR AND THEY FULFILLED IT AND THEY'RE GOING TO DECIDE LAST MINUTE THAT THEY GOT, WELL, WE CAN'T DO EDUCATION.
WELL, I JUST THINK THAT'S UNFAIR AND THEY NEED TO HELP US BEAR THE BRUNT OF MAKING UP FOR THIS DECISION OF THEIRS, AND I'M OKAY WITH IT.
I'M JUST OKAY WITH US PAYING OUT 15 AND GIVING THEM 15.
>> I TOTALLY GET YOU, COMMISSIONER RING.
>> I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, IS WHAT THE ARGUMENT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW OR WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS WHETHER OR NOT ARC SHOULD CONTINUE WITH 75,000? ARE WE LOOKING AT CUTTING IT OUT AND BASICALLY TAKING OUT THE MONEY THAT WE-
>> WELL, WE'RE DEBATING THE MOTION, AND PART OF IT IS WE CERTAINLY COULD CONSIDER REDUCING ARC FROM 75 TO SOMETHING, OR WE COULD CONSIDER REDUCING BECAUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE DID THE FULL REQUEST FROM MAYPORT MIDDLE, WE'RE GOING FROM WHAT WAS 5,000 A YEAR AGO TO 15,000.
FIRST OF ALL, LET'S RE ESTABLISH WHO'S IN CHARGE HERE.
WE ARE NOT BEHOLDEN TO GIVE THEM ANY MONEY, BUT WE ALL, I THINK, AGREE THAT WE'RE CONCERNED THAT WE DIDN'T GIVE THEM THE PROPER RULES BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW.
NOW THE RULES HAVE CHANGED AND THEY'VE DONE THIS WORK THAT LEADS UP TO A NO VOTE ON WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SOMEBODY GETTING SOME APPROVALS. YES.
>> I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE GIVE AB, 10, MAYPORT, FIVE, THE ROBOTICS, AND THEN WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE BAND, SO I'M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE BAND ANYMORE, BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT.
THAT'S 15, AND I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT ARC HAS TO WEAR HALF OF THAT.
WE HAVE TO REDUCE THEIR 75 BY AT LEAST HALF OF THAT 15 TO HELP BECAUSE THEY NEED TO WEAR SOME OF THAT, I THINK.
>> ARE YOU PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT?
>> AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT?
>> NO. RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE A MOTION.
DO YOU WANT TO COMBINE ALL THAT ONE?
>> [INAUDIBLE] IT'S SEEN FRIENDLY.
>> WE DON'T KNOW THAT IT'LL BE SEEN AS FRIENDLY.
I AGREE WITH THAT PORTION OF IT ONLY BECAUSE THEN THAT MEANS THAT THE 141,000 THAT THEY'VE BEEN REQUESTED IS GOING TO GET TAKEN AWAY AS WELL.
>> NO, BUT THEY ONLY GET 75 EACH YEAR, AND THEY'RE STILL GOING TO BE IN THE POSITIVE COLUMN OF HAVING MORE MONEY TO GIVE THAN THEY DID LAST YEAR.
>> JUST BY 15, BECAUSE I BELIEVE I GAVE FLETCHER HIGH SCHOOL, 10, AND MAYPORT MIDDLE WAS 10.
>> I THOUGHT IT WAS FIVE LAST YEAR.
THE ROBOTICS CLUB WAS FIVE LAST YEAR.
DID THEY GIVE SOMETHING TO SHARK BYTES LAST YEAR?
>> THAT'S A GARDEN, BUT THE YEARS ARE GOING.
>> COMBINED WAS 11,000 FOR SHARK BYTES, AND ROBOTICS. THANK YOU.
>> WAS SHARK BYTES THE CODING PROGRAM OR WAS THAT A GARDEN?
>> I THINK THAT SHARK BYTES, IS A PREPARATION PROGRAM FOR KIDS ENTERING MIDDLE SCHOOL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CODING PROGRAM IS.
PERHAPS THAT WOULD BE UNDER ROBOTICS. I'M NOT SURE.
>> LET'S BACK UP A LITTLE BIT.
[02:10:01]
DID THE BANK GET 10,000 FROM ARC LAST YEAR? WAS IT FROM THE ARC BUDGET?>> YES. I'M GOING TO GO CHECK MY NOTES. I THINK THAT'S RIGHT.
OF COURSE ARC RECOMMENDED IT, AND THE CITY COMMISSION APPROVED IT.
>> NOT TO CONFUSE IT BUT THIS MIGHT ACTUALLY BE A SOLUTION.
WE COULD DO WHAT I THINK CITY MANAGER WAS ALLUDING TO EARLIER.
WE COULD APPROPRIATE THE MONEY AS A BLOCK OF MONEY AND DECIDE AT A FUTURE MEETING HOW WE DELIVER THAT MONEY. [OVERLAPPING].
>> AS AN EXAMPLE, AND FOR THE SAKE OF SIMPLICITY ON THIS, WE COULD TAKE THE FLETCHER BAND OUT BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY DECIDED ON THAT, BUT WE COULD APPROPRIATE TONIGHT $20 AND DECIDE LATER HOW TO SPREAD IT AROUND.
WE COULD SAY TO USE YOUR FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, WE COULD SAY HALF OF THAT 20,000 WILL BE A REDUCTION IN THE ARC GRANT BUDGET FROM 75-65.
SO WE'VE ONLY GONE UP AT LEAST TONIGHT BY 10,000 EVEN THOUGH WE ALSO HAD THE 5,000 FOR THE FLETCHER BAND.
>> DO WE WANT TO ADDRESS PENALIZING ARC A LITTLE BIT OR NO?
>> THAT'S WHAT I JUST SAID, IS TAKING 10,000 [OVERLAPPING].
>> FROM THE 20 TOTAL FOR EDUCATION, 10 CONTRIBUTED FROM ARC.
>> YEAH. TEN BY REDUCING THEIR BUDGET FROM 75-65.
THEY'RE STILL NET BETTER OFF [OVERLAPPING] THAN IF THEY TRY TO ENTERTAIN ALL OF THESE GRANTS WITHIN THEIR BUDGET. YEAH.
>> I THINK FROM THE CONVERSATION I'VE HEARD TWO APPROACHES.
SO WHAT IS WHETHER OR NOT YOU BELIEVE THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ONGOING THING? ARE YOU GOING TO CONTINUE THE ONGOING FUNDS PAID FOR HIGH SCHOOL [INAUDIBLE].
IF YOU ARE THEN [OVERLAPPING].
>> WE DON'T DECIDE THAT TONIGHT, DO WE?
>> I'M TRYING TO GET PHILOSOPHICAL.
IF YOU ARE GOING TO DO THAT, THEN I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A DISCUSSION ON HOW [INAUDIBLE] RIGHT?
>> IF WHAT YOU SEE THIS IS AS A ONE TIME THING AND YOU WANT TO GET OUT OF THE BUSINESS OF FUNDING THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS, THEN I DON'T THINK YOU NEED TO TAKE THAT ROUTE.
IT'S WELL WITHIN FEDERAL RESERVES WE HAVE AND THEN YOU CAN DEBATE IT NEXT YEAR AS TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO CONTINUE ON FUNDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS OR NOT.
>> I HAVE TO ADD TO THIS NOW, [LAUGHTER] IT'S GETTING DEEP.
THIS GOES TO ACTUALLY SOMETHING COMMISSIONER BOLE BROUGHT UP AT THE BEGINNING.
YOU DO HAVE TWO TAXING AUTHORITIES HERE.
SO YOU'VE GOT THE MUNICIPALITY, THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE TAXING AUTHORITY OF THE DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AT SOME POINT I KNOW THERE'S A PERCEPTION ISSUE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, BUT AT SOME POINT, IF IT'S NOT A ONE OFF, ONE TIME GRANT, MAYBE TWO TIME GRANT.
AGAIN, IT'S A SPECTRUM THAT YOU'RE ON.
IF THIS BECOMES AN OPERATIONAL THING YEAR AFTER YEAR, NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FUNDING EDUCATION, WHICH THAT'S THE SCHOOL BOARD'S JURISDICTION, NOT THE MUNICIPALITIES AND THAT COULD BE AN ISSUE.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE NOT THERE YET.
I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A ONE TIME GRANT TYPE SITUATION, BUT I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT ON THE TABLE SINCE WE'RE GOING DOWN THIS ROUTE.
>> WHAT HE SAID, [LAUGHTER] AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, MAYOR, YOU BROUGHT THIS UP ALSO, IS THAT GRANTS ARE ONE YEAR, HERE WE SAW IT, AND THIS IS WHAT WE GAVE.
WE NEED TO MAKE THAT LOUD AND CLEAR. [OVERLAPPING]
>> WHAT COMMISSIONER GRANT BROUGHT UP, I DON'T SEE US PENALIZING ARC.
ARC IS JUST GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS LIKE WE'RE DOING RIGHT HERE WITH OUR BOT.
>> I DON'T THINK THIS IS A PENALTY TODAY.
>> NO, BUT I THINK WE SAID [OVERLAPPING].
>> WHY JUST WAIT. WELL, BECAUSE THEY MADE THIS CALL LATE IN THE GAME AND YOU GOT AP AND ALL THESE OTHER PEOPLE WHO SPEND A LOT OF TIME APPLYING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY SAY, WELL, WE'RE JUST TO MAKE THIS REMOVE THIS VERTICAL FROM THEIR BUDGET OR GRANT BUDGET, LIKE WOW. THAT'S HARD.
>> MY POINT IS WE SAT HERE LAST WEDNESDAY AND MADE HARD DECISIONS.
THREE OR FOUR THINGS ON THAT LIST I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE.
>> I THINK WE'RE GOING TO MAKE CHANGE.
>> RIGHT. WE'VE ALL GOT TO MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS, I DON'T [INAUDIBLE] SEE GOING ON. THAT'S IT.
>> SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT?
>> TO THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR THAT APPROPRIATES 20,00O FOR EDUCATION GRANTS TO BE DECIDED LATER AND REDUCES THE ARC GRANT BUDGET BY 10,000 FROM 75-65.
>> YEAH. SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT THAT ESTABLISHES A ONE TIME $20,000 EDUCATIONAL GRANT BUDGET WITH 10 OF IT COMING FROM ARC, REDUCING THEIR TOTAL BUDGET 75-65 FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
[02:15:02]
>> I DON'T THINK [OVERLAPPING].
>> YEAH. SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIGHT HIM ON THAT.
ONLY ONE WORD I THINK NEEDED TO BE CORRECTED AND THAT IS YOU SAID GRANT OR COMMISSION GRANT PROGRAM AS OPPOSED TO ARC GRANT PROGRAM.
DID YOU GET THE WORDING ON ALL THAT?
MY QUESTION ABOUT IT WAS, I KNOW YOU SAID THE 20,000 EDUCATIONAL GRANT BUDGET.
>> I SAID WITH 10 COMING FROM ARCS 75 REDUCING THEIR TOTAL.
>> WE'RE NOT. BECAUSE ARC RIGHT NOW HAS A $75,000 BUDGET WHICH INCLUDES THE SCHOOLS.
IF THEY DITCH THE SCHOOLS, THAT'S THEIR CHOICE BUT THEY ONLY HAVE 75.
IF WE PICK UP ACTUALLY 25,000 FOR SCHOOLS, WE REALLY SHOULD REDUCE THEM FROM 75-50 BUT WE'RE ONLY REDUCING THEM FROM 75-65.
>> SORRY, JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
WHAT YOU'RE ASKING US TO DO IS PLACE $20,000 IN THE COMMISSION BUDGET, THE AID FOR LOCAL I THINK THE LINE ITEMS, AID FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
WE'LL PUT $20,000 THERE AND SUBTRACT $10,000 FROM THE ARC BUCKET.
>> SO IT'LL BE A NET $10,000 APPROPRIATION?
>> TAKING ARC DOWN FROM 75-65?
>> YES. THEN TO CLARIFY, NOT THAT IT HAS TO DO WITH THIS, BUT WE CAN DECIDE AT THE NEXT MEETING [OVERLAPPING].
>> WELL, WE CAN DECIDE WHO GETS WHAT OR WE CAN DECIDE TO INVITE THEM BACK TO PRESENT.
I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT WE HAVE TO DO BECAUSE ARC KNOWS ALL ABOUT THEM BECAUSE THEY LISTENED TO THEM AND READ THEIR REQUESTS, WE DON'T.
SO I HATE TO JUST BLINDLY GIVE OUT $20,000 WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING [OVERLAPPING].
SO BUT RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT THE 20,000 IF WE PASS THIS.
FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, I THINK WE CAN DO A GENERAL.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY WITH AYE.
>> WITH THE CURRENT MILIGRATE.
>> [LAUGHTER] NO. YOU DIDN'T MAKE THAT AMENDMENT.
>> YEAH. I THINK I'M STAYING OUT OF THIS WHOLE THING.
>> SO WE HAVE THE SMARTEST ONE.
WE HAVE AN ABSTAINING MEMBER COMMISSIONER KELLY. THANK YOU.
THAT WAS HARD BUT I THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE.
I HOPE THAT THE CITIZENS WHO CARE ABOUT ANY OF THESE INSTITUTIONS RECOGNIZE THAT THE COMMISSION REALLY IS NOT TONE DEAF AND DOES LISTEN AND DOES CARE CERTAINLY ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL.
>> I THINK YOU APPROVED THE AMENDMENT.
>> I DID. THANK YOU FOR APPROVING THE AMENDMENT.
NOW, TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION, AMENDED.
[OVERLAPPING] WE HAVE TO MOVE IT AGAIN. OKAY.
>> I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 20-25-180 AS AMENDED.
>> OKAY. DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY WITH AYE.
>> OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU.
>> NO. I DIDN'T WANT TO THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATHWATER.
[9.B. ORDINANCE NO. 5-25-72, Introduction and First Reading AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 2, "ADMINISTRATION," ARTICLE II, "CITY COMMISSION" SECTION 2-20, "SALARY OF MEMBERS," OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH; PROVIDING FOR THE ANNUAL SALARIES OF THE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS; PROVIDING FOR A PERIODIC REVIEW OF SAID SALARIES; PROVIDING FOR INCORPORATION AND CODIFICATION; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.]
>> YEAH. THANK YOU. OKAY. 9B, ORDINANCE NUMBER 5-25-72, INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 2, ADMINISTRATION, ARTICLE 2, CITY COMMISSION, SECTION 2-20 SALARY OF MEMBERS OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, PROVIDING FOR THE ANNUAL SALARIES OF THE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, PROVIDING FOR A PERIODIC REVIEW OF SAID SALARIES, PROVIDING FOR INCORPORATION AND CODIFICATION, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH, PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
>> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I DON'T REMEMBER HOW LONG AGO BUT AT SOME POINT, YOU WERE GOING TO TASK ME WITH LOOKING AT THE CITY COMMISSION'S SALARY AND MAKING SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO IF YOU REMEMBER, IT'S ON PAGE 97, I PUT FORTH A SLIDE THAT SHOWED THE POPULATION AND SALARY FOR THE COMMISSIONER AND MAYOR FOR NEPTUNE BEACH, JACKSONVILLE BEACH, FERNANDINA BEACH, ST. AUGUSTINE, ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH.
THEN BASICALLY CAME UP WITH A PRICE PER POPULATION, MULTIPLIED THAT BY OUR POPULATION, WHICH GAVE A COMMISSIONERS SALARY OF 11,243 AND A MAYORIAL SALARY OF 13,962.
[02:20:01]
I CERTAINLY TAKE MR. BRINKLEYS COMMENTS.IF THE COMMISSION CHOSE TO, THEY COULD ROUND THOSE NUMBERS OFF.
IT SHOULD BE 11,000 FOR COMMISSION AND 14,000 FOR MAYOR.
IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO THAT IT WOULD BE AS AN AMENDMENT.
THE ORDINANCE IS BASICALLY THE EXISTING ORDINANCE.
HOWEVER, WE CHANGED THE SALARY AMOUNTS.
THE CPI LANGUAGE WAS PREVIOUSLY IN THE ORDINANCE AND WE ADDED LANGUAGE WHICH WOULD REQUIRE A FIVE YEAR REVISIT.
>> OKAY. I'LL FIRST ENTERTAIN A MOTION AND THEN WE CAN OPEN UP DISCUSSION.
ACTUALLY, WE GOT [OVERLAPPING].
WE DON'T HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS.
>> MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 5-25-72 AS AMENDED AND RED-LINED.
>> OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. DISCUSSION.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP.
SO THAT IT DOESN'T AFFECT US DIRECTLY IF WE WAITED TO ENACT THIS INSTEAD OF THIS BUDGET, BUT NEXT YEAR WHEN IT'S POSSIBLE NOT ALL OF US WOULD BENEFIT FROM THIS.
>> OKAY. I'D LIKE TO KEEP IT THE WAY IT IS AND HERE'S WHY, I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THIS WHEN WE FIRST DID IT.
THIS COULD BE A MOTIVATIONAL FACTOR FOR SOME PEOPLE.
I'VE GOT TO GET A BABYSITTER, I'VE GOT TO GET DRIVE OVER, ETC, ETC.
WE ARE WAY OUT OF WHACK WITH MOST CITIES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA STATISTICALLY.
I REMEMBER RESEARCHING THIS A LITTLE BIT, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD DO IT NOW.
WE SHOULD HAVE DONE IT THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF THIS ORDINANCE, THIS CITY COMMISSION FOR GOOD OR BAD, REDUCED THEIR SALARY I THINK THREE TIMES IN THE PAST IF YOU GO BACK IN HISTORY.
LIKE I SAID, I WANT TO MAKE IT SO WE GET THE BEST PEOPLE.
TWO OF US UP HERE, RUN UNOPPOSED.
I THINK WE NEED TO GET PEOPLE OUT THERE AND YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT MAY MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO SOME PEOPLE THAT THEY GET PAID FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING AND I THINK WE SHOULD DO IT AS SOON AS WE CAN.
>> I JUST WANTED TO REMIND YOU GUYS THAT THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE DID INITIATE THIS DISCUSSION, WITH THE COMMISSION WHEN THEY REPORTED ON [OVERLAPPING].
>> THEIR FINDINGS. THEY DIDN'T MAKE A FORMAL MOTION ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T THINK IT BELONGED IN THE CHARTER, BUT THEY DID WANT THE [OVERLAPPING] COMMISSION TO ADDRESS THEM.
>> YEAH. I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, I MEAN, I RESPECT BRINKLEY, YOU BROUGHT UP SOME GOOD COMMENTS.
I MEAN, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT.
I THINK IT'S STILL FAIRLY INSIGNIFICANT COMPARED TO WHAT WE PUT INTO IT.
WE DIDN'T GET INTO THIS FOR THE MONEY.
WE GET INTO IT BECAUSE WE CARE SO MUCH ABOUT THIS CITY AND WE REALLY SEE IT AS A VOLUNTEER VENTURE, IF YOU WILL.
BUT IT'S NICE TO HAVE A FEW DOLLARS TO PAY A BABYSITTER, WHAT HAVE YOU.
>> WELL, MY THOUGHT BEHIND THE AMENDMENT HERE IS WHERE IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE'RE ENTERTAINING A ROLLBACK.
WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE ADDING POSSIBLY TWO POSITIONS TO THIS NEXT COMING BUDGET AND THEN WE'RE GIVING OURSELVES A LITTLE PAY BUMP.
IT MAKES ME FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE TO BE HONEST.
>> OKAY. THEN VOTE NO. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.
>> I'M GOING TO VOTE, YES, AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHY.
I'M EMBARRASSED FOR THE CITY THAT THIS HASN'T BEEN ADDRESSED ALREADY.
I AM NOT THE LEAST BIT CONCERNED THAT SOMEBODY THINKS THAT I'M LINING MY POCKETS WITH $14,000.
SO IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT LINING YOUR POCKETS WITH 11, I'M SORRY, THAT'S YOUR ISSUE.
BUT THIS NEEDS TO BE HANDLED AND THIS THEN IS SELF DRIVING GOING FORWARD WITH A FIVE YEAR REVISIT.
SO THE FUTURE COMMISSIONERS WILL THANK ALL OF US FOR ACTUALLY GETTING A SIMPLE THING DONE.
SO I VOTE YES ON THIS WHEN WE ACTUALLY GET IT TO A VOTE, BUT [INAUDIBLE].
>> IT TAKES ME A YEAR OF SALARY TO PAY THE EXPENSES OF RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
>> ABSOLUTELY. WELL, I WILL NEVER BREAK EVEN ON THAT.
>> ANYWAYS, BUT COMMISSIONER, YOU MOVED THIS, I BELIEVE, AS AMENDED, BUT WHAT'S AMENDED?
>> I THOUGHT YOU SAID AS AMENDED.
>> THAT WAS THE LAST ONE. I THINK COMMISSIONER RING MENTIONED IT AMENDED.
>> JUST BROUGHT IT UP FOR DISCUSSION.
>> SO CAN YOU RESTATE YOUR MOTION?
>> I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 5-25-72.
>> WELL, I THINK YOU ALREADY HAD A SECOND.
[02:25:01]
>> YOU WERE IT? OKAY. SO WE GOT A MOTION AND SECOND AND WE'VE HAD DISCUSSION.
WE'D LIKE SOME MORE DISCUSSION.
OKAY. HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY WITH AYE.
>> YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE THE MONEY.
>> DONATE IT TO ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY. I'M SERIOUS.
>> I GO EVERY YEAR TO FAB'S BENEFACTOR PARTY.
>> ALL RIGHT. THIS HAS BEEN AN INTERESTING MEETING, EVERYONE.
SO WE'RE AT THE FINISH LINE WHERE I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
[11. CITY ATTORNEY/CITY CLERK REPORTS AND/OR REQUESTS]
>> [LAUGHTER] I HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT, SIR.
>> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT MOST SINCERELY. CITY CLERK?
>> I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT IT'S 8:27.
>> THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT. OKAY.
>> BUT I ALSO LIKE TO SAY IT. I'LL BE IN A MEETING AT WASHINGTON ON THE 22ND BUT SHOULD BE BACK BY COMMISSION TIME.
I LOOKED IT UP AND THE RIGHT WAY TO DO THAT IS CONTACT THE CITY CLERK, IF YOU ARE OR NOT.
>> ACTUALLY, I'M FLYING BACK THAT DAY, SO NO GUARANTEES FOR ME EITHER.
>> THAT'S ALL I GOT. THANK YOU.
>> WELL, I HAVE A MORNING FLIGHT BUT YOU KNOW HOW IT GOES.
>> OR YOU NEED FOUR VOTES TO PASS THE BUDGET.
>> I INTENT TO BE BACK. [OVERLAPPING].
>> YOU NEED FOUR VOTES TO PASS THE MILLAGE.
THREE VOTES TO PASS THE BUDGET.
>> ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONER GRANT?
[12. CLOSING COMMENTS BY CITY COMMISSIONERS AND CITY MANAGER]
>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT VIDEO WAS AWESOME.
IS THAT OUR TAKE 2 ON PUTTING JACK'S SPEECH TO SHAME ON THEIR TAKE 2 TUESDAYS THAT THEY DO? WILL THAT BE BROADCASTED OUT TO OUR PUBLIC?
I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO PUSH IT ON LIKE FACEBOOK OR INSTAGRAM, ONE OF THE TWO.
>> YOU COULD REALLY, JACK SPEECH HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR THE PAST YEAR OR TWO AND THEY'VE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB AND THEY'LL HIGHLIGHT DEPARTMENTS INDIVIDUALLY.
BUT IT JUST GOES OUT SO MUCH SMOOTHER ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAN READING THOSE SHORT LITTLE VIDEOS.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY KUDOS TO WHOEVER PUT THAT TOGETHER. GOOD JOB.
>> ADRIAN AND CHRISTIAN AND RON, I BELIEVE, WERE THE THREE INDIVIDUALS WHO [INAUDIBLE].
>> [INAUDIBLE] THEY ALWAYS HAVE GOOD VIDEOS.
>> OKAY. I SHOULDN'T SAY ANYMORE SINCE IT'S 8:30 AS COMMISSIONER BOLE POINTED OUT, BUT I REALLY WANT TO CELEBRATE THE GOOD WORK OF HASHING IT OUT.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THIS RIGHT AND THERE'S NO ANSWER THAT'S GOING TO PLEASE EVERYONE.
I'M TALKING ABOUT ON THE THE GRANT PROGRAM.
SO I THINK WE'VE COME UP WITH A REASONABLE COMPROMISE.
THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.